An unacceptable truth
Qi Xu's school uniform clung to his body, damp and chilling to the bone.
She asked her homeroom teacher for leave and rushed home to change her clothes.
Hao Nan couldn't let it go, so he decisively climbed over the school wall and waited on the only road that Qi Xu would take home.
As soon as that familiar figure appeared in the distance, he rushed over like a puppy, his voice filled with undisguised joy: "Seven Xu!"
She stopped in her tracks and looked at him in surprise: "What are you doing here?"
“I came to see you,” he said, panting, his eyes sincere, “so that you’ll have someone by your side if anything happens to you again.”
"Hao Nan, you are really good." Qi Xu smiled, her eyes crinkling like a pear blossom in full bloom.
Hao Nan felt his ears suddenly burn, and he urged him to cover it up, "Go home and change your clothes, be careful not to catch a cold."
The two quickly arrived at the building where the Xu family lived. Hao Nan paused slightly, secretly hoping for the words, "Come up and sit for a while."
However, Qi Xu simply waved to him, said thank you, and turned to enter the building.
The door closed gently in front of him, cutting off his view.
An indescribable sense of loss instantly gripped him, weighing heavily on his heart.
He silently walked to the nearby staircase and sat down. The stairwell was filled with the oppressive heat of a summer afternoon.
When Qi entered the house, he found it empty.
She stood in the entryway, staring at the tightly closed door, her fingertips unconsciously scratching at it.
Was it inappropriate not to invite him up? But since no one was home, it didn't seem quite right either... After hesitating for a moment, she gave up the idea.
She quickly found clean clothes and took a hot shower. The warm water carried away the chill and temporarily dispelled the unease in her heart.
After changing into dry clothes and carefully drying her hair, she opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of chilled cola.
Pushing open the door, I saw Hao Nan still sitting on the stairs, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.
"Are you stupid?" Qi Xu's voice carried a mixture of confusion and a barely perceptible pity. "Why do you have to squat here?"
"Yes, I'm stupid." Hao Nan raised his head, forced a smile, and looked at the cola in her hand, but did not reach out to take it.
Qi Xu's hand, holding the drink, awkwardly froze in mid-air. Seeing that he didn't react, she was about to take it back when Hao Nan suddenly snatched it away.
"For me?" His voice held a hint of probing, yet also a touch of anticipation.
"Mmm," Qi Xu responded softly.
Hao Nan grinned, muttering as he twisted the bottle cap hard, "You didn't even say anything when you gave it to me. I thought you were just playing with it."
"I've already handed it to you, of course it's for you," Qi Xu explained, and looking at his childlike smile, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.
“I love listening to you talk,” Hao Nan said, tilting his head back and taking a big gulp of the cool liquid. “Talk more in the future.”
He stood up and dusted off his pants. Qi Xu, thinking he was going back to school, quickly said, "Wait for me, let's go together?"
Hao Nan simply smiled, turned around, and said in a relaxed voice, "You go back first." Before he finished speaking, he had already strode off in the opposite direction.
Qi Xu opened her mouth, wanting to call out to him, but that figure disappeared into the alleyway in an instant.
She looked at the empty stairwell and felt a strange emptiness in her heart, but in the end she didn't say anything.
When Qi Xu was tidying up her wet clothes, she found Hao Nan's equally soaked school uniform jacket wrapped inside.
She sighed, carefully washed and hung up his school uniform, and folded his wet white T-shirt before composing herself and returning to school.
At that moment, Hao Nan, filled with pent-up anger, ambushed Xia Zhou in a secluded corner outside the school.
Before the other party could react, he suddenly threw a punch, grabbed Xia Zhou's collar tightly, and his eyes burned with anger: "What kind of skill is it to bully girls!"
Xia Zhou turned his head to the side after being hit, licking the bloody taste from the corner of his mouth. Far from being afraid, he gave a provocative smile: "Heh, you're so obvious, even a fool could see that you like her. Does she really not know?"
These words were like adding fuel to the fire. Another heavy punch landed on Xia Zhou's face.
"Shut up!"
Summer retaliated just as fiercely.
The two immediately started fighting, the dull thuds of fists hitting flesh echoing in the corner, until they were both bruised and battered before they finally separated, panting heavily.
Xia Zhou leaned against the wall, panting heavily. He chuckled, took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag. The smoke blurred the bruises on his face: "Fool, she's not unaware, she simply doesn't want to know!"
