Chapter 21 Visiting the Sick
On ordinary days when they have nothing to do, the Luo mother and daughter get up very early, especially when they are worried about the person in the hospital.
So the next morning, they both appeared in the ward.
There were no conditions to speak of when it came to providing care; Luo Hong barely slept all night.
Fortunately, he had gotten used to working night shifts, so when he saw his mother and sister, he told them, "I need to get three IV drips today. The nurse will be here soon. I'm going back to take a nap and I'll come back tonight."
Liu Yinfeng felt sorry for her son and gave him the meat buns she had bought on the way: "Go back, go back."
The steamed buns were still piping hot. Luo Hong ate them as he went downstairs. As he walked, he remembered something and decided to stop by Zhou Weifang's shop—it was really convenient, just a few dozen meters to the right.
Zhou Weifang was repairing a car when he saw him and asked in surprise, "Aren't you supposed to be at work today?"
Luo Hong: "No, my dad's in the hospital, it's late..."
Zhou Weifang: "You're hospitalized? When? Are you alright? Which ward are you in?"
He casually wiped his hands on a towel, looking like he was about to go visit someone.
Luo Hong: "It's not that big of a fuss. I just came to tell you that you can pick up the goods from Xiao Xu's place tonight. I'll write down the address for you."
The two of them were supposed to go together, but he simply couldn't find the time.
Zhou Weifang didn't think anything serious had happened to him, but still asked, "I'm not in a hurry, is Uncle alright?"
Luo Hong recounted yesterday's events to him, then couldn't help but yawn: "I'm not going to talk to you anymore, I'm going back to sleep."
Don't rush off, Zhou Weifang: "If you don't tell me which ward it is, I'll have to find it myself, which would be even more of a hassle."
They meant it sincerely; it would seem pretentious not to say anything.
Luo Hong: "302, remember to send me some crisp apples, I love them."
"You've even picked one," Zhou Weifang said. "Dream on."
He wasn't planning on bringing an Apple product, but he didn't need to, since someone else was even more enthusiastic than him.
Early in the morning, Wang Tongguang went out under the pretense of delivering breakfast to his father.
He was dressed so smartly, but as he was about to cross the threshold, he realized it wasn't appropriate and hurriedly went back to change.
The cousins lived in the same courtyard. Zhang Zongming was pulled over early in the morning to act as an advisor, and he seemed a little impatient: "No, what exactly do you want?"
Wang Tongguang: "I'm not nervous at all."
Zhang Zongming: "You're not even going to meet the parents, why are you making such a big deal out of it? It's not even close to happening."
Wang Tongguang: "That's why we need to pay even more attention, so that my uncles and aunts won't find fault with me."
Having thought things through so far, Zhang Zongming had nothing to say: "I wish you success."
Wang Tongguang straightened his collar, held his head high with his cousin's blessing, but hesitated after taking only a few steps: "Is it appropriate for me to go? Will people think I'm being too impulsive?"
Zhang Zongming: "You're always thinking about this. It's been two years, and people are only just finding out your name."
Otherwise, his brother is talented and good-looking; he could be a pillar of the industry anywhere.
Wang Tongguang: "You make it sound so easy. If you mess this up, you'll never have another chance."
Zhang Zongming: "Right now, even God is on your side. Otherwise, with so many hospitals in the city, how could it be such a coincidence that so many people get sick?"
This made sense, and Wang Tongguang was greatly encouraged.
His home is very close to the hospital; you can get there just by walking out of the alley. There is a large fruit shop at the intersection.
He picked out some soft peaches suitable for elders, and carefully selected six large peaches. After paying, his face was redder than the peaches.
The boy's untold secrets seem to be contained within.
Luo Yan was still unaware.
She sat in the hospital room chatting with her parents, while other family members chimed in.
Luo Yan was completely overwhelmed by the strangers' enthusiasm, and she almost trampled the ground with her toes.
Liu Yinfeng knew her daughter's temperament well enough to whisper, "Go back, your father isn't in any serious trouble."
