Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Chapter 33

Xiaobao rushed into Master Jin's bedroom, followed closely by Huai En, with the room already filled with quite a few people.

Mrs. Jin was sitting by the bed, continuously wiping away tears. Upon seeing Xiaobao, her tears became uncontrollable.

Gripping his heart, Xiaobao rushed to the bedside, where he saw his father lying on the bed, his complexion pale and limbs twitching continuously. His lips had turned purple, and a low, raspy sound came from his throat, thin and intermittent, as if someone was choking him.

Xiaobao felt a tightness in his heart, and tears cascaded down his face.

He knelt at the bedside, not daring to move his father, "Father, what's happened to you? Don't scare me, mother, what's wrong with him?"

Mrs. Jin sobbed, "Your father has been unwell for some time, and today, for some reason, he began coughing uncontrollably, then went into convulsions."

"Have you called for a doctor?"

"He's on his way."

"What about the medicine prescribed by Doctor Zhang before, did he take it?"

"He did, and it stopped the coughing, but just now, it was as if he was coughing up his heart. Xiaobao...I'm really scared..."

Xiaobao hugged his mother, comforting her in a low voice, then turned and yelled at the servants, "Where's the doctor?! Why hasn't he arrived yet?!"

"Young master, Zhao Cai and Jin Bao have gone to fetch him; he should be here any moment."

Xiaobao turned to look at his father again, unable to bear it. He had been busy trying to please Huai En lately, neglecting to even greet his father or serve him tea. His father seemed to have aged years in just a few days. Xiaobao berated himself for his unfilial behavior, feeling a bitter pain in his heart.

Huai En, who had been silent until now, suddenly stood up and walked to Master Jin's bedside, taking Master Jin's wrist and feeling his pulse.

Mrs. Jin was nervous, "What are you doing? Don't disturb my husband."

Huai En channeled his qi along the pulse points into Master Jin's body, slowly stating, "He is suffering from congested qi in his chest, causing breathing difficulties. I am temporarily easing his condition." Without turning, he then instructed Xiaobao, "Clear the room of all unnecessary people. The more people, the less air there is."

Xiaobao quickly stood up, agreeing, "Yes, yes, everyone out. When the doctor arrives, bring him straight in."

Seeing her husband's pale face gradually regain some color and the convulsions slowly subside, Mrs. Jin became utterly convinced of Huai En's ability and repeatedly thanked him.

Xiaobao looked at Huai En with gratitude, convinced he had not misjudged him. Huai En was not only compassionate but also possessed many admirable qualities, not to mention his remarkable skills. Xiaobao felt his affection was well placed.

Several doctors arrived in succession and, after a long consultation and treatment through the night, stabilized Master Jin's condition. He was now soundly asleep.

Xiaobao and Mrs. Jin discussed hiring a doctor to stay permanently at their residence.

Mrs. Jin nodded, "Your father occasionally suffered from coughs before, but it has become much more severe recently. Alas...perhaps it's his age, his health is not what it used to be. It's time to have a doctor stay with us."

Gently comforting his mother, Xiaobao assured, "Mother, leave this to me. You should take a break from our businesses for a while. Our managers are experienced enough to handle things. You should focus on recuperating at home and spend time with father. Nothing is more important than health."

"Indeed, I've been considering this too. Father's health is declining day by day...I'm truly worried..." Mrs. Jin began to tear up again.

Xiaobao quickly reassured her, "No, mother, you're worrying too much. It's natural for father to have some health issues at his age. With the wealth of our family, there's no illness we can't cure. Father will surely live a long life."

Despite their hopeful words, they both knew it was merely to comfort themselves. When death calls, no amount of wealth or status can deter it. Ultimately, no one can defy fate.

After spending some time comforting his mother, Xiaobao finally persuaded her to rest.

After a busy night, everyone was exhausted.

Huai En stood aside, waiting quietly for Xiaobao, his demeanor unmarred by fatigue. In the presence of others, he always seemed to be in a state of detachment, his gaze empty, yet his presence was undeniably compelling, exuding an aristocratic aloofness.

Xiaobao approached him to express his thanks.

Huai En nodded faintly, then looked at him with hesitation and confusion. "Why are you all so sad?"

"What?"

Looking at him, Huai En's gaze seemed to pierce through him to an indescribable place. "Birth, aging, sickness, and death, the natural fall of the ripe melon, are the common feelings of humanity. Everyone will eventually reach this step, even a three-year-old child understands this. Why then do we grieve?"

Xiaobao was momentarily at a loss for words, as if something was stuck in his throat.

"If your father died, would you remember him for a lifetime, grieve for a lifetime?"

This question was indeed offensive, but Xiaobao knew the kind of person he was. It was impossible for him to be fully versed in human emotions and worldly wisdom, so he chose his words carefully. "If my father were to really pass away... Of course, I would be very sad and would remember him for a lifetime. Although everyone will eventually die, people grieve because they care, which is also a common human emotion, understood even by a three-year-old."

Huai En nodded. "...Then would you grieve for a lifetime?"

After a moment of contemplation, Xiaobao replied, "No... At the beginning, I would grieve for a long time, but gradually I would forget, and only feel particularly sad when I think of him. However, life must go on. It's impossible to be depressed and melancholic every day. My father wouldn't be happy either."

"Is this also a common human emotion?"

Xiaobao nodded.

"Then why can some people grieve for someone's death for ten or twenty years, or even a lifetime?"

"Perhaps... perhaps it's because the person didn't die a natural death, but was killed by enemies. If that's the case, one might feel pain for a lifetime."

Huai En seemed to understand. "So, only by avenging them can one feel better?"

Xiaobao shook his head. "Even revenge won't make it better. If one clings to hatred for a decade or two, half of one's life is wasted, and there's nothing left but revenge."

Huai En fell silent, then after a while asked, "How do you know all this?"

Xiaobao coughed lightly, turned his back, and looked towards the dawn on the horizon. He sighed deeply and said, "I am a few years older than you. Having seen and understood more of life's fated grievances and hatreds, I naturally comprehend more." After speaking, he forced a trace of profoundness onto his face, feeling a bit guilty inside. These were the words Su Yin used to comfort Xiao Yu, but anyhow, Huai En would have no way of knowing.

Huai En, who took offense at the mention of age, wanted to mock him in return.

But Xiaobao preemptively asked, "After saying so much, do you have someone like that around you?"

Huai En paused, his head subtly turning aside as if he thought of something. The air around him suddenly grew colder, his voice turning icy, "It's none of your business." After speaking, he turned and left.

Xiaobao watched him go, bemused by his unpredictable nature, caught between laughter and tears.