Visa On Arrival Chapter 11
byRooftop
The wind on the roof was strong, blowing the man’s shirt so it billowed out and then pressed back against him.
He stood at the edge of the rooftop, looking down.
A white SUV drove into the hospital parking lot, reversed, and parked. The headlights flashed once before turning off, and a person stepped out.
The man pulled out his phone and dialed a number. It rang twice before being picked up.
Building A rooftop.
The person below looked up, staring straight in his direction.
That person turned and walked into Building A.
Footsteps rose through the stairwell floor by floor, getting closer and heavier. He didn’t move, simply putting his phone back in his pocket and waiting.
The door was pushed open.
The person had just stepped onto the rooftop.
The man threw a punch straight into the other person’s face.
The man leaned against the wall, gasping for air. A bruise spread across the corner of his mouth, and a bit of blood seeped out, but he didn’t fight back. He only lifted his eyelids to look at him.
The wind whipped between them, making their collars flap loudly.
He stared at that face, his chest heaving. That punch seemed to have exhausted all his strength, leaving behind only a weariness and chill that seeped from his bones.
He let go of the other man’s collar, his eyes wide with rage as he roared a question: Qi, is this how you handle things!
A crack was opened in the curtains, allowing light to squeeze through.
Qi Ranyue lay in bed, sleeping deeply.
Her left wrist was wrapped in thick gauze. Transparent liquid from the IV drip fell drop by drop, unhurriedly flowing into the back of her right hand.
The air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and a faint, lingering scent of evaporated alcohol.
She was asleep, her chest rising and falling slightly. Her eyelashes flickered occasionally as if she were having a nightmare.
The sunlight moved slowly, crawling onto her bandaged wrist and stopping there, like a touch that didn’t dare disturb her.
Her mother sat on the sofa chair by the window.
Her mother’s back was very straight, her hands folded on her knees, clutching a crumpled tissue.
She had been crying continuously but made no sound, simply staring at the pale face on the bed, her eyes full of heartache.
Chen Rong sat on a stool by the bed, leaning forward slightly with her elbows propped on the edge.
Slap!
One second, the hospital room was silent, with the mother staring blankly by the window and the friend dozing at the bedside.
The next second, Qi Ranyue’s mother had already rushed to the door and delivered a solid slap to the face of Qi Lan, who had just entered.
Qi Lan’s head snapped to the side from the blow.
The mother went to strike a second time, but Chen Rong grabbed her from behind.
Auntie! Auntie, please calm down…
Her mother struggled, tears streaming down as she glared at the man before her.
Let me go! It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault! She must have heard what you said that day. It’s all your fault!
Her mother’s scolding gradually weakened, turning into sobs, then a crying tone, and finally intermittent, breathy sounds.
Bright red finger marks were imprinted on Qi Lan’s face. He slowly turned his head back to look at the mother.
His gaze passed over them and landed on the hospital bed.
No one spoke.
Her mother’s struggling faded into sobbing and full-body tremors.
The sunlight began to slant.
Cough, cough.
In the deathly silent room, those two coughs were like two pebbles thrown into a deep pool, ripples spreading out circle by circle.
Chen Rong’s whole body jolted.
She snapped her head up and looked at Qi Ranyue.
Her face was still just as pale, but her brow was furrowed as if her throat were uncomfortable.
She was so anxious her tongue felt tied. Auntie…
Her voice was trembling.
Auntie, Yueyue is awake.
Her mother looked up excitedly.
She stood by the bed, looking down at her, her chest still heaving slightly.
Baby, how could you be so foolish? Even if there’s no blood relation, you are still your mother’s heart and soul. Why couldn’t you see past this? Her mother gently stroked Qi Ranyue’s face, her voice thick with tears. Since you were little, when have I ever treated you poorly? I was afraid of dropping you when I held you, afraid of you melting when I pampered you. If I did something wrong, tell me, and I’ll change, okay? Just don’t do this ever again. You scared me to death.
The girl lay in bed, watching her mother’s eyes turn red again and her lips begin to tremble. She turned her head away, pretending to look at the IV bottle.
Her mother’s voice paused.
You child… I only have you, my precious daughter. No one can ever replace you in my heart. Your father’s and my love is only for you. All the family’s companies, industries, and money are yours. You can do whatever you want.
Her voice was still tearful, raspy and dry, as she continued to reassure her. I just want you to be safe and sound, okay, Yueyue… promise me, okay?
Her eyes reddened again, but she endured it, trying her hardest, though her voice shook more and more.
I’ll stay with you every day. I’ll cook whatever you want to eat…
Qi Ranyue said something.
It was very soft.
Her mother didn’t hear it clearly.
She froze for a moment and leaned in closer: Baby, what did you say? I didn’t hear you.
Qi Ranyue turned her head back.
Mom, I’m sorry.
Her mother burst into tears again, her shoulders twitching. She covered her face with her hands as suppressed sobs continuously escaped.
Qi Ranyue lay there, staring at the ceiling, which was blindingly white. The crying sounded like fine needles pricking her temples one by one.
I want to be quiet for a while.
Her voice was very soft, like a breathy sound squeezed from her throat.
Her mother’s crying paused.
You all should go back.
But, baby…
Chen Rong walked over and gently supported the mother’s arm. Her mother didn’t move, looking at her, her eyes red and swollen, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say more.
Qi Ranyue closed her eyes.
After a long time, a chair creaked softly, and footsteps moved toward the door.
The door opened, then closed.
The hospital room was finally quiet.
Qi Ranyue opened her eyes and looked at her bandaged wrist.
Tears slid from the corners of her eyes into the pillow.
Evening.
Chen Rong pushed open the door to the hospital room.
The setting sun sliced in at an angle, falling across the bed.
The quilt was bunched up.
She walked over and called out softly, Yueyue.
There was no response.
She reached out to pat her gently, but realized something was wrong and threw back the quilt.
Two pillows were stacked together, indented into the shape of a person lying down.
She was stunned.
She pulled out her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed the number.
Ring, ring, ring…
No one answered.
A moment later.
The phone screen lit up.
There were two messages.
The first was a location: South Lake Park, west side wooden boardwalk.
The second: Come alone. Otherwise, I’ll jump.
Chen Rong spun around and rushed out of the room, her hurried footsteps echoing in the hallway.
Outside the window, the twilight was deep.
Moonlight scattered across the lake’s surface, looking as if someone had knocked over a girl’s entire box of silver loose powder. When the wind blew, those fragments of light came alive, chasing each other and rippling toward the shore in layers.
A bench by the lake stood lonely under a tree.
She sat right in the middle.
She watched the lake surface quietly, a few strands of her loose hair occasionally lifted by the evening breeze.
The moonlight outlined her profile: the curve of her nose, the contour of her lips, the line of her chin, and the bandaged hand hanging by her side.
The lake was too bright, so bright that her expression was invisible.
She watched quietly.
Watching those silver points of light shatter in the ripples, gather, and shatter again…