Chapter 449: Coma
Wu Sheng didn’t die.
They saved him.
After four long hours, they finally managed to save Wu Sheng.
But even though he was alive, his condition wasn’t good.
"He lost a great deal of blood, and his heart stopped during the procedure. We had a very difficult time resuscitating him. So... although we’ve stabilized him for now, we can’t make any promises about his prognosis."
The doctor’s words meant he still wasn’t out of the woods.
"Can’t promise what?" Wu Qihua immediately pressed.
The doctor let out a breath. "We’re not sure when he’ll wake up. If he’s lucky, he might wake up in a few hours. If he does, he’ll basically be past the critical stage."
"If he’s not lucky, there’s no telling when he’ll wake up. He might... never wake up."
They had seen patients like this before.
An operation is crucial, but its success doesn’t mean the person is saved. Many families assume that once the surgery is over, the danger has passed, but the recovery period that follows is just as important.
The doctor’s words—"never wake up"—left Wu Qihua and Su Li stunned for a long moment.
"What do you mean... What does that mean? I don’t understand."
Previously, Wu Qihua had been holding strong, but after the surgery, upon hearing the doctor’s words, she could no longer hold back and broke down.
"How could he not wake up? How is that possible!"
After roaring in anger, Wu Qihua suddenly sank to the floor, covering her face and trembling.
The doctor tried to pull her up twice but couldn’t, so he could only look at Su Li helplessly.
"Well... SIGH."
He sighed, turned back, and took the tray from the other doctor behind him, gesturing for Su Li to look at the branch removed during the surgery.
"This was removed during the operation. We’re showing it to you as a matter of procedure."
Su Li stared at the branch, utterly grief-stricken, gasping for air as she nodded desperately.
The doctor knew how cruel this was. After they had seen it, he immediately had someone take it away.
Looking at Wu Qihua, the doctor ultimately chose to direct his remaining comments to Su Li.
"I’ve only described the worst-case scenario. The situation might not be that bad. The patient could wake up very soon. Just take good care of him, and let me know immediately if anything changes."
Su Li nodded vigorously. "Yes. He will wake up."
’Wu Sheng will wake up. No matter what anyone says, Wu Sheng will definitely wake up.’
’He wouldn’t abandon Wu Qihua, and he wouldn’t abandon me. We promised to grow old together. He wouldn’t leave me.’
’As long as there’s a breath left in his body, he’ll wake up.’
’Doctors always state the worst-case scenario. It’s just to scare you. I won’t listen. I won’t believe it.’
She firmly believed Wu Sheng would wake up.
"Auntie, please don’t cry. Wu Sheng won’t leave us. He wouldn’t be able to."
After giving the doctor a deep bow to express her gratitude, Su Li squatted down to help Wu Qihua up.
The doctor gave a slight nod in acknowledgment of her thanks and walked away, utterly exhausted.
After walking a short distance, he stopped and looked at Li Xian, who was squatting by the doorway, a flash of helplessness in his eyes.
At that distance, Li Xian had heard everything the doctor said.
He wasn’t crying, and his expression seemed calm, but his hands were trembling—a nervous, uncontrollable shaking. His back seemed a little more stooped.
And the wrinkles on his face, his hair... maybe it was just an illusion, but it seemed like he had aged years in an instant.
"I did my best," the doctor said with a sigh.
Li Xian wiped his face. "I know."
He replied in a low voice and stood up, but he was unsteady and nearly pitched forward.
"Careful." The doctor started to reach for him, but Li Xian steadied himself.
"I’m fine, I’m fine..." He waved his hand dismissively.
Wu Sheng was moved from the operating room to the intensive care unit.
His eyes, usually so deep and bright they could see through anything, were now tightly shut, silent and still.
Su Li had never seen Wu Sheng so quiet—so quiet it felt as if he might slip away in the very next second.
Wu Sheng, his face covered in stubble, looked so gaunt and defeated.
Wu Sheng was always a little thinner after returning from a business trip, but he had never been this thin before.
The larger-than-life Wu Sheng, always so strong and powerful, the man who held up the sky for Su Li, was just lying there quietly, without a trace of vitality.
Su Li took one look and felt her heart break all over again.
Tang Yuanxiao stood at the door. After waiting for a while without Su Li coming out, he sighed, stopped a passing nurse, and asked her to give Su Li a message.
He would go pick up Little Tang Mo and take care of him for the next couple of days, so Su Li could focus on looking after Wu Sheng.
Hearing the nurse’s message, Su Li finally remembered that Little Tang Mo was at school today.
Su Li took a deep breath, and then another, forcing herself to calm down and think about what needed to be done next.
She borrowed the hospital phone to call Li Hongqin and the others to tell them what had happened. Then she called the school to request two days off.
After making the calls, Su Li went to the cafeteria to buy food.
’No matter how sad I am, I have to get through this. I have to take care of Wu Sheng, and I have to take care of Wu Qihua.’
"Auntie, you should eat something first."
Su Li found a basin and a towel, wrung out a hot cloth for Wu Qihua, and had her wipe her face.
After wiping her face, Wu Qihua seemed more clear-headed and much calmer, but she had no appetite.
"I don’t want to eat."
"I know you don’t feel like it, but you should eat a little to keep your strength up. Wu Sheng hasn’t woken up yet, so you can’t afford to collapse."
Su Li handed Wu Qihua a bowl. "Please, just have a bite. Even if you feel like you can’t, force yourself to have two."
Wu Qihua glanced through the door at Wu Sheng on the hospital bed, nodded, and forced herself to eat two mouthfuls.
She really couldn’t eat any more, but when she looked up at Su Li, she froze.
Su Li was chewing mechanically, forcing down big mouthfuls of food.
Wu Qihua watched her for a moment, then suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Su Li, if you can’t eat, then don’t. Don’t force yourself."
Watching Su Li force herself to eat like this was even more painful than seeing her refuse food and water.
Su Li shook her head. "It’s fine. I have to eat. I need to finish the whole bowl."
Seeing Su Li’s determination, Wu Qihua thought for a moment and forced herself to eat two more bites.
’Su Li is right,’ she thought. ’Wu Sheng isn’t awake yet. I can’t collapse.’
She had to pull herself together, just like Su Li, and take care of Wu Sheng until he woke up.
Su Li gathered the bowls and chopsticks, washed them, and returned them to the cafeteria. Just as she got back to the ICU room, there was a knock on the door.
When the door opened, Bai Xinyue walked in, leaning on a crutch, one eye covered with white gauze, and wearing a hospital gown.
Her eyes went straight to Wu Sheng, completely ignoring Wu Qihua and Su Li.
"Wu Sheng."
She murmured his name from the doorway, her voice choked with emotion.
"Yueyue, you can’t cry. You insisted on coming to see Wu Sheng, and we came, but you promised you wouldn’t cry."
Mrs. Bai urged her anxiously from the side.
Bai Xinyue nodded, desperately holding back her tears. She finally turned to Wu Qihua and forced herself to bow.
"Auntie, hello. I’m Bai Xinyue."
Wu Qihua knew that Bai Xinyue had been with Wu Sheng when he was injured. Seeing her, she managed a faint smile. "Hello."
Bai Xinyue shuffled forward with difficulty, her eyes fixed on Wu Sheng as she spoke.
"It’s all my fault. If only I had held onto Wu Sheng... It’s all because I couldn’t hold onto him..."