Chapter 49

With the college entrance exams approaching, the last few days at home for rest, Lu Yan stayed at the door of Lu Zhen’s room all day, secretly observing him like a cat, keeping an eye on his studying.

For any other student preparing for the college entrance exams, these last three days would be a good opportunity to rest. But Lu Yan knew her dad too well—if he were allowed to relax and leave his textbooks aside, he might immediately slip into vacation mode and forget that the college entrance exam was only three days away.

“Dad, just tell me straight—do you think you can get into university with your grades?”

Lu Zhen leaned back in the soft computer chair, stretched lazily, and said leisurely, “What kind of question is that… Of course, I’ll get into university. If I’m lucky, I might even make it into Tsinghua or Peking University.”

“Come on, Tsinghua and Peking University? If you even make it to the top tier, I’ll go to the temple and light incense to thank the gods.”

Lu Zhen gave her a light slap on the back of her head, dissatisfied, and said, “I got into the top 50 in the second mock exam, what do you have to say about that?”

Lu Yan weakly replied, “That was just one time…”

During the second mock exam, Lu Zhen had miraculously managed to break into the top 50 in the grade, which left everyone in disbelief.

Although many new rising stars had emerged in their senior year and shot up to the top ranks, it was still surprising that someone like Lu Zhen, who had always been at the bottom, could make it into the top 50. It seemed almost magical.

Just as everyone thought Lu Zhen would finally rise up and turn things around, during the third mock exam, he fell back to his usual spot—outside the top 100 in the grade.

Since then, in several more mock exams, Lu Zhen’s performance had been erratic, fluctuating between highs and lows, inconsistent and unpredictable.

Lu Yan attributed this to luck.

So, whether Lu Zhen could get into a top university really depended on a prayer to ^[1]Wenshu Bodhisattva (文殊菩萨, Wénshú Púsà) is a prominent figure in Mahayana Buddhism, known as the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. He is often depicted as a wise and compassionate being who … Continue readingWenshu Bodhisattva.

“Take the next few days to review properly,” Lu Yan patted his shoulder. “My mom Jian Yao has always had good grades, staying in the top 30 of the grade. You can’t let my mom beat you.”

Mentioning Jian Yao immediately caught Lu Zhen’s attention, and he confidently replied, “No problem, the last time we were only… twenty spots apart.”

Lu Yan weakly countered, “The most you’ve been apart was two hundred spots.”

Lu Zhen stretched his strong arm, pulling Lu Yan into a tight grip under his armpit, threatening, “Little girl, some things are better left unsaid, understand?”

“Let me go!”

“I’m teaching you the ways of the world.”

“Grandpa, Lu Zhen is bullying me again!” Lu Yan shouted.

Her overprotective dad, Lu Jian, stormed into the room, grabbed his slipper, and threw it at Lu Zhen’s back. “Apart from bullying your sister, do you know how to do anything else?”

Lu Zhen yelped, letting go of Lu Yan, who immediately ran behind Lu Jian, sticking her tongue out at her dad, delighted.

Lu Zhen, unwilling to accept defeat, muttered lowly, “Daughters are hard to raise.”

Alright… as a dad, I’ll let it go and not argue with you.

That night, Lu Yan lay curled up in a soft woolen blanket, hesitating for a long time before finally sending a message to Shen Kuo, asking about his situation.

She had been hesitant to contact him, fearing she might disturb his exam preparations.

Usually, if Lu Yan hadn’t sent him any messages for a while, he would always reach out to her by text or phone call.

It had already been over a day, and there was still no news from Shen Kuo. Lu Yan couldn’t help but feel anxious.

By midnight, he still hadn’t replied to her message, so she called him, but the voice prompt told her the phone was off.

In a panic, Lu Yan jumped out of bed, her mind immediately flooded with all sorts of scenarios commonly found in novels and TV dramas—accidents, or worse, sudden disappearances.

She sat cross-legged on the edge of her bed, trembling as she tightly gripped her phone, forcing herself to calm down.

