Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: Chapter 593: Sitting to Death
Chapter 595: Chapter 593: Sitting to Death
Could Sun Guanyun accept that he was giving up treatment for Sun Jikai?
Of course, the answer is no.
These days, Sun Jikai could hardly bear to see his once robust grandfather, who loomed like a great man in his heart, lying frail in the ICU with tubes all over his body, but at least Sun Guanyun was still alive.
Even if he was living a painful life without any quality, at least he was alive.
Sun Jikai wanted to burst into the ward and yell at Sun Guanyun, demanding to know what he was thinking, where things went wrong, why he would give up treatment when he could still live, but he couldn’t.
All he could do was keep making phone calls: to his parents, to his second uncle and aunt, to his cousin, to Sun Guanyun’s assistant, begging them to get to the hospital quickly to persuade Sun Guanyun.
Except for Sun Zhengqing (the cousin) who missed the call, everyone said they would get to the hospital as soon as possible.
But Sun Jikai waited and waited, and still, by the time Sun Guanyun was moved from the ICU to a regular ward, only Assistant Wang had shown up. The other four who had said they would come right away were nowhere to be seen, as if they had been hobbled.
When Sun Guanyun said he was giving up treatment, he meant it. He refused any intubation and rejected the ventilator, gasping for breath in the ward while coughing and using a hoarse, deep voice to curse everyone who tried to persuade him.
He was furious until only Sun Jikai and Assistant Wang were left in the room.
“Wang, go get a wheelchair, I want to see the view from the window,” Sun Guanyun said.
“Right away, President Sun.” Assistant Wang went to get the wheelchair.
“Grandpa.” Tears almost fell from Sun Jikai’s eyes; all he could think about was persuading Sun Guanyun to go back to the ICU as quickly as possible.
“Where are the others?” Sun Guanyun asked.
Sun Jikai was at a loss for words and after a pause said, “My parents and my second uncle said they are on their way just now… ”
“Ah yes, I’m about to die; they must be very busy. They have no time to see a dying man,” Sun Guanyun sneered.
“No, it’s just they might…” Sun Jikai tried to defend them, but he could not think of any excuse to explain why the four who had said they were coming right away had still not arrived after more than an hour.
Assistant Wang was quick; in the short conversation between Sun Jikai and Sun Guanyun, he had already brought the wheelchair into the room, followed by two nurses.
The two nurses carefully helped Sun Guanyun into the wheelchair. Sun Guanyun gestured to Assistant Wang to step out, then asked Sun Jikai to push him to the window so he could look up into the pitch-black night sky.
The night view from the window was not great, as most of the sky was blocked by a tall building in front, hiding the moon and the stars from view.
Above the building was pitch darkness, below was bright with lights. Perhaps it was too late at night because there were hardly any people on the streets, only a few pedestrians hurrying along.
“Jikai, what’s the date today?” Sun Guanyun asked.
“The 15th,” Sun Jikai replied.
“Well, I’ll try to live a little longer, die after the 16th. Sounds more auspicious,” Sun Guanyun joked.
“Grandpa!”
“Can’t bear to let me go?” Sun Guanyun looked at Sun Jikai, who remained silent.
“Actually, I can’t bear to leave either. I should have died a while ago, before the New Year. At that time, I just couldn’t let go. I kept thinking I had to live to see the New Year with you all and I just dragged myself in the hospital. After the New Year, I wanted to see you one more day, and then it was one day after another, dragging on until now.”
“The doctors told me at the start what it would be like in the end, and I thought to myself, when the day comes that I’m bedridden and need tubes, I would stop the treatments.”
“Back then, I figured I’d rather die with some dignity, prefer to die at home, sitting up. Not lying in a hospital bed, half alive, dragging it out until the end.”
Sun Guanyun sighed, and even his sigh was heavy.
“Turns out it’s still come to this. I thought I wasn’t afraid of death, but actually, I’m terrified,” Sun Guanyun looked up at the night sky where not even a single star could be seen and lamented, “How can anyone not be afraid of dying? Even if I lie in bed unable to talk, with a tube in my mouth, staring at a white ceiling and white walls each day, I still want to live.”
“Jikai, hasn’t the business at Jubao Building been bad lately?” Sun Guanyun asked.
Sun Jikai hesitated for a moment before replying, “It’s been a bit… sluggish.”
It was worse than not being good; it was at an all-time low. Due to Sun Guanyun’s wishes, the rivalry between two brothers had thrown Jubao Building into chaos, with disunity among the staff, mess in both the dining hall and kitchen. Neither service nor food quality passed muster, continuous bad reviews from new customers and even the regulars were reluctant to return, with revenues dropping every day.
Sun Jikai had been running back and forth between the hospital and the restaurant lately, worrying so much his hair was falling out in clumps.
Sun Jikai thought Sun Guanyun would press on about this issue, and was mentally preparing to dodge the question, but Sun Guanyun let it go and began to show concern for Jiang Weiguo’s health condition instead.
“He should be quite well. Before the New Year, Jiang Feng posted his grandfather’s medical examination report on his social circle, and I saw the concluding results stated everything was normal with no issues,” Sun Jikai said.
“He’s indeed healthy, free of disasters and illnesses, lucky man,” Sun Guanyun coughed twice, “I used to look down on him the most.”
Sun Jikai was taken aback.
“I should have told you that Jiang Feng’s grandfather was nominally my junior brother,” Sun Guanyun said.
“You did mention that Jiang Feng’s grandfather was originally like a disciple registered in the name of our great-grandfather,” Sun Jikai nodded.
