Chapter 41
Bai Nan stared blankly as she received the doctor's diagnosis report, her eyes fixed on the black words on the white paper, unable to focus.
"Your sister has ADHD, which is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and she also has major depressive disorder. Her condition is quite serious, so you need to contact your relatives to come to the hospital as soon as possible. I need to talk to your parents in person."
The doctor's words were like a spinning top, endlessly swirling around his head. Bai Nan couldn't figure out which way the top was spinning, so he could only let it lead him around, making him dizzy and disoriented.
I don't know how much time passed, but my phone in my pocket started vibrating, buzzing incessantly against my skin.
Bai Nan absentmindedly took out his phone and pressed answer, but what he was thinking was that he should have turned the annoying vibration to silent mode a long time ago. What kind of phone call is there that a high school student absolutely has to answer?
"Hey, why is my darling son calling all of a sudden? Wait a minute, plop! Twenty thousand!...Mom was playing cards and didn't answer. Is he short of money or was he bullied at school?...Eighty thousand!"
"Hey? Xiao Di? Why are you silent?... Wait a minute! I didn't say no, wait a bit..."
After a moment of silence, Bai Nan heard herself ask, "Where's Dad?"
"Oh, you're looking for your dad? He's right next to me. You guys aren't allowed to look at the cards, wait a minute..." The sound of slippers clattering came from the other end of the phone, followed by a male voice: "Hey Xiao Di, what's up? Need money? Just tell Dad!"
"Wow, you have a great hand, a single card to wait..."
The voice on the other end of the line gradually faded, and Bai Nan didn't know what she had said, or perhaps she hadn't said anything at all. In any case, before the call was hung up, Huang Ying hurriedly returned to the card table and said something to her—
Son, Mom loves you.
"Beep beep beep—"
Having heard the same voice too many times recently, Bai Nan felt somewhat dazed, as if he had returned to that deep, secluded forest.
She involuntarily raised her head, trying to catch her breath, but the layers of light above her head gradually blurred into rings of light, like chains tightly gripping her throat, and then slowly tightening over time.
She was even more breathless.
"Buzz—Nan—Buzz—Zzz—"
It seemed as if someone was calling her name, but all she could see was a blinding white light, within which countless black spots spread like ink, causing her pain.
"Bai Nan, close your eyes if it hurts."
She was very obedient and closed her eyes. In an instant, two cool streams slid down her eyelids, and the skin through which the water flowed felt like it had been stung by insects, causing a slight, tingling itch.
"Bai Nan, if you want to cry, just cry. Don't hold it in."
This time she didn't obey, because she didn't want to cry. The tears she had just shed were just physiological tears caused by staring at the incandescent lights in the hospital corridor for a long time.
I'm not that fragile, she thought.
Bai Nan was going to take Bai Di back to Bai Lu's house, and Xu Xin was driving.
The car stopped at an intersection, and the red light directly ahead shone through the windshield and into the car.
She turned her head to look out the window, her voice soft: "Did you take them home first?"
He looked into the rearview mirror and saw her pressing her forehead against the window, her pupils tinged with red light, exuding indifference.
"Hmm. They didn't mention Bai Di."
The red light started flashing, and Xu Xin looked away, focusing on driving.
Upon hearing his words, Bai Nan didn't react. Only after the engine emitted a low hum did she turn her head and stare at Xu Xin's profile.
"I didn't expect him to... but I know it's not my fault."
Then, almost silently, she murmured to herself, "...Right?"
She then nodded, as if answering herself.
The National Day holiday passed quickly, and today was the day Yuan Li and Yuan Li were to return home. Because the two cities were too far apart, they had to set off early.
Early in the morning, Wang Ma packed their luggage and prepared a very lavish breakfast for them. Yuan Li wasn't thinking much about it and was busy eating, completely unaware of the dramatic changes taking place at the table.
Bai Lu was showing concern for Bai Di, seemingly noticing her change, but he hadn't asked her anything in the past few days.
The other three remained silent until everyone finished eating, Wang Ma cleared the table, and Bai Lu and Yuan Li helped Bai Di upstairs. Only then was the silence broken.
"What's wrong with you guys?" Yuan Li first glanced cautiously at Xu Xin, then quickly glanced at Bai Nan.
These two are strange. Ever since they brought the person back from the hospital, they haven't spoken to each other properly. Even when they have unavoidable contact, they only exchange a few words.
If she hadn't witnessed their usual interactions, she would have almost mistakenly thought that this was how they got along.
Looks like they had a fight.
Bai Nan shook his head after hearing her words, got up and left.
For a moment, only she and Xu Xin remained at the table. When Xu Xin saw Bai Nan leave, he made a move to leave as well, but Yuan Li quickly stopped him.
No, she had to ask clearly before leaving.
Xu Xin was pulled to the backyard by Yuan Li.
As soon as National Day was over, the cold autumn season immediately began. The whistling wind swept straight from east to west, and yellow leaves fell from the pomegranate tree, swirling and brushing past the stone table in front of them.
Yuan Li tightened his coat and muttered subconsciously, "Why is it getting cold so early?"
Xu Xin didn't speak, but just turned his head to look at the yellow leaves on the table.
"Brother Xin, what exactly is going on between you and Bai Di?"
"fine."
"How could nothing be wrong? The two of you haven't said more than ten words in the last few days! Tell me, what did you do to offend him?"
