——  Ling Xuefeng returned to the hotel in the evening and took the initiative to call Li Cangyu, but no one picked up. He slightly frowned and made several consecutive phone calls. Then a strong sense of uneasiness rose in his heart.

  In the previous few days of the Carnival, Li Cangyu had been watching at the venue. Every time Ling Xuefeng texted him after a game, Li Cangyu would basically reply back in a second. Li Cangyu was still there when the quarter-finals finished last night. It was reasonable to say that he should’ve come to the venue for the finals. It was unreasonable that there would be no reply to the message Ling Xuefeng sent him.

  Did something happen and he didn’t see the text message?

  Ling Xuefeng thought this and searched for Bai Xuan’s number on his phone, directly calling it.

  There were two rings and the call connected. Fortunately, Bai Xuan hadn’t changed his number and Ling Xuefeng also hadn’t changed his.

  Bai Xuan was surprised when he saw the called ID and asked, “Captain Ling? Why are you calling me?”

  Ling Xuefeng asked directly, “Do you know where Li Cangyu is?”

  Sure enough, he called to ask about Cat God’s whereabouts. Bai Xuan didn’t conceal it and spoke bluntly, “His dad was in an accident. He went to the hospital to accompany his father.”

  Ling Xuefeng was startled. “What is Uncle’s situation over there? Is it serious?”

  “He isn’t out of the danger period yet. He is in the ICU.”

  “Which hospital?”

  “I will text you the address.”

  “Thank you.”

  He hung up and received a text message from Bai Xuan. Ling Xuefeng no longer hesitated as he put on his coat and left.

  ***

  The awards ceremony ended at 10 o’clock in the evening and then the chairman held the celebration feast. It was already midnight but fortunately, there was a taxi outside. Ling Xuefeng stopped a car and told the driver the hospital address in fluent English.

  The hospital looked very deserted in the middle of the night, with only some emergency patients and sporadic medical staff.

  Ling Xuefeng went to the nurse’s station and asked for the location of the ICU. He followed the nurse’s instructions and walked down a long corridor, turning at the end. He saw the ICU sign and the man sitting outside the door was Li Cangyu.

  He looked very tired, with thick black circles under his eyes and his handsome face was haggard.

  Ling Xuefeng’s impression of him was always a strong and confident person, whether it was Li Cangyu in his straightforward youth or the Li Cangyu frustrated from all the setbacks.

  This was the first time he saw such a stunned and helpless expression, making Ling Xuefeng feel particularly distressed.

  This man always showed his strongest side in front of everyone. He was his brothers’ most trusted captain and no matter what setbacks he faced, Cat God could go forward…

  But there were also some things he couldn’t bear.

  For example, his loved one was now lying in intensive care with an uncertain status. He could only sit outside and do nothing to help. At this time, the strong outer shell was peeled away to reveal his most vulnerable parts.

  Ling Xuefeng quickly walked over to him.

  \r \r \r

  Li Cangyu heard footsteps and raised his head with alarm. He was stunned when he saw Ling Xuefeng and asked, “How did you come here?”

  Ling Xuefeng sat down beside him and softly explained, “I texted you and you didn’t reply. I guessed that something might’ve happened and called Bai Xuan. He told me you were in the hospital.”

  “Ah.” Li Cangyu nodded and spoke in a hoarse voice. “Is the Carnival over? What happened?”

  “We took first place and Tan Shitian’s team won the bronze medal.” Ling Xuefeng replied calmly.

  Li Cangyu smiled. “Congratulations.”

  Ling Xuefeng didn’t mention the Carnival again. He looked at Li Cangyu and asked softly, “How is your father?”

  Li Cangyu was silent for a moment before whispering, “He was driving home at noon today when he got into a car accident. He was in the hospital for an hour when the doctor said that he has an intracranial hemorrhage. He needs to be observed in the ICU for a while. If he wakes up tonight then nothing will happen.”

  If he can’t wake up, he might became a vegetative person.

  Li Cangyu didn’t say these words but it was implied as he rubbed his temples.

  Ling Xuefeng wasn’t a doctor but he knew the severity of an intracranial hemorrhage. There were many nerves in the brain that were also attached to the spinal cord. If the location of the bleeding was dangerous, it would cause convulsions, hemiplegia or even a loss of consciousness forever.

  He saw Li Cangyu’s drooping head and couldn’t help reaching out. One hand patted Li Cangyu’s back as Ling Xuefeng whispered, “Uncle will be fine. I will wait here with you and he will be sure to wake up by tomorrow morning.”

  “No.” Li Cangyu barely managed a smile. “I appreciate it but you must be tired after playing the game. Go back and sleep.”

  “I’m fine.” Ling Xuefeng said stubbornly. “I will stay with you.”

  Once Ling Xuefeng decided on something, it was difficult to make him change his mind. Since he was determined to stay here, Li Cangyu no longer persuaded him.

  If he stayed, Li Cangyu could chat with him and time would pass faster. It wouldn’t be so hard on him.

  Li Cangyu was silent for a moment before saying softly, “My father’s personality is very serious but he… he cares a lot about me. After I became a professional player, I heard my sister say that he will take time to watch my games, despite not understanding it.”

