529 Indebted
Xie Nuying sat beside Ai with a dead look in her eyes. Her palm had fiercely clutched onto Ai’s which were gradually growing colder and colder.
“Ai…Ai…Tell me your father is lying…You cannot leave us, my dear.”
“I still haven’t made you taste my apple pie. Do you know I have really improved myself so much…? I want you to be the first person to eat it…”
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“So wake up, Ai…There are so many things I want to do together with you…Wake up, Ai…”
The nurse who stepped in felt heartbroken to see her in pain. It was beyond imagination for parents to lose their young daughter like this. Xie Nuying had been constantly mumbling to herself ever since she seemed to slowly realize that Ai was truly gone from her life.
The nurse hesitated and stepped up after some thought. “Excuse me, Mam…”
Xie Nuying didn’t respond.
She pressed her lips. “I am truly sorry for your loss. But…But if it makes you feel even a little better, I want to tell you that…your daughter looked very peaceful in her last moments when we arrived with the ambulance.”
Xie Nuying ever so slightly reacted.
“She was holding onto a man’s hand, who was also unconscious in his car. He went through a terrible accident and also passed away at the same time…”
No answer.
“Actually, it was because of his car that the…impact on Miss. Zhou’s body was less painful. It cushioned her fall to a great extent.”
Xie Nuying slightly widened her eyes.
“If she had directly fallen on the ground, Miss. Zhou would have suffered a lot…”
She trembled.
The nurse bowed. “Mam, I sincerely apologize if I hurt your sentiments, but I simply wanted to let you know that your daughter was protected from the worst. She had a soft smile on her lips as they held onto each other’s hands. It was such a beautiful yet a sad moment we witnessed that…even we as professionals felt something very strangely emotional about it. For me personally, it left a deep mark within me.”
The nurse said nothing more and promptly left.
“…That man,” Xie Nuying whispered.
The nurse stopped and softly enquired. “Yes?”
“Where is that man who…”
“He is on the same floor as us. More towards the straight. For his family as well, it’s a great tragedy…” her gaze sadly lowered, “The Liu family lost two of their sons today. Mr. Liu Jun and Mr. Liu Jin. The one Miss. Zhou was with was Mr. Liu Jun. Their parents are…devastated.”
The nurse left and after a long silence, Xie Nuying slowly got up from her chair. It took all her strength to walk outside. Her body shivered as she kept walking straight.
Her eyes slightly widened as she saw Zhou Yichen already standing at a distance away.
Beyond him, Xie Nuying then noticed many people standing in front of two wards. It was a family grieving the deaths of their two sons. But out of them, two people seemed as if they had no hope left for them to live any longer. The woman was on the wheelchair while the man beside her was holding her hand.
They felt somebody’s presence, and they slowly turned their heads.
Jinhai stared at them for a long time and spoke with a voice that held no vitality, “…Are you Zhou Ai’s parents?”
It was Zhou Yichen who replied. “Yes, we are. We…we…” It was painful for Zhou Yichen to speak. “I-I know that it’s not a good time…But we heard-“
Before he could complete, Jinhai stepped forward and for the first time in his life, he deeply bowed before them.
Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen were stunned at this sight. He quickly held Jinhai’s shoulders and raised his head. “Mr. Liu! Why are you bowing your head?”
Jinhai still had his head lowered, but they could see his tears falling from his eyes. “Thank you…My son suffered a lot. He went through so much pain in his life and as his father, I could do nothing to protect his heart. So much so that he chose to give up on his life. Despite being the mighty Liu Jinhai, I felt so…powerless,” He shook, “But I came to know that during his last breaths, he strangely had a peaceful expression…My son…My son was smiling after so long… After ten years he was finally smiling…”
Jinhai trembled. “And it was all because of your daughter. I-I don’t know what happened…I don’t know how it happened…But it was Zhou Ai who finally…brought that smile on his lips that we were waiting to see so desperately for ten long years…It was your daughter who brought peace to my son’s heart even…if it was only for a few moments. I cannot thank your daughter enough…”
Jinhai finally raised his head and met their wet gazes. “Please accept my sincere gratitude. Jun couldn’t live a happy life, but thank you…for leaving a smile on his face at his d-death. I, Liu Jinhai, am forever in Zhou Ai’s debt.”
Nana, who had been quietly listening, shut her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. She whispered, “Thank you…From the bottom of our hearts, thank you very much…”
Xie Nuying shook hard, seeing their state. Jinhai and Nana had lost two of their sons. Losing two children at the same time…
Zhou Yichen tremblingly bowed as well. “It’s us who should be thanking your son, Mr. Liu…” he broke down, “Ai…ever since she returned, she had become an empty shell…She went through a betrayal from which she was never…a-able to heal herself. Neither my wife could help her nor I,” he wryly laughed.
“Not even me who always boasted of having solutions to all problems…Yet I couldn’t save my daughter. It was Liu Jun who saved her. It is us, Mr. Liu, who cannot be more…more grateful for making my daughter happy. She left with a smile on her face. At least, she smiled during her last breath. It is I, Zhou Yichen, who is in Liu Jun’s debt. Forever.”