Liang Xiaoxiao regretted leaving school in a hurry and abandoning her bicycle there. She took a taxi instead. However, taking a taxi at night required booking with the management office a day in advance, which was impossible now.
She walked quickly and timidly, looking back from time to time.
The rustling of leaves in the night wind sounded to her like the footsteps of someone following her.
Later, I stopped walking fast and switched to a jog. When I unlocked the door, my back was covered in sweat and I was panting.
There was a net bag of daily necessities on the handlebars, and a leather bag of Liang Haoyu's spare clothes on the back seat. When Liang Xiaoxiao rode her father's 28-inch bicycle to the hospital, it was already dawn outside.
She handed the things to Ding Li, but was pushed by her. She couldn't enter the ward anymore, so she could only lie by the small window at the door and glance at her brother for a few seconds. Then, exhausted, she sat back down on the bench in the corridor.
It felt like she hadn't squinted for long, and she was dreaming. In the dream, she, her father, and her brother were making dumplings. Her father asked what the filling was, and Haoyu said, "Beef and radish. My sister likes it."
Liang Xiaoxiao was poked awake again. As soon as she opened her eyes, tears fell. She glared at the old tigress in her eyes:
"What's going on? Are you done yet? Try poking me again!"
This time, Ding Li's aunt didn't start cursing right away. Instead, she looked around at the doctors and patients passing by before questioning Liang Xiaoxiao:
"Give me the money."
"What money?"
"You damn girl! What money are you talking about? Hospital fees. The hospital is asking for it, so hurry up and pay it out."
Ding Li's aunt was furious and wanted to poke Liang Xiaoxiao's face out of habit, but Liang Xiaoxiao dodged.
"You went home and didn't take any money? Have you grown up? Is Liang Haoyu your Liang family's child? Who do you expect to pay for it?" Then his eyes rolled:
"Do you have your passbook with you? Give it to me, and I'll ask Ding Bo to get it when he gets off his night shift."
Liang Xiaoxiao pursed her lips. Passbook? Wishful thinking!
Without saying a word, he grabbed his schoolbag and turned away.
Just when Ding Li and her aunt thought Liang Xiaoxiao had gone home to get money again, Liang Xiaoxiao said to the phone:
"Aunt, can you come to the People's Hospital? Lend me some more money." (To be continued.)
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