Chapter 81: The Sedan Driver Is Seriously Injured And Has Been Rushed To The Hospital For Treatment…

In the following days, An Yize came practically every weekend.

What An Yize had wanted to do was to come every other weekend. However, Su Jian stopped him, saying, “I said that I came here to think about things calmly. If you are always here, how can I stay calm?”

Although Su Jian had said that he would take the bus back every weekend, An Yize wasn’t willing to let Su Jian suffer riding the long-distance bus alone. Thus, he always drove over. Although the living conditions here were simple and crude, the scenery was beautiful. When they were free, they would often go out. Sometimes, they would drive to the next town to enjoy their delicacies. Sometimes, they would take a slow walk around the village. If they felt interested, they would go to the surrounding hill and stroll along the path lying between the fields. On sunny days, they would go fishing on a lake. Leaning against each other, they would bathe in the warm afternoon sun.

Su Jian lamented, “It just feels weird that you’re doing these things with me.”

An Yize hugged him, “I’m doing these because I’m with you.”

Su Jian laughed, “That’s true. If it wasn’t for seeing you fall into the paddy field, why would I walk through the path between the fields anyway?”

An Yize: “……”

Ever since cooking the first time he visited, An Yize never cooked again. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to cook. Instead, it was because Su Jian had already prepared a lot of ingredients to cook with before he came.

During their meal, Su Jian revealed a table full of dishes with a satisfied look. On the other hand, An Yize was stunned when he saw the dishes.

They were all his favourites.

Su Jian didn’t notice this when he bought the ingredients or when he cooked. He only realised after seeing An Yize’s reaction. He quickly explained himself, “Recently, the carrots are becoming cheap, so I bought some to make beef stew. When I tasted some steamed short rib a while ago, I thought that it was pretty good, so I made some. As for the spicy fish head, I wanted to have it myself!”

An Yize didn’t comment, only eating quietly.

Su Jian watched as An Yize emptied bowls and bowls of rice. After they finished eating, Su Jian sat beside An Yize. Pulling up his sleeves, he asked An Yize warmly, “Dear, do you need me to rub your stomach?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

An Yize: “……”

……

The weekend came again.

Su Jian didn’t have any classes on Friday afternoon and the village school wasn’t strict with its employees. Thus, when Su Jian was done with marking the student’s work, he slipped out to buy groceries.

Although it started raining and the rain was gradually getting heavier, Su Jian mood was great for some reason. The video store beside the market was continuously playing rural heavy metal songs. Su Jian thought that it sounded pretty good and would hum along occasionally.

As Su Jian’s mood was great, he didn’t even try to bargain when he bought the vegetables. Hearing the shopkeeper say, “This maiden is so straightforward”, Su Jian thought: Although I can’t rival An Yize’s crude way of flaunting wealth, I’m at least able to refrain from licking the lid when I eat yogurt![1]

However, when he thought about that act, Su Jian started feeling uneasy.

Previously, when An Yize came, he had brought along a brand of yogurt that Su Jian liked. Su Jian was very happy and opened the packaging on the spot. Then, as usual, he licked the lid of the container of yogurt. When he looked up, he realised that An Yize was staring at him. Then, An Yize put on a serious face. With a serious reason “There’s yogurt on your mouth. I’ll wipe it,” he licked Su Jian’s lips, neck, and chest, licking more seriously than Su Jian had licked the yogurt…

When Su Jian came back to his senses, he quickly paid for the groceries. Carrying a bunch of things, he arrived at his electric bicycle.

An Yize had specifically bought this electric bike for him, and An Yize had one himself too. When An Yize came over, they would ride the bicycles out sometimes. The village road didn’t have many cars and was surrounded by fields on both sides. Other than the clucking of the chicken and the barking of dogs, there was only the sound of the wind. When Su Jian has a good mood, he would challenge An Yize to a race. However, there was one time when Su Jian overtook An Yize and he turned around to laugh at An Yize. Suddenly, a car appeared in front. Su Jian was busy laughing and didn’t notice. Therefore, when the car horn sounded, Su Jian got shocked. Losing control, his bicycle rushed towards the paddy field by the side……

Recalling the pathetic sight of him climbing out of the paddy field with his body full of muddy water, Su Jian couldn’t help but hold his head in shame. Fortunately, An Yize didn’t laugh at him during the ride back. He pulled Su Jian back to the dorm room for a bath and a change of clothes. Then he stuffed Su Jian into the blanket.

