Chapter 98: A Choice
Yu Qiao stared at Zhou Tianzui, her face grim. Zhou Tianzui could have made up any excuse, a hospital emergency, a patient needing her, even feeling unwell herself, any excuse would have been better than the truth. But she hadn’t, her directness and honesty only making it more difficult for Yu Qiao to accept.
Zhou Tianzui took half a step back: “Mom, I’m leaving now.”
It wasn’t a request for approval, but a simple notification. Yu Qiao gripped the doorknob, “Come home after work.”
Zhou Tianzui’s heart lightened slightly, “I know, I…”
Yu Qiao said, “And from now on, never mention her in front of me, in this house, ever again.”
Zhou Tianzui’s words died in her throat, her face unusually pale. She didn’t reply. Yu Qiao slammed the door shut.
No reply needed.
It was just a notification.
Zhou Tianzui leaned against the door frame, her head spinning, she touched her face, it was slightly swollen. In the car, she used makeup to cover the finger marks, making them less obvious, but the contrast between the made-up side and the bare side looked strange. Zhou Tianzui thought You Ruxu would laugh if she saw her.
She wondered if You Ruxu was asleep.
Honestly, not a single call, not a single message all afternoon, was she angry? Or was she making a choice?
Was she, the one being abandoned?
So that’s why You Ruxu didn’t contact her?
Zhou Tianzui touched her phone, opened the car window, and looked up. It was dark outside, the wind rustling through the branches like a mournful cry. She sat quietly for a while, seeing the light in Yu Qiao’s room go off, then closed the window and drove to the hospital.
You Ruxu tried to turn over, but couldn’t, her leg and arm immobile. She tried to reach for the wheelchair, dragging herself towards it, but just as her hand was about to reach it, there was a noise at the door, a knock. You Ruxu looked up, slightly dazed, at this hour, it probably wasn’t the police, was it a nurse? Or Zhou Tianzui?
She struggled to sit up, adjusting her hospital gown, “Come in.”
The door opened, and Captain Zhou walked in. The light in You Ruxu’s eyes dimmed. Captain Zhou was carrying a fruit basket, “I just bought these, it’s not convenient for you to get out of bed, have some if you’re thirsty.”
You Ruxu said, “Thank you.”
Captain Zhou said, “Dr. Zhou isn’t here tonight?”
She had asked, Zhou Tianzui wasn’t working today, and hadn’t come to see her, remembering You Ruxu’s demeanor earlier that afternoon, she figured they had a fight, she didn’t have any ulterior motives, but thinking about You Ruxu’s earlier mention of having a partner, and the lack of any men around, she had some strange speculations.
These speculations intensified whenever she saw them interact.
Of course, regardless of whether they were true or not, she didn’t have any inappropriate intentions, she just thought You Ruxu would need assistance at night, someone had to be with her.
You Ruxu started to say, “She—”
“Seems like Captain Zhou misses me.” A voice came from the doorway. Captain Zhou hadn’t closed the door yet, and Zhou Tianzui was already there, looking at Captain Zhou and entering the ward. The two officers stationed outside recognized Zhou Tianzui and didn’t stop her, just exchanged a strange look.
It was just three women.
Yet the atmosphere was as tense as if they had walked in on an affair.
You Ruxu, hearing Zhou Tianzui’s voice, looked over, her eyes instantly reddening. She gripped the blanket tightly, remembering Zhou Tianzui’s message earlier that afternoon, a mix of hurt, anger, and fear.
She was afraid Zhou Tianzui was really ignoring her.
Afraid she was still angry, not giving her a chance to explain.
Captain Zhou turned around, “Dr. Zhou.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “I have a bit of a cold, I won’t be here tonight, so I’ll have to trouble you, Captain Zhou.”
Her tone was slightly possessive, casually claiming You Ruxu as her responsibility, a subtle message that Captain Zhou naturally understood. She looked at You Ruxu, then at Zhou Tianzui, and nodded, “You’re welcome, I have some things to attend to, I’ll be going now.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll walk you out.”
