Chapter 40: Distant Memories
Lei Yuanzheng was dizzy after running up and down the stairs several times. He knew that the mission had failed. After thinking for a while, he grinned. People often said that he was Du Heng's dog. He didn't mind this statement. But today, he felt that he was really tracking a hunting dog...
Lei Yuanzheng called Du Heng and said apologetically, "Boss, the miracle doctor you asked me to find doesn't seem to be willing to see me."
Du Heng said unhappily, "Didn't I ask you to be polite? Are you threatening me again?"
Lei Yuanzheng complained: "We haven't even met him. He is more timid than a little girl and more alert than a rabbit."
Du Heng said in a deep voice: "Forget it, I will visit you in person some other day."
…
In the hospital, Old Wu and Mrs. Wu insisted on staying to accompany Tangdou at first, but in the end, Zhang Nianzu persuaded Mrs. Wu to go back and pack her things and come back to replace Old Wu tomorrow.
After Mrs. Wu left, Old Wu sat on a chair in the corridor with a blank look in his eyes.
Zhang Nianzu said, "Old Wu, you can't collapse now."
Old Wu rubbed his face with his hands and muttered in a dreamy voice, "I had a premonition before that Tangdou would never grow up. She is so smart and sensible, like a little angel. How can there be such a good child?"
Zhang Nianzu said, "Don't let your imagination run wild." In order to divert Old Wu's attention, Zhang Nianzu said, "Find some time to go to the notary office with me, and I'll transfer the repair shop to you."
Old Wu was surprised and asked, "What are you doing?"
Zhang Nianzu said, "I got into some trouble outside, so I might be out for a while."
"Is it because of that girl?" Old Wu immediately found the source. "I never asked you what her family does. Didn't you say you would know the roots first?"
Zhang Nianzu said, "Don't worry about me. Go out and have a cigarette."
Old Wu couldn't stand it any longer, so he stood up and pointed at Zhang Nianzu and said, "Explain it to me when I get back."
As soon as Old Wu left, the nurse said Tangdou woke up.
Zhang Nianzu hurried into the ward. Tangdou’s face was pale, making his big eyes look darker and brighter.
Tangdou first took a look at the environment in the ward, then smiled at Zhang Nianzu: "Brother Nianzu."
Zhang Nianzu suppressed his distress and said, "You scared your parents to death."
Tangdou asked, "Where are they?"
"Your dad will be here soon."
Tangdou suddenly asked, "Brother Nianzu, do I have an incurable disease?"
Zhang Nianzu hurriedly said, "Don't talk nonsense."
Tangdou said, "Don't lie to me. If it's just a common cold, is it necessary to go through so much trouble? This is the hematology department, right? I know that children of our age are prone to leukemia."
Zhang Nianzu asked, "Who told you this?"
Tangdou said, "Last year, a senior student in our school was diagnosed with leukemia. His parents came to process his withdrawal from school, and I heard that he died not long after. I looked up information about leukemia on the computer, and the symptoms I have now are exactly the same."
Zhang Nianzu was speechless.
Tang Dou said mischievously, "It's hard to fool kids nowadays. You might as well tell me the truth so that I can be prepared. Don't always give surprise tests like our teacher does. Even though I'm not afraid, I still feel like I've been tricked."
Zhang Nianzu was speechless. It was said that children nowadays mature early, and Tangdou was a particularly "sly" one. It seemed that it was impossible to deceive her with a Big Bad Wolf and Little White Rabbit-style lie. Zhang Nianzu calmed down and said seriously: "Then I'll tell you the truth, you do have leukemia."
A layer of mist instantly appeared in Tangdou's eyes. The little girl wanted to cry, but she held it back.
Zhang Nianzu said, "Tangdou, listen carefully to everything I say next, and try your best to do it. The doctor said that there is a great chance of your disease being cured. As long as you face it bravely, you will definitely win. Don't worry about anything else. Your parents are very worried now. I need you to be strong and let them put all their energy into how to treat you instead of thinking about how to comfort you every day. You have learned that the triangle is the most stable structure, right?"
Jelly Bean nodded.
Zhang Nianzu said: "So your role is also very important, do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand. I am a soldier on the front line. In addition to fighting the enemy, I also have to reassure my comrades in the rear."
Zhang Nianzu touched her head and said, "You are so good."
Tang Dou pushed his hand away and said, "Comrade Zhang Nianzu, I am already a grown-up girl. Please stop giving me such childish encouragement in the future."
Zhang Nianzu was amused and relieved. It was beyond his expectation that Tangdou could be so strong and sensible. In this way, Mr. and Mrs. Wu could focus on curing her illness instead of hiding her condition. At first, Zhang Nianzu didn't know whether it was right or wrong to tell Tangdou everything. Now it seems to be right. However, it is still a special experience to open up to a 10-year-old child...
Tangdou's eyes flickered, and she suddenly said, "Brother Nianzu, please call my dad in." Seeing Zhang Nianzu's bitter face, she smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell him about his funeral. I'm just here to comfort him."
Zhang Nianzu's eyes turned red. He wanted to touch her head before leaving, but he was afraid that the girl would think he was childish. At this time, Old Wu also came back. Zhang Nianzu walked out, nodded at him, and stood in the corridor.
After talking to Tangdou for a few words, Old Wu buried his head on the bed and cried silently. Tangdou stroked his father's head and whispered something to comfort him.
Mrs. Wu came before it was completely light and brought two breakfasts. Then the couple sent Zhang Nianzu back to catch up on his sleep.
Zhang Nianzu was not very tired, but he could not stand the smell of bad clothes. He had gone out yesterday, had a fight with someone in the park, and stayed up all night in the hospital without changing clothes. The first thing he did when he got home was to throw all his clothes into the washing machine and then take a shower.
Zhang Nianzu, with wet hair, was a little confused. So many things happened in this day and night, and his life changed drastically. Although he didn't know where to go in the future, he was very sure that his next step was to find Lei Tingting.
Thinking of this, Zhang Nianzu began to pack up his things subconsciously.
In fact, there was nothing to pack. There were only some simple household appliances in this two-bedroom house. Perhaps for fear of being reminded of the past, Zhang Nianzu seldom came back to live here, so he first took out the two photo albums at home.
The first page of the album is a family portrait. Zhang Nianzu's parents held him, who was only three or four years old at the time, and smiled stiffly at the camera, just as ordinary and cautious as they were in their lives, with their longing and awe for life written all over their faces.
Zhang Nianzu flipped through the pages, smiling unconsciously. He was a participant in most of the group photos, and he still had vague memories of some scenes. He was suddenly puzzled as he flipped through the albums, because he just realized that none of the albums had any group photos of his parents. Zhang Nianzu was born in 1993, so his parents met in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when people were keen on taking photos. It was unreasonable to say that this young couple had no group photos before they had children!
As I was thinking about it, a two-inch color photo fell out from between two photos in the album, as if someone had left it behind accidentally.
Zhang Nianzu picked it up and was stunned: it was a photo of his parents, which looked very old. The background was full of southern plants, and there were some blurry people among the plants, who seemed to be dancing a strange dance. This was not surprising. What surprised Zhang Nianzu was the expressions of his parents - his father was smiling, wanton and domineering, and his mother was also smiling, full of vigor. These were two young people who seemed to be about to conquer the world, completely different from the cautious couple in the photo behind. If they didn't look exactly the same, Zhang Nianzu would have suspected that he was participating in a TV series, and the actors who played his parents were suddenly replaced in the middle of the show...
Zhang Nianzu turned over the back of the photo and saw a line of small words written on it: YN, Nianzu Village, taken in 1991.
