Chapter 78
The phone had taken a hit in the fall. The lower-left corner of the screen was shattered, and spiderweb cracks spread across half the display. It didn’t affect normal use, but it looked terrible.
She didn’t replace or repair it that day, and after that she never found the time to deal with it. Lin Bai Xin wasn’t picky, so she kept using it as a stopgap.
The next day, though, Lin Qi happened to notice the wreck when she came into the shop, and she teased bluntly, “What, are you really that short on money lately?”
Lin Bai Xin didn’t catch the implication and answered directly, “I’m not.”
“Then your phone’s practically broken into five pieces and you’re still using it? I thought you were so broke I should lend you some. I was even thinking about it.” Lin Qi was joking, but when she saw that Lin Bai Xin didn’t seem to be in good shape today, her tone softened. “Forget it, I’ll buy you one. I’ll order a new one online later. What kind do you want? If you’re not picky, I’ll just pick one for you.”
Lin Bai Xin wasn’t picky. She also didn’t want Lin Qi to buy it for her; she’d get one herself when she had time.
Lin Qi didn’t buy that excuse. Lin Bai Xin was usually such a perfectionist, and she still had to face customers during the day. Using a cracked screen like that was simply not presentable. She knew very well how bad it looked, but still hadn’t gotten around to fixing it. It was obvious something had happened.
Lin Qi was forceful. Though she didn’t ask exactly what was wrong, she still ordered the latest model that night and had it delivered. When it arrived, she opened the box and casually tossed it in front of Lin Bai Xin.
Still helping from start to finish, she even moved the SIM card over to the new phone for her. Then she put the old phone back in its box and pushed it over, making her point clear: “I’m flying out next Wednesday. Once I’m gone, the earliest I’ll be back is a month later. Miss this chance and you miss it. If you ever want to talk, you can always find me.”
Lin Bai Xin didn’t want to talk. There was nothing to talk about. The main shop was relying on her alone these days, and she couldn’t even finish all the work; where would she find the energy to chat?
Her visit to X University, and the fact that she’d run into Yu Min there, Lin Bai Xin kept completely to herself. Not a word escaped her.
As for whether that person had really been Yu Min—though Lin Bai Xin already had an answer in her heart, she still clung to a sliver of hope. Maybe. Maybe she’d been wrong.
The new phone wasn’t as easy to use as the old one. Lin Bai Xin wasn’t used to it, but since she’d already bought it, she made do. She waited a couple of days before taking the old one in for repair. She didn’t throw it away, and used both phones together.
Out of old classmate sentiment, and because that old classmate had supported their shop’s business, Lin Bai Xin treated her former classmate to a meal that Sunday and called Lin Qi and the others along. Since graduation, everyone had gone a long time without gathering, so it was a good chance to see each other.
That day, Lin Qi also called a few more school friends who were now working in Kyoto, and the group filled a table in a warm, easy atmosphere.
The old classmate’s surname was Qiu, and everyone called her Qiu Qiu. Back when they were in school, she had shared a dorm room with Lin Bai Xin, so they’d once been roommates too.
Qiu Qiu was married, and her child was already two years old. She kept her marriage half-hidden, so many people didn’t even know she’d been married and had a daughter for years. If Qiu Qiu herself hadn’t said so, everyone would still have been in the dark.
She’d moved from Jincheng to Kyoto for her daughter’s future education. Her family was well-off, and money wasn’t an issue. Everyone was quite surprised by the change in her, because Qiu Qiu had once been a firm believer in freedom. Back then she’d declared more than once, full of passion, that in this life she would absolutely never be bound by anything worldly; she would live freely and single forever, and no one would ever become an obstacle in her path forward.
“Oh, people’s thoughts change, that’s all. What I felt before was before; what I feel now is now.” Qiu Qiu smiled, open and sincere, letting everyone tease her as they pleased. “Besides, freedom is in the heart; it isn’t about form. Putting limits on yourself is actually the opposite of freedom. I was too shallow-minded before. Only later did I realize it isn’t absolute. The people around you can also be a source of motivation; having someone beside you is nice.”