“Aren’t you curious? With so many direct disciples and even more registered disciples under your great-grandfather, why have I been in contact with Jiang Weiguo, that old coot, all these years and not with anyone else?” Sun Guanyun said, continuing without waiting for Sun Jikai to react.
“Your great-grandfather was a true master, a time when there were only four major cuisines rather than the eight there are today, and your great-grandfather was deservedly the number one person in Cantonese cuisine. FJ and the surrounding areas were prosperous, and Jewel Building was always packed with customers; countless chefs dreamed of becoming a direct disciple under your great-grandfather. But that guy Jiang Weiguo, even when your great-grandfather wanted to take him as a direct disciple, he refused, saying he already had a master and couldn’t accept another, only agreeing to be a named disciple.”
“But that’s understandable, how could your great-grandfather compare to his own father, even if his father was already dead, he was still an insurmountable peak for many. That was Jiang Chengde, who in our generation of chefs doesn’t know Jiang Chengde?”
“Jiang Chengde?” Sun Jikai murmured, feeling a bit familiar with the name but unable to recall any specifics.
“That old coot Jiang Weiguo, when he was young, he was eccentric and stubborn, with just average talent comparable to mine, yet he was incredibly proud. Working as a chef at a state-owned restaurant in the countryside, he always dreamed of one day returning to Beiping to buy back Taifeng Building. Back then, what I hated most about him was this very trait, thinking he didn’t understand his own limitations, never expecting his luck would turn for the better in old age and that Taifeng Building would come to him.”
“I used to look down on him, but now it’s his turn to look down on me. When I was young, I was filled with frustration, busy thinking about the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, leaving me no time to care for your father and your second uncle; it serves me right that they have no time to come see me on my deathbed.”
“If I die, remember to call him first, then call your little teacher-uncle Sun Maochai and beg him to come back, to help you at Jubao Building, he will agree,” Sun Guanyun said weakly, his breathing starting to become more rapid.
“Assistant Wang has the contact information, give it to you. No matter what conditions he asks for, as long as he doesn’t take over Jubao Building, agree to anything, and make sure to plead with him to come back from Hong Kong City. I’ve held Jubao Building in my hands for so many years, initially, I wanted to further its glory, make it not just the number one restaurant in FJ, but the top in the south, even in the whole country, but look at what has become of it.”
“I’m no good, your father is a confused and ineffective fool, and it’s even less necessary to mention your second uncle. I’ve already prepared my will, the restaurant will certainly be left to you; to be fair, I have left most of my money to your second uncle. You’re a good kid, it’s just a pity we wasted so much time in earlier years, to rejuvenate Jubao Building now, we can only rely on Sun Maochai.”
“All these years, to save face, I haven’t contacted him, but he’s your great-grandfather’s last disciple and was also raised by him, having grown up in Jubao Building. As long as you sincerely ask him, he surely will come back.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Sun Guanyun started coughing violently, then began to pant, gasping for breath and finding it difficult to breathe.
“Grandfather, go to bed and lie down, I will have the doctor put you on a ventilator,” Sun Jikai said, moving the wheelchair toward the hospital bed.
“No!” Sun Guanyun shouted, firmly holding Sun Jikai’s hand that was pushing the wheelchair.
“Don’t call the doctor; the scenery is so beautiful tonight, it wouldn’t be a loss to die now, if I have to die, I want to sit and look outside,” Sun Guanyun insisted.
“When it’s time to die, one must die, and when it’s time to accept fate, one must accept it; lying half-dead in bed, lingering on is meaningless.”
“What difference would that life make compared to being dead? Unable to speak or move, it’s better to talk like now, and look outside. See, how beautiful the lights are outside, so bright. It would be nice if I could see the moon too.”
“Then I’ll push you down to see the moon,” Sun Jikai could no longer hold back the tears welling up in his eyes.
“No need. I guess I won’t see it even if you push me down there, what time is it now?” Sun Guanyun asked.
Sun Jikai looked at his watch and choked out, “11:57 PM.”
Sun Guanyun smiled, “Then I’ll live a few more minutes, make sure to talk a bit more.”
“Xiao Kai, your cousin is a good boy, he’s just not in good health; even if your second uncle does something outrageous in the future, don’t get estranged from your cousin; after all, you two are brothers.”
“If your dad asks what messages I left for him, tell him to open his eyes wide, stop being so submissive all the time, and try to act more like a man.”
“Tell your second uncle, if he still holds me in his heart as his father, then not to do those things that would disrespect me and your father.”
“Tell Sun Maochai, I regret it. Actually, leaving Jubao Building to him would’ve been good; he’s entered our Sun Family’s genealogy and is one of us. Who else to give it to, if not to family?”
“I was just jealous of his talent, and out of jealousy, I used that ridiculous contest as an excuse to create conflict.”
“Xiao Kai,” Sun Guanyun’s breathing was now louder than his words, “what time is it?”
“It’s just past midnight.”
“In the future, don’t be like your grandpa, realizing when death comes that there’s a pile of regrets too late to rectify. Do what you want to do, live a little happier.”
“And it would be even better if you could keep Jubao Building.”
“I want to die sitting up.”
“Grandfather.” Sun Jikai felt tears dropping onto the back of his hand but could not feel them sliding down his face.
As if his cheeks had lost all sensation, utterly numb.
The breathing stopped.
At 00:07 on March 16, Sun Guanyun passed away, at the age of 75.
Though there were still many regrets, he fulfilled his last wish.
To die sitting up.