The sounds of people’s voices filled the gymnasium.
Yue Zhishi was lying on his side on the ground, his symptoms getting worse. He clearly wanted to breathe in deep breaths of air, but the amount of air that flowed into his body became thinner and thinner. It was as though there was a hole in his chest, the air leaking out with a hiss. Before he could take a single satisfactory breath of air, he had already started to violently cough.
Wang Qian was also very anxious, sensing that the condition of his student’s body was truly extremely bad. “Yue Zhishi, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Can you talk?” Shifting Yue Zhishi up, he lightly patted his back. “Try to take a deep breath. Slowly.”
Just as everyone was unsure about what to do, a person in white burst into this field of light blue, breaking open the huddle of people.
“Spread out. Don’t surround him.”
The classmates around were all startled — no one expected Song Yu, who had just been speaking on stage, would suddenly appear here at this very moment.
Class adviser Wang Qian was also a bit shocked at seeing Song Yu. He was a student Wang Qian had led before, and back then, he’d found the child quite cold and detached. Song Yu hadn’t even had all that many good friends, and he didn’t seem like someone who would do a heroic deed no matter how Wang Qian looked at him.
Song Yu knelt down on one leg and half-carried Yue Zhishi in his arms. Yue Zhishi wasn’t able to speak anymore by now. Song Yu adjusted the way Yue Zhishi sat, and then took out an inhaler from his own pocket.
See the medicine Song Yu carried with him, Wang Qian was slightly uncertain, and he carefully questioned, “Song Yu, can he take your medicine? I’ve already called the emergency staff at the school hospital, they’ll be here really soon.”
“They won’t get here on time. This is his puffer.” Song Yu was so calm he didn’t seem like a student at all; he seemed more like a professional emergency worker. Raising his head, he told the people around them, “Everyone move out a bit more.”
He loosened Yue Zhishi’s school tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt. With Yue Zhishi’s neck exposed, Song Yu slipped an arm around his shoulders and steadily supported his head. Song Yu’s other hand aimed the inhaler directly at Yue Zhishi’s mouth, his movements rapid and smooth. “Yue Zhishi, inhale.”
Right now, Yue Zhishi’s head was covered with cold sweat. His lips were faintly purple, and he instinctively clutched Song Yu’s arms, using all of the energy in his body to suck that vapour of medicine into his lungs.
It had been a long time since his last asthma attack. The feeling of not being able to control his tears and his breathing smashed into him like a wave; his entire mind went blank, but he could hear Song Yu’s voice — it was an invisible comfort.
“Again.”
Despite being in the same year for the last two years, it was the first time his surrounding classmates saw such a first aid scene, and they stood dumbly by the side, stunned. Those who were familiar with him knew he had an allergy, but he usually only had rashes. He’d never had such a severe allergic attack before.
The ice-cold medicinal vapour poured into his lungs. Several minutes later, Yue Zhishi’s continuously heaving chest returned slowly back to normal, and his breathing finally stopped being so short and weak.
“Do you feel better?” Wang Qian was still quite uneasy. “We’ll still send you to the infirmary to rest.”
“He needs to be checked.” Song Yu took away the inhaler, his gaze also moving away from Yue Zhishi’s pale face. He inadvertently saw a packaging bag discarded on the floor, two words printed on top.
Reaching out a hand, he placed it onto Yue Zhishi’s chest to feel his current heartbeats. He then grabbed Yue Zhishi’s arms and turned them over before checking his neck, inspecting the condition of his rashes.
His symptoms might have been soothed, but Yue Zhishi’s consciousness was still lagging behind. Every time his asthma flared up, he would always feel extremely dependent, like a nestling who’d had his life saved in the midst of a fight.
When Song Yu had been giving him first aid, he hadn’t been able to think of anything at all, only knowing that it must definitely be Song Yu who was saving him. After recovering, the first thing Yue Zhishi wanted to do was to confirm it — and so he feebly raised his eyes. His heart only eased upon seeing Song Yu’s face.
“Ge…” His voice was fragile, and his fingers clung weakly to Song Yu’s arm. His allergic attack had swept over him like a fierce wind; his remaining pieces of willpower had him completely forget about his promise and his pretence.
Sharp-eared Jiang Yufan repeated out loud without using his brain: “Ge… Ge?!”
That one word, via a human-shaped megaphone, rippled and spread outwards ring upon ring.
Song Yu was Yue Zhishi’s ‘older brother’.
On the day of the school opening ceremony, the entire school learned of the secret Yue Zhishi had guarded for two years.
–
In a school, there would always be several people who stood out. If they weren’t talked about, then they would be surrounded by a crowd.
Yue Zhishi and Song Yu were the classic examples of people who stood out, except no one thought that these two people, who normally didn’t interact with each other at all, would be connected — and that they would be connected so closely.
News travelled fastest within a dense mass of people. It didn’t take long for the accident during the opening ceremony to become everyone’s topic of discussion.
Yue Zhishi’s childhood had never really been tranquil.
