Unexpected (GL) - Chapter 38

No one knew how much time had passed when the red emergency light outside the operating room suddenly went out.

The doctor and nurses came out one after another, all with serious expressions on their faces.

Seeing this, Qin Ning immediately stepped forward. “Doctor… how is she?”

“Are you the patient’s family member?” the doctor asked, clearly exhausted. “The patient is still in critical condition and needs to be moved to the ICU for close observation.”

Hearing this, Qin Ning suddenly felt dizzy and almost collapsed.

The doctor was startled and froze for two seconds before calling over a young nurse to help support Qin Ning.

“Take her to the consultation room and get her some water.”

“Yes, doctor.”

.

Fifteen minutes later, inside the consultation room.

Qin Ning and the doctor sat across from each other.

The doctor asked, “Does the patient have any history of allergies?”

Qin Ning: “Yes.”

Doctor: “What is your relationship with the patient?”

Qin Ning: “I’m her wife.”

Doctor: “Please fill out these forms.”

Qin Ning: “Okay.”

“The patient had a severe rejection reaction after a bone marrow transplant, which caused a series of complications. The vomiting of bl00d this time was due to ruptured esophageal and gastric
varices…”

“For leukemia patients, the five-year survival rate after a bone marrow transplant is only around 50%, and the ten-year survival rate is even lower. If the disease relapses within three years of the
transplant, treatment is often difficult and the results are poor. Family members should remind the patient to avoid alcohol, maintain a regular routine, and eat less spicy food…”

After hearing the doctor’s instructions, Qin Ning’s face turned pale. “Okay, I’ll make sure she takes care of herself from now on.”

The doctor added a few more words sincerely, then sighed and walked out of the room.

Once the doctor left, Qin Ning immediately scheduled an ICU visit.

Two hours later, she finally saw Xie Jing lying in the hospital bed.

A breathing mask covered most of Xie Jing’s face. Various tubes were attached to her body and connected to machines beside the bed.

The doctor said Jing had lost too much bl00d, which led to hemorrhagic shock. She was now in a deep coma, completely unconscious, and couldn’t be awakened by any stimuli.

Qin Ning stared at Xie Jing, feeling deep sorrow.

If only she had been more careful—if she had brought Jing to the hospital as soon as she noticed something was wrong—maybe Jing wouldn’t be lying here now.

She had seen how sick Jing looked on the very first day they reunited. Why did she still choose to say those harsh words on purpose?

If she had realized Jing was sick earlier—whether it was two years ago or now—maybe things would be different. Jing had silently endured so much pain alone. Her small shoulders seemed so fragile.
Qin couldn’t even imagine how Jing managed to get through those two years of illness after losing both her parents.

After all, in Qin Ning’s memory, Jing was the kind of person who would cry out in pain just from a gentle bite on the ear. How did she manage to deal with all the bitter medicine, all the needles?

Not to mention the vomiting, fever, diarrhea, insomnia, and depression… Just thinking about it made Qin feel like she couldn’t breathe.

.

As Qin Ning was leaving the ICU, she suddenly got a call from Xinghe Shen.

Xinghe said she had just arrived in Jinghai City and asked which hospital Jing was in.

Qin Ning frowned. “Why are you here?”

“To take over for you, of course. When we were abroad, Auntie and I did the same. You can’t handle this all by yourself,” Xinghe said bluntly. She knew Qin would want to stay with Jing, but she also
ran a large company. She couldn’t just skip work every day.

Qin Ning: “No need.”

On the other end, Xinghe suddenly snapped, “No need? If you don’t work, where will the money come from? Do you want Jing to go broke and beg others for help in the future?”

Qin Ning: “…”

She had a point.

Just imagining that scenario made Qin give up the idea of resigning.

She had worked so hard to be worthy of Jing and to give her a good life.

Now that she had finally made it, she couldn’t give up so easily.

After a few seconds of silence, Qin said, “Fine. I’ve sent you the location.”

