Chapter 264
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Ying Qingcang was wheeled into a glass chamber. Rong Siman, too, was laid onto equipment that had been set up beside Ying Qingcang's bed.
Chen Huan explained the general process to everyone. "We have to ensure that her heart rate is stable throughout the entire procedure. Otherwise, we'll have to stop the procedure immediately." Then, Chen Huan handed out hazmat suits to everyone; it was a precautionary step to ensure that they could rush into the chamber to save Ying Qingcang in the event of any emergency.
Xin Qing stood in front of the window and leaned herself against the glass. She dared not stand in front of where she could view the entire procedure. Instead, she picked a spot where the grandmaster's back was facing her but she could still see Ying Qingcang's face.
The two of them stared longingly at each other through a layer of glass. Ying Qingcang kept staring at her until he slowly closed his eyes.
"He's already been pumped with anesthetics," Chen Huan said, offering Xin Qing a chair. "Here, sit down. The procedure will take a long time. You probably won't feel comfortable on your feet in a while."
Jiang Qianren noticed the way Xiao Rui kept staring at Rong Siman with a frown. "Why are you staring at her?" He asked.
"Something about her doesn't feel right," Xiao Rui said.
Boss Wan stood up and walked straight into the glass chamber. Then, he stood guard beside Rong Siman. All of them knew first-hand just what Xiao Rui was capable of. Even if Rong Siman had already been drugged, it would still be best if they take extra precautionary measures.
When Xin Qing saw the grandmaster's blood-stained hands, the anxiety started to hit. The two surgical assistants beside the grandmaster kept passing various scalpels and surgical blades to him. Some time later, Chen Huan suddenly reached out and covered Xin Qing's eyes.
"His heart is about to be removed. Don't look," Chen Huan said.
At first, Xin Qing had wanted to push Chen Huan's hand away, but in the end she resisted the urge; Xin Qing knew her own limits and how much she could tolerate. She was pretty sure she would pass out if she looked.
"Will it really be alright?" Xin Qing said, clutching Chen Huan's hand in a tight trip. "I mean, it's the heart, for God's sake!"
Chen Huan tried to make her voice sound as calm and reassuring as possible. "Don't worry, okay? Usually, we even perform heart transplant surgeries in here! Hey, do you see that container over there?" Chen Huan removed her hand from Xin Qing's eyes to let Xin Qing see the inside of the chamber.
"You mean the one placed beside the grandmaster?" Xin Qing did not catch a glimpse of Ying Qingcang's heart. But she could still see the grandmaster's hands working with feverish haste. Indeed, there was a container beside where the grandmaster stood, along with some kind of strange machine.
There was a hint of envy in Chen Huan's voice when she spoke next. "Yeah, it's that claw-like thing. If we have that thing, we could save Ying Qingcang on our own."
"What exactly is it?"
"Well, the grandmaster's body is blocking it, so you can't see. But Ying Qingcang's heart is sitting right on top of it. That thing can model itself to resemble the human heart. It's necessary to use it to remove the bomb to prevent it from going off. Once the bomb is removed, it will be dumped into that container. It might startle you later!"
Xin Qing nodded to show that she understood. She bit down on her lip and kept staring into the chamber. "Didn't they say the heart will only keep beating for four minutes outside the body? Why aren't they putting it back yet?"
Just moments before Chen Huan was about to speak, Chen Huan watched in alarm as Rong Siman sat back up. At the same time, Boss Wan burst into action and pressed down on Rong Siman's arms, hard. Xiao Rui had also rushed into the chamber and was now hugging Rong Siman's legs.
"Hahahaha!" Rong Siman stared at everyone with a look of pure hatred in her eyes. Then, all of a sudden, Boss Wan and Xiao Rui's bodies began to convulse. Seconds later, their bodies crumpled to the ground as they were both shoved away.
Xin Qing released a high-pitched scream and began making a dash into the chamber. Rong Siman was holding an object in her hand, something that looked like a flashlight. Right then, Rong Siman's eyes were filled with a deranged and manic look. "Ying Qingcang!" Rong Siman screamed. "You lied to me! You've been lying to me for three years! Oh, what a good actor you are!"
"Don't move!" Rong Siman yelled at the grandmaster. "I'll electrocute myself if you even move an inch." Then, Rong Siman brandished the flashlight in her hand.
Chen Huan restrained Xin Qing who still wanted to rush inside. "Don't! Don't go near her! I'm telling you, that thing is capable of shocking a bull to death."
"Two minutes left, guys," the grandmaster said, reminding everyone.
Rong Siman eyes turned red and she stared at everyone, looking all disheveled and unkempt. "Oh, you're still trying to save him? Hahahaha... In your dreams! If I can't have him when he's alive, then he and I will die together! No one will take him away from me once we're both dead!"
Rong Siman was crying and laughing at the same time when she pointed a finger at Xin Qing. "In the end, you'll still be alone," Rong Siman said. "You'll never be with him! Hahahaha..."
