He watched the old man standing by the stretcher, brushing past the old woman.
He reached out, wanting to say something to the old woman, but his ethereal body passed right through her. He could only anxiously hover nearby, following her onto the ambulance.
If anyone else had seen this scene,
they might have screamed in terror, but Zhang Wei and the others wouldn't have, because that was the old man's ghost. The old man was already dead.
Moments later.
After watching the ambulance depart,
Zhang Wei spoke, "They're likely going to Xiamen City First Hospital, as it's the closest and the same one as your employer's."
His intention was clear.
Zhang Chao and Wu Nian understood what he meant.
"Let's go take a look. Even though the old man is dead, we might be able to help in some way."
Zhang Chao sighed, a touch of helplessness in his voice,
"Life is truly unpredictable, like intestines wrapped around each other."
"Amitabha, meeting is destiny. This humble monk agrees."
Wu Nian nodded, clasping his hands together.
...
Xiamen City First Hospital.
Accompanied by the wail of the ambulance siren,
the ambulance arrived at the hospital. As soon as it stopped, medical staff rushed out, having been alerted by the siren and prepared.
As the ambulance doors opened,
many people passing by the hospital entrance heard the cries coming from inside.
They saw
medical personnel inside the vehicle attending to an elderly person on a stretcher, with an old woman beside him.
Her hair was completely white, her aged face was streaked with tears, and she kept calling out to the person on the stretcher, telling him they had arrived at the hospital and that everything would be alright, that the doctor was here.
However.
Just as the hospital staff rushed forward to help lift the stretcher and take the elderly person for treatment,
the medical personnel from the ambulance stopped them, shaking their heads and ceasing their resuscitation efforts.
The old woman, who was attentively watching over the elderly man, noticed his actions.
Her body trembled, and her wrinkled face was filled with panic as she urgently cried out:
"Doctor, please save my old man, please save my old man."
"I'm sorry, I did my best. This gentleman has already... Please accept my condolences, Grandma."
The medical professional sighed, speaking with difficulty.
He had administered resuscitation all the way here, using all available measures, but the old man's heart had not beaten once from the moment they boarded the ambulance until they reached the hospital. Even someone who wasn't a doctor would understand the situation.
The old man was dead; there was nothing more that could be done.
The old woman froze.
The next moment.
Under the pained and sympathetic gaze of everyone present,
the old woman broke down, tightly embracing the elderly man and weeping uncontrollably:
"There's still hope, there's still hope! Doctor, please save my old man, I beg you, save my old man."
She cried, attempting to kneel before the medical staff, even though her legs were unsteady.
She was quickly helped up by the medical personnel, and after repeatedly being told that the old man could not be saved,
the old woman was struck as if by lightning, holding the elderly man tightly.
She cried out in despair:
"There's still hope, there must be hope! Save my old man!"
The old woman's heart-wrenching cries.
Her helpless state.
Caused everyone present to sigh, and the medical staff were at a loss for what to do.
One medical staff member tried to lift the elderly man, but was stopped by another medical staff member beside him. He shook his head at the other staff member, preventing their action. Although as medical professionals, they had experienced many partings and farewells, they could never become accustomed to them or treat them with equanimity.
Not long after.
The old man was carried down.
The old woman still held him tightly, unwilling to let go.
This scene.
Was witnessed by Zhang Wei and the other two who had arrived.
From their perspective.
Besides seeing the old woman tightly holding the old man, they also saw the old man's soul beside her, reaching out several times to touch the old woman but unable to, only repeatedly calling out "my dear."
Zhang Wei and the others approached.
Upon reaching the old woman, they glanced at the old man.
The old man, who was focused on the old woman, noticed their actions, especially that glance, and his body trembled.
Before he could hurriedly ask if they could see him,
Zhang Wei's voice rang out:
"Hello, Grandma. I don't mean to offend you or Grandpa, but I just wanted to ask if you'd like to see Grandpa one last time. We can help you."
His voice was not loud, but to the old woman, it was like thunder.
As if grasping a lifeline,
the old woman suddenly looked at the three of them and grabbed Zhang Wei's hand:
"What are you saying? What meeting? Can you save my old man? Please, save my old man."
Looking at the old woman's helpless state,
Zhang Wei sighed and said as gently as possible,
"Grandma, Grandpa has passed away. He can't be saved. But actually... Grandpa is right beside you. The three of us are a bit special, we can see things others can't, like Grandpa's ghost."
"Grandpa is standing next to you right now."
"So, Grandma, I wanted to ask if you want to see Grandpa? I can help you see him one last time."
The moment the words were spoken, the old woman nodded without hesitation, responding that she wanted to see him.
...
An无人草坪地 in the hospital.
At this moment.
Zhang Wei and the others stood by the lawn, watching an elderly couple on a public stone bench not far away.
It was the old man and the old woman.
With the system's assistance, Zhang Wei had helped the old woman see the old man.
Just as they had seen in the shop earlier, the old man and the old woman sat on the stone bench, holding hands and talking to each other.
It could be seen that
the old woman was crying again, holding the old man's hand tightly. Even though Zhang Wei and the others didn't know the content of their conversation, they could tell that the old woman didn't want the old man to leave.
The old man, as if soothing a child, gently patted the old woman's hand and wiped away her tears to comfort her.
Regarding this,
Zhang Wei did not rush them, quietly watching until the old man and the old woman finished their conversation and walked over. They were still holding hands, the old man slowly waiting for the old woman to walk, his hand held tightly, unchanged even in death.
"Thank you."
The old man and the old woman bowed towards Zhang Wei and the others to express their gratitude, but Zhang Wei and the others stopped them.
"No need to thank us, it was just a small effort."
At this moment,
Wu Nian looked up at the sky. Although it was difficult to speak, he clasped his hands together and said,
"Amitabha, Grandpa, it's getting late."
The old man knew what he meant and looked at the old woman beside him with reluctance:
"My dear, I'm leaving. Live well, alright? It's okay, I'll wait for you below."
The old woman tearfully nodded, "Wait for me, old man. I'll come find you. You must wait for me."
The old man hugged the old woman, "I will definitely wait. You walk so slowly, if I don't wait for you, I'm afraid you won't find the way."
As Wu Nian recited Buddhist scriptures for rebirth,
the light of rebirth bloomed.
A portal appeared behind the old man, leading to the afterlife.
"Grandpa, wait a moment."
Under the puzzled gazes of Zhang Chao and the others, Zhang Wei called out to the old man who was about to leave.
He took a red thread from his pocket.
Zhang Chao and Wu Nian exchanged glances and recognized the red thread. It was a red thread Zhang Wei had bought from a roadside stall before they rushed to the hospital. Zhang Chao had specifically asked what it was for at the time.
Zhang Wei had replied,
"A red thread represents destiny. I don't know if it will work, but since I saw it, I wanted to help."
His cryptic words made Zhang Chao and Wu Nian vaguely understand, yet also somewhat confused. However, they did not stop Zhang Wei, trusting his actions.
...