Fei Cheng didn't have any tissues on him. He endured the discomfort and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "You just can't stand the sight of me, so everything is my fault. I can't be bothered with you."
Only then was Lai Xinhui willing to speak up. "We’ve gone through a trial together today. Yucong, stop picking fights with Fei Cheng. I worked hard to get him to stay; if you piss him off and he leaves, you can just sit here and stew in your own frustration!"
Fei Cheng was curious. "He’d be frustrated?"
Lai Xinhui was about to explain when Liu Yucong started howling nonsense to drown him out. Li Rongbao shouted through the gaps, "Because you helped us! If he doesn't do something in return, he feels like he’s lost face."
Li Senwei chimed in, "Exactly. He feels like he owes you one, so he’s all twisted up inside, overthinking things endlessly."
Fei Cheng paused, looking at him with a fresh perspective. "I didn't realize you were that kind of person, Liu Yucong."
Liu Yucong was fuming, but since he couldn't hit anyone, he punched the ground several times and ripped up a handful of wild grass. If the light hadn't been fading, they likely would have seen the shame and indignation flushed across his face.
"Dammit... this time, thanks for this time! But don't you dare meddle in my business again, I’m warning you." Liu Yucong practically forced the thanks through gritted teeth. Once he finished, he scrambled up from the ground and kicked the still-seated Lai Xinhui and the others. "Let's go. It's dark, and I'm freezing my ass off."
Li Rongbao took the opportunity to say, "There are no streetlights. We should walk Fei Cheng home."
Liu Yucong acted indifferent. "Then walk him. What are you lingering for?"
Fei Cheng stood up, his body aching all over. It really was cold; before he could even steady himself, he turned his head and let out three consecutive sneezes.
"Damn it," he cursed under his breath, thinking he couldn't have caught a cold this quickly.
Lai Xinhui, holding Fei Cheng's schoolbag, felt a strange pang of guilt at the sight. "Fei Cheng, you’re not coming down with something, are you?"
Li Senwei scratched the back of his head and whispered, "I think finals are next week..."
Li Rongbao cut straight to the point. "Shit, what if a cold affects his exams? It wouldn't matter for us, but it’s different for Fei Cheng!"
Liu Yucong looked back at Fei Cheng, who was rubbing his nose. He pursed his lips and urged, "It’s just a cold, it’s not like he’s dying. Why the big fuss? Dammit, can we just get him home already!"
Fei Cheng took his bag from Lai Xinhui and slung it on. He picked up the unopened soda and tossed it back to Liu Yucong. "Stop joking around. Everyone go home. See you at school."
His bicycle was parked by the roadside, while Liu Yucong and the others had their bikes sprawled haphazardly on the clearing. As Fei Cheng walked, he finished the mineral water, tossed the empty bottle into his bike basket, kicked up the kickstand, and rode off.
"Hey, Fei Cheng, wait for us!"
"Hurry the hell up."
"Don't push me! Don't push me, dammit!"
Fei Cheng hadn't ridden far when he heard the sound of bells behind him—crisp, chaotic, and competitive. As they drew closer, they sounded almost like the bells of the underworld heralds.
In no time, they caught up. Fei Cheng was speechless. "You really don't need to escort me. My house is in Qiantang. Once I cross this stretch, I’m in the village."
Lai Xinhui’s teeth were chattering from the cold. "We’ll take you to the village entrance then. Big Eyes always says your health is poor. What if you faint halfway? There’s no one on this road. If you faint after you enter the village, at least someone can just pick you up and take you home."
Fei Cheng found himself without an argument.
A motorcycle passed by, its headlight sweeping over them. They quickly formed a single file. Once the motorcycle passed, Lai Xinhui dropped back, and Liu Yucong was pushed forward to ride side-by-side with Fei Cheng.
Liu Yucong: "..."
Fei Cheng looked toward the two large red lanterns in the distance; the village entrance was close. He sniffed and gave one last piece of advice. "Liu Yucong, you should keep a closer eye on Yang Kaikai. Don't just believe everything you hear and let people use you as a pawn."
"Dammit, I—" Liu Yucong instinctively wanted to argue, but the night wind was so biting it cleared his head. He asked, "About the basketball game... did you really not plot against me?"
"No." Fei Cheng gave a light, slightly mocking chuckle. "If I hadn't seen how much you wanted to win, and if the guys from Class 3 hadn't been so arrogant, I might not have stepped onto the court even after you were taken out."