Bang! Rong Siman released a horrifying scream; her wrist just had been shot through. At the same time, Xiao Rui struggled to his feet, dove forward and kicked the fallen flashlight away from Rong Siman. Jiang Qianren rushed in from another end of the room. He yelled at the grandmaster, "Hurry up!"
The grandmaster had already sliced off a piece of red tissue from Ying Qingcang's heart, and was now tossing the removed tissue into the container beside him. A split second later, the fluid inside the container roiled and a red mist spread all over the container. Through the transparent wall of the container, they were able to see red, ruptured tissue everywhere.
"No!" Rong Siman wailed miserably, staring at the surgical table in disbelief.
Chen Huan patted her chest. "Phew! Okay! It's done, it's done. It's all good now!"
"Ah Cang..." Xin Qing leaned herself against the glass wall, tears streaking down her cheeks. Boss Wan staggered to his feet and then spend a moment working out the kinks in his joints and muscles. After that, he walked towards Rong Siman with a frown and dragged her out by her hair.
With Chen Huan and Xiao Rui supporting her on each side, Xin Qing walked out of the chamber as well. The life-and-death moment just now had had everyone breaking out in cold sweat.
"Qianren, thank you! Thank you so much!" Xin Qing expressed her gratitude amidst her tears. If Jiang Qianren had not hidden himself away in time and taken out Rong Siman, right now Ying Qingcang would probably be...
Jiang Qianren helped her into a chair and joked, "You guys owe me your lives. Just remember to repay me one day when I need it!"
"Okay!" Xin Qing nodded her head seriously.
Xiao Rui stood in front of Rong Siman. "And what should we do with this woman?"
"She can't die yet. Ah Cang would want to deal with her," said Boss Wan as he picked up a piece of cloth and tied a haphazard knot onto Rong Siman's perforated wrist. After that, he picked up the flashlight from the ground and inspected it. "She even managed to get her hands on something like this. D*mn, I've underestimated her."
Rong Siman was sprawled on the floor motionlessly. If it were not for the slight rising and falling of her chest, her body could easily be passed off as a corpse.
By the time the grandmaster walked out of the glass chamber, three hours had passed.
"Send him to a hospital for recuperation. He'll be bedridden for a month and he can't engage in any strenuous physical activity for the half a year that follows." Then, the grandmaster gave Xin Qing a pointed look. "Don't forget to bring Mo Lin to me."
Chen Huan smiled at the grandmaster. "Rest assured, sir, that he is already on the way back to the country!"
Just moments ago, Boss Wan had given Young Master Shen the go-ahead to begin the rescue operation. On the floor, Rong Siman shifted slightly, though nobody had noticed her movements. Jiang Qianren left to arrange for the transportation to take Ying Qingcang away.
All of a sudden, Xiao Rui yelled, "Mother, get away from there!"
Xin Qing turned her head around instinctively. Somehow, Rong Siman had already crawled her way forward and was now lying right beside Xin Qing's feet. With a face covered in blood, Rong Siman stared up at Xin Qing with a look of hopelessness and hatred in her eyes.
"Sh*t! She has another one!" Chen Huan watched in anger as Rong Siman pulled out another flashlight from her chest. Rong Siman reached up, seized Xin Qing's arm and, at the same time, pressed a button on the flashlight.
Boss Wan sprang into action; he grabbed a white lab coat, threw it around Xin Qing's neck to form a loop, and then used it to tug Xin Qing upwards. Rong Siman's hand fell limply to Xin Qing's feet; Xin Qing's body convulsed a few times. Chen Huan ran over and gave the lab coat another tug. Xin Qing fell forward into Chen Huan's arms.
Rong Siman's body was already charred beyond recognition. Then, a blast sounded as Rong Siman's torso exploded, blasting a hole through her chest.
That was the first thing that Jiang Qianren saw when he came back inside. Before he could even ask what had happened, Chen Huan yelled at him, "Quick! Call the grandmaster back here!"
The first snow in S City lasted for three days straight. Ying Qingcang stared at the white fog outside the window. He had woken up three days after the procedure, though he was not allowed to move just yet. Lying on the bed was all he could do at the moment.
"She still hasn't woken up yet?"
Young Master Shen shook his head as he lifted a bowl of congee to feed Ying Qingcang. "Darn, look at me now. This is supposed to be Xiao Qingqing's job, and yet now it has to be done by a man like me."
Ying Qingcang pushed the bowl away. "I've had enough."
"You have to eat more if you want to be able to get out of bed sooner to see her." Young Master Shen picked up the bowl again. Ying Qingcang frowned, though he forced himself to eat.
After he had finished an entire bowl, Ying Qingcang said, "There's no need for me to remain in ICU anymore. Send me to Xin Qing's room."
"Sorry, pal. Even I don't have the guts to do that. Who's going to take responsibility if something happens?" Young Master Shen glared at him. "This is the heart we're dealing with here. You think you just had, what, your appendix removed?"
"I know my own body," Ying Qingcang grumbled in frustration. "Just hurry up and get it done."
