Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
On the last day of the National Day holiday, Wang Mei and Professor Sun were both discharged from the hospital. Wang Mei had mostly recovered from her concussion, while Professor Sun needed to rest at home for a hundred days due to his arm injury.
Li Hao was about to leave Xiangtian Province again. That night, Lin Xiao tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, wishing she could cling to him. For the past few days, Li Hao had been holding her while they slept, which was a torment—he could see her but couldn’t touch her. He didn’t want to let go, and as a result, he spent the entire night restless.
Lin Xiao squirmed in his arms for a while before finally burrowing under the covers. "Wife," Li Hao called out, having long wanted to say that. But he didn’t dare.
Lin Xiao felt that she was approaching thirty, an age full of vitality, yet she found herself drawn to this ugly thing so much. "Wife, don’t tire yourself out," Li Hao said, feeling satisfied as he looked at Lin Xiao’s slightly protruding belly.
Li Hao loved that little bump so much that he kept greeting their baby. "Li Hao, don’t overdo it; you’re not allowed to talk to the baby," Lin Xiao scolded playfully, feeling quite embarrassed.
"I asked the doctor; it’s fine if I’m gentle," he replied.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao asked, "Why didn’t you say so earlier?"
Li Hao was overjoyed; he thought she didn’t want him to do anything and had endured for four days without acting recklessly.
The next day, Li Hao went to the airport. Lin Xiao didn’t dare walk to work as usual; instead, she obediently got into the black jeep that had come from the capital.
Guard Li drove while Guard Ma sat in the back with Lin Xiao. She stared out the window, which made her feel very nervous.
Professor Sun’s stitches would be removed in a month. Lin Xiao’s belly continued to grow larger, and when it was time for her maternity leave, it would be Wang Mei and the two guards accompanying her.
During the month when Lin Xiao was pregnant, Lin Hao still hadn't returned. Every day, Lin Xiao diligently checked the national anti-corruption website, and one day, it suddenly reported that Miao Zhang, the Vice Governor of Xiangtian Province, had been placed under investigation. Lin Xiao felt an urge to buy a whip and fire a shot in the courtyard of the unit.
A week later, Ding Li, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of Xiangtian Province, was also placed under investigation. Another week passed, and the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee faced the same fate. It was like a thunderclap on a clear day.
Recently, as Lin Xiao read these news articles, her heart raced with anxiety. Li Hao hadn’t contacted her, and she didn’t dare to reach out to him either. One after another, corrupt officials from various regions were being exposed like thunder after rain; every week they appeared on the national anti-corruption website, igniting a nationwide campaign against corruption.
After New Year's Day, as Lin Xiao approached her due date, Li Hao briefly called but didn’t clarify when he would return. Lin Xiao began to experience pre-labor symptoms and felt scared.
"Why don’t you let your mother come over to keep you company?" suggested Professor Sun.
Lin Xiao shook her head; she could no longer trust her mother, Lin Qi. She didn’t know how much more hurt she would endure if her mother came. Aside from Lin Xiao calling home, Lin Qi had never proactively called to ask how she was doing.
In the middle of the night, Lin Xiao was jolted awake by stomach pains. "Sister Wang, I think I’m about to give birth," she said.
Wang Mei, who had been sleeping on the floor nearby, jumped up, turned on the light, and called downstairs. Soon enough, they heard the sound of a door opening.
Li Guard carried Lin Xiao outside while Ma Guard grabbed the delivery bag. Wang Mei took hold of Lin Xiao's bag as they made their way out.
"I’m going with you," Professor Sun said; her arms were already able to move but couldn’t exert much strength.
"Mom, don’t go; they can take care of me," Lin Xiao felt a piercing pain that made her think it was unbearable.
"You’re my child; how can I not go?" Professor Sun hurriedly dressed and headed out.
Lin Xiao was sweating from the pain that came in waves. During each contraction, she gripped Wang Mei’s hand tightly; when it subsided, she practiced deep breathing using Lamaze techniques.
The Lido Water View wasn’t far from the Provincial Women and Children’s Hospital—just a ten-minute walk from their neighborhood—but unexpectedly at this late hour, someone was waiting for them.
This time was different from last time; last time there had been threats without any resolve to fight back. This time Li Hao had upset too many people’s interests; they were determined to take them down together.
A car crashed into them from the side while high beams lit up ahead. Li Guard couldn’t see clearly at all; Wang Mei and Professor Sun shielded Lin Xiao in between them in the back seat.
Drawing on years of combat experience, Ma Guard fired the first shot; the oncoming car veered off its path. Taking advantage of the misaligned headlights, Li Guard fired again; the car spun around and successfully broke through to safety.
The car that had come from behind continued its relentless pursuit. "Wang Mei told Lin Xiao to brace herself and sit tight."
Lin Xiao gritted her teeth, enduring the pain as she used her hands to brace against the front seat, protecting her abdomen.
Wang Mei opened the left rear door, gripping the overhead handle, and fired a steady shot at the rear tire of the pursuing vehicle. The occupants of that car began firing back, the sound of gunfire echoing as bullets struck the armored glass behind them. The jeep successfully broke free from the encirclement of two cars and sped through the hospital entrance.
As Li Guard picked up the shaken Lin Xiao, he realized that she was lying in a pool of blood.
Wang Mei shouted ahead for a doctor while Li Guard sprinted forward with all his might. Lin Xiao gradually lost consciousness.
When she awoke again, she found herself in a hospital bed. Panic surged through her as she instinctively touched her abdomen; it hurt, and it felt empty. She cried out, "Where's the baby?"
"Don't worry, the baby is here," Sun Professor quickly brought over an incubator containing the newborn.
"Is the baby okay?" Lin Xiao's heart eased slightly.
"The baby is healthy, but you lost a lot of blood and need to take care of yourself," Sun Professor said with a hint of sympathy.
"Mom, have you contacted Li Hao? Why hasn't he reached out to me these past couple of days?" Lin Xiao asked, feeling a bit wronged; after all, the child was his too.
"I've contacted him. He said he would come back to be with you as soon as he finishes dealing with things. It won't be long," Sun Professor reassured Lin Xiao.
Exhausted and weak, Lin Xiao drifted back to sleep.
Sun Professor and Wang Mei exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
What they were experiencing was also happening to Li Hao, and perhaps even more intensely. At that moment, Li Hao lay in a hospital bed himself, having just emerged from a two-day ordeal. In his condition, he couldn't reach out to Lin Xiao.
Both sides were caught in a deadly struggle that had escalated into a fight for survival. Politics had never been gentle; it was always fraught with bloodshed and turmoil.
Comment 0 Comment Count