Chapter 412: Chapter 371: Let’s Not Say Goodbye
After a series of tests, Gu Qili waited in the doctor’s office for the results. The hospital’s most authoritative internist, whom Tang Tianyou found, had just returned from overseas, glittering with prestige, making it very difficult to secure an appointment with him.
"Why are you all so nervous? It’s just exhaustion; there won’t be any serious problems," Gu Qili comforted Mickey, who had been with her for each test, looking even more anxious than her. And there was Tang Tianyou—who kept asking questions until the doctors were almost exasperated.
"We’re scared to death, and here you are acting like nothing’s wrong," Mickey pursed her lips, her hands gripping Gu Qili’s arms, "I just hope nothing is wrong. I was terrified when you fainted."
Gu Qili whispered in her ear, "Maybe I’m really pregnant."
Gu Qili didn’t want Mu Shuoqian to worry, so she didn’t call him before the results came in, and Mickey said she couldn’t get through to his phone.
After waiting a bit longer, Tang Tianyou brought in some test results from outside, and Mickey hurried forward to ask, "How did it go?"
"The labs didn’t say much, just to ask the doctor," Tang Tianyou laid the papers in front of the doctor, "Dr. Lu, please take a look and see what the problem is. Why would she faint for no reason?"
Dr. Lu glanced at him first and said with a smile, "You’re so young, and you’re really good to your girlfriend."
"She’s my friend," Tang Tianyou clarified.
"A friend, that’s even rarer." Dr. Lu picked up the lab results, but the smile slowly vanished from his face. He gestured, "The patient, come here."
Gu Qili had been carefully observing the doctor’s expression and felt a sudden sense of foreboding as she saw his demeanor darken.
Gu Qili sat down in front of the doctor, who asked, "Have you been frequently feeling fatigued, nauseated, with weight loss lately?"
"Yes." Gu Qili nodded. She had experienced these symptoms three or four times but thought they were due to overwork.
"Does it hurt here sometimes?" "It hurts for a while in the middle of the night, I thought it was a stomachache."
Dr. Lu pushed up his glasses and handed the lab report forward: "The preliminary diagnosis is liver cancer, initially assessed as early stage. However, the exact situation requires further tests to determine."
Liver cancer?
Gu Qili swayed, nearly unable to sit straight. Her mind went blank all of a sudden, as if she had lost the ability to hear and speak, staring blankly at Dr. Lu, who seemed to be saying something else, but she didn’t catch a word.
It wasn’t until Tang Tianyou called out "Qili" loudly by her side that she jerked back to reality, unable to control the cold sweat running down her face, feeling like she had been through a life-and-death reincarnation in just a few short seconds.
Gu Qili had never thought of death as something to be so afraid of, but now it was different; she had Mu Shuoqian and Mu Qinian. If she really died, how would they cope? One would lose a lover, and the other, a mother.
She had already left them for four years; how could she leave for a lifetime?
Gu Qili sniffed, fighting back the sourness in her eyes, and looked towards Dr. Lu with a feigned calm: "Doctor, what are the chances of a cure?"
"I can’t say for sure right now, but I will arrange for a panel of experts to consult soon. We will provide specific results and treatment plans after that. What you need to do now is rest more and keep your emotions stable. Although the death rate of this disease is second only to stomach and esophageal cancer, there is still a possibility of a cure. Overseas, the technology in this area is quite advanced."
Gu Qili knew Dr. Lu’s words were meant to reassure her; she also knew the high mortality rate of liver cancer. She just didn’t expect that, being always healthy and rarely sick, she would face cancer as soon as there were signs of trouble.
She’s only twenty-seven. How could she have contracted such a disease?
Tang Tianyou and Mickey were also in shock, with Mickey bursting into tears, "Qiqi, how could this be? Doctor, could this be a misdiagnosis?"
"I have been doing research in this field for over thirty years, and have never misdiagnosed," Dr. Lu, understanding their difficulty to accept, didn’t get angry, "Go home for now. I will contact you when it’s time for the consultation. The patient now needs tranquility, emotional stability is crucial. Cancer is fearsome, but a good mindset can also create miracles."
Miracles, are there miracles?
Tang Tianyou looked at the silent Gu Qili, clenching his fists tightly. He was complaining about the injustice of fate. Why did such a kind-hearted, lively, and aspirational girl have to face so many hardships? Had she just started to gain happiness only to have it cruelly snatched away?
Leaving the hospital, neither Tang Tianyou nor Mickey knew how to start consoling, finding that words were the most pale and powerless at this time.