Left with no other choice, Young Master Shen headed over to Xin Qing's room to tell Chen Huan to dissuade Ying Qingcang. In the end, this was what Chen Huan told him, "Let him do what he wants. It would be better for the both of them!"
Thus, Ying Qingcang's bed was rolled into Xin Qing's room. He watched the little woman on the bed, his heart filling with emotions. Her face now looked a little pale and she seemed to have lost some weight as well. The sight of her right now brought a sharp pang to Ying Qingcang's heart, so he rushed Young Master Shen, "Hey, hurry up, man. Put our beds together, side by side."
Everyone scrambled about to put the two beds together. The only body parts in Ying Qingcang's upper body that he was allowed to move were his arms, so he lay there quietly and just held Xin Qing's hand. Once in a while, he would give her cheek a pinch or two. Most of his time was spent talking to her, though.
Monica brought the children to the hospital to visit him that night.
"So you're my father?" For a moment, Wangwang studied Ying Qingcang's face curiously. Then, he turned his head to Ah Sha. "Sis, he looks a lot like me!"
Young Master Shen flicked Wangwang's head. "Idiot. You're the one who looks a lot like him, not the other way round."
"Dad... daddy!" Ah Sha stood beside his bed with red-rimmed eyes. Ying Qingcang stretched out his hand. "Come here, baby girl. Let daddy hug you."
Ah Sha released a sob and threw herself into his arms. A moment later, she raised her head with a look of panic on her face; she was worried that she might have accidentally touched his wounds.
"It's okay," Ying Qingcang cooed as he held her. "Ah Sha, I have to apologize to you. Due to certain reasons, I wasn't able to openly acknowledge you. My actions had made you assume that I had abandoned you. I'm sorry. Daddy had made you sad. Will you forgive daddy?"
Ah Sha was crying so hard that she could barely breathe. She nodded as she sobbed, "Woo... Yes, I can. Ah Sha forgives daddy. But daddy must promise not to abandon Ah Sha again, and also mommy. Woo... and... and Xiao Rui and Wangwang!"
"Alright, that's enough. Keep crying like that and you'll start feeling dizzy." Xunxun could not bear the sight of Ah Sha crying. He took out a handkerchief and dried her tears. Then, he dragged her away from Ying Qingcang's body.
It was Wangwang's turn; he climbed onto the bed and sat down beside Ying Qingcang. "You can't blame me for not recognizing you," Wangwang said. "You weren't even there when I was born. After that, you abandoned mommy and us. So, I don't feel like call you my father just yet. When you start acting like my father, that's when I will start calling you that."
Ying Qingcang frowned. How old was this brat again? How come he was already so mature?
After the kids had all spoken to Ying Qingcang, they stood around Xin Qing's bed and just watched her.
"Mommy will wake up, right?" Ah Sha asked Xunxun.
Xunxun nodded and said, "Yes, she will." That was enough to reassure Ah Sha. As far as she knew, anything that Xunxun said was the truth.
Xin Qing was now in a coma due to the electrocution that she had experienced. According to the grandmaster, typical victims of electrocution would suffer brain damage and, as a result, be in a persistent vegetative state, also known as PVS; but because Xin Qing had been pulled away just in time, the damage done to her brain was not as severe as it could have been, so she should be able to wake up soon.
Everyone thought as well that Xin Qing would be able to wake up soon. But a month later, when Ying Qingcang was already allowed to get out of bed, Xin Qing was still in coma.
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Ying Qingcang was wheeled into a glass chamber. Rong Siman, too, was laid onto equipment that had been set up beside Ying Qingcang's bed.
Chen Huan explained the general process to everyone. "We have to ensure that her heart rate is stable throughout the entire procedure. Otherwise, we'll have to stop the procedure immediately." Then, Chen Huan handed out hazmat suits to everyone; it was a precautionary step to ensure that they could rush into the chamber to save Ying Qingcang in the event of any emergency.
Xin Qing stood in front of the window and leaned herself against the glass. She dared not stand in front of where she could view the entire procedure. Instead, she picked a spot where the grandmaster's back was facing her but she could still see Ying Qingcang's face.
The two of them stared longingly at each other through a layer of glass. Ying Qingcang kept staring at her until he slowly closed his eyes.
"He's already been pumped with anesthetics," Chen Huan said, offering Xin Qing a chair. "Here, sit down. The procedure will take a long time. You probably won't feel comfortable on your feet in a while."
Jiang Qianren noticed the way Xiao Rui kept staring at Rong Siman with a frown. "Why are you staring at her?" He asked.
"Something about her doesn't feel right," Xiao Rui said.
Boss Wan stood up and walked straight into the glass chamber. Then, he stood guard beside Rong Siman. All of them knew first-hand just what Xiao Rui was capable of. Even if Rong Siman had already been drugged, it would still be best if they take extra precautionary measures.
When Xin Qing saw the grandmaster's blood-stained hands, the anxiety started to hit. The two surgical assistants beside the grandmaster kept passing various scalpels and surgical blades to him. Some time later, Chen Huan suddenly reached out and covered Xin Qing's eyes.
