Chapter 1134: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 1134: Xiulan, I'm Sorry to You

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Back at the villa side, Wang Dashan was busy arranging rooms for Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan to stay in, while Wang Erhai went nearby to buy daily necessities — things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and changes of clothes.

Because who knew how long they'd have to stay in Guangzhou; they definitely needed to buy some daily necessities and have them ready.

Du Xiaojuan went back to her room to feed the child, and the live-in nanny hired for the home went out to buy vegetables.

This nanny is a live-in nanny; she not only helps raise the child but also helps with cooking.

She does things very meticulously, very much to Du Xiaojuan's liking.

But the price is indeed not cheap.

Over ten thousand a month.

At this time, in the villa's spacious living room, only Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan sat on the sofa.

Wang Zhanggen's mind was still racing with wild thoughts.

Although the doctor told him he had a chance of being cured, his heart still had no bottom.

Liver cancer — what a terrifying disease!

Many people in the rural area have had liver cancer, yet he'd never seen a single one who could be cured!

The majority, from discovery of liver cancer to passing away, take less than a year!

Some with shorter times, three or two months and they're gone!

The more Wang Zhanggen thought, the more pessimistic he became; his expression was dejected, his eyes bloodshot.

Visible panic and despair.

This kind of emotional torment was obviously far greater than the torment the cancer brought him.

At least at the current stage it was so.

"Xiulan, I'm sorry to you..."

Wang Zhanggen's mouth suddenly blurted out this sentence.

Hearing this, Li Xiulan froze for a moment, her expression showing surprise.

She and Wang Zhanggen sat on the sofa, silent the whole time, no communication at all.

Wang Zhanggen suddenly saying this sentence startled her a bit.

"What's wrong with you?"

Li Xiulan asked in puzzlement, not waiting for Wang Zhanggen to answer, she hurriedly added:

"Don't go thinking wild nonsense; just follow what the doctor said and treat it honestly and properly."

Li Xiulan's words were caring, but her tone carried a kind of detached coldness.

This can't be blamed on Li Xiulan; originally she had no feelings for Wang Zhanggen, and on top of that the cancer didn't fall on her — asking her to empathize with Wang Zhanggen's pain was truly not easy.

After all, the sensitivity and sentiment in her heart had long since been ground away by life's hardships.

"Xiulan, I shouldn't have treated you that way when I was young; we've been husband and wife for so many years, you won't abandon me and ignore me, right?"

Wang Zhanggen looked at Li Xiulan, his bloodshot eyes pitiful and pleading.

"So you're afraid I'll abandon you and ignore you, and that's why you're apologizing to me?" Li Xiulan gave Wang Zhanggen a sidelong glance with a complex look in her eyes, but still said:

"Rest assured, I definitely won't abandon you and ignore you; if I abandoned you, how would our three sons look at me? How would outsiders look at me? I still can't bring myself to be that heartless!"

Hearing this, Wang Zhanggen's heart relaxed a breath.

But the panic still hadn't dissipated.

After a long silence, he suddenly asked again:

"Do you think Wu Banxian might have a way to cure my illness?"

Li Xiulan just said:

"I don't know about that; I'm afraid it's difficult. We'd better trust the doctor; don't count on Wu Banxian for this kind of thing."

Li Xiulan has always been very superstitious about charlatans like Wu Banxian, but when it comes to treating illness, she doesn't really believe.

The reason is none other than: a Shenpo she used to trust very much passed away because of cancer.

If that Shenpo hadn't passed away, she probably wouldn't have turned to Wu Banxian to ask the gods; she'd have just kept asking at that Shenpo's place.

She always felt Wu Banxian wasn't as efficacious as that Shenpo.

Even though later Wu Banxian helped her family settle many matters, she still felt this way.

Wang Zhanggen, however, seemed not to have heard her words, muttering to himself:

"How about when we get back to Shangou Village, we go find Wu Banxian; maybe he really has a method!"

In a blink it was dinner time.

After finishing dinner, Wang Dashan took Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan up to the second floor to teach them how to use the water heater.

Then he urged Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan to hurry and shower; shower early and sleep early — tomorrow they have to get up early for the check-up.

Wang Dashan returned to Du Xiaojuan's room and let out a long breath of turbid air.

Only then did Du Xiaojuan open her mouth to ask:

"How did that expert doctor put it today?"

Wang Dashan's emotions were low:

"He also said there's not much chance, but we can fight for it; maybe a miracle will happen."

Hearing this, Du Xiaojuan couldn't help but say another sentence:

"If you ask me, you shouldn't have told your dad the truth about his condition in the first place. Look at him now — he's lost his soul, scared half to death. He can't get past this mental hurdle, so he probably won't be able to hold on much longer."

Wang Dashan's face showed displeasure:

"Stop saying these things, okay? The words have already been spoken; regretting them now is useless. We have to look forward!"

Du Xiaojuan then said:

"I'm telling you this hoping you can review and reflect, learn from one instance and apply it to others, so that if you encounter similar situations in the future, you won't make the same mistakes again!"

Wang Dashan, however, didn't want to hear this, or rather, he was unwilling to face the mistakes he had committed.

Still, he didn't refute Du Xiaojuan, because he knew he simply couldn't win an argument against her.

So he changed the subject:

"Let me hold the child!"

Du Xiaojuan handed the child to him.

Wang Dashan held the child and turned around to walk to the window.

He looked at this young infant, quiet in his arms, and unbidden, the words his father had spoken in the hospital came to mind; only then did he feel remorse in his heart — perhaps he really was wrong.

He also didn't know if his father could hold on until the moment the child opened his mouth to call him Grandpa.

Children generally don't start speaking until they're over one year old.

In other words, that would mean holding on for at least a year.

That evening, Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan returned to their room early to sleep.

But Wang Zhanggen tossed and turned in bed, simply unable to fall asleep!

As soon as he closed his eyes, his mind couldn't help but run wild with chaotic thoughts!

About Liu Xiaoli, about how he had failed Li Xiulan in his youth, about his three sons, about his precious grandson, about liver cancer...

Countless matters, like a big mixed stew, uncontrollably and without any pattern, popped up from his mind.

Making him by turns sad, regretful, resentful, and fearful.

It was a feeling hard to describe.

Only those who have been tormented by illness and know they are close to death, under enormous psychological pressure, would experience such a state.

"Stop tossing and turning, hurry up and sleep!"

Li Xiulan turned on her side facing away, lying beside Wang Zhanggen, and drowsily uttered this sentence.

She was almost asleep, but was woken up again by Wang Zhanggen's turning over.

"I can't sleep!"

Wang Zhanggen stared at the ceiling, eyes wide open.

"Stop with the wild thoughts, okay? You still have to go for a physical examination tomorrow!"

Wang Zhanggen seemed not to have heard her words, instead muttering to himself:

"Do you think Liu Xiaoli will come looking for me tonight?"

Li Xiulan hurriedly covered her head with a pillow, too lazy to pay him any attention!

But Wang Zhanggen shook her body and said:

"I'm thirsty, can you go pour me a cup of water?"

Li Xiulan was very impatient: "Didn't the doctor say you can't drink water or eat anything after ten o'clock? Hurry up and sleep; once you're asleep you won't be thirsty!"

Wang Zhanggen looked aggrieved:

"But I can't sleep... speaking of which, tomorrow we go for hospitalization — how long will I have to stay...?"

Li Xiulan ignored him, closed her eyes, and pretended to sleep.