Zhu Jianjun walked over and patted Zhu Yaya's fluffy little head. "You're here to see Yan Heng's mom too! Our Yabao is so good! These are colleagues of mine and Yan Heng's dad."
The group of uncles nearby all showed kind smiles.
Zhu Yaya stood up and greeted them. "Good morning, uncles!"
The police officers who had changed out of their uniforms all laughed. One of them said to Zhu Jianjun, "Your daughter is quite something!"
"Of course!" Zhu Jianjun said with a touch of pride.
"Perfect timing, I have a rascal of a son at home. Want to become in-laws?"
"Get lost!"
Zhu Yaya chimed in, "Arranged marriages by parents are a no-go."
"Hahaha..."
Yan Heng happened to return just then, looking at them with some surprise before going over to say hello.
Zhu Jianjun had brought these colleagues to lend money to Yan Heng. Yan Heng thanked them one by one, carefully writing out one IOU after another, just like the one for Zhu Yaya, and even included interest.
Zhu Yaya leaned over to take a look. This money, plus her 240,000, added up to 300,000. It should be enough.
After Zhu Jianjun and his group left, Zhu Yaya tilted her head and said to Yan Heng, "What did I tell you? There's always a way, right?"
Some of the burden on Yan Heng's shoulders seemed to lighten. "Mm."
She leaned in closer. "About the money, there's no rush to repay mine. Pay theirs back first. I want to drag it out a bit longer, earn a little more interest from you."
Yan Heng knew Zhu Yaya was worried he would harm his health trying to repay the money too quickly. His gaze softened, and he replied gently with a "Okay."
Zhu Yaya kept Yan Heng company for a while longer until Yan Heng's mother's attending physician came by, asking Yan Heng to step out to discuss her condition.
"Brother Yan, after you talk, go buy lunch! I'll look after Auntie Yan for you!" Zhu Yaya said just as Yan Heng was about to turn and leave.
"Okay." Yan Heng looked back.
Zhu Yaya pointed at her own neck.
Yan Heng gave a light laugh, understanding her meaning, and put on Zhu Yaya's scarf. It carried a faint trace of her scent. Wearing the scarf, Yan Heng desperately tried to suppress the corners of his mouth from lifting into a smile.
Zhu Yaya sat on the chair by Auntie Yan's hospital bed. Auntie Yan was still the same, staring blankly at the ceiling. Zhu Yaya silently prayed for her in her heart.
Is Auntie Yan bored? Staring at the ceiling all the time.
Zhu Yaya took out her phone, found a heartwarming novel online, and began reading it aloud to Auntie Yan. It was a story about a cancer patient who underwent active treatment and, with the love of her family, survived for ten years. Even though Auntie Yan's mind wasn't fully recovered, listening to something positive was still good.
Zhu Yaya, engrossed in reading, didn't notice the tears welling up in Auntie Yan's eyes or the slight twitch of her fingers.
After finishing his talk with the doctor, Yan Heng ran to a restaurant near the hospital to pack up lunch. Carrying the lunch, he stopped in his tracks when he reached the entrance of the inpatient building of Beijing Third People's Hospital.
He had a vague feeling that something was about to happen. He looked up, found the window of his mother's room among the many, and stood there for a long time. Nothing happened.
He subconsciously let out a sigh of relief, picked up the lunch, and went inside.
Yan Heng returned just as Zhu Yaya was halfway through reading. The door was half-open. He stood at the doorway, his gaze soft as he looked at the two people in the room who mattered most to him.
It wasn't until Zhu Yaya looked up and noticed him that he approached.
"You're back!" Zhu Yaya exclaimed happily. "Perfect timing, I'm hungry. Did you get a portion for me?"
"I did." Yan Heng handed her two lunch boxes. "These are yours."
Zhu Yaya opened the one containing the dishes. It was braised pork ribs! She ordered this dish almost every day in the cafeteria, and Yan Heng, who was responsible for clearing trays and cleaning, knew this very well.
