Chu Zhao thought that Shang Que’s number should have been blocked a long time ago. She did not answer, fearing it would dampen her spirits while visiting Aunt Chun. She had already been away for long enough; she was eager to rush back to the hospital ward, but her phone screen lit up again.
It was a WeChat message from Shang Que:
[Pick up the phone.]
[I have something to discuss with you.]
[The Chu family is looking for you. Where are you right now? Are you still at Yunlan Mountain?]
[……]
Chu Zhao didn't read any further. She had no idea what kind of madness had taken hold of Shang Que that he would hunt her down like this—a person he usually treated as if she were invisible. And the Chu family—they didn't even care whether she lived or died. How could they possibly be scouring the city for her just because they couldn't reach her? It was laughable.
Chu Zhao turned her phone off completely.
She returned to the ward and had just pushed the door open when she saw Aunt Chun look over at the sound. Seeing it was her, a smile blossomed on Aunt Chun’s face, her voice bright: "You're back?"
The sunlight streaming through the window fell upon Aunt Chun, making everything seem quiet, warm, and impossibly beautiful. Chu Zhao held the doorknob, her expression somewhat dazed. In this moment, she was like a traveler returning home, or a pilgrim who had finally found the sacred truth. She had found her place of peace; she had found her home.
"Is there some urgent business?" Aunt Chun asked, noticing Chu Zhao’s distracted expression with a touch of worry. "You were gone for a long time."
Chu Zhao shook her head. "Nothing major. After I finished the latest update yesterday, I realized I hadn't interacted with my readers. I was just outside replying to their comments and jotting down some inspiration for the plot. That’s why I was late."
"Oh, so that’s it..." Aunt Chun patted her head. "Everything is fine here. The doctors and nurses treat me very well, and Caregiver Su takes good care of me, too. You shouldn't worry about me so much; focus on your own work."
Chu Zhao lowered her eyes, her expression filled with an indescribable sense of loss. "Are you trying to send me away?"
"I can stay with you until the afternoon. I asked the doctor—the sun is lovely at noon; I can take you out for a walk. The marigolds, the pink roses, the morning glories, and the wild azaleas downstairs are all in bloom this time of year. They’re pink, white, gold, and red—they’re beautiful. Don't you want to see them for yourself?"
"All right." Aunt Chun touched her cheek, her expression softening. "I’ll listen to you. Let’s go see them together."
Chu Zhao’s face lit up with excitement. "I’ll go get the wheelchair!"
Aunt Chun watched her back silently. She knew something was wrong. In the past, whenever Chu Zhao came to visit, she was always in a rush; she had never had as much time as she did today. But whenever she met Chu Zhao’s gaze, which was filled with such longing, she couldn't bring herself to question her, let alone refuse her.
Zhaozhao had suffered too much. For every moment, every minute and second she still had with this child, she didn't want to make her sad. Not even a little.
***
"Zhaozhao, when you go back this time, go see Dr. Lü again."
Chu Zhao was sitting on the bus back to G City. The window was cracked open, and the wind whistling in disheveled the bangs she had just brushed aside.
Aunt Chun knew. She had seen her have an episode. That was why she was urging her to see Dr. Lü, the psychological expert who had treated her before.
Chu Zhao had no prejudice against psychiatrists, nor was she avoiding medical care, but there were natural boundaries between people. It was difficult for her to open her heart to others and speak of her experiences without reserve—even if that person was a doctor. Furthermore, at her current stage, verbal therapy had long since become secondary; medication was the primary driver. And she was already taking medicine—a great deal of it.
Chu Zhao knew in her heart that seeing Dr. Lü wouldn't make her situation any better. But she still booked the appointment. If these medical records could put Aunt Chun's mind at ease, then they were not entirely meaningless.
***
It was eight-thirty in the evening when Chu Zhao arrived in G City. As she stepped out of the station, the night breeze met her, blowing away her exhaustion. In such a clear night, Chu Zhao’s mood improved.
That was until she descended the steps and saw the figure standing under the streetlamp.
"Shang Que..."
Chu Zhao’s eyes widened, her mind going blank from the shock of his presence.
Shang Que saw her, too. Under the warm yellow light, he cast a glance in her direction. His handsome, clean-cut features were distancing when he wasn't smiling, like a sharpened snow-blade—cold, sharp, and possessing a striking, aggressive quality. Right now, Shang Que was wearing a cold expression.
Seeing that Chu Zhao didn't move, he strode over to her.
"You..." Shang Que paused, looking at Chu Zhao, whose state clearly wasn't right. He frowned and asked, "Why are you shaking?"
"Afraid of me?" he asked, though he didn't actually believe it. He had certainly not forgotten the glass of wine Chu Zhao had dumped over his head at their engagement party a few days ago.
Chu Zhao’s hands, hanging at her sides, were clenched tight, her face pale and taut. She locked her gaze on him as if staring into an abyss. "How did you know I was here?"
Her voice was dry, and her tone was unnaturally flat.
Shang Que’s brow twitched. He thought that if his friends were here, they would tease him about dating a ghost. It didn't even cross his mind for a second that he and Chu Zhao had already broken up, and that even if his friends were present, they wouldn't make such inappropriate, outdated jokes.
"Is that so hard to figure out?" Shang Que said coldly. "When you travel privately, if it’s not too far, you either take a bus or a coach. If you were coming back today, the arrival time of the last bus from Yunlan Mountain to G City... it’s easy enough to check, isn't it?"
Chu Zhao’s eyelashes trembled. Only now did she feel the reality that she and Shang Que had indeed once been a couple. He knew her little habits far better than anyone in the Chu family.
And her? Had she inadvertently exposed Aunt Chun’s existence to Shang Que?
Chu Zhao bit her lip, and for a moment, she tasted the bitter, metallic tang of fear and blood.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Shang Que stepped closer, looking down at her as if his gaze were a cold blade meant to dissect her. "Chu Zhao, your reaction to seeing me today is very strange. Because of wha—"
"Who did you make a bet with this time?" Chu Zhao suddenly spoke, cutting off his increasingly dangerous speculation. "What’s the wager? My reaction to seeing you? Whether I’ll beg you for a reconciliation? What does Young Master Shang want me to play along with?"
"……" Shang Que stared at her, his expression turning icy.
Betting was a taboo between them. The very beginning of their relationship had started with a bet he had made with his friends.
"The Chu family is looking for you. You haven't contacted anyone at home since you were discharged," Shang Que said. "Xiaofu is very worried about you. She was crying on the phone with me this afternoon. You’ve blocked her; she can’t get through to you, and she can't see any of the messages she sends. She wants to find you in person and talk, but she can't find you at all. Chu Zhao, you’re making her feel a lot of guilt."
It was as if, having been stung by her, he had to retaliate with something she cared about. As he said these things that he knew would make her uncomfortable, he couldn't even tell how much of it was genuine and how much was deliberate.
"Whatever happens between us has nothing to do with Xiaofu. Chu Zhao, I hope you understand that."
Chu Zhao: "……"
She couldn't tell if she was relieved or speechless; she almost let out a cold laugh. She looked at Shang Que as if he were an alien species with whom she had no biological connection.
"You came to corner me just to say this nonsense?" she asked. "Shang Que, does Chu Fu know you came to find me?"