Chapter 14.1 (1/2)

Chapter Fourteen (Part 1)

Qin Song was woken up by the sound of a door creak. He groped around to find his soft and fragrant ‘little country bun’ who was sleeping peacefully on his chest. He figured since his hands were wide awake and active, his hands’ next destination would be to pinch Ting Ting’s toned plump bottom.

Han Ting Ting was startled and opened her sleepy eyes. She was still sleepy and didn’t appreciate being woken up early to reward someone with uncourteous hands. She scratched Song Song’s chest to let him know she wanted to catch up on sleep she lost because he kept her up all night.

Qin Song’s eyes were teary from Ting Ting’s three scratches on his chest that drew blood. He obediently let her lie comfortably back on his chest, closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

When Qin Song and Ting Ting woke up again, her parents weren’t home. Her mum left them congee and many of his favourite dishes on the dining table. He thought if there were omelettes too then it would be the perfect breakfast. But recently Ting Ting’s mood swings were unpredictable and he didn’t dare to ask her to cook them omelettes.

Qin Song thought marriage was a mysterious phenomenon. After marriage his and Ting Ting’s personalities were swapped. She became the one that bullied him and he became an obedient student scared to upset the teacher. He quietly ate his small serving of congee as he watched his wife devour his favourite dishes on the dining table.

When Ting Ting swallowed the last water spinach stir fried in chili the doorbell rang. Qin Song obediently put his chopsticks on the dining table and went to open the front door.

At the door wasn’t Han Ting Ting’s parents who fled their home before dawn because they were traumatised by their daughter and son-in-law’s lively performance that lasted all night and the acoustics were sound and clear from their bedroom.

‘Young master, Mrs Qin senior asked for me to drive you and Mrs Qin junior to the hospital,’ the driver said.

Qin Song stood frozen at the front door.

Han Ting Ting didn’t hear Song Song’s conversation with the driver but Song Song’s soulless body made her run to him. She held his cold hand and tears formed in her eyes. ‘Song Song?’

Qin Song withdrew his bleak expression because he didn’t want to make Ting Ting anxious. He patted her back. ‘Honey, pack our belongings.’ He forced a smile to rea.s.sure her. ‘Afterwards we’ll go to the hospital to visit dad.’

Qin Song and Ting Ting were driven to the hospital. At the hospital unlike last time there were no vultures circling outside Qin Yun’s hospital room. Qin Song had banished most of the vultures into retirement overseas. The few vultures that lingered behind at Qin’s company after their revelation that Qin Song was no longer a kid who hadn’t wiped his nose clean, didn’t dare to make a squeak and wisely avoided the hospital to stay out of Qin Song’s way.

Qin Song thought his victory against his uncles was meaningless the moment he stepped into the hospital. His heart was deeply pained more than he antic.i.p.ated during those nights reading his dad’s prognosis reports.

Qin Song entered the hospital meeting room but it wasn’t full of the doctors he contracted.

‘The thirteen specialists that you invited to the hospital have flown back overseas, they can’t do anymore to help Mr Qin senior. As for the local specialists they’ve cancelled the meeting because their hands are tied too,’ a hospital doctor explained.

Qin Song hands were clenched. ‘Who gave them permission to cancel the meeting? Are-they-all-sick-of-living?’

The hospital doctor dropped the heavy pile of Qin Yun’s health reports. He bent his shaky legs to retrieve the fallen reports.

Since Qin Song married Ting Ting and took over Qin’s company, outsiders were accustomed to the matured and responsible Qin Song. But Qin Song’s violent outburst in the hospital meeting room reminded everyone how frightening it was to be on the receiving end of his temper if they offended him.

‘Within twelve hours I want them all standing in front of me,’ Qin Song ordered. ‘Or I’ll make them disappear for good!’

‘Yes, Mr Qin junior,’ the hospital doctor said and bowed his head.

Qin Song heard footsteps behind but didn’t turn around because he recognised it was his mum’s footsteps.

‘Forget it!’ Zhang Yu said.

Zhang Yu helped the frightened doctor pick up her husband’s health reports. ‘I gave them permission to cancel the meeting. They’re already on their planes, don’t call them back.’ She nodded her head to the doctor. ‘You can leave.’

The hospital doctor was relieved he was rescued by Mrs Qin senior, he quickly left the hospital meeting room and gently closed the door to give Mrs Qin senior and the formidable Mr Qin junior privacy.

