Save That Miserable Protagonist - Chapter 20

Early this morning, the sky was oppressively dark. Massive stretches of gray clouds hung low on the horizon like an intense, heavy ink wash painting. The rain refused to fall, leaving the air thick with a damp, stifling heat that clung to his skin and made Pei Tingsong’s heart grow restless.

Perhaps it was the weather, but Pei Tingsong felt as if a heavy stone were pressing against his chest today. He remained distracted throughout his classes; the professor’s voice buzzed in his ears but failed to penetrate his mind. His gaze drifted to the window again, staring at the leaden fog that seemed to crush the horizon. An inexplicable sense of panic began to stir within him.

This anxiety had no clear cause, yet he felt as if something were physically blocking his breath. He had a persistent feeling that something terrible was about to happen. But what could it be? Unable to figure it out and finding the emotion irrational, he forced himself to focus on the lecture.

When class finally ended, Pei Tingsong shouldered his backpack and followed the crowd out. Just as he stepped out of the classroom, his phone rang right on cue. As soon as he answered, Lu Xun’s smiling voice came through. “How was it? Class is over, right?”

Lu Xun’s voice was bright and full of youthful energy. The moment Pei Tingsong heard it, the gloom pressing on his heart seemed to lift slightly. He nodded out of habit and replied, “Yes, I just finished.”

“Shall we have dinner together tonight? I discovered a new private kitchen that is very authentic. I am sure you will like it.”

Whenever he spoke to Pei Tingsong, Lu Xun always seemed to be smiling. This time was no different; the mirth in his voice was impossible to hide. For a fleeting second, Pei Tingsong felt as if he could actually see the curve of Lu Xun’s lips. He agreed without much hesitation, “Sure.”

“Great, it is a deal then. I will pick you up at your dormitory in half an hour.”

After hanging up, Pei Tingsong let out a soft breath. Pushing down that nameless unease, he quickened his pace toward the dormitory. He told himself that he was likely just irritable because the weather had been so poor lately. When it rains every single day, it is bound to affect one’s mood.

However, the moment he stepped out of the teaching building, his phone shrieked again. The sudden ringtone felt like an explosion, causing his heart to skip a beat. It was an unknown landline number from Jiangcheng. The moment he saw the number, his heartbeat, which had just returned to normal, stopped for a second. His fists tightened instinctively as he came to a halt and pressed the answer button.

A frantic female voice spoke from the other end. Before Pei Tingsong could say a word, she blurted out, “Is this Mr. Pei Tingsong? This is the Cardiac Surgery Department at Minglai Hospital. Ms. Zhang Hongli has just suffered a sudden myocardial infarction. Her condition is critical, and she is currently being resuscitated! Please hurry to the hospital as quickly as possible.”

Simultaneous with her voice, the thunder that had been suppressed all day finally broke across the sky. A massive roar shook the air. Pei Tingsong felt a sudden, icy chill rise from the soles of his feet and surge through his entire body. He opened his mouth, but he could not make a sound. The entire world went silent. He felt as if he had been suddenly transported back to his childhood, to the afternoon when the village director arrived to say his father had been in an accident. He was thrown back to that exact moment.

He could do nothing but gasp and stare blankly, passively accepting the blow.

“Mr. Pei? Mr. Pei, are you listening?”

“Yes, I am listening.” His throat was incredibly dry, and he felt as if all the strength had left his limbs. His hand shook so violently he could barely hold the phone. “I understand. I will be there immediately.”

As the words left his lips, the torrential rain that had been brewing all day finally cascaded down. Large raindrops hammered down in a dense sheet, turning the world into a blur of white. Pei Tingsong stood in the rain, oblivious to the soaking. He tilted his head back toward the gray sky as the rain crashed into his eyes and flowed down his face. He blinked, feeling as if the sky were weeping in his place.

Resuscitation. Myocardial infarction.

Those words spun wildly in his mind. Pei Tingsong felt as if his soul had been hollowed out. He stood frozen until his phone rang again, snapping him back to reality. The falling rain was bone-chillingly cold, quickly forming large puddles. Pei Tingsong splashed through them as he ran toward the school gate. He stumbled into a taxi; his voice was trembling as he gave the hospital address.

He rushed into the hospital and dashed to the door of the emergency room. Listening to the nurse describe the surgical risks word by word, Pei Tingsong felt as if he were living in a different dimension. He felt suspended in mid-air. The person in front of him moved their mouth, but he heard nothing.

He was filled with a terrifying panic that he could not suppress. Even the cold, hard touch of the black pen reminded him of dark omens. He bit down hard on the inside of his cheek until the pain and the taste of blood filled his mouth, forcing himself to stay focused.

After scrawling his signature, he lost all his strength. He slid down against the cold wall and covered his face with his hands. The phone in his pocket vibrated repeatedly and then went silent. The screen lit up over and over with the name Lucien, but Pei Tingsong’s mind was a complete blank. He could neither hear nor see anything. He had become that five-year-old child again, waiting for a verdict.

Outside the window, the storm continued. The whistling wind, the battering rain, and the sudden claps of thunder mixed with the faint, rhythmic beeping of instruments from inside the emergency room. All of it pinned Pei Tingsong to the spot. He was completely unable to move.

He clenched his hands together so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, using the pain to maintain consciousness. Before this, Pei Tingsong had always been a staunch atheist. He had reached this point in life relying solely on his own perseverance. But in this moment, he closed his eyes tightly and began to pray.

He did not know any specific deities or their respective roles, so he simply prayed to every holy name he could recall. He prayed to Buddha, Jesus, God, the Virgin Mary, and the compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva.

“Please, whoever is listening, I beg of you. I am willing to trade my life. I will give up everything I have. Please protect my grandmother. I cannot lose her. I truly cannot lose her. I am begging you. She is the only family I have left. Show mercy. Please truly show mercy.”

Was the person being resuscitated really his grandmother? Why did Pei Tingsong feel as if he were the one about to suffocate?