I Refused to Be a Substitute, and Shot to Fame on a Variety Show With My Mother-In-Law

Li You did not understand why her father was still unwilling to tell her anything at this moment when she had already come to the hospital. But her father didn’t say anything. She couldn’t question him hysterically. Her mother’s illness wasn’t just her pain. Her father’s heart ached even more…

After Li You entered the ward, Li Huaisheng did not follow her in for a long time. There was an indescribable sadness in his eyes as he stared at the glass window on the ward door for a long time.

The huge ward was filled with the strong smell of disinfectant. There was a heart apparatus at the head of the bed that would beep from time to time. MO Zhu, who was lying on the bed with a ventilator, was sleeping.

Li You did not make a sound as she walked towards the bed. She stood quietly by the bed and looked at her mother’s sleeping face. Pei Jingzhou did not disturb her and stayed quietly by her side.

After an unknown period of time, MO Zhu woke up faintly. She opened her tired eyes and vaguely saw two figures standing beside her bed. Her lips opened and closed a few times, as if she wanted to say something. A thin layer of mist quickly covered the ventilator.

Li You saw her mother wake up and leaned down. “Mom, it’s me.”

Nio Zhu blinked. This meant that she was awake and knew that the person talking to her was Li You.

Li You’s voice was heavy. “Do you want some water?”

Nio Zhu shook her head gently. Her movements were very small, and Li You could understand. However, when she saw her mother wake up, she always wanted to do something or say something. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but her throat was so dry that she swallowed them.

Seeing her daughter’s worried expression, MO Zhu’s slightly pursed lips curled up a little, using this smiling expression to show that she was fine.

However, this did not comfort Li You. She shook her head and said, “How can you be fine? You were suddenly hospitalized. Before this, you didn’t even tell me anything. You even hid it from me with Dad…” The more she spoke, the more choked she became. “You were fine before 1 went out this morning. And you asked me what I wanted to eat for dinner…” She tried not to cry, but she couldn’t stop the choking sound. The next moment, she’d be crying.

MO Zhu’s lips moved as he tried to make a sound, but it seemed very difficult to make a sound under the ventilator. Seeing this, Li You was anxious. She stopped saying those words and quickly stopped her. “Mom, don’t speak first. You have to rest well.” With that, she remembered her father, who was still outside the ward. She quickly said to her mother, “Mom, I’ll go tell Dad that you’re awake.”

MO Zhu blinked. “Okay.”

Li You could tell that her mother also wanted to see her father. She hurriedly stood up and took a step forward. Pei Jingzhou, who had been standing behind her, grabbed her wrist. “Just stay by Auntie’s side. I’ll inform Uncle…”

“No!” Li You interrupted Pei Jingzhou. She looked up at Pei Jingzhou and said firmly, “I’ll tell Dad that Mom is awake.”

Pei Jingzhou looked at her deeply, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he did not say anything. He let go of Li You’s wrist and let her out.

Outside the ward.

Li Huaisheng sat quietly in the waiting chair against the wall. He maintained the same posture for a long time, so long that his body seemed to be a little stiff. However, he did not adjust his posture. His body seemed to have its soul extracted and was as motionless as a statue.

Until Li You slowly walked to his side and called out softly, “…Dad.”

Li Huaisheng came back to his senses when he heard Li You’s voice. He looked at Li You beside him. The moment he saw Li You, his stiff face softened. He asked, “Is your mother awake?” Li You nodded. “Yes, Mom is awake.’

Li Huaisheng slowly stood up.

It was unknown if it was because he had been sitting in this position for too long, but when he stood up, he almost lost his balance. Li You quickly reached out to help him. After Li Huaisheng stabilized himself, he waved his hand and said, “There’s no need to help me. I’m not old enough to have someone help me stand.’

If Li Huaisheng had said such a thing normally, he would have said it in the most relaxed tone and in a joking tone. But at this moment, every word sounded so heavy to Li You. Li Huaisheng was about to walk into the ward when Li You stopped him and asked, “Dad, what’s wrong with Mom?”

Li Huaisheng stopped in his tracks.

Seeing this, Li You took two steps forward and stood beside Li Huaisheng. She asked again, “What happened to Mom?”

Li Huaisheng looked sideways at Li You. At this moment, Li You saw an emotionless expression on her father’s face. Ever since she grew up, she had never seen such an expression on her father’s face.

Time passed second by second.

Just as Li You thought that her father would still not tell her anything, she heard her father’s hoarse words— “It’s leukemia.’

These short words were like thunder to Li You. The truth she desperately wanted to know was laid out in front of her without warning. Only then did she know that she was at a loss and helpless even in the face of the truth.

However, other than shock, what was left was disbelief.

“How is that possible…?” She shook her head, not believing the truth she’d heard from her father herself.

However, Li Huaisheng did not give her a more definite answer. He went into the ward in silence, leaving Li You standing helplessly.

She shook her head. Once, twice, three times… until the tears that filled her eyes slid silently down her cheeks. Large drops fell. She took a breath and told herself, “It can’t be. It must be a misdiagnosis. It must be… How can it be leukemia? Mom has always been so healthy. How can it be…?”

She refused to believe this ridiculous truth. She convinced herself that it was a misdiagnosis! It must be a misdiagnosis!!

She immediately turned to look for the doctor.

Not knowing where the doctor’s office was, she asked as she walked. Finally, she asked if the doctor’s office was at the end of the corridor. As soon as she entered the office, she asked loudly— “Who’s MO Zhu’s attending doctor?”