At the hospital...
Jie had finally been able to see his daughter after her fever subsided. He sat on her bed beside her and held her small hand in his own. Seeing the IV that was attached to her other hand, his heart clenched in pain. He couldn't bear to see her even getting pricked slightly but now, he had to see her in this condition. It really broke his heart.
She was so small. How much she must be hurting?
Usually, even if she fell down, she'd kick up a fuss and kept calling him. Even if it didn't hurt at all, she had to have her dad's attention. The cunning baby loved to trick him but he never minded it. Because as long as he held her in his arms, she'd say she was fine.
But now, she wasn't even calling out to him. She had never been this silent even in her sleep. Because she had a habit of sleep-talking. It was something Bao always teased her about. He said she was that radio that never turns off.
But now this non-stop radio was too quiet and this silence was stifling to Jie. He found it suffocating. He placed her small hand against his lips and placed a gentle kiss before letting her hand linger against the side of his face. Her body wasn't hot anymore.
"How long are you gonna sleep for? Wake up already!" he said in a whisper. "Dad really can't see you like this." He was silent for a while before adding, "You said you don't like to see dad sad. Then how can you make dad sad right now? Please, wake up, eh?"
He swallowed his own saliva with much difficulty before saying, "Didn't you want us to move somewhere far away? If you wake up now, I promise we'll move. Far, far away! Very far! But for that, you first have to get better."
He felt someone's hand on his shoulder and tilted his head to see Ye Jun standing beside him. "Bro, she's fine. Our Juju is fine now. Don't worry!"
"How can I not worry?" retorted Jie. "In all these years, she has never stopped talking to me for more than ten minutes. No matter how much she had been upset with me, she'd always talk to me after ten minutes of the silent treatment. Ten minutes had been her limit! But now, she has not said a word for hours."
"Bro..." Ye Jun couldn't see his brother like this. "She is just sleeping. When she wakes up, you're the first person she'd look for."
Jie looked at her face again and said, "Then why isn't she waking up? I feel like she is upset with me that's why she doesn't want to wake up. How am I supposed to continue if she doesn't wake up?"
He felt someone getting on the bed behind him but before he could turn around, his son's small arms wrapped around his neck from behind.
"Dad, Juju is alright!" Bao's soft voice held a conviction and reassurance. "You don't cry. She doesn't like to see you crying."
Jie smiled at his son's words slightly and nodded his head, "I won't cry. Then tell her to wake up. Doesn't she always listen to you? Tell her, it's enough. She should wake up now. I'll give her anything she wants. She just needs to open her eyes and smile at me."
"See?" he pointed at her face saying, "She is hurting seeing you like this."
"How do you know she is hurting?" asked Jie.
"We're twins, I can feel it. Don't you know anything about the twin bond?"
Jie lifted his hand and rubbed his tiny head that was leaning on his shoulder from behind, "Since your twin bond is so strong, then all the more reason for you to convince her to wake up."
"She'll wake up once you stop crying," he replied.
"Son, are you trying to comfort your dad?"
"Maybe," was Bao's answer.
"It's not needed. It's written all over your face how worried you are about her. How can you comfort me at a time like this?"
Bao looked at Ye Jun and said, "Because clearly, Uncle J is doing an even worse job."
Ye Jun gaped at his nephew, "Little master, I know I suck at this. No need for personal attacks right now." Then he looked at his brother looking sulky, "Bro, now even your son is laughing at me. Please, listen to me and stop worrying, eh?"
Jie patted his brother's arm saying, "Then you should do a better job."
Ye Jun felt defeated, "How am I suppose to know how to comfort you? It has always been you comforting me. Not the other way around. It's your fault for not letting me even see any flaw."
"Maybe it is my fault," said Jie softly. "I should have raised you better." Then he turned to his son, and said, "Son, go over there. Don't cramp Juan's bed."
"Okay," replied Bao sensibly and jumped down from the bed before walking to the sofa in the corner and sitting down straight.
"Jun, help me with something."
"What is it?" Ye Jun instantly perked up. Finally, he had some use!
"Go and buy something for Bao to eat. He hasn't eaten anything yet," said Jie.
Ye Jun pouted to himself, it seemed he was only useful for buying food. But then again, food is most important in life. That means it was a huge responsibility that his brother had given him. He had to do it efficiently.
"Okay, I'll get something for Bao. What about you? You haven't had anything as well. What do you want? I'll bring that as well."
Jie shook his head, "No. I'm fine. There is no need to buy anything."
"Bro..."
Before he could continue, Jie went on, "I won't be able to swallow anything. So, just do as I said."
Ye Jun looked at his brother's face a moment longer before nodding.