I’ll Hold Your Hand And Promise You A Lifetime - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Blessings From Misfortunes (2)

“Sarah, have something to eat.” Ning Ran walked into the hospital room carrying a bag. Sarah was already standing by the window. “She’s still not awake?”

“The doctor checked on her earlier and said she’s out of danger. She could wake up any time now.”

“That’s good. Here, freshly steamed buns—still warm.” Ning Ran took a bite herself. “I’ll head out in a bit to pay for last night’s expenses. Old Mao covered everything for me. I also need to notify the school and request a leave of absence for Yuexi.”

“Go ahead. I’ll stay here,” Sarah said as she gently smoothed Ningran’s hair.

After a quick meal, Ningran left the room.

“Long time no see!” Scar grinned in the hospital’s small garden and tossed her a cigarette.

“Yeah, it’s been a while.” Ning Ran took the lighter, lit the cigarette, and took a drag.

“How’s she doing?” Scar jerked his chin toward the direction of Yue xi’s room.

“Still not awake.”

“How could you be so careless? If the old man finds out, you’re in for it.”

“I know.” Regret was written all over Ning Ran’s face. “I shouldn’t have let her handle something like that on her own.”

“I bet the old man will think you didn’t raise Yuexi properly. Back then, you could knock all of us down single-handedly. Now Yue Xi got beaten up by some no-name street punks. Heh…”

“Yue Xi’s not like me. She may look cold, but she’s got a soft heart.”

“True. You’ve taken such good care of her all these years.”

“Oh come on, Scar. So now it’s my fault for taking good care of her too?”

“No, no way! You’re the biggest hero in all this.”

“Pfft.”

“For real though, we all respect you. Raising a kid all by yourself like that—it’s incredible. If it were me, I couldn’t have done it.” Scar grinned, his wrinkled face full of admiration.

“Enough. Haven’t seen Old En and Damei in a while, have you? You’ve been holding in all these words.”

“Who knows where those two ran off to. I’m just bored.”

“Then go get yourself a wife.”

“I’m cursed! Not like you—you picked up a half-foreign beauty for free.”

Ning Ran kicked Scar in the butt. “Bull. Your wife treated you like gold. You just didn’t cherish her.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m the jerk. I regret it, alright? She won’t even look at me now. How about… you put in a word for me?”

“Not a chance. The fact that she hasn’t found someone new after all these years means she still has you in her heart. If you don’t get your act together, you’ll be crying when she’s gone.”

“They say brothers are like limbs, and women are just clothes. Having you guys is enough for me.” Scar wiped his eyes with Ning Ran’s sleeve.

“Ugh, Scar, drop the act. Who was it bawling and screaming when the divorce happened?”

“Alright, alright, my little ancestor, don’t bring that up. I’ve got stuff to do. I’ll leave you be.” Scar got up and dusted himself off.

“Hold up~ What about what I asked you to do?”

“I’m on it! Got the punks’ addresses already. Just going over to supervise in person.”

“Good. Don’t lose them.”

“You don’t need to tell me. If the old man finds out I slacked off, I won’t survive it.”

“Thanks.”

“No need to be polite.” Scar winked dramatically and struck a flamboyant pose.

“Gross…” Ning Ran snuffed out her cigarette and tossed it in the trash.

“Aren’t you going to take a nap?” Sarah walked over and slipped an arm around her waist.

“I’m not tired.” Ning Ran turned and wrapped her arms around her.

“Your face is thinner.” Sarah gently pinched her cheek.

“This steel body of mine? A little weight loss makes me look better.”

“I’m just worried about you two. Don’t go collapsing when Yue Xi wakes up.”

“Are you seriously cursing your wife?”

“Oh? Weren’t you the one who said you’re the master of my body and soul, inside and out, top to bottom?” Sarah gave her waist a playful pinch.

“All true.” Ning Ran buried her face in Sarah’s hair and sighed as she gripped her hand. “Meeting you… I really got lucky.”

Sarah chuckled softly, resting her head on Ning Ran’s shoulder. “Does Xiao Luo know?”

“I haven’t told her. Didn’t want her to miss school. I’ll go pick her up later to see Yue Xi.” Ning Ran thought back to Yi Luo’s panicked expression. “Oh, right—on my way back earlier, I found Xiaoluo squatting at our door. She thought we’d moved away again. Looked like she was about to cry. She’s really serious about this now.”

“That’s wonderful~ Looks like Yue Xi found a blessing in disguise this time.”

“Mm. I won’t have to worry about her future anymore. It’s just…” Ning Ran’s expression changed.

“Just what?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Ning Ran sighed. “If one day I disappear, you have to make sure Yuexi pleads for me.”

“Why would you disappear?”

“I might. Maybe even Yue Xi won’t be safe by then.”

“Don’t talk like that. Even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I’ll drag you back.”

Ning Ran raised her pinky. “Pinky swear—you’ll find me.”

“Mm.”

“I’ll go get more food later, just in case Yuexi wakes up hungry.”

“Drive safely.”

“Yes, my dear Queen!”

That whole afternoon, Yi Luo sat at her desk, unable to joke or focus on her books. During class, she often spaced out, checking the time repeatedly, counting down the hours until school was over. While daydreaming again, she suddenly heard someone call her name.

“Yi Luo.” Her deskmate Ji Yi tugged at her sleeve under the desk, giving her exaggerated eye signals and pointing to a passage in the textbook.