She tried to reassure herself—it was already 11 PM, it was normal for someone to turn off their phone and sleep.

But no, that wasn’t right either. Shen Kuo never turned off his phone when he went to sleep. That was his habit.

Since they got together, Shen Kuo had never turned off his phone. He always made sure she could contact him at any time, and even his text replies were almost instant, except when he was in the shower.

This was completely abnormal.

Lu Yan felt as if cold water had been poured over her head, and fear began to settle in her heart. There were only two days left before the exams—something couldn’t happen to Shen Kuo now!

She stood up, pacing the room, walking in anxious circles, unable to shake the worry. Finally, unable to calm down, she decided to go to Shen Kuo’s house that very night to check on him.

Lu Yan crept to the door, peeking outside like a thief, cautiously sticking her head out.
Lu Jian was going to attend an important forum summit the next day, so he went to bed early. The lights outside were all turned off, leaving only the faint glow coming from the gap under Lu Zhen’s room door.

He was still studying.

To be honest, Lu Zhen had indeed been working hard this past year. Although he often complained about this and that, he had truly made up his mind to achieve good results.

Not only to prove himself to Lu Jian but also to become better and earn Jian Yao’s respect.

Lu Yan gently closed the room door, tiptoed downstairs, and arrived at the entrance.

In the dark, she cleverly pulled out a pair of shoes from the closet, shoes she hadn’t worn in a long time, and switched them with her slippers, hiding them in the shoe cabinet to create the illusion that she was still at home.

This was a skill she had mastered in her past life. Back then, Lu Yan often sneaked out to play at night and didn’t return until early morning, but she never got caught by her clueless dad.

Lu Yan quietly closed the front door and pushed her bicycle out into the yard. After she left the house, she quickly headed toward Shen Kuo’s place.

At this hour, most of the street was already closed, though there were still plenty of pedestrians. The night market on the side of the street was still bustling.

Lu Yan rode her bicycle, weaving through the streets, until she reached the alley where Shen Kuo lived.

The tires made a clattering sound as they rolled over the uneven stone-paved road, echoing in the quiet alley.

The lights of each household were on, except for Shen Kuo’s house, where the lights were off, and the windows appeared pitch black.

Lu Yan quickly braked, jumped off the bike, and parked it at the corner of the wall. She walked to the window and peeked inside.

It seemed no one was home.

At that moment, a worn-out wooden door across the street opened. A woman holding a child came out to pour some water. Seeing Lu Yan sneakily standing by the wall, she asked, “Hey, who are you looking for?”

Lu Yan quickly replied, “I’m looking for Shen Kuo. Is he not home?”

The woman, while soothing the baby in her arms, said, “His dad had trouble breathing last night and was rushed to the hospital. He’s probably still there. I haven’t seen him all day today.”

“Ah, is Uncle Shen in serious condition?”

The woman sighed, “I saw Shen Kuo carrying his dad out, his dad was barely hanging on. Who knows what’s going to happen now…”

Lu Yan felt a chill in her heart. She stood frozen for a while, her limbs numb and without any feeling.

After the woman finished speaking, she turned and went back inside, muttering, “He’s been sick for so many years. If he really passes away now, it might be a blessing in disguise. At least he won’t be dragging that poor child down anymore… it’s such a shame.”

Lu Yan got back on her bike, swaying as she rode out of the alley toward the street corner.

The temperature always drops during the days of the college entrance exams, and a few raindrops fall from the sky. The street was wet and reflected the soft light from the street lamps.

Lu Yan forced herself to calm down and reassured herself that everything would be fine. Shen Kuo’s dad was a good man, and nothing bad would happen to him.

From what Shen Kuo had told her, his dad was shy around strangers, but he was actually very cheerful and optimistic, often cracking dry jokes.

Shen Kuo was usually quiet, but his dad always managed to make him smile.

If his dad hadn’t been such a cheerful person, it would have been hard to imagine how he could have survived all these years with his illness.