He’d entered kindergarten in the middle of a term after arriving to the Song family. He hadn’t been familiar with anyone, he hadn’t been able to talk to anyone and most importantly, he hadn’t looked the same as everyone else. He’d constantly been surrounded by people like a circus animal; he’d even been bullied by some older children who gave him nicknames such as ‘yellow fur’ or ‘little bastard’.
He really hadn’t liked kindergarten. He’d refused to go every day and had wanted only to hide at home and draw. As soon as he arrived at the entrance to the kindergarten, he’d cry — being carried off the car had almost been as though they were taking away his life.
After entering elementary school, he had still frequently looked at, but at least Song Yu had been there. He’d gone looking for Song Yu whenever he was unhappy. Sometimes Song Yu would turn around after finishing class and see pitiful Yue Zhishi hanging off the door frame of the back door of the classroom; he’d looked just like a puppy who’d yet to be weaned.
As kids his age slowly started to mature, less people had ostracised him; everyone started to gradually get used to him. And then later again, after those kids had grown up and their sense of beauty had changed, more and more people started to think Yue Zhishi was actually good-looking, to the point his looks couldn’t be compared at all to the other boys his age. He had a good personality as well, and so Yue Zhishi inexplicably turned from the one being bullied to the one being pursued and admired. In short — the talk around Yue Zhishi had never once stopped.
He didn’t like being the centre of attention, he didn’t want to be publicly punished during the opening ceremony, and yet in the end, Yue Zhishi still caught the entire school’s attention through such a spectacular method.
Lying on a bed in the infirmary, he gazed up at the ceiling in a daze. The doctor on duty gave him a check up, and he obediently followed the doctor’s instructions like a toy without a soul. He lay back down afterwards and continued to rest.
His calm and steady breathing soothed him.
Yue Zhishi had had a rich imagination ever since he was a child. He could think of a hermit crab on a white beach from the tiny stain on the ceiling, and then he could use that small space in the crab’s shell to think of caves — or even black holes.
Just as he was using that ceiling to explore the universe, the door suddenly opened. Yue Zhishi flipped over, pulled back the bed curtains a small crack and peeped out, only to see Jiang Yufan’s face. He fell back onto the bed, disappointed.
“Le Le?” Jiang Yufan kept his voice very low, as though worried he would wake Yue Zhishi.
“I’m not asleep.” Yue Zhishi sat up on the bed and drew back the curtains. “Has the ceremony finished? So quick.”
“Mn.” Jiang Yufan had helped him bring over his schoolbag and even handed him a carton of milk. “You shouldn’t be allergic to this one, right? I’ve seen you drink it usually.” He relaxed only after Yue Zhishi shook his head. “Teacher said you don’t have to go back and report. You can just go home after you feel better.”
Yue Zhishi took a sip of the milk. “Has Teacher Wang called my family?”
This was entirely an accident to begin with — it was him who hadn’t been careful. He didn’t want Aunt Rong to worry about him.
“I don’t know, but he called Song Yu and talked with him for a while. Probably to understand the situation.” Jiang Yufan found the confidence to now say, “I was saying how could there be such coincidences. He just so happened to pick up your name badge, just to happened to recognise you. He even ran down from the stage halfway through his speech to give you first aid, and he just so happened to be carrying your meds. If it weren’t for you calling out ge at the end there, I was about to suspect if the two of you had some kind of unspeakable relationship.”
Yue Zhishi jumped, hearing that final sentence. “No no no, how could that be possible.” And then, he belatedly explained, “We’re not real brothers either.”
Actually, he too was feeling very regretful. After he had recovered and been able to think again, Yue Zhishi could pretty much beat himself up whenever he thought about how he’d called Song Yu gege in front of everyone’s eyes. He was extraordinarily remorseful about doing so.
“Not real brothers? Then cousins?” The light dawned on Jiang Yufan. “I was about to say, the two of you don’t look alike at all. And you guys don’t have the same surname.”
“We’re not cousins either. Let me explain.” Zipping back up his schoolbag, Yue Zhishi gave him a simple explanation of his foster situation.
And even though he talked about it mildly and casually, it didn’t matter how silly Jiang Yufan was — he still found it somewhat of a shock. “I see…”
To children in their early teens, the words of ‘foster care’ were too heavy. They seemed to be linked with the words of ‘misfortune’, ‘tragedy’ and ‘to depend on others to live’.
Jiang Yufan silently thought, no wonder Yue Zhishi pretended to not know Song Yu at school. He ruffled his hair and said, “Then, then… Is his family good to you?”
Yue Zhishi smiled. “Yes. They treat me as though I was their own.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” Jiang Yufan then said, “But, then why didn’t they just directly… I mean, adopt…” He said that last word very very quietly.
But Yue Zhishi didn’t really take it to heart. “Oh that. I asked that before, too. Uncle said that my mom and dad were very amazing people and that they were my only parents. No one in the world could take their places, and he hoped I could remember that. And Uncle and Aunt said, even without that formal recognition, they’ll still take care of me very well.” He added, “Uncle Song is my dad’s best, best friend. They’d grown up together like real brothers.”
