Grandpa is sick

After Li Zhiyi finished washing the dishes, Chen Zhi was still sitting at the dining table.

The strawberry cake on the table had only a small piece cut from it.

The living room lights were warm, but the silence between them felt suffocating.

Beside Chen Zhi's hand was a small, yellowed cardboard box.

Li Zhiyi saw it.

Over the past six months, she had learned a lot of things.

For example, some questions, once asked, might not bring answers that make you feel better.

She dried her hands, took off her apron, and hung it on the back of the chair.

"There's still half the cake left."

Chen Zhi looked up.

Li Zhiyi closed the cake box, her tone as usual.

"I'll put it in the fridge. We can have it for breakfast tomorrow."

For six months, she had taken care of his leg, changed his bandages, accompanied him to rehab, organized his class schedule, and cooked for him.

"Zhiyi."

"Hmm?"

Just as Chen Zhi was about to speak, Li Zhiyi's phone on the coffee table suddenly vibrated.

The screen lit up.

The caller ID said: Grandma.

When Li Zhiyi picked up the phone, her fingers paused for a moment.

She quickly answered and turned to walk toward the balcony.

"Grandma?"

She gently closed the balcony door behind her.

Chen Zhi couldn't hear everything, only fragments of sentences.

"...hospital?"

"...unconscious?"

"The doctor said the family should come as soon as possible?"

Chen Zhi's fork froze mid-air.

Outside on the balcony, Li Zhiyi was facing away from the living room, her body tense.

She kept her voice low, as if afraid to disturb the person inside.

"Grandma, don’t panic first."

"I'll figure something out right away."

"Keep the test reports safe, don’t lose them."

"I know, I know..."

A few minutes later, the call ended.

Li Zhiyi stood on the balcony for a long time before pushing the door open and coming back inside.

Her face was pale, but she tried hard to act as if nothing was wrong.

"What's going on?"

Chen Zhi looked at her.

Li Zhiyi clutched her phone in her palm.

"Nothing."

"There's a leaky pipe at home. Grandma doesn’t know how to fix it, so she called to ask me."

Chen Zhi retorted.

"A leaky pipe means going to the hospital?"

Li Zhiyi lowered her head and turned off her phone screen.

"Did I say hospital?"

Chen Zhi pushed his chair back, his voice low.

"Li Zhiyi, before you lie to me, could you at least practice first?"

Li Zhiyi stood still, not speaking right away.

The living room was silent for a few seconds.

Then she spoke very softly.

"Grandpa isn’t feeling well."

"I’ll just go back and check on him."

Chen Zhi looked at her.

"Not feeling well?"

"Yeah."

"Unconscious is also 'not feeling well'?"

Li Zhiyi's eyes slowly reddened.

She turned her face away, speaking a little faster.

"The doctor didn’t say it was definitely serious. They just told me to come and see. I didn’t want to mess up your plans."

When she finished, Chen Zhi's expression darkened.

"Li Zhiyi."

She looked up.

Chen Zhi said, word by word.

"Your grandpa is sick, and you’re still scheduling around me?"

Li Zhiyi stood there, the tears not yet falling, but her voice was already hoarse.

"I didn’t mean to hide it from you."

"I just..."

She paused for a long time.

"I just don’t want to be the problem you have to deal with again."

Chen Zhi was stunned.

Li Zhiyi wiped her eyes with her hand, but only made a mess of it.

"Deep Space Tech just finished fundraising, and tomorrow is your birthday."

"You’ve been sitting here today, staring at that box, and you’re completely off."

She sniffled, trying to get the words out clearly.

"I’ve been trying so hard not to cause trouble."

"Really."

"I didn’t want to make things hard for you."

Chen Zhi was silent.

Li Zhiyi was usually too well-behaved.

So well-behaved that people forgot she had feelings too.

She just rarely showed them.

Chen Zhi reached out.

"Give me your phone."

Li Zhiyi instinctively stepped back.

"Chen Zhi, really, I can buy my own ticket and go back."

"Your phone."

"I..."

"Li Zhiyi."

In the end, she handed it over.

Chen Zhi dialed Grandma’s number directly.

As soon as the call connected, the old woman's tearful voice came through.

