77. Chocolate and Six Yuan

The next afternoon, Er Tong brought her laptop to show Xu Mingjie the photos. Xu Mingjie flipped through them one by one, quickly becoming so excited she could hardly choose. She said, “Let me take these to my sister-in-law and ask her to help me decide.”

The two of them went up to the second floor of the clinic to find Xu’s wife. She looked through the photos, clearly envious, and said she’d love to have a set taken as well.

After they’d carefully selected their favorites, they’d managed to narrow it down to ten, but simply couldn’t make the final cut. So they called Tang Yiyi over to ask her opinion.

Tang Yiyi looked at them and said, “They all look about the same to me. Auntie, you wore two outfits, right? Just pick two from each set to enlarge, that’ll do.”

Xu Mingjie replied, “But I can’t bear to let any of them go.”

Tang Yiyi suggested, “Why not ask Sister Ye Tong? She’s got the best eye for this.”

But Er Tong said, “Sis and Brother Bai have gone out traveling. She just called to say they’ll be delayed another three or four days before coming back. How about, when she returns, I ask her, and then we decide?”

Xu Mingjie nodded. “Alright.”

After the two of them left, Tang Yiyi spent the whole afternoon sighing and distracted, her mind empty and adrift, filled with images of Qin Baike and Ye Tong together, so close. After dinner, when the Xu family left, Tang Yiyi forced herself to review the day’s prescriptions and read her master’s notes until she felt hungry. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already ten, but she didn’t want to go downstairs.

She took her phone up to the third-floor terrace, sat on the ground by the door, leaned against the wall, put in her earphones, and played Eason Chan’s songs one after another. His soulful voice always seemed to express love so perfectly.

Tears slid down Tang Yiyi’s face in silence. She had nowhere to place her deep feelings; perhaps this was the torment destined for those who love in secret. How could she forget him? Should she start a new romance? Or accept Wentao’s pursuit?

She opened Wentao’s WeChat. He’d been persistent, sending her good morning and good night messages every day, sharing lots of funny videos and jokes, beautiful recited poems, and lovely songs.

Perhaps he didn’t know what she liked, so he sent anything that caught his interest.

So, she too was secretly adored by someone. Did Wentao feel the same pain of unrequited longing as she did?

But she never responded to him—wasn’t that answer enough? Or maybe he was just unwilling to give up until she was truly taken, just as she was now, seeing Ye Tong appear. It was time to let go.

She went to the noodle shop. When Xiao Xie saw her, she brought over a bowl of glutinous rice ice jelly. “Yiyi, now we sell as much ice jelly as noodles. Everyone who has noodles gets a bowl to cool off.”

“It’s just too hot,” Tang Yiyi replied.

“Exactly, the heat is unbearable. I wonder where the boss and Ye Tong went on their trip—this sun could roast a person alive.”

“There are cool places—Mount Emei, Mount Qingcheng, Yunnan—they’re all nice and cool.”

“I want to go to the seaside, Hainan or Sanya,” Xiao Xie said longingly.

“That’s a winter spot. In summer, nobody wants to go,” Tang Yiyi had to dash her hopes.

“Oh, it’s rare for the boss to take a few days off. I’ve been here so long and this is the first time he’s been gone more than two days.” Xiao Xie waved two fingers in the air.

Tang Yiyi forced a smile, buried herself in her ice jelly, then went upstairs. Sitting on her bed in a daze, she tried to compose herself and continue studying—she had a certification exam next year.

A little past eleven, she heard Xiao Xie running upstairs, calling out, “Yiyi, help!”

Tang Yiyi rushed out to meet her. Xiao Xie was holding up a bleeding finger. “Yiyi, I cut myself. It hurts so much!”

Drops of blood spattered the floor. Tang Yiyi quickly grabbed a tissue, pressing it firmly to the wound and telling Xiao Xie to hold it tight.

“Wait here, I’ll get the first-aid kit.” As she was about to go downstairs, she remembered Qin Baike’s well-stocked kit and went instead to his room.

She brought the kit out and deftly disinfected and bandaged Xiao Xie’s finger, reminding her not to get it wet. Xiao Xie nodded tearfully and went downstairs.

Tang Yiyi closed the kit, put it back in Qin Baike’s room, and as she opened the drawer to return it, she noticed a box of chocolates lying inside.

She picked it up—it was exactly like the one he’d bought her before. He didn’t eat chocolate, so why was he hiding a box here?

