Gao Xiang asked in bewilderment, "Doctor, what's wrong with Zuo Si'an?"
The female doctor pursed her lips and looked him up and down. "I just consulted with a surgeon for a joint examination. She has acute mastitis. The problem is, she's only a fourteen-year-old girl. How could she get a disease that typically only affects breastfeeding mothers? What happened to her? What did you do to her?"
Gao Xiang was speechless, momentarily at a loss as to how to explain the chaotic situation. The doctor grew even more suspicious, her gaze filled with increasing disgust. "If you don't explain, I can call the police. She's a minor. I can't stand by and watch her be harmed without doing anything."
People in the hallway were curiously watching them. He had no choice but to face the doctor directly. "Doctor, your suspicions and sense of justice are reasonable. All I can say is I didn't do anything. This girl did indeed undergo a cesarean nearly a month ago. Her mother is on a business trip abroad and is rushing back. I won't leave. Please do your best to treat her and respect her privacy. Don't publicize this."
The female doctor continued to stare at him, as if assessing his credibility. After a while, she turned and walked away without a word. Gao Xiang slumped into a chair in defeat. He never imagined he would be seen as a criminal in someone else's eyes, and he couldn't even defend himself with full confidence. More importantly, from others' expressions, he once again understood how much anger and disgust such crimes could provoke. He had to admit that he couldn't maintain a completely innocent and untroubled attitude.
By the time Yu Jia rushed to the hospital, it was already nine o'clock in the evening. The stern female doctor didn't spare her either, immediately demanding, "What kind of mother are you?"
"I... she didn't tell me," Yu Jia struggled to explain. "She's so young, and she had a premature cesarean. She wasn't breastfeeding, so I thought she wasn't producing milk at all."
"Your daughter's condition is already a sign of parental negligence. If you had been even slightly attentive, you should have noticed the swelling, pain, and redness during the early stages of her mastitis and brought her to the hospital promptly. Instead, you let it drag on until she developed a high fever and complications, and you left her alone at home to go on a business trip. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?"
Yu Jia had no rebuttal and stared blankly at the doctor. Gao Xiang couldn't help interjecting, "Doctor, her husband works out of town. She's already struggling to take care of her daughter alone. She can't just drop all her work and stay home watching her."
The doctor was momentarily speechless. Seeing Yu Jia's distraught state, she couldn't continue berating her. She waved a hand dismissively. "Alright, alright. Your daughter is on an IV drip now. She must stay for observation today. Go keep her company."
After the doctor left, Yu Jia said hoarsely, "Thank you, Gao Xiang. I've really troubled you today. You should go back now."
"I'll pick you up tomorrow to take you home."
"Thank you, but that's not necessary. We can easily take a taxi back."
When Gao Xiang returned home and opened the door, he froze. Sun Ruodi was sitting on the living room sofa, holding Bao Bao and humming softly.
"Ruodi, what are you doing here?"
Chen Zihui came out of the kitchen holding a milk bottle. "Why are you so late?"
"I had some things to take care of."
"The nanny took leave today and went home. Luckily, Ruodi came to help me out."Chen Zi Hui took Bao Bao and fed him milk. Sun Ruo Di tucked a cushion behind her back to make her more comfortable. She praised, "Girls are always more considerate and know how to care for others."
Sun Ruo Di felt somewhat shy. "Auntie, I should get going now."
Chen Zi Hui treated her warmly. "Let Xiao Xiang see you out. Come visit again when you have time."
Gao Xiang accompanied Sun Ruo Di downstairs. "Why did you come over?"
Sun Ruo Di snorted. "You have the nerve to ask. I came to pick up my things and was planning to return your key. Why didn't you tell me your mother was here? I was so embarrassed when I opened the door and saw her face to face."
"Sorry, I..."
But Sun Ruo Di covered his mouth. "I should be the one apologizing. I lost my temper last time and hung up before you could finish. I had no idea your family had gone through so much. Ah, poor Bao Bao - his father died in a car accident before he was born, his mother died in childbirth, and now he has to have heart surgery at such a young age."
He was shocked, immediately realizing this could only be a story fabricated by Chen Zi Hui. He couldn't accuse his mother of lying, nor could he explain the dark, criminal truths contained within this tragic tale that brought tears to Sun Ruo Di's eyes. He could only remain silent.
"Why didn't you tell me? I know you grew up with your uncle and were as close as brothers. This must have hit you hard. I'm sorry I wasn't there to comfort you, and instead kept arguing with you. It's my fault. I've been too willful..."
"Let's not talk about this anymore." He wearily took her hand. "Let me take you home."
As Sun Ruo Di got into the car, she picked up a cloth bear from the floor. "Oh, this must be a toy for Bao Bao. How cute."
He took it and saw the bear wearing a red plaid shirt, black corduroy pants, and a large bow tie, looking utterly adorable. He thought of the fragile girl who had clutched it tightly, wondering if she would wake up and look around for it. He almost sighed unconsciously.
Misunderstanding, Sun Ruo Di reached out to touch his face and said softly, "Don't worry, Bao Bao will get better."
He nodded, casually placed the bear on the center console, and started the car.
————Continued from the published version————
Chapter 6: 1997, Hanjiang
3_
Over a month later, one evening when Gao Xiang and Sun Ruo Di had just bought movie tickets and were about to enter the theater, his phone rang. It was Yu Jia: "Xiao Gao, are you busy right now?"
He stepped aside. "Teacher Yu, what's the matter?"
Yu Jia's voice was terribly hoarse: "I have an unreasonable request - could you drive me to Liu Wan right now to help bring my daughter back?"
"Why is Xiao An in Liu Wan?"
