Though Chen Dongyang's mind was as good as gone, processing nothing, muscle memory still drove him to the cardiovascular surgery floor.
The moment the elevator doors opened, he heard Zeng Hui's heart-wrenching cries from the operating room.
He felt little, walking over woodenly.
A group of medical staff, including Director Gao, hurried to remind Zeng Hui upon seeing him.
"Stop crying, Xiao Chen is here. Let's talk things through calmly, just stop crying for now."
Zeng Hui sat on the ground, wearing another new dress, her hair disheveled, her arms held by two nurses.
Before Dou Bao fell ill, she would have been gentle and lovely.
But now, her dress was wrinkled, her hair messy, her face tear-streaked, her voice hoarse, indistinguishable from a mentally unstable person.
Hearing the medical staff, she, who had been wailing, quickly turned her head to look down the corridor.
Seeing Chen Dongyang, she temporarily stifled her sobs, but as Chen Dongyang's footsteps drew closer and he squatted in front of her, she couldn't hold back.
She lunged into his arms, crying even more hysterically.
"Chen Dongyang, where did you run off to? You killed us!"
"Dou Bao is gone, do you know Dou Bao is gone? My son is gone! I carried him for a year with all my effort, I raised my son for so long with all my effort, he's gone, do you know?"
"Do you know how tragically he died? Do you know what he kept saying with his mouth before he left? He really wanted to see you, he said he was so scared, he wanted you to hold him, but where were you? Why were you so slow to come back?"
"You're a liar, always saying you're busy, you need to earn money, to support the two of us. But in reality? Is there truly no selfishness?"
"I hate you, Chen Dongyang. My son was killed by you, I hate you."
"First you killed his father, and now you killed him, is it my turn next? Fine, we owed you in our past lives, and in this life, our family of three should die by your hands. Just kill me too. Kill me now, choke me, choke me!"
As she spoke, she grabbed Chen Dongyang's hands and put them around her neck. Chen Dongyang kept his head down the entire time, his face grim, saying nothing.
Even a blind person could sense his guilt and grief. The medical staff by their side couldn't bear to watch and came forward to persuade Zeng Hui.
"Alright, alright, stop scolding. The dead cannot be brought back, calm down. When the child used to get sick, Mr. Chen always ran around. When has he not been dedicated? Don't speak of him so poorly. Calm down, calm down."
Zeng Hui shook off the people pulling at her: "Calm down? Why should I be calm? It's not your child who died, of course you're calm!"
"Oh, right, I remember, why did my son die? He was fine before you went. Why did he die as soon as you arrived? Did she order it?"
Upon saying this, Zeng Hui seemed to suddenly see something terrifying. She flung off Chen Dongyang's arms, took two steps back, leaned against the wall, and hugged herself tightly.
"I get it, I've figured it out, I've realized! Chen Dongyang, you're so scary!"
Chen Dongyang finally raised his eyelids, looking at her with an expression that asked, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
Zeng Hui, as if realizing a profound truth, said indignantly with her contorted face.
"It was her doing, it must have been! No wonder she was so kind back then, taking me to this hospital without knowing me, and introducing such good doctors to me. It turns out it was all your conspiracy!"
"Did you two get together long ago? Did you find us an eyesore, wanting our mother and son to die, so you set up such a big scheme!"
"You tricked me into coming to this hospital, delayed my son's treatment, and then chose a suitable moment to kill him, so you could get rid of our mother and son and be with her! What brilliant tactics!"
"Heavens, I even felt guilty yesterday, like I had wronged you, like I should marry you, be gentle as water with you, and repay you well! Chen Dongyang, you and she are devils!"
The medical staff listening were confused, looking from her who seemed like a lunatic to Chen Dongyang, feeling utterly speechless.
Even Director Gao couldn't stand it anymore and walked over to pat Chen Dongyang's shoulder.
"The grief of losing a child is indeed not something ordinary people can bear. The family member's mental state has been stimulated, don't take their nonsensical words to heart. You are a man, you need to stand tall at critical moments."
Chen Dongyang understood the logic. That's why, despite feeling mentally exhausted, he didn't argue with Zeng Hui.
The medical staff dispersed. Zeng Hui pointed at him and cursed again. A male staff member, a professional in handling remains, walked over.
According to procedure, he was to take Dou Bao's body to the morgue.
Hearing this, Zeng Hui rushed out like a mad dog, immediately yelling at the man's face.
"Don't touch my son, don't touch my son! That place is cold and dark, he's scared, don't send him there!"
"Give him back to me, I don't want him cremated, he's too pitiful, I want to take him away, take him back to my hometown, find a warm place to put him! Give me back my son! Whoever touches him, I'll fight them!"
The medical bed was by the operating room door, a small body covered by a white sheet.
Chen Dongyang hadn't dared to look at it the entire time.
But they couldn't keep blocking the staff's work indefinitely. After Zeng Hui finished her tirade, he apologized to the staff.
"I'm sorry. She's too emotional, not thinking clearly right now, she doesn't mean it. Let me talk to her, just give me a few minutes, okay?"
"Hurry up! We have other work to do next! If every patient's family is like you, will we still be able to do our jobs?"
The male orderly took a few steps forward impatiently.
Chen Dongyang walked to Dou Bao's bed, staring at the small lump under the sheet for a long time. Finally, with trembling hands, he gently lifted the sheet.
Dou Bao's familiar yet bloodless little face suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Not only did it break Zeng Hui's heart, but it also deeply pierced his eyes and his heart.
Although this child was not his own flesh and blood, from conception to now, he had poured all his heart and soul into him.
His sudden absence felt like half of his heart had been stolen.
Large tears fell uncontrollably, one after another.
Chen Dongyang gently bent down, pressing his face against Dou Bao's cold little face, holding him tightly in his arms.
He sincerely apologized.
"I'm sorry Dou Bao. Dad Chen is sorry. Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me..."
Zeng Hui stood there, stunned. Seeing him crying while holding her child's body.
After a moment of sobbing, she couldn't help but soften, rushing over and hugging Dou Bao's body from the other side.