Love in the Midst of Mistaken Identities

She would really go crazy. She would drive herself to insanity—if not to death.

Xia Ruoxin changed into a new set of clothing and took off her wig. There was no need for it anymore. Her face was deathly pale, filled with only pain and despair.

She opened the door to Rainy’s ward and walked in with soft steps and realized her daughter was still asleep. The extremely silent room was filled with the sounds of her shallow breathing.

Xia Ruoxin sat by the bedside and laid the blanket over her daughter. Her hoarse voice was almost inaudible. “Rainy, I’m sorry. Mommy couldn’t save you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry…” It was just that… no matter how sorry she felt, it wouldn’t change that man’s mind; neither would it help her daughter get in surgery. Without surgery, her daughter would still die tomorrow—if not today.

She softly placed her hand on her daughter’s face, caressing her skinny face. She had always been small, but now, she was even more so. She looked younger than she actually was, unlike a three-year-old.

She lied down on her daughter’s bedside and bit down hard on the back of her hand to prevent herself from crying out loud. She could only cry repressedly for fear of waking her daughter who had just managed to fall asleep. She really didn’t know what else she could do other than cry.

Time passed. No one knew whether they would still have a tomorrow, a tomorrow’s tomorrow, or a sunny day after the rain.

The sky lit up brightly. Rainy blinked and rubbed her eyes with her little hand and then sat up. She smiled when she looked at Xia Ruoxin laying at the head of the bed.

“Mommy…” She called Xia Ruoxin gently and then pulled the blanket from her body and over Xia Ruoxin, her two hands using lots of strength. She was very weak so sometimes, an action like this would take her a long time.

She picked up her doll and leaned her head against Xia Ruoxin’s.

Xia Ruoxin’s bald head made her purse her lips. Her eyes reddened. She wiped her tears fervently, but her sobs became louder and louder.

Xia Ruoxin awoke in surprise. She opened her eyes hurriedly, and the blanket covering her fell to the ground. Who had covered her with the blanket?

She raised her head and saw Rainy bawling her eyes out. She sat up hurriedly and wrapped a hand around her daughter. “What’s wrong, Rainy? Mommy’s here.”

Rainy rubbed her face gently against Xia Ruoxin’s embrace. “Mommy, Rainy misses Mommy.”

“Mommy misses Rainy, too.” She hugged her daughter closer to her. This was the only way both of them could keep warm. Their world would be empty without either one.

“Tell me, Rainy, were you the one who put the blanket over Mommy?” Xia Ruoxin stared directly into her daughter’s moist and bright eyes, her heart aching for such a good daughter. Yet, she could only watch as her body grew frailer each day and her life wither day by day.

“Yes, Rainy did it,” she said sweetly, “Mommy will be cold because Rainy feels cold, too.”

“My Rainy has grown up, she really has.” She patted her daughter’s back gently. She really didn’t know how such a sweet child could leave this world… leave her.

The door opened from the outside. The doctor’s face darkened. The only thing they could do now was only to prolong her lifespan for a few days. All that’s left was up to fate.

The child’s condition was extremely unstable. For all they knew, she might not wake up tomorrow, ever again.

“Miss Xia, it’s time for Rainy’s treatment.”

Upon hearing the doctor’s words, Rainy burrowed further into her mother’s embrace. She did not want to go for treatment; she was scared and it hurt. She would not be able to eat anything after that.

“Okay, I got it.” Xia Ruoxin continued patting her daughter’s back, hugging her trembling body closer.

“Rainy, we’re going to treat your illness. Remember, have courage.” She kissed her daughter’s small cheeks. Her lips were smiling, but her eyes were crying.

Rainy hesitated for a moment, then pursed her lips, and agreed—because she was a good and obedient child.

“I’ll listen to Mommy.”

Xia Ruoxin picked her daughter up and walked towards the doctor. Her footsteps were unusually heavy as if she was sending her daughter to her death. She really didn’t want to give her daughter up.

“Rainy, don’t be scared. Mommy will be outside the door. Don’t forget that you still have a mother.” She said to the child in her arms as she walked. She would never ever leave her daughter, even till death.

Rainy’s hands clutched tightly at the clothes at Xia Ruoxin’s chest and rested her chin on her mother’s shoulders.

“Mommy, I love you.” She had learned that somewhere. Her small childish voice made the eyes of the doctors behind them redden.

She was such a sweet and good child.

“Mommy loves you too, Rainy. You’re Mommy’s little angel.” Xia Ruoxin gently placed her chin on top of the daughter’s head. Her empty scalp no longer had the soft hair like before.

They were both bald, but not ugly. In fact, they were beautiful and touching.

Xia Ruoxin sent her daughter to the treatment room and waited for the door to close. Rainy’s eyes were filled with fear, and her hands wrapped around herself tightly. She actually wanted to have her mother accompany her… or her dolly.

However, she was scared that her mother or Dolly would get hurt because she was in a lot of pain now.

Xia Ruoxin stood at the door. Her empty eyes couldn’t see anything. She kept staring at the door as if trying to penetrate it and see everything inside.

… And her suffering daughter.

The room door finally opened. She opened her eyes wide. The small child was furled into a ball as if she was in her mother’s womb. She was asleep—in pain, and her small hands rested against her chest.

Xia Ruoxin walked in and picked her daughter up against her chest. Almost instinctively, Rainy burrowed further into her arms. Rainy’s eyelashes fluttered occasionally, but it felt like she couldn’t open her eyes.

“Hush, Mommy is here. Rainy has been very brave.” Xia Ruoxin lowered her head and kissed her daughter’s pale cheeks. She walked out slowly alone. She wanted to accompany her daughter for a little while more. She wanted to hug her a little while more.