He is stubborn
Soon it was the third day of the first lunar month.
Zuo Xiao followed Old Zuo to visit relatives every day, and today they came to their aunt's house. When the father and daughter arrived, the house was full of people, and at a quick glance, she couldn't recognize the names of at least half of them.
"Sister!" Cousin Zhang Jiarui and cousin Zhang Jiali, sitting side by side on the sofa, waved enthusiastically. They were twin siblings, four years her junior, and had just graduated this year. It was unknown whether they had found jobs yet.
The two of them asked the kids on their left and right who were browsing their phones to squeeze together and make room for Zuo Xiao. She had no choice but to sit over and sit between the brother and sister.
After a few pleasantries, Zhang Jiarui pulled up a video on his phone and asked with a grin, "Cousin, is this you?"
Zuo Xiao looked up and his expression suddenly froze.
Zhang Jiarui's phone was playing a reaction video posted years ago by music blogger "YY Yang Baiwan," which had already racked up 20,000 likes. He dragged the progress bar to the blue warning performance of "Windy Day." As the first line of the lyrics rang out, the camera cut to a close-up, and the screen suddenly zoomed in on Zuo Xiao's face.
Zuo Xiaozhen's face turned pale with fear, and he quickly pressed the pause button. He looked around warily, but didn't see Lao Zuo. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief and raised his hand to make a "hush" gesture to Zhang Jiarui.
The other person looked excited and lowered his voice and asked, "You play music and you're hiding it from your uncle?"
"He doesn't like me doing this." Zuo Xiao warned, "Don't talk nonsense in front of him!"
Zhang Jiarui chuckled and nodded. At this moment, Zhang Jiali leaned forward and asked, "Sister, are you switching to music now?"
"No!" Zuo Xiao quickly denied, "I just play with it in my spare time."
"You're so cool!" the clueless Zhang Jiali continued chattering. "When my brother showed me the video, I couldn't believe it was you at first! That stage presence, that aura, and that singing skill... You're absolutely amazing! Sis, you're going to be famous!"
Facing her sincere praise, Zuo Xiao couldn't smile. He was only concerned with asking her to keep it a secret: "Let's not talk about this for now. Can we chat privately later?"
Zhang Jiali smiled awkwardly: "My brother forwarded the video to our family group this morning, and my mother even praised you for being more beautiful... But don't worry, I'll talk to my parents right now and ask them not to tell your dad." Then she got up and left.
Zuo Xiao finished her meal anxiously. Old Zuo hadn't bothered her during the meal; it seemed the Zhang siblings were reliable.
In the afternoon, the father and daughter returned home. Lao Zuo, who had a few extra drinks at the dinner table, was now flushed and trembling as he walked straight to the sofa.
"Come here."
Zuo Xiao's heart skipped a beat, thinking something was wrong. He walked over slowly and sat down beside him.
She watched him pull his phone from his pocket. It was an old iPhone that Zuo Xiao had discarded two years ago. He usually used it mainly for WeChat, making payments, and checking the weather, and little else. But now, he opened a video app and clumsily clicked into his favorites. There was only one video in the list, the one Zhang Jiarui had shown her before lunch.
Lao Zuo bit his cheek with a dark face, pointed with his fingers, and played the video in front of her.
The father and daughter stared at the screen in silence, one staring away at the balcony. Finally, Zuo Xiao lost his temper and said, "Alright, stop broadcasting."
Lao Zuo ignored it and clicked on the comments section: "Look for yourself, what those people are saying about you."
Zuo Xiao raised his eyebrows and said, "The mouth is on their face, why should I care what they say?"
Lao Zuo took a deep breath, turned off the video, and suppressed his anger, saying, "How many times have I told you not to do live broadcasts or become an internet celebrity? Why won't you listen?"
"I just play music, shoot some videos and post them online. How can I become an internet celebrity?" Zuo Xiao argued. "Besides, even if I did become an internet celebrity, so what? Don't tell me about pornography or being kept by someone. You're generalizing! Do you know how many self-media outlets there are in China? Tens of millions! Only a few use crooked methods. The majority just perform their talents, tell jokes, and sell goods online. They're not harming anyone and they're not breaking the law. Why do you make it an unforgivable sin?"
