73. The Prescription Tucked Away

The taxi drivers working the night shift came in groups for their late-night meals again, and Qin Baike stood up to busy himself with their orders.

When he finally sat down to resume his thoughts, Xiao Xie finished washing the dishes and came out, saying, "It's almost midnight. Why hasn't Sister Yiyi come over yet?"

Qin Baike paused, "I'll go check."

He grabbed his keys and headed to the clinic, climbed upstairs to Tang Yiyi's room. The light was on inside. He knocked, but there was no response, so he pushed the door open—no one was there.

He stepped out, noticed the door to the balcony was open, and walked outside. Upstairs, he heard the crunching sound of someone eating chips. Climbing to the third-floor platform, he found Tang Yiyi sitting at the doorway, munching on chips, surrounded by a mess of empty wrappers scattered all over the ground.

He walked over and, seeing her face clearly, was startled. Under her eyes were two dark smudges. He crouched down, cradled her face, and wiped the black marks with his thumb, smearing them further across her cheeks.

He inspected the black residue on his finger and pinched it thoughtfully. "Why are you wearing makeup so late at night? It's so hot outside, look, it's all smudged." He showed her the blackened finger.

Tang Yiyi looked at him pitifully, lowered her head to examine the stain in the moonlight, and suddenly realized what had happened. She let out a wail, raised her hand to cover her face, "Go away! Don't look at me!"

Qin Baike suppressed a laugh and tried to pull her hand away. "I've already seen it. Just now, I thought you were possessed. Sitting here late at night eating chips in this heat—could you be any stranger?"

Tang Yiyi held her face firmly, refusing to let go. Qin Baike tugged a few times but couldn't move her hand. "If you're hungry, come over and I'll cook you some noodles. Why eat all this junk?"

"I want to eat junk food, don't bother me."

Qin Baike dropped his hand and looked at Tang Yiyi, clearly sulking. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"If you're fine, why are you wearing makeup late at night and sitting here eating all this?"

"I really am fine. Just bored, nothing to do. When there's nothing to do, I want to eat." Tang Yiyi's words were all over the place.

"Really nothing?"

"Yeah, really nothing."

"If it's nothing, then go downstairs, wash up, and get some sleep."

Tang Yiyi parted her fingers to peek through, "Um... is Er Tong's sister staying here tonight?"

"You saw her?"

"Mm." The gap closed again.

"She went to a hotel."

Tang Yiyi was silent, then said, "Oh. Then you walk ahead, don't turn around to look at me."

Qin Baike smiled helplessly, "I've already seen you clearly. What's the point of hiding now?"

Tang Yiyi let out another low moan, "Couldn't you just pretend you didn't see me?"

"Alright, alright, I didn't see anything. It's so dark, I couldn't see your face, okay?"

"Mm. You go first."

Qin Baike got up and descended the stairs, saying as he went, "Don't cover your eyes going down the stairs. I won't look at you. Wash up and get to bed. It's late."

"Oh," Tang Yiyi replied softly.

Qin Baike returned to the noodle shop. Tang Yiyi was clearly troubled tonight; otherwise, she wouldn't have devoured so many snacks, tossing wrappers everywhere. Was she upset again by something from her ex-boyfriend?

He shook his head. Who could ever guess what goes on in a girl's mind?

Tang Yiyi, seeing her ghostly reflection in the bathroom mirror, was startled herself. Just a few tears could mess up her face so badly—she really had no face left to show.

She thought for a moment, switched off the light, and the mirror reflected nothing. She comforted herself, "It was so dark outside, he probably didn't see clearly. Why do I always embarrass myself in front of him, yet look so pretty when others are around?"

When she finished washing up, Qin Baike was in the kitchen cooking noodles. Tang Yiyi buried her head and hurried past him up the stairs. She changed into pajamas, climbed onto the bed, and pulled the summer quilt tightly over herself from head to toe.

Xiao Xie came in after her shower and saw Tang Yiyi wrapped up like that. She quickly lifted the quilt from Tang Yiyi's head, "If I did that at home, my mom would scold me, saying only dead people get covered like this."

"The light is too glaring."

"Oh, then I'll turn it off." Xiao Xie got up to switch off the light, lay down, and said, "Sister Yiyi, did you see Brother Zhan's sister? People always talk about wanting to be as thin as a lightning bolt, and she's really that thin. She looks so good in skirts."

"Mm, she does."

"She and the boss look so perfect together. Too bad Brother Zhan said she has a boyfriend and is about to get married."

"Oh. Go to sleep, it's really late."

"Sister Yiyi, if I stop eating, do you think I'll get thin too?"

"No skipping meals. Eating less is fine. When you're twenty, I'll help you lose weight. Now sleep."

