Gu Rong's eyes gently fluttered open the next day. He looked at the white ceiling above and felt it was different compared to his bedroom. He turned his head to the side and felt a presence near his hand.
His eyes stretched wide and his light dizziness snapped away seeing Yating's head rest on the bed. He exhaled soft breaths, fast asleep.
Gu Rong couldn't immediately grasp the situation but it slowly occurred to him that he was at the hospital. With that, the memories of last night started flooding in.
His calm breaths began to grow laborious and he trembled. Yating, who was dozing off, felt his movements and woke up. He gasped seeing Gu Rong shaking and shuddering so unstably.
"Dad!"
Standing on his feet, he quickly held his shoulders. "Dad, I am here. What happened? I will call the doctor!"
Gu Rong vigorously shook his head and stared at him with tears in his eyes. "Don't leave...Are you leaving my side?" He breathlessly asked.
"Dad, I will just head out to call the doctor-"
"No! Just stay here..." his face knitted into discomforting creases as he urged him.
Yating pursed his lips and sat down. "Okay. I am here. Just breathe now please and calm down. I am not going anywhere."
Gu Rong felt relieved hearing that and he dazedly nodded. Yating grabbed his phone and dropped a quick message to Chyou to call the doctor.
Yating smiled at him and tenderly placed his hand on his palm. He patted it with his fingers and said, "You are finally awake...I was so scared when you..." his hoarse voice couldn't form the words.
Gu Rong stared at him and his heart skipped a nervous beat.
Does he know about my health...?
The doctor and nurse stepped in just then followed by Chyou, Xiaosi and Butler Mo.
"Master!" Butler Mo was already shedding tears even before he entered the ward.
Chyou and Xiaosi stood by Yating's side as the doctor checked him. He frowned. "Your pulse still seems a little unstable."
Yating quickly rejected the idea. "I will eat later. I will stay here by Dad's side."
Chyou glared at him. "How will you nurse him when you will be weak yourself? Look at how malnourished you look already."
Butler Mo nodded. "Yes, young master. Please eat something. I am here till then."
Yating pressed his lips and sighed. Chyou grinned and locked her arms in his. "Let's stuff our bellies with food hoho!"
Xiaosi gave Butler Mo a signal and he silently nodded. He, too, left after a moment. Xiaosi took the seat where Yating was sitting before and helplessly smiled.
"You are getting old, Rong. You know you should take care of yourself."
He trembled and bit the inner side of his cheek. "You have n-no idea what happened..."
"I know. Butler Mo and Yating told me. Though I don't know the full picture, I have made my guesses. Now you also know that you need to tell Yating everything."
Gu Rong already felt suffocated hearing that as his gaze turned blurry.
"I-I cannot...He will hate me. He will leave my side."
"That's just your assumptions. Yating is an adult now. He can think and decide for himself. Have a little faith in your son," his eyes narrowed. "He is already hurt by the fact that you hid your medical condition from him."
He stiffened.
"Rong," Xiaosi used a stern tone, "You cannot keep protecting your own feelings all the time. You are way too afraid and overthinking something that I am sure won't happen. But you just aren't ready to give Yating a chance to understand you. Now you cannot back off anyway. So I am here to tell you that you have to be strong as you tell him the past. Just lay out the facts as they were."
"It's not that easy..."
"It is easy but the problem is that you are not trusting Yating enough. Believe in your son, Rong. Believe in how you have raised him. You won't be disappointed. He is calm, mature and smart. He is a good man.
Why do you think I agreed to your marriage proposal?"
He patted his shoulder. "Recover to your good health first and then talk to Yating. You cannot keep running away forever. Have faith in your son, Rong. He won't leave you."