At this stage, around thirty years old, the things people could talk about at gatherings were basically the same few subjects: career, life, family... Since they weren’t in the same field, there wasn’t much to say about work. Some people also weren’t very willing to talk about it, and Lin Bai Xin was one of them. She didn’t like it, and there wasn’t much to say anyway.
Life was even less worth mentioning. Lin Bai Xin’s last two years had been monotonous to the point of being unremarkable; duller than plain water.
The only topic she could really join in on was family, and even then only if others asked a couple of casual questions first; she’d answer in a few perfunctory words.
Qiu Qiu was the most talkative. Whenever she brought up her daughter or her wife, the smile on her face never faded. When the gathering ended, Lin Bai Xin had had something to drink, while Qiu Qiu hadn’t, so she gave her a ride on the way.
Once they got in the car, Lin Bai Xin saw the family photo stuck on the passenger seat and only then realized that the wife Qiu Qiu kept talking about was actually a woman.
Qiu Qiu was very open about it. Before starting the car, she pointed at the little girl in the photo and laughed, “This is my daughter. Cute, right?”
Lin Bai Xin nodded. “Very cute.”
“She’s actually a little terror; impossible to manage, noisy all day long, never stops chattering.”
“Kids are all like that.”
“Yeah; in a few years, we’ll be free.” Qiu Qiu said optimistically. After starting the car, she kept chatting with Lin Bai Xin about random things. People in happiness always have a strong urge to share, and before long she’d told Lin Bai Xin many more things.
For example, how she and her wife met; why she’d decided to get married; and how she’d once been too worried and miserable, so foolish that she’d almost lost her wife because she was afraid of marriage.
Lin Bai Xin was forced to listen to quite a lot.
“Later I suddenly realized that compared to losing her, I’d rather lose that kind of freedom,” Qiu Qiu said. “After I got married, it took me a long time to really understand that the two things aren’t contradictory at all. With her there, I actually felt freer, not less free, and I wouldn’t lose anything. Turns out I never had to choose between the two.”
Lin Bai Xin sat in the back seat by the window; for most of the ride her gaze stayed outside, and only after a while did she answer softly, “Mm. That’s nice.”
“She’s the best,” Qiu Qiu said with a smile. “She’s braver than I am. I’m such a difficult person, and she never gave up on me.”
People’s thoughts really do change; very easily, too.
Time is the sharpest blade. It doesn’t even need any upheaval; it can silently alter many things that once seemed settled.
“I’m still hesitating,” Lin Qi said. “I’m still discussing it with my Luoshu, whether we should have a daughter someday.” She used to hate little brats to death, but now she’d casually overturned her old thinking and had even become rather responsible. “But we’re afraid we won’t raise her well. That’s a heavy responsibility.”
Lin Bai Xin gave her a sidelong glance. “Because someone else has one, now you want one too?”
“No, that’s not it. We were already thinking about it before. It’s just that now we’ve seen someone else actually doing it pretty well, so we want to try.” Lin Qi said, “That kind of thing is pretty private, so I just hadn’t mentioned it to you. We’ve been considering it for a long time.”
“When did you start thinking about it?”
“About a year ago. That time we went traveling, she wanted one, but I still hadn’t made up my mind.”
“Oh.”
“What do you think? Give me some advice; help me think it over.”
“No opinion. That’s your business.”
“Right, you’re a firm single-ism person. You’re different from us; asking you is pointless.”
“...Mm.”
Recently, Uncle Zhao and the others had begun contacting this side frequently. There was no special reason; they were simply concerned about Lin Bai Xin.
They had changed too. Zhou Jin’s mother, whom Lin Bai Xin called Aunt Yu, had become unexpectedly gentle, her usual fiery temper softened into constant concern and greetings.
