Theresa got out of the cab with a bouquet of fresh flowers in her arms. She saw a group of medical staff rushing out of the hospital with a stretcher. They quickly opened the door to the back seat of the other car in the driveway to get an unconscious man to the ER as quickly as possible.
He only glanced around and didnât pay too much attention to the scene, as he didnât know Officer Miller. He didnât tell Armand that he was going to the hospital because he wanted to surprise him. Besides, he also wanted to visit Armandâs grandmother.
After all, she was Armandâs only relative. Now that she was hospitalized, Theresa felt compelled to visit her.
When she got to the ward, she asked for Armandâs room number from the nurseâs office and went to her.
Armand was a filial grandson. Elizabeth stayed in the VIP room. It was quiet and clean, but the air still had a faint smell of disinfectant.
When Theresa reached the door to Elizabethâs room, she raised her hand to knock on the door, but before she could do so, she heard Armandâs groan of pain. That made her smile a little.
Elizabeth seemed to be in a very good mood. She still had energy to hit Armand.
Theresa put her hand down, and as she was about to knock on the door again, Elizabethâs angry voice was heard, âArmand, donât fool me anymore. You said Theresa had forgiven you, where is she? You lied to me, didnât you? You donât want to give me my great-grandson, do you?â.
Her hand froze in mid-air. Great-grandson?
She knew better than anyone that Isabelâs wish was for a great-grandchild. When she was with Armand in the past, Elizabeth was already anxious.
âI have not lied to you! As for your great-grandchild, that is my business. Please, Grandma, donât bother me about it anymore, okay? Iâve had enough of hearing that. Please let it be.â
âThatâs my only wish. I just want you to marry and give me my great-grandchild. I wouldnât care about any of your other affairs.â Elizabeth was especially adamant about this.
Armand felt like his head was about to explode.
She was harping on this all day long, and it was driving Armand crazy.
âI donât like children, and I donât want childrenâ¦â
Slap!
âOw!â Armand clutched at her arm, âGrandma, how are you so strong? Youâre going to cripple me if you hit me again. By then, how am I going to have children?â
âYouâre not disabled now, and I donât see that you have children too. Let me tell you this, Armand. Youâre not a kid anymore, no kidding. Iâm serious, and you canât let me die with regrets.â
âYouâre going to live foreverâ¦â
âShorty!â Elizabeth slapped his arm again.
Armand leaned closer to her, âYou could beat me to death by now. Iâm going to go crazy from your retching anyway.â
Elizabeth was now really furious, âYou think I like to scold you? If you had siblings, I wouldnât care if you were single all your life, do you think it was easy for me to raise you?â
As she said it, her eyes became teary, âYour father passed away like that, and your grandfather also left me a long time agoâ¦â
Armand was afraid that his grandmother would bring up the past. He quickly pulled out a piece of handkerchief and wiped away her tears.
âIâm not going to ask much of you. Only that I donât want to see you alone when Iâm dead. How can I die in peace-how could I, knowing that our family is going to cease to exist after this generation?â
Armand lay on the side of the bed irreverently. He didnât want to talk or move.
He really didnât want to walk her here.
However, she was old and no longer had children by her side. Her only son had passed away at such a young age. Armand was her only family. He had to take care of her now that she was hospitalized.
But when he was here, she complained endlessly. Perhaps the elders could talk endlessly about the same issue.
She repeated over and over that he was almost at the end of his rope.
âI donât want to force you either. Do what you want. Iâm going to die soon anyway.â Elizabeth was still angry.
Armand hit her head with his fist, âYouâre too old now, donât get angry. If you stay angry, Iâll die with you.â
Elizabeth grabbed his hand, forbidding him to hit himself: âI wonât force you, but give me some time. I donât have many years to live, can you marry and have children while I live?â.
Armand had no choice but to console her, âIâll marry and give you your great-grandchildren in two years, okay?â
He thought about adopting one and telling Elizabeth that he was her son when the time came to comfort her first.
âNo, two years is too long. One year.â Elizabeth was determined.
Armand could only nod now, âI promise, then can you stop nagging?â.
Elizabeth let out a sigh, âWhen youâre old, even your family dislikes you.â Armand was speechless.
âI donât dislike you. What do you want to eat? Iâll go buy it for you.â Armand patted Elizabeth: âI know all these years have been hard on you.â
Elizabeth asked him back, âYou havenât had breakfast this morning, have you?â.
How could Armand have an appetite for food?
She had been prattling on and on. He was going to go crazy.
âYou go eat, Iâve eaten before, so Iâm not hungry.â
Armand wasnât hungry either, but he wanted to come up for air.
He said, âIâm hungry. Iâm going to buy food.â Elizabeth told him to go away.
Suddenly, Theresa no longer dared to meet Elizabeth. When she heard that Armand was about to leave the room, she ran in the direction of the pantry. As soon as she entered, Armand came out.
Hiding in a corner, she watched Armand walk away. She only came out slowly when Armand reached the elevator.
Standing in the hallway, she listened to the sound of the surroundings.
She heard the elevator doors open and close after a moment. He approached and sure enough, Armand was no longer there.
At that moment the door to the other elevator opened. Theresa stepped inside and went down to the lobby as well.
She arrived a little later than Armand. By the time she got off the elevator, he had already exited through the hospital doors.
Theresa didnât know whether she should go home or meet Armand. She was caught in a dilemma.
Seeing that Armand wasnât going out to buy groceries, but instead was going into an alley, Theresa followed behind him, wanting to know what he was doing.
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