Su Jian put on his raincoat. Then, he rode his bicycle back to the dorm room.

When he reached home, he received a call from An Yize. Learning that An Yize would reach in roughly an hour, Su Jian hung up his phone and squatted in front of a pail. There was a fish inside the pail. It was caught two days ago by him when he went to fishing at a small river out of boredom. Initially, he didn’t have the intention to eat it, so he left it in a pail and raised it. Su Jian stretched his hand and poked the fish inside, speaking leisurely, “A fish’s life is short and full of hardship. Sorry dear, I have no choice. Uncle An likes to eat squirrel fish. If you have any grievance, please find him!”

Humming the song “Tan Te”, Su Jian started cutting the vegetables. The pressure cooker by the side was emitting steam. Although the rain was getting heavier and the air outside was extremely cold, the room was like a little warm paradise.

After finishing all the task, Su Jian looked at the time and realised that one hour had passed. He breathed out in relaxation. When Su Jian removed his apron, he noticed the Pleasant Goat design on it. He couldn’t help but chuckle when he recalled the tall and and strong looking An Yize cooking with this apron over his suit.

After arranging the dishes, Su Jian sat by the table. Looking at his own masterpiece, he felt very satisfied. He had wanted to take a bite. However, he decided to control himself.

The sound of the rain was getting louder and louder from outside the window and wasn’t stopping. As this place was far away from the city, the nights are very quiet. Therefore, the sound of the rain was crystal clear. Su Jian looked outside the window,only to see the water droplets that was lighted up by the lights in his room, adding to the sense of mystery.

Su Jian suddenly realised that he hadn’t heard such a pure sound of the night rain for a very long time. At this moment, rain was pouring outside his room. He was seated in front of a table full of dishes under the faint yellow lights, waiting for someone to arrive. This was a scene that he couldn’t remember experiencing before.

Su Jian turned his head around and looked towards the door.

After learning that An Yize entered his room the first time by borrowing the keys from the uncle managing the dorm below, Su Jian made another set of keys for An Yize. Resting his head on his arm, Su Jian thought out of boredom: When An Yize arrives, will he knock the door or will he open the door himself with the keys? What will be the first sentence he’ll say when he comes in…

However, after half an hour, there was no sound of someone knocking on the door. Neither was there the sound of the keys opening a door.

Su Jian glanced at the table of food that was gradually turning cold and furrowed his brows. He took out his phone and started calling An Yize.

“Sorry, the number you have called is powered off…”

Su Jian was stunned. Hanging up, he called again. The female voice from the phone once again repeated the sentence with a mechanical voice.

Why did he turn off his phone suddenly? Don’t tell me he ran out of battery?

Su Jian felt a little anxious. Walking towards the window, it was pitch black outside. There wasn’t any light from vehicles. Furrowing his brows, Su Jian returned back from the window and sat by his table for a while. Then, he took out his phone and started playing Fruit Ninja.

However, he wasn’t able to execute the beautiful techniques that he usually used. He played a few rounds which all ended with a ‘game over’ very quickly. Su Jian quit the game angrily. Looking at the time again, he realised that only ten minutes has passed. Thus, he made himself wait a little longer.

Nevertheless, after another half an hour, An Yize still hasn’t gotten to his room and his phone couldn’t be reached as well. Su Jian couldn’t sit still any longer.

Thinking for a moment, Su Jian took his umbrella and went down.

Su Jian stood downstairs and looked into the distance. Other than the sporadic road lights, the surround was pitch black. And within the night, no other sound could be heard except for the sound of the rain.