Lin Bai Xin wasn’t used to it; she couldn’t be equally close in return.
The following week, Lin Qi and the others went back to Jincheng, and Lin Bai Xin went to X University for the second time, once again to see Qiu Qiu.
Qiu Qiu was buying a house and wasn’t familiar with the area, so she’d originally planned to come to Lin Bai Xin’s place and ask for advice. But Lin Bai Xin happened to have some free time, so she came by on the way.
They still ate at the cafeteria; this time Lin Bai Xin didn’t even need to suggest it, and Qiu Qiu chose the place herself.
They got there early and grabbed a seat near the middle of the first floor. Lin Bai Xin had brought a gift, a brand-new handbag, which made Qiu Qiu feel embarrassed.
“You really are something. Why are you being so formal with me? I haven’t even gone to support your business yet, and you show up with something this big.”
The food at X University’s cafeteria was truly average; one could even say it wasn’t very good. Lin Bai Xin didn’t eat much, and Qiu Qiu was rather disdainful of it too, but she assumed Lin Bai Xin must like it, so she forced herself to eat with her.
This time they were less lucky. It wasn’t such a coincidence anymore. By the time the meal was nearly finished, it had gone cold, the cafeteria windows were closing, and the familiar person still hadn’t appeared.
It was time to head back. Students were already starting afternoon classes.
Before they parted, Qiu Qiu casually mentioned that her wife was now working at a certain hospital, but she’d been too busy lately to spare the time. When she was free, she would definitely bring her to meet Lin Bai Xin.
Lin Bai Xin asked casually, “Okay. Which hospital is she at? Is it close by?”
“Not especially far; it’s all right.” Qiu Qiu gave the hospital’s name. “She’s in dermatology. She used to not be this busy, but for some reason she’s been working overtime a lot lately, so we’ll have to wait until she has time.”
The hospital where Qiu Qiu’s wife worked was the same one where Yu Min had been interning.
Lin Bai Xin froze and, unable to believe it, confirmed it again. Qiu Qiu looked puzzled and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Nothing. Lin Bai Xin hurriedly denied it.
On the way back, traffic was jammed. When they passed through one traffic light, it had already turned green, and she nearly forgot she was still driving; only when the car behind her honked did she jolt back to herself and hurry to follow the traffic ahead.
.
The shop manager, Gu Yue, had fallen ill. That shouldn’t have been Lin Bai Xin’s concern; if someone was sick, they should go to the hospital, take medicine if they needed medicine, and rest if they needed rest. The shop would grant leave, and it was paid leave too.
But Gu Yue was from out of town, with no relatives or friends around to help. She must have eaten something bad, because she’d been vomiting constantly. Only when she really had no other choice did she call the boss, Lin Bai Xin, for help.
Gu Yue lived nearby. At the time, Lin Bai Xin didn’t think much of it and drove her straight to the nearest top-tier hospital, afraid that waiting would make the condition worse. As soon as Gu Yue arrived, she was admitted, and the doctor ordered hospitalization, IV fluids, and observation.
Lin Bai Xin helplessly took on the role of companion. She couldn’t stay by Gu Yue’s side the whole time, so she planned to hire a caregiver for her later.
During that time she went up and down several times, running around to handle procedures and paperwork while also dealing with shop work online.
Just after finishing one call and hanging up, she was preparing to head back when she passed the entrance to the outpatient building. Her steps suddenly froze against her will, stopping dead.
Once again, she saw that familiar figure.
This time it was no longer just similar; it was unmistakably the same person.
The person in her memory was still the same. Her face hadn’t changed much; the only difference was that her hair had been cut into a short French-style chestnut wavy bob that reached her shoulders, casual and neat. She was wearing a white coat and a mask, yet even wrapped up so tightly, Lin Bai Xin recognized her at a glance.
Yu Min hadn’t noticed her. She hadn’t seen her.