Xinghe arrived at the hospital shortly after. She looked Qin over and raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise.

Qin was still wearing last night’s clothes, stained with bl00d and dirt from holding Jing. She looked a mess—something very rare for her.

It was the first time Xinghe had seen her like this.

Originally, Xinghe had planned to scold Qin, to ask her how she had taken care of Jing so poorly. But when she saw Qin like this, she couldn’t bring herself to say a word.

Jing was in the hospital. Qin couldn’t be feeling much better.

Xinghe cleared her throat and said awkwardly, “Why don’t you go home, change clothes, and rest a bit? I’ll stay here.”

“Thanks.” Qin glanced in the direction of the ICU before entering the elevator.

Jing remained in a coma for a whole month.

During that month, Qin and Xinghe grew closer.

They took turns staying by Jing’s side, and on the thirtieth day, she finally woke up on a sunny morning.

After the doctor finished the tests, Qin was overwhelmed with joy and hugged Jing tightly, crying silently.

Xinghe also sobbed loudly beside them—anyone who didn’t know would think Jing was her girlfriend.

She wanted to hug Jing too, but just as she reached for Jing’s sleeve, Qin shot her a sharp glare.

Xinghe instantly froze.

Fine, no need for that hug.

Sigh… watching them hold each other, Xinghe suddenly felt like going back to Jiangcheng.

At least Auntie would let her hug all she wanted, even cry in her arms.

When Jing was getting treated in Country A, Xinghe had lived with Anle Pei for two years. They shared everything—even their emotional ups and downs.

Thinking of this, Xinghe made a video call.

She lifted her phone high and made sure to include both Jing and Qin in the frame.

When Anle saw Jing lying in the hospital bed, her eyes instantly turned red. “Jing—”

“I’m okay, Auntie.” Jing reached up and lifted Qin’s chin so her face was facing the camera. “Let me introduce you. This is Qin Ning.”

The moment Anle saw Qin’s face, she remembered all the photos Xinghe used to show Jing in Country A.

Now, finally, a live version.

Anle’s sadness disappeared as she raised her eyebrow and teased, “Your wife?”

Jing: “!!”

Xinghe: Good job, Auntie!

Qin was stunned for a moment, then smiled when she realized who it was. “Auntie.”

Anle smiled back. “So sweet. Let’s have dinner together sometime.”

“Sure,” Qin replied. “Once Jing’s condition is stable, we’ll come visit you in Jiangcheng.”

“Sounds good.”

Though Anle was worried about her niece, she couldn’t leave the massive Xie Corporation behind.

Since she couldn’t go to Jinghai, she was happy to have them visit her in Jiangcheng.

Jing would need more time to recover before she could travel. As for Xinghe…

Anle casually asked, “When are you coming back to Jiangcheng?”

“Me? In a few days,” Xinghe said as she walked out into the hallway with her phone.

After she left, Jing turned to Qin. “How long was I unconscious?”

Qin: “One month.”

Jing’s eyes widened. “That long? No wonder I feel so weak. I feel like I’ve been lying here forever.”

Qin nodded. “Perfect for a little… enforced affection.”

Jing: “???”

Qin slowly said, “To figure out exactly what happened that night, I transferred the surveillance footage to my phone. I’ve been watching it every day.”

Jing: “I was joking, haha.”

Qin didn’t reply. She just looked at her.

Jing wanted to bury her head in the bed. “I was wrong. I won’t say nonsense again.”

Qin lifted Jing’s chin and smiled. “I’m really happy.”

Jing: “Why?”

Qin: “Because you told her not to fall in love with me.”

Jing: “That was…”

“I know,” Qin said. “But I’ll never love anyone except you.”

The path was messy, but the result was right.

That’s all Jing ever wanted.

.

After a week in the hospital, Jing was discharged.

Xinghe left for Jiangcheng that same day.

In the car, Jing touched her chin and said, “I have a feeling Xinghe is going to get promoted big time.”

Qin: “?”

