Hospital
After Chinese class, a group of students packed their bags and left. The classroom was mostly empty, waiting for another group of students to arrive for English class.
Ruan Xiyan turned around and chose a seat at the back. His backpack was not zipped up, and a notebook was on the floor, with several pages rustling open.
He picked it up and realized it was his Chinese language notebook. Lu Er had been covering his classes these past few days and had taken many notes. The several pages filled with neat and detailed handwriting showed just how meticulous the owner was with these notes.
Inside the schoolbag was a notebook with Lu Er's name on it. Ruan Xiyan remembered that Lu Er had taken her own notes first thing in class, but she hadn't had time to copy Lu Er's notes yet.
Ruan Xiyan thought that Lu Er had helped her so much, so copying notes for him was nothing... She hoped he wouldn't mind that his handwriting wasn't good.
After writing for a while, Ruan Xiyan thought of something and turned to place a book in a conspicuous spot on the table behind her, clearly indicating that the spot was taken.
When Tao Yangnian came in, he noticed that Ruan Xiyan had her head down and seemed to be concentrating on something, so he mysteriously walked around to him and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Take notes." Ruan Xiyan didn't even lift her eyes.
Tao Yangnian was surprised. Recalling Ruan Xiyan's strange behavior these past few days, he smacked his lips and said, "Hey, I've noticed something. You've been acting really weird lately! You're not really planning to secretly work hard and amaze everyone when school starts, are you?"
Ruan Xiyan was too lazy to explain to him. She just turned her head to look at the back seat and then looked towards the door: "Has Lu Er not arrived yet?" Class is about to start.
"I don't know, I didn't see her at the stairwell today." Tao Yangnian said excitedly, "Hey, did I not tell you yet? I confessed to her. She didn't agree, but she gave me a chance to pursue her."
"To be honest, a top student is a top student, even academic performance has to be comparable. She said I need to score over 100 in math. Studying math out of love, it's really admirable..."
Tao Yangnian's rambling automatically dissipated in Ruan Xiyan's ears. He continued to look towards the back door, and Lu Er did not arrive until class started.
During break, the seat behind Ruan Xiyan was still empty. He took out his phone and started typing, initially asking if she had overslept, then changed his question to why she hadn't come.
The message was still hanging in the chat box when Teacher Mina chatted with a few students for a few minutes and walked past. Ruan Xiyan quickly called out to her, "Teacher, isn't Lu Er here today?"
“Lu Er, I heard she had an allergic reaction, so I told her to rest well and she took the day off today.”
So that was the reason. Ruan Xiyan understood the cause and put away his phone. He sat there, the window next to him open, letting in a swaying summer breeze.
For some reason, Ruan Xiyan felt uneasy, as if the wind itself had stirred his emotions. He lowered his head slightly, hesitatingly wondering whether he should go and check on Lu Er.
It's not a serious illness, just an allergic reaction. I've bought and applied the medicine, so why is he making such a fuss? Lu'er probably didn't intend for him to visit his supplier. He's making a mountain out of a molehill.
Ruan Xiyan felt a subtle annoyance and couldn't figure it out. He could only think it was a problem with the wind, so he made an excuse and closed the window on Tao Yangnian's right.
Ruan Xiyan was somewhat absent-minded and in poor condition all morning, so he simply skipped his afternoon classes and took a leave of absence.
Today is Friday, and Ruan Song, Ruan's mother, has returned home from her trip to Egypt, with the driver carrying her luggage behind her. She's gotten quite tanned, but she's full of energy. As soon as she entered the house, she shouted with boundless enthusiasm, "Mom, I'm home!"
Ruan Tang was the first to rush over, followed closely by the energetic Golden Retriever: "Auntie! I've missed you so much!"
"Tangtang, hey, and Maomao, you're so good." Ruan Song wrapped her arms around the two little ones and hugged them tightly. "I brought you some souvenirs from Egypt, carefully selected, I guarantee you'll like them."
Ruan Tang exclaimed with delight, "Long live Auntie!"
"Woof woof!"