Captain Zhou said, “No need.”
You Ruxu looked at Zhou Tianzui, her eyes red and swollen, she rarely lost control of her emotions like this, but today, she seemed unable to stop the tears, the hurt and vulnerability unlike her.
Seeing Zhou Tianzui now, she wanted to cry again.
You Ruxu hadn’t realized she was so prone to tears, as if all the tears she hadn’t shed in the past few years were now being released. Her vision blurred, she couldn’t see Zhou Tianzui clearly. She lowered her head, wiping her eyes, the ward quiet. Zhou Tianzui closed the door, turned around, saw the cut fruit on the bedside table, and said, her voice cool and indifferent, “You’re quite busy, can you even finish all that?”
You Ruxu asked, “Why are you here?”
Zhou Tianzui retorted, “Can’t I be here? Am I interrupting something?”
You Ruxu looked up, “Zhou Tianzui!”
Zhou Tianzui said, “What? Did I say something wrong?”
You Ruxu said, “I know you’re angry about me going out that night…”
“Is that what we’re talking about now?” Zhou Tianzui said, “If I hadn’t come, you would have asked her to spend the night with you, wouldn’t you?”
You Ruxu pursed her lips, “I wouldn’t.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “She’s already here, and you say you wouldn’t?”
You Ruxu, sullen, looked at her and noticed the mark on her face, “What happened to your face?”
Zhou Tianzui touched her cheek, “I had a fight, got slapped.”
You Ruxu didn’t believe her at all, “Be serious.”
“How am I not being serious?” Zhou Tianzui said, “Where am I not being serious? You Ruxu, aren’t you the one who’s not being serious?”
Her slightly angry voice was cold and distant.
You Ruxu’s face paled.
Zhou Tianzui pulled a chair over and sat in front of her. You Ruxu gripped the edge of the blanket, seeing that Zhou Tianzui wasn’t leaving, her anxious heart gradually calmed down, but she didn’t understand what Zhou Tianzui was doing.
She was the one who sent the message that afternoon, why was she acting as if nothing had happened?
You Ruxu called out, “Zhou Tianzui.”
Zhou Tianzui looked up at her, You Ruxu said, “I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Go ahead.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Can’t go by yourself? Should I ask Captain Zhou to help you…?”
“Zhou Tianzui!” You Ruxu’s pent-up frustration, simmering all afternoon, finally erupted, fueled by Zhou Tianzui’s words, “She’s just a colleague!”
“A colleague who needs to visit you at night?” Zhou Tianzui said, “What work were you discussing just now?”
You Ruxu suppressed her anger.
Zhou Tianzui continued, “If I hadn’t come, you would have asked her to help you…”
“I wouldn’t!” You Ruxu said. Zhou Tianzui asked, “Then you’re not going to the bathroom anymore?”
“I’ll hold it!”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Can you hold it?”
You Ruxu said, “I’ll pee the bed if I can’t!”
She immediately regretted her words.
The two stared at each other, You Ruxu’s face crimson, her eyes blazing with anger, bright and intense like an inextinguishable flame. Zhou Tianzui looked at her for a few seconds, then without a word, stood up and carried her to the bathroom.
You Ruxu was surprised: “What are you doing?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Didn’t you need to go to the bathroom?”
But her voice was low and slightly hoarse, her cold and the lack of sleep taking their toll. Even carrying You Ruxu was a struggle. She paused for a moment before continuing. You Ruxu saw the finger marks on her cheek, up close.
She had been slapped.
Zhou Tianzui also saw You Ruxu’s red and slightly swollen eyes.
She wanted to ask, but all her strength was focused on carrying You Ruxu, she couldn’t even speak, just heard You Ruxu ask, “Who did you have a fight with?”
Her hand gently touched Zhou Tianzui’s face, her own eyes tearing up.
Zhou Tianzui finally managed to place her on the toilet seat, “Why are you crying?”
You Ruxu looked down, not answering. Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll help you…”
“Don’t.” You Ruxu said, “I’ll do it myself.”