"His heart is about to be removed. Don't look," Chen Huan said.
At first, Xin Qing had wanted to push Chen Huan's hand away, but in the end she resisted the urge; Xin Qing knew her own limits and how much she could tolerate. She was pretty sure she would pass out if she looked.
"Will it really be alright?" Xin Qing said, clutching Chen Huan's hand in a tight trip. "I mean, it's the heart, for God's sake!"
Chen Huan tried to make her voice sound as calm and reassuring as possible. "Don't worry, okay? Usually, we even perform heart transplant surgeries in here! Hey, do you see that container over there?" Chen Huan removed her hand from Xin Qing's eyes to let Xin Qing see the inside of the chamber.
"You mean the one placed beside the grandmaster?" Xin Qing did not catch a glimpse of Ying Qingcang's heart. But she could still see the grandmaster's hands working with feverish haste. Indeed, there was a container beside where the grandmaster stood, along with some kind of strange machine.
There was a hint of envy in Chen Huan's voice when she spoke next. "Yeah, it's that claw-like thing. If we have that thing, we could save Ying Qingcang on our own."
"What exactly is it?"
"Well, the grandmaster's body is blocking it, so you can't see. But Ying Qingcang's heart is sitting right on top of it. That thing can model itself to resemble the human heart. It's necessary to use it to remove the bomb to prevent it from going off. Once the bomb is removed, it will be dumped into that container. It might startle you later!"
Xin Qing nodded to show that she understood. She bit down on her lip and kept staring into the chamber. "Didn't they say the heart will only keep beating for four minutes outside the body? Why aren't they putting it back yet?"
Just moments before Chen Huan was about to speak, Chen Huan watched in alarm as Rong Siman sat back up. At the same time, Boss Wan burst into action and pressed down on Rong Siman's arms, hard. Xiao Rui had also rushed into the chamber and was now hugging Rong Siman's legs.
"Hahahaha!" Rong Siman stared at everyone with a look of pure hatred in her eyes. Then, all of a sudden, Boss Wan and Xiao Rui's bodies began to convulse. Seconds later, their bodies crumpled to the ground as they were both shoved away.
Xin Qing released a high-pitched scream and began making a dash into the chamber. Rong Siman was holding an object in her hand, something that looked like a flashlight. Right then, Rong Siman's eyes were filled with a deranged and manic look. "Ying Qingcang!" Rong Siman screamed. "You lied to me! You've been lying to me for three years! Oh, what a good actor you are!"
"Don't move!" Rong Siman yelled at the grandmaster. "I'll electrocute myself if you even move an inch." Then, Rong Siman brandished the flashlight in her hand.
Chen Huan restrained Xin Qing who still wanted to rush inside. "Don't! Don't go near her! I'm telling you, that thing is capable of shocking a bull to death."
"Two minutes left, guys," the grandmaster said, reminding everyone.
Rong Siman eyes turned red and she stared at everyone, looking all disheveled and unkempt. "Oh, you're still trying to save him? Hahahaha... In your dreams! If I can't have him when he's alive, then he and I will die together! No one will take him away from me once we're both dead!"
Rong Siman was crying and laughing at the same time when she pointed a finger at Xin Qing. "In the end, you'll still be alone," Rong Siman said. "You'll never be with him! Hahahaha..."
Bang! Rong Siman released a horrifying scream; her wrist just had been shot through. At the same time, Xiao Rui struggled to his feet, dove forward and kicked the fallen flashlight away from Rong Siman. Jiang Qianren rushed in from another end of the room. He yelled at the grandmaster, "Hurry up!"
The grandmaster had already sliced off a piece of red tissue from Ying Qingcang's heart, and was now tossing the removed tissue into the container beside him. A split second later, the fluid inside the container roiled and a red mist spread all over the container. Through the transparent wall of the container, they were able to see red, ruptured tissue everywhere.
"No!" Rong Siman wailed miserably, staring at the surgical table in disbelief.
Chen Huan patted her chest. "Phew! Okay! It's done, it's done. It's all good now!"
"Ah Cang..." Xin Qing leaned herself against the glass wall, tears streaking down her cheeks. Boss Wan staggered to his feet and then spend a moment working out the kinks in his joints and muscles. After that, he walked towards Rong Siman with a frown and dragged her out by her hair.
With Chen Huan and Xiao Rui supporting her on each side, Xin Qing walked out of the chamber as well. The life-and-death moment just now had had everyone breaking out in cold sweat.
"Qianren, thank you! Thank you so much!" Xin Qing expressed her gratitude amidst her tears. If Jiang Qianren had not hidden himself away in time and taken out Rong Siman, right now Ying Qingcang would probably be...
Jiang Qianren helped her into a chair and joked, "You guys owe me your lives. Just remember to repay me one day when I need it!"
"Okay!" Xin Qing nodded her head seriously.
Xiao Rui stood in front of Rong Siman. "And what should we do with this woman?"
