Chapter 11 IOU "Come to Mom's."
"Consider that money as a loan from your teacher..."
Fifty-two thousand three hundred dollars.
Yesterday was Cheng Shiyun's birthday. Someone knocked on the door, but didn't show up. They left this sum of money behind.
Cheng Jinghua took out the signed IOU from her bag, placed it on the table, and gently pushed it over.
He called all his relatives and friends repeatedly to confirm the source of the money, but no one claimed it.
Finally, he retrieved the surveillance footage from the teachers' apartment building and found a thin figure.
Having taught for twenty years, Cheng Jinghua's gaze behind his glasses was patient and warm, but his face was visibly haggard, his cheeks were slightly sunken, and his eye sockets were deep.
The hardships and struggles of the past two years were etched on his face.
Cheng Jinghua said, "Thank you."
When Cheng Shiyun had the accident, Xie Shijin was the first to discover her, called the police and 120, and took her to the hospital.
When the police came to investigate afterward, Xie Shijin was often called out to give a statement while he was in class, which wasted a lot of his time.
In the period immediately after Cheng Shiyun left, Ran Hongyin also frequently came to see Xie Shijin.
She grabbed his arm and asked him again and again, "Think about it carefully, what color is that car?"
Did you see it clearly?
Is it white or silver?
This problem also tormented Xie Shijin for two years.
Sunlight streamed through the glass window, falling on the boy's handsome features and adding a touch of life to his pale and dejected face.
He paused for a few moments, then reached for the IOU on the table and softly replied, "Okay."
Cheng Jinghua would only accept the money if it was made a "loan" rather than a "gift".
"The teaching and research training has ended."
Cheng Jinghua began calmly, "Next week, there's an international neuroscience conference in Beijing. Professors who have returned from overseas studies will be giving presentations. I plan to take Professor Ran to Beijing; we'll be away from Yichuan for a while. You…"
His gaze fell on the boy's overly thin face, paused for a few seconds, and said, "...Take good care of yourself too."
"Meow?"
A soft, meowing sound rang out.
Cheng Jinghua looked in the direction of the sound.
Little Tabby came out of the bedroom.
Cheng Jinghua was somewhat surprised: "You adopted this cat?"
The kitten had an injured ear, and Cheng Jinghua had a deep impression of it.
Every evening when he gets home from get off work, he can see the cat downstairs. The kitten is not afraid of people at all and always comes to rub against his trouser leg, which is very endearing.
"Yes." Xie Shijin nodded, her eyes softening. "She's very well-behaved and doesn't cause any trouble."
The little tabby cat jumped onto the table, stretched out its paw, and pushed the teacup in front of Cheng Jinghua toward his hand.
Cheng Jinghua was astonished.
Xie Shijin explained, "She wants you to have some tea."
Cheng Jinghua couldn't help but laugh. She raised her hand, intending to pat the kitten's head, but in the end, she didn't put it down and instead rested it on the edge of the table.
"So well-behaved." His voice was gentle. "What a good child. How old are you?"
Xie Shijin said, "Two months."
“He was just a little kid,” Cheng Jinghua said with a smile. “Ayun also likes cats.”
At that time, Cheng Shiyun did not know that Ran Hongyin was allergic to cat fur. She brought a stray cat home and secretly kept it under the bed.
“Every night after we go to sleep, she would quietly go to the kitchen to cook chicken for the kitten. She was afraid of being discovered, so she didn’t even dare to turn the stove up too high.”
A week later, when Ran Hongyin was cleaning her room, she inhaled cat hair and had to stay in the hospital for several days.
Ran Hongyin has asthma and is also severely allergic to animal fur, so her family has never kept any pets since.
Cheng Jinghua's eyes reddened again. He slowly stood up, supporting himself on his knees, avoiding the boy's gaze: "Alright, that's enough. I'm leaving. No need to see me off."
The weather is lovely today; the sun is shining brightly, and the wind is rustling through the treetops.
Cheng Shiyun jumped onto the balcony and saw Cheng Jinghua take off his glasses. When he lowered his hand, the back of his hand was wet.
...
After Cheng Jinghua put her glasses back on her nose, she received a phone call from home.
The caregiver's voice trembled with anxiety on the other end of the phone: "Hello, Teacher Cheng, Teacher Ran is missing..."
"Gone?"
Cheng Jinghua was startled and asked, "Have you searched every room in the house? What about the neighborhood?"
"I searched everywhere. I went out to throw out the trash, less than five minutes, and Teacher Ran disappeared." The caregiver was filled with remorse.
Cheng Jinghua took a deep breath to calm herself down and said in a deep voice over the phone, "Don't panic. First, contact the property management to check the surveillance footage, and then ask them to send a few more people to search the surrounding area..."
...
After watching Cheng Jinghua leave the residential area, Xie Shijin turned around and went back into the house to pack up the cat's food bowl.
It's called a cat bowl, but it's actually his eating bowl.
The cat food in the bowl had been soaked in goat milk and become fragrant and soft.
Xie Shijin looked up and asked the kitten on the balcony, "Aren't you going to eat, Cheng Shiyun?"