"Zhiyi, have you gotten on the bus yet? Your grandpa still hasn’t woken up. The doctor wants me to sign something, but I can’t understand it..."

When Li Zhiyi heard that, her body swayed.

Chen Zhi grabbed her wrist and pulled her to sit on the sofa.

"Grandma, it’s me, Chen Zhi."

There was a pause on the other end.

"Chen Zhi? Xiao Chen?"

"Yeah. First, don’t panic."

Chen Zhi turned on the speakerphone and put the phone on the coffee table.

"Which hospital is Grandpa at?"

"The People’s Hospital."

"Which People’s Hospital?"

The old woman gave the name.

Chen Zhi immediately sent a message to his assistant.

[Find the nearest tertiary hospital transfer route for this hospital, emergency resources for cerebrovascular and cardiac issues, give me a report in ten minutes.]

The assistant replied instantly.

[Got it.]

Chen Zhi continued questioning the old woman.

"Grandma, when did Grandpa collapse?"

"Around four in the afternoon. He just fell straight to the ground."

"Was he convulsing? Was he vomiting? Was his speech slurred?"

"I don’t know. I was so scared. He hasn’t woken up since he fell."

"What tests did the doctors do?"

"They did a CT scan, took blood, and an EKG. The doctor said to transfer him to a higher-level hospital, but they keep asking me to sign this and that. I’m afraid to sign anything."

The old woman started crying again.

"Zhiyi’s parents are gone. She’s been alone since she was little. If I lose her grandpa too, how can I ever face her?"

Li Zhiyi suddenly covered her mouth.

The tears finally spilled over.

Chen Zhi reached out and pressed her shoulder.

"Grandma, listen to me."

"Take photos of the medical records, test reports, EKG, and CT scans, and send them all to Zhiyi’s WeChat."

"If you can’t do it yourself, ask a nurse to help."

"Also take photos of the payment receipts."

"Don’t sign for any non-essential expenses right now, but you can sign the transfer consent form, as long as the hospital arranges an ambulance with a doctor on board."

On the other end, the old woman was frantic.

"I’ll find a nurse. I’ll find a nurse right now."

After Chen Zhi hung up, he immediately called a contact.

This was a number Pei Ningxue had left him when she helped organize medical resources.

"Director Wang, it’s Chen Zhi."

"Sorry for calling so late."

"An elderly man suddenly collapsed. The county hospital’s initial exam is inconclusive. Suspected cerebrovascular or cardiac issues. Needs an emergency transfer to a higher-level hospital."

"Yes, can you help me contact the nearest tertiary hospital’s neurology and cardiology departments?"

"I’ll send the documents right away."

Li Zhiyi sat on the sofa, her hands trembling violently.

When she heard the words "high risk," she shrank back.

"Chen Zhi..."

"Yeah."

"Is this going to mess up your plans for tomorrow?"

Chen Zhi put down his phone and stared at her for two seconds.

"Li Zhiyi, do you really think my birthday is more important than your grandpa’s life?"

"That’s not what I meant."

"Then shut up."

Li Zhiyi still had tears on her face, stunned by his sharp tone.

Chen Zhi grabbed his jacket, softening his voice a little.

"Don’t overthink it."

"Pack your ID and a couple of clothes. We’re leaving now."

Li Zhiyi stared at him blankly.

"Where are we going?"

"Your hometown."

Chen Zhi slipped on his shoes while making another call.

"Arrange a car downstairs at Wanliu Shuyuan."

"Then contact the private jet service, the most direct route to the nearest airport."

"If there’s no flight window, fly directly to the provincial capital and transfer to an ambulance."

There was an obvious pause on the other end of the line.

"Boss Chen, what do you mean by this..."

"An elderly relative is critically ill."

Chen Zhi paused.

"A member of my family."

Li Zhiyi had been getting up to grab her bag when she heard those four words. Her steps suddenly froze.

Chen Zhi hung up and turned to look at her.

"What are you spacing out for?"

Li Zhiyi's voice was very low.

"You don't need to go to all this trouble."

"I could take the high-speed rail back."

Chen Zhi walked over, took her bag from her hands, and started stuffing in her ID card, phone charger, and tissues.

"You can let yourself down."

"But think about your grandpa."

Li Zhiyi couldn't say another word.