—

From Shen Kuo’s brief mentions, Lu Yan could tell that he had a deep affection for his dad. He didn’t smile often, but whenever he talked about his dad, the corners of his lips would lift slightly.

Lu Yan stood at the street corner, thinking for a few minutes, before she got back on her bike and sped toward the City People’s Hospital.

Normally, patients with such serious illnesses were sent to the best public hospital in Beicheng—the City People’s Hospital. Shen Kuo’s dad would likely be there.

Lu Yan rode quickly, reaching the hospital in just 15 minutes. She spent a long time asking at the outpatient department, but since she didn’t know Shen Kuo’s dad’s name, the reception desk couldn’t give her a specific room number.

She was on the verge of tears when, just then, she saw a tall, thin figure walking past the payment window—it was Shen Kuo.

He was holding the receipt for the payment and was lowering his head to carefully check it. A few strands of his bangs covered his dark eyes…

Under the lights, his face looked pale and fatigued.

“Shen Kuo!”

Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Kuo paused slightly and looked up.

The fluorescent light illuminated his pale face, looking exhausted and drained. His chin was dotted with stubble, and there were bloodshot lines in his eyes.

When he saw Lu Yan, a brief spark of light crossed his eyes.

Lu Yan hurried over, several times wanting to ask but hesitating, unsure whether to inquire about Shen Kuo’s dad’s condition, yet afraid to ask.

Shen Kuo noticed her concern and directly said, “He’s in the intensive care unit. He’s not out of danger yet.”

Although he wasn’t out of danger, Lu Yan felt a slight relief. The entire way here, the wind and light rain had stung her eyes, and she had wiped away tears several times without being able to hold them back.

She was so scared that something might happen to Shen Kuo’s dad…

Shen Kuo looked up at the clock hanging in the outpatient department. It was almost midnight.

“It’s too late,” his voice was a little hoarse. “You came all the way here…”

Lu Yan quickly explained, “I called you earlier, but you didn’t answer. The college entrance exam is soon, and I was worried…”

Shen Kuo took out his phone from his bag, glanced at it, and explained, “It ran out of battery this morning.”

He had stayed here all night.

“Can I go see Uncle Shen?” Lu Yan asked.

Shen Kuo paused for a moment, nodded, and led her toward the inpatient building.

Lu Yan leaned against Shen Kuo, occasionally looking up at his face. Tentatively, she reached out and tightly grasped his fingers.

Shen Kuo could feel the strength conveyed from her soft palm.

It was warm and comforting.

The intensive care unit was on the third floor of the inpatient building, and there were few patients on this floor, so it was very quiet. The overhead lights in the corridor were dim, casting a listless yellow light over the whole hallway.

Through the hospital room window, Lu Yan could see Shen Kuo’s dad wearing a breathing mask. Although Lu Yan didn’t fully understand the heart rate monitor, she could see that the heartbeat displayed was faint, lower than a normal person’s rate.

“He’s in a deep coma,” Shen Kuo leaned against the wall and explained weakly. “He was rushed here last night. They even had to use a defibrillator to save him. He barely survived, but he’s still not out of danger.”

Lu Yan knew that only when someone is at the brink of death, with their heart stopping, would doctors use a defibrillator.

Listening to Shen Kuo’s brief description, Lu Yan could imagine how dangerous the situation had been.

In the corridor, some family members were lying on the bench asleep, so they didn’t say much, walking toward the terrace at the end of the hallway.

The rain had stopped, and a cool breeze gently blew, rustling the leaves.

The stuffy summer air had cleared up quite a bit, which was a blessing for the students facing the college entrance exam.

Shen Kuo leaned against the railing, took out a cigarette and lighter from his pocket. The lighter was the one Lu Yan had given him, he had been using it ever since and liked it a lot.

When it came to things he liked, Shen Kuo wouldn’t just tuck them away. He carried them with him and used them often.

His hand shook as he tried to light the cigarette, but after several failed attempts, the lighter fell to the ground with a “clang.”