"Mm."

Tang Yiyi lay in bed, unable to sleep. Xiao Xie's breathing soon became steady and slow.

She closed her eyes, but all she saw was Ye Tong hanging onto Qin Baike's arm, smiling sweetly, while Qin Baike gazed at her with deep affection.

She opened her eyes, wishing that when Qin Baike was at his most rebellious, she could have been the one by his side. But back then, if her parents had known she was involved with a street punk, they'd have chased her with a stick.

Besides, Qin Baike was seven or eight years older than her. When he was fifteen, she was only eight, a second grader in primary school. Why would he care about a little kid? Ugh—so annoying!

She tossed and turned for who knows how long, until she heard Qin Baike coming upstairs, entering his room, and then the sound of a shower.

She lay on her stomach, listening intently to every little noise. The flowing water made her want to see what Qin Baike looked like naked. The thought reminded her of the first time she met him—his strong upper body, the muscles that must feel so good to touch.

Last time in the tent, she was too timid. She should have taken advantage of his drunkenness and reached inside to feel him.

Why were acupressure points for sleep only on the head, neck, and wrists? They should be on the stomach.

Her thoughts wandered aimlessly until she finally drifted into sleep.

Qin Baike finished his shower, glanced at the two slender cigarette butts in the ashtray on the coffee table, and went straight to his room.

The next morning, after a busy bout, time flew by. As Tang Yiyi came down from the second floor, she caught sight of Ye Tong entering from outside the clinic, wearing a white silk dress patterned with yellow flowers and carrying an LV handbag.

Xu Bin saw her and exclaimed, "Sister Ye Tong?"

Ye Tong smiled at him, lips pressed together, "Xiao Bin, you look much sturdier than before."

"Heh, Sister Tong means I've gotten fat, right?"

"You need a broad heart to have a broad body." She stood in front of the counter, exuding intellectual charm.

"Why did you suddenly come back?" Xu Bin asked.

"I had some time off, so I came to see Er Tong."

"Why doesn't he visit you in Beijing?"

"I wanted to come back to Yicheng. I haven't been here in years."

"Yicheng has changed a lot in recent years. You should take a look around."

"Mm, but I've been feeling unwell lately, so I’m here to see Uncle Xu first." Ye Tong walked towards Xu Mingtang. "Uncle Xu, it's been so long since I've seen you."

Xu Mingtang was a bit surprised to see her. "Ye Tong, you haven't been back in years, and now you’re so thin."

"Yes, Uncle Xu, you’re still as strong as ever."

Once the last patient had left, Ye Tong sat before Xu Mingtang. "Uncle Xu, please check me."

"Where exactly do you feel unwell?" Xu Mingtang took her pulse.

She didn't reply but glanced at Tang Yiyi sitting by the table.

Xu Mingtang introduced, "This is my student, Tang Yiyi." He turned to Tang Yiyi, "Go see if Xiao Bin needs any help. He's been quite diligent with his reading these days."

"Oh," said Tang Yiyi, moving behind the pharmacy counter. Xu Bin waved his book at her, "Your study method is great. If I'd known to study this way earlier, I'd have become an academic star already, right?"

"Right! If I'd realized how advanced the internet would become, I'd have started an online business in elementary school and be a billionaire by now."

Xu Bin laughed, "When did you start wanting to be a billionaire?"

Tang Yiyi retorted, "Don't you want to?"

Xu Bin replied offhandedly, "Of course I do. Who wouldn't?"

Tang Yiyi pressed, "If you had money, what would you most want to do?"

"Open a music academy and become its principal. What about you?" Xu Bin asked with interest.

"Open a Chinese medicine college and become its principal," Tang Yiyi answered listlessly, her eyes occasionally darting to Ye Tong's handbag.

She knew the brand because a senior at the cafeteria once carried one and proudly told her friends that her boyfriend had bought it for her. A girl retorted, "What's so special about your LV? He should get you a limited edition Hermès."

Since then, she'd remembered those two luxury brands.

After a while, Ye Tong put the prescription from Xu Mingtang into her bag and walked over, saying to Xu Bin, "Come over to the noodle shop for lunch. Let's all gather together."

"Great! If it's Brother Bai's cooking, I'll be the fastest one there. Yiyi, come too."

Tang Yiyi said, "I'm not going. If no one eats the food Aunt Xu makes, she'll be unhappy." For some reason, she was uneasy around Ye Tong. Her aura was overpowering, making others feel invisible. She didn't want to witness Ye Tong and Qin Baike's closeness.

Watching them leave, Tang Yiyi felt a touch of disappointment. She left the counter and headed for the stairs, her curiosity about Ye Tong's prescription burning.

