Chapter 410 - 264: Gu Yizhou
Christmas Day, dusk.
Gu Yizhou was walking home.
The walk seemed especially long today.
The wind thrashed the roadside trees, making them sway violently. The shadows of the skyscrapers seemed to teeter on the verge of collapse. The dense paving stones under his feet stretched on endlessly, impossible to count.
The crosswalk light blinked red.
He stared blankly, lost in a daze.
It was as if he were standing outside the intensive care unit all over again.
BEEP—
The light turned green, and a throng of pedestrians began to cross.
But Gu Yizhou remained rooted to the spot, unmoving for a long time.
His soul was still trapped outside the emergency room, desperately pleading for life to turn from red to green as well.
He didn’t move until the next green light.
Only then did he lower his head and walk woodenly across the crosswalk.
Across the street was a shopping mall.
Gu Yizhou’s steps slowed.
He remembered their first real date had been at this very mall.
She had been so excited that day, pulling him through every floor, insistent on picking out an outfit for him.
She always complained that his usual clothes were too plain, always black or gray, making him look like a little old man.
Finally, in a sportswear store, she picked out a cheerful blue-and-white color-block sweatsuit for him.
When he came out of the fitting room, she looked him up and down, then said with a satisfied smile, "See? You look so much more energetic like this! You have a great smile, so you should smile more often. Got it, Classmate Xiaogu?"
Her vibrant face materialized on the glass window, only to be blown away by the night wind in an instant.
Standing on the bustling street, Gu Yizhou’s chest heaved, and his vision instantly blurred.
He truly loved her.
𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
But this love was too expensive.
Even though the hospital had waived most of the fees, the remaining amount was still a bottomless pit.
Ever since he was a child, he had been his parents’ pride, the model child relatives always compared their own kids to.
He had gotten into Southern Medical University and joined a top-tier medical team; his future had been so bright.
If he had any other choice, how could he bear to go to his parents now with a bill that felt like a death sentence, asking for their hard-earned money?
’But what else can I do?’
Gu Yizhou continued walking home.
He walked the rest of the way extremely slowly.
With every step, he was tortured by his own guilt, as if by a thousand cuts.
「...」
He pushed open the door to his home.
The warmth inside stung him.
The aroma of corn and pork rib soup, his favorite, wafted from the kitchen.
His mother heard him and called out from inside, "Yizhou, you’re back? Go wash your hands, the soup is almost ready."
Gu Yizhou didn’t even change his shoes.
He pressed his lips together, walked straight to the kitchen doorway, and knelt before his mother’s back.
THUD—
His mother clearly heard the sound.
Her movements paused for a moment.
But she didn’t turn around.
"Mom."
With all his strength, Gu Yizhou said, "I have to apply for a leave of absence from school. I’ve also withdrawn from Jiang He’s project team. And... I need money."
The soup in the pot boiled violently, just like the torment in his mother’s heart.
After a long silence, her shoulders began to tremble, and tears fell into the soup.
"Yizhou... Mom isn’t worried about the money. You’ve studied medicine for five years, you have a limitless future... She’s a good girl, but I’m a selfish mother. I can’t bear to watch you waste your whole life on this..."
Gu Yizhou gritted his teeth.
Three heavy kowtows.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
In the living room, his father was sitting on the sofa, watching TV.
The ashtray on the coffee table was already piled high with cigarette butts.
Gu Yizhou walked over, knelt again, and performed three more heavy kowtows.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
When he lifted his head, his forehead was already red and swollen.
"Dad, ever since I was little, I’ve never asked you for anything. I’m begging you for this one thing. I’m begging you..."
The living room was silent.
His father silently took a cigarette from the pack.
He took a drag.
And then another.
He continued until more than half the pack was gone.
Only then did he stand up and walk into the bedroom.
A moment later, his father came out holding a bank card.
He placed the card gently on the coffee table and said,
"There’s two hundred thousand in here. Your mother and I were saving it for you, planning to give it to you after graduation. Take it."
"But, son, you’re a medical student. Think about it carefully. Will pouring this money in even make a difference?"
"This two hundred thousand might only buy her a few more months in that hospital bed. What if she can never get back on her feet? What if she needs someone to take care of her every basic need for the rest of her life..."
"Ten years from now, twenty years from now, will you resent her? Will you regret not listening to your parents today?"
Gu Yizhou fell silent.
’This card feels so heavy, so heavy I can barely pick it up.’
After a long pause, he looked his father straight in the eye and said,
"Dad, I know..."
"I know her lungs will develop fibrosis. I know she might get breathless just from walking a little too fast. I know anything could happen in the future."
"But Dad, Mom."
"If I let go now, I’ll never be able to forgive myself."
"If I just stand by and watch the person I love most die... how could I ever save anyone else?"
CLICK.
