In room 403 of Renhe Hospital, sunlight streamed through the window as a thin teenage boy slowly woke on a pristine white hospital bed.
Fan Chiran's lips were cracked, and the moment he woke, he realized how terribly dry his throat was.
He had no idea how long he had slept. All he remembered was the severe stomach pain before he passed out. Although it was much better now, he felt weak all over, and even lifting an arm seemed difficult.
There was a glass of water on the bedside table. Fan Chiran reached for it, but his hand had no strength. It slipped, sending the glass crashing to the floor.
The sound of shattering glass was sharp and piercing. At the same time, a pang of pain shot through the back of his hand.
Fan Chiran looked down and realized he still had an IV in his hand. His sudden movement had tugged at the needle, causing the stinging pain.
A toilet flushed in the ward's bathroom, and a middle-aged man walked out.
The man was Fan Chiran's father. He had been halfway through his shift when he heard something had happened to his son and hurriedly took leave to come over. But that had cost him half a day's wages, so he was in a very foul mood.
Fan Chiran's family barely scraped by. They were short on money-desperately, desperately short.
The man frowned at Fan Chiran, then at the mess on the floor, and said irritably, "Why didn't you call someone when you woke up? All you ever do is cause trouble and make a mess."
Fan Chiran coughed twice and explained in a hoarse voice, "I just wanted some water."
His father muttered a few more complaints under his breath, but still turned to get a fresh glass and pour him some water.
Only after drinking it did Fan Chiran feel his voice return somewhat to normal. He paused for a few seconds, then asked, "Did coming to the hospital cost a lot?"
His father lit a cigarette, looking even more irritated. "Of course it did."
Fan Chiran fell silent for a moment, then said, "The people who locked me up should pay for it. I want to call my teacher."
"What good would calling do? You think they'll listen to you?" His father was like a powder keg ready to explode, losing his temper before his son could even finish.
"How many times have I told you? Your dad isn't capable of much, and I don't have much money. I told you to keep a low profile at school and stay out of trouble. Did you listen?"
Fan Chiran's fingers tightened, bunching the bedsheet beneath him as he protested in a very quiet voice, "I didn't cause any trouble. They targeted me for no reason."
"Can't you just stay out of their way? It takes two to tango. Why do they bully you and not anyone else? Have you ever considered whether you're the problem?"
Fan Chiran's father took a deep drag on his cigarette and looked at him with bitter disappointment:
"When I divorced your mother, I fought for custody because I thought you had promise. Your college entrance exams are almost here. Once they're over, you'll be free of all this. There's so little time left. Why can't you just put up with it?"
"All you need to do is study! Don't think about any other nonsense, and don't associate with troublesome people. How many times have I told you that studying is your only way out? Only by studying hard can you rise above everyone else someday, instead of slaving away like your dad! Do you understand?"
Unable to bear it, Fan Chiran briefly closed his eyes. His father's voice felt even more piercing than the sound of the glass shattering, but he knew arguing was useless, so he simply waited in silence.
He endured it this way every time, after all. This time was no different.
But the next second, someone suddenly pushed open the ward door, and a clear, firm female voice rang out:
"Who says studying hard will let you rise above everyone else? In a world like this, you have to devour others to get to the top."
Surprised to hear someone contradict his father, Fan Chiran jerked his head up toward the door and saw a woman in a brightly colored dress.
Backlit by the light streaming in through the doorway, she walked toward his bedside, one step at a time.
She looked very young, probably only a few years older than him, and wore a faintly teasing smile. Although she was disagreeing with his father, she didn't sound particularly aggressive.
Only when she stopped beside his bed did Fan Chiran come back to his senses and stammer, "Who... are you?"
In the time it took him to say those few words, the boy's face had already flushed red.
This girl... she's so pretty...
She came so close all of a sudden that I don't even know what to do with my hands!
As Fan Chiran was growing nervous, another familiar face suddenly appeared behind the woman.
The instant he saw that face, every hair on his body stood on end in reflexive alarm. Then he demanded sharply, "Lu Yubai? What are you doing here?"
Startled by his sudden outburst, Lu Yubai's hands shook, and he hastily stepped back twice, stammering, "Don't get the wrong idea... What happened today really had nothing to do with me! I just came with my sister to see you..."
Only when he stepped back did Fan Chiran notice the beautifully wrapped fruit basket in his arms. He did seem somewhat sincere.
Fan Chiran stole another glance at Lu Xiaoxiao beside him, finally understanding who she was.
So... she's Lu Yubai's sister?
Fan Chiran's father put out his cigarette and looked Lu Xiaoxiao up and down. He did rein in his temper a little in front of a stranger, but his tone remained far from polite. "Who are you? I'm disciplining my son. What did you mean by what you just said?"
Lu Xiaoxiao looked at him with a bright smile, her tone innocent. "I don't think there was anything wrong with what I said. Aren't those boys who bullied your son maintaining their status as the school's little tyrants through all sorts of bullying?"
"In fact, the more meek you are, the easier you are to bully. Not bothering other people doesn't necessarily mean they won't bother you."
Fan Chiran's father's expression darkened further. "You..."
"Oh, please don't be angry. I didn't come here to interfere in your family affairs." Lu Xiaoxiao cut him off before he could continue and explained why she was there.
"I'm Lu Yubai's sister. He and your son are classmates, and there was a bit of a misunderstanding between him and Fan Chiran before. He came specifically to apologize today, and this fruit basket is for Fan Chiran too."
"Also, the school is already handling what happened to Fan Chiran today. Unless something unexpected happens, the parents of the students who locked him up should reimburse you for his medical expenses very soon."
Hearing that someone would pay, Fan Chiran's father immediately looked much less upset, and his tone improved considerably. "Oh, oh, I see. Sorry for making you come all this way. Well, you can talk through whatever misunderstanding you had. I'll go outside for another cigarette."
After saying that, the man promptly left, closing the door behind him.
Only Lu Xiaoxiao, Lu Yubai, and Fan Chiran remained in the room, and silence settled over them.
Fan Chiran was a little nervous. He twisted his hands together in front of him and kept his head lowered, his posture visibly awkward and uneasy.
Lu Xiaoxiao nudged Lu Yubai with her elbow, signaling him to step forward. "Hey, weren't you all eager just now? Hurry up and clear things up with him!"
Pushed into it like this, Lu Yubai grew so nervous that he forgot every word he had rehearsed. In his panic, he simply bent into a ninety-degree bow and shouted, "Bro! I'm sorry!!!"
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