Xu Tingsheng sat dazedly in the room for ten minutes or maybe longer, his entire body drenched in cold sweat. Mr and Mrs Xiang were not barging into the room, and he too had not yet thought of how to face them, how to explain things to them.
This went on until he received Fu Cheng's call.
A weeping Fu Cheng told Xu Tingsheng about the incident he had just received news of. This matter was too major, too terrifying. Xu Tingsheng knew that he had to go to Fu Cheng right now, and to Fang Yunyao as well.
Therefore, he stood up, pushing open the door. He thought that if he could not successfully explain himself within a short period of time, he would pay another visit to clear up the air next time. He had to leave immediately right now.
"Uncle, Aunt…" Xu Tingsheng said even as he opened the door.
He had originally wanted to say 'Uncle, Auntie, please hear me out', but he stopped in his tracks right in the midst of doing so.
The scene that he saw upon opening the door was completely different from the one he had imagined while inside the room.
Mr and Mrs Xiang were not in the lounge. Instead, there were just the lowered sounds of the currently airing Korean drama that had been greatly popular in the year 2003. Opposite the television set, Xiang Ning was inclined cross-legged against the sofa, a bag of potato chips in her hand.
She was staring intently at the screen, slowly pulling out a potato chip from the bag from time to time as intermittent crunching noises resounded.
Xu Tingsheng's words as he opened the door jolted Little Xiang Ning who had been enraptured in the drama and her tidbits awake.
She turned to look at Xu Tingsheng, her eyes still a little red as she might have cried a little due to feeling wronged just earlier. She still had a stubborn expression on her face, being in a huff with Xu Tingsheng as she petulantly kept on that sulky look.
At the same time, however, she also seemed rather triumphant over the success of her prank, looking like she was going to laugh at any time even though she was trying her hardest to repress it.
"Scare you to death. Hmph!" Little Xiang Ning said.
Perhaps Xu Tingsheng's expression was really too distressed and tragic, myriad emotions having flashed just too dramatically across his face immediately following his realisation…After having said those words, as she looked at Xu Tingsheng, she could not help but burst out laughing.
A smile brightening up her crying face, the triumphant little girl quickly realised that this shouldn't be the case as she hurriedly resumed her previous spiteful look.
She warned herself that the person before her was a traitor, was the enemy.
Xu Tingsheng had really almost been scared to death. While Xiang Ning had been leisurely watching Korean dramas over the past ten or so minutes, Xu Tingsheng had been suffering torment equivalent to a living hell, still not having recovered from the shock even now.
"Are Uncle and Auntie not home now?" Xu Tingsheng asked.
"They always go out for a stroll together every night after dinner. Moreover…it's Valentine's Day today," While Xiang Ning refused to look at Xu Tingsheng, she still explained things to him.
Xu Tingsheng finally understood. The trap set for him by this mischievous little loli…
Apparently, Mr and Mrs Xiang had not been home in the first place. The 'touched me here' that she had said upon stepping out of the door had been directed to thin air, having been said for just Xu Tingsheng's benefit alone.
After having finished her lines, she had happily begun eating her tidbits and watching her drama, probably having done so whilst feeling greatly triumphant as well..while Xu Tingsheng had been flung by her into hell.
Now that this matter had been proven to be just a false alarm, Xu Tingsheng should actually be coaxing her a little at the current time. However, he was currently feeling panicked as he was in a rush to leave over Fu Cheng's and Fang Yunyao's matter.
"Traitor," Xiang Ning seemed like she had still not gotten over it as she said in a huff, "Go away, I don't want you teaching me anymore."
Xu Tingsheng didn't know whether she was truly intending these words whilst in a fit of anger. If it were usually, perhaps just a little bit of coaxing might set things right between them. After all, he understood this girl before him so well. Now, however, he was in a rush to leave.
Therefore, he did not coax her.
