Life and Death
In early August, Mr. Wu’s medical report showed abnormalities.
The doctor called and scheduled another appointment for further examination as soon as possible.
Mr. Wu and I walked into the doctor’s office together, only to find out that he had a tumor in his body. Moreover, the report indicated that there were blood vessels within the tumor, suggesting it could be malignant.
Coming out of the hospital, Mr. Wu and I held hands tightly, the atmosphere a bit heavy.
“Honey, if you were to die, would there be any insurance payout?”
“Yes, 500,000 Singapore dollars.”
“Only that much?”
“Yes, that’s all the company covers.”
“So, you can’t die.”
“Of course not, silly.”
We both smiled, but our eyes were teary.
During those days, my in-laws from Australia were staying at our house to visit their grandson. Every day, Mr. Wu and I accompanied them for meals, shopping, and watching Hong Kong dramas, pretending everything was normal. It was only at night, when we returned to our room to sleep, that we would discuss this topic.
I said, “We can’t stay up late, smoke, or eat randomly anymore, and you can’t ride your motorcycle as often as before.”
He said, “Okay, I’ll listen to you from now on.”
Because he often stayed up late, Mr. Wu liked to send me text messages when I was asleep saying, “Wife, I love you.” Those nights when he couldn’t sleep, he would secretly send me messages again.
He said, “Wife, I really want to love you like this for the rest of my life. I want to live happily like this forever.”
I didn’t reply as usual, nor did I say anything. But when Mr. Wu left early in the morning, lying to his parents that he was going to work but actually going to see the doctor, my heart felt as if it had been hollowed out.
I started to send him messages one by one:
“Honey, it’s okay. Even if there’s a bit of strength left, I will fight with you till the end.”
“Even if it’s the worst-case scenario, I will live well because it’s not your choice, it’s fate.”
“Honey, no matter what foolish things you’ve done before, no matter who you’ve wronged, this time you’ve paid it all back. No one can take you away from me, no one!”
We scheduled the surgery for August 28th, which happened to be my birthday.
“On that day, you must give me the best gift.”
“I promise.”
After sending off my parents-in-law, we booked tickets back to China. I didn’t mention a word to my mother, but I kept taking Mr. Wu to eat various lamb dishes: lamb spine, roasted lamb leg, lamb skewers, braised lamb chops… Every day, he ate until his belly was full. I’ve never liked lamb meat since I was a child, and even the smell makes me nauseous. But because I knew he liked it, I sat next to him and accompanied him, watching him eat.
I thought, I should eat a little more when I can, love a little more when I can, and hug a little longer when I can.
Mr. Wu and I have been loving each other with all our hearts since we got together. We have so many trivial yet beautiful memories, so many happy moments that make us smile when we remember them.
We agreed to hold a real wedding ceremony in China, with him wearing his pilot uniform and me wearing a traditional Chinese gown. He even said he wanted to travel across China by car, along the Silk Road and the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. After he got sick, he even said he wanted to cross desolate areas to visit the ancient Loulan Kingdom.
I said, “If you really get sick, we’ll sell the house and start traveling around the world until the last moment of our lives.”
“Okay.”
We’ve planned everything, so we’re not afraid of anything.
On the morning of August 28th, we packed our simple clothes and checked into a single ward.
Blood pressure check, temperature check, pre-operative preparation.
It wasn’t until around 3 p.m. that Mr. Wu changed into his clothes and was pushed out of the ward for surgery. Because he was nervous, he couldn’t hide his panic. I hugged him and kissed him repeatedly, stroking his face with my hands to give him strength. Even long after he was pushed out, his helpless face lingered in my mind.
I rushed into the bathroom, tears streaming down uncontrollably, silently praying in my heart, “It’s okay, it’s okay, everything will be fine, no one can take you away, please, no one can take you away.”
I sat straight on the couch for four hours, finally waiting for Mr. Wu to be pushed out of the operating room. When I saw him, my heart calmed down instantly. That night, I slept on the sofa in the ward.
The surgery was completed, and he was discharged home for rest. A week later, we went to the hospital to collect the report.
Like nothing had ever happened, he was still cuddly every day, and I made abalone chicken soup for him to drink. We watched movies while eating, and life continued without any clouds.
A week later, we went to the hospital with smiles to collect the report. The result showed that it was benign. There was no need for further tests or antibiotics.
We chatted with the doctor for a while, making some jokes. Still, there were no major emotional fluctuations. We thanked the doctor and drove home with the report.
He continued to browse his off-road vehicle online. I cut a watermelon into pieces and put them on a plate, then sat down and wrote this article.
Life continues peacefully. But we both know that something has already taken root and sprouted in our hearts, and it will continue to grow vigorously in the future. That is our love for each other—a love that will not be shaken even when tested by life and death.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
