Chapter 26: Ji Yang’s Surgery

Su Ai rolled up a pancake for Ji Yang: “Just eat one pancake.”

“And drink some porridge.”

“Your surgery is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The doctor said you need to stop eating and drinking tomorrow morning, and avoid heavy foods tonight.”

“Just porridge is fine.”

Plain porridge; she had considered vegetable and lean meat porridge, but those weren’t easy to digest.

One meal wouldn’t kill him.

Showing care wasn’t about forcing him to eat.

The doctor’s instructions were important.

Plain porridge was best.

“Okay.”

“Then I won’t eat the pork.”

“Just porridge.”

“Okay.” Su Ai had offered the pork because she worried he’d find the porridge bland; it was better that he didn’t eat it.

Their son hadn’t napped, so when Su Ai returned after washing the dishes, he was already asleep in his father’s arms.

Su Ai bent down and asked Ji Yang: “Do you need to use the toilet?”

Ji Yang nodded. Su Ai took him to the toilet, helped him wash up, and put him back in bed.

Ji Yang kept staring at Su Ai.

Su Ai picked up her things to leave; it was late, and Ji Yang needed rest.

“Get some rest. I’ll come early tomorrow.”

“Mm.” Ji Yang said nothing but continued staring at Su Ai.

Su Ai was about to leave with their son, but she saw Ji Yang’s anxious expression.  Instead of picking up the child, she gently pinched Ji Yang’s face.

Ji Yang’s eyes widened.

“Don’t worry. The surgery isn’t difficult. You’ll be fine.”

Su Ai’s words only increased Ji Yang’s anxiety.

He wanted to ask, What if I don’t get better?

What if I’m crippled for life?

What if I die on the operating table?

Ji Yang didn’t know he was so pessimistic.

He pursed his lips, saying nothing, but nervously held Su Ai’s hand.

Before, he only worried about Lele; Su Ai had always disappointed him.  Now, he worried about many things.

He worried most about Su Ai.

“Don’t worry. Even if the surgery fails and you’re crippled, I’ll support you for life.”

“Medicine will advance. If it fails here, we’ll go to a better hospital; if it fails in China, we’ll go abroad.”

“We’ll find a cure.”

“It’s not a life-threatening illness; you know that.”

Ji Yang knew.

“Don’t overthink it.”

Ji Yang nodded but still held Su Ai’s hand.

Su Ai looked around, and when no one was watching, she kissed Ji Yang.

“Let go, hmm?”

Ji Yang blushed and released Su Ai’s hand.

Su Ai left.  Ji Yang watched her go, feeling reluctant.

He wanted to spend more time with her, even just a little.

Then Ji Yang looked down and saw their son still in his arms.

Suddenly!

Hmm?

Wife! You forgot the child!

Just as Ji Yang considered asking someone to call Su Ai back, the ward door opened, and Su Ai appeared with a folding bed.

Ji Yang’s eyes widened.

“You…what?”

Su Ai set up the bed: “You don’t want me to leave, so I’ll stay with you.”

Ji Yang’s heart melted.

Then Su Ai picked up Lele and put him on the folding bed.

Just as Ji Yang thought his son and Su Ai would sleep on the folding bed together, Su Ai covered the child with a blanket and squeezed onto the bed herself.

Ji Yang: ???

“You?”

Su Ai was so close that Ji Yang could smell her perfume, making his face flush.

Su Ai pulled Ji Yang’s hand onto the pillow and unceremoniously placed his other hand on her waist.

“With your wife in your arms, you won’t overthink things anymore, right?”

Ji Yang froze, unable to move.

He was still overthinking, but it was different from before.

He wanted to ask Su Ai to sleep elsewhere; it wouldn’t be good for her to be seen with him.

But then he thought, they were a married couple; what was the harm?  They were just sleeping together, nothing more.

Besides, he didn’t want her to go.

Su Ai was truly tired. After tidying up, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.  Ji Yang, however, in the dim light, traced the outline of the person in his arms.

He greedily and possessively hugged her tighter.

Su Ai.

Su Ai.

Ji Yang felt like the happiest man in the world.

He hugged Su Ai and soon fell asleep, feeling peaceful.

The next morning, Su Ai got up early and quietly left the bed before anyone else woke up.

She didn’t want many people to see them sleeping together.

She was thick-skinned and didn’t care about gossip, but her husband was shy and worried about such things.

It was better to avoid trouble.

Su Ai got up early to buy breakfast.  Since she hadn’t slept at the rented apartment, she couldn’t make breakfast; there wasn’t enough time.

Her husband and son were still asleep.

When she returned with breakfast, Ji Yang woke up.

Su Ai put down the breakfast and helped Ji Yang wash up.

“You can’t eat or drink anything from now on.”

“Okay, I know.”

After taking care of Ji Yang, Su Ai woke Lele up, and they ate breakfast together.

Lele took a bite of his bun, looked at his father, and sighed.

“Mommy, can’t Dad eat?”

“Dad is so pitiful.”

“Anesthesia can cause food to reflux. If Dad has food in his stomach, he might suffocate. Do you want him to go hungry or die?”

Lele’s eyes widened.

“I don’t want Dad to die.”

“Dad, you should go hungry.”

“I’ll strictly supervise you; you can’t eat or drink anything.”

“Not even a bite.”

Ji Yang patted his son’s head: “Okay.”

That morning, Su Ai stayed with Ji Yang and Lele, chatting.

Soon, it was time for Ji Yang’s surgery.

After preparations, Ji Yang was wheeled into the operating room.

Lele, affected by the serious atmosphere, clung to Ji Yang, his eyes red, on the verge of tears.

Su Ai picked up the child.

She bent down and kissed Ji Yang’s forehead, comforting him.

“Don’t be afraid. Lele and I will wait for you.”

Ji Yang nodded: “Lele, be good and listen to Mommy.”

As the operating bed moved, Ji Yang suddenly grabbed Su Ai.

“I have some money at home…”

Su Ai covered his mouth: “Tell me when you come out.”

“Lele and I will be waiting for you.”

Perhaps Su Ai’s composure calmed Ji Yang; he was remarkably calm as he was wheeled into the operating room.