“So it’s like that…” Jiang Yufan looked much more at ease. He patted Yue Zhishi’s shoulders and said seriously and earnestly, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell other people. My mouth’s sealed tight.”
“It’s fine.” Yue Zhishi lowered his head, abruptly realising his shirt buttons had been unfastened and his tie had also been undone. But he didn’t remember what happened when he’d been half-conscious, and so as he did up his buttons, he mumbled, “What happened…”
“Your brother… I mean, Song Yu undid them when he was giving you first aid.” Jiang Yufan then said, “You definitely didn’t see it, but he looked too cool when rushing off the stage.”
Yue Zhishi truly hadn’t seen it. It was such a pity, but he could imagine the scene. With his head lowered, Yue Zhishi saw the black dot splotched on the tip of his shoe, and he thought of the ominous clouds he’d imagined right before his asthma had flared up. He had been surrounded by dark and dense clouds, completely trapped.
Song Yu dashing down — he most likely had looked like a a sharp beam of light. He’d cut through those dark clouds and had found him.
That image came to life in front of Yue Zhishi’s eyes, and a shred of pleasure rose in his heart — even the milk turned sweet. Grabbing his schoolbag, he realised it was bulging. He unzipped it and took a look; the gift box he’d received that morning was inside. “You even brought this?”
“I remembered you said you were going to class 11 after everything was over.”
“Mn.” He squeezed the gurgling milk carton and threw it into the trash. After he finished fixing his tie, he touched Jiang Yufan’s leg with his swaying one and said, “Let’s go, let’s go home and eat.”
Jiang city was still as hot as summer during the beginning of September, and the dense branches of the golden-rain trees that’d yet to be trimmed for many years almost stretched into the third floor windows. Those fervent green leaves were obstructed by the tightly shut windows, and they looked quite pitiful.
They were like the young Yue Zhishi who’d pressed himself against the glass doors of the study rooms, his pudgy face squeezed into a different shape as he looked at Song Yu.
He’d been classmates with Yue Zhishi since first year of junior high, so Jiang Yufan knew of his allergy. He just didn’t think it was so serious. He curiously asked, “How did you know you were allergic to wheat? Since it’s so severe, it must’ve been really dangerous the first time it happened.”
The first time…
He actually remembered bits of it, but his memory of it couldn’t be considered vivid at all. Plus he’d gone to the hospital too many times as a child — it actually diluted his memory of the time he discovered he had an allergy.
“I don’t remember. I was only three at that time, I think I had to stay in the hospital.”
“Three!” Jiang Yufan couldn’t dare imagine it. “It was scary enough the way you were today. Good thing your brother was here, I was scared to death earlier when I looked it up on Baidu. I didn’t realise asthma could take away people’s lives if they didn’t have their meds with them.”
Yue Zhishi comforted him, saying, “Today was something that happens extremely rarely. It’s the worst luck among all bad luck.”
But he then remembered: the first time he had a reaction, Song Yu seemed to have also been there.
Saying goodbye to the doctor on duty, the two of them prepared to go downstairs and leave. But they’d just come out of the infirmary when they saw a delicately pretty girl with short hair; she was dressed in the junior high uniform like them. Her face was red, and her voice was also very soft as she said, “Yue Zhishi…”
Yue Zhishi didn’t recognise her. He looked at Jiang Yufan with eyes asking for help.
Jiang Yufan remembered, and he kept his voice low as he reminded his buddy, “This is the girl who gave you the gift. From class 11.”
Yue Zhishi quietly responded with an ‘ah’.
“Are, are you okay?”
“I’m okay. I feel fine now.” Yue Zhishi also said thank you.
The girl felt a heavy sense of relief, and she pushed her hair behind her ears. “I went to your class to look for you this morning, but you hadn’t arrived at yet. So I placed something into your desk…”
Yue Zhishi could see her ears flushing.
“I hope you like it.”
The sun was so strong; the young girl’s voice was drowned within the chirping of the cicadas.
Squeezing the straps of his schoolbag, he was silent for two seconds. Finally, he still ended up pulling open the zipper and took out the gift inside, offering it back to her with two hands.
Jiang Yufan couldn’t handle it — this kind of scene was too suffocating. He turned his head over and looked down from the third floor, and he unexpectedly saw a familiar figure. That person was very tall and was dressed in a white shirt.
Wasn’t that Song Yu? Jiang Yufan squinted, taking a closer look.
It really was!
Song Yu was walking over, pushing his bike. He paused under a camphor tree, and he lowered his head to look at his watch before lifting his head again to glance upstairs. His eyes just so happened to meet Jiang Yufan’s gaze.
His aura was too strong. Even though they were separated by a good few metres, Jiang Yufan was still struck by those cold eyes; he immediately turned back around, pretending nothing had happened.