After all, Lian Qiao was young and had a good physique. Although he had a high fever for a few days after the splenectomy, he survived after taking a bunch of advanced antibiotics.
Apart from the fact that he had lost weight and had a large scar on his stomach, he looked like a normal person—or rather, pretended to be a normal person.
He tried to show that he was in good shape and finally got his mother's approval to allow him to sit beside the RenDong bed to accompany him instead of being locked in his own hospital bed.
These days, it was all he thought about day and night: wanting to see RenDong across the bed. At this time, he finally saw him but his heart was twisted into a ball.
RenDong's operation was very successful but it did not change the fact that he was seriously ill. Xu RenDong, who returned to the ICU, had also developed a high fever. He had used all the medicines he could use, but his body temperature was still uncontrollable, hovering around 40 degrees. Lian Qiao's mother guessed that it was a central fever, so she put an ice blanket machine on him.
The working principle of the ice blanket machine was very simple. It was a blanket placed under the body. Once the temperature rise is detected, it will automatically cool down and physically cool down the body.
This is to avoid burning out the brain due to high heat.
Although the cooling effect of the ice blanket machine was good, the problem was that it was too icy. From time to time, Lian Qiao stretched out his hands to RenDong's back, touching his ice-like back and was always worried that he would suffer from the root cause of back pain. Fortunately, as time passed, the treatment gradually became effective, the number of RenDong's fevers decreased and the working frequency of the ice blanket machine became lower and lower.
But RenDong never woke up.
Lian Qiao's mother said that it was because the injury was too severe and the internal environment of the body was out of balance and he had not yet recovered. Therefore, his heartbeat has been very fast, so fast that people worry that his heart will burst from fatigue in the next second; his lung function was also extremely poor and he can't do without a ventilator. After a long time, he would develop pneumonia. The overall situation was not very good.
RenDong wouldn't be able to get out of the ICU within a short period of time but Lian Qiao recovered steadily day by day. So he dragged a pipe and stayed by RenDong's bedside, acting as a full-time escort.
After all, Lian Qiao was considered an ICU patient and it was really outrageous to let a patient accompany another patient. Fortunately, Lian Qiao's parents are from the hospital and Lian Qiao's mother said, "Ignore him and let him do what he wants, he is in atonement." Since his mother already said this, what else can others say?
So Lian Qiao just took care of his own injuries while accompanying RenDong to heal his injuries.
Time flew by.
During this time in the ICU, Lian Qiao has fully seen how they treat patients. It's not to say that patients are not respected. Some medical operations really are not conducive to being respectful.
For example, nurses turn patients over every day to check for bedsores.
The so-called bedsores are when the muscles and bones press against each other after being in bed for a long time, causing local skin damage. Because the nutritional status of bedridden patients is not very good, in the case of bedsores, it will be difficult to heal, and in severe cases, it will even rot into the bones. Therefore, as long as there are conditions, the patient must be turned over frequently to avoid long-term compression in the same place, affecting their blood supply.
The most likely place for bedsores is, of course, the buttocks.
At the beginning, Lian Qiao felt that it was a very obscene thing to look at people's butts every day. Under the repeated bombardment of his own mother and nurses, Lian Qiao also began to gradually accept the nursing routine of the ICU and cooperated with the nurses to turn over.
RenDong lay in the ICU for more than a month, but his ass was still as smooth as ever, with no red marks at all. Even the head nurse praised Lian Qiao for taking care of his well, which reduced a lot of pain for RenDong.
Turning him over was actually fine, but what bothered Lian Qiao the most was another daily check: the GSC score.
This is a score for the state of consciousness of a comatose patient, involving items such as whether they can respond, whether they can cooperate with opening eyes, whether there is a pain response, and so on. The unconscious RenDong was naturally unable to respond and open his eyes. As for the pain response…
They actually had to pinch the nipples! It is said that it is more sensitive to pain here, so…
Lian Qiao's eyes almost popped out the first time he saw the nurse make this move. After the head nurse finished pinching one then the other, she also invited everyone to come and pinch together to see the symmetry and asymmetry of the response.
