Chapter 26- Why must it be me

Chengdong made his way home, tears streaming down his face.

"Why!? Why does everyone lie to me!?" he lamented, his voice barely above a whisper.

He sank to the ground, overwhelmed with sorrow, as passersby paused to offer their support.

"Sir, are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?" someone inquired, concern etched on their face.

"No... no," Chengdong replied, his voice weak and defeated.

After a moment, he gathered himself and headed to the nearby 7-11 convenience store.

Inside the store, it was noon.

Chengdong initially intended to purchase bread but ended up buying several bottles of water, a few boxes of sleeping pills, and a penknife. As he approached the counter to pay, the cashier recognized him.

"Mr. Song, you usually come in for bread and water. Why the sudden purchase of sleeping pills and a penknife? Are you alright?" the cashier asked, perplexed.

Chengdong, still in tears, offered no response.

He then returned to the old house he rented.

At the old house, it was 12:15 PM.

This residence once belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Li, Chengdong's biological parents, who had lived there until tragedy struck with his father's suicide. Chengdong had rented the place and was in the process of renovating it.

"Mr. Song, why are you back so early today?" asked the decorator working in the house.

"You can leave today. I want to be alone," Chengdong replied curtly.

"Are you sure? Your eyes are red and swollen. Do you need medical attention?" the decorator pressed.

"Get out! I don't want to see anyone!" Chengdong snapped angrily.

The decorator hurriedly exited.

Meanwhile, the cashier from the 7-11 decided to call Nurse Huang.

At 12:30 PM in the 7-11.

"Zhi Fen, do you live near Mr. Song? He was acting strangely earlier, buying two boxes of sleeping pills and a penknife. I'm worried he might do something drastic. When do you finish work?" Xiao Ling asked.

"I have to work overtime today. Mr. Song lives on the fifth floor. Dr. Scott is the only one who knows him well. I'll contact Scott right away. You reach out to him when you finish," Zhi Fen replied.

Mid-Levels Private Hospital - Dr. Jiang's office.

At 12:45 PM.

Zhi Fen knocked on the door.

"Come in," Dr. Jiang said.

"Nurse Huang, why the urgency?" he asked.

"Doctor Jiang, have you seen Dr. Scott?" Zhi Fen inquired.

"He's not in today; he's attending a seminar. What's going on?" Dr. Jiang asked, sensing her distress.

"Oh no! Something might have happened to Mr. Song! A friend just told me he bought sleeping pills and a penknife. His eyes were swollen from crying," Zhi Fen explained anxiously.

"What?! What happened? Didn't he go to the orphanage with his parents to meet the director? I'll call Scott immediately," Dr. Jiang replied, alarmed.

Dr. Jiang dialed Scott...

"Scott, where are you?" he asked, urgency in his voice.

"What's going on? I'm still in a research meeting. What's so pressing?" Scott replied.

"When does your seminar end?" Dr. Jiang pressed.

"About five o'clock," Scott answered.

"Afterward, go to Chengdong's old house. He refused follow-up care at the hospital and wanted to see you," Dr. Jiang instructed.

"Doctor Jiang, what happened to Chengdong?" Scott asked, concerned.

"Chengdong might be contemplating suicide," Dr. Jiang revealed.

"What!? I'm heading to his house right now!" Scott declared, panic rising.

"Scott, don't rush. Go after the seminar ends," Dr. Jiang advised.

"Alright... I'll do that," Scott conceded.

Scott ended the call.

"Doctor Jiang, how can you handle this situation so casually?" Zhi Fen asked, frustration evident.

"Chengdong is a terminal cancer patient. How can he take precedence over our research group?" Dr. Jiang retorted.

Zhi Fen quickly sent a text to Xiaoling.

-Xiaoling, please go to Chengdong's house as soon as you finish work.-

In the old house, at 2 PM.

Chengdong had just finished showering and sat on the sofa in a daze, repeatedly opening the sleeping pills. He recalled how his father had been prescribed ten sleeping pills.

"Why?! Why is my father the murderer? Why did they treat me this way? My wife left me, and my adoptive parents are the ones who caused my biological father's death! Why is this world so dark? I'm so tired; I just want to sleep peacefully," Chengdong sobbed to himself.

He took the penknife and sat on the kitchen floor, placing the sleeping pills and two bottles of water next to a vial of diluent. As he consumed the pills, he mindlessly slid the knife across his left wrist multiple times.

"Why!? Ahem! Why do you treat me like this? What did I do to deserve this? My adoptive parents are my biological father's murderers! My wife left me! What did I do wrong? I worked tirelessly to provide for my wife, yet I'm the one left hurt!" Chengdong cried out, despair echoing in his voice.

Suddenly feeling nauseous, he searched for water and, in a haze, mistakenly drank the diluent.

As a result, he began to vomit white foam and blood, his wrist bleeding profusely. He collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

At 4 PM, Xiaoling rushed to Chengdong's old house as soon as she finished work, sending a text to Scott.

-Doctor Scott, please come to Chengdong's old house as soon as possible. Thank you.-

Downstairs at the old house, it was 4:15 PM.

"Uncle Wang, do you have the key to the house?" Xiaoling asked urgently.

"Yes, but it's reserved for serious situations," Uncle Wang replied.

