Chapter 417: How Close Can I Get to You?
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Gu Ci glanced at Jiang Junlin and said, “He went to see a friend next door.”
Jiang Junlin raised an eyebrow.
Jiang Minghua asked, “What kind of friend brings a big bouquet of red roses?”
“A good friend,” Gu Ci thought to herself, “It’s just that you two are destined to be apart, just separated from your daughter-in-law.”
When it came to buying red roses, she and Ziyu had discussed buying lilies, which were most suitable for visiting the sick. However, Ziyu didn’t like them, saying that the fragrance of flowers was too overpowering and would disrupt Ji Chi’s sleep. He had also suggested yellow roses, but he didn’t like those either.
Gu Ziyu picked out red roses because he liked the passionate and fiery color.
Jiang Minghua didn’t ask any further questions. After they left, Jiang Junlin asked, “Who lives next door?”
Ziyu now looked like a little angel but had a strong sense of boundaries. Besides Chen Liangdong being in the hospital, who else would make him bring flowers? But if it was Chen Liangdong, why would he bring red roses? Jiang Junlin’s throat tightened slightly.
“It’s Ji Chi!” GuCi said.
The answer was as he had expected. Jiang Junlin’s heart sank. “What happened to him?”
“Stomach perforation, they say it’s due to drinking,” Gu Ci also spoke truthfully, cutting the sliced apple into small pieces and putting them on toothpicks. “Brother, it’s a minor surgery, even milder than yours. There’s no organ damage, just dietary habits that caused it. He’ll be fine if he takes good care of himself in the future.”
Jiang Junlin knew that Ji Chi had this condition and had asked him to undergo minimally invasive surgery a long time ago. But one thing after another had delayed it. Now that the surgery was successful, he was relieved.
“Do you want to see him, brother?”
“No need!” Jiang Junlin looked out the window. Since they had separated, he wanted to cut all ties and not give false hope. Prolonging the inevitable would only make both of them more miserable.
At night.
He had slept too much during the day and was surprisingly awake at night. The hospital environment was noisy, even though it was the inpatient department, and this floor had been cleared out. He could still hear the noise from downstairs, even with the windows closed. It sounded like someone had passed away, with family members crying loudly and shouting. After a while, there was even a physical altercation.
Gradually, it became calm, with only the sound of crying in the background.
Jiang Junlin had heard from Xia Ming that doctors were willing to work at the Central Hospital. The security measures here were excellent, with strong security personnel on every floor. The probability of medical disputes was the lowest among all the hospitals in the city.
Last year, there had been a few incidents in the pediatric department. A child had accidentally swallowed his mother’s gold ring at home, and due to improper first aid, he had passed away right at the entrance of the emergency department. The family insisted that the doctors had mishandled the treatment, and the father, in his agitation, had even attacked an emergency room doctor with a fruit knife.
Later, the Central Hospital had hired a team of the most famous lawyers to take the family to court, demanding compensation and an apology. They had won the lawsuit, but it had caused a lot of public outrage. The family had sent wreaths to the hospital, creating quite a commotion, and the media had been quick to criticize the hospital. Its reputation had taken a hit.
However, the country’s most elite doctors were concentrated in the Central Hospital, and the demand for beds was extremely high. They weren’t afraid of scandals. As Jiang Junlin listened to the diminishing commotion, he knew that the situation had been brought under control.
Jiang Junlin heard Nick’s voice.
Nick asked, “Master, where are you going?”
“The ward is stuffy. I’m going out for some fresh air.”
This floor was a special ward, specifically reserved. Aside from the duty doctors and nurses, there were only a few rooms. Ji Chi’s surgery was less invasive than Jiang Junlin’s, allowing him to get out of bed and walk around. The ward felt suffocating, so he went up to the rooftop to get some air.
Nick cautioned, “Master, you’ve just had surgery, and you’re still weak. Don’t go out in the cold air; you might catch a cold.”
“It’s fine.”
The outside gradually quieted down. Jiang Junlin endured the post-surgery pain and the dull ache in his heart. He had known for a long time that he needed to cut the ties swiftly. Lingering would only make the pain worse. However, every time the words of separation were on his lips, and he met Ji Chi’s gaze, Jiang Junlin could only watch himself sink into the abyss of desire, unable to speak those heartless words.
From childhood to adulthood, he had always been indecisive when it came to Ji Chi.
An hour later, he heard Ji Chi’s voice again. Zhang Qiang greeted him, and he went out for some fresh air. Jiang Junlin had no sleep, he listened to the sounds around him, and sleep eluded him even more.
He took a deep breath and made a decision.
“Zhang Qiang, contact Xia Ming, let’s transfer to another hospital.”
“Yes!”
When Ji Chi learned that Jiang Junlin wanted to transfer, his gaze turned extremely cold. His brother was truly ruthless, unwilling to leave him even a glimmer of hope or attachment. He was determined to sever all ties.
But no matter how much it pained him, he had to accept it.
Gu Ci came to the hospital to handle Jiang Junlin’s transfer. On that day, Lu Zhiyuan also came to see Ji Chi. The two of them crossed paths in the corridor. They were now peacefully separated, and Gu Ci didn’t avoid Lu Zhiyuan. When she approached him, Lu Zhiyuan felt a pain as if a knife had pierced his heart, blood flowing freely. He held onto the wall, desperately suppressing the intense pain.
Li Jiang was confused. “What’s wrong with Third Master?”
“Lu Zhiyuan, what’s wrong with you?” Gu Ci hurriedly went to support him. “Where does it hurt?”
The moment she touched Lu Zhiyuan, it was as if she held a death sentence for him. The pain was unbearable, and Lu Zhiyuan desperately pulled away from her touch, but he couldn’t hold back, and a mouthful of blood splattered on the white wall.
“Third Master!” Li Jiang was greatly alarmed. “Doctor, doctor…”
Gu Ci’s face also changed slightly. She tightly held onto his hand and asked, “Lu Zhiyuan, what’s happening to you?”
Lu Zhiyuan spat out another mouthful of blood, his gaze clouded as he looked at her. Gu Ci, as if stabbed, suddenly let go of his hand. They were a deeply loving couple, and a single glance was enough for them to understand each other’s hearts. Gu Ci seemed to realize something, and her eyes turned red. She retreated in a frenzy, and the red on the wall pierced her eyes.
Doctors and nurses rushed over and took Lu Zhiyuan for examination. Li Jiang hurriedly followed. Gu Ci felt as if her heart had been torn apart. She now understood everything, and it was more painful than if she had been killed.
So, her proximity would cause him to die!
That day during their negotiations, she had suspected something but hadn’t confirmed it.
An hour later, on the rooftop of the hospital.
Gu Ci stood at the stairwell, not daring to get closer. Lu Zhiyuan was ten meters away from her, the farthest distance between them. Those ten meters felt like an unbridgeable chasm, a road that couldn’t be crossed even in hundreds of years.
“Lu Zhiyuan, does it hurt?” Gu Ci asked with red eyes. “Am I causing you discomfort by standing here?”
Gu Ci was incredibly intelligent and saw through it at a glance. Lu Zhiyuan also knew he couldn’t hide it any longer. “Xiao Ci, it doesn’t hurt.”
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“How about this?” Gu Ci took three steps forward, shortening the distance by one meter. She gazed at Lu Zhiyuan with a heartbroken expression. “How close can I get to you? One meter, two meters, or five meters?”
Within five meters, Lu Zhiyuan began to feel pain.
“Cici, as long as you don’t touch me, it’s fine.”
“I see!” Gu Ci wiped away her tears. “Since when did this start?”
“That night, after watching the stars..”
