Sunshine Filled with Thoughts

An Jinmo had never felt so terrified. As his car sped past, he hadn’t seen anyone, but when a familiar figure appeared in front of his vehicle, he seemed to catch a glimpse of Linlin at the moment of impact. After slamming on the brakes, he got out of the car, Yanyan, who was small for his age, followed closely behind him. Upon seeing the figure lying on the ground, blood staining their white clothing, he began to cry out in fear.

An Jinmo approached the body and turned it over, only to see the face he had longed for night and day. The familiar face looked the same as it did two years ago, except now her eyes were closed. The expressionless face was pale, a color that hinted at death, causing An Jinmo’s hands, holding Linlin, to tremble uncontrollably.

Yanyan, standing beside him, shouted “Mom!” as he recognized the face identical to his mother’s. He grasped her hand that lay limply by her side, overwhelmed with pain. This child had known for a long time that his mother didn’t like him, but he still loved her dearly. How could such a beautiful mother, who looked so lovely when she smiled, not like him? It must be because he wasn’t good enough. A child who smiled so brightly, upon realizing that his mother didn’t love him because of his faults, would undoubtedly feel deeply sad. Thus, at just two years old, Yanyan understood more than many of his peers and rarely caused trouble. Even though Qing’s mother taught him how to play, he only engaged in those activities with a sense of moderation, never going too far.

An Jinmo watched as blood began to spread beneath Linlin’s body, but he couldn’t even see where her wounds were.

Shaking almost uncontrollably, An Jinmo picked up Linlin and placed her in the back of the car. Yanyan, who had been crying uncontrollably, began to hold back his tears upon seeing his father’s worried expression. Sniffling, he sat beside his dad, watching the fear in his father’s eyes, his palms stained with Linlin’s blood. An Jinmo’s hands on the steering wheel were a frightening sight. Yanyan observed as the trees quickly receded behind them.

Time passed rapidly. Soon, An Jinmo arrived at the nearest hospital, a relatively small one. He was only thinking of getting some basic medical assistance before transferring her to a larger city hospital to buy some time.

Upon stepping out of the car, he held Linlin in his arms; her body felt so small and frail in his embrace. The years of battling depression had rendered this once slender woman even more emaciated.

Rushing into the small hospital, he called for a doctor, but the lazy-looking medical staff merely responded with a cold, “First, you need to register, then we can take her to emergency…”

An Jinmo was instantly furious. This man, who had always been elegant, rarely expressed his anger in front of others. Even when he was incredibly mad, he still maintained a smile. But when someone thought they could take advantage of him, he would strike back in an instant.

Yet now, his heart was consumed with concern for Linlin’s safety. The people here acted in such a manner. An Jinmo held Linlin tightly in his arms. He felt it was inappropriate to make a phone call. Just then, Yanyan walked over, finding a man’s number in his phone and politely calling out “Uncle” in his cute little voice before handing the phone to the doctor who was sitting nearby, absently chewing on a toothpick while watching television.

Whatever was said on the phone transformed the lazy-looking doctor instantly. His face lost all color, and he shouted loudly in the lobby. Soon, many doctors poured out from the medical rooms.

The scene became chaotic as An Jinmo carefully placed Linlin onto a wheeled hospital bed. He turned coldly to the attending physician who had rushed over and said, “If anything happens to her, I won’t hesitate to make this hospital pay dearly, especially you…”

An Jinmo’s tone was so frigid that it sent shivers down the doctor’s spine.

The doctors and nurses hurriedly retreated in fear.

An Jinmo and Yanyan sat on a bench outside the emergency room, their grave expressions causing the passing nurses to feel unnerved. It seemed as if An Jinmo would erupt with anger if anything happened to the woman inside that room.

After Linlin was taken into the emergency room, An Jinmo started making phone calls to bring in some renowned surgeons and internists, arranging for an ambulance. If Linlin’s condition deteriorated here, he would immediately transfer her to another hospital. She had lost too much blood, and if he delayed any longer, he would truly regret missing the crucial moments for urgent care.

Time ticked by painfully slow. The midday heat was intense, especially in this small, air-conditioned hospital, but in the hallway outside the emergency room, the atmosphere felt icy. An Jinmo’s expression was so cold it seemed to cast a chill over everyone around him.

