Shilong Town
Jiang Lin drove to Shilong Town early Wednesday morning. The huge house suddenly fell silent, leaving only Gu Yansheng and the carefree little fat cat, who was only concerned with wagging its fluffy butt.
There were still two days of sick leave given by Wang Bo. Gu Yansheng strictly followed the doctor's advice, took medicine on time, and carefully took care of Xiaofei's eating, drinking, defecating, urinating and playing. Of course, it was mainly Xiaofei who had a lot of fun, and Gu Yansheng was responsible for quietly watching from the side.
The days were as peaceful as a pool of autumn water, yet there were always ripples of emptiness in some corner. The wound on his arm was healing, and the scabs were itchy. However, the subtle bitterness in his heart caused by Jiang Lin's departure became clearer as time passed and in the quiet evening.
Gu Yansheng knew that Jiang Lin was busy and focused at work. As a "good guy", he would patiently save up his concern and desire to know about the other person's recent situation until the evening.
So, around eight o'clock, when Gu Yansheng estimated that Jiang Lin should have finished a day's heavy work and returned to the dormitory arranged for him by the health center, he would carefully dial the familiar number.
"Beep...beep..." After a short waiting tone, the call was connected.
"Hello?" Jiang Lin's voice came through the receiver, set against the backdrop of the dormitory's characteristic silence. The occasional chirp of insects outside the window or the faint barking of a dog in the distance was a stark contrast to the daytime clamor of the health center. This silence brought a sense of peace to Gu Yansheng's heart.
"Jiang Lin!"
Gu Yansheng's voice immediately took on a warm and light tone that seemed to dispel the chill of the night, like a little sun trying to shine.
"Back to the dorm? Are you tired today? Are you used to where you live? What are you having for dinner? Is there enough hot water?"
He asked questions in great detail, just like checking a household registration, wishing he could understand every inch of space and every breath Jiang Lin took in that unfamiliar environment.
Jiang Lin's answers were still his characteristically concise, "Yeah. Not bad. The cafeteria is enough." Occasionally, he'd ask, "Is the wound still itchy?"
"It's itchy! It's so itchy that I want to pick off the scab!" Gu Yansheng immediately "complained", but there was a bit of exaggerated coquettishness in his tone. Then he changed the subject and started his "positive energy infusion".
"But I'm telling you, don't always have a stern face over there! I know you don't like to laugh, but be a little... a little less serious! Look at you, you have such good skills. If you were a little more gentle, those old men and women would definitely listen to you more, right? Smile more, a smile makes you look ten years younger! Right, Xiaofei?"
He would even put the phone close to the mouth of the fat boy lying on his lap, and the fat boy would give a "woof" as if to agree.
Jiang Lin on the other end of the phone listened to Gu Yansheng's nagging concern and his efforts to use a light and lively tone to dispel the loneliness of the night in a foreign land. He could even clearly imagine him curled up on the sofa in the living room, his fingers unconsciously curling up his little fat ears and relaxing.
The fatigue accumulated in the health center during the day - the helplessness of facing the stubborn elderly who refused to follow the doctor's advice, the endless trivial matters to deal with, and the inconvenience caused by the simple environment - all seemed to be quietly soothed by the familiar and warm "noise" of Gu Yansheng.
A soothing warmth flowed down the phone line, silently soaking into his slightly cold heart.
He just listened quietly, occasionally using a low "hmm" to indicate that he was listening. What Gu Yansheng couldn't see on the other end of the phone was that under the dim dormitory light, Jiang Lin's always furrowed brows would unconsciously relax, and the corners of his tightly pursed lips would relax slightly, revealing a rare softness.
Saturday morning arrived, and the sun shone through the window onto the floor, a warm glow. Gu Yansheng was combing Xiaofei's hair when the sound of his cell phone rang, shattering the tranquility. It was Lin Yang.
"Brother Gu! The weather is great today! Your hand is much better now, right? Do you want to go out for dinner? I know there is a new Cantonese restaurant that serves light and healthy food, perfect for you to recuperate!" Lin Yang's voice was full of energy and expectation.
Gu Yansheng's hand that was combing the hair paused, and without a moment's hesitation, he declined politely with a sincere apology but an extremely firm tone.
"Lin Yang, thank you. But... I really have something to do today and need to go out. Maybe next time. I'll definitely treat you next time."
"Ah? Going out? Where are you going? Do you need my help driving or giving you a hand?" Lin Yang was obviously surprised and asked with concern.
"No, no, it's just a personal matter. I can handle it myself." Gu Yansheng said vaguely, not wanting to explain further. "Just enjoy your weekend and have fun."
After hanging up the phone, Gu Yansheng combed Xiaofei's hair much faster. His heart had already grown wings and flew towards the small dot marked "Shilong Town" on the map.