Lian Qiao only felt that RenDong's little head was about to be swollen by them and was distressed. The head nurse said again with a smile: "When you were in a coma, we also pinched you like this."
Lian Qiao: "…"
ICU patients really have no human rights!
Although there were no human rights, it is true that ICU provides the best possible care. Lian Qiao saw that RenDong's condition was getting better day by day and the consciousness score climbed higher. From the initial lack of response, to the moment when the eyeballs can move under the eyelids and finally he can snort vaguely, Lian Qiao's heart was akin to the rejuvenation of the earth, his temperature has gradually recovered and a smile finally grew on his face.
Lian Qiao's mother looked at him and shook his head.
Alas, this kid really likes him.
Lian Qiao, regardless of himself, was someone who had undergone major surgery and stayed by the bedside of RenDong day and night. On the one hand, it was to escort him, and on the other hand, he was afraid of RenDong ending up in the elevator and wanted to go in with him.
After a long, long time, RenDong finally opened his eyes.
Lian Qiao was so moved that he announced on the spot that he would fast and pray to Buddha, and was beaten by his biological parents. Although RenDong woke up, his physical condition was still very poor. He was transferred to the general ward and stayed for a long time before being discharged.
Lian Qiao was so happy that he wanted to set off firecrackers but his parents were very calm. After all, they had expected this result long ago, and the release of RenDong from the hospital was considered a psychological burden for them.
They always feel guilty about RenDong in their hearts. After all, RenDong fell from the building to save their bastard son. In the end, the brat just had a spleen cut off but RenDong jumped across the gates of hell repeatedly, tossing for more than two months.
Fortunately, in the end, RenDong was cured and discharged from the hospital. If something happened to RenDong, Lian Qiao and his parents didn't know how to atone for their sins – even worse, they didn't even know who to atone for their sins to.
Ai. RenDong is so pitiful. Not only did he have no father or mother, but he was also bullied by their pig son.
It was so pitiful!
Due to the long-term bed rest, RenDong's muscles have greatly atrophied and his whole person was thin and out of shape, like a skeleton. Lian Qiao could not wait to carry his princess upstairs and only gave up after RenDong's stern refusal.
They went back to Lian Qiao's house. It was a working day and Lian Qiao's parents couldn't leave, so they sent them to the door of the hospital. After seeing them get in the car, they went back to their respective departments and busied themselves. At this time, the house was empty.
For the past two months, it was not only Lian Qiao who has not returned home even a day. Lian Qiao's parents often spent their days and nights in the ICU, so this house was not occupied for long stretches of time. The furniture, tables and chairs were cold. However, in order to welcome the RenDong, they had already invited someone over to their house to clean it in advance and fresh vegetables and fruits were also prepared in the refrigerator, just waiting for the RenDong to come home and enjoy life.
Lian Qiao helped him into the room, treating him tenderly as if he were afraid of his melting and falling. RenDong was not used to being treated like this and told him to go do his own thing. Lian Qiao said, with a smile, that serving you is the only thing I have to do now.
RenDong asked: "What about your live broadcast room?"
Lian Qiao: "The contract with the platform has been terminated."
Although RenDong had expected it, he still frowned slightly. Lian Qiao hurriedly said: "I'm not canceling the contract just for you. Don't we still have an instance that we haven't finished playing? I don't have the heart to broadcast at this time. Let's talk about it when the dust has settled."
RenDong was silent for a moment and then suddenly laughed.
"Actually, I also resigned."
Lian Qiao said, "I know. The leader of your company has visited you. He also asked me when you will be better and whether you are willing to return to their company."
RenDong was noncommittal, just smiled and said: "Oops, so both of us are homeless now. I'm going to have to trouble your parents."
"No trouble, no trouble, I have enough money saved." In order to reassure him, Lian Qiao took out his mobile phone and opened the balance on the spot to show him, "Look, count, there are so many zeros! I'm rich, don't worry!"
This way of coaxing people can be said to be very straightforward.
RenDong's heart softened into a pool of water and there was nothing to say for a while, so he pulled Lian Qiao's sleeve and said, "Hug me."