Zhou Tianzui hesitated, then left the bathroom, standing by the door, flexing her hand, which ached from carrying You Ruxu. She touched her cheek where You Ruxu had touched her, it was warm.
You Ruxu sat there for a long time, so long that Zhou Tianzui finally called out, “Are you done?”
You Ruxu said, “Yes.”
The door opened, and Zhou Tianzui entered, leaning down and holding You Ruxu in her arms. You Ruxu wrapped her arms around Zhou Tianzui’s neck, not getting up, Zhou Tianzui bending over her, their bodies close.
They embraced in the small bathroom, like two small animals huddling together for warmth. After a while, Zhou Tianzui lifted You Ruxu into her arms, carried her to the bed, and gently laid her down. You Ruxu, lying there, asked, “Who did you have a fight with?”
Zhou Tianzui didn’t answer.
You Ruxu asked again, “Was it Auntie?”
She didn’t call her “Godmother” anymore. Zhou Tianzui looked down. You Ruxu continued, “Does Auntie know?”
Zhou Tianzui sat on the edge of the bed, half-turned, looking at You Ruxu, “If she knows, what will you do?”
You Ruxu’s breath caught in her throat.
She opened her mouth, then closed it, speechless. She hadn’t expected Yu Qiao to find out like this. Her mind was in a mess. She heard Zhou Tianzui ask, “Do you want to break up with me?”
“No.” You Ruxu looked down, “Didn’t you want to break up with me?”
Zhou Tianzui frowned, “When did I ever say I wanted to break up?”
“You—” You Ruxu stopped mid-sentence, pursing her lips, a sudden realization dawning on her. Zhou Tianzui was still looking at her. You Ruxu asked, “Did Auntie say something?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Don’t you know her temper?”
You Ruxu did, she knew Yu Qiao’s temper, she could imagine what she would do. You Ruxu looked up at Zhou Tianzui’s profile, the slap mark too stark, too painful, she couldn’t speak.
She gripped the edge of the blanket, the fabric wrinkling under her fingers. You Ruxu asked, “Does it hurt?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “It’s fine.”
You Ruxu said, “You’re lying.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “How can I compare to your lies?”
She had been referring to the night You Ruxu deceived her, but the moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. The color drained from You Ruxu’s face, her eyelashes trembling, her pupils constricting, as if she had been struck. Zhou Tianzui’s heart also ached. She said, “I didn’t mean it like that.”
You Ruxu said, “Okay,” her tone seemingly indifferent, but Zhou Tianzui knew she was hurt. Zhou Tianzui said, “I wasn’t talking about what happened before.”
“I know.” You Ruxu said, “It’s okay even if you were, I…”
Zhou Tianzui said, “It’s not okay with me.”
She looked at You Ruxu.
It wasn’t okay with her.
She didn’t want the past to hurt anyone anymore, her mother, You Ruxu, or herself.
They all needed to move on.
You Ruxu looked at her, pursed her lips, and nodded, a faint smile appearing on her still pale face, her gaze firm and resolute. She called out, “Zhou Tianzui.”
Zhou Tianzui responded with a soft “mm-hmm.” You Ruxu said, “Give me your hand.”
Usually, it was Zhou Tianzui who initiated such gestures. This was the first time You Ruxu asked.
Zhou Tianzui extended her hand.
You Ruxu took something from the bedside table and placed it in Zhou Tianzui’s palm. Zhou Tianzui looked down, it was You Ruxu’s press pass, the photo showing a young You Ruxu, her expression cool and distant, like the bright moon.
This press pass, she treasured it.
And now it was in Zhou Tianzui’s hand.
Zhou Tianzui asked, “What does this mean?”
You Ruxu said, “Didn’t you ask me to answer your question?”
Zhou Tianzui looked down.
Remembering what she had asked You Ruxu earlier.
Being a reporter is so important, then what about me?
If you had to choose one?
You Ruxu, chose her.
Zhou Tianzui: A Ran, bathroom.
You Ruxu: I’ll hold it.
Zhou Tianzui: …
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