Lin Tiao received a message from Tao Jia on Saturday morning. They had added each other as friends at the end of their first year, and their chat history had been stagnant since then. The most recent message was sent just half an hour ago.
"Lin Tiao, the dinner time is set for 4 PM this afternoon. Are you free?"
Lin Tiao had just woken up. Upon seeing the message, she turned over, tossed her phone aside, and closed her eyes for a few more minutes before coming to her senses.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the elegantly decorated ceiling above her, adorned with a floral pattern carefully chosen by her mother.
Lin Tiao hadn’t drawn the curtains tightly last night, and a sliver of light was seeping through the gap.
She sighed silently, reached for her phone, and slowly typed a reply: "I have to go to the hospital this afternoon to get my cast removed, so I probably won’t have time to come over. You all enjoy yourselves, and let’s get together another time."
The reply came back quickly: "Okay."
Lin Tiao tossed her phone aside again. To be honest, she didn’t have a strong impression of Tao Jia; she thought she was just a pretty girl. Although they had a peculiar connection, they weren’t close friends. Usually, in class, Tao Jia had her own group of friends, and Lin Tiao mostly hung out with Jiang Yan and a few others.
Girls often have a strong intuition. Lin Tiao was well aware that Tao Jia didn’t like her. Perhaps during the finals, she genuinely wanted to be friends, but now Lin Tiao sensed that sincerity had faded.
As for why that sincerity had diminished, Lin Tiao didn’t care to find out. After all, she was a firm believer in the principle of “not my business, not your business.”
It was already past ten when she got up. Her workaholic parents had no time to rest, so Lin Tiao was alone at home.
She got out of bed and slowly walked into the bathroom in her slippers, bringing her phone with her to place it on the rack while she turned on the TV.
She wasn’t sure if it was because of Jiang Yan’s influence, but she had recently developed a keen interest in melodramatic soap operas.
Her phone was playing the theme song of "A Dream of a Lifetime."
While squeezing toothpaste onto her toothbrush, her phone rang. It was an unknown number, but it showed the caller's location as Xicheng—likely another telemarketer.
Lin Tiao bit down on her toothbrush and didn’t answer.
The call switched to a missed call, and then it rang again. It was the same number, persisting as if it wouldn’t stop until she picked up.
She relented and answered the phone, her mouth still foamy. "Hello?"
On the other end was a cacophony of noise, followed by a familiar voice, Hu Hanghang, who spoke loudly, “Tiao Mei, why didn’t you answer when I just called? You’re not still asleep, are you? How could you waste such a beautiful Saturday morning?”
Lin Tiao took a sip of water to rinse her mouth and replied, “I just woke up. I’m not wasting time. I planned to get up and study.”
There was a moment of silence on the line.
Lin Tiao chuckled, thinking about their playful banter, then asked, “What’s up? Did you need something?”
This time, it was Xu Yichuan’s voice, “Sister, I heard from Tao Jia that you’re not coming to the dinner this afternoon? What’s going on? Is there something else you need to do?”
While he spoke, Lin Tiao had already exited the bathroom with her phone. “Oh right, my mom scheduled an appointment with the doctor at 3 PM to remove my cast. It’s probably going to take a while, so I won’t make it.”
“Oh, in that case, why don’t we go with you to the hospital and wait for you? We can go eat together afterward,” Xu Yichuan suggested enthusiastically, thinking his idea was perfect. “After all, dinner is in the evening, so being a little late doesn’t make a difference. Sister, what do you think?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Lin Tiao walked into the kitchen, genuinely perplexed by his thought process. “With so many people, it would look like we’re causing trouble at the hospital.”
“That’s not a problem. The more the merrier!” In the internet café, Xu Yichuan glanced at the person next to him, who had been expressionless and gaming since early morning. He cleared his throat, “Then it could just be Yan who goes with you.”
The expressionless person raised an eyebrow.
“Are you sick?” Lin Tiao walked into the kitchen.
