This was his Feng’er, reminiscent of his youth—cutting up her favorite clothes, spilling her milk, and pinching her cheeks when no one was looking. Yet, she would still cook him longevity noodles and never blame him, remembering his good points while forgetting his bad ones.
But this made his heart ache more. How could he force her to do something she didn’t want to?
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” he repeated, unable to watch Sui Feng die, so he chose to wrong Ru Feng.
Faced with life and death, he had to choose.
Choosing the lesser of two evils, his pain and guilt never ceased.
Ru Feng patted her brother’s back, feeling his emotions. The last trace of grievance in her heart slowly dissipated.
Big brother, if he could have chosen, how could he bear to make things difficult for her?
Situ Jin returned to the hospital with several bottles of water and immediately furrowed his brow at the scene before him.
He saw Ning Yuan looking shocked, tears in his eyes, and Ning Yuan’s mother, puzzled, sat in a chair.
“Ru Feng, how did you get here?” He deliberately emphasized “Ru.”
Ru Feng let go of her brother and turned to Situ Jin. Just as she was about to speak, she caught her father’s gaze, pausing before calling out, “Uncle Situ.”
Situ Jin exhaled lightly. “Did Qi Feng tell you to come?”
“Why didn’t he accompany you?”
Ru Feng touched her hair, feeling slightly uncomfortable. “He had something to do, so I came first.” Then she softly asked, “May I see Sui Feng?”
Situ Jin didn’t answer, just looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze.
Situ Jin’s expression relaxed slightly. “It’s best if it’s like this. If you cause any more trouble, I see your second brother won’t survive either.”
“I know, I won’t let my second brother worry about me anymore.”
“Hmm!” Situ Jin nodded, then hesitated, “You don’t blame Ruofeng?”
Ruofeng smiled lightly, “Ning Yuan is my past. Since it’s the past, there’s nothing special about it.” She exhaled, “From now on, Ruofeng and Ning Yuan are just my big brother’s sister-in-law and brother-in-law. I will help the people my big brother cares about, but that’s all.”
No more crying for him, no more being trapped in the past.
Situ Jin’s eyes filled with joy and relief, “This is good, very good!”
Suddenly overjoyed, he patted Ruofeng’s shoulder, making her grimace. “This is my daughter!”
Returning to Ruofeng’s hospital room, her heart was filled with calmness and peace, like every time her second brother explained medical techniques in the flower room.
Her hand gently touched Ruofeng’s pulse. But as time passed, her expression grew serious.
“What’s wrong?”
“Situ Jin asked softly.
She didn’t answer, just stared at Ruofeng’s face, her breathing becoming heavier, her chest rising and falling violently.
Seeing her expression unchanged, Situ Jin quickly supported her shoulder. “Don’t be anxious. Didn’t you say you’d stay calm?”
Ruofeng bit her teeth, closed her eyes, and after a while, slowly opened them, tucking her hand back into the blanket. “Uncle Situ, could you please step out for a moment?”
Hearing this, Situ Jin’s face changed, his sharp gaze fixed on Ruofeng. His fist tightened in his sleeve, and after a long moment, he left the hospital room with heavy steps.
“Dad, is the situation not good?” Ying Feng asked anxiously, observing her father’s expression.
Situ Jin was silent, punching the hospital wall for a long time.
“Dad?”
Situ Jin turned his head, squeezing out words through his teeth. “From now on, tell Ruofeng she can live or die as she wishes. I, Situ Jin, won’t care about her anymore.”
After saying this, he strode out, wanting to leave before he lost control of his anger.
The hospital room returned to silence. Ruofeng suppressed her emotions, sitting by the bedside. “Miss Ruofeng, I know you can hear my words. I only plan to say this once. If you understand, that’s best. If not, I’ve done my part.”
Thinking of her father, who guarded her day and night, and her big brother, who suppressed his own struggles to call her, Ruofeng’s tone unconsciously carried anger. “Suicide is a coward’s act, causing pain to loved ones. I don’t know what happened between you and your husband, but paying with your life guarantees loss. What will you gain? At most, a moment of his guilt. In time, you’ll fade from his memories, while another woman takes your place. You’ve exchanged your life for that outcome. Are you satisfied? What about your family? Your father and brother worry and grieve for you. Haven’t you thought about them?”
She stood up. “Miss Ruofeng, I don’t know what result you’re waiting for, but could you please tell your brother and father to go home and rest?”
Ruofeng lay still, her eyelashes unmoving, and pressed her lips together, waiting for a response that never came. The light in her eyes finally dimmed; this person was no longer her sister.
She slowly lowered her head. “Is family love so cheap to you?” She laughed softly, sniffling. “Situ Ruofeng, are you sure you don’t want to wake up?”
She paused, “I’m just telling you that your husband has fainted and been hospitalized due to excessive stimulation. His blood sugar is too low and he’s being treated. You can let me know in advance whenever you want to wake up.”
“Wait!” A weak voice sounded behind her.
Ruofeng stopped, her eyes welling with tears. She wanted to scold her, to express how much her father and brother meant to her.
But she froze, not turning back.
It doesn’t matter; she’s no longer her sister, so she shouldn’t be sad for her anymore.
“How is Ning Yuan? Is he okay? Who’s taking care of him?” Her voice was faint.
Ruofeng took several deep breaths and, when she turned back, her face was calm again. “Nothing serious. He can be discharged after resting another day.”
“That’s good!” Ruofeng relaxed and lay back. “You knew I was awake?”
Ruofeng didn’t look at her, just stared at the blanket. “I’m a doctor.”
Ruofeng coughed lightly, “But the previous doctors didn’t find any problems?”
“Yes, they saw nothing wrong, just didn’t know why you wouldn’t wake up.”
“Then how did you see?”
“Because I practice traditional Chinese medicine. The pulse beats differently when someone is awake versus asleep.”
Sui Feng lowered her eyes, tearfully pleading, “Can you promise not to tell anyone? Otherwise, I will die again.”
“Okay, I won’t say anything. I’ll take the blame for waking her up,” Ru Feng replied, suppressing her emotions. “But Situ Sui Feng, if you want to die again, I can provide a more direct method. Just be sure to die far away, so your father and brother aren’t sad.”
As the door opened, her brother approached, assessing her. “Are you okay? Why are you crying?” he asked, then sighed, “It’s okay. Just do your best, don’t be sad.”
Ru Feng forced a smile, “I’m fine. Sui Feng has woken up.”
Her brother brightened, looking past her to see Sui Feng. “You woke her up? But why do you look like this?” he asked, intrigued.
Ru Feng shook her head and turned sideways, “Go in and see her. I’ll go back now.”
“It’s late. Let me send you home,” her brother insisted, grabbing her hand. Ru Feng gently pushed it away, “Uncle Situ is waiting for me outside. It’s fine.”
She walked a few steps and met Ning Yuan in the corridor. “She’s awake?”
“Mm!” Ru Feng nodded and moved aside.
“Ru Feng, I…” he began.
Ru Feng waved her hand and walked away. “Since the patient is awake, my mission is complete. You should see your wife.”
Outside, cigarette embers flickered in the darkness. Ru Feng approached Situ Jin, took the cigarette from his fingers, and extinguished it. “Dad, smoking is bad for your health.”
Situ Jin sighed, “That child, I didn’t teach her well.”
Ru Feng gently hugged him. “Everyone has their own path. It’s not your fault.”
“Why didn’t Qi Feng come with you?”