Luo Yan: "You have company here."
Liu Yinfeng: "As long as your dad is awake, the two of us will have each other's company."
Luo Xinmin added, "I can walk by myself."
Luo Yan laughed: "They think I'm in their way."
Disrespectful to elders, Liu Yinfeng said, "I've learned bad habits from my brother."
Luo Yan: "That's right, he taught me everything."
Liu Yinfeng indulged him: "Fine, I'll scold him later."
He gave it another push to urge it on.
Luo Yan felt extremely uncomfortable sitting there. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Then I'll go back and make lunch, and bring it over later."
In the sweltering summer heat, Liu Yinfeng said, "We can just buy food from the cafeteria; your dad has nutrition coupons."
This is considered a perk for hospitalized patients; they eat pure refined grains with an extra spoonful of beef.
The food was even better than at home, so Luo Yan thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll cook for my brother."
Liu Yinfeng: "Okay, let him get a good night's sleep. He has to come back tonight."
Luo Xinmin would say, "I can do it myself."
Liu Yinfeng: "Don't try to be tough with me anymore. I haven't settled accounts with you yet."
Coincidentally, when Luo Xinmin woke up from the anesthesia, he was also thinking that he should be treated well, and he chuckled awkwardly: "I didn't know it was that serious."
Liu Yinfeng just sneered, trying to save face for her husband in front of the children.
Luo Yan pretended not to know and picked up her bag, saying, "I'm leaving."
As she walked into the stairwell, she bumped into Wang Tongguang, who was pacing back and forth. She greeted him first: "Are you here to bring your dad...fruit?"
Wang Tongguang grew up in a hospital. He had to greet people a hundred or so times as he walked in through the main gate. It was like he had overcome many obstacles to get here.
At the last moment, he hesitated: Is it appropriate for me to go in like this? After all, all the doctors and nurses know him, and who knows if it will have a bad influence on others.
After hesitating for a moment, Wang Tongguang instinctively replied, "No, it's for your dad."
Luo Yan is twenty years old this year and is not yet independent in a society that values personal connections. This is the first time she has encountered someone visiting her in the hospital under her name, and she doesn't know how to handle it for a moment.
Wang Tongguang noticed it too, and instinctively hid his hands behind his back: "I'm sorry, did I disturb you?"
To be honest, Luo Yan felt that social interactions often resembled burglary—they came without reason and one couldn't refuse them. She said, "No, no."
I didn't know what to say next, so I just kept laughing.
She looks even more beautiful when she smiles.
Wang Tongguang was often praised for his brilliant writing, but at this moment he suddenly found himself at a loss for words. The only word that came to mind was "beautiful," and he stammered, "Do you... want some peaches?"
Luo Yan thought that although everyone knew that the fruit brought for visiting patients was almost always eaten by family members, there should still be a procedure.
She said, "How about we go see my dad first?"
"Yes, yes, yes," Wang Tongguang subconsciously straightened his clothes and cleared his throat, making it seem as if he was about to give a speech.
Luo Yan thought that perhaps the other person was just more polite, so she took him to the ward.
The parents were slightly surprised when their daughter returned.
When their gaze fell on Wang Tongguang again, it was with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.
Luo Yan had to introduce them: "This is my classmate, Wang Tongguang."
As soon as she mentioned Liu Yinfeng's surname, she knew it was her. Her daughter had mentioned it to her last night, so she greeted her warmly, "Little Wang is here."
Wang Tongguang: "Hello, Uncle and Aunt."
She put the fruit down again and said, "I came to see my uncle."
Luo Xinmin was also not good with words, and you could only stare at him blankly.
Fortunately, Liu Yinfeng was much stronger and asked a few questions gently.
But we weren't really that familiar with each other, and the conversation dried up after a few words.
Luo Yan was clenching her fingers, feeling inexplicably embarrassed for Wang Tongguang.
Seeing this, Liu Yinfeng said, "Little Wang, come to our house another day, and Auntie will treat you well."
Wang Tongguang, understanding the situation, said: "Okay, I won't disturb your rest today, Uncle."
