Main Story Chapter 10-15: Ward No.6 (六号病房) | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Before reading this chapter, please check Chapter 10-13 over here! 

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Charlie: This proposal is yet to go through a clinically practice, hence I am unable to guarantee it. I can only say, to safely estimate it, there will be 20% increment in chances of survival of your mother.

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Middle-aged Man: Doctor, this probability... what does it particularly mean?

The man looked around his surroundings, and found his answer from the empathetic gazes from the surrounding people, and Charlie's stern expressions.

The flame in his eyes extinguished, and he breathed heavily.

Middle-aged Man: I previously heard the family members of the neighboring bed saying that their old folk got hospitalized for tens and tens of days, and the fees costed them an entire house. And in the end the illness wasn't treated. To be heavily ill is to exchange living days with money. If money were all used for treatment, what happens to my family in the future? What happens to my son? We have a life to live too.

His words sounded like he's questioning Charlie, or sounding like he's questioning everyone around him, but nobody could answer it.

The stunned woman suddenly cried, tears have covered her reddened eyes. The man turned back to take a glance at her, then clenched onto his hair, looking completely helpless and grieved.

The other patients' family members all showed an expression of sympathy, there were a few that walked towards him to give him a pat on his shoulder.

Charlie: If you have financial stress, I can look for a way to get the amount of treatment fees involved in this proposal fully subsidized. Even if it doesn't work, I can make payment on behalf of you.

Middle-aged Man: Wha- What did you say...?

Charlie: It means you can now continue the treatment, but you don't have to pay.

His reply is quick and affirmative, even showing that he is somewhat not thinking things through.

The people's faces are looking more or less surprised, with chattering voices heard from the surroundings, drowning my ears completely like sea waters.

Yet Charlie is standing right in the middle of the whirlpool, his deep violet eyes are filled with solemnity. 

The man seemed like he has finally completely understood the situation, lips parting and closing, but only to have found his voice after some time.

Middle-aged Man: Doctor, you are a good person, you are being very thoughtful. But you don't understand the suffering as family members to witness a family member laying there in suffering.

The middle-aged man smiled bitterly, but he hasn't answered Charlie's question.

Middle-aged Man: But as long as the hopes for my mother to wake up is greater, I'll treat her even if I had to go bankrupt. The last time I visited her, she's still the same old self, with not a single bit of consciousness. Limbs all tied, with tube inserted into her nose, and fed by tube every single day. You all said she can't feel pain, yes, she indeed can't feel it, she can't even feel me calling for her name. She is already 70, what prospects would it be for her to keep living with an outlook like this?

Charlie: It's still too early to say this. The situation is indeed not optimistic, but under appropriate treatment, if the patient has a strong will to live, it is definitely possible for her to awaken again.

I heard the commotion closest to me.

Family A: This doctor is considered a good one, even offering to help with the fees, it's just that there's no way to tell if the elderly can really survive from the surgery.

Family B: My father is hospitalized in a normal ward for a week from burns. He has told me that it feels like suffering to be in the hospital, when that day comes he will never want to be admitted to ICU, and he wanted to leave this world with dignity.

Family C: Since it's his mother after all, so might as well to hold off a little longer. My friend's family member is almost vegetative, but still woke up in the end.

The man seemed like he's still hesitating, holding his hands together, or seemed like he has made his decision, with his eyes swollen and reddened.

Middle-aged Man: Doctor, my mother has never really lived a good life throughout all these years, I don't wish for her to suffer anymore.

Among the crowd, Charlie definitely have heard him. His lips pursed, not saying a word.

Unsure if it's because I'm too far away from him, or because there were changes in lighting, I feel that he looked very sad.

As if he has already made all his hard work in preparations to battle against Death, but he was suddenly informed that this war has ended a long time ago, and there's no need for his participation.

A line of gaze fell over me from a corner, it's Yangyang's pale face that fell into my vision.

He looked at me as if he's seeking help. Compared to his father, mother, and all of the medics in this space, to him, it's as if I am the one that he can seek help from. I almost couldn't bear to shoulder a gaze like this.

The deep sense of helplessness overwhelmed me, I suddenly remembered that the elderly that has not a single clue about what is happening in the outside world laying in the ICU.

Does she know that her fate is now being discussed and judged by everyone, and finally being confirmed?

Especially by-- I looked towards Charlie.

The assistant doctors nervously handed a document into his hand, he lowered his head to take a glance, only then clenched onto it a little harder.

As if he has felt my gaze, Charlie threw a glance towards me. His expressions aren't relaxed at all, but his gaze still gleamed brilliantly under the pale white light.

Bits of prickling pain are felt in my palm, it feels like I've been woken up by a bucket of cold water, and a sliver of clarity flashed past my mind.

Yeah, that's right, what we are discussing here is life. It's a supreme life.

Amidst the numerous opinions, only a single person's opinion is the most crucial one.

