The 70s Novel: The Supporting Character Just Wants to Lie Down-Chapter 115: Cheng Hongbing Severely Injured and Disabled
This is considered an advanced hospital ward, with two people sharing a room. Coincidentally, Cheng Hongbing, who was hospitalized due to an injury, shared the same room.
Cheng Hongbing was already asleep when he suddenly heard the sound of wheels rolling and people talking in the corridor. Shortly after, his room door was opened, the lights were turned on, and then he saw a group of familiar people.
"Grandpa, Dad... Xue Er..." Cheng Hongbing saw a large group of people coming in and originally thought they came because his daughter had learned about his situation. But then, seeing the elderly being carried to the other hospital bed, he tilted his head, wanting to sit up but couldn’t, "What happened to Grandma?"
"Dad..." Cheng Xue looked at the man on the hospital bed, bandaged like a mummy, unable to imagine how seriously he was injured.
"Xue Er..." Cheng Hongbing looked at his daughter, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears. His gaze was somewhat evasive; he didn’t dare to look directly at her.
He felt guilty toward his wife and daughter...
"Dad..." Cheng Xue leaned over at the head of his bed, placing her hand on his plastered arm and asking, "Where exactly are you injured? Is it serious?"
Cheng Hongbing, with tears in his eyes, smiled and said, "It’s nothing. Dad was just careless and couldn’t dodge a grenade in time, so he was slightly affected."
Although Cheng Hongbing spoke lightly, Cheng Xue could imagine the danger. Seeing that he was unwilling to talk about his injuries, Cheng Xue didn’t press further, thinking she’d ask the doctor when there was a chance.
"Dad, are you hungry? Aunt Li has some porridge." Cheng Xue changed the subject, "I’m on vacation now. From today on, I’ll take care of you and Grandma."
"I’m not hungry..." Watching his daughter being so well-behaved was rare, and Cheng Hongbing felt both warm and ashamed in his heart. He wanted to cry again, so he quickly shifted his attention, "What happened to Grandma?"
Cheng Xue was silent for a moment before speaking softly, "She was pushed by Grandma..."
Cheng Hongbing’s eyes widened in disbelief. He wanted to ask more, but after thinking for a moment, he swallowed his questions. There were too many people, making it inconvenient to ask for details, so he told himself he’d discuss it later.
On the bed opposite, three generations of the Jiang Family stood or sat there. A nurse walked in to hang the IV and reminded them, "Only one caregiver can stay here. Decide who stays, and the rest should leave."
Jiang Yan immediately said, "Dad, you have work tomorrow, and Grandpa is too old to stay up all night. You should take Grandpa home first. I’ll stay to take care of Grandma."
"As a man, it might not be convenient..." Jiang Zhongyi hesitated a little but was inwardly furious at Zheng Zhen for still not showing up.
Cheng Xue said quickly, "Grandpa, I’m also here...I’ll stay too." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
Only then did Jiang Zhongyi notice Cheng Hongbing on the nearby bed. He had been in such a daze that he didn’t realize earlier. After thinking for a while, he nodded, thinking it was indeed convenient, as they were all family who could look after each other.
"Then you keep an eye out for the night. I’ll go back and call Jiang Peng’s wife to let her know to come back early..." Jiang Zhongyi sighed deeply, "Relying on your mom...is impossible..."
Jiang Yan just pressed his lips together, with nothing to say. He had actually glimpsed his mother in the ER corridor just now, but shortly thereafter, she disappeared.
Jiang Zhongyi took Old Master Jiang and left first, quieting the hospital room. Cheng Xue, having traveled most of the day, was already tired and fell asleep on Cheng Hongbing’s bed before long.
Jiang Yan kept vigil by Grandma Jiang’s bed, watching the saline bottle, occasionally releasing the urine bag, or chatting with Cheng Hongbing, who also couldn’t sleep. The night passed peacefully just like that.
In the early hours of the morning, Grandma Jiang finally woke up, seemingly roused by pain, continuously groaning several times.
Jiang Yan immediately pressed the call button for the nurse and doctor. Before long, Doctor Wang hurried in and conducted a series of checks on Grandma Jiang, "The old lady’s condition is okay. She will definitely feel pain for a few days. If it becomes too unbearable, she can take a painkiller, but too many painkillers aren’t good for the body, so use them sparingly."
Jiang Yan nodded repeatedly.
Doctor Wang continued, "Your mom knows all about caregiving, so I won’t say much. Nurse Zheng, I’ll leave this to you."
It was then that Jiang Yan and Cheng Xue saw Zheng Zhen following the crowd. She looked a bit haggard, suggesting she didn’t sleep well all night.
Zheng Zhen forced a stiff smile and said, "I understand." It was her response to Doctor Wang.
Doctor Wang nodded, gave a few more instructions, and then left the room. Cheng Xue hurriedly grabbed an empty water jug and followed him out, stopping him at the end of the corridor, "Doctor Wang, I’m Cheng Hongbing’s daughter. I want to know about my dad’s condition..."
Doctor Wang was the best orthopedic doctor at this hospital, and he had been the one attending to Cheng Hongbing’s injuries, so Cheng Xue was indeed asking the right person.
Multiple fractures throughout his body, severe internal injuries, head trauma with a moderate concussion, and severe blast injuries to the left foot, although it was reattached, there was a high possibility of resulting disability.
Doctor Wang’s words played over and over in her mind. Cheng Xue ran to the bathroom, covered her mouth, and cried hard, then silently made a decision.
After washing her face with cold water, she returned to being the smiling, cheerful Cheng Xue, only now with more steadiness and less recklessness. Everyone has to grow up...
Cheng Xue, having composed herself, fetched some water, but as she returned to the hospital room, she heard the sound of quarreling inside.
"Can you blame me? I was angry at the time. If you hadn’t said those hurtful words, I wouldn’t have...I wouldn’t have accidentally..."
"Enough, I just want to ask you, where were you all last night?" Jiang Zhongyi asked with a stern face, disdainful of Zheng Zhen’s excuses.
Zheng Zhen felt guilty and nervous, twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands, trying to remain calm, "I was in the duty room all night..."
"Ha..." Jiang Zhongyi sneered, "Who in the hospital doesn’t know that Nurse Zheng’s mother-in-law was rescued after a fall, and yet you, as the daughter-in-law, stayed in the duty room all along. What do you think the doctors and nurses here should make of that?"
"I...I was too scared at the time, I..." Zheng Zhen was truly scared, hearing from Doctor Wang about the high surgical risks, the fear overwhelmed her.
She didn’t even know what happened to herself, fear, avoidance, hesitation...regret...
No one could understand the torment she went through that night.
"Zhongyi...don’t say anymore..."
Jiang Zhongyi was about to speak when Grandma Jiang, weakly, whispered from the bed, her voice barely above a mosquito’s buzz.
"Mom..." Jiang Zhongyi quickly stepped forward and bent down to listen to Grandma Jiang’s instructions.
"Stop speaking about it, let it be..." The pain was excruciating, and listening to the conversation between her son and daughter-in-law made her head throb even more. The elderly lady just wanted family harmony and for her descendants to be well..."Go to work, quickly..."
She sent her son off to work, wanting to calm things down. However, the old lady really couldn’t bring herself to forgive Zheng Zhen on the spot, so she could only leave it at that for now...
Jiang Zhongyi understood his mother’s sentiment and realized that arguing here was not good, especially with the juniors present, so he nodded in agreement.
