Chapter 168: Rare Blood Type
The nurse guided Tang Ziyi and Li Chen to have their blood drawn and tests run. After the procedure, she informed them, "You can wait outside; I will inform you of the results." Tang Ziyi and Li Chen exited the room, returning to the waiting area.
Expressing his gratitude, Tang Ziyi turned to Li Chen and said, "Thank you, Brother Chen. This means a lot to me." Li Chen, with a reassuring smile, replied, "You don’t have to thank me."
Shortly after, the doctor returned, and Tang Ziyi anxiously inquired, "Can I see her?" The doctor explained, "Only one person can see her. She is currently unconscious; don’t say anything that might make her upset." Tang Ziyi nodded, and the doctor led him to the ICU where Madam Tang was being treated.
As Tang Ziyi entered the room, he looked at his mother, connected to various machines and tubes. Tears welled up involuntarily as he took her hand, softly kissing it, and whispered, "I am here, Mom. You will be okay, I promise." In the midst of the sterile and clinical environment, Tang Ziyi clung to the hope that his presence and reassurances would reach his unconscious mother and bring her comfort.
Tang Ziyi returned to the waiting area, and Zhang Mei inquired, "How is she?" Tang Ziyi, his voice laden with frustration and sorrow, responded, "She is just laying there... How could people be so cruel? My mother is the kindest person I know. How can someone just shoot her?"
Li Chen, determined to seek justice, assured, "We will get to the bottom of this, and whoever is responsible will pay." Their conversation was interrupted by the nurse, followed by the doctor, who suggested, "I think we need to talk in my office." The three exchanged glances, unsure of the reason, but followed the doctor to his office and took their seats.
The doctor began, "I have the results here... Please be advised that, for safety, we usually do all kinds of tests on donors, and we found something." Zhang Mei, concerned, asked, "What is it, Doctor?" The doctor hesitated before continuing, "Tang Ziyi, your blood is not a match, and..." Tang Ziyi, impatient, urged, "And what? Please get to the point, Doctor."
The doctor revealed, "According to the tests we did, you and Mrs. Tang need to have a good chat when she wakes up. I think there is something she needs to tell you, and it’s not my place to say." Tang Ziyi, bewildered, questioned, "What do you mean?" The doctor evaded, "Like I said, I can’t say it. It’s not my place."
Deciding to put that revelation aside for the moment, Tang Ziyi redirected the conversation, asking, "What about Li Chen’s blood?" The doctor, shifting the focus, responded, "Li Chen’s blood is a match. We can proceed with the transfusion once we find a suitable donor. In the meantime, please prepare yourself for the conversation you may need to have with your mother." The weight of impending revelations hung in the air as they navigated the challenges surrounding Madam Tang’s health.
The doctor continued with surprising information, "Oh, I have to add, Li Chen’s blood type is the rare Aetherius Blood. In my 20 years as a doctor, this is my first time seeing someone with this blood type. You are really a special young man. Only 1.5% of people in the whole world have this blood type. The perk is that it can donate to all blood types, but the con is that, should you ever need a blood transfusion, you would be in trouble."
Li Chen, taken aback by this unexpected revelation, questioned, "What does that mean?" The doctor explained, "It means you can only be donated to by someone with the same blood type. Anyways, I thought I should inform you. Be careful out there, don’t put yourself in risky situations that might make you lose blood." Li Chen, absorbing the information, made a mental note to investigate this rare blood type further.
The doctor then shifted the focus, saying, "Now we will have to draw your blood. Please be advised that this might be risky to your health." Li Chen, accepting the potential risks, responded confidently, "It’s okay; let’s get it done." The doctor handed Li Chen a few forms to sign, and once completed, the process of drawing Li Chen’s rare Aetherius Blood began.
As Li Chen was occupied with the nurses, Sun Lixia called his phone. Zhang Mei contemplated for a moment and decided to answer on his behalf. Sun Lixia inquired, "Li Chen, how is everything there?" Zhang Mei responded, "Li Chen is a bit busy right now, Aunt Lixia. I will tell him to get back to you when he is done."
Concerned about Madam Tang, Sun Lixia pressed further, "Zhang Mei, how is Tang Ziyi’s mother?" Zhang Mei shared the latest updates, "She is out of surgery but needs a blood transfusion." Sun Lixia asked, "Have they found a donor?" Zhang Mei sighed and revealed, "Li Chen is the donor."
There was a pause on Sun Lixia’s end, and she finally said, "Oh, I see. Tell me when he is done." She then hung up, leaving Zhang Mei to look at Tang Ziyi, who was deep in thought. Trying to provide reassurance, Zhang Mei said, "Don’t worry; Aunt will be fine now that she will get blood."
Tang Ziyi, still troubled by the doctor’s words, expressed, "I know she will be fine, and I am grateful that Brother Chen was willing to do this, but the doctor’s words..." Zhang Mei interrupted, "Don’t think about it too much. Maybe it’s not too serious. You can ask your mother when she gets better." Tang Ziyi nodded, but an unsettling feeling lingered, hinting that there might be more to discover.
Tang Ziyi couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the doctor’s revelation. If it wasn’t too serious, why would the doctor hesitate to share the details? These thoughts lingered in his mind as Li Chen returned, looking a bit pale. Tang Ziyi expressed concern, "Brother Chen, how are you feeling?" Li Chen smiled and reassured him, "I will live, don’t worry. I just need some water."
Zhang Mei promptly got water for him and suggested, "Maybe you also need to get some rest." Li Chen agreed, acknowledging his fatigue, "You are right. I do need rest. Can you drive?" Zhang Mei affirmed, "Yes." Li Chen then decided, "I will get Mom to send someone to take me home. You can drive back with my car." Zhang Mei agreed, saying, "Okay."
Li Chen took his phone and sent a text message to his mother, requesting a driver. When the driver arrived, Li Chen left his car keys with Zhang Mei, saying, "I will come back when I feel better. Please keep me updated." Tang Ziyi expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Brother Chen. I will never forget this." Li Chen smiled and humbly replied, "Don’t mention it," before weakly walking out of the hospital. The significant amount of blood drawn had left him feeling very weak, and he needed rest to recover.
