Chapter 1136 Heartbroken
"Uncle, you..."
"I'm fine..." Zhang Jianguo said, with tears in his eyes, but his tone was much calmer.
"When people get old, there will always be a day when they will die. My mother is almost 90 years old this year. There is an old saying that it is rare for a person to live to 70. She is almost 90 years old. Even if she dies, it will be a happy funeral..."
Although Zhang Jianguo said this, Song Chaoyuan could hear the pain and reluctance in his heart. In fact, he felt the same way! Everyone understands the truth, but when this happens to them, how many people can accept it calmly?
Song Yuanchao couldn't do it, and neither could Zhang Jianguo. They had only lived a few years of good life, and now Zhang's mother was about to leave them. It was impossible for them not to feel sad.
"I asked the doctor earlier, and this is what the doctor told me..." Song Chaoyuan did not hide it and conveyed what the doctor told him to Zhang Jianguo. Zhang Jianguo listened quietly without saying anything, and subconsciously picked up the cigarette to smoke, but when he took a puff, he found that the cigarette was out.
After giving him another cigarette and helping him light it, Zhang Jianguo sighed, "This day will come sooner or later. I'm not young anymore, I'm over 60 years old. Who knows, that day..."
"Uncle!" Song Yuanchao interrupted him quickly. What are you talking about? Can you just say this casually?
Zhang Jianguo smiled bitterly and continued, "Don't worry about Mom's affairs. Didn't the doctor say that this is the only way to arrange it now? Let's try to keep her here for a few more days to reduce her pain."
Song Yuanchao nodded silently. This was actually what he thought. They had no other good ideas now, and this was the only thing they could do.
"Uncle, please call Haozi and ask them to come back as soon as possible. I'm worried about my mother..." Song Chaoyuan said.
Zhang Jianguo immediately nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes! This is a big deal, we need to get them back soon."
Song Chaoyuan and Zhang Jianguo smoked two cigarettes downstairs and chatted briefly. At this time, they were very confused and had no other options, so they could only take things one step at a time.
On the same day, Song Chaoyuan called Song Yangming and asked him to arrange the company's affairs as soon as possible and return to Shanghai from Nanjing. Zhang's mother's condition was not good and she could die at any time. The younger generation must come back early, otherwise they would not be able to see her for the last time.
The same thing happened on Zhang Jianguo's side. After receiving the call, Zhang Hao rushed over from Hong Kong with his wife and children. After arriving in Shanghai, they went to the hospital to see Zhang's mother first. When they saw the old woman lying quietly on the hospital bed, Zhang Hao's face instantly burst into tears.
In order to better accompany the old lady through her last days, Song Chaoyuan and others took turns to stay in the hospital to take care of her. Especially Zhang Hao, as a grandson, he was in the hospital almost every day. Many times Song Yuanchao saw him sitting beside the bed, staring at his grandmother in tears, and felt very sad.
"Haozi, eat something and go to the next room to rest. You can't go on like this." After a few days, Zhang Hao looked much more haggard. Song Chaoyuan came back from outside with his meal and saw Zhang Hao still in the ward. He gently called him out, handed him the food in his hand, and then pointed inside to indicate that he would go and accompany him.
Zhang Hao shook his head and said nothing. Song Chaoyuan patted his shoulder and said, "Go and rest for a while. Are you worried about my brother being with you? Go look at yourself in the mirror. If you continue like this, your health will be damaged. If your mother wakes up and sees you like this, she will be distressed."
Zhang Hao hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded in agreement. He carried the food and walked towards the next door, but after taking two steps, he suddenly turned back and asked, "Brother, do you think my mother can still...?"
"Yes! I definitely will!" Song Chaoyuan gave him an affirmative look. Zhang Hao felt slightly relieved and then went into the next room.
After Zhang Hao left, Song Chaoyuan walked to where Zhang Hao had just sat. Looking at Zhang's mother who had not woken up for a long time, his eyes couldn't help but become moist again.
He found that because she had been lying down for a long time, Zhang's mother's white hair was a little messy. Song Chaoyuan thought for a while, found a wooden comb from the drawer beside him, leaned over and gently helped Zhang's mother tidy up her hair.
Although Zhang's mother had a hard life for most of her life, she would always keep herself neat and tidy even in the most difficult times. Song Yuanchao knew this old woman very well. She didn't like being sloppy. Even though she was lying unconscious now, she probably hoped that she could be as neat and tidy as when she was awake.
After combing the old man's hair, Song Yuanchao put the comb back and sat beside the bed, staring at the old man blankly.
Memories of the past once again surged up in my heart, and tears quietly rolled down my cheeks.
"Mother, it's Yuan Chao, Mother..." Song Chaoyuan called softly. He hoped that Mother Zhang would open her eyes, look at him with a smile as in his memory, or even reach out her hand and stroke his head gently, just like before.
Unfortunately, Zhang's mother was still lying there quietly. If it weren't for the medical equipment around her, Song Yuanchao would have thought she was gone.