Lian Qiao was hooked by these words, X fire suddenly came up and he threw himself on the bed like a hungry tiger. But he was afraid of hurting RenDong so he moved to his side with extreme caution. He gently covered him with a soft quilt before taking him into his arms.
RenDong struggled with little strength but couldn't break free. He was wrapped in the quilt and muttered: "I don't want to be separated by the blanket…"
Lian Qiao was stunned, then coughed awkwardly: "I'm used to aseptic operation, before touching you. I want you to be safe and isolated…" He lifted the quilt and got into the quilt, hugged RenDong in his arms and carefully tucked the edges of the quilt down, for fear of a cold wind getting in.
From his almost paranoid cautiousness, RenDong felt his worries and unease from these days. His heart was like a hot water bag, very warm. RenDong buried his head in his chest, feeling his breath for a long time,and suddenly wanted to tell him that he could actually hear the sounds around him.
He heard Lian Qiao repeating everyday, like a machine, "When will he wake up?" He heard the doctor yelling and giving orders to other patients during the rescue. He heard Lian Qiao's mother say "Give him a shot, drag him over to this bed and don't let him sleep here", and he heard Lian Qiao's father angrily scolding Lian Qiao, "What's the use of knowing what's wrong now, when he wakes up, kneel down and apologize to him."
Although he couldn't feel his body, he knew from Lian Qiao's ramblings how many tubes of blood had been drawn from him that day, how many needles had been stabbed into him. He knew that Lian Qiao would turn him over and massage him every day to avoid bedsores and muscle atrophy as much as possible. He even vaguely felt that when his heart stopped beating again that Lian Qiao and other doctors came to give him chest compressions, and there seemed to be hot tears falling onto his chest.
Days and nights in the ICU, like a revolving lantern, flashed before RenDong's eyes. Countless emotions rolled in his chest, and they rose to his mouth, and finally there was only one sentence left to say:
"I missed you so much."
Lian Qiao gently stroked his hair. After a long time, a crying "en" word came out.
RenDong raised his head slightly and said, "I want to kiss you but I don't have the strength."
Lian Qiao immediately held his face and kissed him.
The corners of RenDong's mouth twitched slightly. After kissing enough, he said, "I want to hug you but I don't have the strength."
Lian Qiao rolled around on the bed with him in his arms.
After rolling around enough, RenDong said: "I want to go…" {Chinese sentence is also the same as saying "I want to be on"…}
Lian Qiao suddenly turned pale and covered his mouth: "No, you don't want it! If you think about it any more, the text will get locked!" {Lian Qiao thinks that RenDong is about to say "I want to on top of you"/have sex… and yes author is breaking fourth wall again.}
RenDong: "…I just want to go to the bathroom."
Lian Qiao: "…"
RenDong: "Where did you think I wanted to go?"
Lian Qiao: "…" Why did you get better at driving after lying down for two months! {Driving is Chinese euphemism for having sex.}
After that, of course, the two did not drive, but went to the bathroom together in harmony and integrity and then began to watch TV in harmony and integrity.
After staying in the ICU for a long time, their ears were usually filled with the beeps of various monitors and the sounds of doctors and nurses resuscitating. At this time, RenDong was finally able to watch TV and even the commercials felt particularly good-looking.
After watching it with gusto for a while, RenDong suddenly remembered something, turned his head and asked, "By the way, how did you get out in the end?"
"Ah?" Lian Qiao was peeling the medicine pills for RenDong and didn't respond initially when he heard the words, " What?"
"It's…that…" RenDong felt that his brain was not bright after a long sleep, and after thinking for a while, he remembered the name of the copy, "… Temple of the Five Internal Organs."
"Oh…. oh." Lian Qiao suddenly realized, "That ah. I killed the gentleman and came out."
RenDong opened his mouth and wanted to ask for details but his heart suddenly twitched, thinking of something more important.
"You should have used my kidney at that time," RenDong said, "because I was in a coma and wouldn't be in pain. Besides, at that time, you weren't sure if you could open the door and leave immediately after sacrificing your kidney. What if there was any other danger? At that time, you are the only fighting force in our team, you shouldn't…"
Lian Qiao interrupted him: "I understand the reasoning, but I can't do it."
RenDong was taken aback.
