Pats Little Shrike's Tail - Chapter 139

Chapter 139

On the day of the Open Day event, Shen Hongjun was rushed to the hospital due to an acute myocardial infarction.

Fortunately, the rescue was timely. He was quickly taken to the operating room upon arrival at the hospital. After several hours of surgery, he was transferred to a patient room for further observation.

The family was gathered around the room. Tao Wanyue was sitting by the bed, wiping away tears. Even the usually cheerful Shen Jiaojiao was worried, looking at the unconscious Shen Hongjun and quietly asking Shan Ling if her father was alright.

Shen Qingyi paid the fees and walked in to see the somber mood of everyone in the room.

Shan Ling looked up at her, and when she got closer, she asked, “Is everything alright?”

Tao Wanyue heard the movement, looked up at Shen Qingyi, and asked, “What did the doctor say about when he’ll wake up?”

“The surgery was successful, so don’t worry too much,” Shen Qingyi folded the receipts in her hand, placed them on the nearby cabinet, and held them down with a tissue box. She continued, “He should wake up once the anesthesia wears off. When he wakes up, call the doctor for an examination, and then we’ll listen to what the doctor says next.”

Looking at everyone in the room, Shen Qingyi continued, “Aunt Jiang is on her way. She brought some food. Everyone hasn’t eaten much all day, so please have a little something.”

Over ten hours had passed since the incident. Except for Shen Jiaojiao, who ate a sandwich and milk midway, no one else had eaten much.

It was already past 8 PM. Aunt Jiang had packed and cooked food, and she called Shen Qingyi before leaving, saying she would arrive in half an hour.

Tao Wanyue let out a long sigh of relief upon hearing that Shen Hongjun would wake up soon.

“Yiyi, thank you so much today,” Tao Wanyue told Shen Qingyi. “If it weren’t for you today, I really wouldn’t have known what to do.”

“You’re welcome,” Shen Qingyi lowered her gaze, gave the person in the hospital bed a deep look, and said, “He is my father, too.”

Tao Wanyue was slightly stunned, then sighed and said, “If he could hear you say that, he would be very happy. Actually, your dad does care about you. He’s just afraid that no one will take care of you in the future, which is why he tried every way to rush you.”

Perhaps because Shan Ling was present, Tao Wanyue didn’t mention the blind dates; she didn’t want to cause trouble for Shen Qingyi.

Shan Ling, upon hearing this, looked at the two curiously.

Although she hadn’t asked Shen Qingyi what exactly happened with the Shen family, the conflict seemed quite significant.

No one brought up the matter again. Shen Jiaojiao sat on the side, looking subdued. She didn’t even eat much of the pig-shaped bun Aunt Jiang brought her, gazing worriedly at the person asleep in the hospital bed, her eyes red.

Shan Ling comforted her for a long time, and Tao Wanyue also held her and talked to her for a while, but the little girl still looked like she was about to cry.

It was clear that she was very worried about Shen Hongjun.

Around 10 PM, when the hospital had quieted down, Shen Hongjun finally woke up. Perhaps because the anesthesia hadn’t completely worn off, his reactions seemed slow, and his speech was slurred and unclear. However, the doctor came to examine him and said he needed further observation.

It was getting late, and the room couldn’t accommodate so many people. Shen Qingyi took Shen Jiaojiao with her when she left, leaving Tao Wanyue and Aunt Jiang to take care of him. She took the little girl home to rest and would bring her back tomorrow.

In the car, Shen Jiaojiao was quiet and soon fell asleep in Shan Ling’s arms.

Shen Qingyi, who was driving, glanced at the two in the rearview mirror and quietly said, “She looks very sleepy. She must be exhausted today.”

Shan Ling murmured, “Mhm,” and stroked the little girl’s face, saying, “Jiaojiao is very strong. She didn’t cry today.”

In Shan Ling’s memory, Shen Jiaojiao was spoiled and naughty, but she didn’t expect her to be so brave today, not shedding a single tear, only having red eyes like a little rabbit.

Shen Qingyi looked at her sleeping sister and whispered, “Perhaps she knew that if she cried, it would worry everyone more.”

“Really?” Shan Ling looked down at the child in her arms in surprise and sighed, “She’s so amazing.”

The little girl was only 8 years old, still a child, yet she was already so sensible. It was truly rare.

When Tao Wanyue asked her to go with Shen Qingyi today, Shen Jiaojiao didn’t make a fuss, doing whatever she was asked. She was so obedient, unlike her usual self.

Traffic on the road was significantly lighter. Shen Qingyi didn’t encounter any congestion from the hospital all the way home. When they arrived home, Shen Jiaojiao was still asleep.

Shen Qingyi sighed, gently lifted the little girl from the back seat, and went upstairs with Shan Ling.

After putting the child on the bed, Shan Ling helped her take off her coat, shoes, and socks. Shen Qingyi brought a towel soaked in hot water and wiped the little girl’s face, hands, and feet.

Despite all this fuss, Shen Jiaojiao remained in a deep sleep, which surprised both of them.

“We need to go to bed early tonight,” Shen Qingyi told Shan Ling. “I’ve already called the school to ask for leave. We’ll take her to the hospital tomorrow morning.”

Shan Ling looked at Shen Qingyi, then leaned closer, holding her hand and comforting her by rubbing her shoulder: “Yiyi, don’t worry. Didn’t the doctor say the surgery was successful?”

Shen Qingyi lowered her gaze and didn’t answer her words.