Liu Yucong fell silent, seemingly weighing the truth of Fei Cheng's words.
Fei Cheng asked in return, "Why aren't you bringing up the quilt anymore?"
Liu Yucong huffed. "Forget the quilt. Anyway, I’m the one who got yours wet."
Fei Cheng: "..." Why did he sound so proud of it?
Still, after all this time, he really couldn't bring himself to be angry.
"Fine, I’ll let the matter of you wetting my quilt go. But I didn't wet yours. I’m not taking the fall for that."
"Then who was it?" Liu Yucong asked instinctively, then scratched his hair, looking annoyed. "Whatever, it’s in the past!"
"Suit yourself." Fei Cheng shrugged and looked ahead. "We’re at the village entrance. You guys head back."
"Right, see you at school," Lai Xinhui and the others called out from behind.
Fei Cheng waved. "See you at school."
He rode a short distance before suddenly braking and looking back. Under the two large lanterns at the village entrance, four silhouettes were visible: one slumped over his handlebars, one riding in circles, one ringing his bell for fun, and another waving at him.
Fei Cheng: "..." What on earth?
Feeling that something was a bit strange, he decided to hurry home.
Li Senwei, who had been waving, waited until Fei Cheng’s figure vanished before saying to Liu Yucong, "Fei Cheng’s home."
Liu Yucong’s head ached from thinking. He asked them, "Are we turning the page with him?"
The other three said in unison, "Turn the page!"
"Fine then..." Liu Yucong muttered as he turned his bike toward home.
Fei Cheng pushed his bicycle into the courtyard and looked up to see his grandparents standing at the door. "Grandpa, Grandma, I’m back. Why are you standing outside in this cold?"
He parked his bike and went to close the iron gate, his voice full of disapproval. It wasn't summer; there was no reason to sit in the yard to catch a breeze. Catching a cold would be bad.
Grandma Fei walked down two steps toward him, reaching out to take his heavy schoolbag. "Chengcheng, why are you so late this time? It’s already dark. Your grandpa and I were going to go get you, but your brother said he’d go and told us to wait. Did you not run into him?"
Fei Qi?
Fei Cheng didn't let his grandmother take the bag, carrying it himself. He shook his head. "I didn't see him."
Grandpa Fei walked over as well. "There’s only one road in and out of the village. How could you have missed each other?"
Fei Cheng just wanted to get to his room and change so his grandparents wouldn't notice he’d been in a fight. He made up a random excuse. "Maybe we just missed each other in the dark. I didn't know he was coming to get me, so I wasn't paying attention to the roadside at all. Ah, I’m bursting, I need the bathroom!"
He ran upstairs with his bag.
"This child... every house has its lights on, how could he not see someone on the road?" Grandma Fei stopped in her tracks.
"Maybe everyone has their doors shut because of the cold, and the two brothers were both walking fast and didn't notice. Xiao Qi should be back in a bit. Never mind, I’ll go take a look," Grandpa Fei said, turning to head out.
Grandma Fei called out for him to be careful; she had to get dinner ready.
Fei Cheng ducked into his room, dropped his dirty bag on the floor, and immediately stripped off his mud-stained jacket. He looked down at his pants and sighed. He might as well take a shower and change everything.
About ten minutes later, Grandma Fei called from the stairwell, "Chengcheng, what are you doing up there? Your brother is back. Come down and eat."
Fei Cheng, now dressed, replied, "Okay! I know, I’ll be right down."
He used a towel to haphazardly dry his damp hair, stuffed all his dirty clothes into a red bucket, and pulled a thick coat from his room before heading downstairs.
Grandpa and Fei Qi were already at the table. The door was tightly shut, making the house much warmer than the outside.
"You took a shower? You didn't even dry your hair properly. Why wash your hair at night? Do it tomorrow at noon, or you’ll catch a cold," Grandma Fei said as she handed him chopsticks.
Fei Cheng smiled and said he’d wash it during the day next time.
His stomach was growling, so he didn't notice anything else. He picked up his chopsticks to grab some food, but they were blocked.
Fei Qi asked with a cold face, "Why did you come back so late?"
Fei Cheng: "..." He shifted his aim toward another dish. "I'm starving. Don't go looking for trouble. Whatever it is, wait until I’ve eaten."
Fei Qi didn't let it go. "What happened to the bruise on the corner of your mouth?"
The two elders, who had intended to let them talk after dinner, immediately turned their attention to Fei Cheng’s face.