"They're all monsters!" Old Zuo's lips trembled with anger. "Don't think I'm old and don't understand anything. I've only seen a little, not that I haven't seen anything! This guy, as soon as he gets online, starts spouting lies. He's hypocritical, vulgar, and shameless! Just take the bun vendor at the North Gate as an example. He brags online every day about living in a big villa, driving a Land Rover, and even keeping a female student. His scandals have spread everywhere, and his wife wants to divorce him!"
He went on and on about this, "And then there's that daughter of Lao Jia's. She's young and a live streamer online. She hooked up with a rich man, and his wife came to her house and threw shit at her. Her reputation is ruined! You say I'm generalizing, but why don't you mention the country's constant campaigns of "Clear and Bright" and "Clean Network"? If the internet wasn't chaotic, why would the country be so alarmed to take action? Stop nagging me. Delete those videos that show her showing off! She's showing off online all the time. It's embarrassing!"
He spoke too much in one breath, his emotions agitated, exhausting him to the point of panting and the reek of alcohol wafting out. Zuo Xiao thought he was pedantic and hopeless, and he didn't bother to argue with him. He said, "I'm just singing and playing the piano. It's not against the rules, it's not against the law, and it doesn't bother anyone. No one can interfere."
Upon hearing this, Old Zuo slapped his thigh in anger. "You're not doing your job properly. You've gone astray! That kid from the Jiang family's band is always doing nothing. Do you know what people say behind his back? They say he's doing drugs and having sex. They say our Jiang family brags about three generations of scholars, but ended up raising a loser!"
"No—" Zuo Xiao thought it was ridiculous. "Why do you keep talking about what others say? Do you care so much about what others say? Aren't we supposed to live our own lives, but rather live in the mouths of others?"
"That's because I want to save face!" Old Zuo argued confidently, "A tree lives by its bark, a person lives by his face. If a person has no shame, no regard for propriety, righteousness, and honor, what's the difference between him and an animal?!"
"You're just vain and obsessed with face!" Zuo Xiao retorted. "You've lived your whole life for others to see, bragging all day long. When others even give you a few half-hearted compliments, you get carried away and think you're some big shot... Oh, how can you handle that? You know whether you're living a happy life or not!"
Suddenly, there was a sharp gasp. It was Old Zuo who was choking and choking. He opened his eyes wide and rubbed his chest. Zuo Xiao was so scared that he quickly stopped talking, got up to pour him some water, and fed him some quick-acting heart pills.
Lao Zuo has chronic coronary heart disease and has had several attacks in the past, but they were never serious and he recovered after a period of rest. Perhaps because of the alcohol he drank today and his emotional excitement, his heart wasn't getting enough blood, and he was experiencing chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Zuo Xiao didn't dare to provoke him again. After feeding him the medicine, he added a cup of hot water and said, "Lie down for a while."
Lao Zuo didn't say anything. Zuo Xiao thought he agreed, so she said, "I'll help you back to your room." But he shook her hand off and asked, "How long have you been in the band?"
Zuo Xiao took a deep breath and replied, "Just two months."
Lao Zuo stared at her sharply: "You are so busy at work, where do you find the time?"
Zuo Xiao couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Can't we squeeze in some time? Mo Yan even wrote a Nobel Prize-winning novel in his spare time!"
Lao Zuo didn't buy it and continued to question, "Why did you take your vacation early this year?"
"Can't I take a leave?"
"Then please open your online banking and check your monthly salary deposit records so I can see them."
At this point, Zuo Xiao knew he couldn't hide it anymore, so he just opened up and said, "Alright, alright. I've been fired from the company and I'm not working anymore. Are you satisfied?"
Upon hearing this, Lao Zuo's shoulders shook, and he fell back on the sofa, closing his eyes and breathing slowly.
Zuo Xiao looked at him, feeling both pity and hate. He had always been trapped in a prison of his own making. Helplessly, he advised, "Everyone has their own way of living. Even if we're father and daughter, it doesn't mean I have to live according to your will. I know what I'm doing. I won't starve to death, and I won't take any crooked paths. Don't worry about it. Just prepare for retirement. Play chess or go fishing every day. Let go of what you need to let go of. Life will be so comfortable."