"I need access to unit 05-13! The resident inside seems to have attempted suicide! Hurry!" Xiaoling insisted.

"05-13! That room again! Twenty years ago, a Mr. Li committed suicide there. Let's go!" Uncle Wang exclaimed.

They took the elevator upstairs, and Uncle Wang quickly unlocked the door, revealing Chengdong lying on the floor, pale and unconscious.

"Call an ambulance immediately!" Uncle Wang urged.

Scott arrived just then, swiftly applying a bandage to Chengdong's wrist.

"Miss, help him up. I need to give him an injection. He has blood cancer and requires immediate bleeding medication," Scott commanded.

"Mr. Song is in such a tragic state; his eyes are swollen," Xiaoling remarked.

"Mr. Song!? He resembles Mr. Li quite a bit," Uncle Wang noted.

"They're father and son," Scott replied tersely.

Shortly after, paramedics arrived to transport Chengdong to the hospital.

In front of the ambulance at 4:30 PM.

"Something's off! His blood pressure is plummeting!" a paramedic exclaimed.

"This can't be right! I have controlled the bleeding on his wrist. Is he bleeding internally? What did he ingest?" Scott questioned anxiously.

"He has a high fever, 42 degrees! No! It seems he drank diluent! There's a strong smell of it around his mouth!" the paramedic said, astonished.

"This fool is going to die! What happened at the orphanage?" Scott fumed.

Mid-Levels Private Hospital - Emergency Room.

At 4:45 PM.

Dr. Jiang and Zhi Fen witnessed Chengdong being wheeled into the emergency room.

"Did Mr. Song really attempt suicide?" Zhi Fen asked incredulously.

"After the operation, I'll find out! Start the emergency procedures immediately!" Scott ordered, frustration boiling.

During the gastric lavage, Chengdong suddenly began to vomit blood and sweat profusely.

"Scott, his condition appears critical," Dr. Jiang observed.

"Assess his stomach immediately!" Scott commanded.

Upon examination, they found significant damage to Chengdong's left stomach.

"We need to remove his left stomach. Otherwise, he will bleed uncontrollably," Dr. Jiang determined.

"Is there really no way to save him?" Scott pressed.

"His blood is compromised; he cannot afford any more internal bleeding," Dr. Jiang replied.

"Very well," Scott conceded.

Five hours later, at 9:30 PM.

Chengdong was placed in the ICU. The Song couple waited anxiously outside his room.

"What did you tell him? He just escaped death!" Scott confronted them angrily.

"We didn't say anything. We heard from the orphanage staff that he left in tears," Mrs. Song explained.

"Could it be he overheard the director discussing his father's suicide? It can't be mere coincidence!" Mr. Song speculated, shocked.

"What do you think? He swallowed ten sleeping pills and cut his wrist deeply. He ingested diluent too! He originally had a year to live, but now, after losing half his stomach, his chance of survival is slim. He's still running a high fever! Why is this happening? He's already suffered enough in the last ten years!" Scott raged, tears streaming down his face.

"We... we never wanted him to know the truth. He overheard it unintentionally," Mrs. Song cried.

"Please! Leave immediately! Return to Korea and don't come back!" Scott shouted in frustration.

"Doctor Scott, we will depart from Korea after ensuring he's safe and stable," Mr. Song insisted.

"Alright. The nurse and I will monitor him tonight due to the risk of internal bleeding," Scott said, trying to compose himself.

Throughout the night, Mr. and Mrs. Song kept vigil outside the ICU.

All night long, Chengdong battled for his life. During the gastric lavage, he continued to bleed and occasionally vomited blood while in and out of consciousness.

At noon the following day, Chengdong stirred, dazed.

"Why!? Why!? Just let me die!" he sobbed to himself, barely awake.

Scott diligently wiped the sweat from Chengdong's forehead and sent a text to Mi Qiang.

-Mi Qiang, are you still in Hong Kong? I need your assistance. Chengdong attempted suicide, and his emotional state is precarious. I'm unsure if he'll survive until tomorrow. He underwent a gastrectomy hours ago, leaving only half of his stomach. He's still internally bleeding, and he's been fixated on death. What can you do?-

Causeway Bay - Mi Tong Psychological Clinic - Mi Qiang's Office.

At 12:30 PM.

Mi Qiang was preparing for a lunch break when Scott's message arrived.

"This is serious!" Mi Qiang exclaimed, alarmed.

He immediately called Scott.

"Hello, Scott. How is Chengdong?" Mi Qiang asked.

"Mi Qiang, are you still in Hong Kong? Chengdong needs your help. You're a psychologist; can you assist him? He was so depressed he attempted suicide yesterday. His wrist injury is severe, and he had half his stomach removed due to drinking diluent. It's heartbreaking," Scott recounted.

"Is he still hung up on Michelle? Or does he know that Jia Le and Michelle are together now?" Mi Qiang queried.

"It's related to something else entirely," Scott replied.

"I'll head over right now," Mi Qiang stated determinedly.

Mi Qiang quickly gathered his things and walked to the counter.

"Patsy, I checked my schedule, and I don't have any appointments this afternoon. I'm taking emergency leave because I have a patient who attempted suicide, and I need to attend to him immediately," Mi Qiang informed her.

"Understood, Doctor Mi," Patsy replied.

- The End -