Chew Slowly Chapter 5

“The medicine from the Infirmary is very expensive; I can’t keep using it,” Xu Qiaochuan answered honestly, pinned down in a chair.

The Emergency Department doctor frowned upon hearing this and glanced at Chen Zongqian: “How can that be? Doesn’t his older brother care?”

The two looked similar, their features seemingly carved from the same mold. The doctor had worked in the emergency room for many years and had seen countless reckless kids and negligent parents who didn’t take their health seriously. “They only come to the hospital when they can’t bear it anymore. If it’s too late, it’s over.”

There were several glaring red marks on Xu Qiaochuan’s wrist, his joints were slightly swollen, and there was subcutaneous bruising. The doctor examined both his hands and briefly asked about the origin of the injuries.

“He was bullied at school,” Chen Zongqian said, looking down. When he saw Xu Qiaochuan roughly push the bone back into place in the dormitory, he felt something was wrong. The injury looked like a habitual dislocation.

Unfortunately, the orthopedic department wasn’t open at night, otherwise Chen Zongqian would have wanted the doctor to take an X-ray. Xu Qiaochuan’s bullying at school certainly hadn’t been happening for just a day or two, and professional documentation would be more convincing. Chen Zongqian was thorough; this kind of matter could not be easily brushed aside.

The gloom was already profound; he didn’t want Xu Qiaochuan’s sky to become even darker and more uncertain.

The doctor was silent for a moment, his movements becoming more cautious.

Chen Zongqian patted him on the back: “Did they hit you too?”

Xu Qiaochuan shook his head. He habitually avoided eating or washing up at the same time as others. If he wasn’t the first person back, he would be the last one to leave. But today, those people lost a game and stayed in the dormitory longer, and Xu Qiaochuan unfortunately became their target.

“No contusions, no subcutaneous bleeding, and no puncture wounds inside,” the doctor examined Xu Qiaochuan’s nose. Seeing his poor state, he checked the blood pressure monitor and exclaimed, “You must be dizzy and have a headache. Your blood pressure is soaring.”

Xu Qiaochuan recalled that he had indeed felt like he was going to die from distress just now.

The doctor asked about his medical history. Xu Qiaochuan had been to the hospital very few times. The only time he remembered clearly was when he was scalded by boiling water, which couldn’t be treated at the village clinic and required a transfer to the county hospital.

His medical history was practically blank. The doctor then asked if his parents had a history of high blood pressure. Xu Qiaochuan thought for a moment and said his mother and Granny might.

His tone was doubtful; he didn’t pay much attention to these things. After all, home was a shameful and chaotic place, and his parents were a pair of lunatics who had been fighting for decades. It wouldn’t be surprising if he was a lunatic too.

Seeing the numbers on the blood pressure monitor about to rise again, Chen Zongqian patted him on the shoulder at the right moment. Xu Qiaochuan trembled violently, turning his head to brush against that hand.

“Relax. Don’t think about the sad things for now.” Chen Zongqian couldn’t provide psychological counseling, so he could only offer a few insignificant words of comfort.

The feeling of being touched made Xu Qiaochuan very nervous, even though the movement was light and quickly withdrawn. Xu Qiaochuan stared at the cufflink in front of him. If he didn’t think about those things, he could only focus his attention on what was right in front of him.

When he was held, Xu Qiaochuan had felt discomfort and resistance, which he would suppress and endure, waiting for the person to let go. But Chen Zongqian was simply holding him, slowly calming him down, without any further transgression.

In a certain minute, a certain second, Xu Qiaochuan drew a bit of energy from this person’s hand—gentle and appropriate.

Xu Qiaochuan pushed aside distracting thoughts like panic and fear and realized he wasn’t feeling annoyed. Relying on this person, he stabilized his restless, anxious, and fluctuating heart.

After his blood pressure dropped, Xu Qiaochuan’s nose stopped bleeding.

“Get a comprehensive examination during the day. Bone injury is not a small matter… high mental stress is also not a small matter.” The words were directed at Chen Zongqian.

On the way to pick up the medicine, both maintained a tacit silence. Xu Qiaochuan was unaccustomed to walking side-by-side with anyone, always keeping a body length of distance. Chen Zongqian was tall with long legs, and Xu Qiaochuan walked slowly, so the journey inevitably involved stopping and starting.

Chen Zongqian thought of the misfortune he had experienced tonight, or perhaps even earlier, which made him so constrained and uneasy.

Their gazes met in the reflection of the glass door. Xu Qiaochuan didn’t dare look closely and quickly averted his eyes, but Chen Zongqian’s eyes lingered in his mind for a long time.

Chen Zongqian told Xu Qiaochuan to sit down while he went to collect the medicine and pay. He could see the fatigue on the boy’s face and also wanted a moment to compose himself. Subconsciously reaching into his empty pocket, he realized with a start that he had quit smoking long ago; there was no cigarette pack or lighter there.

He didn’t actually want to smoke, especially since Xu Qiaochuan was waiting. The hospital lobby at this hour had only a few people. Looking back and seeing Xu Qiaochuan sitting obediently, Chen Zongqian felt a slight stirring in his heart.

“How much was it?” Xu Qiaochuan asked.

Chen Zongqian had no intention of hiding it and casually stated a number. Xu Qiaochuan stammered, “That expensive? I’m not even sick.”

He felt that nothing was wrong with him. A dislocated wrist would heal in a few days, and the nosebleed was an accident, which had stopped now anyway. These weren’t illnesses, so why did he need such expensive medicine?