Lao Zuo didn't respond. Looking closely, I saw that his lips were tight, his face was gray, and he was covered in sweat.
"Dad!" She stepped forward, put her hand on his forehead, her palm wet and cold, "What's wrong with you?"
Old Zuo was gasping for breath, his features contorted in pain. Zuo Xiao suddenly came to his senses, pulled out his phone, and dialed 110.
Outside the emergency room, Zuo Xiao sat stiffly on a chair, his eyes staring straight at the door a few meters away.
In her less than twenty-six years of life, she had never experienced anything like this. Seeing her loved ones on the brink of life and death, and she was the one who caused it all... A huge regret and fear gripped her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe and turning her face pale.
Time passed by minute by minute. Suddenly the door was pushed open, and she stood up suddenly, her legs going weak.
After calming down, he trotted over and asked with tears in his eyes, "How is my dad?"
"Don't worry," the doctor said. "The rescue was timely. Your father's vital signs have stabilized. He will be transferred to the CCU for further observation and treatment."
Tears welled up in her eyes in an instant, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand: "Thank you, thank you..."
Next, he was busy with paperwork and payment. The CCU (Coronary Care Unit) was under closed management, with family members only allowed to visit for half an hour in the afternoon. At the nurse's persuasion, Zuo Xiao left the hospital.
It was already pitch black, the streets festooned with lights, and the distant sound of fireworks could be heard from all directions. She walked alone on the street, the damp, cold wind and the uncontrollable fear making her hair stand on end and her teeth chatter.
She belatedly realized she was hungry, so she walked into a still-open noodle shop on the side of the road and ordered a bowl of pig skin noodles. While waiting for her noodles, her eyes fell blankly on the empty table, feeling as if she were in a dream.
Suddenly the cell phone rang.
Zuo Xiao connected the video call and saw the gentle smiling face on the screen, and suddenly tears came out.
Zhuang Yu'an panicked and asked hurriedly. Zuo Xiao didn't know why she was so fragile. She wiped her tears and spoke haltingly about Old Zuo's hospitalization. Strangely enough, as the terrifying experience was expressed in words, her turbulent heart gradually calmed down, as if words had become sheets of plastic wrap, enveloping some of the fear, preventing it from spreading so pervasively.
"What did the doctor say?" Zhuang Yu'an asked calmly. Zuo Xiao replied, "The doctor said it was an acute myocardial infarction. It seems to be relatively small, and there are no serious complications. He'll be kept in the CCU for observation. If his condition improves, he can be transferred to a general ward in 48 hours."
"That's good." The other person looked at her gently but firmly through the screen. "I'll take a flight tomorrow morning. I should be there by noon."
Zuo Xiao was slightly startled and said, "Don't come over. I don't have time to accompany you these days."
"I want to accompany you." Zhuang Yu'an said softly, "Caring for patients is tiring and the psychological pressure is huge. I hope to be by your side. Don't refuse me, okay?"
That night, Zuo Xiao slept uneasily, her mind racing with thoughts. She couldn't tell whether she was awake or dreaming. It wasn't until the morning light filtered through the floral curtains that she fell into a deep sleep.
It was already noon when she woke up. Just as she finished washing up, Zhuang Yu'an called to say her plane had landed. She calculated the time and texted her home address.
At two o'clock, there was a knock on the door.
The moment the door opened, Zuo Xiao fell into a broad embrace. Zhuang Yu'an, wearing a black coat and a black suitcase at his feet, pressed his left hand against her back.
Her throat felt hot, she bit her lower lip to slow down, and said, "Are you tired?"
"Not tired." He rubbed his chin against the top of her head. "Should we get ready to leave?"
"Don't worry." Zuo Xiao gently broke free and grabbed his suitcase. "Come in and rest first. Visiting hours will be between 3:30 and 4:00. We'll still have time to leave in half an hour."
Zhuang Yu'an walked in and the first thing he asked was, "Have you eaten?"
Zuo Xiao shook his head, and he said, "Let's not rest anymore. Let's go out and have a bowl of noodles. I'm hungry too."
It was not yet three o'clock when the two arrived outside the CCU door.