He exhaled a smoke ring, looking at Hao Nan's instantly frozen face, his tone tinged with malicious pity, "She scolded me, and I've vented my anger. I won't bother her again. As for you... you'd better watch yourself."
After saying that, he stubbed out his cigarette and staggered away.
"It's not that I don't know... it's that I don't want to know..."
Xia Zhou's words were like poisoned ice picks, repeatedly piercing Hao Nan's ears and causing him a sharp pain in his heart.
He slumped down on the roadside, looking utterly dejected, and ran his hands through his hair.
That hazy yet ardent feeling of his was condemned to death by the cold truth before he even had a chance to express it.
He knew perfectly well that he had fallen for Qi Xu, but he never expected that he couldn't even bear the truth of rejection. Like a coward, he only wanted to indulge in a self-deceiving fantasy.
Where did I go wrong? I was clearly annoyed and disgusted with her when we first met, so how did my heart become so irrevocably swayed?
In the past, when he saw his classmates who had dated and broken up in junior high and high school and cried their hearts out, he would always dismissively laugh at them for being childish.
Looking back now, I realize I was the complete joke. At least they had each other briefly, while I? It ended before I even began.
His fingertips touched his cheek, feeling a cool, damp sensation. Hao Nan froze, only then realizing that his face was already wet with tears.
After an unknown amount of time, it gradually grew dark.
Just then, a familiar figure appeared at the intersection.
Qi Xu stopped in his tracks on his way home, his gaze turning in confusion to the huddled figure by the roadside.
She tentatively called out softly, "Hao Nan?"
The familiar voice struck Hao Nan like an electric current.
He froze, his body stiffening as if frozen, not wanting her to see him in this disheveled state.
Qi Xu received no response, so he looked at the figure more carefully. Although the outline was similar, the light was too dim to see the face clearly.
She shook her head, thinking that she had probably made a mistake, and continued walking towards home.
Only when he sensed her footsteps fading into the distance did Hao Nan slowly raise his head.
My gaze involuntarily followed that figure from behind. Her long, black hair was tied back, the ends swaying gently with her steps. The soft glow of the streetlights enveloped her, casting a long shadow on the ground.
Suddenly, without warning, she turned around.
Hao Nan's heart seemed to stop abruptly, and the blood in his body instantly froze, leaving him frozen in place.
He was hidden in the heavy shadow cast by the building. Qi Xu squinted, trying hard to make out his features, and his gaze finally settled on a noticeable scar on his left cheek.
She remembered that Hao Nan didn't have this injury on his face. She had indeed mistaken him for someone else.
She stopped investigating, turned around, and continued on her way.
From Hao Nan's perspective, the brief glance she gave him when she turned around, and the slight furrowing of her brows, seemed to convey a sense of...disdain after she had seen him clearly.
His heart instantly turned cold, sinking into an icy abyss. He sat numbly in place, letting the chilling despair spread.
Exhausted, Hao's mother returned home and collapsed onto the sofa.
Mr. Hao immediately put down his mobile game, poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her, skillfully massaging her shoulders: "My wife, you've worked hard."
Hao's mother took the water glass, took a sip, gave a faint "hmm," and asked, "Hao Nan hasn't come back yet?"
"He's probably out hanging out with friends, maybe even on a date with that girl he likes," Mr. Hao said casually.
A smile finally appeared on Hao's mother's face, tinged with pride: "This kid has finally come to his senses? Before, all he did was play games on his phone. I was really worried he wouldn't be able to find a girlfriend in the future."
"Tsk, my son takes after me, he's handsome!" Mr. Hao got up and walked to the kitchen, bringing the warm food to the table. "Back then, there was a long line of women chasing after me, how could my son be anything less?"
"Your old narcissistic habit," Hao's mother said, giving him a reproachful look.
"You eat first, I'll go find our son." Mr. Hao said, going back to his bedroom to change his clothes and then leaving.
Not far away, under the dim streetlights, I spotted the figure huddled on the curb, looking utterly lost.
As he approached and saw the bruises and tear stains on his son's face, Mr. Hao's heart tightened. He sat down next to his son and said in a very soft voice, "What happened? Tell Dad."
Hao Nan simply shook his head, his throat tightening, unable to speak.
Seeing his son like this, Hao's father felt extremely distressed. He reached out and patted his son's back soothingly with his rough hand: "Tell me, what kind of person is that girl?"