“You have medical insurance, it’s fine,” Chen Zongqian casually lied to prevent him from dwelling on it.

Xu Jian only spent money on gambling and drinking. The only person who would pay for his medical insurance was Lu Xiaoyun. Xu Qiaochuan’s right eye began to twitch uncontrollably.

“I can’t spend her money.” He thought his expression must be extremely distorted. Xu Qiaochuan pressed his hand against his chest over his heart, like a ritual of self-soothing. He was afraid of palpitations and dizziness, afraid of being sent back to the emergency doctor, afraid of having to take a lot of medicine, or being so serious that he would need to stay in the hospital.

Xu Qiaochuan started to become agitated again, and his nasal cavity stung when he inhaled. Chen Zongqian quickly tried to calm him down, thinking that he had inadvertently stepped on a landmine again, and offered a helpless smile.

The sick leave slip required Xu Qiaochuan to return to school before 8 AM tomorrow. Chen Zongqian checked the time; they had been busy rushing around until midnight.

Xu Qiaochuan didn’t want to return to school, nor did he want to continue troubling Chen Zongqian. But he had no money and nowhere to go.

Office buildings were brightly lit, and shop neon signs flashed. Walking down along the street and the harbor, they couldn’t find a single dark place. Although it was midnight, it was still as busy as daytime here. He and Chen Zongqian walked to the most famous commercial district of Pingzhou Port, a place far from the school.

Pingzhou Port was a city with a coastline at the front and rivers running through it. It wasn’t very large, but it possessed an excellent harbor and waterways, giving it superior transportation conditions.

This gluttonous monster could handle hundreds of millions of tons of cargo annually. Ships traveled back and forth, carried and propelled not by water, but by funds and banknotes surging like a torrent. Because wealth was being created every minute and every second, Pingzhou Port was also like a sophisticated clock that never stopped.

Yet, not everywhere was as glamorous as what they saw now. Xu Qiaochuan’s hometown, his school, and the factory he would go to after graduation were the other side of the clock face.

Just like the frantically spinning gears beneath the clock face, these places filled with noise and the smell of unpleasant machine oil, places that absorbed countless cheap laborers from inside and outside—these were also Pingzhou Port.

“There are hospitals near the school too,” Xu Qiaochuan said, looking at the harsh lights. He felt there was no need to come all the way here.

Chen Zongqian unbuttoned his jacket, revealing a black shirt underneath. Xu Qiaochuan looked at it and quickly averted his gaze. He heard Chen Zongqian say, “I know, but I wanted to take you somewhere else.”

Public hospitals have fixed working hours; only the Emergency Department is staffed around the clock.

“A comprehensive examination is better. Didn’t the doctor just tell you to go back and see someone during the day?” Chen Zongqian leaned against the railing of the river embankment. The wind was strong by the river, and he smoothed back his hair. The neatly styled strands lost their constraint and were casually ruffled.

Even like this, Chen Zongqian didn’t look disheveled. He was relaxed and natural: “I don’t want to wait. I’ve arranged for another doctor who can do the examination.”

“They are willing to work now?” The blood on his short sleeve had dried. The wind blew his clothes, outlining Xu Qiaochuan’s slender waist.

Chen Zongqian handed over his jacket: “They are willing to for money.”

“I don’t have money to give you.” Xu Qiaochuan held the suit jacket in his arms but didn’t put it on. “You definitely aren’t helping me for money.”

He had almost never been cared for so thoroughly and meticulously. Xu Qiaochuan was uneasy, unable to accept the kindness frankly. He had guessed many reasons along the way, but none convinced him.

Chen Zongqian saw his apprehension and spoke to him and himself: “Any normal person with empathy would lend a hand when they see this.”

But they wouldn’t do too much. Chen Zongqian could have simply taken him to the teachers and leaders, contacted his parents, and at most offered some legal advice. Instead, he felt he had done too much, which only made things more complicated.

“Can you do this for everyone like me that you meet?” Xu Qiaochuan gripped the suit jacket. The fabric was slightly stiff, and Chen Zongqian’s warmth had long since dissipated. “No, right?”

Xu Qiaochuan was very smart and knew that these things weren’t happening by coincidence. He didn’t dare look at Chen Zongqian, but the other man liked looking at him. This wasn’t a look of intimacy, but one of appropriateness and tenderness. Xu Qiaochuan had met his gaze and felt that there was not only tenderness in those eyes but also sadness.

It was as if Chen Zongqian could see something else through him. Xu Qiaochuan’s palms were slightly sweaty, and he suddenly let go of the jacket. He asked Chen Zongqian who he was grieving for.

Chen Zongqian was speechless at his sharpness. He was indeed sad. After meeting this child, who was similar in age and appearance to Xiao Ran, everything he did was driven by a private motive.

“My colleague took on your mother’s case, and she saw a photo of you when you were little. She thought you looked very much like a relative of mine… like my younger brother.”

Lu Xiaoyun was resistant to him for some reason, and Chen Zongqian hadn’t been able to see the photo himself. Although abrupt and presumptuous, he had gone directly to Xu Qiaochuan’s school.

Chen Zongqian’s overflowing kindness made Xu Qiaochuan’s heart pound violently, and his nose and eyes ached, as if tears were about to fall. It was thanks to someone else’s light that he had this night, but by tomorrow, everything would return to normal.

He had only ever known that pain lasted a long time, but he hadn’t known that gentleness could too. Xu Qiaochuan feared he would never dare to recall this night again, yet he could never bear to forget it.