"......"
"I'm trying to help you. Knowing the reason will help me find the right solution. Tell me quickly." Every time Yuan Li saw Xu Xin's expressionless face, he felt a surge of anger, but he couldn't really let it out and could only hold it in.
"......"
"I'm talking to you, Xu Xin!" But this time she really couldn't hold it in anymore; it was all because the wind was too cold and it hurt her face.
At this moment, Xu Xin seemed to have just heard her voice, finally shifting his gaze from the few rotten leaves, and then spoke softly, delivering a heavy blow, "I will return to Beishi before the Lunar New Year."
Yuan Li looked surprised: "Didn't you say you'd come back after the college entrance exam? Why the sudden change of heart?"
He let out a slow sigh, his gaze drifting towards the second-floor window. "Because we all have things we must do."
Xu Xin drove Yuan Li and the other person to the high-speed rail station, where Bai Nan and Bai Lu also saw them off.
"You guys are so lucky, you have two years to take your time. Yuanli and I will have to start tutoring as soon as we get back, waaaaah, it's so awful." Yuanli started crying again.
Yuan Li slapped him on the back of the head. "It's your own fault! You already got a guaranteed admission spot, but you still insisted on taking the college entrance exam. You deserve it!"
"Wow! You got a direct admission! If it were me, I wouldn't have gone to school anymore. I would have gone abroad for a trip before coming back!" Bai Lu said with envy.
“That was indeed our original plan…” Yuanli glanced at Xu Xin discreetly, and seeing that he didn’t react, she continued, “Xin-ge suddenly transferred schools, which caused the plan to fall through, so I thought that since I had nothing to do anyway, I might as well take the college entrance examination with Xin-ge.”
Bai Lu gave a thumbs up, "You have guts!"
Which university are you planning to apply to?
After stammering for a long time, Yuanli finally managed to squeeze out two words: "S University".
Upon hearing the voice, Yuan Li immediately rolled his eyes, "That's all the ambition she has. She just takes the exams for whatever she's recommended for."
"And what about you, Yuanli? And Xin-ge, Xiaodi, which university are you planning to apply to?" Bai Lu then asked.
Yuan Li said with a proud look on his face, "Of course it's Peking University. Every high school student in Taipei wants it."
"Where's Brother Xin?"
"Him? You'll have to ask him yourself. He dared to transfer schools on his own in his senior year of high school, who knows if he'll change his college choices..." Yuan Li muttered under his breath.
Bai Lu leaned forward into the front seat and loudly asked Xu Xin, "Brother Xin, which university do you want to go to?"
The car fell silent. Bai Nan's fingers, which were resting on the car window, trembled slightly a few times before returning to normal.
"I don't know, maybe I'll go abroad."
The wind was strong today, and the weather was gloomy. It seemed that the dark clouds hanging in the sky were holding back their energy, ready to bring a heavy rain.
Therefore, the cars on the highway are all in a hurry, trying to get to the high-speed rail station before the rain starts. As a result, the road conditions are getting worse and worse, and the frequency of overtaking is also increasing.
Just as Xu Xin finished speaking, a black sedan suddenly cut in front of them. They had to slow down to avoid it, and the people inside were thrown forward by the inertia before they could react.
Yuan Li, who was sitting in the passenger seat, almost fell headfirst into the windshield. After recovering, she immediately started swearing. If Xu Xin hadn't locked the car windows, she would have definitely started cursing at the car in front of her!
This kind of driver is a real menace!
Similarly, Bai Nan, caught off guard by this incident, couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. She was prone to motion sickness, and this sudden shaking made her feel even worse. It felt like a bull was churning inside her stomach, and her head was throbbing with pain.
Xu Xin must have heard her commotion, because he turned around to look at her on the way to check on her condition.
Are you alright?
He didn't call out a name, but the people on the bus somehow knew who he was asking, so they all shut their mouths and waited for Bai Nan's answer as if holding their breath.
"Mmm," Bai Nan responded softly.
Then three heavy sighs echoed inside the car, and Yuan Li, Yuan Li, and Bai Lu all shook their heads.
These two are incredibly stubborn.
Once the rain had completely stopped, the car slowly pulled into the underground parking lot of the high-speed rail station. Yuan Li and Yuan Li opened the car door and got out first.
Bai Lu followed closely behind, helping them take their luggage out of the trunk. He also took out the shrimp and cucumber dumplings that Wang Ma had specially made the day before from his bag and stuffed them into Yuanli's satchel.
"Wow! Did Wang Ma make this?" Yuan Li immediately noticed the stainless steel lunchbox in Bai Lu's hand, since only Wang Ma would like to use this kind of lunchbox.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Li gave him a teasing look: "No wonder you insisted on carrying a bag before you left. I thought you were hiding some treasure in it—"
"Ta-da! Congratulations, you guessed right!"
Bai Lu reached into his backpack again and pulled out several gift boxes in one go. "Not only did Aunt Wang prepare gifts for you, but Bai Di, Xin Ge, and I each prepared one for you! How about that? Pretty generous, right?"
Force shouted excitedly, "My God! Is this what true brotherhood is? I love it! Let me see what it is!"
Yuan Li took it with one hand with great composure, and casually put it into his suitcase. Before saying thank you, he coughed awkwardly.
This scene brought tears to Bai Nan's eyes, but her heart couldn't stop burning.
If only time could stand still at this moment.
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