"Miss Gu, I won't get up. Miss Gu, I have a favor to ask of you. If you don't agree today, I'll kneel here until I die." Xu Qian's face was filled with a sorrowful expression. Her son had gotten into trouble again. Her child...

  "Auntie Xu, get up. I promise. Whatever you say, I'll agree to it. Are you okay, Auntie Xu? Wei Zhe is still waiting for you." How could Gu Xiyan bear to see Xu Qian kneel like this? "Auntie Xu, what do you want me to do?"

  "Miss Gu, it was all my fault back then. I was the one who heartlessly tore you two apart. Let me bear all the blame. I'm not a good person, and after I die, I'll be going to hell. Miss Gu, I'm begging you... please, get a divorce with your husband and come back to Xiao Zhe's side. He likes you so much, he values you more than his own life. I know my request is excessive, but Xiao Zhe is my son... he's still lying in the emergency room right now. Please, Miss Gu, come back to Xiao Zhe's side. Xiao Zhe loves you so much, and if you go back to him, he'll never let you go." Xu Qian grasped Gu Xiuyan's hand, her weathered face streaming with tears.

  Gu Xiyan also knelt down because of Xu Qian's words. She never expected that Xu Qian would make such a request. But she couldn't do it. Couldn't... "Auntie Xu, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I really can't do it. You can say I'm selfish or heartless, but I just can't leave my husband and daughter behind. Auntie Xu, anything else I can agree to, but this one thing, I really can't do it. Auntie Xu, please get up. Get up. Wei Zhe is a good person, he won't come to harm. He won't... " Gu Xiyan's eyes had become blurry and she was trying to help Xu Qian up while still muttering unconsciously "Nothing will happen. Nothing will happen..."

  "No, Miss Gu. I beg of you. I'm begging you to fulfill a mother's wish. I really know I was wrong. It was my fault back then. I will face the consequences. Miss Gu, please. Stay by Xiao Zhe's side. He needs you. Miss Gu, I beg of you..." Xu Qian's entire body was trembling. How was her son doing now? No, she wouldn't allow anything to happen to Xiao Zhe. "Miss Gu, tell me. What do you want me to do for you to agree? Even if you want my life, I can give it to you. I'm only asking you to fulfill my last wish."

  Xu Qian suddenly stood up and wanted to rush towards the wall in the ward, but Gu Xiyan quickly got up and held her back. Her heart ached as if thousands of silver needles were piercing into it at the same time. Gu Xiyan knelt down with tears in her eyes. "Auntie Xu, don't say anything else. I...I promise you, okay? I promise..."

  What happened next, Gu Xiyan wasn't very clear about. She only knew that after she agreed with Xu Qian's words, all her strength was suddenly drained away in an instant. Someone pulled her to the outside of Wei Zhe's emergency room and she followed blankly, not speaking a word, completely like a wooden person.

  Gu Xiyan didn't know how long she stood outside the emergency room either. When Wei Zhe was wheeled out, she heard the doctor say: "Now we need to wait for Mr. Wei to wake up. Family members can talk to him beside him. This will help awaken his consciousness. It's best to say some more optimistic things. Family members must remember not to be too emotional, as this may have an adverse effect on the patient."

  After the doctor left, Xu Qian went in to see Wei Zhe first. Wei Yinghua, who had rushed over after hearing the news, followed closely behind. During the time Gu Xiyan was waiting outside Wei Zhe's hospital room, Ji Shufen came to the hospital twice. The first time she came, she had originally intended to take Gu Xiyan out of the hospital. But seeing Gu Xiyan in this state, she could only sigh and leave. Ji Shufen's second visit was to bring lunch for Gu Xiyan. Gu Xiyan held the food in her hand, hesitating without wanting to eat.

  "Xiao Yan, don't worry, Wei Zhe will be fine. Mom is leaving first. Later, I'll ask Xiao Qi to come pick you up, okay?" Ji Shufen smoothed out Gu Xiyan's long hair and helped her tidy up her clothes.

  "Mom, you go back first. I'll wait here. I'm fine." Gu Xiyan's small face was pale and bloodless. For a moment, she felt as if her heart had been stabbed with a dull pain. Was it because her mother-in-law had just mentioned the two words "Xiao Qi"?

  "Xiao Yan, I'm not reassured at all with you like this. Why don't we go back with Mom instead? We can come visit Wei Zhe later too." Ji Shufen tried to persuade her.

  She shook her head dazedly and stopped speaking. Her pair of dull eyes stared blankly at the ICU where Wei Zhe was now.

  Ji Shufen became increasingly uneasy and just then, the Wei family couple came out. Gu Xiyan went into the ward, while Ji Shufen could only stop in her tracks. She also exchanged a few words with the Wei family couple along the way. It was clear that they were not in a good mood. As Ji Shufen spoke, she found an excuse to leave as well.

  The ward where Wei Zhe was located had a strong smell of disinfectant, even stronger than the one in Gu Xiyan's hospital room. She didn't know how she ended up by Wei Zhe's bedside, where there were two chairs. Gu Xiyan chose one and sat down.

