CHAPTER 287: CHAPTER 287: UNAVOIDABLE EXCITEMENT

Song Yuanhuan had suffered severe injuries, so severe that despite being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, he remained in a coma. His right leg was pronounced a lost cause by the doctors: it had a comminuted fracture, with the bone shattered into tiny fragments. According to common sense, Song Yuanhuan’s right leg was essentially useless, and he would likely have difficulties walking in the future.

Xu Xiuxiu found it hard to accept this outcome, but she didn’t show it. Surprisingly, she was more resolved than anyone could have imagined, especially since Song Yuanhuan’s right leg was indeed severely crushed. However, she worried that Song Yuanhuan might not be able to accept this result.

From the time Song Yuanhuan was injured, she stopped going to support the flood relief efforts. When Tangshan Village suffered its second landslide, it happened that the construction workers at the site had all moved to safer ground, so there were no casualties. With Song Yuanming there, he helped Xu Xiuxiu manage some of the minor issues, sparing her from some worries.

Even at home, Xu Xiuxiu hadn’t found time to return because she feared that Song Yuanhuan would be sad if he woke up and she wasn’t there.

In fact, including the two days previously spent on flood relief, Xu Xiuxiu hadn’t seen her three children at home for several days. She missed them so much she was nearly going crazy—wondering if they were doing well, if they had eaten properly, if they had grown a bit, or if they missed her. But even though she missed her children, she couldn’t go home. Song Yuanhuan was in a bad state, with a persistent high fever, and unconscious. Under such circumstances, how could she possibly feel at ease going home to see her children?

Song Yuanming probably guessed her thoughts and resolved this minor trouble for her. He found time to go home, both to prevent the family from worrying about what might have happened and to inform Xu Jingjing and Song Yuan Yao that Song Yuanhuan had been injured and was hospitalized.

Upon hearing the news, Song Yuan Yao and Xu Jingjing said they were quite anxious and, after discussing with Aunt Luo, decided to bring the three children to the hospital that afternoon.

Originally, when the two women decided to come to the hospital, they hadn’t planned to bring the children, as hospitals are generally a grim place and not good for kids. Besides, there is a rural belief that children’s eyes are purer than adults’, allowing them to see things that adults cannot, which can easily scare them.

Actually, the villagers are very superstitious about this, but the three children had been so restless for several days without seeing their parents that even Song Chengguang, a child at the age of reason, if spoken to properly and reasoned with, would understand and comply, though he might sulk alone in a corner, drawing circles to show his displeasure.

But Little Moon and Little Baby were purely infants; they didn’t understand anything. When happy, they laughed; when unhappy, they cried. Having not seen their parents for several days, even Aunt Luo, who was skilled with children, struggled to handle their tempers. Little Moon’s relationship with Xu Xiuxiu was especially close, perhaps because of the changes to Xu Xiuxiu’s body from some space she had been through. Since she hadn’t seen her mother for these past several days, Little Moon even began to refuse formula and would cry at night, a complete change from her usual composed temperament.

Little Baby was somewhat better, but the way the little one peeked out and looked around in circles, it was clear that she was also looking for her father. She would even occasionally call out "Daddy," obviously missing him.

Xu Jingjing and Song Yuan Yao naturally couldn’t bear to see the twins looking so lost and forlorn, so they steeled themselves and brought the children to the hospital. Song Yuan Yao took care of holding Little Baby, Aunt Luo held Little Moon, and Xu Jingjing brought some of Xu Xiuxiu’s clean clothes and fruit to the hospital room.

"Mama..." Little Moon was cradled by Aunt Luo as they entered the ward, and immediately upon spotting Xu Xiuxiu, the little one’s eyes sparkled, then with an air of exceptional grievance, he opened his mouth to call out, reaching out with his chubby little hands, looking so adorably sensible that Xu Xiuxiu’s heart ached.

"Mommy’s here! Be good, Little Moon!" Xu Xiuxiu, with a heavy heart, took Little Moon into her arms to comfort him. Watching the little one press his head gently against Xu Xiuxiu’s shoulder and cry silently, pouting in protest, Xu Xiuxiu’s spirits lifted slightly despite her mood being weighed down by Song Yuanhuan’s injury.

"Mommy, don’t just look at brother, Cheng Guang is here too!" Song Chengguang also showed his childlike side at this moment. The little guy, with his chubby body, ran towards Xu Xiuxiu and without any care, wrapped his arms around Xu Xiuxiu’s legs to complain.

"Of course, Mommy sees Cheng Guang! Mommy loves Cheng Guang very much too." As Xu Xiuxiu held Little Moon, she bent slightly to look at Song Chengguang hugging her legs, puffing his little cheeks. Her uneasy heart settled down completely with the arrival of her children.

"Daddy... Pa, Papa!" Little Baby, seeing her elder brother held in their mother’s arms, stared wide-eyed and directly at Song Yuanhuan lying quietly on the bed, even wearing a respirator: "Wuu... Daddy..." Sensitive as children are, despite Song Yuanhuan appearing haggard and wearing a respirator, Little Baby recognized him at a glance and began to cry in distress.

Indeed, Song Yuanhuan’s doting on her wasn’t in vain; Little Moon truly had deep feelings for her father.

Witnessing this, Song Yuan Yao became instantly panic-stricken, holding Little Baby and gently soothing her, yet Little Baby persisted in reaching out towards Song Yuanhuan on the bed, crying and calling out stubbornly, difficult to console.

Listening to Little Baby’s crying, Xu Xiuxiu also felt unbearable heartache. She handed Little Moon back to Aunt Luo, instructed Song Chen to sit down obediently by their father’s bed, and then reached out to take the crying Little Baby into her arms: "Be good, don’t cry! You can’t disturb Daddy’s rest, understand?" Xu Xiuxiu expertly soothed Little Baby, rocking her gently, and though she soon stopped the child’s tears, the little one’s dark little eyes remained fixed on Song Yuanhuan. She even pouted her lips in frustration, seemingly wishing to get closer to look at Song Yuanhuan.

Unable to bring herself to refuse the little one’s wish, Xu Xiuxiu then carried her closer to Song Yuanhuan: "Daddy." As Xu Xiuxiu approached the bed, Little Baby immediately leaned out, calling out eagerly to the person on the bed.

Song Yuanhuan was seriously injured and had been unconscious for a considerable time, and with the effects of the anesthesia, the doctor said it would be some time before he could wake up. But it was as if he could hear Little Baby’s crying, his daughter’s adoration tugging at him, and as Little Baby moved closer, his eyelids actually twitched.

Xu Xiuxiu, of course, noticed this and couldn’t help feeling some excitement.

"Daddy." Little Baby’s whole body nearly leapt out of Xu Xiuxiu’s arms, her chubby little hand directly touching Song Yuanhuan’s cheek, calling out with fervor and obstinance, as if waiting for Song Yuanhuan’s familiar voice of acknowledgment.