Hao Nan remained silent for a long while before squeezing out a few words in a hoarse voice: "It's... contradictory. I can't see through it."
"Hey, back when I was pursuing your mom, it was incredibly difficult." Mr. Hao seemed lost in memories, his tone tinged with emotion. "Back then, she was completely focused on her studies and work, like a rock that could never be warmed. Your old man had to use every trick in the book to finally win her over."
"My mom is so outstanding, how could she have fallen for you?" Hao Nan said sullenly, his tone carrying a childlike doubt.
"How dare you talk like that, you brat!" Mr. Hao pretended to slap his head, then pulled back, feigning anger. "Back in my day, I also went through many trials and tribulations, fighting my way through your mother's horde of suitors, okay? What did I do wrong?"
"No job, stays home all day, and is supported by my mom," Hao Nan raised his head, his words carrying a hint of rebellious bluntness, "What's so special about you?"
The playful expression on Mr. Hao's face faded, and his gaze became gentle yet firm: "Son, this is a sacrifice for love, and it's also a division of labor within the family."
“Your mother doesn’t like or is not good at staying around the stove; she was born to shine outside.”
“But this family needs someone to take care of it. There needs to be someone who can bring you a hot meal when you come home from school. We don’t want to leave you with your grandparents. It’s only true that we should raise our own children.”
Looking at his son's somewhat confused expression, he continued, "Want to know how I fell in love with your mother?"
Hao Nan nodded.
"Back in Mingde Middle School, she was a famously aloof academic goddess. The line of suitors could stretch from the teaching building to the school gate, but none of them caught her eye..." Mr. Hao said, then suddenly burst into laughter, as if thinking of something.
"Dad, what are you laughing at?"
“Ahem,” Mr. Hao cleared his throat, “Back then, your mother was the kind of ruthless person who could pretend not to see even if someone offered her their heart.”
"I remember a guy who pursued me so passionately, and what happened? He ended up doing all the work for me."
"Oh? You're quite lucky then."
"Lucky?" Mr. Hao shook his head. "In order to get rid of those annoying suitors, she came directly to me and asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend for a year."
"The reason... she said I looked honest and reliable, and wouldn't bother her. So I agreed."
"As soon as the college entrance exam was over, we went our separate ways and lost contact." He paused, his gaze becoming distant. "But fate is a wonderful thing. We met again in college."
"She's still as dazzling as ever, and she still has just as many suitors. Of course, this time, I joined them too."
"Then what?"
"And then?" A proud yet gentle smile appeared on Mr. Hao's face. "Your old man, with a sincere heart and a bit of persistent, foolish stubbornness, went through countless hardships and finally won over their goddess."
“So, son,” he patted Hao Nan’s shoulder hard, “don’t be afraid.”
"If you like someone, go for it, be open and honest about it. People are all made of flesh and blood, and there's no such thing as a stone that can't be warmed! The key is that you have to let her feel your sincerity. Don't hide it, and don't be afraid of failure."
As the father and son were talking, Hao's mother also came out. Seeing the two figures cuddling by the roadside, she quietly walked over.
"What are you talking about? You seem to be having a lot of fun?" She sat down on the other side of Hao Nan.
"Mom," Hao Nan interjected, "My dad said you were heartless back then, and it took him a lot of effort to win you over."
Hao's mother couldn't help but laugh, the lamplight revealing gentle lines at the corners of her eyes: "Back then, I thought all those relationships were rather pointless, a waste of time. But..."
She turned her head to look at Hao's father, her gaze softening. "Your dad is different. He's so...sincere. He's incredibly clumsy, but his feelings are so profound that they can't be ignored. He's the one who made me understand what it means to be 'favored'."
The parents smiled at each other, the air filled with the tacit understanding and warmth accumulated over the years.
Listening to their ordinary yet touching stories, Hao Nan felt a surge of warmth wash over him, as if the biting coldness and despair in his heart had been infused with warmth.
Yes, even an iceberg like his mother could be melted by his father's sincerity... and a little more courage quietly grew in his heart.
Just then, his stomach growled loudly at the worst possible time, especially in the quiet night. Hao Nan's face flushed red, and he scratched his head awkwardly.
Mr. and Mrs. Hao exchanged a smile and stood up at the same time.
Hao's mother took Hao Nan's hand: "Come on, let's go home and eat! No matter how important the matter is, we can talk about it after we've eaten!"
Mr. Hao put his arm around his son's shoulder and said, "That's right! You need to be well-fed to have the energy to pursue girls!"
