HIStory 3.5: Make Our Days Count: Love's Sacrifice

Revelations

Standing from the table and looking across at Zhi Gang, Shao Fei said "I think you don't need that favor from me after all." 

Then turning to Yu Shi Gu, "I think, we should do lunch another time before you leave.  I think you guys need to talk." 

As he was about to walk away from the group Shao Fei added, "Maybe we all can get together again and next time I'll bring Tang Xi." 

Left alone at the table the 2 pairs of eyes were fixed on 1 with no one daring to be the first to break the silence. 

Finally, it was Sun Bo who said "Wow, you're alive!" That statement opened the floodgates of questions and explanations, memories and stories.  It was too much to share at lunch but Yu Shi Gu did explain the basics...what happened (coma, memory loss), where has he had been (school overseas), and why is he here now (visiting his aunt for graduation).  The other details Yu Shi Gu promised to share but at a later time. 

"Does Xiang Hao Ting know you're alive?"  It was Zhi ge ge who finally asked the question that everyone at the table had been avoiding.

Yu Shi Gu answered, "No. Right now, outside of a handful of people, you guys are the only people from my former life who know I'm alive."

Looking at each other, Zhi Gang and Sun Bo, both knew the next question they wanted to ask but they also both understood that now, probably wasn't the best time to ask.  So instead, Zhi ge ge asked another question whose answer was just as interesting, "How do you know Shao Fei and Tang Yi?" 

Yu Shi Gu explained that the driver of the car when he had his accident was the driver for Tang Yi's company.  The company was in the process of going public and it did not want any bad publicity, so they made a deal with Yu Shi Gu's family to keep the story out of the press.  In exchange, the company would handle all the medical expenses, set up an educational fund as well as provided a one-time financial settlement.  Exasperated and a little angry, Sun Bo stated, "So, Tang Yi's company, had your family lie about your death."

"No." Yu Shi Gu answered.  "Although he did not have any involvement in my accident directly, Tang Yi still felt responsible and so when I was in the coma, Shao Fei and Tang Yi would occasionally come visit me and talk to me. 

Actually, they were there the day that I awoke from my coma.  Since then they've been looking out for me.  After I got my memory back, it was Tang Yi through his company that made it possible for me to attend college in the U.S."

Zhi ge ge asked, "Did they know about your past?"

"No, I don't think so.  If they did, they never said anything to me.  I always told them that what was in the past was best left there and they never pushed.  Although Tang Yi did tell me that you cannot run from your past and if, at some point, I was ready to face it, he and Shao Fei would be there to help.  I guess today the universe took them up on their offer."

Yu Shi Gu further explained that the decision about his death was made by his aunt.  Tang Yi's company only asked that the accident be kept out of the press.  Yu Shi Gu's aunt was the one to make the decision to tell everyone he had died as a result of the accident.  Zhi ge ge and Sun Bo were both visibly angered by Yu Shi Gu's statement about his aunt.  They were never able to truly grieve for Yu Shi Gu when he died because the aunt closed the funeral rites off to everyone, including Hao Ting.

Sun Bo had first-hand experience with just how hard it was for Hao Ting and Zhi ge ge during that time.  Sun Bo remembered on multiple occasions having to console both his boyfriend and best friend as they cried uncontrollably. Now, to know that Yu Shi Gu was alive and the pain Hao Ting and Zhi Gang had to experience was intentional made his blood boil.

Yu Shi Gu could sense a change in the atmosphere at the table.  "Before you get upset with my aunt, please understand why she felt she had to do what she did.  Maybe then you can understand why I haven't told anyone that I'm alive." 

Yu Shi Gu explained how the doctors had told his aunt when the accident happened that there was a 50% chance that he would not survive the accident.  If he did survive the accident, there would be a 90% chance that Yu Shi Gu would be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life.  His aunt knew, although they were young, how much Xiang Hao Ting and Yu Shi Gu loved each other.  She was happy that Yu Shi Gu had finally found some level of happiness in his life after all the hardships he had faced.  It was at the hospital, that Hao Ting's dad described Hao Ting's personality to the aunt and how Hao Ting would never leave Yu Shi Gu no matter what state he was in.  Hao Ting would willingly sacrifice everything for Yu Shi Gu.  Hao Ting was young, he had just been accepted to college, he still had his entire future ahead of him.

With tears in his eyes, Yu Shi Gu explained, "My aunt did not want him to throw his future away waiting on the slim possibility that I would someday wake up.  So, she made the decision to have me moved to a private hospital and told everyone that I had died from the accident.  I was in the coma for 2 years, and it took another year and a half for me to regain my memory and complete rehabilitation.  By then Hao Ting was about to begin his 4th year of university.  What right did I have to show up and disrupt his life?  My aunt said this to me once I had regained my memories, 'sometimes love requires sacrifice.'" 

At that point, Yu Shi Gu was unable to hold back the tears that had been forming as they flowed down his face thinking about the love he lost.  Zhi ge ge, switched seats and consoled the little brother that he missed for so long and who obviously was still carrying a lot of heartache and pain.  After Yu Shi Gu was able to compose himself, Zhi ge ge asked, "so what did you do then?"

"I agreed to go to college overseas.  I buried myself in my studies.  I was able to graduate in 2.5 years.  This trip was supposed to be a quick trip to celebrate my graduation, visit my aunt and uncle as well as Shao Fei and Tang Yi before deciding on graduate school. I never imagined that I would meet you guys."

"Yeah," replied Sun Bo, "if it wasn't for a chance encounter with Li Si Yu, we wouldn't have known about you either." Sun Bo then went on to explain how Li Si Yu saw Yu Shi Gu at the crosswalk and snapped his picture and then sent that picture to Sun Bo and Zhi Gang setting into motion the events of today. 

Sun Bo then asked, "So other than your aunt, uncle, Tang Yi, and Shao Fei no one else knew you were alive all this time?"

"No," replied Yu Shi Gu, "there was one other person, Hao Ting's dad."