His expression was calm, but Lu Yan could tell that his mind was in turmoil.

Last night, he almost lost his dad.

In this world, a person can lose everything, but they cannot lose their parents.

Lu Yan crouched down, picked up the lighter, absentmindedly wiped her eyes with the corner of her clothes, then stood up on tiptoe to light his cigarette.

Shen Kuo hesitated for a moment, then leaned in to light the cigarette. He took a few puffs.

In the past, he wouldn’t have smoked in front of her because Lu Yan had said she didn’t like second-hand smoke and asked him not to smoke.

This time, she had taken the initiative to light his cigarette.

Shen Kuo turned his back and walked a little farther away. He only took two puffs before putting the cigarette out.

“I’ll take you back,” he said.

Lu Yan looked at Shen Kuo’s tired face, darkened with exhaustion. She knew he hadn’t slept all night and would likely stay up again tonight to watch over his dad until he was out of danger.

“Shen Kuo, let me stay tonight. I’ll watch over him while you get some sleep.”

“No need.”

Shen Kuo decisively rejected Lu Yan’s suggestion, grabbing the collar of her shirt and without further explanation, took her downstairs.

“Shen Kuo.” She elongated her words, speaking urgently, “The college entrance exam is the day after tomorrow, you can’t go without sleep all the time!”

“It doesn’t matter.” He replied calmly.

Compared to his dad’s life, the college entrance exam really didn’t matter.

“I’ll stay here and keep watch for you, you go sleep.” Lu Yan said eagerly, “I’m used to staying up late, it’s no problem at all, okay? Shen Kuo.”

In the end, she clung to his arm, almost pleading with a voice that was close to breaking: “You’ve been staying up every night to study, you’ve been preparing for three years, how could that not be important? Please go sleep for a bit.”

She had been secretly wiping her tears earlier, not wanting to show her distress in front of him, but now she couldn’t hold it back anymore. Her eyes were wet, and her voice trembled as she spoke: “I’ll take good care of Uncle Shen, please, okay?”

Shen Kuo’s heart softened as his eyes fell on her tears. The tension he had been holding onto for so long started to unravel.

He pulled the girl into his arms tightly, pressing one hand against her shoulder blade, holding her as if trying to merge their bodies together.

She gently patted his back, as if trying to comfort him, and softly whispered, “It’ll be fine. You go sleep for a bit, even just a little while.”

Shen Kuo finally muttered heavily, “Alright.”

Lu Yan pulled Shen Kuo back into the corridor. Shen Kuo, still uneasy, didn’t go to the family rest area to sleep on the small bed but leaned against the corridor railing, sitting to rest for a while.

Lu Yan quickly sat down, patting her legs, saying, “Then you can rest on my lap.”

He lowered his gaze, looking at the straight, slender legs of the girl in her jeans.

He seemed a little embarrassed and muttered, “No need.”

“How can you sleep sitting like that?” The little girl insisted, pulling Shen Kuo’s hand and pulling him down, “Come on, lie down.”

The young man seemed a little shy, hesitating for a moment, but eventually, he gave in to her and lay down, his head resting on her lap.

He kept his eyes open, staring at her face with his dark, unfathomable eyes.

Her eyes were like blooming peach blossoms, beautiful to the point of taking one’s breath away, captivating to the soul.

But at this moment, she was still young, her gaze innocent. If she were to mature and possess such enchanting eyes in the future, who could imagine what a mesmerizing sight that would be?

Lu Yan felt a bit embarrassed under his gaze, and reached out to cover his eyes, saying, “Go to sleep.”

He obediently closed his eyes, his long eyelashes brushing against her soft palm.

Once his eyes were shut, a wave of exhaustion crashed over him like a tide, and Shen Kuo immediately fell into a deep sleep.

In a half-dream, half-awake state, he seemed to feel a soft touch with a slight coolness near the corner of his lips.

His dry, thin lips moved slightly.

But he couldn’t wake up.