When they heard the doctor's answer, everyone stood there stunned. They froze for a long time.
After a while, Lu Jingli asked emotionally, "What do you mean 'unable to breathe on her own'? What 'missing brain stem reaction and brain waves'... These damned descriptions... Aren't they all just a way of describing a dead person? Doctor, can you please be clearer?"
The main surgeon was the President of the hospital himself, and he knew how important this operation was. However, at that moment, he could only be honest. "The patient has now entered into a deep coma. Currently, we can only use a breathing machine and medication to sustain the patient's sign of life. Once life support is pulled off, the patient will immediately be dead."
With the doctor's words, the entire corridor fell into a deathly stillness.
Yan Ruyi turned pale as she slumped onto the bench. "How could this be... How could this be?"
Lu Tingxiao was like a statue as he stood there without moving at all.
The doctor paused and looked at Lu Tingxiao. "My condolences to the family members. I apologize that right now I still have to formally ask if... you want to continue to keep the patient on life support or... remove it... and let the patient pass away in ease..."
A while later, the tension in the air was at its peak. No one said anything. In the end, it was still Tang Lang who asked with a tremble in his voice, "What will happen if we continue to keep the life support?"
"If you continue to keep the support... then she'll be in what we commonly know as being in a vegetative state. She might lie on the bed forever. Usually, even if we use machines and medication to sustain them, they'll only be able to hold on for slightly over ten years because when the time passes, the patient's living functions will gradually degenerate," answered the doctor with a sigh. Even though this was considered living, it was actually just living to suffer.
Every word that the doctor said chilled everyone's hearts even more.
"Of course, we'll keep her! Even if she's in a vegetative state, there might be a day when she wakes up!" Lu Jingli quickly said.
The doctor nodded. "That's right. Even though the chances are very minimal, there have been many previous successful cases."
"Is that still a question then? Of course, we'll maintain life support!" Lu Jingli immediately decided.
The doctor looked a little unsure. At last, he still turned to Lu Tingxiao and asked, "CEO Lu, do you want to..."
When Lu Jingli saw that the doctor was still asking his brother, he became very anxious. Asking his brother this question was practically the same as using a knife to stab his heart!
Some seconds passed before the empty corridor was filled with the man's raspy voice, "Continue the life support."
"Okay, understood," the doctor sighed and left.
...
In the best ward of the hospital.
At that moment, that girl, who was always so reckless and at ease as the wind, now lay quietly on the bed. She had been beaten black and blue, and had lost all consciousness. She could only rely on the breathing machine to preserve her life.
Lu Tingxiao sat in front of the sick bed without any expression on his face. He carefully held the girl's hand, which was filled with little cuts, and gently lowered his head to plant a kiss on it as if he was afraid that he would disturb her even though he knew that she might never wake up ever again.
Xiao Xi... I'm sorry...
Forgive me for being selfish...
I can't let you go...
I am sorry...
Outside the door, Yan Ruyi and Lu Chongshan did not enter because they blamed themselves. They looked through the window into the ward with solemn expressions on their faces.
They saw their stern and apathetic eldest son, who usually remained calm even if he met with the most insurmountable challenges, currently holding a girl's hands with his head buried, shoulders trembling as he broke down in tears...