541 Poor Love Birds (2/2)
”Okay.” The voice from the phone sounded rather old. ”Since he's your friend, Old Eight, I'll do it myself.”
”Thank you.”
”No need. We're family.”
After hanging up the phone, Schuck thought for a moment and made another call. ”Mother, are you still in the capital? When are you coming back?”
”Not anytime soon. Is there anything wrong, son?” A pleasant female voice came from the phone.
”I have a friend named Qi Shaoqiu. He was assaulted just now and is in a critical condition. I've asked Second Brother to do operations for him, but I don't feel very reassured, so I want to ask you to help pray for him.”
Laughter suddenly came out of the phone. ”Son, you must believe in science. Although I'm a Saintess of the White Clan, I'm nothing more than a symbol. I don't know any kind of sorcery…”
Schuck snorted. ”Mom, just keep pretending.”
”Ha. Give me his photo. I'll perform a dance that will stabilize his soul. However, I'm too far away from you. I can't guarantee it will be effective.”
”I know. It's up to him whether or not he can survive.”
Hanging up the phone, Schuck searched for a long time and finally found a picture where Qi Shaoqiu was on it alone. He then sent it to his mother via the chat app.
Then, Schuck heaved a sigh. He had done everything he could. It was up to Qi Shaoqiu's own resolve whether or not he could make it through this.
On Roland's side, he and Night Tide Sands sat silently in the ambulance.
Night Tide Sands wiped the sweat on Qi Shaoqiu's forehead now and then.
While the ambulance was on the way, the nurse connected Qi Shaoqiu to the ECG and blood pressure monitors.
After they arrived at the hospital, they found a middle-aged doctor and three nurses outside of the ambulance the moment it was opened.
The doctor asked calmly, ”Is Qi Shaoqiu in this ambulance?”
After a brief stun, Night Tide Sands nodded.
The middle-aged doctor immediately made a gesture at the nurses and said in a low voice, ”Confirm his blood type and prepare for blood transmission.”
Qi Shaoqiu's stretcher was moved from the ambulance to a gurney. The middle-aged doctor observed him for a moment, only to be slightly surprised. ”His wounds were dressed rather professionally… After testing his blood type, give him a blood bag and inform the radiology department to confirm the patient's wounds and body fluids in his chest immediately. I want to see the films in ten minutes. Let's get moving.”
A nurse took Qi Shaoqiu's blood and left. The other two nurses pushed the gurney to the radiology department.
Roland and Night Tide Sands were about to follow them, when the middle-aged doctor stopped them. ”You don't need to come. We'll take care of the rest. You go pay for the emergency treatment and wait outside of the ER.”
The middle-aged doctor left without further ado.
There were many people in this public hospital. Even though this was the emergency department, a lot of patients and their families were still coming and going.
Night Tide Sands had never been to such a place before. Her hands and clothes were still stained with her big brother's blood, which made her seem helpless.
She had no idea what she should do next.
Her mind was completely blank.
Her body was even shivering. Her face was pale, if not blue.
Roland heaved a sigh and held her hand, before he took her to the administration. After making an advance payment of five thousand yuan, Roland bought two bottles of water and gave her one. He then led her to the ER and waited with her.
This place was relatively quiet. The red light from the sterilamp on the wall made it rather grave.
The electronic monitor outside of the ER displayed ”Qi Shaoqiu.”
There were no chairs here, so Night Tide Sands squatted with her back against the wall.
Staring at her, Roland asked, ”Have you informed your parents?”
Night Tide Sands shook her head.
Roland said, ”You should call them.”
Night Tide Sands took out her hand and swiped the screen with her trembling finger. She tried a few times before she finally tapped her father's number.
The call went through.
”Dad, my brother… he…”
Hardly had Night Tide Sands started talking when she burst into such devastating tears that she couldn't continue.
Taking the phone from Night Tide Sands' hands, half against her wish, Roland said, ”Is it you speaking, Uncle Qi? I'm Shaoqiu's friend. He was stabbed. He's in the ER room in the hospital downtown. You'd better come.”
The phone was silent for a moment, before a strong voice sounded. ”How is it possible? Shaoqiu… I'm on my way!”
Roland hung up the phone and gave it back to Night Tide Sands.
Squatting, Night Tide Sands buried her head in her arms, and her slim shoulders shivered now and then.
Stifled cries echoed in the corridor.
Roland squatted next to Night Tide Sands and accompanied her quietly.
About twenty minutes later, a man and a woman came in quickly.
They saw Night Tide Sands and immediately ran to her.
Hearing the footsteps, Night Tide Sands raised her head and rushed to them, before she hugged the middle-aged woman and cried.
The middle-aged woman cried too.
Looking at ”Qi Shaoqiu” on the electronic monitor, the middle-aged man turned his head and yelled, ”Do you have to cry so loudly? What if the doctors are distracted by you?”
The two women immediately lowered their voices.
As a matter of fact, it was hardly possible for any sound to enter the ER from outside.
The hospital had taken noise into consideration, so the ER was quite soundproof.
Then, the middle-aged man looked at Roland and asked, ”Are you Shaoqiu's friend? Can you tell me what happened?”
The two men walked aside, and Roland roughly told him the whole story.
The middle-aged man's eyes were filled with fury, and he said while trying back to hold back his anger, ”Son of a bitch, they messed with my son when they couldn't deal with me!”
”It seems that you know who did this.” Roland looked at him casually.
The middle-aged man, or Qi Shaoqiu's father, had bloodshot eyes. ”I probably do, but I don't have any evidence. After Shaoqiu's life is no longer in danger, I'll go question them.”
Qi Shaoqiu's father seemed ready to kill someone at this moment.
”Uncle Qi, don't be too reckless. We're now in an age of law.” Sensing that the atmosphere wasn't right, Roland persuaded him hurriedly. ”You don't want to end up in prison, do you?”
Qi Shaoqiu's father took a deep breath to calm himself down. ”I know that.”
Then, he walked to his wife and daughter and comforted them in a low voice.
Roland found it rather awkward to be among the family, so he left the ER for the inpatients' department where he found Jin Wenwen.
Jin Wenwen looked perkier than a few days earlier. She was having an apple when Roland came in. Smiling, she said, ”We meet again. Did Qi Shaoqiu send you here? Tell him that he needn't be hasty. I'll probably be discharged the day after tomorrow, and I'll go talk to him after that.”
Shaking his head, Roland said solemnly, ”Qi Shaoqiu is in the ER right now.”
Jin Wenwen's half-eaten apple dropped to the ground.