MTMIO Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Rewards for Good Children

Chapter 65 Rewards for Good Children

The emergency room waiting area was nearly empty late at night, with only the fluorescent lights above the triage desk illuminated.

The pale light resembled a splash of disinfectant, flowing directly to the blue plastic chairs outside the resuscitation room.

Lu You’s gaze followed the light.

Chen Feifei sat on one of those chairs, a solitary figure.

The pale blue steel door opposite was tightly closed, requiring a swipe card for medical personnel to enter.

The environment was excessively quiet, and Lu You subconsciously softened her steps, approaching Chen Feifei. She asked softly, “How’s your auntie?”

Chen Feifei looked up, her eyes red-rimmed and filled with a thin layer of moisture, like a shallow puddle close to drying up.

“They just took the medicine in… the curtain’s drawn, I can’t see anything.” Chen Feifei said, then slumped her head down dejectedly, “They told me to wait outside, said not to worry too much, I don’t know if they’re just trying to comfort me, and I don’t dare ask…”

Lu You sat down on the chair next to her and said, “Doctors are always very careful with their words. It should be stabilized.”

Chen Feifei hummed in agreement, a hint of apology in her voice: “I’m sorry, calling you over so late, did I wake you?”

An inappropriate thought of the unfinished activity surfaced in her mind.

Lu You hurriedly reined in her thoughts, clearing her throat guiltily: “How many years have we known each other? Don’t say that. I see you have Yun Zhu now, and you’re growing distant from me.”

Upon hearing this, the forced smile on Chen Feifei’s lips stiffened for a moment before disappearing.

Lu You keenly noticed this, suddenly remembering Chen Feifei’s attitude towards Meng Xuran that afternoon.

That kind of eagerness towards a beautiful woman was just like how she was before she knew Yun Zhu.

She hesitated whether to ask about it at this time, and how to even begin.

Chen Feifei confessed, “Actually, the first person I thought of really wasn’t you. I only remembered when I was dialing her number that we’ve… ended.”

Lu You was slightly surprised: “Weren’t you two doing fine just a few days ago?”

“The Yun family decided to arrange a marriage for her.”

Lu You pursed her lips, Chen Feifei had told her about this.

She had forgotten that from the beginning, this relationship was doomed.

“This was decided a long time ago. If that guy hadn’t come looking for her to sign a post-marriage agreement where they each do their own thing, I don’t know how long I would have been kept in the dark.”

Lu You frowned, a mixture of confusion and anger: “What does she mean by this? Was she planning to hide it from you until the wedding? Or hide it even after you’re married?”

Chen Feifei shook her head.

Perhaps she didn’t want to remember, or perhaps there were no answers to these two questions.

“I took all my things from her place. I thought I could easily let go, but the truth is, after just one day, I started missing her like crazy. I couldn’t help but want to look at the evidence of our time together, photos, diaries, gifts she gave me… but all of it was found by my mom first… She said I was abnormal, said I was sick, and I couldn’t control myself and started arguing with her…”

Chen Feifei’s spine seemed bent by these heavy, trivial matters. She covered her face with her hands, muffled sobs escaping from between her fingers.

“I didn’t mean to, but I’m really going crazy… I can’t tell anymore, is she the one who’s sick, forcing me to go on blind dates every day… or is it actually me who’s sick, and I should listen to her and just find someone—”

“Feifei.” Lu You interrupted her incoherent ramblings, “Maybe, from your mom’s perspective, she just hopes that after she’s gone, her daughter will still have someone to rely on, someone to take care of her, a new family.

In her generation, she was influenced and instilled with those rigid and outdated ideas, thinking that marriage and children are indispensable major events in life.

She doesn’t have the energy to understand the changes of the times, so she doesn’t know that you, growing up in the new era, can have a complete life without marriage.”

Chen Feifei’s sobs paused for a moment, then became more intense.

Lu You knew that Chen’s mother had been fighting cancer since the day they met.

After discovering cancer metastasis during a physical examination last year, Chen Feifei complained that her mother’s urging for blind dates had gradually increased.

The desire to see her daughter married before she passed away increased exponentially as her remaining days dwindled, seemingly becoming an obsession.

