The car traveled for nearly an hour before finally reaching its destination.
It was a themed hotel located on a mountain. After parking the car, Jin Ye took his wife and children inside.
"Welcome, sir and madam."
A server greeted them and led them into the lobby.
A giant screen was the first thing that caught their eyes, displaying the words "Happy Birthday, Su Ding" in large characters. The surrounding walls were adorned with flashing photos of Jin Ye, Su Ding, and their two babies.
The relaxing aroma of essential oils was somewhat intoxicating. As Su Ding was still trying to orient herself, she belatedly realized that it was her birthday.
"Happy birthday."
Jin Ye looked at her tenderly, his deep voice filled with affection.
Su Ding's heart raced, and she actually felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. Facing the husband she had shared a bed with for months, she was still too nervous to speak.
As they were looking at each other, the two little ones ran onto the stage.
"Mom and Dad, my brother and I have a performance for you."
Su Xiaorui was dressed like a princess from a fairy tale, while Jin Xiaoxi wore a small suit. Their similar adorable faces made them look like a perfect boy and girl.
A piano had appeared on the stage at some point. Jin Xiaoxi confidently walked over to it.
Su Xiaorui went to a nearby chair, picked up the microphone.
A sweet, childlike song filled the hall. Su Xiaorui sang with great concentration, her pitch accurate and her emotion well-captured.
Jin Xiaoxi steadily followed her singing, providing accompaniment.
Su Ding was speechless with amazement, tears welling up in her eyes. She covered her mouth, watching the two children on stage with surprise.
Suddenly, Jin Ye put his arm around her shoulder and walked forward.
"The children specially prepared this performance for you," Jin Ye said softly. He looked at the two little ones on stage, feeling a sense of pride.
This was the family he had always wanted.
Not bound by benefits or status, but simply by love.
He believed he had the ability to protect his beloved wife and children, ensuring they lived healthy and happy lives...
As Su Xiaorui sang, she even started to dance and interact with her parents below.
Jin Xiaoxi, with his cool little face, also looked at Su Ding from time to time.
Su Ding felt as if she was about to fly with happiness. The suppressed and gloomy mood of the past few days was lifted, and even her breathing felt sweet.
"Happy birthday, Mommy!"
When the song ended, Su Xiaorui, holding the microphone, walked over to Jin Xiaoxi. The two children said in unison.
Su Ding quickly rushed forward and opened her arms.
She wanted to hug her babies tightly...
"Bang!"
As Jin Xiaoxi stood up from the stool on stage, he took a step and his body suddenly collapsed.
He fell without any warning.
Su Xiaorui cried out in fear, "Brother!"
She immediately knelt on the ground, supporting Jin Xiaoxi's unresponsive body and shaking him.
Su Ding was terrified. Without thinking, she jumped onto the stage, disregarding her pregnant state, and rushed to hug Xiaoxi.
"Xiaoxi! Xiaoxi!"
Xiaoxi's eyes were tightly closed, his long eyelashes unmoving. He looked like a sleeping little prince.
Slowly, blood began to flow from his straight little nose.
Blood also trickled from the corners of his slightly parted lips...
The stark red of the blood reflected in Su Ding's eyes. Her heart sank, and a wave of fear washed over her.
How could this happen?
Xiaoxi had seemed perfectly fine, so how could he be like this!
Seeing this, Su Xiaorui burst into tears, repeatedly crying, "Brother... Brother..."
Jin Ye's mind was in turmoil. He forced himself to stay calm and called for an ambulance.
The nearest hospital was still a half-hour drive away. He hoped Xiaoxi could hold on!
Su Ding dared not move Xiaoxi's body.
At this point, neither of them knew what was wrong with Xiaoxi, and they were afraid of inadvertently worsening his condition.
Time passed agonizingly as they waited...
Su Ding stared at Xiaoxi without blinking, her heart pounding wildly. This immense panic was exactly the same as when Xiaorui had gone missing!
Finally, the ambulance arrived.
With its urgent sirens, the vehicle sped along and quickly reached the emergency room.
Su Ding buried her face in her knees and sat on the bench for a long time without looking up, unable to express the pain in her heart.
How could such a young child suddenly have a nosebleed?
Jin Ye sat beside her, staring intently at the emergency room door, like a statue in meditation, but his eyes were filled with anxiety.
Su Xiaorui had already been taken home by the housekeeper.
The couple could only wait for the results. Finally, the door opened.
Dr. Zhang, the most authoritative professor at the hospital, walked out with a frown and looked at them. "Let's talk inside."
Saying this, he walked into the adjacent room.
Jin Ye and Su Ding's hearts sank, and they quickly followed...
"That child has a gu worm in his abdomen, and it's been there for some time," Dr. Zhang stated directly, his voice aged but strong.
"A gu worm? What is that?" Su Ding asked anxiously.
She had only heard of gu worms in novels and TV shows. How could there be a worm in Xiaoxi's stomach?
"Gu worms originate from the Miao ethnic group. Different gu worms have different effects. The one in your child's abdomen is a blood gu, a subordinate gu from a mother-child gu pair."
Dr. Zhang looked at Su Ding. "Has the child experienced symptoms like nausea and vomiting recently?"
Su Ding recalled that Jin Xiaoxi had complained of stomach pain some time ago. Could it have been due to this?
She nodded and asked, "Was this gu worm intentionally placed in his stomach?"
"Yes. There should be a mother gu as well, used to control the subordinate gu. However, the gu worm has been in the child's abdomen for too long. This type of blood gu devours the body's vital essence, leading to weakened immunity, anemia, dizziness..."
Dr. Zhang explained slowly, "The current situation is that the child and the gu worm are interdependent. If the gu worm is forcibly removed, the child's body will rapidly weaken and suffer damage to its core essence, possibly leading to him not growing up to be... However, if the gu worm is not removed, the child will require daily intravenous infusions, supplemented with blood, to sustain his life."
"Then what can be done to ensure his complete recovery?" Jin Ye asked in a deep voice.
"The most effective solution is to find the mother gu. Using the mother gu to lure out the subordinate gu, then crushing both worms, and preparing them with medicinal herbs and umbilical cord blood, will lead to a full recovery."
Dr. Zhang continued, "This umbilical cord blood must be from the child's own mother during childbirth. It shares the same blood lineage and can help him recover."
Jin Ye's brows furrowed into a tight line. He blamed himself for his carelessness. When Xiaoxi had vomited, he had only sought treatment from a regular doctor who prescribed common medication, failing to conduct a thorough examination.
No one would have imagined that someone would attempt to put a gu on a five-year-old child!
He said grief-stricken, "It will take time to find the mother gu..."
Currently, there were no clues, and they couldn't even identify a basic suspect. Who knew when the mother gu would be found.
"Doctor, what is the best course of treatment for the child right now?"
Su Ding asked anxiously. She would spare no expense to protect her Xiaoxi!