He reached out and held Zhang's mother's left hand, which was a pair of dry and thin hands, with no flesh on them, and he could only feel the bones. But holding her hand, Song Yuanchao felt extremely peaceful in his heart , just like when his mother held his hand when he was a child, smiling and taking him to the nearby vegetable market, passing by the grocery store at the door, and because he was greedy for the fruit candies in the glass jar on the counter, Zhang's mother would squeeze out two cents from her teeth to buy him a few candies.
She would peel off the candy wrapper, put the candy into Song Yuanchao's mouth, and then ask with a smile , "Is it sweet?" Whenever Song Chaoyuan said it was really sweet, Zhang's mother would be so happy that she couldn't close her mouth, picked him up and said, "Let's go home," and go back home together...
A tear fell and hit the back of his hand, and Song Chaoyuan couldn't help but sob softly.
Over the years, except for the time when he went to Gusu to visit his parents and confided his troubles to them, Song Yuanchao would cry, but he had never been as sad as he is now.
In front of outsiders, Song Yuanchao always showed a strong appearance, but in front of Zhang's mother, especially now when he was alone, Song Yuanchao's weakest side was revealed without any cover. Just like when he was a child, when he was beaten by his father for being naughty, Song Yuanchao would run to Zhang's mother for help, and Zhang's mother would protect him like an old hen protecting her chicks, and at the same time scold her father for hitting him so hard? Teach your children well, don't always hit them...
His parents had passed away long ago, and the only elder closest to him in the world was Zhang's mother. But now, Zhang's mother's life was about to come to an end, and Song Chaoyuan could only watch helplessly, feeling very sad.
The sobbing gradually became louder, and Song Chaoyuan couldn't hold back his tears. He tried hard to hold back his grief, but he just couldn't!
"Don't cry..." Suddenly, a familiar and soft voice sounded in his ears. Song Yuanchao was stunned. He instantly wondered if he had auditory hallucinations. Why did this voice sound like what Zhang's mother said?
"Aid Korea... Stop crying..."
He didn't hear it, it was Zhang's mother who was talking. Song Chaoyuan suddenly raised his head and looked at Zhang's mother on the bed. When he saw that Zhang's mother had opened her eyes and was looking at him with gentle eyes, Song Chaoyuan couldn't believe it.
"Mother! Mother, are you awake?"
"Yuanchao, why are you crying? You are already a grandfather, why are you still crying like a child?" Zhang's mother asked Song Yuanchao with a smile. Although her words were very soft, Song Yuanchao heard them clearly. Moreover, his speech was not incoherent as usual, but seemed very sober.
Zhang's mother said this, and then her expression showed understanding. She seemed to have realized that she was in the hospital, and seemed to recall the things that happened before she fell into a coma.
"Yuan Chao, I'm telling you, people will die one day. I'm old, and old people will die. I'm over 80 years old, and you're all grown up and successful now. I've lived a good life, and it's worth it..."
"Mother, I'll go call someone over! I'll go call someone right away!" Song Chaoyuan said hurriedly, wiping his tears.
Zhang's mother shook her head: "Wait a moment, no hurry, mother wants to talk to you first..."
Song Yuanchao nodded vigorously. At this moment, he felt vaguely uneasy. Perhaps this was A Niang's last moment of consciousness.
The words "last glimmer of life" flashed through Song Yuanchao's mind, making him want to cry. However, seeing his mother sober up in front of him, Song Yuanchao knew that he couldn't be sad anymore. He forced himself to smile, suppressing his grief, and talked to his mother.
Mother Zhang held Song Yuanchao's hand and said a few words. Her words contained instructions and reluctance. Most of the time, she was explaining her funeral arrangements, asking Song Yuanchao to remember to make arrangements according to her wishes and not to hold a grand ceremony, as the children were already very busy, so he just needed to keep things simple after she was gone.
"Yuan Chao, mother is leaving. Do you think I can see you again in the next life?" Zhang's mother suddenly asked.
Song Yuanchao tried hard to hold back his tears and said, "I will definitely do it! I will definitely do it!"
"I think so too. In the next life, can you be my grandson?" Zhang's mother raised her hand, as if she wanted to touch Song Yuanchao's head, but she was too weak. Her hand only moved slightly but she didn't have the strength to do the following action.
Song Yuanchao quickly lifted her hand and placed it on his head, unable to hold back his tears.
"Yuanchao, you are old now, and you have all white hair..." Zhang's mother said softly. At this time, Song Yuanchao could no longer hold back his tears.
"Don't cry... don't cry. Go and call them all over. Mother has something to tell your uncle and the others." Mother Zhang said with a smile.
Song Yuanchao nodded vigorously, stood up and ran out, first calling the doctor, while knocking on the door next door while on the phone. A moment later, Zhang Hao, who had just rested for a short time, heard the sound and ran over. In less than half an hour, the rest of the people also rushed over one after another...