He got up to say goodbye, and Liu Yinfeng quickly added, "Yanyan, see your classmate off."
Luo Yan escorted Wang Tongguang to the hospital entrance, feeling somewhat bewildered, since the two were practically complete strangers.
This was the first time Wang Tongguang had been so close to her, and his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of his chest.
He knew he should leave according to protocol, but he couldn't help himself: "Are you going home?"
Luo Yan: "Yeah, what about you?"
Wang Tongguang: "I'll take you."
The hospital is full of strangers, so it's okay to go in and out together.
The alley is full of neighbors; you can probably start talking about it from 300 meters away.
Luo Yangguang felt a chill run down his spine just thinking about the scene: "No need, no need, I can go back by myself."
She was unwilling, and Wang Tongguang couldn't force her, nor did he want to say goodbye, so he gritted his teeth and said, "Luo Yan."
Luo Yan gave an upward-sloping "hmm".
Wang Tongguang: "Can I invite you to see a movie?"
Fearing she might refuse, he added, "And invite Huifang and Zongming as well."
Having said all that, Luo Yan was finally certain that he liked her. It wasn't like there weren't guys like that before; she'd always rejected them with "I need to focus on my studies now," a righteous and indefensible approach that left no room for error.
But now that the college entrance exam is over, she hasn't come up with a new reason yet, so she's thinking of using delaying tactics: "It's definitely not possible right now, I have to wait until my dad gets better."
When you try to talk about it again and again, there's often no follow-up.
Wang Tongguang thought this meant he was unwilling, so he went all out and shamelessly said, "Then call me anytime you have time."
He left behind the phone booth number at the alley entrance, as if leaving behind a last glimmer of possibility, and left like a wilted eggplant.
How to describe their backs? They looked like Wangcai and Laifu on their first day in Courtyard No. 13, looking pitiful.
Luo Yan felt a pang of reluctance, but still couldn't decide whether to go.
She thought about it seriously all day long, until night fell.
Liu Yinfeng came home after switching shifts with her son. As soon as she entered the door, she sat down to eat and said, "I'm finally living a good life where food is served to me."
Luo Yan: "Anyway, I have nothing to do during my vacation, so I'll do it every day from now on."
Liu Yinfeng: "I don't need you. I'll just enjoy myself while I'm still a girl."
After getting married and having children, you'll never be able to live without the stove.
Luo Yan picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks: "Now that you mention it, I think marriage is terrifying."
When marriage was mentioned, Liu Yinfeng said, "You're an adult now. I don't care how you get along with boys, but there's one thing: you're absolutely not allowed to lay a hand on them."
Luo Yan recalled how Wang Tongguang would blush whenever he spoke to her, and for some reason, she burst out laughing.
Liu Yinfeng: What are you laughing at?
Luo Yan countered, "Mom, Wang Tongguang invited me to a movie. Should I go?"
Silly child, Liu Yinfeng: "If you didn't want to go, would you still be asking me?"
Luo Yan had been racking her brains all day, but now it suddenly dawned on her: "That's right, let's go then."
"It's not right for the daughter to go out alone on her first time," Liu Yinfeng said.
Luo Yan: "He said he would invite Huifang along."
That's good. Liu Yinfeng: "I think Xiao Wang is a thoughtful person."
Luo Yan: "Because he came to visit you in the hospital?"
Liu Yinfeng smiled and said, "Because he brought you peaches especially."
Luo Yan: "It's just a coincidence; there are only a few kinds of fruits available this season."
She didn't have the words "I love peaches" tattooed on her forehead.
Liu Yinfeng: "Young people's feelings are all written on their faces."
It's a pity the performance was for monkeys.
Luo Yan thought to herself, "So that's how it is. No wonder he asked her if she wanted to eat peaches as soon as they met in the stairwell."
She suddenly realized, nodded to herself, and a secret joy welled up in her heart.
It's something that's hard to explain, something a young girl herself doesn't even realize.
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Author's note: Happy weekend!
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