4
My dad’s snoring was as loud as a construction drill.
Ryan Lee glanced at the middle-aged man on the hospital bed with a complicated expression.
Perfect! While Ryan was distracted by my dad’s earth-shattering snores, I seized the chance and slipped out of the room, vanishing from the doorway and making a successful escape.
Downstairs in the hospital building, I was suddenly stopped by a girl.
Her Mandarin sounded a bit strange, and she was dressed in a very Japanese style. Her smile was a little creepy.
She asked me, “Excuse me, have you seen this boy?”
She showed me her phone—and it was a photo of Ryan Lee!
Could this be some secret admirer who tracked him down here?
No way could I let this slip—what if Ryan came after me for it?
I immediately waved my hands and denied it, “No, I don’t know him. Haven’t seen him.”
As I turned to leave, I heard her mutter to herself, “Weird, I just heard he was at this hospital.”
Heard? How did she hear that?
But it wasn’t my business, so I didn’t think much of it and just walked away.
Even though Ryan Lee’s hemorrhoid surgery was definitely explosive news at school, considering his ruthless reputation, I figured it was best not to poke the tiger.
Besides, only patients and their families could enter the inpatient ward, so strangers couldn’t just walk in.
A few days later, my mom called and asked me to go to the hospital to keep my dad company.
I didn’t even hesitate before refusing, “No way, I’m super busy! I’m so busy! Ugh, I haven’t even finished all my homework!”
5
My mom replied, “Don’t think I don’t know you finished that little bit of homework ages ago.
“You have ten minutes to show up in the hospital room, or your doll collection will end up in the neighborhood recycling bin tomorrow.”
Ugh! So mean!
Before leaving, I asked, “Is there anyone else in the hospital room?”
My mom absentmindedly replied, “Yeah, me, your mom.”
I clarified, “I mean the guy in the next bed.”
“Oh, you mean little Ryan? I think he’s already been discharged.”
Little Ryan? I almost burst out laughing.
The fearsome campus bad boy being called “little Ryan”?
I could already picture Ryan Lee in an insurance agent’s suit, seriously selling insurance.
Since Ryan wasn’t there, I had nothing to worry about.
When I got to the hospital, sure enough, the only people in the room were my dad, looking healthy and rosy, and my mom, who was chatting animatedly.
My mom gave me a couple of instructions, grabbed her bag, and was ready to leave.
I asked, “Mom, are you going to work overtime?”
She put on some lipstick, looking all serious and solemn. “Yeah, it’s urgent.
“We’re one player short for mahjong.”
Me: “…”
As she was leaving, she added, “Oh, by the way, that classmate Ryan asked me for your WeChat.”
6
“If he adds you, remember to check your phone.
“Ryan’s mom used to be an old classmate of mine…” my mom kept muttering.
My hand shook so much that I spilled the tea I was handing to my dad all over his shoulder.
I sat in the hospital room for a while—just half an hour, but it felt like sitting on pins and needles.
Even my dad didn’t look too well. After I handed him a steaming hot towel, he pressed his pale lips together and couldn’t help but say, “Honey, if you really can’t stand it, just go have some fun.
“I’ll be fine on my own.
“Go eat something outside, and by the time you’re done, your mom should be back.”
I felt so relieved. I grabbed my phone and rushed out of the room without looking back.
After I ate, I thought it over again.
Wait a minute, Ryan Lee has already been discharged—what am I even afraid of?
Why am I hiding like some kind of criminal?
I called my dad, but the phone rang for ages and no one picked up.
Oh no!
Did my dad fall and hurt himself?
My mind started imagining all sorts of terrible scenarios.
Like my poor father struggling to get out of bed, only to slip and fall flat on his face.