  Ling Xuefeng knew that Li Cangyu felt very uncomfortable and silently listened.

  “In fact, I was very naughty when I was a child. My parents are doctors. When I was a child, I would use coloured pencils to secretly draw all over my father’s anatomical map. I was beaten by my dad…”

  “The year I met you, I was 17 years old while is the worst rebellious period…”

  “My father is a very good doctor. He graduated from a prestigious medical school, gained a doctorate in medicine and became an expert in gastroenterology. My mother studied traditional Chinese medicine, mainly acupuncture. My sister was also forced to enter medical school by my father…”

  “My sister is eight years older than me. After graduation, she want abroad to continue her graduate studies. I was still in high school and my father wanted me to go to medical school and become a doctor. I asked him what was the meaning of the whole family becoming doctors? Then I set up an e-sports team and played in the first season of the Miracle League, making him extremely angry.”

  “However…”

  Li Cangyu was silent for a long time before whispering, “I don’t regret my original choice.”

  Ling Xuefeng heard this and pressed tighter on the shoulder he was holding, as if giving Li Cangyu strength.

  Li Cangyu took a deep breath and then said, “I knew that I’m wasn’t the right material to become a doctor but I have talent for the competitive game. My hand speed is very fast… I might have never won a trophy but I always believed that one day, I can get the prize and prove that I was right at the beginning…”

  “I wanted to stand in front of him with the trophy and say, Dad, look at your son. I didn’t become a doctor like you but I still achieved something…”

  Li Cangyu couldn’t help lowering his head and covering his face with his slender fingers.

  He was a man and men shouldn’t shed tears until they bled. But at this moment, he looked at the tightly closed door of the ICU ward, waiting for his old father to leave the dangerous period and suddenly had the urge to sob.

  In the beginning, he was more rebellious and proud than the current Xiao Han. He always felt that his life was his own and he shouldn’t copy his father’s path. Therefore, he firmly opposed his father’s opinions and didn’t enter medical school.

  Later, he met Ling Xuefeng in the game and the first season of Miracle started. He decisively set up the FTD team with his brothers and joined the Miracle League. He was always stubborn, even if his father strongly opposed it.

  If he had gone to medical school, perhaps he would be a doctor right now.

  However, he chose the harder road.

  Getting ahead while playing e-sports wasn’t an easy thing to do.

  After so many years, he didn’t get a trophy and failed to prove himself.

  Yet he always had a firm belief in his heart. He told himself, ‘Li Cangyu, one day you will stand in front of your father with a championship trophy and let him know that your original choice was right.

  You have to tell him that his son is worthy of pride, even if his son isn’t a doctor!’

  Now his father was lying in the ICU…

  What if he never woke up? Then what was the point of his persistence in the past few years?

  In the past few years, he had been working hard in China and rarely got a chance to visit his father in New York. Even if he came to visit, the father and son were very stubborn and often bickered.

  Thinking about it carefully, he was too unfilial…

  A heavy stone pressed at Li Cangyu’s chest, making him almost breathless.

  Suddenly, his body entered a warm embrace.

  Li Cangyu raised his head and found that Ling Xuefeng was holding him in his arms.

  “Don’t question yourself.” Ling Xuefeng gently stroked his back and said softly, “Li Cangyu, you aren’t wrong. You just chose a different path from others. Since Uncle is willing to watch the games, he is actually very concerned about you and acknowledges you.”

  “…” Li Cangyu heard this and couldn’t help feeling sad, his eyes slightly red.

  Ling Xuefeng looked at him and tightened his arms. He held Li Cangyu tightly and said seriously, “Listen to me, you didn’t enter medical school according to your father’s hope. You shouldn’t be sorry to him but responsible for yourself. In the past few years, you have been fighting with your teammates, doing your favourite thing and never giving up. You might not have received a prize but in my heart, you have always been… the best competitor.”

  “…” Li Cangyu was silent.

  In fact, he understood all of this but Ling Xuefeng’s words of comfort gave him more motivation and confidence.

  He didn’t question his decision and he didn’t regret it when he chose this road…

  He just felt sorry that he had let his father down.

  Originally, their Li family was a medical family. His father and sister were excellent Western doctors. His mother was currently studying Chinese medicine in China and had made great achievements in acupuncture treatment. Only he ran to play a game so it was normal for his family to not understand him.

  Fortunately, someone understood.

  Ling Xuefeng was a friend for many years and also the one who understood Li Cangyu the best.

  Now, at a critical juncture when his father was seriously injured, Ling Xuefeng came to the hospital to accompany him.

  The corridors of the hospital were originally very deserted at night. The light above shone white, making people feel a bit of fear and despair. Li Cangyu couldn’t predict how his father’s condition would progress and could only wait.

  Fortunately, there was a person beside him, waiting with him.

  As he was tightly hugged by Ling Xuefeng, his cold and stiff body seemed to gradually warm him. Li Cangyu knew that no matter what happened tomorrow, at least one person who understood him would face it with him.

  Li Cangyu didn’t push Ling Xuefeng away and hugged him back. Then he tiredly closed his eyes.