"She can't die yet. Ah Cang would want to deal with her," said Boss Wan as he picked up a piece of cloth and tied a haphazard knot onto Rong Siman's perforated wrist. After that, he picked up the flashlight from the ground and inspected it. "She even managed to get her hands on something like this. D*mn, I've underestimated her."
Rong Siman was sprawled on the floor motionlessly. If it were not for the slight rising and falling of her chest, her body could easily be passed off as a corpse.
By the time the grandmaster walked out of the glass chamber, three hours had passed.
"Send him to a hospital for recuperation. He'll be bedridden for a month and he can't engage in any strenuous physical activity for the half a year that follows." Then, the grandmaster gave Xin Qing a pointed look. "Don't forget to bring Mo Lin to me."
Chen Huan smiled at the grandmaster. "Rest assured, sir, that he is already on the way back to the country!"
Just moments ago, Boss Wan had given Young Master Shen the go-ahead to begin the rescue operation. On the floor, Rong Siman shifted slightly, though nobody had noticed her movements. Jiang Qianren left to arrange for the transportation to take Ying Qingcang away.
All of a sudden, Xiao Rui yelled, "Mother, get away from there!"
Xin Qing turned her head around instinctively. Somehow, Rong Siman had already crawled her way forward and was now lying right beside Xin Qing's feet. With a face covered in blood, Rong Siman stared up at Xin Qing with a look of hopelessness and hatred in her eyes.
"Sh*t! She has another one!" Chen Huan watched in anger as Rong Siman pulled out another flashlight from her chest. Rong Siman reached up, seized Xin Qing's arm and, at the same time, pressed a button on the flashlight.
Boss Wan sprang into action; he grabbed a white lab coat, threw it around Xin Qing's neck to form a loop, and then used it to tug Xin Qing upwards. Rong Siman's hand fell limply to Xin Qing's feet; Xin Qing's body convulsed a few times. Chen Huan ran over and gave the lab coat another tug. Xin Qing fell forward into Chen Huan's arms.
Rong Siman's body was already charred beyond recognition. Then, a blast sounded as Rong Siman's torso exploded, blasting a hole through her chest.
That was the first thing that Jiang Qianren saw when he came back inside. Before he could even ask what had happened, Chen Huan yelled at him, "Quick! Call the grandmaster back here!"
The first snow in S City lasted for three days straight. Ying Qingcang stared at the white fog outside the window. He had woken up three days after the procedure, though he was not allowed to move just yet. Lying on the bed was all he could do at the moment.
"She still hasn't woken up yet?"
Young Master Shen shook his head as he lifted a bowl of congee to feed Ying Qingcang. "Darn, look at me now. This is supposed to be Xiao Qingqing's job, and yet now it has to be done by a man like me."
Ying Qingcang pushed the bowl away. "I've had enough."
"You have to eat more if you want to be able to get out of bed sooner to see her." Young Master Shen picked up the bowl again. Ying Qingcang frowned, though he forced himself to eat.
After he had finished an entire bowl, Ying Qingcang said, "There's no need for me to remain in ICU anymore. Send me to Xin Qing's room."
"Sorry, pal. Even I don't have the guts to do that. Who's going to take responsibility if something happens?" Young Master Shen glared at him. "This is the heart we're dealing with here. You think you just had, what, your appendix removed?"
"I know my own body," Ying Qingcang grumbled in frustration. "Just hurry up and get it done."
Left with no other choice, Young Master Shen headed over to Xin Qing's room to tell Chen Huan to dissuade Ying Qingcang. In the end, this was what Chen Huan told him, "Let him do what he wants. It would be better for the both of them!"
Thus, Ying Qingcang's bed was rolled into Xin Qing's room. He watched the little woman on the bed, his heart filling with emotions. Her face now looked a little pale and she seemed to have lost some weight as well. The sight of her right now brought a sharp pang to Ying Qingcang's heart, so he rushed Young Master Shen, "Hey, hurry up, man. Put our beds together, side by side."
Everyone scrambled about to put the two beds together. The only body parts in Ying Qingcang's upper body that he was allowed to move were his arms, so he lay there quietly and just held Xin Qing's hand. Once in a while, he would give her cheek a pinch or two. Most of his time was spent talking to her, though.
Monica brought the children to the hospital to visit him that night.
"So you're my father?" For a moment, Wangwang studied Ying Qingcang's face curiously. Then, he turned his head to Ah Sha. "Sis, he looks a lot like me!"
Young Master Shen flicked Wangwang's head. "Idiot. You're the one who looks a lot like him, not the other way round."
"Dad... daddy!" Ah Sha stood beside his bed with red-rimmed eyes. Ying Qingcang stretched out his hand. "Come here, baby girl. Let daddy hug you."
Ah Sha released a sob and threw herself into his arms. A moment later, she raised her head with a look of panic on her face; she was worried that she might have accidentally touched his wounds.
