The City Hospital
Qiao Ze stood beside the hospital bed, looking down at Sui Yan: "Get some good rest and recover first, we'll talk later."
The young girl lying on the bed was no more than thirteen or fourteen years old. Though she should have been in a carefree, radiant stage of life, she appeared unusually timid and cautious.
"Brother Qiao Ze, I..." Sui Yan hesitated, but did not manage to say anything further.
Qiao Ze had just graduated from school and started working at the hospital, so he was typically quite busy.
He did not wait for Sui Yan to continue speaking, but simply poured her a cup of hot water. "Don't move around for now. I'll contact Sui Uncle later to come and see you."
Sui Yan pursed her lips and kept her head lowered, remaining silent.
It was only after Qiao Ze had left the ward that she bent down to touch her leg.
The pain had grown so intense that she was nearly numb. A sense of unease crept into Sui Yan's heart.
It seemed that... she might not get better.
Sui Jinhong did not arrive at the hospital until the evening. Upon hearing from his assistant that his youngest daughter had been in a car accident, he immediately put aside his work to come see her.
Standing outside the ward, he peered through the small window at the young girl inside.
Sui Yan's face was pale as she sat quietly on the bed, her lower leg fully wrapped in bandages - a sight that tugged at the heartstrings.
Sui Jinhong lightly knocked on the door before entering. "Yan."
Sui Yan glanced blankly towards the door, but quickly averted her gaze.
Sui Jinhong could only resign himself to his daughter's personality.
Her birth mother had passed away unexpectedly, and initially he had failed to notice the gradual change in the young girl's demeanor as she became more withdrawn.
By the time he realized what was happening, Sui Yan had grown increasingly reluctant to converse with others.
He sat down beside the hospital bed and gently brushed Sui Yan's long hair back behind her ear. "Yan, were you injured anywhere else? Don't be afraid, everything will be alright."
Sui Yan suppressed her urge to shy away from her father's affectionate gesture.
After a long while, she finally spoke in a hoarse voice, "Dad... go home. Otherwise, Sister will have to wait till very late to eat dinner because of you."
Sui Jinhong sighed. "I've already called Aunt Ye. They'll be here soon."
He paused briefly. "Yan, Dad will find you the best doctor."
Sui Yan gave a bitter smile. "What about the driver? The one who hit me."
Sui Jinhong was taken aback. "Wasn't he taken away by the police?"
Sui Yan shifted her body slightly and nodded. "Oh."
So he doesn't want to deal with this matter.
Well, it makes sense... she was just an extra burden after all.
Sui Jinhong did not understand why his youngest daughter's mood had suddenly soured. As he was about to say something, his assistant knocked on the door from outside. "Mr. Sui, your wife has been sent to the emergency room."
Sui Jinhong stood up abruptly. "What happened?"
The assistant looked both helpless and worried. "The doctors there said that your wife has had a chronic illness, but this time it flared up more severely."
Sui Jinhong frowned. He knew that Ye Wan's illness stemmed from a miscarriage several years ago.
Concerned, he glanced back at Sui Yan, but she kept her head lowered, her expression unreadable. "Dad, go and see Aunt Ye. I'm fine now."
Sui Jinhong hesitated for a moment. "Yan, I'll have your sister come and take care of you."
With that, he left the ward in large strides.
The assistant remained standing there, sighing lightly. He said to Sui Yan, "Miss Sui, the master..."
"I know," Sui Yan replied, her voice unnaturally calm.
The assistant sighed again and carefully retreated from the ward, though he did not leave entirely - instead standing outside to keep watch over the situation inside.