“Isn’t it because you understand her solidified thinking and are afraid of provoking her, that you’ve been hiding your true thoughts and casually agreeing to go on blind dates?

It’s normal for Auntie to suddenly know the truth and not be able to accept it. As far as this matter is concerned, neither of you is sick.”

Lu You patted Chen Feifei’s shoulder, “And I think, Auntie loves you so much that even if she doesn’t understand, she will try to respect you.”

Chen Feifei choked up: “She won’t.”

Lu You took out a tissue and handed it over, “How won’t she? I remember you told me that when you were a kid, you wanted to learn piano. Auntie initially disagreed, saying pianos were expensive and the family couldn’t afford one, and that you’d only be interested for a short time, and wouldn’t learn well even if she bought it. She didn’t believe you really wanted to learn, didn’t understand where you got your musical talent. But she found a part-time job, working two jobs, bought you a piano, and hired a teacher for you.”

Chen Feifei was probably reminiscing about the past, and didn’t speak for a while, only occasionally hiccuping from crying.

In the brief silence, Lu You subconsciously wanted to turn her pinky ring, but when she touched her little finger, she remembered that she had given it to Yue Yunxi before leaving. Thus, her fingertip clearly felt the rough texture of the scar.

A wound healed by time, she couldn’t really remember how much it hurt back then, but it always existed, and would always remind you in your memory of the pain belonging to it.

“Feifei, you know, I envy you for having a mom to argue with. I can’t even see the person I want to argue with.” Lu You’s mood also turned somber.

Chen Feifei blew her nose and said, “Then in a moment, if she’s still angry with me, I’ll let her vent it on you, tell her to argue with you.”

Lu You laughed and said, “Get out of here!”

Chen Feifei also laughed, but as she laughed, she turned around wanting to hug her good friend, but suddenly paused.

Using the faint light cast from the triage desk, she could vaguely see, on Lu You’s neck, a dark red hickey branded on her porcelain-white skin.

She didn’t have it when they parted ways at the entrance of Lost Deer tonight.

Chen Feifei opened her mouth: “You—”

The faint sound was interrupted by the sound of the opposite airtight door sliding open.

The nurse walked out from inside, said the doctor recommended Chen’s mother stay in the hospital for observation, and asked Chen Feifei to complete the admission procedures.

Lu You and Chen Feifei split up to cooperate, going to the supermarket to buy daily necessities.

After filling a shopping basket full of items, and finally picking up two washbasins, they went to the checkout counter.

The cashier stretched open the shopping bag, methodically scanning the items and packing them into the bag, the beep sound ringing out one after another.

Lu You took the last toiletries set from the bottom of the basket and placed it on the counter, put the shopping basket back in its place with one hand, and took out her phone from her pocket with the other.

Unlocking the screen, she habitually clicked into the green bubble, opened the pinned chat box, and typed a sentence into the input box “Chen Auntie needs to be hospitalized,” her hand suddenly stopped.

What if she’s asleep, wouldn’t the message notification wake Yue Yunxi?

She pressed the delete key, cleared the input box, and hesitated again.

What if… she’s not asleep?

One sentence, typed and deleted, deleted and typed, after repeating twice, Lu You still chose to give up, glanced at “Yue Yunxi” displayed above the chat box, and instead clicked on the profile picture on the left.

This person’s nickname had changed again, becoming a full moon emoji.

Lu You’s naturally pursed lips curved upwards.

Originally, she wanted to change the note for Yue Yunxi, but seeing this nickname, a flash of inspiration came, and she had a new idea—

She directly deleted the note for Yue Yunxi, and then changed her WeChat nickname to a deer emoji.

Lu You inexplicably remembered seeing many people paint night scenes under the moonlight, they always liked to add a deer figure at the end.

It seems that the moon should be paired with a deer.

She felt ashamed for this sudden idea, but at the same time, she tasted endless joy in that little bit of shyness.

Like an antidote, able to smooth over the phantom pain of old injuries flaring up.

After checking out, Chen Feifei sent the room number.

Lu You looked for it according to the room number.

