Chapter 57: The Peculiarities of Life and the Unforeseen Blow

Sometimes, life truly is a peculiar thing.

Real life is nothing like the movies or television dramas, where every plot point, every direction, every value seems to follow a discernible path.

Instead, it is utterly chaotic, disorienting, and often meaningless.

If a person isn’t strong enough to imbue their own life with meaning, life itself can drive them to madness.

I sat on a long bench in the quiet corridor of the sprawling hospital.

The morning air hung cold and still.

Not far from me, an elderly man, dressed in simple farmer’s clothes, leaned against the wall, his aged head bowed, his breathing soft and even in sleep.

Dragon Brother remained in the ICU.

In the early hours of the morning, a doctor emerged, rubbing his weary eyes, and asked about my relationship with her.

I told him she was my sister.

Without a word, the doctor handed me a form, informing me that her condition was far from optimistic.

He spoke of a ruptured spleen, a minor spinal fracture, and extensive contusions on her left arm.

I barely registered his words, taking the form and signing it haphazardly, still in a daze.

The doctor, silent once more, took the form and re-entered the intensive care unit, the red light above the door glowing ominously.

Even now, it all feels incredibly unreal.

I sat on the bench for a while, even questioning if the doctor had truly been there at all.

****

Li Goudan emerged from the mountains, witnessing the city’s splendor, its vibrant lights and bustling nightlife.

He yearned for such a life, determined to strive for it.

He settled in a third-tier city, toiling day and night washing dishes and scrubbing plates.

Eventually, he saved enough money to rent a small apartment in this city.

Filled with anticipation, he prepared to live the life he had always dreamed of.

Then, disaster struck at home: his parents fell gravely ill.

The funds he had diligently saved for his first step towards a new life were instead spent on their medical treatment.

Suddenly, everything was back to square one.

Subsequently, he worked even harder, earning money, all the while cursing the injustice of fate.

As a country bumpkin, he faced discrimination in the city.

When he spoke of wanting to see the wider world, most scoffed.

Ultimately, Li Goudan unwittingly became entangled in a gang conflict, which led to gunshots, a frantic escape, and a relentless pursuit.

Eventually, the police arrived, apprehending everyone involved.

Unintentionally, Li Goudan discovered a sum of money from the gang’s drug dealings, hidden within a ventilation duct.

He used this money for charity, cured his parents’ illnesses, and finally realized his dream of living in a big city.

From then on, he understood a profound truth: a person who strives for their ideals will ultimately achieve everything they desire.

Even if their efforts are misguided or seemingly futile, money will miraculously fall from the sky.

But this is a television drama.

Life, however, is when a person who has done nothing but good deeds, whose family lives in abject poverty, and who is their family’s sole hope, boards a car bound for the city.

Then, a landslide occurs, and they are forever lost to this world.

****

It was much like Dragon Brother.

She used to be quick to fight, quick to anger, and in truth, none of it was her fault.

She had grown up in an environment where her experiences taught her not to back down, to confront everything head-on, believing that whoever had the fiercest temper was in the right.

And these beliefs had, indeed, proven useful.

Then, one day, she became a woman.

She severed all ties with her past, found a job, and prepared to start life anew.

One evening, after work, she invited me to dinner.

Just then, a motorcycle appeared, striking her and sending her flying two meters through the air.

This is life.

****

The corridor remained silent.

I raised my head to a clock on the wall ahead of me.

It was five fifty-six in the morning.

Five minutes after Dragon Brother was struck, the jarring wail of police sirens filled the pedestrian street.

Two vehicles arrived, operating with precise coordination.

From one, a group of people emerged, quickly deploying a stretcher to load Dragon Brother into the ambulance.

From the other, several men in police uniforms disembarked, dispersing the crowd.

Some, with grim expressions, spoke to me, their lips moving, yet I heard nothing.

The lead officer sighed, and suddenly, the surrounding sounds became clear.

He told me that once I had calmed down, I should go to the municipal police station at ten o’clock.

This time, I understood.

Footsteps echoed through the quiet corridor, growing closer from afar.

I kept my head down, staring at the floor.

Before long, the footsteps slowed, and someone sat down beside me.

I turned my head.

It was a small girl in a black hoodie.

The corridor’s light remained dim, but her fair complexion was evident from her profile, her black hair spilling from beneath her hood, revealing a straight, pale nose.

Neither I nor Old Han spoke.

The corridor was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a long moment, she softly said, “I was out for my morning run, and I heard something happened here.”

I said nothing.

After another pause, she asked, “How is Dragon Brother?”

I leaned forward, clasping my hands together, covering my mouth and nose.

After a moment of gathering my thoughts, I repeated the doctor’s words from earlier: “A ruptured spleen, a minor spinal fracture, extensive contusions on her left arm…”

Old Han asked, “What about the police?”

I paused for a moment, then said, “They want me to go to the station at ten o’clock.”

Old Han stared at the wall in front of her, then quietly lowered her eyes and nodded.

“If I knew who did this, I’d tear them apart.”

The words burst from my mouth, unbidden, the voice not quite my own, raw and hoarse.

Old Han was silent again for a moment, then asked, “How much are the medical expenses?”

I stared at the wall before me and said, “Around forty to fifty thousand.

The doctor said her condition isn’t good… mainly because of the spinal injury.

Apparently, there’s a small chance of paralysis.”

Old Han was quiet for a bit, then softly said, “Is that enough money?

I just spoke with Old Chu, and she said she could help cover the medical costs.”

I shook my head and said, “No, not her… She’s always pulling all-nighters coding her crappy programs.

She had low blood sugar a while ago and collapsed right in front of me, ended up hospitalized for half a day.

I’ll figure out the money myself.

We can talk about other things later.”

Outside the window, the sky gradually brightened.

It was a beautiful, sunny morning.

The elderly farmer still leaning against the wall, though asleep, his tightly pursed lips slowly relaxed.

I stood up.

Old Han, who had been behind me, turned her head and asked, “Where are you going?”

I exhaled.

Stretching my stiff body, I started walking out of the corridor.

Old Han remained silent behind me.

As I walked, I turned my head.

Old Han’s face was very fair, her dark eyes hidden beneath the brim of her hood, and she watched me intently.

I said, “It’s early in the morning.

I’m going downstairs to buy some soy milk or something.

You must be hungry too…

The Old Master is downstairs.

He probably isn’t awake yet at this hour.

Keep an eye on him for me in a bit.”

Old Han stared at me, then after a long moment, said, “Of course.”

“Mm.”

I smiled and turned around.

The view outside the window was truly beautiful.

The sun shone cleanly, a few thin clouds drifted across the horizon, and the entire sky was a brilliant blue.

The old lady who sold tea eggs was still downstairs, rubbing her hands and calling out to passersby.

Old Han softly said from behind me, “I’m worried you’ll do something foolish.”

I immediately burst out laughing.

I said, “I’ve done plenty of foolish things already.

A few more won’t make a difference.”

As I finished speaking and was about to go downstairs again, Old Han’s voice rose slightly behind me: “Lu Ren!”

I turned around, unperturbed.

The sun had fully risen, its rays falling gently on my back.

Old Han squinted, looking at me with effort.

Her face was very pale, like Dragon Brother’s, almost translucent, her long black hair cascading from beneath her hood.

“That’s my brother.”

As the words left my mouth, I found my voice trembling again, hoarse, dry, suppressed—it didn’t sound like my own.

I said, “She was struck down right in front of me… Old Han, that’s my brother.”

Old Han looked at my face.

She froze for a moment, then silently lowered her head.

The sunlight in the corridor was still.

I started walking again.

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