Both of them knew that even if the surgery was successful, it had still taken a toll on an elderly person’s health. After being discharged, he definitely wouldn’t be as healthy as before.

Recalling her arguments with Shen Hongjun, Shen Qingyi felt she had been stubborn.

Some things could have been discussed properly. Ending up like this was not good for anyone.

Shan Ling looked at her caringly, opened her arms, embraced her, and then soothed her back as if she were a child, whispering, “Yiyi, don’t be sad. No one could have predicted what happened to your dad. When we see him tomorrow, talk to him nicely.”

“Okay,” Shen Qingyi reluctantly held Shan Ling, buried her face in her neck, and closed her eyes: “Tomorrow, I’ll try to talk to him nicely.”

The next morning, all three of them woke up early.

Shen Jiaojiao was entirely without her usual noisy demeanor. She was unusually quiet and obedient, following Shan Ling wherever she went from the moment she woke up—watching her tidy the house, watching her feed the birds, going downstairs with her to buy breakfast, and thoughtfully carrying a basket of buns, walking back hand-in-hand with Shan Ling.

After breakfast, Shen Qingyi drove all three to the hospital.

Entering the room, they saw Tao Wanyue and Aunt Jiang sitting on either side, feeding breakfast to the recently awakened Shen Hongjun.

Compared to yesterday, Shen Hongjun’s spirits were much better today. However, due to the surgery, he seemed to have aged significantly. White hairs had sprouted at his temples, and his complexion was poor, a stark contrast to his usual energetic self.

Shen Hongjun looked at the three people at the door. His gaze lingered on Shen Qingyi’s face for two seconds before he turned his head away without a word.

Seeing this, Tao Wanyue sighed helplessly and ushered Shen Qingyi and Shan Ling in, asking Aunt Jiang to pour them water.

“Dad…”

Shen Jiaojiao leaned weakly against the bedside, quietly asking Shen Hongjun, “Are you still hurting?”

Shen Hongjun’s eyes immediately reddened. He held his little daughter’s hand, too soft-hearted to speak. At that moment, he only felt that his illness had come at the worst time, completely ruining his little daughter’s Open Day event.

“No class today?” Shen Hongjun held his daughter’s hand and quietly asked, “Dad didn’t scare you yesterday, did he?”

Shen Jiaojiao shook her head, burying her face on the bed and saying miserably, “I’m just glad you’re awake, Dad.”

Shen Hongjun’s nose felt sore, and he said with red eyes, “I’m fine. Dad is doing great. I’m just getting old and not as healthy. I’ll be discharged in a couple of days.”

“Don’t lie to the child,” Tao Wanyue said helplessly. “The doctor said you need to stay in the hospital for at least half a month. Right now, you shouldn’t worry about anything. Focus on recovering. Even after you go home, you can’t overexert yourself anymore.”

Shen Qingyi heard this and asked, “What did the doctor say?”

Tao Wanyue sighed and said, “It’s still an age issue. Your dad used to smoke, drink, and never exercised. The doctor said he must quit smoking and drinking after discharge and maintain regular exercise, and his emotions shouldn’t fluctuate too much, or there will still be danger.”

Before Shen Qingyi could speak, the person lying on the bed said discontentedly, “It’s not that serious. I just didn’t get enough rest. Don’t I look perfectly fine now?”

Tao Wanyue snapped, “I think you just haven’t died yet, or you wouldn’t be making so many cynical comments.”

Shen Hongjun dared not speak anymore. He held his little daughter’s hand and spoke to her in whispers. He genuinely seemed to be in much better spirits, but his eyes kept unconsciously glancing towards Shen Qingyi.

Shen Qingyi knew it, Tao Wanyue knew it, and Shan Ling also knew it.

But no one said anything.

Finally, Shen Hongjun couldn’t hold it in any longer. He lay in bed and spoke up: “Yiyi, thank you for yesterday. Otherwise, my life truly would have been uncertain.”

He paused, then said, “I spoke harshly before, but don’t take it to heart. I respect your thoughts, too. From now on… you decide your own matters.”

Shen Qingyi looked at Shen Hongjun in surprise, wondering if this serious illness had made him see things clearly?

It made sense. Anyone who walks away from the brink of death would gain some perspective.

Shen Hongjun realized his daughter was just as stubborn and unyielding as he was. So, Shen Hongjun decided to stop meddling. He hadn’t been particularly optimistic about the two of them anyway, thinking that young people in love just seek happiness, and it was unknown how long it would last.

He was unwell now and genuinely didn’t have the energy to manage these things. It was better to let go and let Shen Qingyi handle it herself.

Seeing Shen Hongjun being so open-minded, Shen Qingyi paused, then said in a gentle tone, “I understand. Thank you, Dad.”

Shen Hongjun then looked at Shan Ling and said to her, “Xiao Ling, now that you’re with Yiyi, you should take good care of her. Yiyi has a bad temper and doesn’t like to talk about some things; she just keeps them bottled up. If you two ever argue in the future, you both need to compromise.”

This was the first time Shan Ling had heard Shen Hongjun speak to her at such length. She suddenly felt a jolt, looked at Shen Qingyi, and realized the other person was also looking at her.

Shen Qingyi’s gaze was gentle, and she nodded to her.

Shan Ling felt relieved. She turned to Shen Hongjun and said, “Thank you, Uncle Shen. Yiyi is a very gentle person, and we will definitely be well.”

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