UD I Chapter 29 - Don't Save Him

Shen Honglian's tears flowed even more fiercely, each drop falling onto the blanket without leaving the slightest trace.

Gu Jinqi's heart felt as though it were being torn apart. Tears streamed uncontrollably down his face as a painful sob escaped his throat.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have left you alone..."

If only he had been braver back then.

If only he had confessed his feelings sooner and taken her away with him, she wouldn't have been killed by those people.

And when he thought about how, all these years, he had continued to take care of the very people who had killed her, his regret became so overwhelming that he wanted to plunge a knife into himself and repay her with his own life.

"Don't blame yourself..." Shen Honglian sobbed. "It's all their fault..."

If she had blamed him, Gu Jinqi might have felt a little better.

But she didn't.

And that only made him feel even more guilty and miserable.

"It's all my fault. I was the one who caused your death..."

Under the strain of such intense emotions, something suddenly went wrong with his body. His breathing became labored.

"Gu Jinqi! Gu Jinqi!"

Shen Honglian hurriedly called his name twice.

Seeing his face grow increasingly red and his expression twist in pain, she immediately called for the people outside.

A minute later, several doctors and nurses rushed into the room to resuscitate him.

Through his blurred vision, Gu Jinqi saw countless faces surrounding him.

Using the last bit of strength left in his body, he forced out three words.

"Don't... save... me..."

He had found Xiaolian.

He had no regrets anymore.

He wanted to go with her.

He didn't want to continue living alone in this world, suffering the torment of missing her day and night.

Rong Leying was completely unaware of the dangerous and tense situation unfolding elsewhere.

She stared at the empty bowls on the table, then looked at Elder Rong's thoroughly satisfied expression.

"Grandpa, you ate everything... Does your stomach feel uncomfortable?"

Although Elder Rong had complained that Rong Leying had bought too much food, he had still finished every dish and an entire large box of rice without leaving a single bite.

She had bought so much for two reasons. First, Elder Rong's appetite seemed pretty good. Second, she had decided to get a little of everything to make sure his nutrition was balanced.

She hadn't expected him to finish everything.

He had even eaten all the fruit she'd prepared, along with two bananas.

She was worried that he'd eaten so much he'd make himself sick.

Elder Rong carefully checked how he felt.

"No. I feel pretty good."

He hadn't expected his appetite to be this good either.

The three dishes had been quite substantial, especially the braised chicken, which had contained nearly half a chicken.

That meal was practically the same amount he'd eaten when he was young.

As he'd gotten older, he hadn't been able to eat nearly as much as before.

Now that he could eat this much without feeling stuffed, Elder Rong was actually quite pleased.

When you're sick, you need to be able to eat in order to recover quickly.

The fact that he could eat so much meant he must be getting better.

Rong Leying guessed it was probably the effect of that medicinal pill. It had improved the old man's appetite and helped him eat, digest, and absorb more.

That was a good thing.

I'll prepare more food for Grandpa tomorrow.

After Rong Leying cleaned up, she turned on the television for them.

Although Elder Rong and Auntie Wu weren't from the same generation, they both enjoyed those family-oriented dramas filled with everyday household squabbles.

After setting the television to something they liked, Rong Leying sat beside them and watched as well.

Seeing how well her grandfather was doing put her in a good mood.

Around nine o'clock, Rong Leying washed Elder Rong's face, wiped his feet, helped him rinse his mouth, and gave him a quick wipe-down.

The old man watched television for a while longer before gradually falling asleep.

Auntie Wu beside him was the same. She had already fallen asleep before ten.

Rong Leying turned off the television, set up her own cot, switched off the lights in the hospital room, closed the door, and lay down to sleep.

Tang Chengyun hurried from the police station to the hospital.

Both families were gathered outside the intensive care unit.

"How's Grandpa?"

"Brother..." Guan Xiangyu choked out. "Grandpa told us not to save him... He wants to go with Grandma Shen..."

"Don't say nonsense!"

Pan Yidan smacked him on the head irritably.

"Chengyun, don't listen to him. Your grandfather is fine right now."

The old man had been temporarily resuscitated, but he had absolutely no will to live.

His organs were beginning to deteriorate, and he was currently being monitored in the intensive care unit.

If he continued to have no desire to live and truly wanted to die, his departure was only a matter of time.

Through the thick glass, Tang Chengyun saw his grandfather lying on the hospital bed, tubes running all over his body.

Standing beside him was Shen Honglian.

"What do you all think?"

Everyone else fell silent.

They all knew that the only reason Elder Guan had kept living all these years was to find Shen Honglian.

Now that he had finally found her, they could understand why he wanted to leave.

But actually making that decision was far too difficult.

Pan Yidan looked at the others and gritted her teeth.

"Can't you find that Master and ask her to help save your grandfather?"

Although the Guan family's management had already been handed over to Guan Yunpeng, the family's position and influence in their social circle were still largely supported by Elder Guan.

If he died, the Guan family's standing would inevitably be affected.

And since Pan Yidan placed greater importance on practical interests, naturally she wanted the old man to stay alive.

Guan Yunpeng felt the same way.

In his mind, the family's interests were more important than Elder Guan's happiness.

"Xiaoyu, contact that Master Rong. Ask her to come take a look at your grandfather and see if there's anything she can do to save him."

That Master was so capable.

Surely she had some way to save Elder Guan.

Guan Xiangyu hesitated.

"But if Grandma Shen isn't here, Grandpa won't be happy even if he stays alive..."

Tang Bo immediately said, "We've been buying talismans for him. Can't he keep seeing Auntie Shen that way?"

"Exactly!" Pan Yidan agreed. "As long as he has the talismans, he'll always be able to see Auntie Shen."

One talisman cost 150,000 yuan.

Even buying dozens or hundreds of them was nothing to a family like theirs.

As long as Elder Guan remained alive, they could keep buying more talismans for him.

Guan Yunqian said nothing.

Her mind was a complete mess, and she couldn't make a decision.

She wanted her father to live.

But she didn't want him to live in suffering.

Making such a decision was simply too difficult for her.

Although what the others said made sense, Guan Xiangyu and Guan Xiangyu shared the same opinion.

"But he can see her without being able to touch her. They can't even give each other a basic hug. Grandpa will still be miserable."

If it were her, having the person she loved standing right in front of her but being unable to hug or kiss them would still hurt terribly.

And making Shen Honglian stand there and watch as the person she loved enjoyed everything this world had to offer while she could only look on without being able to touch anything—

How could that not be cruel to her as well?

"How old is your grandfather anyway? And he's still worrying about things like that?" Pan Yidan scoffed. "At least he can see her every day..."

"Enough."

Tang Chengyun suddenly interrupted them.

"I'll go ask the Master."

Pan Yidan immediately nodded.

"Yes, yes. Chengyun, go ask her. Better yet, bring her here. We can ask her ourselves, too."

Tang Chengyun stared fixedly at her.

The intensity of his gaze made Pan Yidan feel uneasy, and her expression became somewhat unnatural.

"Chengyun, why are you looking at me like that?"

Tang Chengyun didn't answer.

He simply called Guan Xiangyu over and left with him to find the Master.

Pan Yidan watched them leave, utterly bewildered and slightly displeased.

Ever since this kid became a police officer, he's gotten so rude.

I'm his elder, after all. How can he not even answer me?