Chapter 76
"It's so great that I don't have to drive myself!" Xie Yiling said as she fastened her seatbelt in the passenger seat. "Well then, thank you for your hard work!"
Every time Hu Yu went to the Sixth Hospital to visit Hu Zhizhi, he would drive his family's huge Lexus. At these times, Xie Yiling would always sigh and encourage the driver, just like a middle-aged woman in a Japanese drama, making Hu Yu awkwardly respond with an "uh".
However, Xie Yiling's sentiments weren't just for show; she genuinely felt that sitting comfortably in the passenger seat, being driven by her lover, was a truly pleasant experience. When she was younger, she had often fantasized about Hu Yu picking her up from work or taking the whole family on road trips, in which case she would sit like a little bird nestled in the passenger seat, filled with joy. But none of these wishes ever came true.
However, despite her thoughts, Xie Yiling was never destined to ride in a car. As a seasoned driver with decades of experience, the moment she sat in a car, Xie Yiling would unconsciously fixate on the road, as if the steering wheel were in her own hands; and every time she stopped or turned, her left foot would subconsciously press on the imaginary brake pad. Sometimes she was aware of this and would deliberately look at the distant scenery, trying to relax her mind and body. But most of the time, she would be unconsciously tense the entire way.
"Old Hu, what a beautiful day!" Xie Yiling said, looking out the car window to relax. "Look, the leaves are starting to turn yellow. Beijing is most beautiful in autumn, with clear skies and vibrant colors, but it's only for a short time. Hey, hey, hey! Old Hu, watch the car!"
As she spoke, Xie Yiling stomped her left leg hard on the floor, and then saw a large red semi-trailer truck overtake their car from the side.
“I’ve been watching; it’s been following me all this way.” Hu Yu calmly tapped the brakes, giving the trailer truck enough space to overtake. As he pressed the accelerator again, he said to Xie Yiling, “Don’t be so nervous. I’m the driver now, and I have more driving experience than you. Just relax, okay?”
"Yes, I know. I'm sorry, I just get nervous too easily." Xie Yiling took a few deep breaths, then crossed her hands and placed them flat on her thighs. "I get nervous every time I take Zhizhi out, especially this time since it's been so long since the last time."
"Patient's name?" the nurse sitting at the front desk, typing on her computer, asked without looking up.
"Hu Zhizhi, Gu Yuehu. The first 'Zhi' means wisdom, and the second 'Zhi' means ambition," Xie Yiling answered politely, nodding as she spoke.
What is your relationship with the patient?
"Parents, we are Hu Zhizhi's parents."
"Sign on this line." The nurse pulled an A4 sheet of paper from the printer and handed it to Xie Yiling. "Then take this form to the third ward to pick up the patient. Take the elevator to the third floor, turn right when you come out. Bring the patient back before five o'clock."
Hu Yu and Xie Yiling took the form to the third floor and handed the signed form to the nurse on duty in the waiting area. The nurse glanced at the form and returned it to Xie Yiling before turning and leaving, making sure to close the heavy security door behind her.
So, bored out of their minds, Hu Yu and Xie Yiling were forced to admire the paintings of patients hanging on the walls in the waiting area. For some reason, many of these paintings used a bird's-eye view, giving off a sense of looking down on all living beings from above. Moreover, the colors used in the paintings were very intense, either bright red, bright yellow, or cobalt blue, completely primary colors, which made Xie Yiling feel dizzy and lightheaded.
After a long while, the screeching sound of Crocs scraping the floor came from afar, followed by the clinking of keys. A moment later, the door opened, and a burly man, who looked like a fitness instructor but was wearing a white coat, said from behind the open door, "Give me the form."
Then, an even more disturbing scene appeared behind the door: there were several figures scattered in the dimly lit corridor, and closest to the door stood an old woman and a young man. The old woman was like a monkey, ruffling the young man's medium-length hair, occasionally putting something she pulled from his head into her mouth to taste it, and then spitting it onto his hair with a "pui" sound...
The man in the white coat who had taken the form called out, and then Hu Zhizhi, tall and thin with long legs turned outwards, emerged from the shadows behind the coat. He was buttoning up his denim jacket with one hand and holding his knitted beanie in the other.
It doesn't seem that cold outside. Even Hu Yu, who is in poor health and very sensitive to the cold, is still wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt.
"Hey," Hu Zhizhi greeted his parents without any respect, "Looks like they're planning to let the prisoners out for some fresh air? This is a very big deal. Let's go."
As he spoke, Hu Zhizhi carefully put on his beanie and pulled the brim forward to cover his eyebrows and eyes—making him look exactly like a beggar.
In the car, none of the three spoke. Xie Yiling, sitting in the back seat, kept scrutinizing Hu Zhizhi's slender nape, trying to decipher his emotions. Hu Zhizhi always chose to sit in the front passenger seat when they went out, so Xie Yiling would sit in the back, which made her feel more at ease.
And so, only when the gleaming Lexus drove out of the hospital gates and onto the main road did Xie Yiling tentatively call out to her son, who was sitting in the passenger seat: "Zhizhi?"
What?
"Um... I have some good news for you. Do you remember Chengshi and Ruoyu who live at No. 5 Napa Valley? They want to invite us to their house again, but of course, it depends on whether you're willing. That's the first piece of good news. But the more important good news is that they've decided not to go to Dali. They're not leaving. What do you think of this news?"
After saying that, Xie Yiling showed an uneasy smile, because she was not sure whether this news was good news for Hu Zhizhi.
Then, Xie Yiling saw Hu Zhizhi slowly turn his head and ask her through the back of the car seat, "What happened?"
"Hmm... I don't know. I don't think they necessarily have to do something to change their minds. Maybe they just thought about it seriously again and made a new decision, instead of being as frivolous as before."
"You mean you didn't even ask them why? A couple you respected so much decided to do something so important, and then suddenly gave up on the plan, and you didn't even ask them what happened? Why?"
"Let me put it this way, Zhizhi, I don't think this is a question I should ask; it's their privacy. We shouldn't pry into other people's privacy, including their plans, unless they tell us voluntarily. You've been in the US for so long; you should understand this. Aren't Americans the most privacy-conscious?"
Xie Yiling's nervousness became increasingly difficult to conceal. She knew this might anger Hu Zhizhi, so she forced a smile at her son.
"Why can't we be happy that they chose to stay? Hey Zhizhi, look, that neighborhood outside is so nice! It must be a newly built one, and the houses there might be worth investing in. I never even noticed it before."
"It is indeed a very beautiful community. You should go to the developer and get the agency rights and make a fortune, Mommy," Hu Zhizhi said sarcastically. "And it's good news that the couple at No. 5 Napa Valley are not leaving. Most importantly, you are a lovely person. What do you say, Dad? Isn't my Mommy a particularly lovely person?"
“Alright, Zhizhi,” Hu Yu said, “calm down.”
Xie Yiling dared not utter another sound. She crumpled a tissue between her fingers, then closed her eyes, preparing to conserve her energy for the terrible afternoon she had vaguely foreseen.
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