"It's okay," Ying Qingcang cooed as he held her. "Ah Sha, I have to apologize to you. Due to certain reasons, I wasn't able to openly acknowledge you. My actions had made you assume that I had abandoned you. I'm sorry. Daddy had made you sad. Will you forgive daddy?"
Ah Sha was crying so hard that she could barely breathe. She nodded as she sobbed, "Woo... Yes, I can. Ah Sha forgives daddy. But daddy must promise not to abandon Ah Sha again, and also mommy. Woo... and... and Xiao Rui and Wangwang!"
"Alright, that's enough. Keep crying like that and you'll start feeling dizzy." Xunxun could not bear the sight of Ah Sha crying. He took out a handkerchief and dried her tears. Then, he dragged her away from Ying Qingcang's body.
It was Wangwang's turn; he climbed onto the bed and sat down beside Ying Qingcang. "You can't blame me for not recognizing you," Wangwang said. "You weren't even there when I was born. After that, you abandoned mommy and us. So, I don't feel like call you my father just yet. When you start acting like my father, that's when I will start calling you that."
Ying Qingcang frowned. How old was this brat again? How come he was already so mature?
After the kids had all spoken to Ying Qingcang, they stood around Xin Qing's bed and just watched her.
"Mommy will wake up, right?" Ah Sha asked Xunxun.
Xunxun nodded and said, "Yes, she will." That was enough to reassure Ah Sha. As far as she knew, anything that Xunxun said was the truth.
Xin Qing was now in a coma due to the electrocution that she had experienced. According to the grandmaster, typical victims of electrocution would suffer brain damage and, as a result, be in a persistent vegetative state, also known as PVS; but because Xin Qing had been pulled away just in time, the damage done to her brain was not as severe as it could have been, so she should be able to wake up soon.
Everyone thought as well that Xin Qing would be able to wake up soon. But a month later, when Ying Qingcang was already allowed to get out of bed, Xin Qing was still in coma.
Ying Qingcang was wheeled into a glass chamber. Rong Siman, too, was laid onto equipment that had been set up beside Ying Qingcang's bed.Chen Huan explained the general process to everyone. "We have to ensure that her heart rate is stable throughout the entire procedure. Otherwise, we'll have to stop the procedure immediately." Then, Chen Huan handed out hazmat suits to everyone; it was a precautionary step to ensure that they could rush into the chamber to save Ying Qingcang in the event of any emergency.Xin Qing stood in front of the window and leaned herself against the glass. She dared not stand in front of where she could view the entire procedure. Instead, she picked a spot where the grandmaster's back was facing her but she could still see Ying Qingcang's face.The two of them stared longingly at each other through a layer of glass. Ying Qingcang kept staring at her until he slowly closed his eyes."He's already been pumped with anesthetics," Chen Huan said, offering Xin Qing a chair. "Here, sit down. The procedure will take a long time. You probably won't feel comfortable on your feet in a while."Jiang Qianren noticed the way Xiao Rui kept staring at Rong Siman with a frown. "Why are you staring at her?" He asked."Something about her doesn't feel right," Xiao Rui said.Boss Wan stood up and walked straight into the glass chamber. Then, he stood guard beside Rong Siman. All of them knew first-hand just what Xiao Rui was capable of. Even if Rong Siman had already been drugged, it would still be best if they take extra precautionary measures.When Xin Qing saw the grandmaster's blood-stained hands, the anxiety started to hit. The two surgical assistants beside the grandmaster kept passing various scalpels and surgical blades to him. Some time later, Chen Huan suddenly reached out and covered Xin Qing's eyes."His heart is about to be removed. Don't look," Chen Huan said.At first, Xin Qing had wanted to push Chen Huan's hand away, but in the end she resisted the urge; Xin Qing knew her own limits and how much she could tolerate. She was pretty sure she would pass out if she looked."Will it really be alright?" Xin Qing said, clutching Chen Huan's hand in a tight trip. "I mean, it's the heart, for God's sake!"Chen Huan tried to make her voice sound as calm and reassuring as possible. "Don't worry, okay? Usually, we even perform heart transplant surgeries in here! Hey, do you see that container over there?" Chen Huan removed her hand from Xin Qing's eyes to let Xin Qing see the inside of the chamber."You mean the one placed beside the grandmaster?" Xin Qing did not catch a glimpse of Ying Qingcang's heart. But she could still see the grandmaster's hands working with feverish haste. Indeed, there was a container beside where the grandmaster stood, along with some kind of strange machine.There was a hint of envy in Chen Huan's voice when she spoke next. "Yeah, it's that claw-like thing. If we have that thing, we could save Ying Qingcang on our own.""What exactly is it?""Well, the grandmaster's body is blocking it, so you can't see. But Ying Qingcang's heart is sitting right on top of it. That thing can model itself to resemble the human heart. It's necessary to use it to remove the bomb to prevent it from going off. Once the bomb is removed, it will be dumped into that container. It might startle you later!"Xin Qing nodded to show that she understood. She