Faced with Huo Xiaozheng''s questioning, Huo Guining lowered her head.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    It wasn''t enough, of course it wasn''t enough.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    That''s why she chose to take the medication.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She raised her head and began to exin in a soft voice.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "After the kidnapping, during the time my brother and I were in the hospital, I once had an allergic reaction to a medication, which caused some rashes on my body."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "The nurse gave me antihistamines."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "That day, although my head was fuzzy and I eventually fell asleep, the pain in my chest did indeed go away."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "For the next few days, when the doctor made his rounds in the morning and asked if I was itchy, I always said the rashes hadn''t healed and were still itchy."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng''s fingers curled slightly, his body tense, but he didn''t interrupt her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "I overheard the name of the medication when the doctor was instructing his student to prescribe it for me."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "It was the same kind that Li... had given me before."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "He had told me that this medication could also be taken for colds, that it was avable at pharmacies, and that it wouldn''t kill you."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "So..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    At this point, Huo Guining stole a nce at Huo Xiaozheng. Seeing that his expression seemed to have softened a bit, she gathered her courage and continued:<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "So after I was discharged, I pretended to have a cold and asked Aunt Xu to buy it for me..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng coldly interrupted: "You really have some nerve!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining''s face showed a moment of surprise, and she lowered her head again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She had nearly died in the wilderness because of this medication.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining mumbled: "I checked the instructions, the dosage I took shouldn''t have had a big impact on my body..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Her voice became so low towards the end that it was almost inaudible.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng was burning with anger. Unable to bear it any longer, he abruptly stood up and walked out of the hospital room.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining stared nkly at his retreating figure, knowing she was in the wrong, not daring to follow.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Although she had expected Huo Xiaozheng to be angry, she thought his relief would outweigh his anger.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After all, that''s how her father had been in her previous life.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining''s guilt was mixed with a hint of confusion.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    In her previous life, when she was diagnosed with cancer, it wasn''t her who was knocked down first, but her mother.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Her mother had always been frail, and after hearing the news, she quickly broke down.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Both of them ended up in the hospital.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Her father, stretched thin and unable to inform the elderly grandparents on both sides of the family, weighed his options and hired a 24-hour caregiver for Huo Guining during her hospital stay.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He himself stayed by her mother''s side.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining expressed understanding, after all, she didn''t want to see her mother suffering either.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Later, when her mother gradually epted the fact of Huo Guining''s illness, she wanted to dismiss the caregiver and try her best to stay by Huo Guining''s side.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Her father, worried about her mother''s health deteriorating, only agreed to let her stay with Huo Guining during the day, while leaving the night care to the caregiver.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "If you copse, what will happen to Ningning?" her father had reasoned with her mother at the time.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining, deeply affected, chimed in to support him.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Her mother reluctantly agreed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But her mother was too fragile.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    At that time, most of Huo Guining''s treatments were during the day.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Having missed the optimal window for surgery, she faced endless chemotherapy sessions.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The chemotherapy was excruciating, its side effects were horrible, and the pain from lung cancer was unbearable.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining oftenpsed into a hazy state of consciousness, and when she came to, she frequently saw her mother in tears.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But her mother didn''t want her to see her vulnerability. She would immediately turn away, wipe her tears, and call out with a gentle smile: "Ningning, you''re awake. Are you feeling better?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    No, not at all better.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After each chemotherapy session, she wished she would never wake up again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But she couldn''t say that, because it would break her mother''s heart and make her feel guilty.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The chemotherapy continued in cycles, and Huo Guining alternated between hospital stays and discharges, not only detached from school but also from society, yet unable to escape the pain of survival.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Once, her attending doctor asked if she wanted to pause the chemotherapy if it was too difficult.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    At that time, both her parents were by her side.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining had to clench her teeth to hold back the affirmative answer she wanted to blurt out.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She lied, saying, "No need, I feel I''m doing well."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    It was pure self-deception.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But her father gave her an approving smile, even nodding at her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Her mother, equally pleased, nestled in her father''s arms, her eyes sparkling.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Guining thought: Ah, so this is how I can gain Father''s approval.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    So, until her final moments, she couldn''t bring herself to tell her parents to give up on her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Now, Huo Guining truly felt confused. They were both fathers, so why hadn''t her considerate, selfless behavior earned her approval?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    In fact, Huo Xiaozheng''s state could almost be described as furious.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Indeed, Huo Xiaozheng was very angry.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He couldn''t understand Huo Guining''s self-harming, self-sacrificing behavior, just as Huo Guining couldn''t understand why she hadn''t gained his approval.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    A wall separated the worlds of father and daughter.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After leaving the hospital room, Huo Xiaozheng went to Shen Shiyan''s office.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Shen Shiyan said helplessly, "Are you going to tell me or not? If not, I''m going to sleep."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Yes, a full half hour had passed since Huo Xiaozheng entered, and Shen Shiyan had been waiting for him to speak, but he hadn''t said a word.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Shi Lili really deserves to die," Huo Xiaozheng said out of the blue.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Shen Shiyan replied wearily, "Yes, yes, yes. But brother,pared to that, I''m more curious about Ningning''s illness and those medications. What''s really going on?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng remained silent.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Shen Shiyan grew angry: "After all, I am Ningning''s attending physician. What gives you the right to keep this from me?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng gave a coldugh: "You just said that Ningning''s body has no problems, and those medications haven''t caused any harm to her."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Shen Shiyan: "Although I''m not a professional psychologist, ording to our rtionship, Ningning should call me uncle."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Shen Shiyan continued, bing more confident: "Am I not allowed to care about my niece''s health?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng fell silent.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Thinking he had made his point, Shen Shiyan continued: "As for that Shi Lili, you shouldn''t dwell on it. You and Ningning need to learn to move forward, to face problems and solve them!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Instead of getting stuck in the problem, obsessing over it. You storming off like this, isn''t it a form of cold violence towards Ningning?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng''s brow twitched.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Besides, you''re almost 30 years old, why are you getting angry at a 5-year-old child?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Who''s the father here, you or Ningning?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Shen Shiyan got carried away as he spoke, momentarily forgetting Huo Xiaozheng''s true nature.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Huo Xiaozheng replied in a chilling tone: "It seems Uncle Shen hasn''t arranged enough blind dates for youtely..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Shen Shiyan thought to himself: Damn it, he still hasn''t fully grasped the lessons from the stories of the dog biting Lü Dongbin, the farmer and the snake, and the schr and the wolf!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0