The mother and son were deadly quiet inside the hospital meeting room. Qin Song’s temper showed no signs of subsiding.

Zhang Yu put a hand on her son’s tensed shoulder and gently rubbed it to get rid some of his tension. ‘Song Song…’

‘Mum!’ Qin Song spat out coldly.

‘Let your dad be, he wants to spend his precious time left with us at home instead of a sterile hospital bed,’ Zhang Yu said.

Qin Song punched the hospital meeting table. Blood dripped from his fisted hand onto the dent of the table.

‘Don’t be like that,’ Zhang Yu said. She pulled her son’s arm and lifted his bleeding hand. She blew gently on his hand to ease the sting. ‘Both you and I understand what’s best for your dad. Let’s not put him through the pain of a third surgery.’

‘Mum, do you want me to see dad die?’ Qin Song asked in a trembling voice. ‘I can’t do it.’

‘I know, it’s going to be hard. But the pain we’re going through can’t compare to the pain your dad is going through to hang on for us,’ Zhang Yu said.

Zhang Yu took a deep breath. It wasn’t the time for her to cry, she needed to convince her son to let her husband enjoy a peaceful life before death.

Zhang Yu patted the back of her son’s shoulder like she used to when he was a kid and something caused him to be upset, it was the only thing left she could do to comfort him.

‘Song Song,’ Zhang Yu said. ‘Your dad is Qin Yun. He’s infamous for his prideful ways. With the exception of when he proposed to me, he’d never bend down to anyone or any situation before. How can you bear to see your dad time after time punish his body and begging himself to stay strong?’

‘They’re not punishment, they’re treatments!’ Qin Song boomed.

‘Can the treatments cure him?’ Zhang Yu asked rhetorically.

Qin Song was defeated by his mum’s dead end question – there was no cure.

Qin Song realised a third surgery wasn’t to cure his dad’s cancer but it was a way for his dad to comfort and give their family hope that his dad could escape a death sentence.

Qin Song had sought after the latest drugs, reputable oncologists and medical equipment to treat his dad’s cancer. It wasn’t because he was a n.o.ble son, he just didn’t want to accept that he was losing his dad to death. His dad willingly let his body go through the painful treatments because his dad wanted to show him how much his dad loved him.

Qin Song felt he was selfish. He understood his dad was suffering for him but it was hard for him to let his dad go.

Qin Song thought that his mum was stronger than he could ever be. His mum was able to let go of her own selfishness and let go of their last hope that his dad would be cured.

‘Song Song, you’ve never had to undergo a surgery in your life. Your dad had his body cut up twice. I had a caesarean to give birth to you. Your dad was by my side the whole time the obstetrician performed the caesarean. Afterward it took a long time for my body to heal. Your dad never wanted me to get pregnant again after he saw how much I had struggle post pregnancy,’ Zhang Yu said. She couldn’t hold back her tears any longer and cried. ‘When your dad and I got married I told him I wanted to give him five children. That’s how much your dad loves me and you. You and I are enough for him.’

Zhang Yu felt grateful she got to spend many happy years with her husband. The thought of their separation through death, it made her wish she was the one dying first. Grieving for her husband and the love they shared would be overwhelming for her.

‘Song Song, if there was a cure do you think I would let your dad go? He’s been your dad for thirty years. What about me? I loved him my whole life. You and Ting Ting both have long lives ahead that you’ll both face together. Your dad is my world. Don’t you think if there was a cure I would be the first to risk my life to save your dad?’ Zhang Yu said.

Qin Song heard his mum’s painful sob and turned around to hug his mum. ‘Mum… you still have me.’

Zhang Yu sobbed and hugged her son at the same time. ‘Song Song, I’m begging you… don’t force your dad to have a third surgery. I can’t bear to continue watching your dad go through more suffering.’

Qin Song didn’t say another word. He felt like he was a mountain that was engulfed by an ocean.

Qin Song let his mum go. He sunk on a chair and felt hopeless like a submerged mountain.

Han Ting Ting barged through the door of the hospital meeting room. She was in a panic state and didn’t have time to absorb the grieving atmosphere in the hospital meeting room. ‘Song Song! Dad… dad threw up a lot of blood!’

Zhang Yu rushed out and ran to her husband’s hospital room.