bit down on her lip and kept staring into the chamber. "Didn't they say the heart will only keep beating for four minutes outside the body? Why aren't they putting it back yet?"Just moments before Chen Huan was about to speak, Chen Huan watched in alarm as Rong Siman sat back up. At the same time, Boss Wan burst into action and pressed down on Rong Siman's arms, hard. Xiao Rui had also rushed into the chamber and was now hugging Rong Siman's legs."Hahahaha!" Rong Siman stared at everyone with a look of pure hatred in her eyes. Then, all of a sudden, Boss Wan and Xiao Rui's bodies began to convulse. Seconds later, their bodies crumpled to the ground as they were both shoved away.Xin Qing released a high-pitched scream and began making a dash into the chamber. Rong Siman was holding an object in her hand, something that looked like a flashlight. Right then, Rong Siman's eyes were filled with a deranged and manic look. "Ying Qingcang!" Rong Siman screamed. "You lied to me! You've been lying to me for three years! Oh, what a good actor you are!""Don't move!" Rong Siman yelled at the grandmaster. "I'll electrocute myself if you even move an inch." Then, Rong Siman brandished the flashlight in her hand.Chen Huan restrained Xin Qing who still wanted to rush inside. "Don't! Don't go near her! I'm telling you, that thing is capable of shocking a bull to death.""Two minutes left, guys," the grandmaster said, reminding everyone.Rong Siman eyes turned red and she stared at everyone, looking all disheveled and unkempt. "Oh, you're still trying to save him? Hahahaha... In your dreams! If I can't have him when he's alive, then he and I will die together! No one will take him away from me once we're both dead!"Rong Siman was crying and laughing at the same time when she pointed a finger at Xin Qing. "In the end, you'll still be alone," Rong Siman said. "You'll never be with him! Hahahaha..."Bang! Rong Siman released a horrifying scream; her wrist just had been shot through. At the same time, Xiao Rui struggled to his feet, dove forward and kicked the fallen flashlight away from Rong Siman. Jiang Qianren rushed in from another end of the room. He yelled at the grandmaster, "Hurry up!"The grandmaster had already sliced off a piece of red tissue from Ying Qingcang's heart, and was now tossing the removed tissue into the container beside him. A split second later, the fluid inside the container roiled and a red mist spread all over the container. Through the transparent wall of the container, they were able to see red, ruptured tissue everywhere."No!" Rong Siman wailed miserably, staring at the surgical table in disbelief.Chen Huan patted her chest. "Phew! Okay! It's done, it's done. It's all good now!""Ah Cang..." Xin Qing leaned herself against the glass wall, tears streaking down her cheeks. Boss Wan staggered to his feet and then spend a moment working out the kinks in his joints and muscles. After that, he walked towards Rong Siman with a frown and dragged her out by her hair.With Chen Huan and Xiao Rui supporting her on each side, Xin Qing walked out of the chamber as well. The life-and-death moment just now had had everyone breaking out in cold sweat."Qianren, thank you! Thank you so much!" Xin Qing expressed her gratitude amidst her tears. If Jiang Qianren had not hidden himself away in time and taken out Rong Siman, right now Ying Qingcang would probably be...Jiang Qianren helped her into a chair and joked, "You guys owe me your lives. Just remember to repay me one day when I need it!""Okay!" Xin Qing nodded her head seriously.Xiao Rui stood in front of Rong Siman. "And what should we do with this woman?""She can't die yet. Ah Cang would want to deal with her," said Boss Wan as he picked up a piece of cloth and tied a haphazard knot onto Rong Siman's perforated wrist. After that, he picked up the flashlight from the ground and inspected it. "She even managed to get her hands on something like this. D*mn, I've underestimated her."Rong Siman was sprawled on the floor motionlessly. If it were not for the slight rising and falling of her chest, her body could easily be passed off as a corpse.By the time the grandmaster walked out of the glass chamber, three hours had passed."Send him to a hospital for recuperation. He'll be bedridden for a month and he can't engage in any strenuous physical activity for the half a year that follows." Then, the grandmaster gave Xin Qing a pointed look. "Don't forget to bring Mo Lin to me."Chen Huan smiled at the grandmaster. "Rest assured, sir, that he is already on the way back to the country!"Just moments ago, Boss Wan had given Young Master Shen the go-ahead to begin the rescue operation. On the floor, Rong Siman shifted slightly, though nobody had noticed her movements. Jiang Qianren left to arrange for the transportation to take Ying Qingcang away.All of a sudden, Xiao Rui yelled, "Mother, get away from there!"Xin Qing turned her head around instinctively. Somehow, Rong Siman had already crawled her way forward and was now lying right beside Xin Qing's feet. With a face covered in blood, Rong Siman stared up at Xin Qing with a look of hopelessness and hatred in her eyes."Sh*t! She has another one!" Chen Huan watched in anger as Rong Siman pulled out another flashlight from her chest. Rong Siman reached up, seized Xin Qing's arm and, at the same time, pressed a button on the flashlight.Boss Wan sprang into action; he grabbed a