She seemed to be waiting for someone. It was noon, right in the lunch break, and she kept glancing down at her phone, replying to messages while looking toward the hospital’s main entrance.
They were only five or six meters apart; they weren’t far away at all. Lin Bai Xin stood in a corner, and if Yu Min had merely turned her head slightly, she would have seen her.
They had been apart for too long. The instant she saw the other person, Lin Bai Xin forgot what she was supposed to do. Her legs wouldn’t listen; she couldn’t move.
Yet Yu Min still didn’t look this way, as if she couldn’t feel the gaze from here. Her attention was entirely on waiting, and she never noticed Lin Bai Xin’s presence.
The person Yu Min was waiting for arrived two minutes later, and it was also someone Lin Bai Xin knew.
—Jiang Zhou arrived gracefully in a beige long dress, having specially come to deliver lunch. As she approached, she smiled and chatted with Yu Min. After handing over the insulated container, Jiang Zhou lightly tugged at Yu Min’s arm and gave her a playful look.
From Lin Bai Xin’s angle, the distance was too great for her to hear what they were saying. The two of them were very intimate, from their mannerisms to their interactions; especially when Jiang Zhou suddenly leaned in and hugged Yu Min in broad daylight without the slightest restraint, while Yu Min didn’t avoid her, didn’t resist, and allowed Jiang Zhou to do as she pleased.
Watching every movement, Lin Bai Xin only realized it belatedly after the two of them had separated; instinctively, she took two steps back and hid behind the wall at the corner.
For no reason at all, she was actually afraid they would see her; she didn’t want to face this scene.
When had Jiang Zhou returned to Kyoto? Wasn’t she living in Jincheng?
By the time she came out again, Yu Min had already taken the food and gone inside, and Jiang Zhou was nowhere to be seen. Lin Bai Xin pressed her lips together and stared in the direction of the outpatient building. Only after a long while did she finally walk away and stop looking.
In the end, she didn’t hire a caregiver. Lin Bai Xin looked after Gu Yue herself. She was free anyway these days, with nothing else to do, and after the IV drip Gu Yue felt much better. It seemed to be just a common gastroenteritis case, not especially serious, so Lin Bai Xin only needed to check on her occasionally and help buy the things a patient needed.
It was coincidence upon coincidence. She’d only just parted from Qiu Qiu the day before, and the next day she ran into her at the hospital. Qiu Qiu’s daughter had also fallen ill; bad luck had piled up all at once. It was the same diarrhea, and even more coincidentally, they ended up meeting in the same ward.
Qiu Qiu’s eyes widened; she wasn’t worried about her daughter’s condition at all and actually seemed rather amused, teaching the little girl to greet her: “This is Aunt Lin. Be good and say hello.”
It was a three-bed ward with one empty bed. Gu Yue was sleeping by the window, and Qiu Qiu’s daughter was in the middle. Later on, Lin Bai Xin finally met Qiu Qiu’s wife, the dermatology doctor. She was nearly a generation older than Qiu Qiu, though it wasn’t very obvious from her appearance; by now she was already the attending physician.
Caught between them, Qiu Qiu introduced her: “This is my wife, Cui Zhen.”
Lin Bai Xin extended her hand. “Hello, Dr. Cui.”
After the introduction came another round of polite small talk. Dr. Cui didn’t stay long; she had come by for a brief visit and left not long after.
Qiu Qiu said, “She still has students to supervise. She just squeezed this in on the way and hasn’t finished being busy yet, so don’t mind it.”
Lin Bai Xin didn’t mind. At the time, she hadn’t paid Cui Zhen much attention. She took it as a normal meeting and left it at that.
She kept running to the hospital for two days in a row, and when she went again she even brought the little girl a plush toy. Lin Bai Xin was meticulous and thoughtful, always taking care of everything.