Three and a half days! Three and a half whole days without seeing Jiang Lin! Missing him was like a vine, tightly wrapped around his heart, urging him to leave immediately, to confirm with his own eyes whether the other party was safe, to dispel the empty feeling in his heart.
He prepared enough water and food for Xiaofei to ensure that it would not be hungry or thirsty. Gu Yansheng changed into light and comfortable clothes and carefully checked the wound on his left arm. The scab was very firm and there was no redness or swelling. Then he picked up the car keys and set off for Shilong Town with an almost excited mood.
As the car left the concrete jungle, the scenery outside the window gradually gave way to fields, hills, and dotted villages. Gu Yansheng was in a good mood, and soothing music played on the car stereo.
However, this sense of comfort was completely ended by a sudden muffled sound when the car entered the last bumpy dirt road leading to Shilong Town.
"Bang—whoosh..."
The left front wheel made a terrifying explosion, followed by the sharp whine of a rapidly leaking tire! The car body suddenly tilted to the left front!
"Oh no!" Gu Yansheng's heart sank. He gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, trying to steady the car as he struggled to park it on the narrow shoulder of the road. When he got out of the car and took a look, his heart sank—a large hole had been punctured on the side of the tire by a hard object, whether it was a rock or something else, and it had completely deflated.
He looked around. The dirt road wound its way into the distance, flanked by fields that looked somewhat desolate after harvest. In the distance, towering green hills rose one after another. The air was fresh yet chilly, a characteristic of early autumn.
The cell phone signal here was intermittent and extremely weak. Worse still, he subconsciously moved his left arm—although the wound was scabbed, pushing against a jack, which required explosive and sustained force, would be very strenuous.
Reluctantly, he opened the trunk and laboriously dragged out the heavy spare tire and jack. Just finding the right fulcrum for the jack caused the muscles in his left arm to tighten, causing a dull ache in the wound. He stared at the cold tools and the flat tire before him, feeling a surge of powerlessness.
Just when he was at a loss as to how to deal with the dilemma, the clear sound of a bicycle bell came from far away, like the sound of nature.
"Hey! Friend, do you need a hand?" A clear, cheerful voice with a sunny atmosphere sounded.
Gu Yansheng turned around and saw a young man in a neat tracksuit and rimless glasses nimbly dismounting from his bicycle. He looked to be in his late twenties, with a healthy tan, a genuine and infectious smile, and a refined yet capable demeanor.
"Uh... the tire is flat." Gu Yansheng pointed awkwardly, "I want to change to the spare tire, but..." He helplessly raised his scabby left arm to gesture.
"You've got a flat tire? This stretch of road is really not easy to drive on." The young man immediately understood his predicament and walked forward and squatted down to check it out very naturally. "Wow, the tire is punctured quite deeply. You're lucky to have come across this place in the middle of nowhere. Let me do it!" Without saying a word, he rolled up his sleeves neatly and began to operate the jack with skillful movements.
"This... is too much trouble for you! I'm so sorry!" Gu Yansheng hurriedly thanked him sincerely.
"It's just a piece of cake! There are few cars here, so it's nice to be able to help. My name is Zhou Muyuan, and I'm a volunteer teacher at Shilong Town Central Primary School." The young man introduced himself readily while removing the screws deftly.
"Zhou Muyuan? Hello, hello! Thank you so much! My name is Gu Yansheng." Gu Yansheng looked at his smooth movements and felt deeply impressed and grateful.
"Gu Yansheng... that name is quite meaningful." Zhou Muyuan smiled, his hands moving non-stop. "Are you going to Shilong Town? To find someone or to do some business?"
"Yes, I came to see a friend." Gu Yansheng nodded. "He's supporting the town health center. His name is Jiang Lin. He's only been here a few days."
"Doctor Jiang?!" Zhou Muyuan's eyes lit up instantly, and his enthusiasm soared. "Oh! So you're a friend of Doctor Jiang's! Nice to meet you! Doctor Jiang is amazing. Yesterday, Uncle Huang went there for a checkup because of chest tightness. When he saw him, he immediately contacted Uncle Huang's son and asked him to take him to a large hospital in the county. It turned out that Uncle Huang had a heart attack."
"He's young, but he knows a lot. People from big hospitals just have more experience, hahaha." Zhou Muyuan couldn't hide his admiration in his words. He patted him on the shoulder and said, "Come on, get in the car. I'm going back to town too, so I'll show you the way! The health center is right next to our elementary school!"
Zhou Muyuan's enthusiasm was palpable. He deftly changed the spare tire and carefully reminded Gu Yansheng that it was underinflated and to fill it up when they got to town. Then he easily stuffed his bike into Gu Yansheng's spacious trunk and climbed into the passenger seat.
Under his precise guidance, the car restarted and drove along the country road. Soon, the outline of Shilong Town's low, scattered, and rustic houses came clearly into view.
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