Out of the elevator, a long corridor, a stronger disinfectant smell than the emergency room waiting area, brighter lights, like a thick transparent film, coldly shrouded in a dull silence.

The door to the room near the end was open, a doctor in a white coat stood at the door, explaining precautions to Chen Feifei, and finally told Chen Feifei: “You’re clear about your mother’s situation, you can’t make her angry or anxious anymore.”

Chen Feifei nodded, squeezing out a “Mmm” from her throat.

After the doctor left, Lu You walked in with the things.

There were two beds propped up in the room, the inside bed was empty, Chen’s mother was sleeping on the outside bed near the door, with oxygen tubes inserted in her nostrils, still receiving an IV drip, her hands were either stuck with needles or clips, the monitor lit up at the head of the bed, monitoring her vital signs.

Lu You helped put the tissues and cotton swabs at the head of the bed, only to find that Chen’s mother had woken up.

Chen’s mother blinked her heavy eyelids, and thanked her in a weak voice: “Sorry for the trouble, Little Lu. I think, I’ll have a few words with Feifei alone.”

Lu You could only agree, turned around and saw Chen Feifei’s frowning face, looking like she was about to be pushed to the execution ground. As she passed in front of her, Lu You patted her shoulder and said: “It’s okay, call me if you can’t handle it.”

Only then did Chen Feifei relax a little.

Because of this sentence, Lu You didn’t dare let her phone out of her hand. Sitting on the stainless steel chair opposite the ward, she pricked up her ears and listened for a while, but didn’t catch any fierce words, lowered her head, and tapped the screen randomly.

She wasn’t in the mood to play games, and didn’t have the heart to watch short videos, and finally opened WeChat and aimlessly scrolled through her Moments.

Zhong Shuyun posted a status three minutes ago: In the past, I only knew that Little Grass raised a pot of beautiful flowers, worked hard to nurture and carefully take care of them, but it was dug up by a dog, and not only did they not give it back to her, they even wanted to bite her. They snatched the flower and didn’t take good care of it, ruining a petal, and Little Grass cried for many years because of it. I also scolded the dog for many years along with her, only to find out today that the one to blame is not just the dog, but also the old lady who raised the dog, who hid someone else’s flower for her own dog. What is this all about!

Lu You was confused, and didn’t know if there was really such a thing, or if it was implying something.

As Zhong Shuyun’s student, she showed her support with a like, plus a comment: Bad dog! That old lady is no good either!

On the one hand, she thought, her old lady is still good, the top good among old ladies.

The next one, was Tuoba posting a few selfies, asking the good friends in her Moments to help her choose which cheongsam suited her best.

The cheongsams were all from the Jin Duan Fang recommended by Lu You.

Lu You thought, last time when Tao Xin’s illegitimate fan came to splash hot water, luckily Tuoba came to ask about the cheongsam store, so she didn’t go to the garage and stayed in place to reply to the message, so she also clicked a like.

Scrolling further down, after only a few swipes, her hand suddenly stopped.

【A flock of birds pecks at a swarm of stars at night】

From a full moon’s status.

Posted more than an hour ago, before she went to the supermarket.

Lu You copied this sentence, and searched for it on the internet, it also had a second half.

—Like my soul that loves you is sparkling.

Lu You took out the necklace from her collar, a small glass bead, shining with a bit of faint blue-green light in the ink color of the night.

Not just like a firefly.

If the soul has color, it’s also like a sparkling soul.

Lu You caressed the bead, and generously clicked a like, but didn’t know what kind of comment to leave for a while.

The phone vibrated in her palm.

[Full Moon]: 【How’s it going?】

[Deer]: 【Shouldn’t be anything serious, but the doctor recommended staying in the hospital for observation, and doing a check-up tomorrow morning. Just finished the admission procedures.】

[Deer]: 【Why aren’t you asleep yet】

[Full Moon]: 【How can I fall asleep?】

[Deer]: 【Why can’t you fall asleep?】

After a while, Yue Yunxi replied: 【Lonely pillow hard to sleep】

It was strange, there was clearly no expression, no tone, just these simple four words, but Lu You unconsciously imagined Yue Yunxi using a wronged and soft voice, brushing her ear.

