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“When love shatters the heart, don’t blame anyone; it’s just because the encounter was too beautiful. Even if tears run dry, wounds cut deep, and the heart turns to ash, it doesn’t matter…”
On the way back to school, Su Yudie cheerfully hummed a tune.
This song was older than she was.
Zhuang Zi’ang was infected by her optimism and seemed to forget his worries.
On the campus’s tree-lined path, a faint fragrance of peach blossoms floated in the air.
“Xiao Yudie, give me your phone number. Next time we can just call each other to make plans.”
Zhuang Zi’ang carefully composed his words before finally mustering the courage to ask for her number.
Su Yudie reached into her pocket and pulled out a card phone.
Thin as a card, it emitted a faint blue glow in the sunlight.
The card phone could basically only make calls and send messages; it lacked the numerous functions of a smartphone.
Many parents buy these phones for their children to prevent them from getting addicted to games.
The two happily exchanged contact information.
Su Yudie said, “It’s best to call me during the day. I’m usually not around at night, and my grandmother doesn’t allow me to use my phone then.”
“There’s not much you can do with a phone like that, is there?” Zhuang Zi’ang laughed.
“Zhuang Zi’ang, you big dummy! Don’t laugh at me!” Su Yudie pretended to be annoyed and playfully tugged at Zhuang Zi’ang’s shirt.
The two chased each other along the tree-lined path.
Their laughter and cheerful voices filled the lush green grass on both sides of the road.
Their classroom (Class 9) was on the second floor, and they parted ways at the stairwell.
“Goodbye, Xiao Yudie. I’ll text you.”
“Okay. I might not check my phone if I’m busy, but I’ll definitely reply when I see it.”
After watching Su Yudie go upstairs, Zhuang Zi’ang started walking towards his classroom.
Halfway there, he suddenly turned around and went up the stairs in a few strides, wanting to see which class Xiao Yudie was in.
He searched the third, fourth, and fifth floors and couldn’t find her anywhere.
She was gone so quickly?
Zhuang Zi’ang patted the handrail, dejectedly walking back down the stairs.
They were friends, yet she wouldn’t tell him her actual class.
The afternoon classes were excruciating; most students were drowsy and listless.
Zhuang Zi’ang remembered yesterday afternoon, reading joke books with Xiao Yudie—time had flown by.
Was this the legendary theory of relativity?
The last class ended promptly at six o’clock.
Zhang Zhiyuan walked into the classroom and beckoned, “Zhuang Zi’ang, come with me.”
Zhuang Zi’ang quickly packed his bag and followed.
Only when they were quite far from the classroom did he cautiously ask, “Teacher Zhang, where are we going?”
Zhang Zhiyuan said, “To the hospital. I need to see your attending physician in person and talk to him.”
“That’s not necessary; Doctor Chen is very busy,” Zhuang Zi’ang instinctively refused.
He was afraid of the smell of disinfectant in the hospital, and he was afraid of seeing doctors in their white coats.
The walls of the hospital had heard more fervent prayers than any temple.
There was too much life and death, separation of yin and yang.
Zhang Zhiyuan had made up his mind and wouldn’t give up any chance to save Zhuang Zi’ang.
Even if it was truly beyond redemption, he needed to hear it from the doctor himself.
Arriving at the parking lot, he started his old Buick and signaled for Zhuang Zi’ang to get in.
Passing the bus stop at the school gate, they saw the number 19 bus slowly pulling up to the platform.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Zhuang Zi’ang strained his neck, trying to find that single peach blossom amidst the crowd.
Unfortunately, he was disappointed. Perhaps there were too many people waiting for the bus, or perhaps Zhang Zhiyuan was driving too fast.
He didn’t see Xiao Yudie.
Arriving at the Central Hospital, Zhuang Zi’ang brought Zhang Zhiyuan to Doctor Chen Dexiu’s office.
Doctor Chen Dexiu adjusted his glasses and shook hands with Zhang Zhiyuan. “Hello, are you Zhuang Zi’ang’s father?”
Zhang Zhiyuan quickly explained, “No, I’m his homeroom teacher.”
“For such a serious illness, why haven’t his parents come?” Doctor Chen Dexiu was deeply puzzled.
“His parents are out of town, and they asked me to come and find out about the situation first,” Zhang Zhiyuan fabricated an excuse.
After that, the two discussed Zhuang Zi’ang’s condition.
Doctor Chen Dexiu was a meticulous and skilled doctor. He used a lot of professional medical terminology to convey eight words: incurable, beyond redemption.
The last glimmer of hope in Zhang Zhiyuan’s eyes quietly disappeared.
Sadness surged over him like a tide.
“He’s only eighteen years old. Why did this happen?”
“There was a girl before; she had the same disease, even younger than him! Forget it; I won’t say more. When you tell his parents, try to be as gentle as possible,” Doctor Chen Dexiu sighed.
While the two were talking, Zhuang Zi’ang sat quietly to the side.
It was as if the topic of their conversation didn’t concern him.
For two days now, he had calmly accepted reality.
He thought about all the students in his class. What would they look like when they got old?
Gray hair, missing teeth, age spots all over their faces, walking with trembling steps.
He wouldn’t have those worries.
I, Zhuang Zi’ang, will always be eighteen.
Leaving the hospital, Zhang Zhiyuan was unusually heavy-hearted and remained silent for a long time.
“Teacher Zhang, do you believe me now?” Zhuang Zi’ang said lightly.
“Zhuang Zi’ang, what do you want to eat tonight? I’ll treat you,” Zhang Zhiyuan’s voice was filled with sorrow.
“Have you forgotten what I said? I don’t want anyone’s sympathy or pity,” Zhuang Zi’ang said.
“No, that’s not what I meant,” Zhang Zhiyuan quickly explained.
“Just drop me off at the school gate, and then go home early to be with your wife and children!” Zhuang Zi’ang said with a carefree air.
Although he really wanted to take advantage of the situation and treat himself to a nice meal at Zhang’s expense, he had eaten quite a lot at the hotpot lunch.
He decided to keep dinner simple to avoid overburdening his stomach.
At the school gate, Zhuang Zi’ang said goodbye to Zhang Zhiyuan and walked towards his rented apartment alone.
Passing a food stall, he casually bought a hot dog and fried rice.
Only after entering his apartment did he realize that the vendor, for easy identification, had written “Dog Rice” on the food container.
His appetite immediately vanished.
Following the doctor’s instructions, Zhuang Zi’ang took a large handful of colorful pills.
He wondered if these pills even did any good.
Would they extend his life by three months, or would he only live ninety days without them?
He picked up the fish food and fed some to the goldfish.
There was once a widespread rumor that fish only had a seven-second memory.
If only he were a fish, he could forget all his sadness and just swim carefree.
Next to the fish tank sat a bamboo flute.
This was the only thing Zhuang Zi’ang had brought from home.
He had learned to play the flute for a while when he was a child, but later, preoccupied with his studies, he gradually abandoned it.
Now, even playing the simplest “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” produced a cacophony of unpleasant sounds.
Suddenly, a melody came to his mind.
It was the music he had heard yesterday when he met Su Yudie; it was completely unfamiliar.
It was pleasant, yet somewhat strange.
Lai suo suo xi duo xi la, suo la xi xi xi xi la xi la suo…
Zhuang Zi’ang tried playing it a few times, but it was completely out of tune, and he eventually gave up in frustration.
Night had fallen, and if he continued playing, the neighbors would probably come knocking.