Blair coughed up more blood. Cecelia came to the park to look for her, and happened to see her lying in Wesley's arms, drenched in blood.
Cecelia screamed, and her legs went soft like noodles. She almost collapsed to the ground.
It took a while before she came to. Some of Wesley's men had treated her for shock. The first thing she did when she awoke was throw off the blankets they were keeping her warm with. She fumbled for her phone. With trembling hands, she dialed Baldwin's number. "Hu-hurry! Something happened! In the...park!" she stammered.
Blair felt so feeble. Her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. She was passing in and out of consciousness. Wesley and the soldiers tore their clothes to strips to use them as bandages to soak up the blood.
She was dying. But there was something she had to tell him. "Wesley, I'm sorry I said no to marriage. I love you. I never stopped—" Wesley couldn't listen to her anymore. His heart was torn to ribbons, all his dreams came crashing down. His blood felt like icewater. He held her tightly and kissed her.
The kiss tasted bloody. Blair didn't want him to kiss her like that, so she tried to push him away, but she was too weak to do anything.
When he let her go, both his mouth and face were covered with blood. "Where is the damn ambulance?" he shouted.
"Chief, I told them to hurry. They're stuck in traffic. They'll be here as soon as they can."
Blair slowly reached out a hand to caress Wesley's face. "Don't...don't be mad... If...if we meet in the next life, will you like me first?"
People said it was easier for a girl to chase a guy, rather than the reverse.
But why had it been so hard for her to chase him?
If he flirted with her in their next life, she'd say yes in a heartbeat. He was so handsome, masculine and capable. Girls were naturally drawn to him. He didn't talk much, embodying the strong, silent type. And yes, he had flaws. Big ones. Sometimes he could be a pain in the ass, but most of the time she thought him adorable.
He was her Wesley. Her beloved one.
"Quit talking like that! Fuck the next life—I want you in this one! You gotta live! I need to step up my boyfriend game. I'll bring you flowers every day, ask you out, and take you on trips. You can wear whatever bikini you like. I'll buy you oden and bubble tea. We'll go to the movies. I'll take you anywhere you want to go. You have a lot to live for. Keep your eyes open! If you sleep, I'll hunt you down in your dreams! Do you hear me?"
"Too much blood... So...sleepy...S-sorry..." She didn't want to die. There were so many things she wanted to do with him. She didn't want to leave him lonely, but she couldn't hang on.
"I won't let it happen! Listen! Keep your eyes open! I have blood. I'll give you a transfusion. If it's not enough, I have my men. They all can donate blood!"
Blair smiled. She knew he wasn't bluffing, but what were the odds they were compatible enough? They had to wait for the ambulance anyway. Transfusions were tricky. But she was happy. She met Wesley, and fallen in love with him, and he loved her back. What else could she wish for? Nothing more than him.
By the time the ambulance arrived, Blair had fainted. Before she closed her eyes, she told Wesley that if he had to choose between them, he should choose their son; otherwise, she couldn't go on living. And even if she did, she'd never forgive him.
In the hospital
The medical professionals wheeled the gurney straight into the operating room. She had lost too much blood and needed a transfusion. But the blood banks were at critical levels. Wesley's blood type wasn't a match.
He called his soldiers. Later, more than ten of them, who had the same blood type as Blair, came to the hospital to donate their blood.
Before the operation, the doctor came to Wesley with a surgery risk notice. He told Wesley what those risks were and asked him to sign the paper. Wesley hesitated.
Then a nurse walked out of the operating room and said urgently, "Mr. Li, it doesn't look good. If the mother and baby can't both live, what..."
"Save the mother first!" Wesley said before the nurse could finish her sentence. She might hate him, but she had to live.
With red eyes, Cecelia grabbed the nurse. "Please, please save the mother!"
The nurse nodded and then wrote something down on the clipboard she held. After she turned and walked back into the OR, Wesley read the notice again. He had brought many soldiers to this hospital before. Since their families weren't around, Wesley had signed the papers himself. He'd seen the form over and over. But he never hesitated like this.
Right now, looking at those familiar words, he was afraid.
"Senior Colonel Li, please sign. The patient is waiting," the doctor urged.
Clenching his teeth, Wesley signed his name at the bottom of the paper. '
Blair, you have to fight! If you lose this battle, I won't forgive you. I'll chase you into the afterlife.
If you go to heaven, I will chase you through the pearly gates!
If you go to hell, I'll walk through fire for you!
And I won't stop chasing you until the end of time!'
A few months later
Wesley had just returned from a two-week mission. He was climbing the stairs. His right hand clutched the suspenders the baby wore. Dangling in mid-air, the baby spun as Wesley's arm swung during his climb. Cecelia walked behind him. She was terrified when she saw him carrying the baby like that and climbing the stairs. "Wesley, can't you hold him in your arms like a normal father? What if he falls and gets hurt?"
The baby looked up at Cecelia and giggled when he heard her voice. Cecelia's heart melted at the little angel's smile. "Take a break, Son. Give him to me."
Wesley just kept climbing. "I can do this. And kids get hurt all the time. He will be fine."
His room was on the second floor. Once he walked into his room, he put the baby on a table. The little one started kicking and babbling.
His palms on the table, arms on either side of the baby, Wesley looked at his son attentively.
They said that sons usually take after their moms. It seemed like it. This little guy looked more and more like Blair.
Wesley put one hand on the little guy's legs to stop him from kicking.
But his son was quite defiant. He kept doing what he felt like doing. Wesley stood straight and pointed at his son. "Ten-hut!" he ordered.
The imp didn't care. He was having a great time chewing his hand. At one point, he got so excited he almost kicked his old man in the face.
Wesley grabbed his son's legs with both hands. Feeling how soft they were, he loosened his grip. "Don't move! Ten-hut!" he commanded again as if he were training his soldiers. Well, this one was definitely his youngest soldier ever. As such, he'd probably need more drills.
When his orders were ignored again, Wesley pointed at the baby and reprimanded, "If you can't keep still, I'll hand you over to the honor guard. Then you will know what rigorous is."
Instead of being scared, the baby chuckled.
"Huh? Wipe that smirk off your face. You think I'm bluffing, don't you?" Wesley released the baby's legs and crossed his arms over his chest. "Your mom is the only one I couldn't tame. You're just a little guy wearing a diaper. How hard can it be?"
The baby thought Wesley was teasing him, and laughed heartily. All of a sudden, his hand didn't seem to be such fun anymore.
He stopped chewing it and started flailing his limbs joyfully.
He slobbered as he giggled.
Seeing that, Wesley took out his phone. "I have to get a pic of that; you drooling with that goofy smile. And I'll show it to everyone at your wedding.
Then he snapped a pic. When he had taken enough pictures, he opened the album on his phone to admire his work.
He had to say his son looked good on camera, and he was so cute.
Wesley scrolled down, and soon stopped at a picture of a woman.
His eyes froze and grew even more affectionate. He showed the picture to the little guy and said, "This is your mom. Her name is Blair Jing... Blair Jing..." After putting his phone away, he went on, "Learn to call 'Mom' diligently. Don't slack off. To give birth to you, your mom chose you over me."