Chapter 690: I don't want you to see 689

“Hmm!”

A gentle smile lingered on Wen Ran’s delicate face as a soft and tender voice slipped from her crimson lips.

She had been waiting for his call, and she knew very well, that he would undoubtedly call her.

The soft laughter of Mo Xiuchen echoed from the other end of the phone, as he casually said, “I’m right now in D Country, Ranran, and I’m staying in the same hospital room you were previously in.”

The way he put it, it felt as if he wasn’t in the hospital suffering from an illness, but just living in a hotel they’d once shared, during a business trip. Regardless, his words sent a pang of pain echoing throughout Wen Ran’s heart.

She pursed her lips tightly as the image of him lying in a hospital bed, speaking to her on the phone began to play across her mind. Not seeing him for a few days, she thought that he must have gotten slimmer, and his complexion probably even paler.

However, there were some questions, she did not want to ask.

Really not wanting to bring up these issues, she changed the topic: “Mo Xiuchen, we’ve already eaten half of the cherries off the cherry tree. The cherries my brother brought you, have you eaten them yet?”

She had plucked each and every one of them.

That night, when Gu Kai rushed from G City downtown to the countryside, telling her that he must make it to A City overnight, her first thought was that Mo Xiuchen’s condition had worsened, to the point that she did not want to admit.

Before Gu Kai could finish speaking, she staggered and her face turned pale.

Shen Yuting and Bai Xiaoxiao noticed her condition, their eyes reddening. Just as Shen Yuting was about to speak, Wen Ran grabbed Gu Kai’s hand and asked anxiously:

“Brother, is it because Mo Xiuchen can’t hold on any longer?”

As she said this, tears welled up in her eyes and brilliantly streamed down her face.

Gu Kai rushed to reassure her, “Ranran, don’t cry, Mo Xiuchen is fine. Dad called me to say that the drug has already passed the animal testing stage and is going to skip the following clinical trial and is planned to be used for Mo Xiuchen’s disease.”

Wen Ran didn’t believe his words. She understood Mo Xiuchen. His trip to A City was to negotiate with Liao Dongxing and to confront Fu Jingyi, who hurt them both. Not long ago, he had called her and told her that he would be able to meet Fu Jingyi in two days’ time.

But, just after a mere two hours, he had appeared before her, saying he had to rush to A City that very night. How could Wen Ran possibly believe this?

Her tears, like a broken pearl necklace, dropped ceaselessly.

Gu Kai watched her, feeling distressed. He reached out to wipe her tears while comforting her, “Ranran, believe me, Mo Xiuchen isn’t as seriously ill as you think…Okay, I’ll tell you. His condition changes daily. The reason why I’m in such a hurry is that when I spoke with him tonight, he said that his headache was accompanied by temporary blindness.”

Wen Ran widened her tearful eyes, sorrowfully looking at him.

Yet again, a pang of distress tugged at Gu Kai’s heart, but he continued, “In order for Mo Xiuchen to recover as soon as possible, I decided to accompany him for treatment abroad tomorrow morning. You should be happy, because the drug test has been successful. If everything goes well, Mo Xiuchen will be back to pick you up in half a month.”

Despite her fear and worry, Wen Ran did not lose her mind. She still remembered clearly, and even caught Gu Kai’s uncertain phrase,”What do you mean ‘if everything goes well’?” she countered. “Brother, since Dad and Professor Brown have already developed the drug and the tests have been successful, why is it not for certain? You just said these drugs have only passed the animal testing stage and have not been through the clinical trials. Doesn’t that mean there is a substantial risk?”

“Ranran, any surgery carries risks.”

“Surgery? Has Mo Xiuchen’s illness reached the point that surgery is necessary?”

Wen Ran murmured with a hushed voice, her heart aching severely. She had not forgotten. Mo Xiuchen showed symptoms of headaches, nosebleeds, and now, even temporary blindness.

What kind of surgery could it be? Would they have to open up his skull?

“Ranran, it’s just an analogy. Nothing is absolute. But you should believe me, believe in dad, and trust Mo Xiuchen, right? If you really can’t rest easy, you can come with me to A City. That’s why I came to see you tonight.”

Wen Ran quickly shook her head, “No, I won’t go. Brother, since you’re going to A City, then I will pick some cherries for Mo Xiuchen. He loves cherries too, so you wait for me.”

Wen Ran thought so quickly that Gu Kai didn’t catch on immediately. As soon as she turned around to bolt towards the door, he regained his senses and immediately chased after her, “Ranran, it’s cold outside. You’ll catch a cold if you go out like this.”

“Ranran, put on a jacket before you go out, I’ll get it for you.”

After hearing Gu Kai, Bai Xiaoxiao hurriedly grabbed a jacket for Wen Ran. Several people accompanied her downstairs into the courtyard to pick cherries for Mo Xiuchen.

Wen Ran didn’t allow them to assist. She climbed up the cherry tree herself, meticulously picking the reddest, biggest, and sweetest cherries. Shen Yuting and Bai Xiaoxiao held flashlights for her while Gu Kai stood at the base of the tree, his heart pounding in fear, constantly reminding her to be careful.

When she finished picking the cherries, she instructed Gu Kai. On the way to the airport, Gu Kai relayed to Mo Xiuchen her words.

Now, when Wen Ran mentioned cherries, Mo Xiuchen recalled all that Gu Kai had repeated to him. His voice, warm and soft replied, “Ranran, I ate them. The cherries were sweet. But don’t climb trees anymore. If you want to eat cherries, let Qing Feng and Qing Yang pick them for you. It’s not safe to climb trees yourself.”

A tender smile was reflected on Wen Ran’s face as she heard his concerned words, a surge of warmth coursing through her heart, “I know, don’t you worry. I will be careful.”

Then, the phone line fell silent.

Mo Xiuchen remained still for a moment. When he spoke again, his words were hesitant and probing, “Ranran, would you like to come to D Country?”

The smile on Wen Ran’s face stiffened slightly, as the grip around her phone tightened marginally, her voice calmly replied, “No, I don’t want to, Mo Xiuchen. I’m not used to foreign food, and I do not like the smell of hospitals. I prefer to stay here, I’ll wait for you here.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

She feared to go, scared that once she left, he would not return.

She didn’t like hearing him suggest that she should go either. Did it mean that he was becoming afraid?

His one sentence had suddenly thrown her into emotional turmoil. Her mind was in chaos and she didn’t know what to do. Her stubborn heart throbbed with the determination for him to come back and get her.

She knew she was being selfish. When she needed Mo Xiuchen, he had stayed by her side unwavering. At that time, she wasn’t as tormented as he was now, and she hadn’t experienced being in sickly pain like this. Yet, Mo Xiuchen was inconsolably distressed.

But now, he needed her just as much.

Moreover, he endured things that nobody should have to. His headaches were associated with loss of sight. The fear that would bring was unimaginable. She dared not accompany him, simply because he initially told her not to.

Mo Xiuchen didn’t become angry at her refusal. Instead, he chuckled. It was the answer he was expecting, “Ranran, I was just joking. I also don’t want you to see me in my current unsightly state.”