Back To The 80s-Chapter 492 - 503: Fear_1

Gu Xiaobei looked at the two crying children and said to Bai Xiaolan, "You’re pregnant, don’t get upset. First take Doudou inside to rest, I’ll feed Xiaopang and Mo Wang."

Bai Xiaolan wiped away her tears and nodded, speaking with a choked voice, "The food is cold, heat it up before feeding them." With that, she took the child and went inside.

Gu Xiaobei cleaned the children’s faces with a towel and cooed, "Xiaopang and Mo Wang are the best, stop crying, okay? Stay put here and mom will heat up your meal, okay?"

The children obediently nodded, sitting on small stools without moving, their mouths still twitching from their suppressed sobs.

Gu Xiaobei didn’t dare enter the kitchen to heat the food. Clearing off the table’s iron basin, she dumped the children’s noodles into it and heated it on the room’s furnace. She also swept the scattered vegetables on the ground into a dustpan.

After the food was heated and cooled again, she fed the children. Then she warmed up some water to wash their faces and little feet, carried them into the west room, and along with Bai Xiaolan, coaxed them to sleep.

After putting the children to bed, Gu Xiaobei finally heaved a long sigh of relief. Bai Xiaolan was still awake and lying next to her, but neither of them knew what to say. So they simply stared blankly at the ceiling, waiting for dawn to come.

Lu Aiguo squatted at the door of the operating room, crying loudly. Lu Zhanguo and Ji Xiangdong also stood to one side with red-rimmed eyes. Everyone’s heart was filled with overwhelming sorrow.

Wen Xiuqing sat on a long bench with her face buried in her hands, and tears poured out from between her fingers.

After crying for a while, Lu Aiguo looked up and saw Wen Xiuqing, her face buried in her hands and her shoulders shaking. He walked over, stooped down in front of Wen Xiuqing, and while hugging her shoulders, he tearfully said, "Mom...I’m sorry...Dad will be alright...Mom, don’t be sad...Mom..." As he comforted Wen Xiuqing, he was also comforting himself.

Wen Xiuqing didn’t speak, but her crying became louder.

The waiting time was the most tortuous. Each minute, each second seemed like a century passing.

Three hours felt like three years.

The operating room door opened, and Ji Xiangdong and Lu Zhanguo rushed over.

Wen Xiuqing also raised her head, but was too scared to walk over. Lu Aiguo helped Wen Xiuqing stand up. They were both too frightened to speak or to ask any questions.

The doctor looked at Lu Zhanguo and the others and said, "The patient had a cerebral hemorrhage due to high blood pressure. Fortunately, the bleeding was not serious. After he wakes up, make sure he doesn’t suffer any more shocks."

Wen Xiuqing heaved a sigh of relief and, crying, she collapsed on Lu Aiguo’s shoulder, repeating, "Thank goodness he’s okay, thank goodness he’s okay..."

Lu Zhanguo went to handle the hospital admission procedures, and Ji Xiangdong followed him to learn about post-operative instructions.

Wen Xiuqing and Lu Aiguo waited at the entrance to the operating room, waiting for Lu Songyuan to pass the observation period.

Tears streamed down Wen Xiuqing’s face as she looked at Lu Aiguo and said, "You tell me, if something happens to your father, what would become of our family? Why can’t you give us any peace of mind?"

Choked up, Lu Aiguo replied, "Mom, don’t say anymore, I messed up, I let dad down..."

Crying, Wen Xiuqing said, "How could you be so careless with such an important matter..."

Lu Aiguo kept his head down, too upset to defend himself. The divorce had troubled him for a long time. Now, because of his divorce, his father had to be hospitalized. Did he even consider himself human anymore?

After Lu Zhanguo handled the hospitalization procedures, he ran home to fetch some things. He saw the front door locked from the inside. He wanted to climb over the wall to get in, but he was afraid to frighten Gu Xiaobei and the rest, so he could only knock on the door rhythmically. He didn’t dare to knock hard for fear of waking the children.

