2 Lukas

It rained on the ground. The raindrops pattered on the roof tiles, bouncing with a sharp, staccato sound. Then, in an instant, the sky poured down like a torrential stream. The intense sound of the rain was unceasing, accompanied by the wind, which swept away dry leaves... The rain beat against the windowpanes; if you were close enough, you could hear a rasping sound. The outside world seemed to sink into darkness.

Mingling with the sound of the rain was the melody of a young man playing the violin, the flickering light of an oil lamp illuminating a corner of the room. The lamplight gave a glimpse of the man within. His silhouette was graceful and focused as he played. One hand held the violin, the instrument resting gently against his shoulder. The other hand held the bow, and from it, music flowed... But gradually, the music grew more and more frantic, until with a sudden snap, a string broke. The music stopped just as abruptly. He set the violin on a chair beside him, then collapsed onto the sofa. He rested his arm over his eyes to shield them, his face showing exhaustion and a hint of weariness. The rain continued to fall steadily, as if the moments before had drained all his strength. On the table, a photo lay face down, seemingly connected to his exhaustion...

...

The phone rang incessantly. An unfamiliar number. "Don't call me, old man. The moment you cared more about that woman than you did about me or my sister, you stopped being my father!" The noisy phone call woke Felix in the middle of the night. Through the half-open door, he clutched the door frame, peering into the room. It was then that he realized his beloved father didn't always have a happy smile on his face, and wasn't always as gentle as he was when he took care of him. Sitting on the sofa, his father's face was clearly exhausted, as if he were trying to suppress his emotions... A knock on the door, followed by a slightly shaky voice from Felix, "Daddy, can I sleep with you...?"

He got up and opened the door, as if he had already guessed what had just happened. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around the boy. "I'm sorry, sweetie. It's my fault for waking you up. I'm so sorry..."

The next morning, the sound of commotion from outside woke young Felix. The little boy, his footsteps light, shuffled toward the noise coming from the living room. The ruckus made him a little scared. He hugged his teddy bear tightly and walked into the living room. In front of him, his father was pinned to the floor, his hands held tightly as he knelt. Sitting on the sofa was an older man, a figure over 60, and next to him, a younger woman who still showed the marks of time on her face.

"Didn't you come here because you want me to cure your beloved child? Isn't this a little too coercive?"

"Anything you want, as long as you cure my daughter."

"Isn't that better than bringing up 'blood ties'? When did you get so considerate? When I left, hadn't you already settled everything with my family?"

"Let him go."

He arrived at T Hospital, one of the most advanced hospitals in the city. His face showed annoyance as he followed a nurse to a private room. When the door opened, a young girl lay on the hospital bed.

"Her surgery is very difficult. I hope you will do this. After all, you two are children of..."

"How much will you pay me?"

"Whatever you want."

He received a nod in agreement. The commotion woke the girl. When she saw the man, she turned her face away. The man left the room, and he sat down beside her. "Did he treat you badly?"

She didn't say anything, as if she didn't want to engage with him, but he didn't let her off easily. His words made her furious, and she yelled, "Are you crazy?! I want to die! Do you know that he only sees me as an object to glorify himself? Do you have any idea what my life has been like?"

"You've lived a life of wealth every moment since you were born. Have you ever thought about what poverty is like?"

That evening, in the hospital's operating room, in addition to the surgical equipment, there were also cameras and crew members discussing the surgery. When he entered the room, he saw the scene before him but didn't seem to care. He walked to the operating table. The girl was lying on her back, her neck gently arched so the doctor could easily access her thyroid gland. He began to administer general anesthesia to the patient. A breathing tube was then placed in her trachea to maintain her airway, and an IV was set up to provide necessary fluids and medication. Next, the nurse thoroughly cleaned and disinfected the patient's neck. When everything was ready, he made a swift horizontal incision in the neck and quickly began the thyroid surgery. Throughout the procedure, everyone seemed to be in awe of his skilled surgical talent. When the surgery was over, he left the room, recalling his conversation with his sister.

Leaving the hospital, he took a taxi home. A small figure, Felix, seemed to be waiting at the door. As he got out of the taxi, the boy ran and hugged his legs. The boy then asked a series of questions. He hugged the boy and didn't answer any of them, instead promising to take him somewhere fun. It seemed he didn't want to remember the people he once called family.

In the bustling atmosphere of the shopping center, the clear sound of a violin suddenly rang out from the main stage, captivating every eye and ear. Amidst the noisy crowd, the young man with his violin stood out like a beacon, enchanting everyone with his melodious tunes. When the song ended, a brief moment of silence gave way to warm applause from the audience. From the crowd, a boy ran quickly to the young artist, followed by an older man who seemed to be his guardian. The boy tugged at the artist's shirt, his voice excited: "Can you play with my dad? He's really good too!"

"Felix, don't bother him," his father's voice, Y, said with a hint of embarrassment. Looking at the man with the boy, the young artist smiled kindly: "It's okay. I'm sure this young man here admires me... Besides, playing alone here is a little lonely."

"Please, Dad..." the boy pleaded.

"It looks like there's no piano here..." Y hesitated.

"It's okay," the young artist replied, "there's a piano at a cafe nearby. If you don't mind..."

A light sigh escaped Y, followed by a gentle nod. Young Felix's face lit up. The three of them walked toward the nearby cafe. The ringing of the cafe's bell attracted the attention of those inside. Y walked over to the piano in the corner of the cafe, and couldn't help but gently touch the keys. A few notes resonated, making everyone even more curious. The young artist took his familiar violin out of its case. To the sound of applause, the melodious tunes, a blend of violin and piano, spread gently throughout the cozy cafe...

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***