Chapter 10 — After Doctor Diep Disappeared

His brain at that moment seemed to have shut down, unable to give any response. One second, two seconds, three seconds. He rushed forward and knocked Tham Moc Ngung away. Tham Moc Ngung staggered back two steps, leaning on the sofa armrest, her face finally showing panic.

"I... I slipped, I didn't mean to..."

Co Han Chau sat down in front of Diep Nam Sanh, reaching out to touch her right hand. When the ambulance arrived, Diep Nam Sanh was leaning against the corner of the wall, using his left hand to support his right wrist, his fingers still shaking slightly. The emergency worker squatted down to check her right hand, and the young male nurse took a breath of cold air. The emergency room lights of the Trauma and Orthopedics department were bright all night. At eight o'clock the next morning, Professor Chau - a leading expert in osteoarthritis walked out of the operating room, took off his gloves, and went into the hallway. Co Han Chau stood at the end of the hallway, his tie loosened, his shirt wrinkled into a ball, and his green beard stubbled under his chin. Professor Chau glanced at him: "The bones of the hand were broken in three places, the tendon of the extensor longus muscle of the thumb was torn, and the main trunk of the median nerve was crushed." He held up the X-ray film, facing the hallway light: "See for yourself, nerve damage like this is irreversible." Gu Han Chau stared at the white fragments and shadowy areas on the film, his fingers began to tremble. Professor Chau lowered the film: "Her right hand will later be able to perform simple grasping movements, holding a cup and holding chopsticks, no big problem." He stopped for a beat.

"But the meticulous operations are no longer possible. She can't hold a surgical knife anymore."

Co Han Chau grabbed Professor Chau's collar tightly: "Damn it, think of another way! I can invite experts from all over the world, money is not a problem!" Being grabbed tightly made his collar tighten, but Professor Chau did not get angry, just removed Co Han Chau's hand from his collar.

"Boss, the area of damage that crushed her nerves is too large. Even if you invite Nobel Prize winners from all over the world to come here, once dead nerve cells are dead, they cannot grow back."

Co Han Chau's hands hung down. When he pushed open the door of the hospital room and entered, Diep Nam Sanh was leaning against the headboard, his right hand wrapped in a thick bandage, from finger to forearm wrapped layer after layer. Co Han Chau walked to the bed, stood for a long time, wanting to say something, his lips opened and then closed again, repeating countless times.

“Co Han Chau.”

“You have finally completely ruined my life.”

—

Chapter 7 Diep Nam Sanh did not let anyone enter the hospital room. Co Han Chau arranged a long list of consultations with international experts, including video connections from Boston to Zurich, but she refused to accept any of them. The nurse brought in the rice, and when it came out, the food was still intact, and the position of the chopsticks had never moved. She also doesn't drink water. Co Han Chau brought Co Tu Mac over. Co Han Chau squatted in front of the boy, grabbed his son's shoulder: "Tu Mac, dad brought you to visit mom, can you apologize to mom?" Co Tu Mac sniffled, looked up at the closed hospital room door, then bowed his head again. Co Han Chau pushed the boy: “Go away, apologize to mom.” Co Tu Mac slowly walked to the front door, reaching out to reach for the door handle, but it was too high, the boy couldn't reach it. The boy turned around, pouted and whispered: "Dad, I don't want to apologize." Co Han Chau's eyebrows furrowed: "Why?" Co Tu Mac lowered his head, the tip of his shoe drawing circles on the floor: "Auntie said, she was the one who used the knife to scare people first. Even if her hand is disabled, she still deserves it." The hallway was silent.