Lucius listened with great interest as Larry told the story in an animated manner as though he was living out the character in the latter's story.
“Dad, why are you different before and after the operation?” Lucius asked curiously.
Larry hesitated for a moment and then tapped his son's forehead playfully. “I will tell you all about it after you're fully recovered.”
Lucius' eyes dimmed in the next instance.
This was actually Larry's way of leaving suspense in his story; a hope for Lucius to hold on and look forward to.
“Dad, when will I undergo my operation?” Lucius asked out of the blue.
Larry was momentarily stunned but soon resumed his composure. I just wanted to paint a less scary picture for the surgical operation. I didn't expect him to...
“Lucius, why are you suddenly asking me this?” Larry asked while stroking his son's hair lovingly.
“You said you've become stronger after your surgery, so I want to be like you too,” Lucius answered matter-of-factly.
Lucius' response caught Larry by surprise.
“So, you want to go ahead with your operation? Sure, buddy. Why don't I arrange with the doctor?” Larry said with a wistful smile and pulled Lucius closer to him.
He is just a kid. Why does he have to suffer so much?
At that thought, Larry's expression grew grim.
“Alright, Dad. I'll go with your arrangement,” Lucius said with a bright smile.
Lucius was not unaware of what was happening around him for the past few days. In fact, he knew precisely that his parents and grandmother were troubled by his upcoming operation.
He had overheard a conversation between Delilah and the doctor about tumor and surgery the other day and managed to put two and two together. Instead of watching the adults trying hard to tiptoe around him, Lucius decided to save them the hardship of breaking the difficult news to him by proposing to undergo surgery himself.
“What? Lucius said that he wanted to go through the operation?” Joan looked at Larry in disbelief.
The man shifted his gaze from Joan to Delilah and nodded resolutely.
“That's because he was aware of it,” Delilah said weakly.
After all, she knew Lucius' personality well. He was someone who always put others before himself, and Delilah had always thought that the child was too mature for his age.
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