Lian Qiao lowered his head and peeled the oranges. He repeated calmly: "I can't do it."
RenDong sighed: "I know you feel bad for me. But you also know that as soon as the instance is released, I will…"
Lian Qiao asked: "Then what if it was you?"
RenDong was stunned again.
Lian Qiao put the orange in his mouth and said with a smile, "If it was you who was awake at the time, would you dig out my kidney?"
It was only now that he suddenly realized – yes, if he switched sides, if he was the one who needed to make a choice at the time, he would also have dug out his kidney without hesitation.
Injuring Lian Qiao is far more painful than his own injury. He is willing to sacrifice everything for Lian Qiao.
But on the other hand, when Lian Qiao sacrificed for him, he accused Lian Qiao of being unreasonable?
What is he doing…
enDong's heart was filled with self-blame, so he could only sigh and whisper, "I'm sorry."
Lian Qiao suddenly smiled bitterly: "What are you apologizing for? It's obviously me who should apologize.
RenDong was very confused and showed a puzzled look full of question marks. Lian Qiao said, "If it weren't for me messing around, how could we have fallen from the seventh floor? In the end, it's all my fault…"
So he was talking about this. RenDong smiled and said, "If you didn't mention it, I would have forgotten."
Lian Qiao sighed and hugged him. The man in his arms was as thin as a skeleton, which made his heart ache.
"I don't know how to compensate you… When you were in the ICU, I felt that it wouldn't be a pity if I died 10,000 times but what's the use of blaming myself, I can't bear hardships for you, I can't atone for my sins… really… a kidney is nothing. If it can be exchanged for your safety, I can dig out everything for you…"
He was repenting. He was repenting for his reckless impulse but the big mistake had been made and apology and remorse were useless.
RenDong's injuries in reality cannot be fully healed and he can only be nursed slowly. He will be left with sequelae and he will suffer from illness for the rest of his life.
At this moment, Xu RenDong suddenly had a very strange thought in his heart: he thought, from now on, Lian Qiao will be bound by guilt. Lian Qiao will always be kind to him and never leave him.
…But is this really good?
Guilt is a form of self-torture, he knows it well. He also caused Lian Qiao to die tragically because of his own mistakes, because of his doubt, willfulness and ignorance. At that time, he was so guilty that he could not wait to die.
So he understood Lian Qiao's current mood very well.
However, unlike himself, Lian Qiao will not be reborn, he has no chance to make up for his faults, he will always bear this self-blame and become a prisoner willingly.
This wasn't fair.
This was not the love that Xu RenDong wanted.
So he sighed, rubbed Lian Qiao's hair, and said, "Let's not mention this again. Let's not blame ourselves, okay?"
Lian Qiao's eyes turned red: "But…"
Xu RenDong thought for a while. After thinking about it, he asked: "Do you still feel sorry for me and want to be punished?"
Lian Qiao nodded.
Xu RenDong: "Then stretch out your hand."
Lian Qiao didn't even think about it and stretched out his hand obediently.
Xu RenDong grabbed his hand and took a bite on the back of his hand. Lian Qiao bit his lip in pain but went against his physical instinct and pushed his hand in further, as if hoping that he would bite harder.
Xu RenDong loosened his teeth, saw the deep teeth marks on the back of Lian Qiao's hand and said with a smile: "Okay, the penalty has been passed. Let's turn the page."
Lian Qiao then remembered what RenDong said to him when he first entered the elevator :
"Don't apologize. When you get home, I will punish you properly."
In fact, RenDong never blamed him. Even the so-called punishment just made him feel better.
The emotions that had been suppressed in his heart these days finally broke through the barrier and rushed out. Lian Qiao threw himself into RenDong's arms and burst into tears.
Lian Qiao's cry made RenDong laugh.
It was like a child. RenDong hugged him, bowed his head and kissed gently on top of his head.
After an unknown amount of time, Lian Qiao finally cried enough but still clung to his arms. He was clingy and crooked, unwilling to let go. In fact, RenDong was not willing to let him go either. They haven't been close to him for so many days and RenDong also missed him terribly.
It wasn't until RenDong's back became sore and he had to shift his body gently. Lian Qiao immediately noticed his exhaustion, so he took a cushion and let him lie down.