white lab coat, threw it around Xin Qing's neck to form a loop, and then used it to tug Xin Qing upwards. Rong Siman's hand fell limply to Xin Qing's feet; Xin Qing's body convulsed a few times. Chen Huan ran over and gave the lab coat another tug. Xin Qing fell forward into Chen Huan's arms.Rong Siman's body was already charred beyond recognition. Then, a blast sounded as Rong Siman's torso exploded, blasting a hole through her chest.That was the first thing that Jiang Qianren saw when he came back inside. Before he could even ask what had happened, Chen Huan yelled at him, "Quick! Call the grandmaster back here!"The first snow in S City lasted for three days straight. Ying Qingcang stared at the white fog outside the window. He had woken up three days after the procedure, though he was not allowed to move just yet. Lying on the bed was all he could do at the moment."She still hasn't woken up yet?"Young Master Shen shook his head as he lifted a bowl of congee to feed Ying Qingcang. "Darn, look at me now. This is supposed to be Xiao Qingqing's job, and yet now it has to be done by a man like me."Ying Qingcang pushed the bowl away. "I've had enough.""You have to eat more if you want to be able to get out of bed sooner to see her." Young Master Shen picked up the bowl again. Ying Qingcang frowned, though he forced himself to eat.After he had finished an entire bowl, Ying Qingcang said, "There's no need for me to remain in ICU anymore. Send me to Xin Qing's room.""Sorry, pal. Even I don't have the guts to do that. Who's going to take responsibility if something happens?" Young Master Shen glared at him. "This is the heart we're dealing with here. You think you just had, what, your appendix removed?""I know my own body," Ying Qingcang grumbled in frustration. "Just hurry up and get it done."Left with no other choice, Young Master Shen headed over to Xin Qing's room to tell Chen Huan to dissuade Ying Qingcang. In the end, this was what Chen Huan told him, "Let him do what he wants. It would be better for the both of them!"Thus, Ying Qingcang's bed was rolled into Xin Qing's room. He watched the little woman on the bed, his heart filling with emotions. Her face now looked a little pale and she seemed to have lost some weight as well. The sight of her right now brought a sharp pang to Ying Qingcang's heart, so he rushed Young Master Shen, "Hey, hurry up, man. Put our beds together, side by side."Everyone scrambled about to put the two beds together. The only body parts in Ying Qingcang's upper body that he was allowed to move were his arms, so he lay there quietly and just held Xin Qing's hand. Once in a while, he would give her cheek a pinch or two. Most of his time was spent talking to her, though.Monica brought the children to the hospital to visit him that night."So you're my father?" For a moment, Wangwang studied Ying Qingcang's face curiously. Then, he turned his head to Ah Sha. "Sis, he looks a lot like me!"Young Master Shen flicked Wangwang's head. "Idiot. You're the one who looks a lot like him, not the other way round.""Dad... daddy!" Ah Sha stood beside his bed with red-rimmed eyes. Ying Qingcang stretched out his hand. "Come here, baby girl. Let daddy hug you."Ah Sha released a sob and threw herself into his arms. A moment later, she raised her head with a look of panic on her face; she was worried that she might have accidentally touched his wounds."It's okay," Ying Qingcang cooed as he held her. "Ah Sha, I have to apologize to you. Due to certain reasons, I wasn't able to openly acknowledge you. My actions had made you assume that I had abandoned you. I'm sorry. Daddy had made you sad. Will you forgive daddy?"Ah Sha was crying so hard that she could barely breathe. She nodded as she sobbed, "Woo... Yes, I can. Ah Sha forgives daddy. But daddy must promise not to abandon Ah Sha again, and also mommy. Woo... and... and Xiao Rui and Wangwang!""Alright, that's enough. Keep crying like that and you'll start feeling dizzy." Xunxun could not bear the sight of Ah Sha crying. He took out a handkerchief and dried her tears. Then, he dragged her away from Ying Qingcang's body.It was Wangwang's turn; he climbed onto the bed and sat down beside Ying Qingcang. "You can't blame me for not recognizing you," Wangwang said. "You weren't even there when I was born. After that, you abandoned mommy and us. So, I don't feel like call you my father just yet. When you start acting like my father, that's when I will start calling you that."Ying Qingcang frowned. How old was this brat again? How come he was already so mature?After the kids had all spoken to Ying Qingcang, they stood around Xin Qing's bed and just watched her."Mommy will wake up, right?" Ah Sha asked Xunxun.Xunxun nodded and said, "Yes, she will." That was enough to reassure Ah Sha. As far as she knew, anything that Xunxun said was the truth.Xin Qing was now in a coma due to the electrocution that she had experienced. According to the grandmaster, typical victims of electrocution would suffer brain damage and, as a result, be in a persistent vegetative state, also known as PVS; but because Xin Qing had been pulled away just in time, the damage done to her brain was not as severe as it could have been, so she should be able to wake up soon.Everyone thought as well that Xin Qing would be able to wake up soon. But a month later, when Ying Qingcang was already allowed to get out of bed, Xin Qing was still in coma.
