Blooming Roses

Therefore, Shao Tingyu often felt an intangible distance between them. But he didn’t press the issue, only pulling out Lin Mengmeng’s medical record for a routine check. “The hospital has recently imported a new batch of drugs from abroad for treating ALS, which can effectively alleviate the symptoms, but there are side effects; it might cause some pain after taking it.” Here, Shao Tingyu’s face was full of hesitation, knowing Lin Mengmeng was the one to decide as a trial patient. “If you say you don’t want to, I can return the medication right now,” he reassured her. Lin Mengmeng, however, smiled nonchalantly, “I want to give it a try.” “How much worse can the pain be when I’m already like this?” Shao Tingyu felt a sudden, inexplicable pang in his heart and issued a new prescription for Lin Mengmeng. When it was handed to her, it was a small pile of colorful pills. Lin Mengmeng swallowed them without hesitation, and soon, her whole body ached as if her breath was being choked. Her lips were bitten blue, and she was drenched in cold sweat. Seeing this, Shao Tingyu steadied Lin Mengmeng’s shaky body, “Is it very painful?” Lin Mengmeng gave a bitter smile. She wanted to say it hurt, very much, but as the words reached her lips, she changed her tune, pretending to be nonchalant: “Not very.” “But you’re sweating from the pain on your forehead.” Shao Tingyu looked at Lin Mengmeng’s pale face and took out a tissue from his pocket to help wipe her sweat. Just as he extended his hand, Lin Mengmeng grabbed it tightly. “You know I’m timid; I’m afraid of even a little pain.” She smiled indifferently and took the tissue, “I’ll do it myself.” Perhaps when facing Shao Tingyu, she habitually wanted to hide her pain, not wanting to burden him. But in Shao Tingyu’s eyes, this seemed distant and cold. After so many years of marriage, he was rarely rebuffed by Lin Mengmeng like this. Shao Tingyu looked at her with some surprise, but recalling the events of a few days ago, his expression quickly normalized. “Then rest well, call me if you feel uncomfortable.” Lin Mengmeng lay back on the hospital bed, tucking her faintly trembling hands under the blanket. Seeing the new medication from Shao Tingyu, she said again, “You should leave now, I want to sleep.” Shao Tingyu didn’t notice anything unusual, just felt a bit down about Lin Mengmeng’s cold attitude. “I’ll take you for rehabilitation tomorrow.” To prevent muscle atrophy from accelerating, besides medication, exercise was also necessary to slow down its progression. These days, Shao Tingyu had been attending to Lin Mengmeng’s rehabilitation exercises in the role of her attending physician. Lin Mengmeng couldn’t refuse and just nodded silently, watching Shao Tingyu leave the hospital room. Only after the door closed did Lin Mengmeng breathe a long sigh of relief as the pain gradually subsided.