Cheng Jinghua arrived suddenly, and Cheng Shiyun rushed into the bedroom before she had finished eating.
"Meow."
eat.
She used to hate eating breakfast, often had stomach aches, loved ice cream and cold drinks, and also suffered from gastroenteritis. After becoming an animal, she doesn't have as many problems anymore.
If you eat well and keep yourself healthy, you might live a few more years.
After taking a couple of bites, Cheng Shiyun suddenly asked, "My dad just said he's taking my mom to Beijing?"
Xie Shijin: "Mm."
That would be awkward.
She even told Xie Shijin that she was going home, but her parents had already left, so why should she go back?
"My ear should be better in two or three days," Cheng Shiyun said softly. After a pause, she added as if gathering her courage, "Then... I won't bother you anymore."
She felt embarrassed, afraid that staying too long would annoy people.
Xie Shijin looked up at her: "Your ear needs to be checked again in a week."
"Do we need to do a second check?" That would cost more money.
Cheng Shiyun didn't want to spend Xie Shijin's money, nor did she want to owe him too many favors: "No need, a week will be fine anyway."
Xie Shijin: "That's what the doctor said."
"Did you say it?" Cheng Shiyun had no recollection of it. "When did you say it?"
Xie Shijin's expression remained unchanged: "When you go to get other tests done..."
Cheng Shiyun opened her mouth, wanting to refuse, but when she thought about leaving Xie Shijin's home and having to wander again, she silently swallowed her words.
"Well... if I'm going to follow the doctor's orders, I'll have to stay at your house for a few more days," Cheng Shiyun agreed "reluctantly."
She added, "I won't take advantage of you for nothing. You can keep track of everything you buy for me in the future, and I'll pay you back when my dad comes back."
The boy nodded: "Okay."
Cheng Shiyun felt relieved and buried herself in her food, eating slowly and even licking the bottom of her bowl clean.
Xie Shijin stood by the sink and placed the washed bowls on the rack to drain.
Water droplets dripped down the side of the bowl, forming small puddles on the countertop.
Just then, a phone call came in.
An unfamiliar number.
He turned off the tap, dried his hands, and answered the phone.
"Hello, is this Xie Shijin?"
"Your acceptance letter has arrived."
...
Under the shade of the banyan tree downstairs.
After verifying Xie Shijin's identity information, the courier handed her the neatly packaged notification.
On the open ground nearby, several elderly people who were doing their morning exercise and residents who had just returned from the market were gathered around watching the commotion.
It's Tsinghua University.
"Only by studying as hard as others can you get into a good university, do you understand?" An old lady looked at the school badge on the admission notice, immediately pulled her grandson over, and pointed at Xie Shijin to lecture him.
Xie Shijin lowered his eyes, his expression calm and serene.
The little boy pouted defiantly, "What's so great about Tsinghua University? I want to be a policeman when I grow up!"
The old lady tapped his forehead, both amused and exasperated: "You need to use your fingers for addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers, and you want to be a policeman?"
As she spoke, the old lady led her grandson away, and then a middle-aged woman carrying a vegetable basket came over.
"Xiao Xie, who was that man who came to your house just now?" the old lady asked him. "He was wearing a shirt and glasses, and he seemed very polite."
“A teacher at the school,” Xie Shijin replied.
“Oh, teacher…” the middle-aged woman drawled thoughtfully, “No wonder you look so familiar.”
Seeing her subtle expression, Xie Shijin asked, "What happened?"
"Hey, when he came out of your house just now, he seemed to be in a real hurry. He tried to hail a few taxis on the street, but they were all full. He asked if anyone had a car to give him a ride," the older woman said gossipy. "There have been so many scammers these past few years, who would dare to help him? I think he ended up calling the police..."
Xie Shijin frowned.
Something happened.
He called Cheng Jinghua and learned that Ran Hongyin was missing.
Cheng Jinghua, panting, said, "The surveillance cameras at the intersection of the residential area captured her getting on a bus. The police are now going to check the surveillance footage from the bus stop to see where she got off."
Xie Shijin paused for a moment and asked, "Bus number 73?"
How did you know?
Xie Shijin remained silent for two seconds.
He had taken the train countless times, starting from home and passing through 27 stations along the way.
The final stop is Songshan Cemetery.
...
Songshan Cemetery.
The mountain is covered with five-needle pines, which are evergreen all year round.
Walking up the cobblestone path to the middle, you'll see a simple tomb with a bunch of gardenias next to the tombstone.
July is the season when gardenias bloom.
Cheng Shiyun's favorite flower is the gardenia.
Ran Hongyin picked a flower and tucked it into her hair. She sat on the stone steps, her cheek pressed against the cold tombstone, her breathing shallow. She had already fallen asleep.
Next to her sat a boy holding a basketball, with a red headband tied around his forehead, his elbows resting on his knees, and his hands supporting his face as he dozed off.
Hearing hurried footsteps, Ni Jiaqi woke up instantly.
He opened his eyes and saw Cheng Jinghua leading a group of people over. He stood up, holding a basketball, and shouted, "Uncle Cheng!"