Xu Yichuan suddenly lowered his voice, sounding as if he was squeezing the words out, “Sister, Yan doesn’t seem to be in a good mood today. Just do a good deed and take him with you. We’re begging you, okay?”
Lin Tiao took out a bottle of yogurt from the fridge, leaning against the cabinet, her tone cold and unyielding. “Then you should do a good deed too and let me go.”
---
At 3:30 PM, a light blue and gray taxi slowly stopped at the entrance of the municipal hospital. The driver turned back to glance at the two young passengers who had not spoken since getting in and prompted, “City Hospital, we’ve arrived.”
Sitting in the back seat, Lin Tiao exclaimed, unlocking her phone to scan for payment, but suddenly an arm stretched out beside her, voice cool, “Fifty, thanks. No need for change.”
Then the person pushed the car door open and stepped out.
Lin Tiao was taken aback, exchanging looks with the equally stunned driver. She bit her lip, feeling somewhat awkward, “Sorry, he’s a bit... eccentric. He has this delusion that he’s the richest person in the world.”
The driver nodded in understanding and handed her the change, kindly saying, “So you brought him here for a medical appointment? The neurology department at the city hospital isn’t as good as the provincial hospital, though.”
Lin Tiao took the money and got out of the car. Jiang Yan was still standing by the road, and she walked over, stuffing the money into her bag in front of him.
Jiang Yan looked at her with an expression that seemed to say, "You really won’t give it to me?" but said nothing, just gazing at her.
Lin Tiao met his gaze, unflinching. “What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.” Jiang Yan replied indifferently.
“Looking doesn’t help.” Lin Tiao turned first, heading into the hospital. “What’s mine will only ever be mine.”
Jiang Yan smirked coldly, “Saying that I have a problem and want it back?”
Lin Tiao didn’t understand how he had such devilish hearing, nor did she know why she agreed to Xu Yichuan's request at the last moment.
Perhaps it was just her kindness.
The temperature had dropped significantly after the heavy rain, and the air was humid, with the road still wet.
Lin Tiao had dressed in a short-sleeved shirt for convenience and wore light blue jeans and canvas shoes.
In contrast, Jiang Yan had a sense of awareness about the temperature; he wore a black hoodie and matching jeans. The neckline of the hoodie was slightly low, revealing a hint of collarbone, with clear bone structure visible.
Lin Tiao blinked, forcing herself to look away. “Let’s go.”
Before arriving at the hospital, Fang Yi Song had already arranged everything, explaining how long the entire process would take.
After the cast was removed, the doctor gave her some last-minute advice. “You’re getting the cast off a bit early. Be sure to be careful when you get home. Don’t move it too much.”
“Okay, thank you, Dr. Chen.”
Afterward, Lin Tiao, with the nurse’s help, did a few simple exercises that looked rather silly.
Throughout the process, Jiang Yan remained silent, sitting on the nearby long couch, his expression nonchalant, though his gaze was fixated on her.
Lin Tiao caught his eye and reminded him, “Classmate, I think you can avoid watching me.”
Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow, “Why? Is it because you look silly right now?”
“…”
“Then that’s not necessary. You usually look even sillier than you do now.” Jiang Yan smirked silently, speaking softly.
“…”
Lin Tiao expressionlessly shifted her gaze away.
The two fell silent again, while a nearby nurse chuckled, “Boys shouldn’t say things like that to girls; otherwise, they’ll have trouble finding girlfriends in the future.”
“If he doesn’t say it, he still won’t find a girlfriend. Who would dare date a moving ice machine?” Lin Tiao scoffed, coldly finishing the sentence, “No one.”
“…”
The nurse said nothing but suddenly turned to glance at the air conditioning behind her, puzzled. The air conditioning wasn’t on; why did it feel so cold around them?
—
It had been an hour since they came out of the orthopedic department. Lin Tiao moved her arm, feeling a bit unaccustomed to the absence of the plaster cast.