"She ran away from home. I've been searching everywhere for her, and just received a call from Aunt Mei saying she's in Liu Wan. I've tried several taxis, but they all refused to go to such a remote place. I'm sorry, but you're the only one I can ask. Please help me with this."
He returned and handed the ticket to Sun Ruo Di: "Sorry, Ruodi, I have something urgent to take care of."They had finally managed to arrange a date, and Sun Ruodi was naturally displeased: "Was that your mother? If Bao Bao needs someone to look after her, I can go with you to help."
He said hurriedly, "It's something else. Watch the movie by yourself, take a taxi back later. I have to go."
Gao Xiang rushed to the location Yu Jia had mentioned and picked her up. It was the tail end of winter, and the continuous gloomy rain had left Yu Jia in a rather sorry state—her trouser legs were splattered with mud, her high-heeled leather boots were barely recognizable, and her tied-up hair was somewhat disheveled. She slumped into the car seat, clearly exhausted to the extreme, a far cry from her usual upright posture and elegant demeanor.
As he started the car, he asked her, "Teacher Yu, I must meddle and ask—why did Xiao An run away from home?" Yu Jia fell silent for a moment, her expression blank as she replied, "My husband asked me for a divorce. Xiao An probably blames me for the breakdown of the marriage, thinking I drove her father away to Tibet. She hasn't spoken a word to me for over a month. The day before yesterday, she stole some money, went to the train station to buy a ticket, and planned to go to Chengdu, then transfer to Tibet to find her father. Fortunately, the train police stopped her in time because she was too young and notified me to pick her up from the station. She won't start school until September, and I can't watch her all day at home. I never expected she would run away again today."
Gao Xiang felt an indescribable anger. "Your daughter needs you both the most right now, and you're getting a divorce. Teacher Yu, forgive my bluntness, but you two are parents I simply cannot understand."
"Don't lecture me," Yu Jia said wearily. "I don't understand what's happening to my daughter either."
He was left speechless.
"I know I said we didn't need to stay in touch, and I have no right to drag you into this mess. But I really can't involve unrelated people in this, so I have to shamelessly ask you for help again. I'm truly sorry."
With things put so plainly, he had no choice but to stop talking and focus on driving.
By the time Gao Xiang and Yu Jia arrived at Liu Wan, it was already late at night. The village was extremely quiet, with only Aunt Mei's house still lit. She, Jingjing, and Zuo Si'an were in the east side room, each reading or doing homework. When they entered, Zuo Si'an quickly lowered her head.
Aunt Mei stood up and gave a meaningful glance, and the three of them moved to the west side room. "I've been persuading her for a long time, and she's agreed to go back with you. However, she still insists on seeing her father immediately." Aunt Mei sighed. "It's only at this young age that one can be so stubborn."
Yu Jia gave a bleak smile but said nothing. Suddenly, Jingjing ran over. "Actually, if Xiao An doesn't want to go back, she could just stay here with me. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Aunt Mei glared at her. "Don't you think about how worried Xiao An's mother must be? Besides, how would Xiao An go to school if she stayed here? Go finish your homework, and don't interrupt when adults are talking."
Jingjing pouted, clearly unconvinced, and left the room. Aunt Mei said to Yu Jia, "Teacher Yu, please don't mind what a child says."
Yu Jia shook her head. "Anyone can see my daughter doesn't want to talk to me. I'm a failed mother—how could I blame an honest child?"Gao Xiang tentatively suggested, "If Xiao An wants to visit her father, you could accompany her. It would also be a good opportunity for you two to communicate face-to-face."
"Easier said than done. From the time of her accident until now, I've taken countless leaves, piled up a mountain of work, and rushed home early from a business trip without notifying anyone. I simply can't give my superiors and colleagues a reasonable explanation anymore. Unless I resign, it's impossible for me to find time to take her to Tibet right now."
"In that case, could you communicate with her father and ask him to persuade Xiao An to temporarily give up this idea until he returns? Even if he wants to divorce you, he'll have to come back in person to handle the formalities."
"Do you know where Zuo Xuejun went in Tibet? Ngari. Vast stretches of uninhabited high-altitude wilderness, primitive and backward, with intermittent and unreliable communication. And he's deliberately avoiding contact—managing to talk to him once every half month is already an achievement. All he tells his daughter is to stay home and focus on her studies, to not fall behind when school starts in September. He didn't even symbolically say, 'Your mother works very hard, you should listen to her.'"
Gao Xiang and Aunt Mei exchanged glances, neither knowing what to say.
These thoughts had clearly been festering in Yu Jia's heart for a long time. Once she started, it was hard to stop: "Yes, I'm not exactly a good mother. I'm not the kind of woman who puts her child above everything else. I have my own career and still want to achieve something in my work. My daily commute takes an hour and a half, and I frequently go on business trips. Since Xiao An was very young, her father has been the one taking care of her. He took her to kindergarten and elementary school, never leaving her side. To let me focus on my work, when he went for his temporary assignment, he even brought her to Qinggang to attend middle school."
Mentioning this, her expression darkened. They both thought of what had happened in Qinggang and found it even harder to speak. After a long pause, Yu Jia continued in a flat tone: "He's given more to our daughter, and her feelings for him have always been much deeper than for me. After that incident, I felt guilty. I wanted to make it up to her, to give her more care—I did everything I could. I turned down work assignments, took long leaves to stay with her in Qinggang, and whenever I had time, I'd spend three or four hours transferring between two long-distance buses to visit her in Liu Wan. I put on a smiling face and pulled strings to arrange her school transfer, but no matter how much I did, it was useless. She just doesn't want anything to do with me."
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