Just as Su Jian was hesitating whether to make a trip to the school entrance with his umbrella, the uncle managing the dorm, who was listening to the radio, stuck his head out from the side window and said, “Teacher Su, you’re still heading out even though it’s so late?”

Su Jian replied vaguely with an “Mhm”.

The uncle tried to dissuade him, “The rain is so heavy and the weather is cold. It’s better not to go out! If you have something to do, you can do it tomorrow!”

“It’s nothing, I’m just going out to take a look.” Su Jian replied slowly. Just as he was about to head out, he heard the announcer from the radio saying, “Around six thirty pm, a traffic accident occurred on xx highway. A black sedan of xa brand collided with a truck. The sedan driver is seriously injured and has been rushed to the hospital for treatment…”

Su Jian’s leg that has stepped out for half a step paused midway.

Around six thirty pm, xx highway, xa brand, black sedan…

Su Jian’s heart clenched. For an instance, his heart seemed to have stopped beating. Then, it started pounding like crazy.

The sedan driver is seriously injured…

Su Jian wanted to comfort himself thinking that there couldn’t be such coincidence, However, when he remembered An Yize saying he would reach his house one hour later and then his phone being switched off subsequently, Su Jian started feeling at a loss.

The temperature seemed to have dropped. Su Jian hugged his arms and couldn’t help but tremble. Then, he suddenly remembered something. Taking out his phone immediately, he started making a call. However, his hands were trembling slightly and he missed the buttons quite a few times.

“Sorry, the number you have called is powered off…”

Su Jian took the phone away from his ear slowly. Thinking for a moment, he quickly called Ji Mingfei.

“Linda’s number? Wait, I’ll find it for you…”

After obtaining An Yize’s secretary,’s number Su Jian quickly called her.

“Madam, the president left the office around five pm.”

If he left the office around five pm, he would reach xx highway by car at around…

Su Jian froze.

“Teacher Su? Teacher Su? What’s wrong? You don’t look so good.” The uncle asked in concern.

“Nothing…” Su Jian tried to raise the corners of his lips forcefully. However, he realised they wouldn’t move no matter how he tried.

With shaking hands, Su Jian took his phone and searched for the traffic police’s number. He paused for a moment before making a call.

“The victim is a young man and he’s already sent to xx hospital…”

Su Jian’s heart trembled. Not listening to the rest of the sentence, he quickly hung up and rushed into the rain with his umbrella. As he walked quickly, he called his colleague.

“Teacher Zhang, can I borrow your family car for a while? …En, I have something going on. It’s very urgent. Okay, I will head to your house now to get the keys…”

Su Jian walked quickly in the rain. Other than the sound of the rain, there wasn’t any other sound. The icy cold rain water that was concealed by the darkness hit him in his face. Even the umbrella couldn’t shield him completely. However, he didn’t mind it and continued moving forward with troubled thoughts.

The night was icy cold and the rain was pouring.

Alone in the rain, he walked faster and faster and he eventually started running.

……

Suddenly, a ray of light in front cut through the rain and entered his eyes.

Su Jian’s legs came to a stop. Seeing the approaching light from the car, Su Jian didn’t move as he panted.

The black car stopped not far before him.

Then he saw someone opening the car door and came out.

“Jian Jian?” An Yize walked over quickly and furrowed his brows when he saw Su Jian who was almost completely drenched. Quickly bringing back the umbrella that was falling from Su Jian’s hand, he held it over Su Jian’s head and asked, “Why are you here?”

Su Jian stared at the person before him dazedly. Because of the backlighting, he couldn’t actually see An Yize’s face clearly.

Then, he slowly squatted down.

“Jian Jian?” An Yize was worried and confused at the same time.

“Nothing.” Su Jian buried his face within his arms and knees. “Just let me calm down. I’ll be fine after calming down…”

Footnotes:

[1]Not licking the lid – This is just an analogy to say that rich people have no need to lick of the little bits of yogurt on the lid as they can just buy more while poorer people can’t afford to waste that little bit.