Jiang Yan followed behind her, watching her fidget around like a monkey. Suddenly, he raised his hand and pinched her arm. “Didn’t the doctor tell you not to move it too much? You forgot right after he said it.”
With her arm caught in his grip, Lin Tiao had no choice but to look up at him. “I didn’t forget; I’m just not used to it.”
Jiang Yan’s expression was serious as he adjusted his grip, holding her wrist at a height similar to when it was in a cast.
Lin Tiao stiffened for a moment, staring at his long eyelashes, then suddenly asked, “Are you unhappy today?”
Since they met in the afternoon, he had been like this—emotionally low, speaking little, with a flat tone.
Jiang Yan held her wrist, his fingertips brushing against her pulse.
The young girl was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, her skin delicate and soft, a little cool against his warm palm, the temperatures contrasting sharply.
He lowered his gaze, feeling the heartbeat beneath his fingers, recalling the phone call from that morning. He sighed silently and, against his better judgment, replied, “No.”
“Classmate Jiang, to be fair I think you’re good in every way, but you still need to improve your lying skills.” Lin Tiao pulled her arm out of his hand and met his gaze. “You’re giving off a strong ‘stay away from strangers, don’t disturb acquaintances’ vibe, which clearly tells me you’re unhappy.”
“…”
“Do you think I’m stupid? You’re being so obvious about it, and I still wouldn’t notice?” Lin Tiao felt insulted.
Hearing this, Jiang Yan looked at her, his eyes narrowing, his expression relaxed, and he quietly replied, “Yes.”
“...” Lin Tiao was taken aback, quickly processing their earlier conversation in her mind, feeling somewhat incredulous. “I said I was stupid, and you agreed.”
Seeing her flustered expression, Jiang Yan felt his own frustration easing a little, a faint smile forming on his lips. “No, you’re not stupid.”
“...” Lin Tiao thought this comfort sounded more like an insult.
“I…” Jiang Yan seemed about to say something more when his gaze fell behind her, and he suddenly stopped.
Lin Tiao, intrigued by his abrupt pause, lifted her head and followed his gaze.
There stood a woman.
A woman dressed elegantly, head to toe in designer labels, with well-maintained skin that was delicate and alluring, her eyebrows and eyes soft yet seductive.
Lin Tiao couldn’t immediately discern her true age. Just as she was about to ask Jiang Yan if he knew her, the woman had already approached them, her gaze landing on Jiang Yan as she gently called out, “Yan Yan.”
Lin Tiao froze, glancing at Jiang Yan, only to notice his expression had shifted from casual to extremely cold, a chill emanating from deep within.
She remained silent, looking down as she stood beside him.
Jiang Yan hadn’t said a word.
The atmosphere became tense and awkward, and just when Lin Tiao thought they would remain silent forever, Jiang Yan suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse, “Mom.”
“...” Lin Tiao stiffened, her eyelids twitching, yet she remained motionless.
“What are you doing here? Are you sick?” Yu Fengyan’s voice was very gentle. “I called you this morning; why didn’t you answer?”
With her head lowered, Lin Tiao saw Jiang Yan’s hand tightly clenched at his side before slowly relaxing. Then she heard his somewhat gloomy voice, “No, I didn’t see it.”
Yu Fengyan understood he was unwilling to talk and didn’t press further. Her gaze shifted to Lin Tiao, seemingly wanting to say something but ultimately said nothing, asking instead, “Do you have time tonight? Let’s have dinner together.”
Lin Tiao was filled with questions—was this a normal mother-son interaction?
But she didn’t dare to ask or speak up.
Jiang Yan quickly declined, “No need. I have a gathering with classmates tonight.”
Yu Fengyan seemed to anticipate his refusal and didn’t appear too disappointed. “Alright then. I heard from the servant at the old house that you moved out. Is there something uncomfortable about living at home?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan suddenly smiled, his tone chilly. “Do you think I would be happy living in that house?”