"Where's Xiyan?" Ruan Song released them and looked around.
“Oh, Auntie.” Ruan Tang suddenly fell silent. “My cousin said he wanted to try making lunch for us, and he’s busy in the kitchen right now.”
Ruan Song's smile slowly faded. Even though she had been away from home for ninety-nine days, she knew better than anyone her son's extraordinary talent for blowing up kitchens.
Ruan Xiyan had this idea suddenly. He was leaning against the doorframe, lost in thought, when he returned home at noon, when the thought suddenly popped into his head. Yes, cook.
Perhaps Lu Er had opened up his mind, because this pampered young master suddenly wanted to understand public opinion. Yes, that must be it. Or perhaps he wanted to check on the results of Lu Er's recent instruction. Whatever the reason, he really wanted to cook now. He'd made a bit too much, but no problem, there were still two or three left (including Mao Mao) to help him finish.
Half an hour later, Ruan Xiyan came out carrying several plates of bizarre dishes. Ruan Song and Ruan Tang stared at the wrinkled vermicelli and the burnt, broken eggs, falling into silence. Mao Mao passed by, its nose inadvertently catching a whiff, and mistaking it for a biological weapon, it tucked its tail between its legs and scurried away.
He stared intently at the two people in front of him, his face full of anticipation: "How is it?"
Ruan Song picked up a small amount of barely passable egg yolk, chewed it for a while, and smiled, "It's alright."
“Cousin…” Ruan Tang tried to be tactful, but she couldn’t help but say, “Promise me you won’t touch the kitchen.”
Ruan Xiyan: "..."
—
Ruan Xiyan finally accepted the fact that he had been blacklisted in cooking. He gave up and spent the afternoon playing games with his friends at home.
Around dinner time, Ruan Song took Ruan Tang to visit a friend's house, leaving Ruan Xiyan alone at home. He ordered some takeout, ate a quick bite, and then took Mao Mao out for a walk.
Ruan Xiyan usually walks his golden retriever to a park square in the city center. Today, he took a different route, following the navigation instructions in his headphones.
Jacaranda trees were blooming on the sidewalk, their smoky purple petals growing in clusters. Looking up from under the trees, the tips of the branches seemed to connect with the deep blue night sky.
The evening breeze was gentle, and the air was filled with the delicate fragrance of flowers. Ruan Xiyan turned the corner of the convenience store, walked a few steps, and spotted a figure under the streetlight ahead.
The girl's figure was slender, stretched long by the lamplight. Her hair fell to her shoulders, giving off an inexplicable sense of loneliness.
Ruan Xiyan looked at her again and again, and after a while, he called her name: "Lu Er?" She turned around, and Ruan Xiyan followed her. Only then did he notice that she was holding a cardboard box in her arms. Inside the box was the black and white cat.
The black and white cat had its eyes tightly closed, and its tail drooped listlessly on the side of the box. Ruan Xiyan looked closely and saw that the cat's fur was stained with a lot of blood. The pungent smell made the golden retriever look around alertly.
What's wrong with it?
Lu Er's brows furrowed as if in a knot: "It was bitten on the stomach by a stray dog, and I'm taking it to the hospital."
Ruan Xiyan observed it again and indeed found that the cat's belly had been torn open, and the blurry flesh and blood were vaguely visible.
Lu Er was pale. She had come out in a hurry, still wearing her slippers and with sweat on her forehead.
"I'll take it there; I'm faster." Without much hesitation, Ruan Xiyan took the cardboard box. He shoved the dog leash at Lu Er and was about to dash off, asking, "Where's the nearest pet hospital?"
"It's right across the street from this intersection." At this crucial moment, Lu Er didn't care about anything else, and the two of them hurriedly headed towards the pet hospital.
The black and white cat was taken to the emergency room. Lu Er pressed her palm against her rapidly beating chest, trying to steady her breathing as if she had survived a near-death experience.
Ruan Xiyan gasped for breath. After calming down, he looked at Lu Er beside him. She calmed down much faster than he had expected, her eyes fixed on the operating table where the black and white cat lay, without uttering a sound. The scene of the surgery was rather bloody, and Ruan Xiyan couldn't bear to watch any longer.