It was unclear how much time had passed when Yanyan fell asleep in An Jinmo’s arms. The small, tear-streaked face of Yanyan showed the fatigue he felt after witnessing his mother collapse in a pool of blood and waiting here with his father for several hours. Throughout it all, An Jinmo maintained an upright position, his gaze hollow. Even when the doctor he summoned rushed inside, he remained in a daze. In the meantime, An Jinmo’s assistant arrived and informed Linlin’s parents and Momo, who was far away in the United States, about the car accident. Finally, all the relevant parties had been notified.

Now, waiting for the surgery results with An Jinmo were Linlin’s parents. Linlin’s mother had been worried sick about her daughter for the past two years, especially after the reckless actions she took to harm both her child and An Jinmo for Na Xuan’s sake. She had said countless words to her daughter, but the stubborn girl continued to hurt herself, ultimately leading to this desperate situation.

Linlin’s father sat on a chair, holding his wife tightly, as bittersweet emotions churned within him while watching the emergency room door.

Finally, the light above the emergency room turned off, and a stream of doctors and nurses emerged. Seeing the stretcher covered with blood-soaked cotton balls deepened Linlin’s mother’s despair. Even at that moment, she struggled to accept the outcome of Linlin’s surgery, while Linlin’s father wore a resolute expression, his heavy gaze indicating that he was prepared for any result. An Jinmo, however, buried his head in his hands. It was not until he heard some commotion in the hallway that he gradually lifted his head, watching as people continued to come out.

He had never felt so frightened before. He was terrified that they would roll out Linlin’s body, covered and lifeless; he simply could not bear such a reality. It was him! He was the one who put Linlin in this precarious situation…

A doctor approached, standing in front of An Jinmo, and trembled as he spoke, “It’s okay… Mrs. An is fine. However, she sustained serious injuries to her head and chest and will need to be monitored in the intensive care unit for a few more days… I recommend transferring her to another hospital, as the conditions here are quite limited…”

An Jinmo closed his eyes for a moment, then replied, “Please, expedite the arrangements for the transfer…”

It was as if a weight had suddenly lifted from his heart, and An Jinmo relaxed back into his chair. Linlin’s parents, standing nearby, also let out a great sigh of relief.

Later on, the doctor had another conversation with An Jinmo regarding Linlin’s condition.

“She sustained significant trauma to the head. During the surgery, we repaired a lot, but there could be complications. We won’t know the specifics until Mrs. An wakes up. Young Master Jin, I’m telling you this so you can prepare yourself. If your wife exhibits any unusual behaviors upon waking, please don’t panic. Once we identify any symptoms, we can formulate a treatment plan…”

“What kind of complications could there be? For instance…?” An Jinmo asked, his voice laced with concern.

The doctor hesitated for a moment, unsure how to express his thoughts, but ultimately continued. “In the worst-case scenario, she could experience a regression to a child-like state in terms of intelligence. We can’t specify the extent of that regression right now. However, in a more favorable outcome, she might suffer from amnesia…”

An Jinmo’s mind raced at the implications of such a prognosis, and his feelings of guilt intensified.

After Linlin was transferred to a new hospital, her parents remained by her side to care for her. The next morning, Momo rushed over, weary from her journey. Upon entering the room and seeing Linlin’s condition, her heart ached with the same pain she felt two years ago. Watching her best friend endure such suffering made Momo fear that she might lose Linlin forever. The feeling was as if a knife was cutting through her, unbearable and relentless.

The early spring weather was slightly chilly, especially with Beijing’s strong winds. Sometimes, as Momo stood outdoors, the gusts would lift her soft, curly hair, making her appear delicate and beautiful, but there was an underlying sadness in her demeanor. Occasionally, while driving through familiar places from their childhood, she’d pass by the old beverage shop and those snack stalls where they shared countless laughs. Now, those memories felt like they belonged solely to her, as if the heavens were reclaiming her time with Linlin. A wave of sorrow surged within her, bringing a stinging sensation to her nose and causing tears to fall unexpectedly. Zhaozhao, who had just bought warm drinks from a nearby milk tea shop, looked at Momo, startled yet also filled with the same heartache. The thought that a crucial friend from their childhood might soon forget their profound bond was a painful one for everyone around. However, in comparison to losing Linlin, this type of hurt felt trivial.

That day, Momo brought a bouquet of orange blossoms for Linlin. Symbolizing friendship, she hoped these flowers could keep Linlin company during this difficult time. Even if memories were lost, the bond shared between them would persist and never fade away. At least, in the depths of Momo’s heart, that would always be the case.