The sweltering summer was like a beast trapped in a cage. A thunderstorm had just passed, leaving the ground damp, yet the air was already thick with an oppressive, stifling heat.
Zhou Wan stepped outside the hospital to get some fresh air.
She wore a comfortable, clean cotton dress, her hair casually tied up, with a few stray strands falling against her fair neck. Her clear, bright eyes were lowered.
She hadn’t had time to eat lunch, and her stomach felt uneasy.
Slowly, Zhou Wan crouched by the roadside, hugging her knees.
It was then that she spotted Lu Xixiao across the street.
The young man was tall and long-legged, dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans—a simple, casual outfit, but on him, it only accentuated his youthful vigor. He leaned lazily against the wall by the internet café entrance, his hair neatly styled, his eyes deep-set and roguish. A cigarette dangled from his fingers, his expression indifferent, exuding an aura of reckless abandon and worldly indifference.
Then, a girl with a slender waist and long legs emerged from the internet café.
She wore a halter top, two thin wine-red straps resting on her snow-white shoulders. She walked over to Lu Xixiao, leaned against him, and stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear.
Lu Xixiao obligingly bent down, tilting his head closer.
He was being considerate.
Whatever the girl whispered made him laugh, stirring ripples in his calm, detached eyes.
He leaned in too, half-resting against her, so close he was almost touching her ear, and whispered something back.
His smile carried a hint of mischief.
Sure enough, the girl blushed, playfully raising her hand to punch him lightly in the chest.
Zhou Wan watched the scene unfold, blinking slowly.
Of course, she knew Lu Xixiao—everyone at Yangming High School knew him.
He had striking good looks and a carefree, unrestrained personality, making him particularly eye-catching among teenagers aged sixteen or seventeen, attracting plenty of admiration and infatuation.
He had gone through many girlfriends, appearing fickle and sentimental on the surface, but in reality, he was cold and detached, never truly investing his heart in anyone.
Thinking back, Zhou Wan had actually crossed paths with him once before—
It was in early autumn during their first year of high school. She ran into Lu Xixiao and his friends at a breakfast shop.
The group of boys chatted without restraint, bringing up his ex-girlfriend—a girl from another school with an enviable figure—and teasingly tossed around a few remarks.
Zhou Wan, sitting nearby, caught a few words and felt uncomfortable.
Instinctively, she glanced at the subject of their conversation.
The subject remained unperturbed, utterly calm, as he lowered his head to sip his congee.
The tables in the breakfast shop were low, and he was too tall, sitting somewhat awkwardly. His skin was pale, his hair still half-damp, strands falling over his forehead. His elbows rested on his knees, his eyes downcast.
"Come on, Xixiao, tell us," one of the boys beside him grinned and prodded, "How was it, really?"
He looked up, a faint, lazy smile in his eyes, casual and nonchalant: "How was what?"
"Don’t play dumb, you know exactly what we’re asking."
He laughed, deflecting: "I really don’t."
His friend didn’t waste words, winking: "How did it feel?"
Hearing this, Zhou Wan frowned.
Lu Xixiao finished his breakfast, pulled a tissue, and wiped his mouth unhurriedly. He leaned back in the plastic chair, crossing his arms.
It was then that Lu Xixiao noticed Zhou Wan at the table behind him, her brow furrowed.
The girl had delicate features—a small nose, a small mouth, and large, doe-like eyes that seemed utterly transparent, the kind that made her look innocent and pure at first glance.
Their eyes met for a few seconds before Zhou Wan was the first to look away.Lu Xixiao let out a low chuckle from the back of his throat, casually tapping his fingers on the table with a roguish demeanor. "Alright, there's a young lady here."
...
At that time, she didn’t even know his name. It was only later, when her companions mentioned him, that she learned it.
Lu Xixiao.
Sure enough, after that, she often saw him with various girls by his side.
But someone like Lu Xixiao would naturally not remember her just because of those three seconds of eye contact.
Across the street, a girl clung to Lu Xixiao’s arm, whining and coaxing him before half-dragging him back into the internet cafe.
Zhou Wan’s stomachache had eased a little. Just as she stood up to buy something to eat, her phone rang.
"Hello?" she answered. "Dr. Chen."
Dr. Chen: "Wanwan, your grandmother’s test results are out. Come by when you have time, and pick up her medication for the next two weeks as well."
"Okay, I’m right outside the hospital. I’ll be in right away."
Zhou Wan’s grandmother had uremia and renal failure, which she had been living with for several years, sustained by weekly dialysis.
In the doctor’s office, Dr. Chen laid out the examination and lab reports in front of Zhou Wan.