Ni Jiaqi's gaze swept over the young man behind Cheng Jinghua, and he paused, raising an eyebrow in surprise: "Xie Shijin? You're here too?"
Cheng Jinghua stepped forward and patted Ran Hongyin on the shoulder, his voice hoarse: "Hongyin?"
Ni Jiaqi quickly explained, "Uncle Cheng, don't worry, Auntie is just tired from running and has fallen asleep."
Cheng Jinghua noticed that his collar was damp with sweat and asked, "Jiaqi, what are you doing here?"
Ni Jiaqi scratched his head: "I was playing ball in the park when I saw someone who looked a lot like Aunt Ran, so I followed her."
He followed her all the way. When Ran Hongyin got on a bus, he quickly hailed a taxi and chased her all the way to Songshan Cemetery.
He didn't have his phone with him and couldn't find any cemetery staff, so he had no choice but to stay here and wait for her.
A large crowd, including police officers, gathered around to check on Ran Hongyin's condition.
Outside the crowd, the young man stood upright like a pine tree, his brows slightly relaxed.
Ni Jiaqi looked him up and down before noticing the cat carrier he was carrying.
The kitten wasn't feeling well after the bumpy ride; it curled up in its carrier, its two bright green eyes peeking out at him.
Ni Jiaqi: "Hey? Xie Shijin, when did you get a cat?"
When was the last time he saw Xie Shijin?
It seems to be the 100-day countdown rally for No. 7 Middle School.
...
Yichuan No. 7 Middle School is a provincial-level model high school. The school leaders have high hopes for this year's graduates, and the 100-day countdown rally was held in a very grand manner.
Red banners hung all over the teaching building, and the sound of drums was deafening.
That day, Xie Shijin spoke on stage as a representative of outstanding students.
He stood on the stage, pale-faced and tired, with long hair covering his eyes and dark circles under his eyes. He didn't look like a model student at all.
There was no passion, no intonation.
His tone was devoid of emotion, like a emotionless robot, as he read the script in a flat and monotonous manner.
"The college entrance examination is not the end, but the starting point for going to the wider world. One hundred days of all-out effort will make us proud in the future."
"May each and every one of us...everyone..."
Everyone.
The students who were memorizing vocabulary and classical poems in the audience started to look up and stare at him strangely.
"What's wrong?"
Why did he stop studying?
—Everyone has a bright and promising future.
Alone.
Without her.
There seemed to be something rotting inside my chest cavity.
His throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton; he just couldn't utter the sentence.
With leaders from the province all present, the homeroom teacher was sweating profusely. He quickly stepped onto the stage, patted the teacher's shoulder, and said, "You can go down now."
Xie Shijin walked down the steps and sat in a corner seat, hunched over like a broken pine tree.
...
After that, he started taking leave frequently.
Later, Ni Jiaqi heard that a member of his family had passed away.
As the college entrance examination approached, Xie Shijin didn't come to school during the most intense month of review. His desk was filled with test papers from various subjects, all covered in dust.
Ni Jiaqi once thought he was going to give up the college entrance examination.
On the day the college entrance examination results were released, the homeroom teacher called Xie Shijin but couldn't get through. He went to Xie's house and found that Xie had almost died there.
The doctor said his stomach had shrunk to the size of a small oral liquid bottle.
At that time, Ni Jiaqi was participating in social disaster relief outside the province and did not go to the hospital to see him.
He was afraid that if he went alone, he wouldn't be able to resist hitting him.
It's really strange that someone who can't even support himself would own a cat.
Ni Jiaqi is incredibly shameless; he'll tease any child he sees, and he'll even tease any cats or dogs on the street.
He stuck his fingers into the vent and said, "Suck on."
"..."
"Meow!"
The cat pounced.
"He's pretty fierce." Ni Jiaqi pulled his finger back. "Little guy, he hasn't even grown all his teeth yet and he dares to bite me? Does he have a death wish?"
Xie Shijin lowered his eyes and said calmly, "She's insulting you."
Ni Jiaqi laughed: "What did you call me?"
Xie Shijin raised his eyes and uttered three words indifferently: "Crazy."
"Neuropathy?"
Ni Jiaqi's expression suddenly froze.
He dropped his joking expression, the curve of his lips gradually flattened, and the smile in his eyes slowly darkened, replaced by a complex sadness.
Are you calling me crazy?
He bent over slightly, his tone softening, tinged with a hint of melancholy: "You have an older sister, and she also likes to call me a lunatic... and an idiot."
"If I make her angry, she'll yell at me."
"I thought she was so fierce back then..."
Now, he really wants her to crawl out of the grave and yell at him again.
Call him an idiot or a lunatic.
He wanted to hear it.
How could a perfectly healthy person suddenly die?
"Hong Yin, Hong Yin, where are you going?"
Ran Hongyin woke up and saw the cat in Xie Shijin's arms.
She broke free from Cheng Jinghua's hand and staggered toward the kitten.
"Little Cloud?"
She called out Cheng Shiyun's nickname.
"Little Cloud, you're back?"
She opened her arms.
"Come to Mommy."
A note from the author:
----------------------
I'm also Little Cloud's mom [crying emoji]
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