Chapter 151: Chapter Seventy-Four: If You Do Not Abandon Me, I Will Live and Die With You

Chen Zheng hurriedly ran out of the observation room; while running, Chen Zheng anxiously told his subordinates to go fetch QingSongShu.

Although QingSongShu was not a hospital doctor, the Gu poison on Dong Yumin left even experts helpless; thanks to Chen Zheng's intervention, QingSongShu could freely enter and leave the ward to treat Dong Yumin.

Not long after, QingSongShu arrived carrying a needle case, accompanied by Pangzi and Yuan Qiu. Upon reaching the ward door without any delay, QingSongShu rushed into the ward, called Chen Zheng out, and then focused on treating Dong Yumin.

"Brother Zheng, don't worry, sister-in-law is blessed by heaven and earth, she'll be fine!" I patted Chen Zheng on the shoulder, comforting him with the old saying.

Chen Zheng said nothing, merely lighting cigarette after cigarette outside the corridor, anxiously pacing back and forth; his worry and anxiety were evident.

About an hour later, QingSongShu walked out of the ward.

Seeing QingSongShu come out, Chen Zheng anxiously went to meet him.

"Master, how is my wife's condition?" Chen Zheng anxiously chased after QingSongShu to ask.

"Ah... Mr. Chen, please let me think carefully; your wife's condition is unexpectedly severe. The Gu poison has lain dormant in her body for three years, already spreading through all her meridians; even the Ghost Gate Needle may not be able to suppress it for long." QingSongShu sighed, furrowed his brow, stroked his beard, and slowly walked out, pondering how to treat Dong Yumin.

Evidently, even QingSongShu found the Gu poison on Dong Yumin extremely troublesome. Although we had tried to clear the Gu that affects the heart and spirit, that only worked on victims recently infected. Someone like Dong Yumin, who has lived with the Gu worms for three years, is truly rare, and the Gu she carries is the most agonizing Heart-Eating Gu among the worms; its harmfulness needs no further explanation.

Although QingSongShu did not say it outright, he probably could not think of an effective cure for Dong Yumin anytime soon. And the Gu poison on her cannot be delayed; if no solution is found, perhaps not long from now Dong Yumin will leave us, her beauty fading.

After QingSongShu left, Chen Zheng stood blankly outside the corridor, his eyes empty and lifeless, like a puppet.

I had just wanted to comfort him with a couple of words, but before I could take a step, the dazed Chen Zheng suddenly collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, Yuan Qiu beside him was quick-eyed and quick-handed, catching him in time.

"Quick... help him onto a chair; he hasn't slept for too long, and now the stimulation has left his nerves utterly exhausted." Pangzi's face changed as he ordered the two of us.

The three of us worked together to help Chen Zheng onto a chair, rubbing his temples, pinching his philtrum, massaging him up and down for a long while, after which Chen Zheng slowly opened his eyes.

"Brother Zheng, you haven't slept for days; please rest a while!" As soon as Chen Zheng woke, Pangzi hurriedly urged him.

Chen Zheng waved his hand weakly and said, "I'm fine; you go back first, let me be alone quietly."

Seeing Chen Zheng so sorrowful and desolate, Yuan Qiu wanted to urge him again, but Pangzi gave him a look to stop. I understood that Chen Zheng needed quiet now, and we should not disturb him.

When we retreated back to the observation room, we saw via the monitor's small TV that Chen Zheng had entered Dong Yumin's room.

Pangzi and Yuan Qiu's faces changed, and they immediately prepared to drag Chen Zheng out.

"What a joke—even doctors must wear protective gear and a mask to go in. Chen Zheng entering like that, with no safety measures, isn't that practically suicide?"

"No need to go; let them be quiet for a while! Besides, even if we went now we couldn't get into the ward. Brother Zheng will surely have someone guarding the door!"

Pangzi and the two of them ultimately sat down helplessly; on the screen, Chen Zheng held Dong Yumin's hands, his expression full of indescribable tenderness.