Despite this person is unable to sign her consent, but her will-- is something that should've been understood.

I tugged onto the nurse's wrist beside me.

You: Can you please do me a favor? I have something very important to discuss with Dr. Zha.

Standing at the corner of the corridor, I wanted nervously.

There were family members and medics around there earlier, I'm unable to blurt out something this ridiculous in the crowd, so I can only ask for the nurse's help to request for Charlie to come out.

Despite so, I could still feel cold sweat seeping out from my back, turns out it's not a simple matter to expose my own talent to someone else.

Will he believe in me? Will he think that I'm causing trouble in such a critical time? I don't know, I can only turn around as I wait while drafting what I wanted to say in mind.

You: Charlie, listen to me. I'm absolutely not joking. I might be able to help you to know if the unconscious elderly still has a will to live. I have an ability, that I can feel emotions through touching other people.

As I speak, even I started to feel unconfident, that my voice gotten quieter and quieter.

You: Will he really believe in me?

Charlie: Do you mean you can touch people to feel emotions?

I almost jolted from surprise at the voice from behind, Charlie has already stood there before I even knew it.

He seemed to still have the chaotic atmosphere from the crowd lingering around him, even the lower hem of his white coat is stained with dust.

You: Yeah, I subconsciously realized I have this ability, perhaps I might be able to help in this situation.

The deep violet eyes are so clear, the emotions within became incomprehensible, that I can only see my anxious self reflected within them.

As his closed and reopens his eyes again, Charlie chuckled softly.

Charlie: Yes.

I thought I wouldn't be able to avoid being interrogated regardless how things would go, but he actually only utter a single straightforward word.

You: Eh? Just like that? Why?

Charlie: Very simple. First of all, right now I really do require this type of "ability".

When he said the last word, he paused intently, then made a frame with his fingers, and framed my face within.

Charlie: Second, I believe whatever you say are the truth.

He then pointed towards the corner of his eyes.

Charlie: The most important of all, I believe in what I see.

Though still having the same self-immersive talk and logic that doesn't make sense, but right now he has instead made me feel the joy of being trusted by someone else.

You: Then can you bring me to visit this elderly now? 

The curve over Charlie's lips disappeared.

Charlie: Follow me, first disinfect yourself.

The changing room is very cold, and it's only a wall away from the burns department ICU. The pushcart is already equipped with disinfectant and isolation equipment.

After putting on the mask and hat, I squeezed the disinfectant into my palms and rubbing hard, but I suddenly didn't know what to do next.

You: Charlie, how do you usually disinfect? Do you need to disinfect your arms too?

Charlie: Give me your hand.

Charlie used a finger to hook the bracelet on my wrist, frowned for a few seconds, and easily opened the complicated buttons. The bracelet fell on the side table with a soft rustle.

He didn't even look up, only pressed onto the disinfecting gel bottle and skillfully disinfected for himself. He then squeezed a little bit of disinfectant and covered the back of my hand.

Charlie's hands are not a pair of conventionally beautiful hands, traces of delicate care could be seen, with his nails kept short, just covering his nail bed.

It's just that each middle joint on every finger seemed to be a little thicker than normal people, with a small, faded scar on the back of his hand, the skin on the edges of his palm are frizzy, and it looked like there were cracks if looked in detail.

His palm is damp and cold, but his fingertips are warm yet dry. Slender fingers brushed past the gaps between my fingers, and delicately rubbed two cycles over each of my fingertip.

Charlie: What are you trembling for?

He held my hand, not too lightly nor too heavily, and a kind of tremble immediately left me. Until then I noticed that I have really been trembling throughout all these while.

Charlie: I can understand that you're nervous, since this is our first time holding hands after all.

You: Look at the situation already, you're still able to do this.

Charlie: What's with me? This is called romantic. You're hurting a man's heart a little.

You: Pfft...

Charlie: Finally smiled? Not nervous anymore?

You: So you were trying to help me relax earlier?

Charlie: Your expressions looked like you're going for a war. But I have never seen you like this before. It's actually a little cute.

You: ... Focus on washing hands!

Charlie chuckled in a low voice, then handed a pair of gloves to me.

Charlie: The perfect surgeon never have his hands tremble on the operation table. You are now Dr. Zha's assistant, so you have to use the same standards for yourself.

He looked at me, the usual curve appeared across his lips.

Then it's a single-use isolation attire. Charlie stood behind me and helped me to tidy the sides of the isolation attire, then tied the straps.

The window reflects how I look right now, I'm fully armored, only with two eyes revealed.

Very quickly, Charlie is also fully equipped. We are no longer able to look at each other's expressions, but with only this pair of eyes, whatever on the other's mind turns out to be clearer than usual.

Charlie: The scene inside will make you feel very uncomfortable.

You: I have made mental preparations.

Charlie: If you're afraid, just look at this pair of charming eyes of mine.

I looked towards his face with not a single sliver of tease, and nodded seriously.

You: Okay.