“Next time we see her, it might be at her wedding—with my aunt,” Jing said, then looked at Qin with guilt. “Sorry, I’ve dragged you into this. Now you’ll have to call Xinghe ‘Aunt-in-law’ too.”

Qin: “Aunt-in-law?”

Jing: “Not that kind. I mean Auntie’s wife.”

Qin: “…”

Qin was suddenly thankful Jing was an only child. Otherwise, she might end up being called Aunt-in-law

herself.

“Forget it. Let’s just call her ‘sister’,” Jing said. “She’s older than me anyway.”

Qin: “No.”

Jing: “Then what should I call her?”

Qin: “By her name.”

Jing: “Isn’t that too distant for family?”

Qin: “No.”

Jing: “Okay then.”

Back home, Qin personally cooked a meal for Jing—three dishes and a soup: fish head tofu soup, steamed sea bass, steamed ribs, and steamed broccoli.

Jing stared at the dishes in shock. “Why is everything steamed?”

“The doctor said no spicy or greasy food, and you need a healthy routine,” Qin said. “From now on, bedtime is no later than 9:30.”

Jing looked confused. “Huh? 9:30? That early? Then… can we still have a s3x life?”

Qin paused, thought for two seconds, and said, “10:30, then.”

Jing swallowed a bite of the overly fishy steamed bass and said painfully, “But even 10:30 is early. I usually sleep at midnight.”

“Don’t worry,” Qin said. “You’ll fall asleep by 10:30.”

That night, Jing found out exactly why. Qin dragged her to bed at 7:30 and kept her “exercising” for three hours straight.

Despicable!

But it couldn’t be like this every night, right?

Qin: “Why not?”

Jing: “I’m a patient!”

“The doctor said you need exercise,” Qin replied. “If you won’t go running, this is your only option.”

Jing gritted her teeth. “Fine, I’ll run.”

And so, Jing started her fitness routine. Except during her period, she exercised for at least three hours daily.

Qin even got her a fitness tracker. If Jing didn’t meet her daily goal, she had to grant Qin one wish.

After six months, Jing was in debt with wishes.

But on the plus side, she got much stronger. She could finally break free when Qin pinned both her hands over her head—until Qin used silk ribbons instead.

Firm. No escape.

One night, Jing asked, “Does holding my arms like this really make you feel better?”

Qin thought for two seconds, then nodded.

Jing: “???”

She didn’t quite get it—but she loved trying new things. One night, while Qin was asleep, Jing tied her hands up with a belt and climbed on top to see what it was like.

The view was amazing.

If only Qin hadn’t woken up.

That night ended with Jing unable to get out of bed the next day.

Jing: “I thought we weren’t supposed to stay up late?”

Qin: “You brought it on yourself.”

Jing knew she was in the wrong. After that, she stopped being naughty.

Qin found it a bit of a shame.

.

Spring arrived. Qin finished her work early and planned to go with Jing to Jiangcheng.

Jing: “Why are we going?”

Qin: “It’s almost the anniversary of your parents’…”

Jing: “What about my parents?”

Qin frowned, noticing Jing’s smile freeze.

After settling her down, Qin called the psychologist.

Doctor: “She forgot how her parents died?”

Qin: “Yes. She doesn’t remember the time, place, or what happened.”

“That could be psychological,” the doctor explained. “It’s a defense mechanism—something the mind does to protect against trauma or stress. Often, people forget events tied to emotional pain or
trauma.”

After the call, Qin rang Anle and told her about Jing’s memory loss.

That’s when Anle realized Jing had never talked about it—not once during those two years abroad. She had already been avoiding the memory.

“Maybe it’s better this way,” Anle said. “Let it be. Her parents wouldn’t blame her.”

“Yeah.”

After hanging up, Qin walked over to the living room, where Jing was watching cartoons.

Jing turned and asked, “What did Auntie say?”

Qin smiled. “She said… may we grow old together.”

Jing held Qin’s hand tightly and said seriously, “We will.”

Qin: “Yes, we will.”