Zhou Wan often accompanied her grandmother to the hospital, so the doctors and nurses in the department all knew her. They secretly felt sorry for her—she was gentle and delicate-looking, so whenever she came, they would often chat with her and show extra concern.
"As you can see from her current condition, I recommend increasing the dialysis frequency to at least twice a week," Dr. Chen said.
Zhou Wan lowered her head, carefully studying the arrows on the lab report, and nodded. "Okay."
The doctor, aware of her family’s financial struggles, added, "You’ll need to prepare for the additional costs."
After a pause, he continued, "If there’s anything you need help with, you can come to me."
Dr. Chen had worked at the hospital for over a decade and had witnessed countless cases of life, aging, illness, and death—as well as many families giving up on elderly relatives’ treatments.
As the old saying goes, "No one is a filial child by the bedside of a long-term illness."
Since it was an old saying, there was truth to it.
Yet, despite her grandmother’s years of illness, Zhou Wan accompanied her whenever she could take time off from school.
Though she was only sixteen or seventeen herself, facing such hardships, she never complained—remaining gentle and calm, which made others ache with sympathy for her.
Zhou Wan gave a faint smile and thanked him but was reluctant to impose. "I’ll think of something."
...
Leaving the hospital with the lab reports in hand.
The sun hung high overhead, and the air was so stifling that every breath felt like inhaling a wad of dry cotton.
Fine beads of sweat dotted Zhou Wan’s temples. Standing at the bus stop, she carried a bag of medicine in one hand, tucked a stack of lab reports under her arm, and with her other hand, called her mother.
The line rang once before it was hung up.
The bus arrived.
Zhou Wan was swept onto the bus by the crowd.
Inside, the air was thick with women’s shrill scolding and the unpleasant smell of alcohol and cigarettes clinging to men.
Squeezed into a corner, Zhou Wan gripped the handrail as her phone vibrated.
A text from her mother.
[Mom: Wanwan, I’m a bit busy right now. What’s up?]
Zhou Wan’s fingers hesitated over the screen before she replied.
[Zhou Wan: Let’s talk in person.]
[Mom: How about tonight? I’ll find you then.]
[Zhou Wan: Okay.]
It was still an era when pickpockets were common on buses, so Zhou Wan didn’t dare put her phone in her pocket, clutching it tightly in her hand instead.
She gazed out the window at the passing scenery.
The bus jolted along.She knew exactly what kind of person her mother was.
She was different from the mothers described in Chinese essays—those who carried their feverish children to the hospital late at night or fanned their children during summer power outages. Less than a month after Zhou Wan’s father passed away, her mother left home.
Later, it was said that she had gotten together with some small business owner in town.
After that, Guo Xiangling’s romantic life remained unstable, as she went through a series of boyfriends.
She was exceptionally beautiful, but unlike Zhou Wan, her beauty was striking and vibrant. Having previously worked as a salesperson in a luxury store, she managed to imitate the mannerisms of high society and could convincingly pass as a socialite.
Rumor had it that she was now with a truly influential man.
There are all kinds of mothers in this world.
Some selfless, some gentle, some impatient, some stubborn—you could encounter all sorts of women at the market in Pingchuan City.
It was just Zhou Wan’s misfortune to have a selfish, self-centered mother.
She knew that if she tried to borrow money from Guo Xiangling via text message, Guo Xiangling would definitely refuse.
So she had to see her in person.
After dinner, Zhou Wan went to a café at the address Guo Xiangling had given her.
Guo Xiangling hadn’t arrived yet. Zhou Wan found a seat in the corner, took out a Physics Competition paper from her backpack, and started working on it.
By the time she finished the paper, an hour and a half had passed, and Guo Xiangling finally showed up.
“Wanwan,” Guo Xiangling called out as she hurried over in her kid leather high heels. “Have you been waiting long?”
Zhou Wan put away the competition papers. “Not too long.”
Guo Xiangling smiled, pinched her cheek lightly, and called the waiter to order a coffee for herself and a cup of hot milk for Zhou Wan. “You have school tomorrow, so drink milk. Otherwise, you won’t be able to sleep.”
It was strange—the same woman who had abandoned ten-year-old Zhou Wan at home was now pretending to be gentle and affectionate.
Guo Xiangling made small talk, first saying that Zhou Wan had lost weight, then asking about her schoolwork.
“I came in second in the last exam.”
“Second in your class?”
“Mm.” Zhou Wan took a sip of the hot milk. A faint sweetness spread in her mouth, and she licked her lips. “Second in the whole grade, too.”
Guo Xiangling smiled, her eyes crinkling, and ruffled Zhou Wan’s hair. “My Wanwan is so accomplished.”