Snapping back to reality, Yi Luo realized the teacher had called on her. She quickly lifted her book and read aloud where Ji Yi had pointed. The teacher let it go.

“That scared me to death… What’s up with you today? The teacher’s been staring at you for ages.” Ji Yi passed her a little note.

“Just thinking about stuff.”

“About Yue Xi, right?”

Yi Luo nodded as she read the note.

Ji Yi took it back and seriously wrote:
“I knew it. She’s totally affecting your studies.”

“No, she’s not.”

“You just don’t realize it. Every time you see Yue Xi, you light up like a sunflower. No one else exists to you. And you were so gloomy before—it was all because of her.”

“Stop making stuff up. That’s not true.”

Ji Yi gave her a knowing look and scribbled quickly:
“Whether or not it’s true—you know it deep down. The person involved is always the last to realize. Bystanders see everything!”

Yi Luo stared at the words and fell into thought again.

“Yi Luo, we want to go visit Yue Xi with you,” Liu Le and Lu Man approached, nudging each other.

“Okay. Let’s go together. I’ll let her sister know.” Yi Luo picked up her backpack as she spoke.

By the time the three of them left school, Ning Ran had already arrived.

“Ning Ran-jie, this is Liu Le and Lu Man, Yue Xi’s and my good friends. You met them before—they’d like to visit her too,” Yi Luo said to Ning Ran in the car.

Ning Ran looked at the two and recalled them. “Alright, get in.”

At the hospital, Yi Luo was nervous. The strong smell of disinfectant made her stomach twist. Her hands were clenched tightly.

“She’s still not awake? How long has it been?” Ning Ran asked Sarah quietly.

“I checked at the front desk just now. If she doesn’t wake soon, she’ll need a brain scan,” Sarah replied, gently closing the door behind them. “They’re okay to go in, right?”

“They’re just classmates. I’ve already found the ones who hurt Yuexi—just waiting for her to wake.”

“Okay. You’re in charge.”

Yi Luo walked into the room and couldn’t believe her eyes. The person who’d brought her candy and laughed with her just last night now lay motionless in a hospital bed, her face pale as paper and her head wrapped in gauze. She looked like she was only asleep, but the silence was suffocating.

“Yue Xi was attacked and has been unconscious since last night,” Ning Ran said, stepping into the room.

“Didn’t Zhou Yaxuan say she just got hit on the head? This looks way worse.” Liu Le frowned. She’d hoped to cheer Yuexi up today—not see her like this.

“Zhou Yaxuan? She actually came to you guys?” Ning Ran’s eyebrows shot up.

“She told me Yue Xi came looking for trouble and they exchanged words before things got physical.” Yi Luo sat by the bed. She wanted to hold Yue Xi’s hand, but hesitated and tucked her hair behind her ear instead.

“I’m not sure either. We’ll have to wait for Yue Xi to wake up,” Ning Ran said, rubbing her face and sitting in the lounge chair. “You should all be wary of Zhou Yaxuan. She hangs out with some shady people.”

“Got it.” Yi Luo stared at the monitor, watching the steady rhythm of Yue Xi’s heartbeat. “Besides the head injury, what else?”

“She has a fractured rib, and her old leg injury might flare up again,” Sarah said, gently stroking Yue Xi’s bloodless face.

“What?! That serious? What were they trying to do, kill her?” Lu Man shouted. Yue Xi was her idol, and seeing her like this hit hard.

“We don’t know yet,” Ning Ran said flatly.

“But why would they do this to her?” Yi Luo frowned, rubbing her nose.

“No clue.” Ning Ran shrugged and rolled her neck. “This stubborn girl just won’t wake up.”

“Ning Ran-jie, Sarah-jie, we’ll head back now. We’ll come again tomorrow,” Yi Luo said, feeling a lump in her throat. She knew if she stayed any longer, she might break down.

“Go on home. Don’t worry your parents,” Ning Ran said, holding the door. “Be safe.”

“Mm, bye.”

Outside the hospital, Yi Luo stood by the road, hands covering her face as she took deep breaths.

“Yi Luo, are you okay?” Lu Man asked with concern.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Yi Luo steadied herself and smiled, but the dull ache in her chest—like someone dragging a rusty knife back and forth—only grew stronger.

“Be careful heading home, don’t space out,” Lu Man reminded her.

“I’ll walk with you a bit. You don’t look okay,” Liu Le added.

“No need, really. I’m okay. I’ll text you when I get home if you’re worried.”

“Alright then. We’re off.” Lu Man kept glancing back.

“See you tomorrow!” Liu Le also turned back repeatedly.

“See you.” Yi Luo forced a smile. But the image of Yue Xi lying unconscious haunted her. It felt like Yue Xi was slipping out of reach, as if she could vanish from sight at any moment.

When Yi Luo got home, she returned to her usual self. She didn’t mention Yue Xi to her parents at all. After dinner and some casual chatting, she went back to her room.

She picked up a photo from her shelf, looked at it, and set it down again. Then she pulled out a thick notebook and flipped through it page by page. It was full of notes and drawings she’d written after Yuexi left years ago—things she’d wanted to say to her, and later, random thoughts when she felt down. She smiled faintly, turned to a blank page, and slowly began to write, one word at a time.

Back at the hospital, Ningran and Sarah took turns watching over Yue Xi, but she still didn’t wake up. The doctor couldn’t explain it, only saying to keep observing. That afternoon, they transferred her from the emergency single room to a private room in the inpatient ward.

Ning Ran was utterly exhausted. She fell asleep in the chair.