Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
After that day, my life changed completely.
Every morning when I woke up, it took me half an hour to muster the strength to get out of bed. Even simple grooming left me breathless, and my hands trembled as I reached for my water cup. The woman in the mirror looked haggard, with dark circles under her eyes that seemed impossible to erase.
I forced myself to go to the office, but during an important client meeting, I fainted. When I came to, my supervisor stood at the foot of my hospital bed, looking troubled. “Anxin, you should take some time off to rest.”
I managed a bitter smile as I signed my resignation letter. Once a glamorous white-collar elite, I could barely stand now.
My home quickly descended into chaos. I lacked the energy to tidy up and could only curl up on the sofa in a daze. My phone buzzed incessantly with updates from Lin Weiwei’s social media; she was out on a date with Gu Ting at a Michelin Three Stars restaurant and posting vacation photos from the Maldives that stung my eyes.
I once thought I was Gu Ting's fiancée, but now I realized I was merely a dispensable substitute.
When I returned to the hospital for a follow-up check, the doctor’s grave expression was terrifying. “Miss Song, I’m sorry… Your test results indicate early symptoms of Acute Leukemia.”
I felt as if I had fallen into an ice pit. “What does this mean?”
The doctor sighed. “The extensive donation of bone marrow has caused irreversible damage to your body. The cancer cells have already spread; I recommend you be hospitalized for treatment immediately.”
I clutched the diagnosis report tightly, my hands and feet growing cold. The doctor continued speaking, but I couldn’t process his words anymore. Holding back tears, I asked, “How long do I have left?”
“With aggressive treatment, you might have about six months to a year.”
A year.
I silently repeated that number in my mind. A year ago, Gu Ting had whispered in my ear to take care of him for the rest of our lives; now, my own life was nearing its end.
Lin Weiwei had been abroad for ten years, and her sudden return home was not out of homesickness, but because she had been diagnosed with leukemia.
Gu Ting, in his desperation to save her, spared no expense in searching for a matching donor. And I, I was merely a hapless pawn in this unfolding drama.
While packing my things, a photograph slipped out from the drawer. It was an engagement photo of Gu Ting and me; he had his arms wrapped around my waist, a gentle smile gracing his face. I stared at that picture for a long time before finally tearing it to shreds and tossing it into the trash bin.
In the dead of night, the side effects of chemotherapy left me in unbearable pain. I curled up in bed, my pajamas soaked with cold sweat, my stomach churning violently. Trembling, I picked up my phone and sent Gu Ting a message: "I'm feeling really unwell. Can you come keep me company?"
The message sank into silence. I stared at the screen for half an hour, waiting until my eyes grew so sore that I could barely keep them open. Suddenly, my phone vibrated, and my heart raced. Was it Gu Ting replying?
I hurriedly opened the notification, only to find it was just a medication reminder from the hospital.
By chance, I scrolled through Lin Weiwei's social media and saw a photo she posted: "Thank you, Ting Ge, for the starry sky projector. My room is no longer afraid of the dark." The accompanying image was of a beautifully designed projector.
Gu Ting's comment followed closely: "My Princess Vivi deserves the best."
A wave of nausea washed over me as I rushed to the bathroom to dry heave. Once again, I dialed Gu Ting's number, but it rang out with no answer. The empty room echoed only with my labored breaths.
Ten years ago, Gu Ting was just a fresh graduate intern. Back then, he was full of ambition but had nothing to his name; it was I who stood by him through those toughest days. We shared instant noodles in our cramped rental and savored oden from convenience stores together.
I remember the first time he received his project bonus; he bought a cheap ring.
Holding my hand, he said, "Anxin, when I have money, I will definitely buy you the most expensive diamond ring."
I naively thought that after waiting for so many years, I would finally receive his proposal.
But what I got instead was the news of Lin Weiwei returning home.
"Wei Wei is my sister, who I've grown up with. Don't think too much about it," he explained, "You are my true love."
But now?
His true love is enduring pain in solitude while he is accompanying his sister.
I forced myself to get up from the bed, reaching for the anti-nausea medication on the bedside table; the cold pills scraped painfully against my throat.
Comment 0 Comment Count