Blooming Roses

Honestly, Shao Tingyu hadn’t thought about divorcing Lin Mengmeng. Over the years, she had fulfilled her duties as a wife, taking care of him and his family with utmost dedication. He had never considered finding another Mrs. Shao. But that day, for some reason, the topic of divorce was brought up, and Lin Mengmeng did not refuse. Shao Tingyu couldn’t explain what he was thinking at the time; looking back now, he felt it was somewhat out of spite. After the divorce, he still had the Shao family, but Lin Mengmeng was left with only herself. The questions from his mother echoed in his ears, and Shao Tingyu’s mind was filled with every moment he had spent with Lin Mengmeng over the years. Suddenly, an idea came to him. He wanted to wait for Lin Mengmeng to return and have a proper conversation with her. After figuring this out, Shao Tingyu ultimately did not sign the divorce papers and put the agreement back into the drawer. That day, the city was covered with a night of snow, donning a silver coat. The cold winter wind, however, could not blow away the longing buried deep in his heart. Far away in Hezhou County, several dozen miles away, the medical personnel who had come to take over were already at their posts, allowing Lin Mengmeng and others who had stayed behind to return to their original positions. In the office, Lin Mengmeng was organizing the medical records of her patients, preparing for the handover when the new colleagues arrived. At that moment, she felt a discomfort in her throat and got up to get some water. Unexpectedly, as soon as she took a step, her legs felt as if they were filled with lead, and she fell forward. In her panic, she instinctively grabbed the edge of the desk to steady herself, but the water cup in her hand fell to the ground due to her lack of strength. “Crash!” As the sound of breaking glass echoed, Lin Mengmeng’s body also heavily collapsed to the ground! Over the past few days, her episodes had become more frequent and severe. But the medicine Chen Zhe had sent had yet to arrive. Lin Mengmeng opened her mouth to call for help, but her throat felt as if it were being strangled, unable to make a sound! Her body stiffened, powerless, and as time passed, her breathing seemed to weaken. She gradually felt completely numb and powerless. She understood that this time, her body might really not hold up. Memories of moments with Shao Tingyu flashed through her mind, each one more bitter than the last. Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, and she slowly closed her eyes… Outside the door, a doctor who had come to do the handover knocked but received no response. “Doctor Lin, may I come in?” she called out, pushing the door open to find Lin Mengmeng lying unconscious on the floor! The colleague was startled and quickly called for help. After a series of examinations, they were shocked to discover that Lin Mengmeng had been diagnosed with ALS. However, Hezhou County lacked the medical equipment to treat ALS, so she had to be sent to a larger hospital in the city for treatment! Half an hour later, an ambulance, with its urgent siren, drove off into the distance… Meanwhile, at the First Affiliated Hospital of the city, today was the day Lin Mengmeng was supposed to return, and Shao Tingyu was waiting at the hospital entrance. His colleagues were surprised to see him there, as the only bus returning was from Hezhou County, and none of the returning staff had any connection with Shao Tingyu! “Doctor Shao, who are you waiting for?” Shao Tingyu replied calmly, “Lin Mengmeng.” His colleague was stunned, never expecting that Lin Mengmeng from pediatrics would be connected to him: “Doctor Lin? What’s your relationship?” Shao Tingyu’s eyebrows twitched: “She’s my wife.” This revelation left everyone in disbelief. Before the news could be fully digested, the bus slowly stopped at the hospital entrance. Shao Tingyu, ignoring the others’ gazes, quickly stepped forward, his heart filled with an inexplicable anticipation. However, Lin Mengmeng was not among the medical staff disembarking. Shao Tingyu frowned. He stopped a colleague who had just gotten off the bus: “What about Lin Mengmeng, the pediatric doctor who stayed in Hezhou County with you?” The colleague shook his head in confusion: “I don’t know, we didn’t pick up Doctor Lin; she must have been delayed by something.” Shao Tingyu stood there, dazed, watching the now-empty bus, feeling an inexplicable unease. He took out his phone to call Lin Mengmeng. Just then, a voice called out from behind: “Doctor Shao, there’s an ALS patient in critical condition who has fallen into a coma, and we need you for surgery immediately.” Shao Tingyu tightened his grip on the phone, looking at Lin Mengmeng’s number on the screen, hesitated for a few seconds, and then put the phone back in his pocket. “Understood.” He thought, it wouldn’t hurt to wait a little longer; he could contact Lin Mengmeng after the surgery. Ten minutes later, in the operating room. All the medical staff were in position. A nurse was helping Shao Tingyu into his surgical gown as he looked at the frail figure covered by the surgical sheet: “Patient’s information.” The nurse flipped through the medical report: “Female patient, 27 years old, diagnosed with ALS two months ago, name is… Lin Mengmeng!” As soon as the words fell, everyone in the room froze. Shao Tingyu’s face changed dramatically. Ignoring his half-fastened gown, he strode forward and pulled back the surgical drape — revealing Lin Mengmeng’s pale face! Chapter Ten: The Truth With a thunderous crash! It felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck Shao Tingyu’s mind! He never imagined that his next meeting with Lin Mengmeng after their separation would be on the operating table. She had been diagnosed with ALS for two months, and he had not noticed a thing. Shao Tingyu stood frozen, his mind blank. Seeing his reaction, a nurse gently reminded him: “Doctor Shao, let’s proceed with the surgery.” “Yes, Doctor Lin’s condition is very critical, Shao Tingyu, we can’t afford to delay even a second.” The urging of his colleagues brought Shao Tingyu back to reality. He hadn’t forgotten his duty as a doctor. “Prepare for anesthesia,” Shao Tingyu said, putting on his gloves and preparing for the craniotomy. This time, he focused with every ounce of his being, not daring to make a single mistake. Fortunately, the surgery went smoothly. Although ALS couldn’t be completely cured, the craniotomy could slow down the progression. As the surgical lights dimmed, Shao Tingyu finally exhaled. He didn’t have time to wipe the sweat from his forehead, just staring blankly at Lin Mengmeng as she was wheeled away, unsure of what to feel. His heart was still pounding like a drum. Throughout the seven-hour surgery, he hadn’t relaxed for a moment, and even now, he hadn’t fully recovered. Looking down at his trembling hands, Shao Tingyu clenched his fists to try to regain some control, but he was still weak, only able to take deep breaths to calm his emotions. Just then, a white figure approached from a distance. Chen Zhe, having just finished his rounds, had heard that Shao Tingyu was performing surgery on Lin Mengmeng. Worried that Shao Tingyu might be too emotionally involved to complete the surgery, he rushed over in haste. By the time he arrived, he had already been informed that the surgery was a success. He looked at Shaoting Yu, who was slumped on the long corridor bench, sighed, and took a can of beverage from his pocket: “Are you okay?” Shaoting Yu didn’t take it, just slowly lifted his head to look at Chen Zhe: “Did you know about Mengmeng’s situation all along?” At this point, Chen Zhe had no way to keep it hidden: “Yes.” However, as soon as he said this, he was suddenly grabbed by a strong force at his collar. Shaoting Yu’s eyes were filled with anger: “Why didn’t you tell me?” Chen Zhe had anticipated this scene. He didn’t resist, understanding Shaoting Yu’s loss of control. Adjusting his crooked gold-framed glasses, Chen Zhe said calmly, “It was Mengmeng’s wish; she didn’t want you to worry.”