Making people’s hearts soften.

Also making people feel a desire to destroy.

Lu You hooked her lips and typed: 【Yunxi JieJie, you’re not a child anymore, you need to learn how to sleep alone】

She was deliberately mischievous.

Staring at the “Typing…” appearing and disappearing on the chat box, Lu You held her hand against her lips and laughed silently for a long time.

A new message finally popped up in the chat box.

[Full Moon]: 【Okay, I’ll try.】

Seeming like a good child who listened to the rules, restrained her willfulness, was considerate, and well-behaved, framing herself into the appearance that others wanted.

Lu You pursed her lips.

She inexplicably remembered in the past, no matter what good things there were, food, drinks, hard-to-get concert tickets… as long as there was one less, the one who voluntarily conceded, or was asked to concede by the elders, was always Yue Yunxi.

But they never gave a good child the reward they deserved.

As if being older, making concessions was to be expected, and being obedient and well-behaved was taken for granted.

Feeling the phone vibrate, Lu You came back to her senses and looked down.

[Full Moon]: 【You can hire a caregiver for Feifei’s mom, someone who’s about the same age who can chat with her, you and Feifei don’t be too tired. Although the meme is overused, I still want to say, drink more hot water, it’s cool at night, the hospital supermarket has fleece blankets, buy two to put on. I’ll try harder to conjure up some sleepiness.】

Following that, was a red envelope.

Lu You took a deep breath, and grumbled in her heart, this isn’t dating a girlfriend, it’s clearly dating a mom, right…

Her thoughts paused for a moment, and the messy thoughts were quickly dismissed. Lu You impolitely clicked open the red envelope, 521.

Why isn’t it 520?

——“Why are you still so scared to be a 1?”

She inexplicably remembered this sentence, remembered the tone that Yue Yunxi used to say this, containing a smile, like bubbling spring water, still carrying a bit of heat.

Remembering some fragments before and after, scattered and fragmented, and finally, in the fixed image, Yue Yunxi looked at her with deep eyes as she answered the phone, her hands grabbing deep folds in the skirt, under the forked silk material, a pair of porcelain white legs came together, tightened to the extreme.

She was too anxious at that time, that she ignored many details. She thought at the time that Yue Yunxi was just like her, unhappy with the sound of the phone, but patiently endured it.

Now she realized that it was another kind of endurance.

And only now she understood that sentence.

How can I fall asleep.

Her leg was a little itchy, she scratched it with her fingertip, it was a mosquito bite.

Mosquitoes that are about to overwinter, when they bite, are not only itchy but also a bit painful.

Lu You sighed, and typed one word after another: 【I’ve already arranged for a mosquito to go over and say good night for me, go to sleep obediently, be careful when you go to school tomorrow, students will come to give you panda bean cakes】

Yue Yunxi replied to her one by one:

【Then I still want you to say good night to me in person.】

【Yes ma’am, go to sleep obediently, is there a reward?】

【Or maybe I should take back what I said earlier, having real panda bean cakes isn’t bad either.】

The door to the ward was pulled open by Chen Feifei from inside, Lu You put away her phone and walked forward.

Apart from her eyes being redder than before, Chen Feifei’s expression looked fairly normal. Lu You was relieved, and didn’t ask much about what the mother and daughter had talked about, and only said: “Someone’s treating, do you want to drink water?”

“Sure. Who’s so nice, treating to water. Is it my goddess who’s treating?”

It wasn’t too surprising that she guessed it, Lu You nodded, didn’t think that this was the right time to announce something, so she didn’t say anything more.

She changed the topic and asked: “By the way, what were you going to say to me outside the emergency room earlier?”

Chen Feifei couldn’t remember: “What?”

“Like, you said ‘you,’ and then the emergency door opened, and you were interrupted.”

Walking to the vending machine, Chen Feifei knocked on her head that was muddled from crying, and frowned, “You? You, are you and my goddess together?”

Lu You’s hand on the button paused, and nodded in agreement.

“That’s good, very well-matched.” Chen Feifei took the hot milk tea from her hand, “About my and Yun Zhu’s matter…”

Lu You understood: “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

“…It’s okay if you tell, you’ll have more topics to talk about, actually, when I was with her, I didn’t stop teasing you two either. My goddess is really into pure love, still pulling off this unrequited love routine.”