She opened it. Two pieces were missing, and inside were six yuan: a one-yuan coin and a five-yuan bill.

Tang Yiyi shook her head—money was covered in germs! How could he store it with food? That was a terrible habit.

She took out the money, put the box back, then placed the money on top of the box before closing the drawer.

With Qin Baike away and Xiao Xie injured, Uncle Chen closed up the shop early. Er Tong came upstairs scolding Xiao Xie the whole way.

“You call that a wound? The injury your brother got back in the day, now that was a real wound. Yet you’re screaming like a pig being slaughtered, calling for help. A few drops of blood, and you act like you’re dying? Then you’d die every month, wouldn’t you?”

“But Brother Zhan, it really hurts.” Xiao Xie pouted.

“You think that’s pain? You know what real pain is? Getting fifteen stitches without anesthesia, that’s pain.”

“How do you know, Brother Zhan? Have you ever had stitches?”

“…No!”

“When did you ever get hurt, then?”

“Never! I was just saying. Go to bed. Heal up quick, I don’t want to wash dishes tomorrow.”

“The boss has to wash them too, but not you?”

“My hands are delicate, I’ve never washed dishes since I was a kid. I’d probably break more than I’d wash.” With that, he slammed the door.

Xiao Xie pouted and went to shower.

Afterwards, when she returned to the room, Tang Yiyi asked, “Why does Bai Ke have a box of chocolate in his room? He doesn’t even eat it—what a waste.”

“Isn’t it? Last time you gave me that box, I’d only eaten two pieces when the boss confiscated it, said I was too fat and forbade me to eat more.”

“Oh, so it’s that box. Let’s finish it tomorrow.”

“Alright, but if the boss asks, you have to say you ate it all. I don’t want to be scolded.”

“Deal. It’s our secret.”

“Mm.”

Sure enough, the next day Tang Yiyi snuck the chocolates out and split them with Xiao Xie. But this time, they didn’t work the same magic as before—her heart still ached with emptiness.

Time passed quickly. Three days later, in the morning, Tang Yiyi opened the clinic as usual, but after more than an hour, the Xu family still hadn’t arrived.

Wu Siping said, “That’s never happened before. I hope nothing’s wrong.”

Tang Yiyi’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly called Xu Mingtang, but there was no answer. She tried Xu Bin’s number, and after the third call, he finally picked up, his voice low. “Dad’s not well. He’s at the hospital being examined.”

“What’s wrong with Master?”

“Possibly prostate cancer. We’re doing tests. I’ll tell you more when we know.”

Tang Yiyi told Wu Siping, who sighed, “The thing your master feared most has finally happened.”

“What did he fear most?”

“Xu Bin’s grandfather died of prostate cancer. You know how hereditary that is, don’t you?”

“Fifty percent.”

“Exactly. Your master’s been worried ever since he turned fifty. He’s had annual check-ups. Thankfully, it was caught early, so there’s a good chance of a cure. I’ll go to the hospital. Dr. Liu can cover the clinic today.”

Liu Qi nodded. “Go on, give Dr. Xu some encouragement. He mustn’t lose heart.”

Watching Wu Siping hurry away, Tang Yiyi felt lost. Physicians can’t heal themselves; her master had cured so many, but couldn’t cure himself.

She put a notice on the clinic door: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Dr. Xu Mingtang’s clinic will be closed today. Please return tomorrow.”

Zuo Chengjiang kept busy with accounts and prescriptions. He said to Tang Yiyi, “What old Xu cares about most is this clinic—it’s his life’s work. Whether he’s panicking or not, we mustn’t lose our heads. We have to support him.”

Tang Yiyi nodded, once again seeing him in a new light. Normally, Zuo Chengjiang joked around with the younger staff, acting like a mischievous old man, and Xu Bin had always been irreverent around him. But at critical moments, you saw a person’s true character.

That afternoon, Xu Bin arrived at the clinic, looking utterly drained, nearly collapsing into a chair. He said that after the check-up, they’d done a biopsy; the results would take a few days. But because it was such a hereditary cancer, Xu Mingtang already believed he had it. He was now having tea with Fourth Uncle.

“Xiao Bin,” said Zuo Chengjiang, “you look more like you’re mourning your father than waiting for a report. Your dad’s still here—you can’t fall apart before he does.”

Xu Bin froze at his words, then suddenly covered his eyes and wept silently.

