Just as the caregiver came over, she heard a thud from outside the door. She quickly pushed the door open and went in. Looking down, she saw Lin Jinran lying on the floor like a child, her face streaked with tears.
The caregiver walked over lovingly, bent down and whispered words of comfort to her.
Hearing someone come in, Lin Jinran immediately wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. She dodged the hand the caregiver reached out and stubbornly supported herself on the corner of the bed to stand up.
She turned around and tidied up her appearance.
When the caregiver faced Lin Jinran again, she had already regained her composure. It was as if the tear - streaked face just now had not been hers at all, but merely an illusory vision.
"Auntie, now that my mother has passed away, according to our previous agreement, I will settle your salary and transfer it to your bank card. After that..." Lin Jinran paused, her tone still calm. "You don't need to come anymore."
Yes, since the girl's mother had passed away, it seemed that there was no point for her to stay. The caregiver nervously wrung her hands and said in a low voice, "Lin Jinran, if you need me, I can take care of you. Really."
"No need. Go back. I don't know where I'll go after the college entrance examination." Lin Jinran's eyes were full of sadness and a bit of confusion.
The caregiver knew that Lin Jinran really didn't need her anymore. She took one last look at Lin Jinran and then turned to leave.
The door of the ward closed again.
Lin Jinran seemed to have no bones as she slowly slumped down against the edge of the hospital bed. The cold floor pressed against her exposed skin, but it didn't even make her shiver.
The funeral parlor that Lin Cheng had contacted was well - known in Wannan City. They immediately arranged for a hearse to pick up Xiang Yanhua. Lin Jinran forced herself to stay strong and made arrangements for the subsequent matters.
In the funeral parlor, the firelight illuminated Lin Jinran's face. She shed silent tears as she watched her mother being carried into the cremation furnace. Later, what was handed to her was an urn of ashes.
Lin Jinran then chose a cemetery with excellent feng shui. She placed the ashes and erected a tombstone for her mother that read "Tomb of Xiang Yanhua".
She returned to her hometown.
This was the highest place in Wannan City. Looking out, one could have a panoramic view of the whole city.
After that, Lin Jinran fell ill.
...
"Knock, knock, knock... Knock, knock, knock..."
"Ranran, Ranran, are you at home? Lin Jinran, are you there..."
The knocking sound came from outside the door continuously. Lin Jinran woke up from her dream in a daze and stared blankly at the dim ceiling.
Another urgent shout came.
"Why aren't you answering the phone or replying to messages? Ranran, please don't have anything bad happen to you."
"..."
"You said let me open the door. Okay, I'll go open it."
Lin Jinran replied in a low voice. She struggled to get up, picked up her phone and walked towards the door.
It was noon, but the room was dim and there was no light. All the curtains were drawn and all the lights were turned off.
Lin Jinran opened the door. The bright light and warmth of summer poured in. She hissed and immediately covered her eyes and stepped back to avoid the blinding light.
Through the gaps between her fingers, she seemed to see a figure come in and close the door. Only then did the scalding light disappear. Lin Jinran put her hand down and looked down at the person in front of her. It was Su Qinian.
After not seeing each other for two days, Lin Jinran's face was extremely pale. Her glass - like eyes seemed to have lost all their pride.
And the room was extremely dim.
Su Qinian looked at her nervously and worriedly asked, "Ranran, why have you taken two days off? Are you not feeling well?"
Two days ago, Lin Jinran told him that she was going to the restroom and then never came back. Su Qinian went directly to ask the homeroom teacher, and the teacher said that she had asked for leave.
So Su Qinian didn't think much of it at that time. But he waited for two days, and Lin Jinran didn't show up and didn't send him any messages. All the messages he sent had disappeared without a trace, with no response.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
There were only a few days left until the college entrance examination. Lin Jinran's sudden "disappearance" made him worried. Taking advantage of the lunch break, he rushed to Lin Jinran's place.
Seeing her standing in front of him safe and sound, the stone in Su Qinian's heart finally fell to the ground.
Lin Jinran remained silent all the time. She lowered her eyes and silently watched Su Qinian, who suddenly let out a sigh of relief.
"Ranran, are you sick? Your face is so pale. And why are all the curtains in your room drawn?" Su Qinian nervously supported her arm and subconsciously wanted to touch her forehead with his other hand to see if she had a fever.
Lin Jinran didn't dodge. She just stood there indifferently. But when her arm was touched, it twitched back as if it had been burned. Her eyes dodged and she remained silent.
Su Qinian's face froze slightly. He thought that his touch had made her uncomfortable and immediately let go of his hand. He looked up and stared into her eyes seriously, patiently explaining, "Ranran, I just want to see if you have a fever. Is that okay?"
Lin Jinran hesitated and nodded.
Su Qinian gently placed his hand on her forehead. It felt warm, not like a fever. Maybe she had a cold or was uncomfortable somewhere else.
"Ranran, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? If you do, I'll take you to the hospital for a check - up, okay?"
The hospital? That place that devoured people without spitting out bones.
She remembered that her mother had been "eaten" by the hospital.
Lin Jinran was so scared that she took a big step back and shook her head repeatedly. Her glass - like eyes were filled with panic and uneasiness.
"There's nothing to be afraid of in the hospital. Are you, a grown - up, afraid of needles? Don't worry. It's just some check - ups."
Lin Jinran was over - reacting now, and Su Qinian couldn't quite understand. Was she afraid of needles?
He reached out his hand to pull Lin Jinran.
Lin Jinran dodged again.
Su Qinian shook his head, half - amused and half - helpless, and comforted her, "Okay, okay, we won't go to the hospital. But Ranran, you must tell me where you're uncomfortable, okay?"
The boy's eyes were black and shiny. At this moment, he was looking at her eagerly, waiting for her reply.
"I..." Lin Jinran slightly opened her mouth and uttered the first word. Her voice was hoarse and unpleasant. She hadn't drunk water for a long time. She immediately closed her mouth and didn't want to say another word.
Su Qinian looked a bit hurt. A flash of sadness passed through his eyes.
Lin Jinran was slightly touched and clenched her hands. She remembered all the gossips that said she was unworthy, from strangers, from Lin Tingnian, and recently from Zhang Qiaozhi.
"Lin Jinran comes from a blended family. Her biological father hates and loathes her. Her biological mother lies in the hospital ward, costing hundreds of thousands of yuan every month. Such a Lin Jinran, Su Qinian, would you be willing to accept her?"
"..."
Lin Jinran lowered her head and didn't dare to meet Su Qinian's burning and open - hearted gaze. Her soft back bent, and the corners of her eyes turned red.
"Su Qinian, I'm fine. I just have a fever and want to rest at home. I'll go back to school before the college entrance examination. Don't worry about me. You still have the college entrance examination. Focus on yourself during this period."