“Mom,” Zhou Wan said, “I came to see you today because I need something.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. What is it?”
“Grandma’s test results came out today. There will be a lot of medical expenses from now on. The money in Grandma’s medical insurance has almost run out, and the money I earn from part-time work isn’t enough. So—” She paused, watching Guo Xiangling’s expression.
Guo Xiangling was still smiling, but her smile seemed apologetic.
“Wanwan, I know how much you care about Grandma, but I’m on my own now, and I really don’t have much to spare.”
“I know. I’m not asking for your money.” Zhou Wan lowered her head, staring at the ripples in her milk. “But didn’t Dad leave a sum of savings? I want to use that money for Grandma’s treatment.”
Guo Xiangling’s expression froze for a moment. She sighed. “Wanwan, you should know that Grandma’s illness can’t be cured by dialysis alone.”
Zhou Wan looked up.
The girl’s eyes were large, and the rims were slightly red.
Guo Xiangling sighed again, as if giving in. “How much does the doctor say is needed?”
“We need to do dialysis one more time per week. Each session costs about four hundred yuan.”“Are they robbing you or what!” Guo Xiangling widened her eyes. “Grandma’s condition has been pretty stable, why is there suddenly another expense? Wanwan, you’re young and seem easy to bully, be careful not to get scammed!”
Zhou Wan frowned.
“Alright, alright.” Guo Xiangling waved her hand. “But I can’t afford such a long-term expense. How about this—I’ll give you 500 yuan for now, and we’ll talk about the rest later.”
Guo Xiangling pulled five bills from her wallet.
She accidentally pulled out one too many, stuffed it back in, and handed the money to Zhou Wan.
The moment Zhou Wan took the money, she felt as if her dignity had been thrown to the ground and trampled upon.
But she had no choice. She could only accept it and say thank you.
Guo Xiangling answered a phone call and immediately broke into a cheerful laugh, exclaiming repeatedly, “I’m back, I’m back! Why are you rushing me like you’re chasing a ghost?”
After hanging up, she quickly grabbed her bag and stood up. “Wanwan, Mom has to go now. Finish your milk before you head back.”
“Mm.”
Guo Xiangling left in a hurry.
Zhou Wan tucked the five hundred yuan into the inner pocket of her backpack, zipped it up, picked up the glass, and downed the milk in one go before standing as well.
As she stepped outside, she happened to see Guo Xiangling getting into a car.
A sleek, black sedan.
She sat in the back seat, with a driver in front.
It seemed the neighborhood gossip was true—this time, her mother had indeed found a very wealthy man.
The car hadn’t gone far when it suddenly slowed down and pulled over by the roadside. The window rolled down.
Guo Xiangling’s voice, sharp and penetrating, reached her ears clearly—
“A Xiao, get in. Let’s go back together.”
Zhou Wan’s gaze froze, her dark lashes lowering.
Lu Xixiao.
He stood by the roadside, his eyes pitch-black and drooping at the corners, looking utterly indifferent and impatient.
He paid no attention.
Then, a sudden summer thunderstorm poured down without warning.
Zhou Wan had no time to react. She raised her hands to shield her head and dashed toward the bus stop, splashing through puddles.
Her clothes were completely drenched, clinging stickily to her skin. Her hair was soaked, water droplets trailing down the strands and soaking her eyes, blurring her vision.
Zhou Wan brushed the water off her arms, slung her backpack to her chest to cover the semi-transparent white bra showing through, and glanced again at the sedan.
Lu Xixiao seemed to let out a “tsk,” his expression distant and cold as he pulled open the passenger door and got in.
He didn’t close the window, leaving it half-open, allowing the slanting rain to fall on him.
He lit a cigarette, held it between his lips, rested his elbow on the window frame, the smoke dissipating under the rain’s assault.
Lu Xixiao had a naturally sharp and striking bone structure—the kind that left a deep impression. At this moment, he seemed entirely different from the person she’d seen outside the internet cafe during the day.
Zhou Wan stared intently.
Her thoughts were as tangled as a knotted ball of yarn.
Suddenly, she remembered something from the neighbors’ gossip—Guo Xiangling really was something, this time she’d actually hooked up with that wealthy man surnamed Lu.
—Surnamed Lu.
In the heavy rain, the sedan sped away, churning up waves from the roadside puddles.
Zhou Wan stood alone under the bus stop sign, waiting endlessly for the rain to stop.
Grandma was still waiting for her medicine.
She tucked the prescribed medicine into her backpack, hugged it tightly to her chest, and dashed into the curtain of rain.
A girl sprinting through the rain, a boy smoking in a car.
Moving in opposite directions.
Yet at this moment, pulled by an invisible thread, inextricably entangled.
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