It took him a while to realize that Lu Er was nervous; she kept pursing her lips, her fingers hovering near her mouth. Ruan Xiyan had heard that some people unconsciously bite their nails to relieve nervousness.
So she gets nervous too, because of the black and white cat inside. Ruan Xiyan thought, but he quickly dismissed the thought. It would be strange if she didn't get nervous in front of something so important.
Ruan Xiyan comforted her, saying, "We actually delivered him quite promptly. Don't worry, he should be able to be saved."
Lu Er gave a soft "hmm" and felt something furry brush against her leg. She looked down and saw the big golden retriever gently nuzzling her leg with its fluffy head, as if offering silent comfort.
Lu Er is afraid of dogs and not good at getting close to them, but at this moment, she did not back away.
The tuxedo cat's surgery was successful. Seeing it lying on the table, head tilted to one side, asleep, the two finally breathed a sigh of relief. The vet said it would need to come back every now and then for dressing and bandage changes.
Lu Er was in a dilemma. She hadn't adopted the black and white cat for two reasons: firstly, its unruly nature, and secondly, her aunt's firm stance against having animals at home. Releasing the cat back into the neighborhood wasn't safe, and the hospital didn't have a place for wild animals to spend the night.
Ruan Xiyan seemed to see through her worries and said, "I'll help take care of it. My family can keep it. My mom and sister both agree, and it's safer."
"As for Mao Mao, it won't mind." Ruan Xiyan glanced at the big golden retriever guarding the table and smiled, "It's eager to have a little guy to play with it."
Lu Er couldn't think of any other way: "...Alright then, Ruan Xiyan, thank you for your hard work."
After finishing these matters, Lu Er needed to settle the surgery fees. She picked up the medication, and the total medical bill came to over nine hundred yuan.
As Lu Er picked up her phone, she thought that the money she earned from tutoring was enough to cover her expenses, so it seemed she would have to look for part-time work for the rest of the time.
Lu Er scanned the QR code to transfer money, but the veterinarian glanced behind her and said, "Hey, no need to pay. That handsome young man already paid." She smiled gossipy, "You two, your relationship isn't simple, is it?"
Lu Er was stunned. She turned around and saw Ruan Xiyan playing with the golden retriever from afar. The boy was tossing around some small toys he had just scavenged from the hospital. With a feint, the golden retriever wasn't fooled and jumped into its owner's arms, wagging its tail wildly. Ruan Xiyan held it full, his face slightly lowered, and you could vaguely see the dimples at the corners of his mouth.
"Thank you so much for everything today," Lu Er said, bowing deeply to Ruan Xiyan at the hospital entrance. "I won't take today's medical expenses for nothing. I'll pay you back as soon as I earn money from my part-time job."
"It's just a small favor, don't mention it." Ruan Xiyan wanted to make a joke and waved her hand, saying she couldn't accept it. But seeing her straight eyes and serious expression, she didn't say anything more.
They walked back together. The purple of the jacaranda seemed to grow heavier, like mist, swirling and falling on their shoulders.
Ruan Xiyan remembered something: "I've copied your Chinese notes for you. Can I give them to you sometime?"
This was the third time Lu Er had thanked him today: "Thank you for your help. Is next Monday okay? Thank you."
"Sure. No problem, you copied it for me too."
Ruan Xiyan glanced at her: "You should have finished your tutoring job by now, right?"
Lu Er said, "Yes. I plan to look for a new part-time job."
"good."
Ruan Xiyan responded, holding the golden retriever's hand in one hand and the cardboard box in the other. He asked again, "Have you considered tutoring me? I really... need a tutor. You have good grades, and we're in the same class, so it's more convenient. So... I thought I'd give you a try."
Lu Er stopped. She looked at him, then lowered her head: "Okay, Ruan Xiyan, thank you."
"You're welcome." Ruan Xiyan had other thoughts in mind. "Because we...are friends, right?"
Lu Er paused slightly: "Yes, friend."
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