  Quietly looking at Wei Zhe, Gu Xiyan suddenly didn't know what to say. Two slender white hands grasped Wei Zhe's right hand. Time flowed quietly by. Gu Xiyan suddenly noticed that Wei Zhe's fingers trembled slightly.

  It was just a slight tremble that she wasn't sure if it was an illusion or not, Gu Xiyan snapped back to reality and forced a smile on her lips.

  " Wei Zhe, it's me, Yan Yan. Aren't you the one who loves calling me 'Yan Yan'? I'm right here with you now. Look, I'm tongue-tied and don't know what to say to you. Oh, I have some good news! From now on, I'll be by your side forever and never leave again. Wei Zhe, please wake up soon! When you do, I'll accompany you to do everything you want to do and make up for all the regrets of these years. Is that okay with you? When you wake up, I'll marry you. Really, I'll be a ordinary little wife. We can still raise an adorable dog like we said before. How about two dogs instead? One male and one female. I'll take them out every day and wait for your return home. Is that okay?

  Wei Zhe, I'm more capable than before. I can cook many delicious dishes and even knit gloves. I can create different surprises for you every day..."

  Gu Xiyan had been talking non-stop for a long time, and when Shang Qi found her, her voice was already very hoarse. Yet her hand still tightly grasped Wei Zhe's long and slender right hand.

  "It's a pity. Let's go back first. We'll come again tomorrow to see Wei Zhe. Is that okay?" Shang Qi wasn't someone who didn't understand emotions. Seeing Wei Zhe still lying on the sickbed, struggling to breathe, he also felt uncomfortable in his heart.

  "I don't want to. I won't leave him. I'll stay with him..." Gu Xiyan shook her head, not even looking at Shang Qi.

  "It's late now, Wei Zhe also needs to rest. You'll disturb him if you stay here. Why don't you come back tomorrow and talk to him then?" Shang Qi tried to persuade him patiently.

  "I won't leave. I won't speak. I've stopped speaking. It's enough for me to just quietly watch him. He wants to sleep, so I won't disturb him." Gu Xiyan pushed away Shang Qi's hand that was reaching out to pull her. With a determined and resolute tone, she gazed at Wei Zhe with all her heart.

  Shang Yi felt a pang in his heart because of Gu Xian's behavior. Why did he have this feeling... It seemed like they couldn't go back to the way things were before. Why was there such a feeling? Why did he feel that she was drifting away from him? She was moving further and further away from his world...

  "Are you the patient's family? Visiting hours are over. Please leave as soon as possible." A nurse walked in at this moment. Gu Xiyan subconsciously wanted to resist, but Shang Qikai was a wedge that separated their entwined hands.

  "It's a pity. The hospital has its rules. We should go." Shang Qi said without hesitation.

  The female nurse also chimed in, "Miss, the doctor still needs to examine Mr. Wei later. You'll be inconvenienced if you stay here. Why don't you go back first and come again tomorrow morning?"

  Even the nurse said so. Gu Xiyan was reluctantly led away by Shang Ke. As they reached the door of the ward, she still subconsciously glanced back at the hospital bed.

  Xiao Yatou hadn't seen her mommy for several days. Now that she saw Gu Xiyan, she immediately threw herself into Gu Xiyan's arms. "Mommy, you're back! Yan'er misses you."

  "Yan'er... child..." Gu Xiyuan hugged Xiao Yan tightly and refused to let go.

  "Mommy, why are you crying?" Little Ya Tou wiped away the tears on Gu Xiyan's face with her small hand and comforted her foolishly: "Don't cry, Mommy. Be good, Mommy. Yanyan will get you something to eat, okay? Don't cry."

  Gu Xiyan let go of the little guy, wiped away two handfuls of tears from her face. Her eyes were still a bit red, but she tried to force a gentle smile. "Yan'er, Mommy was just happy to see you, Mommy didn't mean to cry. Yan'er, have you been good these past few days? Have you been studying hard and listening to your elders?"

  Gu Xiyan couldn't stop talking. As soon as she stopped, she would feel uncomfortable.

  "Mummy, you asked so many questions at once, how can Yanyan answer them? Mummy, don't worry, Yanyan is very obedient. Yanyan studies every day. Mummy, where did you go? Even grandma didn't tell Yanyan where you went." The little girl said with a pout, seemingly very dissatisfied that grandma had hidden mummy's whereabouts.

  "Mummy just went to a place for a few days, you see. Mummy is back now. Mummy heard that Yan'er was thinking of mummy, so mummy came back." Gu Xiyan kissed the little guy and stood up.

  "Mummy, grandma has just gone to cook noodles! Mummy, hurry up and eat. Daddy, you go eat noodles too." The little girl pulled Gu Xiyan to Shang Qi's side, who had just entered the door, and said happily.

  Gu Xiyan's mouth was bitter, but she still smiled and agreed.

  Author's Notes