Ah V had gone back earlier; the winery couldn’t be left unattended, and today, they had to update some equipment. However, he immediately called to inquire about the examination results as soon as he returned.
Gu Qili held the phone, facing his anxious tone she couldn’t utter a single word. She didn’t want to accept the reality, but reality was this cruel.
Seeing her staring blankly at the phone, Mickey had no choice but to snatch it away, "It’s okay, don’t worry, let’s talk when we get back."
After hanging up, she turned to look at Gu Qili and tentatively asked, "Qiqi, should we tell Mu Shuoqian?"
Gu Qili dared not imagine how sad and desperate he would be upon hearing the news, but it was impossible not to tell him about such a significant matter. There would be treatments later on; it couldn’t be concealed forever.
"I’ll tell him," Gu Qili said to her with a gentle lift of her lips. "You’ve been with me for so long and must be tired. Go back, I want some time alone to think."
Mickey was about to say she would stay with her when Tang Tianyou pulled her away and shook his head. Only then did Mickey sadly lower her head.
"Take my car." Tang Tianyou handed her the keys, "Call me if there’s anything."
"Okay." Gu Qili took them over.
Tang Tianyou didn’t let go immediately, and the two stood there, each holding an end of the keychain, motionless. After a long moment, he said gloomily, "Whenever you need me, I’ll always be by your side."
"Don’t worry, I’m not that fragile," Gu Qili took the car keys, "I’ll go first."
As she drove away, Mickey finally let her tears fall uncontrollably. She had been holding them back, afraid that crying would make Gu Qili feel even worse. Mickey could never have dreamed that such a thing would happen to her best friend.
Tang Tianyou patted her on the shoulder: "Let’s go."
"Tang Tianyou, Qiqi will be okay, right?" She looked up at him with her teary eyes, hoping for a definitive answer from him. Having been by Gu Qili’s side through so much, she would believe in miracles with just a word from him.
Tang Tianyou, gazing up at the gloomy sky, was lost in thought for a while before he finally said, "No matter what, have faith in her."
Gu Qili drove to the cemetery where, at this moment, she could only pour out all her sorrow and fear to Gu Dezhong. She was scared and even found it unbearable, but she couldn’t afford to be too vulnerable, as it would only make her loved ones and friends suffer more.
Only in front of Gu Dezhong could she freely cry her heart out. She didn’t want to fall ill; she wanted to accompany her husband and son for a long, long time,
"Dad, don’t worry, I will actively cooperate with the treatment. Even if I can’t live much longer, I won’t give up." Gu Qili hugged Gu Dezhong’s gravestone, "Dad, you have to bless me and all of us. I’m not afraid of death; I just don’t want to leave them. If Mu Shuoqian loses me, he’ll be alone for the rest of his life. I don’t want to see him lonely. He’s already had a tough time in his earlier life; I want to accompany him quietly through the rest of it. So, even ten more years would suffice, just to see Niannian grow up."
The wind on the mountain howled as it blew, but the photo of Gu Dezhong on the gravestone continued to wear a gentle smile, silently watching his daughter in front of him, quietly observing everything in this world.
Gu Qili stayed on the mountain for a long time, eventually stopping her tears, just casually chatting with Gu Dezhong, until her phone rang.
"What’s wrong, your voice doesn’t sound right." Mu Shuoqian immediately noticed the sob in her voice.
"A bit of a cold," Gu Qili tried to calm her emotions, "Where are you?"
"I’m inspecting a resort project. The signal isn’t great in the mountains here, and I had to search for a place with a stronger signal just to get three bars." Mu Shuoqian looked around at the surrounding mountains, "The scenery here is terrific, I’ll bring you to see it when we have the time."
"Sure, we’ll go when there’s time," Gu Qili’s emotions slowly settled as she listened to his soft and mellow voice, "Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet, I’m not very hungry. What about you?"
"I haven’t eaten either, I’ll eat when I get home." Gu Qili glanced at her watch, "So, are you not coming home tonight?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to tell you that. The inspection isn’t finished; I’ll probably be back tomorrow afternoon. Go to bed early tonight, don’t stay up late."
"I know, I’m not a child."
Mu Shuoqian chuckled, "In my eyes, you are a child. Alright, I won’t talk anymore, the signal is getting intermittent again, goodbye."
Gu Qili suddenly panicked: "Mu Shuoqian, let’s not say goodbye."
She was scared, afraid that one day, she really would never see him again.