Free Web NovelChapter 248: Chapter 248: Growing Up Overnight
At 8:30, Little Tang Mo finally woke up.
The moment he woke, Su Li knew. His previously relaxed body tensed up instantly. Only after he opened his eyes, took in his surroundings, and saw Su Li did he gradually relax.
"Little Mo, don’t be scared. Mama’s here," Su Li soothed, holding his hand.
Little Tang Mo looked at Su Li quietly for a moment. He didn’t pull his hand away, but he did avert his gaze, turning his head to the side.
Su Li froze for a second. "What’s wrong, Little Mo? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
Little Tang Mo didn’t respond, just stared silently at the foot of the bed, lost in thought.
"Little Mo, do you need to use the bathroom?"
Su Li tried asking again, but Little Tang Mo still didn’t react.
When Su Li asked a second time, he finally responded.
He silently pulled his hand from Su Li’s grasp and sat up on his own. He refused to let her carry him and got out of bed by himself.
His body was weak, and he nearly stumbled as he got out of bed. Su Li rushed to catch him, but he dodged away.
"Little Mo, let’s not go to the bathroom. Why don’t you just go here..." freёwebnovel.com
As Su Li was speaking, Little Tang Mo had already pushed her hand away, put on his shoes, and was looking around.
Su Li paused, then took his hand. "Little Mo, the bathroom is this way."
Little Tang Mo struggled for a moment, but when he couldn’t break free, he stopped and just lowered his head.
He went into the bathroom by himself and closed the door from the inside. A short while later, he came out, head still bowed.
Just as Su Li reached for his hand, a gust of wind blew the bathroom door shut behind him with a SLAM.
Little Tang Mo startled violently, jumping visibly.
"It was just the door closing. It’s okay, Little Mo," Su Li said, quickly scooping him up to comfort him.
Little Tang Mo kept his head down and wrung his hands, his fingers turning white from the force.
Su Li carried him back to the hospital bed. "Little Mo, you must be hungry, right? Let’s wash your face and brush your teeth, then have some water and porridge. Mama made this porridge just for you."
Little Tang Mo’s lips tightened into a line reflexively, and a look of resistance flashed across his face.
Su Li remembered what he had been through. A flicker of pain crossed her eyes, and she forced a smile as she got some water to wash his face.
She couldn’t get him to rinse his mouth because he kept it clamped shut, so Su Li had no choice but to give up.
"Little Mo, does your throat hurt? It’ll feel better if you have a few sips of water. How about a little water?"
It took Su Li a good while, but she finally got him to drink two sips of water and eat half a bowl of plain porridge.
In the end, Little Tang Mo could be considered obedient, but he never once looked up at Su Li. He either kept his head down or stared elsewhere.
When the nurse came to set up his IV drip and spoke to him, he had no reaction, just kept staring at the foot of his bed.
Other children would be crying their eyes out while getting a shot, but he had no reaction at all, merely flinching when the needle went in.
"Such a good boy, Little Mo. Does it hurt?" Su Li asked, leaning down. He still didn’t respond.
While the IV was being administered, Su Li kept talking to him, but he remained unresponsive.
It was as if he couldn’t hear her at all. He was just in a daze, lost in his own world, thinking about who knows what.
The only way Su Li could get his attention was by taking his hand.
"Little Mo, are you angry at Mama? I’m so sorry. Mama was too busy and didn’t keep her promise to you. But don’t worry, it will never happen again, okay?"
Little Tang Mo’s eyes shifted slightly, but he still gave no other reaction.
It was normal for him not to speak, since his throat was injured.
But it wasn’t just that he didn’t speak. He didn’t laugh or cry either, and he refused to make eye contact or interact with Su Li.
The once cheerful, lively, and clever Little Tang Mo had suddenly become like this, and the unease and regret in Su Li’s heart grew with every passing moment.
Back then, Little Tang Mo had sensed something was wrong with Mrs. Tang and called her for help, asking her to come pick him up. But she had cruelly refused.
Su Li was sick with regret. ’If only I had been more patient and listened to him,’ she thought, ’I might have realized something was wrong and prevented what happened next.’
"Little Mo, can you just look at me? Just once."
Su Li’s latest attempt to communicate also ended in failure.
Because Little Tang Mo’s veins were thin, the IV drip had to be set very slow. It wasn’t finished until noon.
During that time, Su Li told him to get some rest, but he kept his eyes open, never sleeping.
He remained lost in his own world, his reactions to external stimuli sluggish or nonexistent. He would just stare into space, rarely responding when Su Li spoke to him.
Throughout the morning, any slightly loud noise—a door opening, someone speaking loudly, a child crying—would make him jump.
Drifting between a daze and sudden frights, Little Tang Mo passed the morning.
When the doctor came on his rounds and saw Little Tang Mo’s condition, a thoughtful expression crossed his face.
After the IV drip was finished, a nurse called for Su Li from the doorway, saying the doctor wanted to see her in his office.
Su Li told Little Tang Mo where she was going. Seeing no reaction, she sighed internally, tucked him in, and turned to leave.
After taking two steps, Su Li suddenly felt a tug on her clothes.
She looked down and saw Little Tang Mo clutching her shirt.
Su Li froze, a flash of delighted surprise in her eyes. "Little Mo."
She looked up at him, but he had already averted his gaze.
But he didn’t let go of her shirt.
Su Li looked at his small hand, sniffled, and finally let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
"Little Mo, the doctor needs to see Mama. I’ll only be ten minutes, okay? I’ll be back in just ten minutes. You can watch the time."
Su Li took off her watch and placed it in his hand. "Look, when this hand gets here, Mama will be back, okay?"
Little Tang Mo looked up at Su Li for a split second, then clutched the watch tightly and finally let go of the hem of her shirt.
Su Li waited for him to lie down again and pulled the blanket over him before she left the room.
She closed the door from the outside and asked a nurse to keep an eye on it and not let anyone in.
While Su Li was speaking with the nurse, the previously unresponsive Little Tang Mo lifted his head and looked toward the door.
He would stare at the door for a while, then glance at the watch. For the first time, there was focus in his eyes.
Su Li met with the doctor, who asked about Little Tang Mo’s previous personality and other details. After listening to her explanation, the doctor grew pensive.
"I understand. I’ll keep him under observation. You shouldn’t be away from him for too long. Go on back and look after him for now."
Su Li exchanged a few more words with the doctor before leaving.
When she returned to the hospital room, exactly ten minutes had passed.
"Little Mo, I’m back."
She pushed the door open, and the first thing she saw were Little Tang Mo’s dark, bright, yet silent eyes.
Seeing her return, Little Tang Mo watched her for a couple of seconds before looking away.
After he looked away, the smile on Su Li’s lips turned bitter.
All morning, Su Li had been avoiding one particular question.
But after talking with the doctor, she could no longer ignore it.
Little Tang Mo was no longer the same Little Tang Mo.
His personality had changed drastically. He had grown up overnight.
She closed the door and looked at Little Tang Mo, who was lying on his side, picking at the bed’s guardrail with his fingers. An image unconsciously flashed through her mind: the Tang Mo she had seen before she died in her past life.
That cool, aloof young man with a tranquil, profound gaze, as flawless as jade.
’Why did I think of him?’ Because Su Li could see the shadow of that cool young man in Little Tang Mo now.
’The innocent, adorable, shy Little Tang Mo who loved to laugh... after all the twists and turns, he had still ended up with that same cold personality.’
