Chapter 21: He's Scared She Won't Wake Up  

Li Jingshen's emotions were doing a 180 as he shot Qin Mo a glance, then made a beeline for the ICU.

The room reeked of disinfectant, and Li Jingshen's brows crinkled in distaste. He inched closer to the bed, his eyes fixed on Shen Zhichu's face, which was so pale it looked lifeless.

The room was dead silent, the loneliness was suffocating. It felt hollow, way different from home. The gloom was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Li Jingshen plopped down on the chair, his eyes glued to the IV drip, and for the first time, he felt a pang of fear.

What was he afraid of?

He was terrified that Shen Zhichu might just sleep forever, never to wake up again.

His nose stung, and before he knew it, tears were streaming down his face. His hand was shaking as he reached out to hold Shen Zhichu's delicate wrist.

She was swimming in her hospital gown, even though it was the smallest size. Her sleeve slipped down, revealing her frail arm with several needle marks surrounded by purplish-red bruises and dried yellow medicine.

"Shen Zhichu, I had no clue you were sick, let alone this bad," he choked out.

He suddenly remembered the day he locked her in the bedroom. She was banging on the door, screaming her lungs out, saying she was dying.

He brushed it off, thinking she was just crying wolf.

He had never seen Shen Zhichu sick, but that didn't mean she was invincible.

Why didn't he just listen to her and let her out?

"Shen Zhichu... Shen Zhichu..." His vision blurred with tears as he clutched her hand, his face pressed against hers, calling her name over and over, willing her to wake up.

...

Time ticked away. At one point, Qin Mo came in to check on Shen Zhichu. Her vitals were stable, but the next 48 hours were crucial.

Qin Mo shot Li Jingshen a cold glance. Both men were worried sick about Shen Zhichu, but there was no bickering or fighting like before.

Li Jingshen hadn't slept for 40 freaking hours. His eyes were bloodshot and gritty. His body was screaming for sleep, but he didn't dare close his eyes. He was afraid that if he did, Shen Zhichu would wake up scared and thirsty...

Li Jingshen gently touched the wound on Shen Zhichu's forehead. His fingers trembled. She seemed as fragile as a glass doll, like she would shatter with the slightest touch.

How long can someone with late-stage stomach cancer last?

Li Jingshen didn't dare to Google it or ask. He was scared the answer would be his worst nightmare.

But deep down, he knew. It was a death sentence. She wouldn't get to grow old like normal people. Her life was hanging by a thread, like a dried leaf in autumn.

Shen Zhichu had been on an IV drip all day. Nutrient solution, two bags a day, one bag every four hours, plus other meds. All in all, she was hooked up to the IV for 12-13 hours.

Shen Zhichu took over the Shen family business at 18. She was just a kid, but so headstrong. She had to shoulder the company and her leech of a family.

She had so much on her plate, it was easy to forget she was not even 24.

A nurse came in to change Shen Zhichu's medicine. Li Jingshen watched her work like a pro and couldn't help but blurt out, "Will she wake up?"

The nurse, after hanging the IV bag, turned and caught a glimpse of his bloodshot eyes. Man, he looked like he'd been through the wringer - red eyes, dark circles, scruffy beard. Clearly, he hadn't slept in days.

She averted her gaze. She couldn't quite put her finger on what was going through Li Jingshen's head. Just a couple of days ago, there was this viral video of Shen Zhichu kneeling in front of reporters.

Everyone in the city must've seen it. The nurse saw a video taken by a bystander. Li Jingshen was standing not far from Shen Zhichu, his face as cold as ice. He didn't lift a finger to help her, just stood there like a statue while she knelt in the rain, facing the reporters and the victims' families all by herself.

Word on the street was that Shen Zhichu knelt in the pouring rain for a solid half-hour.

Any normal person would be wrecked after kneeling for that long, let alone in a downpour and in Shen Zhichu's condition. No wonder she ended up coughing up blood, her cancer flaring up. The fact that she was still hanging on was nothing short of a miracle.