At the doorway, Chen Zhi had just picked up his cane when his phone rang again.

Pei Ningxue.

Her voice on the phone was very calm.

"Boss Chen, I've canceled all your appointments for tomorrow."

"You'd better not tell me you're planning to fly to Boston."

Chen Zhi didn't beat around the bush with her.

"Li Zhiyi's grandpa is critically ill. I'm going there overnight."

There was a few seconds of silence on the line.

When Pei Ningxue spoke again, her tone had shifted.

"Which hospital?"

"I don't know yet. The records haven't arrived."

The sound of papers rustling came from Pei Ningxue's end.

"I'll contact the medical resources the Pei family has there. There's a top-tier hospital where we donated equipment before. The neurology department head should be able to take the case."

Chen Zhi glanced at Li Zhiyi.

Li Zhiyi was sitting on the sofa, both hands clasped together, her knuckles pale.

Through the phone, Pei Ningxue suddenly called her name.

"Li Zhiyi."

Li Zhiyi looked up.

Chen Zhi handed her the phone.

"President Pei..."

"Don't cry."

Pei Ningxue's voice was steady on the other end.

"What you need most right now is to stay calm."

"I'll help you contact the hospital on my end. When you get there, let Chen Zhi handle the doctors, and you first take care of your grandma."

Li Zhiyi nodded firmly, even though she knew the other person couldn't see her.

"Thank you, President Pei."

"For what?"

Pei Ningxue paused.

"He might be a scumbag, but he gets things done."

Chen Zhi: "..."

Pei Ningxue added another remark.

"Keep an eye on him during the trip. Don't let him run around playing the hero."

Chen Zhi couldn't help but cut in.

"President Pei, I'm still standing right here."

"Good, then you listen too."

"..."

After the call ended, Li Zhiyi stared at the phone, her expression complex.

She had always thought Pei Ningxue would dislike her.

Or at least hold some resentment toward her.

But those few words just now—there wasn't a hint of hostility.

The car arrived downstairs quickly.

After they got in, Chen Zhi made another call to Zhang Guifang.

It was already past nine in the evening back in China.

When Zhang Guifang answered, her tone was still laced with irritation.

"Not coming home for your birthday tomorrow? The richer you get, the wilder you become, huh?"

"Mom, Zhiyi's grandpa is critically ill. We're heading to her hometown now."

The line went completely silent.

After two seconds, Zhang Guifang's voice turned frantic.

"What illness? How did he suddenly become critically ill? Is Zhiyi okay? Is she terrified?"

Li Zhiyi was sitting right beside him, and hearing this, tears started streaming down her face again.

Chen Zhi gave a brief rundown of the situation.

Zhang Guifang immediately said, "You take good care of Zhiyi."

"That girl doesn't like to bother others. You need to look after her properly."

"Do you hear me?"

Chen Zhi glanced at the person next to him.

"I hear you."

Zhang Guifang wasn't satisfied yet.

"Your father and I will head over first thing tomorrow."

"No need, you're still in Jiangcheng..."

"What do you mean 'no need'?"

Zhang Guifang cut him off directly.

"Zhiyi's grandma and grandpa are old. How can a young girl like her handle this alone?"

"You might have money to arrange doctors, but who's going to keep the elderly company? Who's going to help run the paperwork?"

"Your father will ask for leave tomorrow. I'll book the tickets."

Chen Zhi didn't argue further.

"Alright, I'll arrange a car to pick you up."

Zhang Guifang gave one last instruction.

"Put Zhiyi on the phone."

Chen Zhi handed the phone over.

Li Zhiyi softly said, "Auntie."

"Don't be scared."

Zhang Guifang's voice instantly softened.

"Chen Zhi is with you. If he screws up, you tell Auntie, and I'll fly over and give him a beating."

Li Zhiyi couldn't hold it in anymore. She laughed through her tears.

"Mm."

Zhang Guifang sighed.

"Silly girl. If you need to cry, let it out. Don't bottle it up alone."

The car drove all the way to the airport.

Old Zhao had already handled all the paperwork.

Chen Zhi was on the phone nonstop in the car—doctors, hospitals, aviation, transfer ambulances.

Li Zhiyi sat beside him, clutching the photos her grandma had sent.

