Tang Xiaoyue brought a bowl of tonic soup, pulling An Yunxing out of her thoughts. An Yunxing sat up quickly: “Why did you buy so much?” “You’ve been unable to eat due to chemotherapy, so I bought some supplements,” Tang Xiaoyue placed the soup on the table, serving it in a small bowl. “Xingxing, can you eat a little? It’s very nutritious, even just a sip would help.” Recently, Tang Xiaoyue had asked Wen Shixiu to look after An Yunxing for a couple of days while she dealt with some urgent matters back home and bought supplements. She had a big shopping haul of various health products, which were even detained at customs, requiring a hefty fee to bring through.
An Yunxing managed a strained smile: “Don’t waste money on these; I’ll just throw them up.” “Even if you can absorb a little, it’s beneficial,” Tang Xiaoyue said, her heart aching for the now frail An Yunxing. Seeing Tang Xiaoyue’s eyes welling up, An Yunxing quickly reassured her: “Alright, alright, I’ll listen to Xiaoyue.” But as she reached for the bowl, her hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
“Clatter—” The bowl and chopsticks fell, spilling the soup over the bed. Tang Xiaoyue hurried over to clean up, apologizing profusely: “I forgot you can’t hold things well, it’s my fault.”
Seeing this, Wen Shixiu took quick steps forward, grabbing An Yunxing’s hand, his brows furrowed: “Did you overdo it playing games earlier? Why didn’t you say anything?” An Yunxing’s eyes dimmed: “I just wanted to feel the sensation of using a keyboard one last time.” “Do you want to lose the use of your hands?” Wen Shixiu said sharply. “Do you know that continuing like this could mean you might never pick anything up again? I want you to relax, not ruin your hands.”
An Yunxing’s face turned pale, gripping the bedsheet tightly. She understood these principles, but every time she thought about only watching Lu Jiaming and Cheng Xinxin lead TYG on the competition stage, her heart felt like it was being torn in two. Now, she had lost even the right to stand by Lu Jiaming’s side. What could she compete with Cheng Xinxin for?
Chapter 28: Gentle
Seeing the tension, Tang Xiaoyue quickly mediated: “Alright, alright, Xingxing, Dr. Wen is your attending physician; he wants you to get better. Please don’t do this anymore.” An Yunxing nodded: “I understand.” Seeing An Yunxing’s compliant demeanor, Wen Shixiu’s expression softened: “Your body is your own; I hope you’ll take care of it.”
Later in the afternoon, the hospital room door was pushed open by a group of medical staff for the pre-chemotherapy blood draw. The nurse expertly tied the tourniquet, inserted the needle, and drew blood. An Yunxing’s arm, marked with countless needle scars from repeated chemotherapy, looked terrifying.
“Time for another chemotherapy session, I’ll go with you,” Tang Xiaoyue said, her eyes full of compassion. It had only been a short while since the New Year, when An Yunxing was still a healthy-looking, slender girl. Now, even a fleeting glance from an ordinary person would find An Yunxing startlingly thin. An Yunxing shook her head and then said softly, “It’s okay, I’m used to it. There’s a lot of radiation in there; it’s not good for you to go in too often. I might end up vomiting out all the tonic soup I just drank when I come out. Can I have some congee this time?” “Why wouldn’t you? I’ll go buy some, and you’ll definitely have hot congee when you come out,” Tang Xiaoxiao gently touched An Yunxing’s gaunt face, her nose tingling, nearly shedding tears again. An Yunxing smiled lightly at Tang Xiaoxiao, teasing with a playful tone, “Why are Lawyer Tang’s eyes red again?” Tang Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but laugh at the remark, then said, “My eyes are just uncomfortable, they’re secreting tears automatically.” They exchanged a smile, both understanding each other’s well-meaning efforts not to worry the other. Meanwhile, Wen Shixiu walked in, urging, “Xingxing, let’s go.” Tang Xiaoxiao gently helped An Yunxing up from the hospital bed, and a wheelchair was brought over. Wen Shixiu, with a gentle smile, maneuvered around Tang Xiaoxiao, “Let me do it.” “Dr. Wen…” Tang Xiaoxiao hesitated. As Wen Shixiu’s warm hands were about to touch An Yunxing’s skin, she instinctively recoiled, her natural resistance showing: “Is it really okay, Dr. Wen?” Wen Shixiu smiled slightly, continuing his movements, “Isn’t it normal for doctors to help their patients?” He lifted her gently into the wheelchair, his movements tender, his head lowered with an indescribable charm in his eyes. An Yunxing couldn’t help but look away. She suddenly realized that Wen Shixiu was indeed a man, and a very attractive one at that. Even though they were in a doctor-patient relationship, there seemed to be a closeness beyond the usual. Wen Shixiu casually took the handles of the wheelchair, saying to Tang Xiaoxiao, “I’ll take Xingxing there. Miss Tang, you should rest for a bit.” Tang Xiaoxiao nodded, watching Wen Shixiu wheel An Yunxing out of the ward, her tears finally streaming down. Outside in the corridor, although An Yunxing was still somewhat lethargic due to chemotherapy, she heard Tang Xiaoxiao’s sobs. She thought of the old Tang Xiaoxiao, fearless since they met, who rarely cried. Now, because of her condition, she had cried countless times. “What’s Xingxing thinking?” Wen Shixiu noticed An Yunxing’s silence in the wheelchair and asked softly. An Yunxing lowered her head, fidgeting with her right hand, and murmured, “When I first met Xiaoxiao, she was fearless, but now…” Her voice trailed off, unsure whether she was speaking to herself or to Wen Shixiu. Wen Shixiu placed a hand on An Yunxing’s shoulder, patting gently as if to comfort her, “Miss Tang has a very gentle heart, just like Xingxing.” They chatted sporadically for a bit, soon reaching the chemotherapy room.
