The two got up very early and planned to spend the two days of the weekend at Xia Lian's hometown.
"Just bring some things; we're only staying there for one night."
"oh."
The two of them only brought one bag containing two sets of clothes and some documents. They had also informed Wen Yiquan about their plan to go back, and he had even given them a few hundred yuan for expenses. Everything was fine.
Xia Lian's previous county town wasn't far from here, but Wen Mo still bought two bullet train tickets for a more comfortable experience.
Until she got on the bus, Xia Lian didn't react much, but her face was full of curiosity. She looked around in the bus and occasionally glanced out the window.
"This car is so fast."
"After all, it's a high-speed train, so it's known for its speed," Wen Mo explained.
Aside from the Chinese New Year, most people now travel by high-speed train, which is fast, comfortable, and you can arrive at your destination in the blink of an eye.
"It's been months since you've been back, hasn't it?" Wen Mo held the small hand, glancing at Xia Lian. Her face didn't show much expression; she just looked at the distance getting closer and closer to the county town, her lips slightly pursed.
She was nervous, but she didn't know why she was nervous.
Wen Mo couldn't fathom the girl's thoughts, but he understood that the small county town held special significance for her, as it was where she had her last memories with her mother.
In mid-December, there weren't many people on the train; it wasn't yet Chinese New Year.
Xia Lian barely spoke after getting into the car, staring out the window at the sky and the houses reflected in her eyes.
"You can take a nap first, and I'll wake you up when we get up." Wen Mo stretched out his arm and let Xia Lian hug him.
Xia Lian regained her composure, nodded, and gently hugged that arm. Her eyelashes trembled with her dazed eyes, and finally she slowly closed her eyes, leaning on Wen Mo's shoulder.
Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, Wen Mo moved closer to her, brushed aside her bangs, and gently left a kiss on the girl's forehead, covering her warm little hand with his large palm.
It wasn't until they were almost off the bus that Wen Mo changed his position. He hadn't moved at all, afraid of waking the girl.
"Get up, we're getting off the bus soon." He poked Xia Lian's forehead.
Xia Lian was still clearly a little sleepy, but after dozing off for a while, her spirits improved considerably. She followed Wen Mo gracefully, waiting to get off the car.
The moment Wenmo stepped off the platform, the unfamiliar scene before him made him feel a little disoriented.
He had never been here before, but this small county town was one of Xia Lian's few memories.
Perhaps because there were few people, even in a bustling place like the train station, there were hardly any people to be seen. Everyone was waiting for the train quietly, and the staff were serving customers with nothing to do.
"Where should we go first?" Wen Mo took Xia Lian's hand, and the two of them went down the steps and into a small commercial street.
The sounds of shopkeepers hawking discounted clothes drifted from the surrounding shops, and the aroma of barbecue spices wafted through the air. Several children, perhaps just released from school, were gathered around a small stall, their eyes gleaming as they stared at the freshly fried starch sausages.
Although this place isn't exactly luxurious, it definitely has a strong sense of everyday life, just like everyone's childhood memories.
"I want to... go to the hospital first." Xia Lian looked up, hesitated for a moment, and then gave a rather unexpected answer.
Wen Mo was quite surprised, not expecting her first stop to be the hospital, but she didn't say anything. Since she wanted to go, she would take Xia Lian to see a doctor first.
"Do you remember the name of the hospital? Let's take a taxi there."
Without even thinking, Xia Lian blurted out the name of the hospital; this was a place she would never forget in her lifetime.
After getting into the car, you could clearly feel Xia Lian's small hands clenching slightly, her brows unconsciously furrowing slightly, and her face growing paler as she looked at the familiar road ahead.
"We've arrived," the driver called out.
Wen Mo nodded his thanks, then took Xia Lian's hand and slowly got out of the car. When he looked up, the towering white building in front of him almost filled his entire field of vision.
"Is this the place?" he asked, turning his head.
Xia Lian didn't answer, but instead hugged Wen Mo's arm tightly. After a while, she nodded slightly, her eyes trembling slightly.
Wen Mo understood her feelings, and took a step forward to enter through the gate.
The pungent smell of disinfectant was almost overwhelming. Everyone was so busy, with people coming and going between the queuing machine and the outpatient department.
Everyone inside looked haggard, their faces silently conveying anxiety and worry. Some of the haggard patients even covered their eyes, all of which made one feel the immense pain in the hearts of everyone in the hospital.
The room was noisy, with the occasional crying of children and nurses calling out numbers. As if infected by the atmosphere, Wenmo's mood gradually became uneasy. Even though the person in the ward was not himself, he seemed to feel the pain as well.
Even a few minutes in this environment feels suffocating, but the woman next to me has been there for almost three years.
Xia Lian kept walking, first with Wen Mo in front, then she took the initiative to lead the way, pulling him towards the inpatient department.
The smell of pills, disinfectant, and various other unidentified odors mingled together and entered Wenmo's nostrils. Fortunately, smoking was not allowed in the corridor, otherwise there would have been a lot of cigarette smoke.
Xia Lian walked forward lightly, glancing at the number on the sign every now and then, before finally stopping in front of a ward.
"Yes, here." Her voice trembled slightly, but she still forced herself to speak.
Xia Lian was very familiar with the layout of the rooms inside, so she didn't choose to go in and take a look. Instead, she planned to stay at the door for a while and then leave.
Even if you open the door, the person on the bed won't be a familiar face.
"Did you bring me food every day before?" Perhaps to comfort herself, Wen Mo looked at the hospital's tiled floor and changed the subject.
Xia Lian didn't answer, she just nodded silently.
After her mother was hospitalized, she received meals almost every day. Since the food at the hospital wasn't cheap and they had already spent a lot of money on her treatment, Xia Lian had the idea of bringing her meals.
"You must be very sad."
"No, seeing Mom in the hospital isn't so bad." Xia Lian shook her head. It would be better if her mother wasn't sick; she hated being at school.
The two sat at the entrance for a while, chatting about their experiences at the hospital, until Xia Lian gradually relaxed before preparing to leave.
Just then, a figure in a white coat walked in from the corner of the corridor. When he saw Xia Lian at the door, the man blinked, still a little dazed.
"Xiao Lian? You're back?"
Upon hearing her name, Xia Lian subconsciously looked up, met the man's gaze, and recognized his familiar face.
"Dr. Li."
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