The medical records in the photos were crooked, taken with trembling hands. Several were blurry.

She resent each one to Chen Zhi.

Chen Zhi forwarded the records to the doctor.

Ten minutes later, Director Wang called back.

"Boss Chen, from an initial look, the situation isn't good."

"The CT doesn't show major bleeding, but the old man has been unconscious for too long, and the ECG is abnormal. We can't rule out a cerebral infarction with arrhythmia."

"I recommend an immediate transfer to the nearest top-tier hospital."

Chen Zhi hummed in acknowledgment.

"I've made the arrangements already. Please keep an eye on the intake on your end."

When Li Zhiyi heard "situation isn't good," her face turned even paler.

Chen Zhi took her hand.

This time, she didn't pull it away.

At 1:40 a.m.

The plane landed.

An ambulance and a business car were already waiting outside the airport.

After another hour or so, the two arrived at the county hospital.

The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant.

As soon as Li Zhiyi walked in, she saw an elderly woman with graying hair sitting on a bench.

The woman was gripping a stack of payment slips, a cloth bag beside her, tears streaming as she wiped her eyes.

"Grandma!"

Li Zhiyi rushed over.

The old woman looked up, and the moment she saw her, she nearly lost her balance.

"Zhiyi..."

Li Zhiyi hugged her grandma, and the emotions she had held together all along finally crumbled.

"Grandma, I'm back."

"I'm back..."

The old woman patted her back, sobbing so much she could barely speak.

"Your grandpa still hasn't woken up. The doctors kept pushing me to sign papers, but I was afraid of making a mistake..."

"I was afraid I'd hurt him..."

Chen Zhi didn't go over to interrupt.

He took off his jacket, draped it over Li Zhiyi's shoulders, and turned toward the nurse's station.

"Where's the doctor on duty?"

The nurse looked at him.

"Are you a family member?"

"I am."

"The office next to the ER."

Chen Zhi nodded. He had only taken a few steps when an impatient voice came from behind.

"Which one of you is Li Jianjun's family?"

A middle-aged doctor in a white coat came out of the office, holding a few sheets of paper.

"Sign these, now."

"If you drag it out any longer, don't blame the hospital if something happens."

Li Zhiyi helped her grandma stand up, her face still pale.

"Doctor, I'm the family."

The middle-aged doctor thrust the papers at her.

"Transfer risk disclosure, cost liability confirmation, and the ambulance dispatch form."

"Sign them and pay the fees."

Chen Zhi walked back, reached out, and took the papers.

He glanced at them, then looked up at the doctor.

"Who's the accompanying doctor?"

The middle-aged doctor frowned.

"And who are you?"

Chen Zhi placed the papers back on the desk.

"A family member of the patient."

"Then sign them."

"I asked you, who's the accompanying doctor?"

The doctor's expression turned sour.

"Why are you making so many questions for a simple transfer?"

Chen Zhi pulled out his phone. On the screen was a message from the admitting director at the provincial tertiary hospital.

"I've already sent people from the provincial hospital."

"If your transfer conditions here aren't sufficient, I'll have an ambulance come down from the provincial capital."

“But if something happens to the elderly patient while waiting for transfer in your hospital, I will check every single record—resuscitation logs, medication records, consultation notes—one by one.”

The hallway fell silent.

The middle-aged doctor glanced at Chen Zhi, then at the contact name on his phone.

His attitude shifted immediately.

“You’ve already contacted the Provincial Third Hospital?”

“Yes.”

“Then… I’ll arrange for the chief physician to come over right away.”

Without pressing for the signature any longer, the middle-aged doctor turned and walked back to his office.

Li Zhiyi stood behind, holding her grandmother, staring blankly at Chen Zhi.

Chen Zhi turned around.

“Don’t just stand there.”

“Go be with Grandma.”

Li Zhiyi was about to nod when the resuscitation room door suddenly swung open.

A nurse hurried out.

“Is the family of Li Jianjun here?”

Li Zhiyi’s face drained of color.

“Here!”

The nurse spoke quickly.

“The patient’s blood pressure has suddenly dropped. The doctor requests that the family go in immediately to sign the resuscitation consent form.”

Li Zhiyi’s legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed.

Chen Zhi stepped forward and caught her.