The nurses here all recognized Zuo Xiao. Seeing the handsome guy beside her, they all exchanged glances. One of the youngest and most outgoing nurses, feeling like a representative, walked over and asked with a smirk, "Boyfriend?"
Zuo Xiao turned her head and looked at Zhuang Yu'an. She saw that his eyes were full of kindness and he looked like he was letting her do whatever she wanted. She smiled slightly and said, "Guess?"
The young nurse exclaimed, "Wow!" and sighed, "You two are such a perfect match!" Then, belatedly, she realized her own position, cleared her throat, and said, "I heard from the director that your father is doing very well. Maybe he'll be able to leave the CCU tomorrow morning in less than 48 hours!"
Zuo Xiao's eyes lit up with excitement when she heard this. Zhuang Yu'an also breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her to sit on a chair and wait.
When visiting time came, Zuo Xiao put on isolation clothing and shoe covers and entered the CCU.
From a distance, he could see Old Zuo lying in bed in a hospital gown, an IV drip hanging from his head, the wavy lines on the ECG monitor next to him constantly beating. Zuo Xiao's heart skipped a beat. As he approached, he saw that his face was still pale, but his eyes had brightened.
She pursed her lips and asked gently, "Are you feeling better?"
Lao Zuo glanced at her and said weakly, "I won't die."
Still throwing a tantrum at this hour? Zuo Xiao curled his lips and said, "The doctor said you're blessed with a long life and will be discharged in about a week." After a pause, he added, "You must quit smoking and drinking, and eat a light diet."
"You should also stay cheerful and less irritable." Old Zuo said with a stern face, implying that she was an unfilial daughter. Of course, Zuo Xiao couldn't argue with him anymore and reluctantly replied with a "hmm".
After a while, Lao Zuo asked, "Has anyone asked about me these past two days?"
"No."
"If anyone asks, just say you signed me up for a tour to Hainan."
Zuo Xiao couldn't help but roll his eyes and questioned, "Is it necessary?"
Lao Zuo glared at her, then closed his eyes and said weakly, "It's New Year's Day. Are you going to tell everyone that my own daughter was so angry that she sent me to the hospital for emergency treatment? Aren't you ashamed? Aren't you unlucky?"
Zuo Xiao laughed in his heart at his stubbornness and stubbornness, but could only say, "I understand."
She stayed for less than twenty minutes of the half-hour visit before leaving. The father and daughter had nothing to say, and she was afraid that if she forced a conversation, she would lose control of her emotions and say something that would upset him.
Old Zuo would be transferred to a general ward the next morning. At the nurse's suggestion, Zuo Xiao hired a caregiver, specifically a male, fearing Old Zuo would feel uncomfortable. Later, at Zhuang Yu'an's suggestion, he applied for a single room. The daily bed fee was several hundred yuan higher, but considering it was only a week's stay, it was manageable.
It was dusk when they got home. Zuo Xiao made two cups of tea, sat down on the sofa with him, and leaned her face against his shoulder.
"Do you want me to stay in a hotel or at home?" Zhuang Yu'an asked.
Zuo Xiao thought for a moment and asked, "Where do you want to live?"
"I'm fine with anything. I'll follow your instructions."
Zuo Xiao chuckled, laughing at his pretense, and deliberately said, "Then let's stay in a hotel."
Zhuang Yu'an was silent for a moment and said, "Okay."
Zuo Xiao chuckled: "I'm just kidding. Since Old Zuo is not here, I'll reluctantly take you in for two days!"
The two of them entered the room early. That night, Zhuang Yu'an was incredibly passionate, and Zuo Xiao felt a bit overwhelmed. She told him to hold back and even threatened to send him to a hotel the next day. He did moderate his actions, but the duration and frequency of his actions increased, completely ignoring the safety precautions he had repeatedly emphasized. By the end, she was so sleepy she couldn't keep her eyes open, but he was still lingering.
"Has that been enough..." she muttered dissatisfiedly, "I have to get up early tomorrow..."
"Almost..." He licked her ear, "Baby, go to sleep if you're tired. I'll help you clean up." He slowed down his movements, as if this would help her fall asleep faster.
Zuo Xiao thought it was absurd. What normal woman could fall asleep while being plowed? But to her surprise, she actually fell asleep afterwards.
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