Qiu Qiu’s daughter’s hospitalization brought a wave of visitors. People kept coming to see the little girl from time to time. Unfortunately, the child didn’t understand social niceties yet; her stomach hurt, and though she wasn’t especially upset, children were spoiled by nature. Even after the pain had already eased, she was still crying in Qiu Qiu’s arms, squirming around and refusing to sit still.
Looking at Qiu Qiu’s daughter, Lin Bai Xin suddenly had a thought out of nowhere:
Yu Min wasn’t like this when she was little. She was very well-behaved; she didn’t cry and didn’t make adults worry.
Comparing a two-year-old child to Yu Min, the thought was absurd. Lin Bai Xin silently shook it off and laughed at herself inwardly.
What was she doing? She was getting a little abnormal.
Qiu Qiu’s daughter liked Lin Bai Xin very much. At first she kept sneaking glances at her, and once they became familiar, she opened her arms and wanted Lin Bai Xin to hold her. Lin Bai Xin was gentle and patient with children; if she wanted to be held, Lin Bai Xin held her, and once she was in her arms, she even soothed her.
Cui Zhen had been swamped with work. She came by twice, but later she really couldn’t spare the time, so she asked one of her students to come instead; sometimes they came to deliver things, and sometimes to help Qiu Qiu look after the child.
It was time for Gu Yue to be discharged. Her condition wasn’t serious; once the tests showed no problems, she could go home. Lin Bai Xin helped her pack her things and went to the nurse’s station to handle the discharge procedures.
While waiting, she never expected to run into Jiang Zhou again. The hospital was really too small; even in the inpatient building you could still run into people.
Lin Bai Xin didn’t see Jiang Zhou first; Jiang Zhou greeted her first, coming over to stand beside her, looking surprised and even more shocked than Lin Bai Xin.
“Boss Lin, what are you doing here? It really is you. I thought I’d seen wrong.” Jiang Zhou patted her shoulder and waved. “Long time no see; do you still remember me?”
Of course she remembered. How could she forget?
With nowhere to hide, Lin Bai Xin could only respond head-on and talk to her.
Jiang Zhou asked, “Were you here yesterday too? I think I saw you over by the outpatient building, but you’d already gone far by then, so I wasn’t sure.”
Lin Bai Xin admitted it; it had been her.
Jiang Zhou had come here with someone. As for who that someone was, it was self-evident. Without Jiang Zhou saying it, Lin Bai Xin asked even less. The discharge paperwork was almost done, and she still had to go downstairs for reimbursement, so she found an excuse to leave Jiang Zhou and keep her distance.
Seeing her avoidance, Jiang Zhou didn’t expose it and readily said, “Okay, you go ahead and handle your stuff. I should go down too; she’ll be coming over soon.”
Lin Bai Xin deliberately went downstairs and looped around before coming back up, choosing the simplest possible way to deal with it. When she returned upstairs and didn’t see Jiang Zhou, she assumed they’d all left, and only then did her heart settle.
At the same time, there was also a hard-to-describe sense of disappointment; empty and hollow.
When she went into the ward, everyone was still there, and Cui Zhen had indeed sent another student over.
The moment she ran into that student, she knew that by the time she registered it, it was already too late; there was no time to avoid it.
Qiu Qiu was clearly much more familiar with the other person this time and even took the trouble to introduce them. Lin Bai Xin was frozen at the ward doorway, so slow to react that she seemed to have lost the ability altogether. She was a little out of sorts and, unlike when meeting Cui Zhen, didn’t politely shake hands or exchange greetings.
Not noticing her abnormality, Qiu Qiu first introduced the other person, then turned around and introduced her.
But there was no need for Qiu Qiu to introduce her anymore. Yu Min was calm and composed as she said, “Mm, I know. We know each other.”
Qiu Qiu was stunned; she hadn’t expected that.
Unlike Lin Bai Xin, who had all kinds of extra associations, Yu Min was expressionless. Unlike her, there wasn’t the slightest trace of panic on her face; she only looked at her coldly. They had met, yet there wasn’t even a flicker of emotion.