Chapter 1166: Chapter 1166: Turning Point (7)
The family members took turns trying to persuade her to no avail. Ruanlin was terrified; she was afraid that if she stayed a moment longer in the hospital, something might happen to her dear child at home, and she would rather lose her own life straight away.
The quilt covering Ruanlin had faded a bit after many washes and was adorned with a pair of rich floral patterns. Ruanlin’s hands rested on it, calloused and dark from years of farm work and house chores, so rough that even with an IV, the needle marks were imperceptible.
Ruan Jiaojiao quietly observed her for a long while, not noticing anything out of the ordinary, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that Ruanlin didn’t look well.
After finishing her milk, she crawled onto her bed as Xiu Xi stood watching at the door.
“Grandma…” Ruan Jiaojiao burrowed out of her quilt and snuggled up to her. Ruanlin loved cleanliness and always carried a faint soap scent, which Jiaojiao had known since she was little. But this time, she didn’t smell it. Instead, the scent of disinfectant was more pronounced.
She sniffed at her with her small nose.
Ruanlin, half-laughing and half-crying, poked her forehead: “Just like a little puppy, what are you sniffing at?”
“Grandma!” Ruan Jiaojiao wore a very serious expression.
Ruanlin looked at her, her heart pounding.
Then she heard Ruan Jiaojiao say, “Did you change your soap? Jiaojiao thinks the old scent was nicer.”
Ruanlin paused for a moment, then sighed in relief and replied with a smile, “Yes, Jiaojiao doesn’t like it, huh? I’ll change it back tomorrow.” In reality, she hadn’t taken a bath since coming home today because she was too weak and just lay down immediately.
“Okay. Grandma, you should sleep early. Jiaojiao still needs to get up early tomorrow.” Ruan Jiaojiao crawled out of her quilt and said while putting on her shoes, “By the way, Grandma, you don’t need to make breakfast for Xiu Xi and me tomorrow morning. We planned to go across the street to try the spring noodles. I heard they’re delicious.”
“I see, alright,” Ruanlin nodded. Since Ruan Jiaojiao and the others occasionally ate outside before, Ruanlin didn’t suspect anything.
After leaving Ruanlin’s room, Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi returned to her room, where the original large bed had been replaced with two small single beds separated by a screen.
Ruan Jiaojiao took her clothes to shower first, followed by Xiu Xi.
When Xiu Xi finished showering, he saw that Ruan Jiaojiao was already lying in bed, her breathing steady, seemingly asleep.
Xiu Xi sat by her bed for ten or twenty minutes before going behind the screen to his own bed. As he lay down, Ruan Jiaojiao, who was supposed to be asleep, opened her eyes.
She stared at the speckled ceiling, the light creating many small black spots in her vision until Xiu Xi turned off the lamp, and those black spots disappeared, turning into white spots instead. At the same time, tears rolled down the corner of her eyes.
——
In high school, starting from the first year, there was a once-a-month holiday schedule, with each holiday lasting three and a half days, plus half a day off every Sunday. So even though it was Saturday the next day, Ruan Jiaojiao still had to get up to go to school.
She synced up with Xiu Xi to wash their faces and brush their teeth, then went downstairs to greet Ruanlin before leaving home with Xiu Xi.
The injury on her leg was no longer a major concern as long as she didn’t exert herself, and it wouldn’t tear. After leaving the house, Ruan Jiaojiao remained silent until they reached a corner of the street. She tugged on Xiu Xi and said, “Xiu Xi, can we wait before going to school?”