Yan Heqing made his decision, and Lu Lin naturally agreed.
Over the next few days, the two fished in several different sea areas, returning to the island with a boat full of seafood. They stayed with Lu Ruchan until the end of the month, finally returning to the capital on August 1st.
The plane landed at night, Yan Heqing had just gotten into the car and turned on his phone when a call came in.
The caller was a new tenant subletting the apartment.
It was a senior student at Beijing University, a girl. Yan Heqing answered the phone and heard the girl sigh with relief, "You finally answered! Someone was looking for you; they've been waiting at the door all afternoon."
Yan Heqing's eyelids twitched slightly. "Did they say the name?"
"He only said his surname was Lin." The girl hesitated for a moment. "He seems to have some eye problem; he can't see people."
Yan Heqing found out; it was Lin Fengzhi.
"Sorry to bother you. Please tell him to wait for me downstairs. I'll be there in about No. 1 Primary School."
The girl laughed heartily, "Since he's your friend, let me invite him in and have a seat!"
Yan Heqing politely declined, saying, "He wouldn't agree."
The girl didn't press the matter. "Okay, I'll tell him."
At this moment, Lu Lin finished putting down his luggage and got into the car. Yan Heqing put away his phone, thought for a moment, and said, "I have something to do regarding the subletting. I'll go over there."
Lu Lin had actually received the news that Lin Fengzhi was almost blind yesterday, only able to see blurry light and shadow. He wasn't completely blind, but he was close. Lu Changcheng also found out that he and Yan Heqing were returning to China today, and sent someone to take Lin Fengzhi to Yan Heqing's residence.
This is Lu Changcheng's plan.
Yan Heqing was forced to take care of the blind Lin Fengzhi for the rest of his life, facing his only younger brother who was implicated by him every day, forever feeling guilty and carrying this heavy burden.
He was unaware that Yan Heqing's house had been sublet.
Lu Lin guessed that the new tenant had notified Yan Heqing, so he dropped Yan Heqing off at the entrance of the residential area without going in, and said with a smile, "I'm a little sleepy, so I won't wait for you. Come back early after you've finished your business."
Yan Heqing nodded, "Okay."
After watching Lu Lin drive away, Yan Heqing entered the residential area.
The community security guard knew he had moved out, and when he saw him return, he called out to him in surprise. Yan Heqing smiled and responded, exchanging a few words with the security guard.
It was almost 8 o'clock. The lights in the community had been broken and hadn't been replaced yet. Only a few were on, and even those were low wattage and couldn't provide enough light. Yan Heqing didn't turn on her phone's flashlight and walked in the dark.
He stopped when he was almost at the apartment building where he used to live.
Ahead, the old clothes recycling bin that Lu Muchi had damaged last time had been replaced with a new one, with a slightly brighter lamp on top. Lin Fengzhi stood beside it. After not seeing him for many days, Lin Fengzhi lost weight and stared blankly in his direction, not even noticing him approaching.
It wasn't until Yan Heqing stopped and his footsteps ceased that Lin Fengzhi jolted. His nostrils twitched as he caught the familiar scent of cedar. He quietly gripped the hem of his clothes, his parched lips trembling several times before he finally whispered, "You've finally come."
Yan Heqing saw himself through the darkness.
The original text describes a similar night, when he had just had his corneas removed and was immediately taken to the next room.
Lin Fengzhi lay in the next room, waiting for his conjunctival surgery.
Even during his recovery period, they were only separated by that thin wall, and he could hear Lu Muchi and Lin Fengzhi talking and laughing every day.
The doctor had just said he could walk again when Lu Muchi condescendingly condescended, "Since you've given Zhizhi cornea, I'll set you free."
His world was filled with darkness and fear. He begged Lu Muchi not to abandon him. He frantically tried to grab Lu Muchi's hand, but Lu Muchi immediately pushed him away.
He fell to the ground, unable to see Lu Muchi's face, only hearing his disgusted voice, "I'll give you some money to send you abroad, and never show your face in front of Zhizhi again, understand?"
His blood seemed to freeze. He only hesitated for a second or two before Lu Muchi impatiently kicked the table away. "I'm asking you a question, did you hear me?"
He refused Lu Muchi's money and promised to stay away from their world.
The bodyguard escorted him to the hospital entrance. He was plunged into darkness, unable to see any light. He stood there for a while, then groped his way to the bus stop and went to the cemetery.
Yan Heqing snapped out of her thoughts. "I've already moved out. Don't bother anyone again."
Lin Fengzhi never expected Yan Heqing to say such heartless words at this moment. His lips trembled, "Didn't you realize? I've gone blind."
"I can see that," Yan Heqing said calmly. "So what?"
Tears welled up in Lin Fengzhi's eyes. He actually regretted not having the surgery. His vision was deteriorating day by day. One day, when he opened his eyes, everything was blurry. He was so frightened that he cried and pounded on the door, trying to get out, but no one paid any attention to him.
As time passed, he eventually lost all vision.
"I know you hate me for making you lose your parents." Salty tears streamed into Lin Fengzhi's mouth. "You also know I brought this on myself. I didn't come to you to beg for pity. I just wanted to..." He swallowed several times, struggling to say, "Could you please, for the sake of me being blind... I'm only begging you this last time, say you forgive me, in place of your parents."
That way, at least he'll feel a little better.
Yan Heqing's hands, which were hanging limply, clenched tightly, but quickly relaxed again. He called softly, " Lin Fengzhi."
Lin Fengzhi saw only a blurry light; he wasn't sure if it was Yan Heqing. He tried to widen his eyes, "You've forgiven me?"
"Listen carefully." Yan Heqing leaned closer to him and whispered slowly, word by word, in his ear, "I will never forgive you."
Lin Fengzhi froze. Then he heard footsteps and realized Yan Heqing was leaving. He frantically tried to grab him, but couldn't see him. He grasped at thin air, and cried out in fear, "Come back! Come back! Yan Heqing, come back... Brother..."
The only response he received was the increasingly noisy wind of the night.
Yan Heqing walked to the entrance of the residential area and finally could no longer hear Lin Fengzhi's cries. He suddenly wanted to hear Lu Lin's voice. He took out his phone, but before he could dial, Lu Changcheng called first.
Yan Heqing paused for two seconds before answering the call.