Though Chen Dongyang's mind was as good as gone, not thinking of anything, muscle memory still drove him to the cardiac surgery floor.
The moment he opened the elevator doors, he heard Zeng Hui's heart-wrenching cries from the operating room.
He didn't feel much and walked over numbly.
A group of medical staff, including Director Gao, saw him and quickly reminded Zeng Hui.
"Stop crying, Xiao Chen is here. Talk things out calmly, just stop crying."
Zeng Hui sat on the floor, wearing another new dress, her hair disheveled, her arms held by two nurses.
Before Dou Bao fell ill, she must have been gentle and lovely.
But now, her dress was wrinkled, her hair messy, her face streaked with tears, her voice hoarse, like a mentally unstable person.
Hearing the medical staff's words, she, who had been wailing, quickly turned her head to look down the corridor.
Seeing Chen Dongyang, she temporarily choked back her sobs. As Chen Dongyang's footsteps drew closer and he knelt before her, she threw herself into his arms, crying even more heartbrokenly.
"Chen Dongyang, where did you run off to? You've killed us!"
"Dou Bao is gone, do you know Dou Bao is gone? My son is gone! I carried him for a year, raised him for so long, and now he's gone, do you know?"
"Do you know how tragically he died? Do you know what he was saying before he left? He really wanted to see you, he said he was so scared and wanted you to hold him, but where were you? Why didn't you come back sooner?"
"You're a liar, always saying you're busy, need to earn money, need to support us. But what's the reality? Is there really no selfishness involved?"
"I hate you, Chen Dongyang. You killed his father first, and now you've killed him. Is it my turn next? Fine, we owe you from our past lives, and this life, our family of three is destined to die by your hand. Just kill me too. Kill me now, strangle me, hurry up and strangle me!"
As she spoke, she grabbed Chen Dongyang's hands and put them to her own neck. Chen Dongyang kept his head down, his face solemn, saying nothing.
Even a blind person could sense his guilt and sorrow. The medical staff nearby couldn't stand it and went to persuade Zeng Hui.
"Alright, stop scolding. The dead cannot be brought back to life, calm down. When the child had episodes before, Mr. Chen always ran around, wasn't he always dedicated? Don't speak of him so poorly. Calm down, calm down."
Zeng Hui shook off the people trying to hold her. "Calm down? Why should I calm down? It's not your child who died, so of course you're calm!"
"Oh, right, I remember now, why did my son die? He was fine before you went, why did he die as soon as you arrived? Was she the one who ordered it?"
As she said this, Zeng Hui seemed to suddenly see something terrifying. She threw off Chen Dongyang's arms, retreated a couple of steps, leaned against the wall, and hugged herself tightly.
"I understand, I've figured it out, I've realized! Chen Dongyang, you're so terrifying!"
Chen Dongyang finally lifted his eyelids, looking at her with an expression that asked, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
Zeng Hui, as if realizing a profound truth, said with her contorted face.
"It was her! It must have been her! No wonder she was so kind back then, taking me to this hospital when we were strangers and introducing me to such good doctors. It was all your conspiracy!"
"Did you two get together long ago? You found us an eyesore and wanted us mother and son dead, so you set up this elaborate scheme!"
"You tricked me into coming to this hospital, delayed my son's treatment, and then chose an opportune moment to kill him, so you could be with her after getting rid of us! What a brilliant plan!"
"Heavens, I even felt guilty yesterday, felt like I owed you, felt like I should marry you, be gentle as water with you, and repay you well! Chen Dongyang, you and she are devils!"
The medical staff on the side listened, bewildered, looking at her like a madwoman and then at Chen Dongyang, feeling utterly speechless.
Even Director Gao couldn't bear it any longer. He walked up and patted Chen Dongyang's shoulder.
"The grief of losing a child is indeed unbearable for ordinary people. The family member's spirit has been stimulated, so don't take their nonsensical words to heart. You are a man; you need to stand tall at critical moments."
Chen Dongyang understood the reasoning. That's why, despite his weariness, he didn't argue with Zeng Hui.
The medical staff dispersed. Zeng Hui cursed him again, and a male staff member specializing in handling bodies walked over.
According to procedure, he was to take Dou Bao's body to the morgue.
Hearing this, Zeng Hui rushed out like a mad dog and immediately yelled at the man.
"Don't touch my son, don't touch my son! That place is cold and dark, he's scared, don't send him there!"
"Give him back to me, I don't want him cremated, he's too pitiful. I want to take him away, back to my hometown, find a warm place to keep him! Give me back my son! Whoever touches him, I'll fight!"
The hospital bed was by the operating room door, a small body covered by a white sheet.
Chen Dongyang had not dared to look at it.
But it was not feasible for the two of them to block the staff's work. After Zeng Hui finished her tirade, he apologized to the staff.
"I'm sorry. She's very emotional and not lucid right now, she doesn't mean it. Let me talk to her, just give me a few minutes, okay?"
"Hurry up! We have other work to do! If every patient's family is like you, how are we supposed to do our jobs?"
The male attendant took a few steps forward impatiently.
Chen Dongyang walked to Dou Bao's bed and stared at the lump under the sheet for a long time. Finally, with trembling hands, he gently lifted the sheet.
Dou Bao's familiar yet bloodless little face suddenly appeared before his eyes.
It not only broke Zeng Hui's heart but also deeply pierced his eyes and his soul.
Although the child was not his biological son, he had poured all his heart and soul into him since his mother conceived him.
His sudden absence felt like half his heart had been stolen.
Large tears fell uncontrollably, one by one.
Chen Dongyang gently bent down, pressing his face against Dou Bao's cold little face, holding him tightly in his arms.
He sincerely apologized to him.
"I'm sorry, Dou Bao. Daddy Chen is sorry. Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me..."
Zeng Hui stood frozen. Seeing him crying while holding her child's body, she finally couldn't help but soften. After a sob, she rushed over and hugged Dou Bao's body from the other side.