"Since that's the case," Xu Tingsheng put down the teaching materials in his hands, "I have the lessons for the next two weeks prepared here. When the time comes, you can study in accordance to them yourself. I'll probably not be able to come for an upcoming period of time. I'll call Auntie and explain it to her."
Xu Tingsheng hurriedly left. Xiang Ning felt even more wronged as she looked at the door of the study room that was still vibrating slightly. I'm clearly the one who's supposed to be angry, okay? You…you aren't even treating me as well as back when we were still unacquainted…
Xiang Ning fumed for a long time before finally taking a look at Xu Tingsheng's teaching materials on the table. There, virtually every sentence was spelt out clearly, with many supporting notes being present as well, such as 'the little girl might not understand this part', 'I can make use of this part to check up on her knowledge of that particular bit from last time' and 'I can casually come in with a joke at this place to make her laugh and relax a little'…
This was a document which really could not be any more complete, a thick stack of papers numbering well into the double digits having been prepared for just a single lesson.
Little Xiang Ning suddenly felt that she was no longer that mad at him. Still, what had he meant when he had said 'I'll probably not be able to come for an upcoming period of time'? Could he be mad at her?
……
Sitting in a taxi back to Yanzhou University, Xu Tingsheng kept on urging the taxi driver to hurry up. He already no longer had the leisure to consider Xiang Ning's situation. He was on the phone all the way, conversing with Fu Cheng as well as Huang Yaming and Song Ni who were beside him.
"Whatever the case, wait for me to get back. We'll return together," Xu Tingsheng said.
Xu Tingsheng dared not let Fu Cheng return before that. Only if he was present together with Fu Cheng would he feel at ease.
It was already nighttime now. There were already no longer any buses heading from Yanzhou City to Jiannan City. After returning to Yanzhou University, Xu Tingsheng immediately borrowed Fang Yuqing's car, worrying not about his lack of a license and the entailed possibility of him getting arrested for illegal driving as he chauffeured Fu Cheng, Huang Yaming and Song Ni along in hurrying to Jiannan City without rest.
……
Jiannan Central Hospital, ICU. Xu Tingsheng and the others had to give many explanations and go through many procedures, even meeting Fang Yunyao’s family members in the process before they were finally allowed to enter.
Through the great glass screen of the ward.
Within the pure white room, Fang Yunyao lay quietly on a bed in a hospital nightgown, her eyes closed. Her face was pale with not the slightest tinge of blood, as for a long time she…lay there completely unmoving, with even the heaving of her chest as she breathed not being visible.
She was like the purest angel in her quietness as she lay peacefully in sleep.
It was just that the innumerable medical devices hooked up around her constantly reminded that she might never be waking up from this deep slumber, that this helpless girl was currently struggling alone amidst darkness and pain.
The nurse had strictly reminded them that they were not to make unnecessary noise in the ward.
Fu Cheng did not make a scene as he just watched her quietly.
Song Ni was quietly wiping away her tears, letting out repressed sobs. Fu Cheng, however, did not move at all, allowing the tears to flow unceasingly down his face uninhibited.
Xu Tingsheng and Huang Yaming were holding onto Fu Cheng’s shoulders, one on each side.
Not only was Fang Yunyao Fu Cheng’s precious lover, she was a friend of Xu Tingsheng, Huang Yaming and Song Ni as well. They all knew how pure and kind this girl currently lying inside was.
Right, in the eyes of Xu Tingsheng, the 27-year-old Fang Yunyao was just a helpless girl. Especially with the way she was right now.
"Time's about up. You should be going," The nurse came over and reminded them in a hushed tone.
As the four of them exited the ward, Fu Cheng’s legs suddenly lost all their strength, growing limp. Fortunately, Xu Tingsheng and Huang Yaming caught him from the sides before he fell.
Working hard to stabilise himself, Fu Cheng looked at Xu Tingsheng with a dazed, stunned look on his face, "Xu Tingsheng, I’m returning to Libei. I’m gonna kill him."
Xu Tingsheng said, "Alright. I’ll go with you."
Huang Yaming said, "Me too."
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