Gu Xiaobei and Bai Xiaolan hadn’t slept. When Gu Xiaobei heard the knock, she immediately got up, put on her shoes, and ran out to open the door.

"Lu Zhanguo? Is that you?" Gu Xiaobei switched on the courtyard light and asked as she ran.

"Yes, be careful, the road is slippery," Lu Zhanguo advised, hearing Gu Xiaobei’s hurried footsteps.

Gu Xiaobei unlatched the door, opened it and immediately asked, "How is dad? Is he in danger?"

Seeing Gu Xiaobei run out just wearing a sweater, Lu Zhanguo grabbed her and hurried inside. As he walked, he said, "He had a minor stroke, he’s okay now. I came to grab some things. After a while, lock the door and feel free to sleep."

Only then did Gu Xiaobei feel slightly reassured. She began to help Lu Zhanguo pack things, even finding an unused enamel basin, and packed the lunch box in a net bag.

Before leaving, Lu Zhanguo reminded Gu Xiaobei again to lock the door, have a good sleep, and wake up early the next morning to make some porridge which he would come to collect.

After sending Lu Zhanguo off and locking the gate, Gu Xiaobei entered the room. Bai Xiaolan, sitting on the kang, immediately asked, "Dad’s okay, right?"

"There’s no immediate danger now, the rest depends on his recovery. We have to go to bed quickly, we’ll be busy tomorrow," said Gu Xiaobei, taking off her clothes and getting into the quilt. However, she was unable to sleep.

Bai Xiaolan didn’t ask anything more. The room returned to silence, except for the occasional whimpering from Xiaopang’s dreams.

Early the next morning, Gu Xiaobei got up to cook. Taking advantage of the children’s slumber, she made a pot of porridge, heated up some bread, and cut some pickles, thinking that her brothers would have to take turns coming home for meals.

Lu Songyuan only woke up at noon, the doctor didn’t allow visits. Wen Xiuqing, Ji Xiangdong, and the three brothers had no choice but to wait outside the door.

After the doctor finished the examination, he came out and said, "The observation period is not over, you can’t visit. We also fear causing the patient’s emotions to fluctuate. It’s sufficient if one person stays."

Wen Xiuqing looked at Ji Xiangdong and her sons, saying "You guys go home first, I’ll stay here with your dad."

Ji Xiangdong, worried that Wen Xiuqing might not be able to endure the strain, said, "I better stay, mom. You go back to rest and then come to take over."

Wen Xiuqing insisted and shook her head, "I’ll stay. I won’t be at ease until your dad recovers. You guys go home. Xiaolan and Xiaobei are at home with three children. Xiaolan is pregnant. I’m afraid they can’t handle it. You go home and help watch the children." She added to Lu Aiguo, "Aiguo, you should go too. I’m afraid your father will be agitated when he wakes up and sees you."

Lu Aiguo’s eyes reddened again, and he nodded painfully.

Seeing that Wen Xiuqing was so determined, Ji Xiangdong said, "Mom, you wait here, I’ll go home and bring some food for you."

Wen Xiuqing shook her head, "Your dad hasn’t recovered yet, and I can’t eat anything. You all go."

Ji Xiangdong said nothing more, patting Lu Aiguo’s shoulder, and the three brothers left together.

After they stepped out of the hospital’s front gate, Lu Aiguo said tearfully, "Big Bro, Second Bro, you guys should beat me up. I’ve messed everything up. I’ve broken up our family and caused Dad to be hospitalized."

Ji Xiangdong took a look at Lu Aiguo and said, "Okay, let’s go home and talk about it. Isn’t Dad fine now?"

Lu Zhanguo didn’t say anything, but took the lead and headed home.

Lu Aiguo felt chest tightness and discomfort. He had been holding back for these days and had even traveled south hoping to clear his mind. Now he fervently needed an outlet to vent his pent-up frustration.