"Auntie, what did the doctor say?" Wearing an apron, Auntie walked into the room.
"He said I was recovering well." Lin Qiye shrugged. After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked, "Auntie, is this Dr. Li... really from the hospital?"
"Yes. Why?" Auntie asked doubtfully.
Lin Qiye shook his head. "Nothing. I just think he's a little strange."
As if remembering something, Auntie said, "Oh, right. I only noticed while cooking that we've run out of soy sauce at home. I need to hurry out and buy some..."
"I'll go, Auntie." Lin Qiye volunteered. "The dishes are still hot in the wok."
Auntie froze, then nodded after a moment's hesitation. "Be careful, then. Watch your safety."
Lin Qiye gave a soft acknowledgment. After changing his shoes by the door, he pushed it open and walked out.
He went down the stairwell plastered with little advertisements to the first floor, then followed the familiar alley toward the main street.
The low wall beside him was bare and gray-white, with only a few yellowed advertisements scattered across it. The concrete road beneath his feet was pitted and uneven, and one careless step could land him in a shallow pothole.
He entered the nearest little shop by the street, picked out the cheapest bottle of soy sauce, then carried the plastic bag home amid the sparse crowd.
Lin Qiye looked up. The setting sun had set the clouds ablaze, while the cicadas in the distance mingled with the music from the audiovisual shop on the corner, echoing in his ears.
"I wish I could return to that summer,
I wish I could return to your side.
It feels like I could see you one more time,
Those first moments when you were there..."
Lin Qiye took a deep breath, the corners of his