Meng Jingwei sat opposite Qiao Ziqian, and as she listened to his voice suddenly rise in panic, she immediately thought of his girlfriend who was reportedly gravely ill.
"Okay, okay, okay, I'm coming right over."
With that, Qiao Ziqian hung up the phone, looked up at Meng Jingwei, his eyes red-rimmed, and apologized, "I'm sorry, Nan Shuang's condition has worsened, and she's fallen into a coma again. I need to go see her."
Nan Shuang was likely Qiao Ziqian's girlfriend.
Meng Jingwei quickly said, "I'll go with you. I'll drive you there."
"But... Shang Ge is still in the restroom."
"It's fine, I'll call him and let him know." Meng Jingwei had already stood up and said to him, "Let's go."
Qiao Ziqian's expression was one of immense gratitude. "Okay, okay..."
The two of them got up and walked outside. Meng Jingwei dialed Li Shang's number, explained the situation to him over the phone, and promised to treat him to a meal the next day.
Li Shang understood the urgency of the matter and didn't dwell on it.
After hanging up, Meng Jingwei got into the car and sat in the driver's seat. Qiao Ziqian asked, "Do you want me to drive?"
Meng Jingwei shook her head. "Get in, I can do it."
With his girlfriend in such a critical state, he was too anxious to drive.
Qiao Ziqian quickly got into the passenger seat, closed the door, and told Meng Jingwei, "Liancheng, First Hospital."
"Alright."
Meng Jingwei turned on the navigation and sped along the highway.
On the way, Meng Jingwei inquired about his girlfriend, Nan Shuang. Qiao Ziqian sighed and replied dejectedly, "Nan Shuang and I have been in love for many years. She loves me very much, but after she found out she had cervical cancer, she didn't want to burden me. She broke up with me repeatedly and would rage at me. But I knew she had no choice..."
He recounted many stories about his time with Nan Shuang, and Meng Jingwei could feel the deep love Qiao Ziqian had for her.
She inexplicably felt that Qiao Ziqian was a devoted lover.
Little did she know that all the past stories Qiao Ziqian had shared with her about 'Nan Shuang' were actually the true past he had with Tang Wanxing.
He loved Tang Wanxing.
He loved her to the bone, loved her enough to sacrifice everything for her.
"What stage is her cervical cancer at?" Meng Jingwei asked again.
Qiao Ziqian pursed his lips, his brow furrowed, and remained silent for a long time.
After a sudden silence, Meng Jingwei already had an idea of the answer, but Qiao Ziqian still replied, "Late stage."
Meng Jingwei had initially offered to help save his girlfriend, but upon hearing it was late-stage, she didn't press the matter further.
Although with her current connections, she could find top specialists, once cervical cancer reached its late stages, even a divine being could not turn the tide.
Afterward, a long silence fell between them.
More than two hours later, the car arrived at Liancheng First Hospital.
As soon as they got out of the car, Qiao Ziqian's phone rang.
Qiao Ziqian took out his phone and answered, "Hello?"
"Wh-what, you're saying Nan Shuang... she..." Qiao Ziqian stumbled, then put away his phone and rushed into the hospital like a madman.
Meng Jingwei jogged to follow him.
They passed through the outpatient department and headed to the inpatient ward in the back. They took the elevator up to the 30th floor, and after exiting, they ran down the corridor to room 3020, the ICU.
As they reached the door of the room, heartbroken cries could be heard from within.
"Wuuu... Shuang Shuang, how could you leave us so young? Shuang Shuang, you really don't want your mother anymore, wuuu..."
Beside the hospital bed, a woman with streaks of gray in her hair was crying hysterically, holding the hand of the woman on the bed. Several doctors stood around with solemn expressions, silent.