"Thank you, Brother Yan. I'll give you the money later," Zhu Yaya said, her face showing a small, satisfied smile.
"No need to give me money. Thank you for coming to help me!"
"Then I'll just say thank you, Brother Yan." Although Zhu Yaya said that, before leaving, she secretly tucked a fifty-yuan bill under the fruit basket.
It was only after she left that Yan Heng found it. Holding the fifty yuan, warmth flooded his heart.
Auntie Yan had been in a stable condition, but she suddenly took a turn for the worse in the early hours of the morning. Yan Heng, who was on night watch, quickly notified the nurses and doctors.
The attending physician issued a critical notice and decided to move up the surgery that had been scheduled for later to now.
Zhu Yaya didn't get the news until 6:30 on Sunday morning. Zhu Jianjun had business at the police station and couldn't go, so he woke Zhu Yaya up and asked her to go check on things and keep Yan Heng company. He was worried about Yan Heng's state.
Zhu Yaya quickly got up and rushed to Beijing Third People's Hospital. She called Yan Heng several times, but he didn't answer any of them. She searched for a long time, asking several nurse sisters, before finally finding where Auntie Yan's surgery was taking place.
Yan Heng, wearing a worn-out, tight-fitting padded jacket, sat on a plastic bench outside the operating room. He was perfectly still, motionless, like a lifeless plaster statue.
Zhu Yaya's heart clenched. She walked over and sat down beside him.
Yan Heng seemed as if his soul had left his body, showing no reaction at all. Zhu Yaya's heart ached slightly. She reached out and held his hand.
His hand was ice-cold.
After a while, he seemed to finally become aware. His expression was sluggish, but he tightened his grip on Zhu Yaya's hand.
"How long has she been in?" Zhu Yaya asked softly.
"Since half past three this morning." He didn't know what time it was now.
Zhu Yaya didn't say anything more. She just continued to hold Yan Heng's hand, even as their palms grew sweaty with an unpleasant, sticky feeling.
Both of them sat there quietly, waiting for the judgment.
The lively Zhu Yaya never knew she could sit so quietly in one place for so long. She prayed silently in her heart. Yan Heng had already suffered so much misfortune; he couldn't endure another blow like this.
They waited for what felt like an eternity before the doctor finally emerged.
Both Zhu Yaya and Yan Heng rushed forward urgently.
He removed his mask and said in a low voice, "I'm very sorry. I'm afraid..."
How could this be?
Zhu Yaya felt as if she were in a dream. Suddenly, everything felt absurd. Isn't this a fictional world? Aren't we all NPCs? How can someone die?
Auntie Yan was wheeled out by a nurse.
Her face was ashen, lying peacefully on the gurney. Zhu Yaya had seen her alive, had seen her lashing out wildly when she was ill, but now... she was dead! Just yesterday she was lying in the hospital bed, listening to Zhu Yaya read. Yet, in less than twenty-four hours, she had died.
Zhu Yaya suddenly found it all incredibly absurd.
She saw Yan Heng's body begin to tremble slightly. Silently, she walked up and wrapped her arms tightly around him.
She wanted to say something to comfort Yan Heng, but she racked her brains, thinking and thinking, and couldn't come up with any suitable words of comfort. Chinese culture is vast and profound, spanning five thousand years with nearly a hundred thousand characters, yet in this moment, all words seemed utterly hollow and inadequate.
Yan Heng held her in return, pressing his head tightly against her shoulder. He held her so firmly, like a drowning man desperately grasping the final piece of driftwood in his struggle. He was crying, not with loud sobs, but like a puppy abandoned by everyone in a dark corner, emitting faint, broken whimpers. This manner of crying was inconspicuous yet more empathetic, and Zhu Yaya's eyes also reddened.
Zhu Jianjun and Zhao Jing, who had just rushed over, took in the scene and understood. Watching Zhu Yaya and Yan Heng weeping in each other's arms, the two stood to the side, not uttering a word.
