"You’ve come at a bad time; the situation has taken a turn for the worse."
Lin Xinlan had just gotten off the plane and, hearing this, was instantly bewildered.
"What situation has gotten worse?"
"Not long ago, Rong Shaoze’s heartbeat showed signs of stopping. We resuscitated him and, for now, he’s temporarily stabilized. However, we can’t guarantee that he will get through the critical period. If there are no abnormal signs within six hours, his life could be considered saved, otherwise..."
She didn’t need him to finish to understand the implication.
Otherwise, he would die!
Lin Xinlan felt a tightness in her chest and quickly grabbed his sleeve, "Take me to see him, I need to see him right now!"
Having just found out that he was still alive, she couldn’t express how relieved she felt.
Now, hearing that he might die, her heart plummeted from euphoria to despair.
The disparity was too great for her to bear.
In the chaos and fear in her heart, she felt a sudden rush of emotions, and her eyes reddened with tears that began to glimmer.
Tao Hua said indifferently, "Come with me first, but you can’t see him yet. He’s in the intensive care unit, and you’re not allowed in."
Lin Xinlan was holding Xiaocong in her arms; the gunshots in the church had already frightened her, and it was only with great effort that she was able to hold the child.
Now, hearing about Rong Shaoze’s critical condition, she felt completely drained, devoid of any strength.
Tao Hua took a couple of steps away, and as she tried to follow, her legs gave out, and both she and Xiaocong fell to the ground.
Fortunately, she protected the child with her hands, and Xiaocong was not hurt. But her arms and knees were scraped, and she couldn’t help but take a sharp intake of breath from the pain.
Turning his head to see her condition, Tao Hua immediately felt a pang of guilt.
He started to wonder if the joke he and Xu Yao had played went too far.
Xiaocong, being clever, hurriedly got up to support her, "Mommy, I’ll help you."
"Mommy is fine," she said, pushing herself up, deciding not to carry the child as she no longer had the strength.
Following Tao Hua, they entered a villa and stopped in front of a door to an intensive care ward that was exceptionally sturdy.
He told them, "He’s inside there, but you can’t go in. If there’s any news, I’ll let you know."
Lin Xinlan stared intently at the door, as if she could see Rong Shaoze through it.
"Can’t I take even a quick look?"
"I’ll arrange for you to go in later, but not just yet. You should go rest for now, and the child must be shocked as well."
Lin Xinlan hesitated for a moment but then nodded in agreement.
There was a resting room adjacent, where she and Xiaocong sat on the sofa; Tao Hua had someone bring them hot water and some food.
Xiaocong leaned against Lin Xinlan’s embrace, looking up to ask, "Mommy, did uncle just say that daddy is sick?"
Not wanting to frighten him, Lin Xinlan forced a smile and said, "Daddy is sick, but he will get better after a sleep. Are you tired, Xiaocong? If you’re tired, you can rest awhile."
He shook his head, "I want to wait for daddy to wake up."
He was looking forward to and anxious about seeing his father soon. He didn’t even know what his father looked like, or what his voice sounded like.
"You sleep for a bit first, and if daddy wakes up, mommy will wake you right away."
"...You have to remember to wake me up, okay?" The little guy was actually very tired, but upon hearing Lin Xinlan say this, he immediately relaxed.
Yawning, he nestled into her arms and closed his eyes