The Last Goodbye: A Family's Heartbreak
The sudden news struck the Li family like a bolt from the blue!
"Suffocated... Suffocated?" Mrs. Li was stunned, her mind reeling as if struck by a heavy blow, her gaze vacant and unfocused.
"The final breath... He was calling out for Fubao..."
"Waaah!!" Xiaolei couldn't hold back his tears upon hearing that his grandfather had breathed his last, rushing into the clinic with trembling legs.
Mrs. Li followed hurriedly, clutching Fu Bao tightly, and witnessed Mr. Li lying on the hospital bed, his face drawn and lifeless, the toll of illness etched deeply into his features.
Grandfather...
Fu Bao couldn't stem the flow of tears.
She had failed!
Why couldn't she open her mind space to reach Grandpa Fuxing and implore his help? Why, oh why?
She was desperate to save Grandpa!
He must be saved!
But what could she do? For the first time, Fubao felt utterly helpless, despite being a little lucky star in the sky, there were moments when she could do nothing!
"Old man, you can't leave us! What will we do without you? I'll go with you..." Mrs. Li knelt by the hospital bed, clutching the old man's frail hand, tears streaming down her face.
"Qiutang..." This was a rare name for Mrs. Li that the old man Li seldom used anymore.
He sensed his impending death, mustering the last of his strength to utter, "You...you must live well. Help me...watch over the children as they grow, especially Fubao... You...you have to take my place, watch her...grow up, get married... You must...choose a good husband for her... If that man dares to mistreat Fubao, just tell him, tell him...her grandpa is a ghost, and he won't let it go!"
"Don't say that, dear! You must hang on, why should I live alone? If you leave me..." Mrs. Li's voice trembled, her emotions on the verge of collapse.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to say that... If there's an afterlife, let's... remain husband and wife."
"Oh, dear!" Mrs. Li sobbed uncontrollably.
The old man Li grasped her hand firmly, then turned to Li Xiaolei, who was tearful beside them. "Xiaolei, grandpa knows... you're a good boy. Take care of your sister."
"Grandpa, I promise, I'll take care of Fubao! Uuu..."
At last, Grandpa Li's gaze rested on Fubao's tear-streaked face, still so tender, "Fubao, Grandpa wishes he could watch you grow up, but... it's not possible. Grandpa will watch over you from above... "
Fubao rushed to him, tears streaming down her face as she shook her head, "No! Grandpa, going to the sky after dying is just a story! If everyone went to the sky, it would be crowded! So, grandpa... Please don't die, I don't want you to leave, ooh..."
The doctors and nurses nearby all had tears in their eyes, discreetly wiping them away. This intersection of life and death was truly heart-wrenching.
"Fubao, my dear... Grandpa..." Old man Li struggled to say something, but suddenly he couldn't catch his breath, his eyes widened, his throat emitted a rasping sound, and he seemed on the brink of death!
"Grandpa!" Fu Bao screamed in terror, feeling a rush of panic as if her mind was exploding. A golden light flashed before her eyes, and she collapsed unconscious to the ground as everything went dark!
Before losing consciousness, she heard Mrs. Li's panicked voice, "Fu Bao——"