RenDong smiled and said, "I'm not so weak. By the way—" He remembered the unfinished topic before, "Is the gentleman dead?"
When the gentleman was mentioned, Lian Qiao became angry and gritted his teeth: "Don't worry, he is already dead. He can't be any more dead!"
RenDong sighed, "I always thought he wouldn't be able to die."
Lian Qiao: "This time is different. This time I saw his death on TV."
"TV?" RenDong was quite surprised. Few of the people who died in the instances in the past were featured on TV. The dungeon usually arranges a very natural way of death for the deceased in reality. For example, if Xu RenDong and Lian Qiao failed to clear the customs this time, they would fall from the building and die. Of course, it seems to outsiders that they committed lovers suicide together. They were also homosexuals. Actually if they wanted to be on TV, they probably could.
Lian Qiao took out his mobile phone: "I'll show you."
He clicked on a video, which was a news article from two months ago, which happened to be the day they fell from the building.
An elementary school teacher was found hanging in the teacher's apartment, the news said. The door to the room was locked and the only key was in the teacher's pocket. Along with the key was a suicide note, which was identified as the teacher's handwriting. This shows that the teacher had indeed committed suicide.
The more RenDong looked at it, the more furious his heart became.
Judging from the photos given by the TV station, there is no doubt that the teacher who committed suicide was indeed the gentleman. But… how could he kill himself?
Why would he kill himself?
Lian Qiao affirmed: "It is indeed suicide. I also thought it was suspicious, so I asked an acquaintance to go to the police to inquire about the news. It's confirmed. There is no doubt that it was suicide and the surveillance has proved that it was the gentleman who bought the rope and went inby himself. The house was locked. Unless there are ghosts in the real world, there is no second possibility."
RenDong was silent for a moment: "I guessed that he was a teacher but he is actually an elementary school teacher… Are the children he teaches okay?"
Lian Qiao smiled: "They're okay. In fact, he is very cowardly in reality. I have read the suicide note that was in his pocket and it is full of complaints. He was bullied by the parents of the students, suppressed by the leaders of the school and was beaten down by the society. That's why he wanted to commit suicide. The writing is good and the people who see it will be so sad for him that they will want to cry."
RenDong felt a surge of anger and scolded: "What's sad about it!? If you're shriveled up inside, is there a reason to take revenge on society?"
Lian Qiao shrugged: "It seems that he wanted to pull some people down with him before he died. After this incident was exposed, the media and the Internet scolded those parents and leaders, causing everyone to lose their jobs. It was a big mess. "
RenDong: "Then why didn't you take the suicide note?"
Lian Qiao sighed: "It's useless. This suicide note was brought into the instance from reality. I took it from the instance but it returned to his pocket as soon as he got out of the elevator. He was obviously prepared. If he doesn't die, he will take revenge on the society in the copy, and if he dies, he will take revenge on the society in reality. Anyway, his mind is dark and he wants to take revenge on society no matter what." He just wished he could beat the gentleman to death a few more times.
The gentleman's affair didn't affect RenDong for long. At night, Lian Qiao's parents came back. RenDong's attention was instantly diverted.
"Lian…" Facing Lian Qiao's parents, RenDong stammered for a long time. Several titles were on the tip of his tongue, and finally he could only shout twice, "Director Lian, Director Qiao."
The two chief directors also felt a little embarrassed. A patient who they gave just personally discharged during the day was waiting for them in their home at night. They also felt that their identities could not be changed for a while and they did not know how to speak to him.
Lian Qiao quietly squeezed RenDong's hand under the dining table and said encouragingly: "Don't be a stranger, you can change the way you call them."
Lian Qiao's original intention was to resolve the embarrassment, but he never expected, when the three people present heard this, it was like being struck by lightning.
RenDong: "…" What should I call then…. father-in-law and mother-in-law or….
Lian Qiao's mother: "…" Am I a mother-in-law or a mother-in-law? {So the MIL on the woman's side and the MIL on the father's side is called differently in Chinese.}
Lian Qiao's dad: "…" I don't even want to know if my son is the top or the bottom, okay?!