The Fei family all had fair skin that didn't tan easily. Without cover, injuries were very obvious.
Grandma Fei put down her chopsticks and cupped Fei Cheng’s face. "Oh my, Chengcheng! Which absolute scoundrel bullied you again?!"
Fei Cheng didn't move. He glared at Fei Qi, secretly relieved he’d only been punched once in the face. He reassured his grandmother, "It’s nothing. I just bumped into something."
Bumped into something?
Grandma Fei looked suspicious.
Fei Cheng took her hands and gave them a squeeze. "Grandma, I’m starving to death. Let me eat first, okay?"
The child couldn't be left hungry. Grandma Fei had no choice but to let him eat.
After he was full, Fei Cheng wiped his mouth, poured a glass of warm water, and said he had finals next Wednesday and needed to go to his room to study. Then he made his escape.
Grandpa and Grandma Fei: "..." Studying was important, so they let him be.
Fei Qi wasn't so easily fooled. Seeing him go upstairs, he followed immediately.
Fei Cheng hadn't even closed his door; he was waiting for him.
He sat cross-legged in his chair, fiddling with a pen. When he saw Fei Qi enter, he said with a wooden expression, "You just couldn't wait to bring it up in front of Grandpa and Grandma, could you?"
Fei Qi closed the door behind him. "You’re hanging around those people again. Why shouldn't I bring it up?"
"What do you mean, 'those people'?" As Fei Cheng spoke, he remembered Grandpa saying Fei Qi went to get him. Had Fei Qi seen Liu Yucong and the others?
Fei Qi walked up to Fei Cheng. "Exams are right around the corner. Stop hanging out with those riff-raff."
"None of your damn business." Fei Cheng rolled his eyes. "Can you stop bothering me? It’s annoying."
Fei Qi crossed his arms. "If you didn't hang out with them and get into fights, would I bother you?"
Fei Cheng slammed his pen down. "Fine. Manage me however you want. I’m studying. Please leave and close the door."
Fei Qi looked Fei Cheng up and down, standing still. "Where else are you hurt?"
"Nowhere," Fei Cheng said coldly.
The two stared each other down for a moment before Fei Qi finally left.
He went downstairs to pour some water. Grandpa and Grandma Fei both crowded around. "Xiao Qi, did you find out? Who bullied Chengcheng?"
"No one." Fei Qi looked down at the plain water in his cup. "His classmates were playing around, and he wasn't looking where he was going and bumped into someone."
Grandma Fei sighed. "So careless. I’ll go boil an egg; rubbing it on the bruise will help it fade faster."
Fei Qi hummed in response. "Grandma, I’m going up to study too."
"Go on, go on. It’s cold, get to sleep early."
In his room, Fei Cheng touched his aching back and sniffed his congested nose. He took four cold pills and threw himself directly onto the bed.
Half an hour later, Grandma Fei came upstairs with a peeled egg, only to find Fei Cheng already asleep.
She entered quietly to tuck him in. She looked closely at the corner of his mouth and sighed. As she turned to leave, she noticed the schoolbag on the floor. She stared at it for a long while before turning off the light and closing the door.
Passing the bathroom, she paused. She went in to look through the dirty clothes in the red bucket. When she saw that the mud on Fei Cheng’s jacket was the same as the mud on his bag, she knew for certain that Fei Qi hadn't told her the truth.
Grandma Fei went downstairs huffing with anger. In the living room, only Grandpa Fei was left, drinking tea and watching a martial arts film.
She went over and set the egg on the table. "Chengcheng definitely ran into trouble today. His bag and clothes look like he rolled around in a mud pit."
Grandpa Fei didn't take his eyes off the TV. "What boy hasn't rolled around in the dirt? I saw Chengcheng eating well and his spirits seemed fine. It’s no big deal."
Grandma Fei glared at him. Seeing him ignore her, she grabbed the remote, turned off the TV, and walked away.
"Hey! Why’d you do that?" Grandpa Fei grumbled as he reached for the remote to turn the TV back on.
...
Fei Cheng caught the cold after all. When he woke up on Saturday, he sneezed incessantly, and his nose wouldn't stop running. By Saturday night, he started coughing. By the time he had to go to school on Sunday, his voice had turned into a raspy squawk.
As Fei Qi prepared to leave for school, he said to his grandfather, "Grandpa, take Fei Cheng to the hospital. His finals are on Wednesday. The longer this drags on, the worse it’ll get."
