As father Song spoke, his fingers trembled, and he pulled out a bank card from under his pillow. Then he handed it to Xu Jiamu. "There's ten million RMB on this card. It's not Sisi's money. It's money I've saved up over the years from working. It's for you."
Xu Jiamu furrowed his brows, but didn't take it.
Father Song shoved it into his hands. "When you become a father one day, you'll understand why. A father would rather die than let his daughter suffer, so you must take this money. There's no other reason to do it. I just want to give it to my daughter. I want to earn back her dignity. If you respect my daughter, then you should take this money."
Even though Father Song didn't blame Xu Jiamu, but he still felt like he couldn't hold his head up.
"You've known Sisi for eleven years now, right..." With that, Father Song's tone of voice drifted away. "Eleven years isn't a short amount of time. One doesn't have many eleven years in a lifetime. The best years of a woman's life were spent practically all on you."
When Xu Jiamu heard Father Song's words, he curled up his hand, clutching the bank card he'd taken.
Father Song paused for a moment, then turned his head and smiled at Xu Jiamu. "Even though we've only known each other for three days, I can tell that you care about Sisi, otherwise you wouldn't have come all the way here with her, and bothered to fuss around someone who's about to die.
"The only reason why I sent Sisi away is because I have a request for you." With this, Father Song hesitated for a slight moment. "No matter if Sisi is really with you or someone else, I hope that you can take care for her a little.
"I know that my request is a little much, but if she doesn't get together with you, you really don't have to look after her. However, I really am worried for her... When I'm gone, she won't have any family at all. If she has to suffer, she won't even have anywhere to cry. You don't understand. My biggest regret in life is that I will never be able to see her go to a good family...
"At that thought, my heart aches... but besides you, I don't know who I can say these things to. Take this as me begging you... Could you please promise that no matter if you and Sisi get together or not, if one day she is in pain, you will take good care of her for me. Be someone she can rely on..."
Without any hesitation, Xu Jiamu nodded. "I promise you. Don't worry, I will definitely take good care of her."
When Father Song heard him say this, he finally smiled in relief.
"We've been chatting for so long, I'm tired. I have to take a rest. Go check on Sisi and see what's holding her up."
Xu Jiamu nodded, and carefully helped Father Song back to bed. He pulled the thin covers over him and went out.
As Xu Jiamu waited for Song Xiangsi at the entrance of the neighborhood, he lit up a cigarette and took a few consecutive drags.
Father Song's words rang in his mind. Thinking about it, he didn't know why, but he thought back to what she whispered just before she took him into the patient's room, "Could you please treat me a little better in front of my dad?".
At the time, she quickly shook her head and denied she even said it, and just told him to just stay with her dad for a little while.