Today, Chen Lihua was at the hospital when her cousin, Changying (Aunt Lin's daughter) called. The exchanged pleasantries, but if you are careful enough, you would know that they weren't that close.
Changying spoke with much urgency in her voice.
"Can I come to see you at the hospital? I have an important matter to talk to you about, it's urgent." Changying asked.
Chen Lihua lifted her left hand to take a look at the wrist watch on her wrist and asked, "I have a surgery to perform in few minutes time, so i will be in the operating theater for the next two hours. But I will ask someone to lead you to my office when you come, so you can wait there for me. Is that okay with you?."
"Yes, thank you so much." Changying said over the phone in a grateful tone.
"You are welcome, but can you at least give me a hint of what you want to talk about? Just brief me on it." Chen Lihua asked eagerly.
She wasn't that close to any of her cousins apart from the twins from her mother's side. Although she rarely communicated with the rest, they still checked up on each other once in a while.
The last time she spoke to Changying, was during the time she was recovering from her trauma. But before then, her wedding period was the last time they spoke.
So her cousin asking to speak to her about an urgent matter, the matter must be srious. So she wants to get a head'sup first.
Changying took a deep breath before speaking up. "My mum has been acting weirdly for some months now, and I think she is sick, but doesn't want anyone to know about it."
Chen Lihua was quiet for three seconds before she said in reply, "Alright, we will talk when you come to the hospital."
After the call, Chen Lihua took a deep breath and allowed her thoughts to wander as she had a look of concern and worry on her face.
If what her cousin said about her Aunt being sick, and trying to hide it from others, then that's not good news at all.
Chen Lihua is a doctor and a surgeon, so she knows the reasons most patients try to hide their health status from their family members. There are two reason for that.
One, it's either the illness is a minor one, and so the patient doesn't want to make a fuss about it. Or two, the patient is seriously or terminally ill and doesn't want to worry his family members.
But from what her cousin said about her Aunt acting weirdly for a few months now, she is afraid, it's the latter. Her Aunt maybe seriously ill.
But for now, she would try not to come to a conclusion until she has spoken with her cousin, seen her Aunt, and probably gets her to run some tests.
Recovering from her thoughts, Chen Lihua made a phone call, and passed on a message to bring her cousin to her office when she arrives.
Chen Lihua took a deep breath before standing up from her seat and taking her white coat along with her as she left her office for the operating theater.
After two hours of surgery, Chen Lihua came out from the theater, and was informed that her cousin has arrived and had been waiting for her for the past twenty minutes.
Chen Lihua washed her hands before going into her office in a hurry.
When her cousin saw her come in she stood up to greet her in a smile.
Chen Lihua gave her a little hug as she asked in a pleasant smile, "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, please have a seat."
"No need to be sorry, I should be the one apologizing for encroaching on your working ours." Changying said in a smile as she sat down.
"No troubles at all. So tell me, how are you, and how is everything going on with you?." Chen Lihua asked in a relaxred smile as she sat on her seat.
"I am fine. Lately managing the stores has taken a toll on me. It's not easy overseeing a muti-million company. Since my mum introduced me to the business, she has practically left everything for me to handle." Changying said with a little annoyance at the last words.
Chen Lihua chuckled softly looking at her cousin's facial expression. "Maybe she wants you to have a foothold in the business just like she had when she was at your age."
Changying sighed before saying to Chen Lihua in a teasing smile. "Married life is looking good on you, look at you, you are looking radiant as the day goes by."
"Thank you." Chen Lihua replied happily. She couldn't hide the joy in her heart.
"Do have a boyfriend?." Chen Lihua asked as she winked her eyes.
"Yes I do, but I hardly have time to meetup with him since i fully got into business." Changying replied in a mature manner.
"Don't say you don't have the time. In life, we can always find time for the ones we love." Chen Lihua said, speaking from experience.
"Yeah you are right." Changying said in agreement with her.
The two talked about their family (Chen) as it's the family they are related to, before riding down to business.
"Tell me about Aunt, you mentioned something about her on the phone." Chen Lihua asked.
"I noticed that she has been acting weirdly before the month of your wedding, but I didn't take it serious. But after your wedding when I began to spend some time with her at home, and watch her, I noticed a lot of things. She exercised early in the morning."
Chen Lihua cut her off with a question, "What is wrong with exercising in the morning?."
"Since I was growing up, I have never seen my mother exercise in the morning or do morning run or jogging. She only does yoga in the morning, and when she wants to exercise, she goes to the gym with her friends. Exercising in the morning it's not bad, and I am not against it. But what if she was never exercising like she said?. Changying asked.
"What do you mean? If she hasn't been exercising, what has she been doing?." Chen Lihua asked in surprise.
"I thought she has been exercising until one day she forgot her face towel on the parlor couch, so I decided to go and give it to her and join her in the morning exercise. I went to the park where she normally goes for the exercise, and saw her sitting there lost in thought, I stood at a distance and watched her for few minutes, before walking up to her. She didn't even know that I was standing in front of her until I called her attention."