Ling Yuchen, along with his best brothers Situ Jun and Li Bowen, rushed over upon receiving the news. They knew each other best, being the closest of friends.
Perhaps Jiang Zexi and Xia Wanfu's relationship began with ulterior motives, but he had truly fallen for her later. Now, this had happened. It was no different from Su Jinning's departure back then, both instances of helplessly waiting for their beloved to die, and in such tragic ways.
Jiang Zexi had already been helped to a chair, his gaze vacant. Zhou Yuqing held him by his side, unable to speak through her tears. Jiang Shixun, while not outwardly displaying grief, showed his unease and sorrow through his noticeably hunched back and tense expression.
"Uncle Jiang, Aunt Zhou," the three greeted them. Zhou Yuqing, however, didn't respond, lost in her sorrow, and Jiang Zexi seemed not to hear them. Only Jiang Shixun nodded, managing a forced smile that looked worse than a cry.
The hospital was bustling, but this small corner was eerily quiet. The light above the operating room door was still on, the red "In Surgery" stark and piercing. The longer the time, the more dangerous it was, but also the greater the chance of survival.
Jiang Zexi remained silent throughout, not crying, not making a fuss, his tears unshed, like a puppet. Yet, this profound silence was deeply concerning. Ling Yuchen, not one for comfort, pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered it to him. Jiang Zexi tilted his head slightly, his unfocused gaze fixed on the cigarette pack. He reached out to take it, but his hand trembled violently. Seeing this, Ling Yuchen took one out for him, lit it, and placed it in his mouth. Jiang Zexi inhaled deeply, smoke swirling around him. He slowly raised his eyes, a storm of emotions churning within them. His face was pale. He clenched his fist and, in a voice devoid of pride, rasped, "Perhaps I've committed some sin in my past life to deserve this end. If heaven could hear my prayer, I wish it would let me bear it all."
"What nonsense are you speaking..." Zhou Yuqing clung to him tightly, as if afraid of losing him. Ling Yuchen furrowed his brow, closed his eyes with a sigh, and then opened them to look at him. "The doctors are still operating, don't be so pessimistic."
Jiang Zexi crushed the cigarette butt. The smile that stretched across his lips was exceedingly forced. "Do you think I'm just unlucky, that all the girls I fall for are fated to die because of me?"
"Are you possessed? Please stop talking nonsense," Li Bowen said, his lips pressed tightly together, his eyes behind his glasses reddened. Jiang Zexi’s mouth fell open, breathing in great gulps, struggling to breathe due to his overwhelming sadness.
"Sigh," Situ Jun sighed and walked over. He gave a bitter smile. "When immortals in legends make mistakes, they are banished to the mortal realm. This shows that the human world is the true hell!" Months ago, he had stood outside an operating room, watching his beloved elder sister pass away.
Hearing this, Jiang Zexi couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. As he laughed, tears began to fall. He tried to wipe them away, but they only increased. This, at least, brought a sigh of relief to everyone; it was good that he could finally vent.
After several agonizing hours, the operating room light finally went out. Jiang Zexi was the first to react. He shot up, but his legs, having been in the same position for too long, were numb. Losing sensation, he couldn't stand and fell to the floor. He stared at the operating room door. With the help of Ling Yuchen and Li Bowen, he managed to stand.
The doctor, wearing a mask, emerged. At that moment, Jiang Zexi felt his breath catch. "The surgery was very successful. The patient's vital signs are stable, but she still needs to be sent to the ICU for observation for a few days..." The doctor said much more, but when Jiang Zexi heard that she was temporarily out of danger, his vision went dark, his ears buzzed, and he couldn't hear the rest. The heavy weight on his chest lifted, the tightly wound string in his heart finally slackened.
Xia Wanfu was taken to the intensive care unit, and Jiang Zexi, having fainted, was also taken to rest. After everything was settled, Ling Yuchen called Gong Zhijing, who was waiting at home for news, to let her know everyone was safe. Upon hearing that Xia Wanfu had indeed been in a car accident, Gong Zhijing had been deeply uneasy. It was only after receiving Ling Yuchen's call that she finally felt relieved.
Meanwhile, at the Xia family residence. After Xia Wanfu left, Han Wenjuan became restless, her heart filled with a sense of unease, feeling that something was wrong. While helping Wang Juxiang wash dishes, she accidentally broke a bowl. While cleaning up the broken pieces, she cut her hand. Cupping her bleeding finger, she figured Xia Wanfu should have arrived in Kyoto by now and took out her phone to call her. However, the call wouldn't connect. Her anxiety intensified, and thinking of all the bad omens she had experienced, her worry grew even greater.
Wang Juxiang came out from the kitchen after finishing her chores. Seeing Han Wenjuan constantly on the phone by the door, she couldn't help but ask, "Wenjuan, what's wrong?"
"Wanfu's phone won't connect. I have a bad feeling, I'm quite worried." Wang Juxiang furrowed her brow and glanced at the clock on the wall. Several hours had passed; she should have arrived by now. Moreover, the child was usually considerate and would call to report her safe arrival. With this thought, Wang Juxiang also felt uneasy, but she tried to comfort herself, "Perhaps her phone died. Let's try again later!"
Han Wenjuan's brow remained furrowed, and she simply kept redialing her daughter's number. Again and again, but only the cold automated message answered. "I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable." After an unknown amount of time, she finally gave up, but the feeling of unease within her grew stronger. Wang Juxiang, though busy with her own tasks, quietly shared her anxiety.
After an indeterminate period of sitting, Han Wenjuan's phone suddenly rang. She immediately checked it, finding it to be an unknown number, but she quickly answered. "Hello, is this Ms. Han Wenjuan? This is the East District Traffic Police Brigade." Hearing the official tone, Han Wenjuan's heart sank to the bottom. She replied hesitantly, "Yes, it is." "Your daughter was involved in a car accident on Ziyun North Avenue and is currently being rushed to the Second People's Hospital..." The phone slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. Han Wenjuan's legs felt weak, and she collapsed onto the ground.
The commotion startled Wang Juxiang, who rushed forward and asked, "What's wrong? Don't scare me." Han Wenjuan's lips trembled, and she shivered with cold, looking at Wang Juxiang with a quiver. "Mom... Wan... Wanfu was in a car accident." Wang Juxiang was terribly frightened. Her eyes widened, and her voice involuntarily rose several decibels. "What did you say? A car accident..."