“?!”

Chen Feifei smiled, but that smile quickly faded a little, she got back to the main point and said lightly: “Just… don’t spread my matters today to her ears, that would be good.”

That word “don’t” was said very lightly.

Light enough to be full of struggle, if Lu You didn’t have good ears, she almost wouldn’t have heard it.

So Chen Feifei ultimately didn’t want Yun Zhu to know about her recent situation, or did she?

Emotional matters are really so complicated.

If she teased Yue Yunxi, she’s so smart, she would definitely know Feifei’s true thoughts.

Lu You bit the milk tea straw, a bit eager to return home.

She wondered, if the good child had fallen asleep.

－

Lu You accompanied Chen Feifei in the ward all night, and couldn’t help but doze off briefly in the chair, until dawn, she took Chen Auntie to do a few examinations as instructed by the doctor, and followed Yue Yunxi’s suggestion to find a kind-faced auntie who was easy to get along with to take care of her.

She only left the hospital after fooling around with two mouthfuls of rice at noon.

Lu You first sent Chen Feifei home, and on the way back, passed by a flower shop.

The pink-orange flowers in the bucket at the door were blooming extremely well, like bursting orange gummies.

The shop assistant said it was called Apricot Cheerleader, and if you take care of it, it can turn pink.

Lu You had them wrap a bouquet.

It was almost one o’clock in the afternoon when she got home, the perfect time for a nap.

The door to the house was open, Yue Yunxi stood at the door, Lu You got out of the car, walked over with heavy steps, reached out and hooked her arm over her shoulder, hanging herself on her.

“Goo—” She opened her mouth, only one sound came out.

“Good what good, ya! Ya ya ya!” Grandma’s voice tumbled over, no one knew where she popped out from, looking at her with disdain, “You’re muddled from staying up all night, recognize people! This isn’t your grandma, hugging after closing your eyes, and you still don’t let go.”

Lu You widened her eyes, immediately let go and stood up straight, “Grandma… When did you come back?”

Luckily she was half a beat too late, otherwise she would have kissed her.

Yue Yunxi coughed twice lightly and said, “Uncle Lu just left.”

No wonder the door was open.

Lu You glared at Yue Yunxi unhappily, and was glad that she was in a hurry to hug, and hadn’t taken out the flowers yet.

Grandma opened her arms, “Come over here, always looking at your Yunxi JieJie for what, Grandma is here. This child, staying up all night is like being drunk.”

Lu You turned her head.

“What are you looking at, didn’t you want a hug?” Grandma shook her arms, “Don’t you always want a hug after visiting Little Chen’s mom, and coming back?”

The old lady lowered her hand, “Okay okay okay, after hugging Yunxi you don’t need this old lady anymore, right.”

Lu You hurriedly leaned over and hugged Grandma, affectionately rubbing Grandma’s soft face, and said coquettishly: “I was sleepy and confused, of course.”

“Take a shower, and get some good sleep.”

“Okay, then I’ll go take a shower.”

“Hey, wait a minute!”

Lu You had only taken a few steps, before Grandma grabbed her arm, and suddenly braked her.

Grandma reached out and pointed at the dark red marks on her neck, squinting her old eyes and asked: “Is this… a mosquito bite? Or are you allergic?”

Lu You covered her neck, and sent a glance towards Yue Yunxi.

The latter was calm, “Let me see.” She leaned forward, moved her hand away and said: “It seems like… a mosquito bit it, and you’re allergic.”

Lu You: “……”

Damn your mosquito!

Grandma couldn’t see clearly, and didn’t suspect anything else, “Then put on some of that stuff, the green tea ointment.”

“I’ll put it on after I shower.” Lu You covered her neck, and walked upstairs without looking back.

After stepping on the last step, she held the handrail and turned her head back, looking down at Yue Yunxi and asked: “You… What time are you going to school?”

Yue Yunxi raised her hand, and looked down.

Her wrist was empty.