"Yumin, I'm Ah Zheng, your husband; can you hear me speaking? I know that even with your eyes closed, you can surely hear my words." Chen Zheng took Dong Yumin's hands and began to mutter to himself. Since the ward had not only installed high-definition cameras but also clear speakers, we could both see and hear Chen Zheng's words and actions clearly.

"Do you know? Over these many years, I have almost constantly had a nightmare in which I suddenly one day find myself lying on a cold bed, while you stand silently weeping beside my corpse. From time to time I inexplicably feel afraid—afraid that I will precede you in death, afraid that after I am gone you will be bullied."

"But... why, why exactly, why is this thieving heaven so unfair? You are so kind, I am so deserving of death—why is it you lying on this bed, not me?" Chen Zheng covered his face and burst into tears.

"Do you remember? Someone once asked me, 'Are you afraid of your wife?' I laughed and said, 'Of course not; my wife and I have always had a clear division of labor at home—major decisions are mine, minor ones are hers.'"

"But... since we got married, nothing major has ever happened."

With a puff, the three of us sitting before the small TV all burst out laughing simultaneously.

In the small TV's picture, Chen Zheng turned around, gazed out the window, and let out a slow sigh.

"I still remember the place where we first drank coffee—it's not far ahead. That day you forced a cup of cappuccino down my throat, though I don't like coffee. And because I inadvertently glanced at the girl next door, you, jealous, pulled my ears red."

Chen Zheng continued with his back to Dong Yumin, slowly reminiscing; after a while he turned half sideways and gently leaned forward toward Dong Yumin's face,

"Do you remember? In that coffee shop you had me teach you a sentence in the vernacular, and you said it was our vow, a lifelong vow."

Through the small TV's lens, I saw Dong Yumin's hand tremble slightly.

Chen Zheng smiled gently, his rough hands stroking Dong Yumin's cheeks.

"I know you remember. The vow we once made—that sentence you had me teach you in Cantonese colloquial." Chen Zheng tenderly stroked Dong Yumin's face, responding.

"If you do not abandon me, I will live and die with you. That sentence—I taught it to you; back then you spoke it awkwardly, making me laugh until my stomach hurt each time. But you don't know that, in fact, every time I hear you say those words my heart feels sweet; indeed I recorded that sentence, and before each sleep I quietly listen to it once." Chen Zheng kissed the back of Dong Yumin's hand, confiding his little secret.

But the next moment, Chen Zheng suddenly leapt up like an enraged lion, his eyes blood-red, loudly questioning Dong Yumin: "But why did you break our original vow, saying you would not abandon me and we would live and die together? Now you want to go ahead of me—why are you deceiving me, why are you not keeping your word?"

"Do you really think the Southern Heavenly King is so easy to deceive? Do you truly believe that 'not abandoning, living and dying together' is just a laughable jest? I tell you, I, Chen Zheng, keep my promises; you, for your whole life, are my woman, whether in life or death." Tears welled in Chen Zheng's eyes.

When Chen Zheng spoke those words, his tone was a bit heavy; even I, watching on TV, felt a pang of anxiety. I, Pangzi, and Yuan Qiu all couldn't help but wonder—this sudden shift is surely too fast, even if we're grieving there's no need to curse people! Could it be that Chen Zheng is overstimulated?

However, the strange affair was not over; something even more surprising was yet to come—only to see Chen Zheng, as if performing a conjuring trick, pull a syringe from his pocket, then immediately plunge it into Dong Yumin's vein and begin drawing her blood.

While we were stunned, the Chen Zheng on screen suddenly smiled, then without hesitation injected the drawn blood into his own vein.

This happened so quickly that by the time we realized its seriousness, Chen Zheng was already smiling, holding Dong Yumin's hand as he slowly collapsed.

In the empty observation room floated Chen Zheng's last words.

"If you do not abandon me, I will live and die with you—whether in heaven, earth, or hell, I will be with you, guarding you for all eternity!"

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