Grandpa Fei’s brow furrowed. "You know your brother. He refuses to go to the hospital and I can't force him. This cold hit him hard; I don't know if it’ll pass quickly."
"My words don't carry as much weight as yours. Be firm and just take him. He won't dare run away and leave you behind." Fei Qi glanced at Fei Cheng, who was still in the living room wiping his nose. "Grandpa, Grandma, I’m going to school."
Fei Cheng glanced at Fei Qi, but his vision felt a bit blurry. Dammit. He’d never felt this miserable from a cold before.
In this state, he probably wouldn't even be able to understand the exam questions.
And so, Fei Cheng took a leave of absence.
On Sunday afternoon, Li Xiuxiu received the call about Fei Cheng’s leave. Hearing that voice, he almost thought it was a prank until Grandpa Fei confirmed it.
Seeing that it was still early and there were two hours before evening self-study, Li Xiuxiu learned that Fei Cheng was currently getting an IV drip at the health center and went to visit without a second thought.
He found the patient room and peeked inside. Seeing Fei Cheng’s grandfather, he pushed the door open. The smell of disinfectant hit his nose.
Inside the room, three hospital beds were lined up on the right, taking up most of the space. Against the left wall was a long wooden bench that could seat five or six people, making the room feel extremely cramped.
The beds were full, so Fei Cheng had to sit on the edge of the bench. He was draped in a thick coat, an IV drip in his left hand, leaning listlessly against his grandfather.
Grandma Fei sat on a small stool beside him, occasionally tucking his clothes in to make sure he didn't get cold.
There was also a small child on the bench getting an IV, whimpering softly. His father held him while his mother bustled about.
It was so crowded there was hardly a place to stand.
Grandma Fei noticed Li Xiuxiu’s arrival and stood up with a smile, offering him her stool. She didn't make a sound, as if afraid of disturbing anyone.
Li Xiuxiu stepped forward and, influenced by the atmosphere, lowered his voice. "Sir, how is Chengcheng? What did the doctor say?"
He glanced at Fei Cheng. The boy was asleep, his face flushed red and his breathing rapid. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.
Grandpa Fei gently patted Fei Cheng’s back and said to Li Xiuxiu, "His throat is inflamed, he has a high fever, and they said something about an acute virus. He has to stay for observation. Thank you for coming all this way, Teacher Li."
Only then did Li Xiuxiu realize he had come in such a hurry that he hadn't brought anything.
He touched Fei Cheng’s forehead. "He was fine when school let out on Friday. How did he get sick so suddenly?"
Grandma Fei seemed to remember something. She opened her mouth to speak but then swallowed her words.
Though finals were important, health was more so. Li Xiuxiu couldn't bring himself to tell Fei Cheng to take the exams while sick. After talking with Grandpa Fei for a while, he took out fifty yuan and tucked it into the pocket of Fei Cheng’s coat. "Sir, I came in a rush and didn't buy anything. This is just a small gesture from me as his homeroom teacher. I hope Chengcheng gets well soon."
"Oh, this won't do. You taking the time to visit is already..." Grandpa Fei said, reaching for the money to return it. As he moved, Fei Cheng’s head slumped down, and he began to cough violently.
Grandpa Fei didn't dare move again. He and Grandma Fei both gently patted Fei Cheng’s back, coaxing him in low voices.
Li Xiuxiu waited a moment, and seeing that Fei Cheng hadn't woken up, he took the opportunity to leave.
Grandpa Fei asked Grandma Fei to see Li Xiuxiu out.
By the time Grandma Fei chased him out of the room, Li Xiuxiu was already gone. She had wanted to ask him if any other boys had been bullying her grandson again. Ah...
Fei Cheng’s illness came with a vengeance. The high fever tormented his consciousness. One moment he felt he was Qiu Minmin, sitting grim-faced in front of a computer typing; the next, he was Fei Cheng being humiliated and beaten. He switched between the two roles, his childhood and teenage timelines intersecting and overlapping. He felt like he was drifting, his head aching as if it were about to explode.
*
The bell for evening self-study rang. Yu Qing looked at the empty seat next to Cheng Yifei and couldn't sit still. He poked Cheng Yifei’s back. "Yifei, why isn't Chengcheng here for class?"
The pages of the book in Cheng Yifei’s hand, which hadn't moved for a long time, suddenly flipped rapidly. Without looking back, he said, "Do you think I would know?"
***
