Chapter 42: A Foolish Morning

It was eight in the morning by the time I left the train station. After grabbing a quick bite with Su Xuefei and Li Xiaoya at a nearby diner, I suggested taking them back to their hotel first. Su Xuefei and Luo Qing were strangers; the only reason she knew Luo Qing’s name was because I had occasionally mentioned her in passing. Though Luo Qing was currently in the hospital and, strictly speaking, we had no real relationship, we were at least acquaintances. For Su Xuefei to visit would have been awkward; even out of courtesy, it should have been me going alone.

Su Xuefei understood this perfectly. She nodded obediently, took Li Xiaoya by the hand, and headed to the curb to hail a taxi.

"By the way, Yang Chen..." Su Xuefei said as she stopped a cab and ushered Xiaoya inside. She turned back to me and added, "Don't forget to sing for me sometime."

"Of course," I replied, waving her off and telling her to stay safe. I then called Li Xiaoya to confirm the hospital and room number where Luo Qing was staying, and took a taxi there as fast as I could.

After paying the driver and stepping out, I stood at the hospital entrance, facing the wind and snow. I looked up at the building that teemed with both new life and death, my heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Life is always full of such sudden turns. Perhaps a hug today is a final farewell; perhaps a joke shared now is the last time we ever speak. Life is fragile, and people walk toward the intersection of death without even realizing it. Who can say whether tomorrow will bring a new accident or a reunion?

I walked through the main entrance and headed straight for Luo Qing’s room. Along the way, I saw men waiting anxiously, old people with tears in their eyes, and the piercing cries of infants. I subconsciously quickened my pace; this familiar scene reminded me of a nightmare I’d had on the train.

I looked up at the door sign—302. I confirmed it in my mind before knocking gently. Receiving no response, I waited a moment, then turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

The first thing that caught my eye was the solitary hospital bed and the girl I knew best lying upon it—Luo Qing. She was dressed in a hospital gown, her golden hair braided and resting quietly over her shoulder. She looked so peaceful, her long lashes fluttering slightly as if she were caught in a dream, though I couldn't tell if it was sweet or bitter.

I entered the room and sat on a stool by her bedside. Looking at her pale, weary face, I sighed softly, reached out to tuck in her blanket, and kept a silent vigil by her side.

Leaning against the wall behind me, I closed my eyes to rest. After sitting through a long train ride and pulling an all-nighter before that, the brief rest wasn't enough to make up for the exhaustion. Before I knew it, I had drifted off into a deep sleep.

I don’t know how much time had passed when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my arm. I jolted awake, instinctively pulling away as I looked for the source of the pain.

Looking up, I saw that Luo Qing had woken up. She was sitting up, watching me with a mischievous smile, her small hand—the one that had just attacked me—waving in front of my face with an air of triumph.

Seeing her pale but still beautiful face, my heart twinged. I didn't know what expression to make, so I just asked stiffly, "When did you wake up?"

"When did you get here?" Luo Qing, as always, activated her "blocking mode," ignoring my question entirely. She leaned closer to me, her beautiful large eyes blinking as she stared at my face, making me feel quite uneasy.

"Just now," I replied, not even sure how long I had been asleep.

"Liar!" She raised her small fist and punched me, then said unhappily, "I’ve been awake for ages. I didn't wake you because you looked like you were sleeping so soundly... and you dare lie to me?"

I offered an awkward laugh, stood up, and said, "I'm just glad you're okay. I'll be going now."

As I turned to leave, Luo Qing suddenly reached out and grabbed my arm. I looked back, confused by her strange behavior, wondering what she was up to.

"Come here, I have something to tell you." She kept her head down, but I could feel her grip tightening as if she were steeling herself for a decision.

"What is it?"

"Come here!" Luo Qing, impatient with my hesitation, raised her voice.

I had no choice but to walk back to her side, watching her with a puzzled look.

"Sit down."

I was even more confused. What could be so serious? She shifted over to make room, and I sat down, waiting.

"Go ahead, what—"

Before I could finish, Luo Qing suddenly lunged, pinning me onto the bed. To my astonishment, she pressed her lips to mine. I reached out to push her away, but her soft body was surprisingly strong. She held me down and kissed me fiercely.

