"Child’s mother, why do you put yourself through this!" Director Zhang sat beside his wife, wringing out a damp towel to gently wipe her pale, haggard face. The strength in his hands was very gentle, and his heart ached tremendously for his wife.
Days like these were indeed torture.
Li Jiao’s tears slid down the corners of her eyes, turning into choked sobs, then erupted into loud crying.
Sobbing uncontrollably, it was a cry that pierced the heart, a cry of complete exhaustion.
Director Zhang reached out to firmly grasp his wife’s hand, sat on the edge of the bed, and gently lifted her up so her upper body rested against him. He embraced her tightly, offering her warmth and support.
Patting her back gently and tenderly, his voice was soft and deep as he comforted her, "There, there, crying it out is good. Child’s mother, I know you’re suffering inside, but think about the child, think about me. If we were to lose you, what would we two do? Could you bear to leave us behind?"
"Think about Xiaohan, she’s only twelve years old. She has always been sensible from a young age, and her academic performance is good, don’t you want to see her grow up, attend university, get married, and have children?"
"Look at me. We have been together for half a lifetime, do you really want to leave me to walk the rest of it alone? No one to talk to, nobody to accompany me, to end up so lonesome by myself?"
His voice carried an unspeakable roughness and choke, as a grown man actually wept.
Li Jiao sobbed in Director Zhang’s arms, clutching his hand tightly, "Child’s father, all I want is for you to lead a normal life. I can’t drag you down any longer, life has been too hard for Xiaohan and you, all because of me, all because of me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be living like this."
"Look at the white hairs on your head. You are just forty! Look at these white hairs..." Her fingers gently stroked the temples of her man, where the frosted strands were a cause for immense distress.
"But without you, have you thought about how miserable we would be? With you, our home is complete. Without you, what are the child and I supposed to do?" Director Zhang hadn’t realized his wife felt this way and was slightly angered by it.
Li Jiao collapsed in Director Zhang’s arms. Who wouldn’t want to live? Isn’t it said that a bad life is still better than a good death?
She didn’t want to die!
But living like this, suffering herself and causing others to suffer too, she couldn’t bear that a family of two should endure so much hardship because of her.
"Without me, you could find someone else, surely it would be better than now. At least you’d have someone who knows how to care for you, someone to look after your wellbeing, someone to take care of the child. It’s better than the child having to rush back from school every day. I have really become a burden, a burden indeed.
"What kind of life are the two of you living because of me? Look at our home, what’s left? All the money has been spent on medical treatment. Living like this, I suffer and you also suffer."
Director Zhang grabbed his wife’s shoulders and pushed her away at arm’s length, saying earnestly, "Stop thinking this way. Neither Xiaohan nor I think of you as a burden. With you, this home is complete. Without you, what’s the point of us living? So for me and the child, you need to live well, stay with our family, okay? Promise me!"
Li Jiao nodded with tears, but no one knew whether she truly accepted this advice.