His father lit his last cigarette.
After sitting down, he said nothing more.
「...」
Before he rushed back to the hospital that night, his mother followed him to the doorway, pressed a thermal flask into his hands, and patted the back of his hand with a trembling touch.
"I made some congee for her. I don’t know if she can eat anything right now, but... anyway, about the money... Don’t tell her. Don’t let her feel like she owes our family anything. Don’t put too much pressure on her."
Gu Yizhou, who had been trying to appear strong, felt his composure shatter in that instant.
He broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. "Thank you, Mom... I’m sorry... Thank you, Mom..."
His mother’s eyes were red too. She reached out and gently ruffled his hair, just as she had when he was a child.
"Go on. No matter how hard it gets, Mom and Dad will always be behind you."
「...」
When he returned to the hospital, the girl was already awake.
Gu Yizhou handed the congee to her parents, who were waiting in the hallway. He took a deep breath and rubbed his stiff cheeks forcefully until he could manage a gentle, reassuring smile, then pushed open the door to her room.
He had prepared himself mentally, had already seen her countless times through the glass window, yet the moment he pulled up a chair and their eyes met, his heart still gave a vicious lurch.
Fighting back the stinging in his eyes, he gently wrapped his hands around the girl’s cold ones and asked softly, "Does it still hurt? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
The girl looked at him, her expression exceedingly complex.
Her pale lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something.
Gu Yizhou knew her too well. He immediately tightened his grip on her hand, cutting her off. "Director Jiang said they used the latest treatment this time, and the rescue was perfectly timed. You’ll be better in no time. You trust Director Jiang’s skills, don’t you? The most dangerous part is over. Really, it’s all over."
The girl continued to look at him quietly.
As she watched him, tears began to stream down her face.
Gu Yizhou panicked.
He quickly grabbed a tissue and fumbled to wipe her tears. "Don’t be scared. Don’t cry. Don’t be scared... I’m here with you. I’ll always be with you."
But he couldn’t seem to wipe her tears away.
She wasn’t afraid of dying at all.
Her heart ached for him.
Her heart ached for Gu Yizhou.
Because of her, he had been tormented into this state.
Gu Yizhou couldn’t utter another word of comfort. He could only lean down, press his forehead tightly against the back of her hand, and shut his eyes in agony.
BEEP... BEEP...
The monitor beeped steadily.
Life went on.
And so did the pain.
Just then, the Nokia phone in his pocket vibrated.
It was a text from Yang Xu: Yizhou, come to my office.
Gu Yizhou glanced at the time. ’Perfect,’ he thought. ’After I see Dean Yang, I can swing by the inpatient department and settle the bill.’
He tucked the girl’s blanket in and said softly, "I’m going to the dean’s office. I’ll be right back."
The girl nodded silently.
He walked down the long corridor to the administration building.
Yang Xu had been promoted. This was now the office of the Executive Vice Dean.
Gu Yizhou did his best to compose himself and said, "Dean Yang."
Seeing him in such a state, Yang Xu’s heart ached for him.
He quickly walked over, poured him a glass of water, and said,
"Good news, great news! I’ve been in meetings with the Provincial Health Department all day to finalize this."
Gu Yizhou froze for a second. "Finalize what?"
Yang Xu said,
"Because of the crucial work you were responsible for and the significant contributions you made to the rapid progress of the pancreatic cancer early screening R&D project led by Jiang He..."
"The Provincial Department officially issued a formal document today."
"They are activating the Special Support Fund for High-Caliber Scientific Research Talent."
"All medical expenses from your girlfriend’s treatment, including future rehabilitation costs, will be fully covered by this special fund. In other words, it’s all waived. Not only that, but the hospital will also arrange for a specialized team of respiratory experts to create a personalized prognostic rehabilitation plan for her."
Gu Yizhou was frozen to the spot.
He stammered, "D-Dean... This..."
Yang Xu sighed and said with emotion, "Yizhou, don’t thank me. You know who you should be thanking."
Gu Yizhou looked up, his composure on the verge of shattering. "The boss?"
"Mm."
"WAAAAH—"
Gu Yizhou abruptly dropped into a squat, sobbing his heart out.
His sobs echoed in the quiet office, and even Yang Xu couldn’t help but turn away to wipe the corners of his eyes.
After what felt like an eternity, Gu Yizhou pushed himself up from his knees to stand. "Thank you, Dean Yang... I will go thank the boss in person."
As he walked out of the administration building, the cold Christmas night wind was still biting.
But Gu Yizhou could finally breathe again.
Though the night was as black as ink, he could see the dawn.
How unbelievably fortunate, to Encounter Jiang He.
In this world full of suffering and impermanence, there are no gods to save people from fire and flood.
There is only kindness as weighty as a mountain, and the profound integrity of a great physician.