After a whirlwind of a kiss, we slowly pulled apart. I looked into her eyes, completely at a loss. What was this?

"That’s your compensation. You’re not allowed to be angry with me anymore, got it?" After saying this, she flicked her small tongue across my lips again. This suggestive gesture left me feeling dizzy. What did she mean by this?

Luo Qing propped herself up, let out a long breath, and frowned at me. "Have you been smoking again?"

I scrambled to get off the bed, rubbing my lips in disbelief, and gave a dull nod at her question.

"Idiot..." Luo Qing pouted. Then, as if realizing something, she laughed, "You lost."

"I lost?" I felt completely bewildered. What did I lose?

"We had a bet, remember? If you failed to quit smoking, you’d have to be my slave!" She started to push the covers back to get out of bed.

I immediately held her shoulder down. "You’re too weak right now. Stay in bed and rest. Whatever you need, I’ll do it for you." I hesitated, then added, "I suppose there was a bet, but are you sure the loser becomes a slave?"

"Oh, don't worry about the details. That's the gist of it." She tapped my hand to signal me to move it, still intent on getting up.

"Stay down. Are you thirsty? I'll get you some water." I don't know what was wrong with me; no matter how much I tried to feign anger, I couldn't stay mad at her. Looking at her and hearing her voice, perhaps this was my most honest emotion. Even if we weren't lovers anymore, I still felt a natural instinct to protect her.

"Take your hand off me first." She seemed frustrated with me, looking up with a pathetic, pleading expression.

"That’s not happening. I know your personality too well. If I let go, you’ll definitely try to do something yourself... You're a patient right now. Can you just focus on getting better?" I was at a loss with her—why was she so stubborn? In the past, I’d just let her have her way, but with her health in this state, I had to be firm.

"Yang Chen, please, let me go out for a moment, okay?" Her voice suddenly turned soft. This sudden shift gave me goosebumps. What was this? A sugar-coated bullet? A tactical retreat?

"Impossible!"

"Yang Chen!" Luo Qing finally exploded. She kicked my shin and pounded on my arm, but I didn't budge, keeping my hand pressed firmly on her shoulder. Finally, she compromised, looking at me with a wronged expression, and whispered, "Yang Chen... I need to go to the bathroom..."

"What?" I had heard her mumble, but it wasn't clear. Did she say she wanted to go... Oh, damn it, no way!

Seeing her flushed face, I realized I had messed up. I had been stopping a girl from going to the bathroom! I was such an idiot; how could I have not guessed that? Knowing "Warrior Luo's" personality, she was probably going to destroy me for this once she was back on her feet!

"Uh... sorry. Go, go ahead!"

Luo Qing stood up and scurried toward the door. I remembered something and called out, "Are you okay on your own? Should I call a nurse?"

"Shut up!" She ran out without looking back.

I sat on the stool, looking around the empty room, and suddenly thought of something. It was understandable that no one came to visit on the first day, as her family and friends might not have known, but this was the third day. There was nothing in the room—no flowers, no meals, not a single person had stopped by. Was it because I arrived too early? But didn't people usually visit after the patient woke up and before they went to sleep?

I thought I understood so much about Luo Qing, but in reality, I knew nothing. I sighed softly. What kind of life forces someone to feign happiness and live behind a mask?

About ten minutes later, Luo Qing pushed the door open and walked in. The slightly oversized hospital gown made her look adorable; the usual glamour and arrogance were gone, and she looked so ordinary here... I couldn't help but sigh. This is life, I suppose. Only by changing the essence of things can you change the ending of the story.

Luo Qing saw me sitting there quietly, looking around, and her face flushed again. She sat on the edge of the bed without a word.

"Don't be mad, Warrior Luo. What do you want to eat? I'll go buy it for you." I felt awkward; my behavior earlier had been truly idiotic.

"I don't want to eat." She didn't give me any face, instead standing up and walking over to the coat rack, rummaging through her small bag.

"You need to rest, but you have to eat. Anything that flies in the sky or runs on the ground—if I can get it, I'll cook it for you myself!"

Luo Qing seemed to ignore me. After digging around for a moment, she pulled out a set of keys and walked over to me, saying with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Take these!"

"What are these?"

"The keys to your little shack. You can't sleep on the streets the whole time you're in Yichun, can you?"