After saying this, he lightly closed his eyes and suddenly blurted, “Mom, don’t bother with me anymore. I’m already an adult; I know what decisions to make.”
“I just…”
Before Yu Fengyan could finish her sentence, Jiang Yan interrupted her, “I have things to do. I’ll leave now. Please be careful on your way back.”
With that, he slightly lowered his head and took Lin Tiao away.
“Yan Yan…”
Yu Fengyan wanted to say something else, but Jiang Yan didn’t look back as he stepped into the elevator, the heavy door shutting out everything outside.
Lin Tiao stood beside Jiang Yan, their figures reflected on the metallic wall, the young man's expression cold and indifferent.
She bit her lip, hesitating and unsure how to speak.
The elevator quickly arrived on the first floor.
Jiang Yan exited first, his long legs taking strides that quickly put distance between him and Lin Tiao.
Lin Tiao watched the widening gap between them, took a deep breath, then directly ran over to him, struggling to keep pace.
“Um,” she started.
Jiang Yan didn’t say anything but slowed his pace.
“Are you going to eat later?” Lin Tiao felt that in his current state, even if he went to eat with Hu Hang and the others, they probably wouldn’t be able to swallow anything.
Jiang Yan stopped walking and looked at her. “Do you want to go?” He seemed to have given it little thought. “Then I’ll take you there.”
As he spoke, he turned to the roadside and hailed a cab.
“...”
Lin Tiao was truly shocked. Weren’t the city hospital gates the hardest place to catch a cab? How come it was so easy to get one now?
Jiang Yan had already sat in the car, and Lin Tiao felt awkward asking him to get out, so she climbed in as well.
The driver turned on the empty car light and looked back at them. “Where to?”
Where to?
Lin Tiao thought, How the hell would I know where to go?
Jiang Yan obviously didn’t know either; he seemed trapped in his thoughts, his mind elsewhere.
In the end, it was Lin Tiao who suggested a place. “Let’s go to the Tenth Middle School on Qiyun Road.”
“Okay.”
The car started moving, the scenery outside flashing by. Since getting in, Jiang Yan had closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat, silent.
Lin Tiao sat beside him, not daring to speak.
The atmosphere in the car was even more silent than before.
The Tenth Middle School was quite far from the city hospital, and with traffic on the weekend, they arrived an hour later.
The driver stopped the car by the roadside. “We’re here.”
Lin Tiao paid the fare and glanced at Jiang Yan, who she wasn’t sure had fallen asleep. Tentatively, she called out, “Jiang Yan?”
“Mm.” The young man opened his eyes, the corners slightly red, his mood not high.
Seeing him like this, Lin Tiao felt a pang of softness in her heart. She spoke in a low, gentle voice, “We’re home now; let’s go back.”
To be honest, Lin Tiao didn’t even know if that internet café counted as home for him. She just felt that he seemed very lost at the moment and wanted to say something that could give him a sense of security.
“Home.”
That should be the most reassuring word.
Upon hearing her, Jiang Yan looked at her for a while, his eyes filled with complex emotions. In the end, he softly said, “Okay.”
His voice was hoarse and weak.
The internet café was crowded on the weekend. When Lin Tiao pushed the door open, she saw a few young boys at the bar.
Guan Che stretched his head to see her and Jiang Yan behind her, looking a bit surprised. “Weren’t you guys going to eat? Why are you back so soon?”
As he spoke, he handed the money to a few people in front of him. “The seats are inside; go ahead, the machines are all automatically connected.”
“Okay, thanks, bro.” A few of them took the money and walked away.
Guan Che looked at the two silent individuals and sensed something was off, his expression filled with concern. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Lin Tiao sighed and shook her head while her eyes crazily hinted at Jiang Yan’s abnormality.
Guan Che immediately caught on, directing his gaze towards Jiang Yan. Perhaps sensing something, he didn’t ask further. “It’s fine. You two go upstairs and hang out. I’ll get you some food later.”