Lu You raised an eyebrow, a sly smile slowly floating from the corner of her mouth to her eyes, “Oh right, the watch is with me, remember to take it before you leave.”

ˉ

She was too exhausted, Lu You didn’t stay in the shower for too long, and was too lazy to continue blowing her hair after drying it half-way, went out and looked around, and didn’t see Yue Yunxi’s figure.

The wristwatch was still on the bedside table, and hadn’t been taken away.

She simply grabbed the watch in her hand.

Between being half-asleep and half-awake, she felt her hair being gently lifted, Lu You frowned, her eyelashes struggled and trembled, and she laboriously lifted them upwards.

Yue Yunxi was helping her dry her damp hair tips with a dry towel.

“…What time are you leaving?” Lu You was very sleepy, closed her eyes, and asked softly.

“I only have one class today, it’s still early.”

Lu You hummed, and felt Yue Yunxi’s fingertips brush across the side of her neck.

It seemed to be the location of that mark.

“Aren’t you afraid of being discovered.” She reached out and stroked it, “You actually planted it here…”

Yue Yunxi chuckled: “If I’m discovered, what will you do?”

That subtle tone.

Seeming like she wasn’t afraid of being discovered, but instead looking forward to being discovered.

Lu You was startled awake by half of her sleepiness, opened her eyes and looked over.

Yue Yunxi wore glasses, her gaze seemed to have gained a bit of cold sharpness from the lenses.

Lu You sat up, a head of black hair streamed down from Yue Yunxi’s knuckles, she sat on Yue Yunxi’s lap, her left fingertip traced her eyebrows to the corners of her eyes, pinched the temple of the glasses, and her right hand followed the buttons of her shirt, falling down one by one.

Yue Yunxi indulged her actions, without any intention of stopping her, even gently raised an eyebrow, as if to encourage her.

“How didn’t I realize before, you’re actually so cunning.” Lu You took off her glasses, and slowly got closer.

“I’m just curious.”

“Slow down, okay, I’m afraid Grandma can’t accept it for the time being.” Lu You negotiated softly.

“Okay.” Yue Yunxi responded obediently, “I’ll listen to you.”

Lu You kissed her lips, bit her, pressed her lips against hers, and said as she caressed: “This is a punishment for a mosquito.”

Yue Yunxi lifted her chin, wanting to respond, wanting to deepen the kiss.

Lu You instead tilted her head, got closer to her ear,

“I remember you, you hate waiting for people the most, but you still waited for me for a long time.”

She was talking about last night, and also talking about before.

“I want to give you a reward for a good child.”

Whispering softly like breathing, like spring rain moistening the ear, “Tell me, what do you like, what do you want me to do, okay?”

Yue Yunxi’s eyes rippled, everywhere was soaked by this rain.

As she fell backward, the wind blew into the room, and a corner of the thin illusion gauze was rolled up. Today wasn’t exactly good weather, the sky was deep gray, and the light was dim.

She looked at the thin light and shadow on the ceiling, thought of the first day she moved into this room, it was an odd-numbered day, and she had swiped to the content she didn’t want to see on her Moments again.

Congratulations on moving, she smiled on her lips, but felt very stuffy in her heart, drank a lot of wine, and after getting drunk she also lay on the bed like this.

At that time, she had a dream.

Walking on a very long street, without street lights, only a moon hanging in the distant sky, there were many forks in the road, she tried to walk through the forks, but in the end, she would return to that long street.

She didn’t know how long she walked, she finally saw the end, reached out her hand, there was soft moonlight.

Later, still in this room, she dreamed once of indescribable things, she forgot the location, only remembered that she woke up covered in stickiness.

She felt like she was crazy, and also felt that it was good to be crazy.

But from beginning to end, she could have unconscious dreams, but she didn’t dare to have conscious fantasies.

She didn’t dare to imagine there would be such a day, in her home where she had lived for many years, that truly belonged to her, in her room, on the bed filled with her aura.

She would hold Lu You’s hand, hand-in-hand, teach her, where to go and how to do it to please herself.

At a certain moment, she thought of that long street in the dream again, and just walked down like that.

Be drenched in a rain of moonlight, it didn’t matter if she was soaked through.