I will always put you first (WangXian modern au)

13. "How can I ever forget you?"

Wei Ying, Yunnan

It has been almost a week since our ride to the lake. Patients who still need intensive care have been relocated across different hospitals so that the medical teams can function more efficiently. I am able to do only one shift per day at the YMC and return to base with the new workload.

Lan Zhan and I are able to get some sort of a routine and it sure feels nice. At the end of each day, we just sit on our beds and talk. Mostly I talk and he listens. I tell him stories about my Ma and Baba. Stories about A-Cheng, A-Qing, and A-Ning.

Lan Zhan only tells his stories when I ask for them. I learn that he was close to his mom. She was his light. His brother and his uncle are his only family now and they love him. He also shares some anecdotes of his time in the armed forces. Nothing confidential and such, just incidents that happened. I am impressed with him. I appreciate how his team has become his work family too. They love and respect each other. They are ready to lay down their lives for each other. I find myself longing for that kind of camaraderie.

Reminiscing about the good times in my past helps me get better sleep too. Also, I sleep with Lan Zhan's shirt mostly which could be why I have not woken up screaming. Overall I am beginning to feel like the 'bad days' must be behind us now.

It's Friday night and we are making plans for Sunday and Monday. Those are weekly days off for Lan Zhan and me. He has his laptop open and is looking at places nearby that we could go to. That's when my phone rings - it's Wen Ning.

"A-Ning, hi. What's the matter? Did you get a little break at work and decide to call your ge ge?" I tease.

"Xian-ge, no. This is serious. Our fourth uncle has suffered a stroke. They brought him here this evening. We have just managed to stabilize him and he is in the ICU. I thought you'd want to know." he sounds scared. Although he is a doctor, it's hard for him to see one of his family members suffer like that.

"Oh. A-Ning, don't be worried. Tell me more about his case. What could have caused it? Any idea?", the doctor in me takes over.

"You know he has always had trouble with high blood pressure. He has not been too careful about his diet or his medication. After you left for Beijing, I took over pestering him as much as I could, but you know how it is. Last weekend on my days off I had gone to Wen's house to meet him and I did a quick check-up. He was as usual. Not great, but not terrible either. I don't know what could have caused it. Wen's driver brought him here and said he found Uncle passed out in the kitchen. He did not know anything else." A-Ning explains.

"Who is handling his case? If I come right now, can I be allowed to see him?" I am nervous.

"Dr. Li is the cardiologist here who is handling his case. He is an amazing healer and I am glad he took the case. I don't think you will be allowed to see him because he is not one of the rescue patients and YMC visitor hours are 9 AM to 5 PM only. Also, you aren't his blood relative. So... Xian-ge, I am here. Uncle is stable right now, and he is resting as we wait for some test results. I will keep an eye out and let you know if anything changes. Tomorrow when you get to work, see if you can come by as a visitor. Uncle will be awake by then hopefully."

"Um... Okay. Thank you for letting me know, A-Ning. I will do as you say. Have you informed A-Qing yet?" I ask.

"I tried calling her, but she did not answer. Could you please inform her, Xian-ge? I have to get back to work." he replies. I assure him I will and then disconnect the call.

Lan Zhan is looking at me with questions in his eyes. "It was Wen Ning. Our fourth uncle is admitted to YMC - he had a stroke. They have stabilized him and got him to rest. Since I am not a family member, I will be allowed only during normal visiting hours. So the earliest I can see him is tomorrow morning. I need to inform A-Qing." I give him a quick summary as I struggle to dial A-Qing's number. My nerves are not cooperating.