Senior, I'm feeling anxious, can you comfort me

The next day at noon, in the Oncology Department of Tianhai First People's Hospital.

Bai Xing sat in the special ward, her fingers intertwined, anxiously waiting for news from the doctor.

Her grandmother had already been taken into the chemotherapy room for treatment.

According to Old Zhang, the doctor, the treatment plan for her grandmother was a comprehensive approach: chemotherapy—surgery—radiotherapy—followed by another round of chemotherapy.

This plan was a relatively standard and conservative option in modern medicine for brain tumor patients. It allowed for observation and adjustment at each stage, aiming to minimize the elderly's suffering as much as possible. Of course, the specifics varied from person to person.

For someone with a normal constitution, enduring four rounds of chemotherapy was already an achievement, as the side effects of chemotherapy were entirely different from those of regular medication.

Before chemotherapy, the patient had to take various auxiliary medications to prepare the body, such as anti-allergy drugs, anti-nausea drugs, stomach-protecting drugs, and liver-protecting drugs. A full set of tests, including blood tests and imaging, was also required to assess whether the patient could successfully complete the chemotherapy process.

After that, regular check-ups like liver function tests and blood counts were necessary to monitor the severity of the side effects.

Thus, the pain endured by the patient throughout this process was self-evident.

Bai Xing waited in the empty ward, sighing and feeling uneasy.

In truth, she had considered Old Zhang's suggestion—was it really necessary to put her grandmother through such an ordeal?

Every time she overheard the nurses at the station gossiping not far from the door, the young girl would break down, wiping away tears in secret while questioning her own decisions.

But she remembered the words her grandmother had spoken when she was still lucid:

"Xing'er, I don't have much left to see in this life. I just hope that before I go, you can find a decent partner and settle things for the future. That way, even if I don't get to see you get married or have children, I won't have any regrets. What I fear most is leaving you alone in the city, with no one to talk to or be by your side when you need it."

Bai Xing remembered this deeply and resolved to ensure her grandmother would live to see that moment.

Until that moment arrived, she couldn't just stand by and watch her grandmother pass away due to her illness.

She was acutely aware of one truth—

"Trees long for peace, but the wind never ceases; children wish to care for their parents, but time does not wait."

If her grandmother were to pass away with regrets, it would leave an indelible shadow over Bai Xing's life.

Before signing the consent form, Bai Xing had spoken with her grandmother, explaining the pain associated with chemotherapy and asking if she was willing to undergo the treatment.

The elderly woman smiled warmly and nodded, expressing her willingness to accompany her granddaughter through this final chapter of life.

Sometimes,

extending life—

doesn't necessarily mean extending a comfortable or pain-free existence.

It can also mean enduring increasing pain, for the sake of a purpose, to witness a certain moment, a decision that requires immense courage.

Her grandmother was willing to undergo treatment for Bai Xing's sake, and Bai Xing, in turn, worked tirelessly day and night to earn the expensive treatment fees, overcoming countless obstacles.

Today, the test of this "exam" officially began.

It wasn't as simple as a school test, where answers were either right or wrong.

It was a test of society and humanity, with no correct options or perfect answers.

Now, the young girl felt uncertain and lost.

It had been a long time since she had felt this panicked.

Although she had accompanied her grandmother through all the necessary tests, and the results had been relatively smooth, allowing them to proceed to the most critical next step, she still felt...

an emptiness in her heart, as tangible as ever, impossible to erase.

**[Buzz, buzz.]**

Suddenly, her phone vibrated in her skirt pocket.

Bai Xing's eyes focused, and she looked at the screen, where a notification labeled "Old Man" appeared. Her petite frame trembled slightly as she immediately picked up the phone.

"Bai Xing, which ward are you in? I'm downstairs at the hospital now. Tell me your location, and I'll come up to see you."

"!!!"

Lu Qing's voice message was only 12 seconds long, but those 12 seconds filled the young girl with an unparalleled sense of security.

She stood up immediately, her gaze darting to the window and the hospital entrance below—

The crowd was bustling, and on this busy weekend, it was impossible to spot her senior among the throng.

But it didn't matter. The girl quickly sent the ward number and added, "Why so sudden? Didn't you have a lot to do today?"

"Yeah, but I felt uneasy leaving you alone with your grandmother on chemotherapy day. I’ve already imagined you crying at least three times."

"H-how did you know! Did you install a camera on me!?"

"Haha."

...

Ten minutes later.

Lu Qing arrived at Ward 24 in the special oncology area, carrying a fruit basket and a large bag of high-end bread and pastries.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

A gentle knocking sound echoed, and the girl inside, who had been waiting impatiently, pounced like a cat greeting its owner.

"Hey, hey, calm down. I'm still holding stuff in my hands."

"Wuwu... Senior! If you hadn't come, I wouldn't have known what to do! I was so panicked, really panicked!"

"Alright, alright, let go first... Get off me."

Lu Qing looked helpless, thinking to himself that this wasn't part of the plan. How did this impromptu act of care get treated like a scheduled event? It felt strange, soft...

and fragrant.

"Mm, mm!"

Bai Xing stopped fidgeting and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, smiling as she took the gifts from him and inspected them briefly.

Lu Qing explained,

"This is from the fruit shop downstairs, and the other bag is from a café. They were complimentary. Su Ling and I couldn't finish them, so I brought some for you. You don't mind, do you?"

He pointed to the pile of high-end pastries.

They were from Lin Mu, who had sent them the day before.

Although he had repeatedly asked her not to send anything, she seemed to forget every time. After being praised, she had gone overboard, sending all the prepared stock (which looked suspiciously pre-planned) as "complimentary gifts" for him to take home.

This resulted in a situation where **[spending 150 yuan yielded complimentary gifts worth 300 yuan]**...

Half again as much as the last batch of bread, which had been worth about 200 yuan. There were four large bags in total, and even he and Su Ling had struggled to carry them.

"Ah! Why would I mind? Just having you here with me is more than enough!"

Bai Xing knew nothing about Lin Mu and didn't think too deeply about his gesture. She simply wanted to seize this rare opportunity for closeness, not letting the hard-won care go to waste.

After storing the fruit basket and the bag of pastries, she turned back to him—

"Senior, I'm really anxious."

She stretched out her arms, pleading,

"Could you... comfort me?"

...

...