“Okay.”
Lin Tiao walked a few steps ahead, then realized Jiang Yan hadn’t followed. She turned back to look at him. “What’s wrong?”
Why aren’t you moving? Isn’t this your home? I’m really in a tough spot with you acting like this!
She silently shouted the last part in her mind.
Jiang Yan’s thought process was slow; he looked up at her and hoarsely uttered, “Let’s go, I’ll show you to my room.”
This was Lin Tiao’s second time here. Compared to the last time, the room hadn’t changed much, except there was now a TV added to the wall in front of the sofa.
She sat down on the single sofa next to him, watching as he put away his clothes and tossed them into the dirty laundry basket like last time.
The window in the room was open, and a breeze blew in, rustling the test papers laid out on the desk.
Lin Tiao felt conflicted inside, unsure how to start a conversation. At the same time, she had a bunch of questions but didn’t know where to begin.
Take the beginning, for instance, when Xu Yichuan and the others mentioned Jiang Yan’s dad and his second uncle. Lin Tiao thought it was just a simple family conflict.
Then there was the birthday issue.
And the earlier moment when he said he wouldn’t return home anymore if he had the chance.
Also, today in the hospital, that woman he called “Mom,” who didn’t resemble him at all.
Lin Tiao felt that her desk mate was like a mysterious treasure chest. While others opened their boxes to find surprises, every time she opened his was a shock.
His secrets were like a snowball, rolling larger and larger until one day it could no longer be contained, bursting apart and exposing everything hidden inside.
At that time, as the carrier of the secrets, whether to suffer a great loss or to rise anew from despair remained an unknown.
“Jiang Yan.” Lin Tiao suddenly looked up at him.
“Mm.” He responded, sitting down on the long sofa beside her. Noticing she was silent, he looked at her in confusion.
“Ah, it’s nothing. I was just checking to see if you had fallen asleep.” Lin Tiao wanted to comfort him, but with so many questions, she didn’t know where to start.
“....” Jiang Yan leaned against the sofa, stretching his long legs out, speaking nonchalantly. “I was just standing.”
“What’s wrong with standing? Can’t you sleep while standing?”
“You can sleep.” Jiang Yan said, looking at her.
Lin Tiao thought he would say something to refute her, and she mentally prepared herself to respond to whatever he said.
Who knew he would give in so easily?
Why was it so hard to find a topic to change the subject?
Silence stretched on for a moment.
Lin Tiao looked at the TV in the room and asked, “Why did you buy a TV?”
“To watch TV.”
“...”
Jiang Yan bent down to find the remote on the table. “Do you want to watch something?”
“Ah, anything is fine.” Lin Tiao fidgeted with the cushion below her, her mind racing through countless topics, but she dismissed them all.
“Lin Tiao.”
“Mm?”
“Never mind, it’s nothing.” Jiang Yan glanced at her again and then lowered his head, falling silent.
“...”
Lin Tiao hadn’t really comforted anyone before. To be precise, apart from what she saw on TV, this was the first time in real life she encountered someone with such a tumultuous fate.
She didn’t know how to start, afraid she might say the wrong thing and trigger her desk mate’s currently sensitive and fragile heart.
The TV turned on, and Jiang Yan randomly selected a program, which turned out to be another clichéd drama.
A handsome man, struck by some sort of misfortune, was walking alone in the rain, drenched to the bone.
Then he reached a shop’s entrance, where a girl saw him and immediately rushed out.
The two stood in the rain, talking for a while, before the girl suddenly hugged the man, comforting him. “It’s okay; you still have me.”
“...”
Lin Tiao stifled the urge to roll her eyes and, catching sight of Jiang Yan lost in thought next to her, a sudden idea popped into her mind. “Classmate.”
“...” Jiang Yan looked up at her.
“Right now, you might,” Lin Tiao paused for a moment, carefully choosing her words, “need a hug.”
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