The family of three walked side by side, their shadows stretched long by the streetlights, their laughter and voices echoing in the quiet street as they headed towards their warm and bright home.
Hao Nan felt the warmth from his parents' hands. Although the gloom in his heart had not completely dissipated, at least the road ahead no longer seemed so dark and cold.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the county town, the atmosphere was completely different.
Li Mengyao, accompanied by several followers, blocked Wan Xiaoyi, who was returning home alone.
Her eyes were sinister, like a poisoned knife, fixed on Wan Xiaoyi's panicked face.
"Ha, so the person he's been longing for... is you?" Li Mengyao's voice was sharp and sarcastic, every word filled with resentment.
Faced with the approaching crowd, Wan Xiaoyi turned pale with fright and involuntarily retreated until her back hit the cold wall, leaving her with nowhere to go.
With a twisted smile on her face, Li Mengyao slowly pulled a small, gleaming folding knife from her pocket.
With a soft "snap," the blade sprang out.
She gently patted Wan Xiaoyi's cheek with the cold blade of the knife, her voice carrying a morbid excitement: "Tell me... if this pretty face had a few more cuts... would he still like you?"
Two girls immediately stepped forward and roughly pressed down on Wan Xiaoyi's shoulders and arms, pinning her firmly to the wall.
A chilling fear gripped Wan Xiaoyi's heart instantly. Her eyes widened in terror as she watched the gleaming blade approach her face, her blood seemingly freezing in her veins.
"Let me go." She struggled in vain, her voice trembling with fear.
Just as the tip of the knife was about to touch the skin.
"stop."
A loud shout, like a thunderclap, rang out! A powerful hand suddenly gripped Li Mengyao's wrist, which was holding the knife, with such force that it almost crushed her bones.
The knife clattered to the ground.
Immediately afterwards, Xu Sheng, like a furious lion, kicked the girl who was holding Wan Xiaoyi down hard with both feet.
He reached out urgently to help Wan Xiaoyi, who was trembling with fear, but she pushed him away abruptly.
Wan Xiaoyi leaned against the wall, barely managing to stand, her chest heaving violently.
She looked up, her usually shy eyes now bloodshot, like a wounded little animal, staring intently at Xu Sheng, her voice icy cold: "It's none of your business. Clean up your own mess."
The coldness and hatred in her eyes pierced Xu Sheng's heart like an ice pick. His outstretched hand froze in mid-air as he watched her turn and leave resolutely, her steps unsteady yet unusually firm.
He wanted to catch up, but his feet were heavy and stuck in place.
Xu Sheng whirled around, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, and roared at Li Mengyao, "Li Mengyao! Are you crazy?!"
"Yes! I'm insane!" Li Mengyao screamed hysterically, tears streaming down her face as she displayed a frenzied expression. "I'm fucking sick! Incurable!"
Looking at the completely unfamiliar, hysterical girl in front of him, Xu Sheng felt a deep sense of powerlessness and disgust welling up in his heart.
He didn't want to say another word, and he didn't even bother to look at her again. He turned around and strode away, leaving behind a cold, distant figure.
Seeing that things were not going well, the others also left the place.
In the empty alley, only Li Mengyao remained.
She felt as if all her bones had been removed, collapsing weakly to the ground, her shoulders shaking violently, her suppressed sobs coming in fits and starts, large tears falling onto the cold cement floor, spreading into dark stains.
The numbness gradually replaced the frantic burning sensation.
She didn't have much time left... All she wanted was to be loved properly and truly, just once, in the last, pitifully short days of her life... Why had even such a humble wish become an unattainable luxury?
During her last secret check-up, the doctor's somber words, though pierced through the door of the examination room, clearly reached her ears: "...The situation is not optimistic...Conservatively speaking...it might be...less than a month...Please...be prepared..."
Outside the door, she leaned against the cold wall, her face expressionless, only a bitter smile, more painful than crying, slowly tugging at the corners of her mouth.
She didn't push the door open; instead, silently, like a ghost, she turned and walked back into the ward filled with the smell of disinfectant.
Because of this damned disease, the family has already emptied all their savings, only to be met with one hopeless verdict after another.
The parents' sighs grew heavier and heavier, and the expectation in their eyes gradually faded. In the end, the little remaining love and energy they had were naturally transferred to their young and healthy younger brother.
How can a person destined to die be compared to a living being with an infinite future?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