Xu Mingtang had already gone upstairs. Tang Yiyi saw the crisp white prescription pad on the table. The prescription hadn't been copied onto carbon paper—just one sheet, which Ye Tong had promptly taken.

Unable to resist, she picked up the prescription pad.

Her teacher's writing was always forceful, the strokes penetrating the paper. The imprint of the prescription was clearly visible on the next sheet. With one glance, Tang Yiyi was stunned and immediately understood why Ye Tong had kept the prescription instead of letting Xu Bin fill it.

She replaced the pad, dazed, and headed upstairs.

Xu’s wife saw her coming up alone and asked, "Where's Xiao Bin?"

"He went to the noodle shop next door for lunch."

"That boy, why go eat at someone else's house?"

Xu Mingtang said, "Ye Tong came back. Probably wants to catch up. She helped Bai Ke with his studies back then. He managed to get into college thanks to her."

Xu’s wife nodded, "Exactly. Bai Ke got into the vocational college all thanks to Ye Tong."

"What did Brother Bai study?" Tang Yiyi asked.

"Something like construction engineering, I think."

"Were they dating back then?" Tang Yiyi tried to sound casual.

"That's hard to say. They were worlds apart. Ye Tong was so smart, always self-respecting and hardworking—a model child." Xu’s wife spoke with admiration.

Xu Mingtang countered, "You don’t know. Her self-respect came from a sense of inferiority. Her parents were from the countryside, and her father was a shoemaker. Once, I had him fix my shoes. No matter how dirty, he’d just take them and start working, even put them on his lap. She came to bring him lunch and looked at him with both disgust and tenderness, fists clenched tight. She was a child who grew up fast, knew she couldn’t rely on her parents, so she could only depend on herself. I admire that girl."

"Why did she tutor Brother Bai? They must have been in a relationship. Aunt said Brother Bai was waiting for her."

"They weren’t suited then, and even less so now," Xu’s wife said.

"Feelings are unpredictable," Xu Mingtang laughed. "Things are different now—household registration doesn’t matter as much. Bai Ke opened a noodle shop in Beijing; probably earns more than a company employee. Don’t underestimate him. If Ye Tong really ends up with Bai Ke, she’ll be lucky."

"I heard she has a boyfriend and is getting married," Tang Yiyi protested weakly.

"They broke up," Xu Mingtang said.

"...Broke up?" Tang Yiyi stared at her teacher’s calm face, internally screaming as if riding a roller coaster: Teacher, are you encouraging her to pursue Qin Baike? Is this really okay? Is it?

"Yiyi, what's wrong? Why are you staring at your teacher?" Xu’s wife asked, puzzled.

"Ah... I'm just surprised."

"Surprised by what?"

"She’s so beautiful, such a wonderful woman, yet even she can get dumped."

"Isn't heartbreak normal nowadays?" Xu’s wife chuckled.

"Heh, you’re right," Tang Yiyi replied with a bitter smile.

In the noodle shop, the group ate and reminisced, recalling the Huangjuelan Alley of their childhood, the days spent running in and out of the alleys, and spoke of the impending demolition.

Ye Tong was surprised, "The alley is going to be demolished?"

"That's what they're saying, though the plan hasn’t been finalized," Xu Bin replied.

"What a shame! Historic alleys like this are becoming rarer." Ye Tong shook her head regretfully.

Er Tong said, "Aunt Jie wants to take some portrait shots in the alley. Sis, I've been brainstorming but haven’t come up with anything fresh. Can you help me?"

"Sure, we need to hurry before it's gone," Ye Tong said.

"Aunt Jie wants to wear a qipao, but qipao and old alleys are so overdone. But given her age, there aren't many styles to choose from. Black-and-white is too heavy, street style too chaotic."

"Oh," Ye Tong gently bit her thumb, lost in thought. Qin Baike watched her familiar little habit and smiled to himself.

Suddenly, Ye Tong's eyes lit up, and her finger dropped from her lips. Qin Baike knew she must have come up with something good. Whenever that happened, a star would hide in her eyes. "Let's shoot two sets—one for people, one for scenery."

"Two sets?" Er Tong was confused.

"If Aunt Jie wants to wear a qipao, let her. You shoot the portrait, focusing on her as the subject and blurring the background. The setting doesn’t matter since it’s out of focus. Meanwhile, I’ll shoot from the side, turning you and the alley into the subject. Mine will be more like a documentary of your photoshoot."

"That's perfect, Sis, you’re the best!"

"Haha, she really is your sister," Xu Bin said.

Qin Baike remembered Ye Tong’s comments about his familiar gestures and expressions. He realized he was just as familiar with her.