After evening self-study ended, Shao Wu did not ride his bicycle home. Instead, he followed Yang Shuyi onto a bus bound for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.
When Shao Wu came out of Sister Shan’s office carrying the milk, bread, and fish sausages, Yang Shuyi’s expression visibly changed. Under the half-lit glow of the motion-activated hallway lights, he pressed his lips together. Only once. Very quickly. But Shao Wu still saw it. Maybe Yang Shuyi felt a little embarrassed.
“Actually, my grandmother can’t eat these right now,” Yang Shuyi said softly. “Why don’t you take them home?”
“You can eat them. Won’t you get hungry staying overnight?” Of course Shao Wu knew a patient had dietary restrictions. Besides, would Yang Shuyi’s grandmother even eat fish sausages? He had bought them for Yang Shuyi in the first place.
Yang Shuyi murmured, “Oh. Then let’s go.”
They headed toward the bus stop. The bus was unexpectedly crowded. Only after they boarded and Yang Shuyi took all four boxes from Shao Wu did he lean close to his ear and murmur, “Thanks.”
There were simply too many people. Young workers getting off late shifts. Students coming home from school. Everyone was packed shoulder to shoulder, back to back, which meant Shao Wu and Yang Shuyi were practically pressed against each other too. That soft “thanks” seemed warm as it slipped straight into Shao Wu’s ear.
Yang Shuyi’s breath brushed the side of Shao Wu’s neck. A small patch of skin grew unbearably hot.
Shao Wu was too embarrassed to speak. He could only nod randomly.
Before long, the bus reached their stop. They struggled through the crowd and squeezed their way off. A few drops of rain had fallen when evening self-study ended. The rain had stopped now, but the ground was wet, and the dark clouds hung thick and low. Shao Wu tucked his chin into his collar. Yongchuan winters always seemed this damp and cold, as though spring might never return.
In the murky night, even the hospital looked old. Above the main entrance, the red characters INPATIENT DEPARTMENT glowed dimly. For some reason, that dull red made Shao Wu feel oppressed.
As they stepped into the elevator, Yang Shuyi suddenly said, “My dad’s in the ward. And my… stepmother.”
Shao Wu was surprised. He had not expected Yang Shuyi’s stepmother to be there too. But his expression remained calm. “Mm.”
It was a six-bed ward. Like so many older hospitals, the lower half of the walls had been painted green, though the paint had already peeled and mottled with age. All six beds were occupied. Every patient was elderly. The moment Shao Wu entered, he caught an unpleasant smell, probably disinfectant mixed with medicine, sweat, and other things.
“Grandma.” Yang Shuyi led Shao Wu to the bed by the window. “My classmate came to see you.”
Yang Shuyi’s grandmother had silver hair and an IV running into her arm. She seemed to have been asleep. Yang Shuyi’s father and stepmother, however, were nowhere to be seen.
“Shuyi?” His grandmother slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze drifted for a moment before finally focusing on Shao Wu. “Oh! You’re Shuyi’s classmate?” Her voice was weak, but Shao Wu could hear the delight in it.
“Hello, Grandma.” Shao Wu stepped forward. “My name is Shao Wu. You can just call me Little Shao.”
“Little Shao…” His grandmother broke into a broad smile. “What a good-looking, well-behaved child.”
“These are all… Little Shao bought them.” Yang Shuyi seemed to hesitate for half a second before following his grandmother’s example and calling him Little Shao. He set the four boxes beside the bedside cabinet, then slipped a hand under the blanket and began skillfully massaging his grandmother’s calves.
“Why did you buy all this? You’re still a child yourself. How could we let you spend money?” She turned toward Yang Shuyi. “Shuyi, these can be returned, right? Take Little Shao back later and return them. I can’t eat any of this…”
“Uh! They can’t be returned, Grandma.” Shao Wu hurriedly forced himself to continue. “I… I bought some for Yang Shuyi too. If you can’t eat them, he can. And I already threw away the supermarket receipt, so they can’t be returned…”
Yang Shuyi looked up at him. There was surprise in his expression, as though it had suddenly occurred to him that those things had been bought for him.
“All I did was get sick, and now I’ve caused all of you so much trouble.” His grandmother sighed. “Getting old is no good.”
“It’s just a minor illness. Don’t think too much.” Yang Shuyi asked, “Where’s Dad?”
“He went drinking with Wang San’er.”
Yang Shuyi frowned. “He isn’t staying here while you’re on an IV? What if you fall asleep and don’t notice when it finishes?”
“How could I fall asleep? I slept all day.” His grandmother laughed. “Don’t worry about me. My head’s still perfectly clear. I haven’t gone senile!”
Just as she finished speaking, the ward door opened again. Shao Wu turned. Yang Shuyi’s father walked in.
It was Shao Wu’s first time seeing him, yet he recognized him immediately. Father and son looked very much alike. The only difference was that Yang Shuyi’s father was taller and broader. He wore a black down jacket identical to Yang Shuyi’s. He looked almost like a larger, more enthusiastic version of Yang Shuyi.
What surprised Shao Wu most, though, was just how enthusiastic he was.
“Little Shao! Hello, hello! You came all the way here in weather this cold!” He patted Shao Wu’s shoulder. He seemed slightly drunk. “You’re Shuyi’s classmate? You two must be really close, huh? It’s great, really great, that Shuyi has a friend like you.” He smiled until his eyes nearly disappeared. He looked warm and friendly. Nothing at all like the man who had slapped Yang Shuyi across the face in public outside their classroom.
Yang Shuyi completely ignored his father. He did not say a single word.
“Where’s Xiaojuan?” his grandmother asked. “Wasn’t she with you?”
“She took Longlong home first. There won’t be any buses later.”
Shao Wu thought to himself that Xiaojuan was probably Yang Shuyi’s stepmother. And Longlong was probably the child his stepmother had brought with her.
Father and son did not speak to one another. Before long, his grandmother urged Yang Shuyi’s father to go home and sleep. Only when he was about to leave did he say to Yang Shuyi, “This is the last IV bag tonight. Remember to empty the urine bag later. Don’t fall asleep and forget again.”
Yang Shuyi did not even look at him. “I know.”