Tang Yiyi quickly signaled to Zuo Chengjiang to stop, but he went on, “If crying solved problems, I’d join you. But you’re an adult now—time to shoulder some burdens.”

Xu Bin lowered his hands, red-eyed. “How can I shoulder them? The clinic relies entirely on Dad. I’m only a junior pharmacist—I could maybe run a pharmacy. The Xu family’s medical tradition ends with me. Even if I wanted to, I’m just not up to it. I’ve never loved medicine, can’t remember prescriptions. What am I supposed to do?”

Tang Yiyi comforted him. “The Xu family’s tradition won’t end. You still have me.”

“Can you stay here forever? Once you’ve finished learning, you’ll strike out on your own, maybe work at a big hospital. How could someone like me keep you at a little pharmacy?”

Seeing Xu Bin so agitated, Zuo Chengjiang waved at Tang Yiyi and dragged Xu Bin upstairs. He came down alone a while later.

“Let him cry for a bit. Xu Bin’s father was strict with him, made all his decisions. He’s never really rebelled, always obedient. See, if parents do too much, the child grows weak. The weaker the parents, the stronger the child becomes.”

“He seems quite capable to me,” Tang Yiyi said.

“That’s because he’s had Dr. Xu as his support—he’s never really had to think for himself. Dr. Xu hoped he’d carry on the family practice, but a child’s path isn’t for the parent to decide. He wasn’t cut out for medicine, but being a pharmacist is already an achievement. You’re stronger than him, Yiyi—at least you graduated college and found a job on your own.”

He sighed, glancing worriedly upstairs. “I hope he learns to stand on his own this time.”

“If Master’s illness was caught early and there’s no bone metastasis, the prognosis is good. Xu Bin’s weeping too soon.”

“He’s just scared. People need scares to grow up; as long as it doesn’t drive them mad, it only makes them stronger.”

With that, Zuo Chengjiang slipped behind the counter, leaving Tang Yiyi feeling lost in the wind: a fragile, weeping young man upstairs, and an old man downstairs who’d weathered every storm but couldn’t comfort a soul. She sighed, took out her phone, and called her master.

Xu Mingtang’s voice was calm. “It’s nothing. I’ll cooperate with the doctors and then use Chinese medicine to recuperate. It’s not a big deal—don’t worry.” His composure reassured her.

The clinic closed early that afternoon. Xu Bin gradually recovered his composure. Tang Yiyi placed a cool towel over his eyes as he lay quietly on the bed. After a long while, he said, “Yiyi, I’m very anxious. As a man, my risk for this illness is high. In the future, you’ll help me, won’t you?”

“Of course. I’ll definitely help.”

“Xiao Xiao, you know about her illness, right?”

“Yes, she told me.”

“Everyone around me has some kind of health risk, and I can’t help any of them. Does that make me useless?”

“Your presence is the greatest support for them. Xiao Xiao feels especially happy because of you. When she talks about you, her face and eyes don’t lie. Master is proud of you too. He says you’re especially good with people, and everyone likes being around you.”

Xu Bin smiled, removing the towel. “Do my eyes look alright?”

“Much better—you can’t tell you cried.”

“I’ll go see Xiao Xiao and let her know. She must be worried about me today.”

“You should go home early too. Don’t let Master worry about you.”

“Mm, I won’t let him worry anymore.”

After Xu Bin left, Tang Yiyi collapsed on her bed, exhausted. Today had felt longer than the past few months combined—she’d never felt so weary.

Her parents had always doted on her; her teachers had always liked her. She’d never been bullied at school, never betrayed by a friend. When she left for college, her parents still had her younger brother at home. She’d never worried about anything, just thrown herself into her studies. Later, when Wang Yufeng courted her, she was happy, and their romance carried her smoothly through graduation. Even after their breakup, she didn’t let herself grieve for long—perhaps Wang Yufeng was never the right one for her.

Even her secret longing for Qin Baike was more happiness than pain.

She’d never thought her parents would grow old one day. If either of them were to fall seriously ill, she’d probably cry even harder than Xu Bin had today.

May life be kind to her, and not frighten her too much.

She picked up the phone and called home, chatting with her parents for a long time. Only after confirming that they and her brother were all well and in good spirits did she finally hang up.

Calmed, she opened her master’s notebook and continued her studies.

That evening, Qin Baike and Ye Tong returned to Magnolia Lane after dinner. When they heard about the clinic’s troubles, both were stunned.