Picking Up Stars

捡星星

picking-up-stars

Chapter 59

When Qin Fang shook his head at Xing Yan in the car, he didn't want to talk yet. Xing Yan didn't insist and made way for him.


 Even at a time like this, they still understood each other. A glance or a gesture was enough to know what the other was expressing. Such tacit understanding seemed a bit sad and regretful now.


 The words he said when meeting Han Xiaogong made Qin Fang feel a bit confused and soft-hearted. This wasn't a suitable time for a conversation. Talking with Xing Yan at a time like this, Qin Fang's mind wouldn't be clear.


 He and Xing Yan would definitely have a talk, they had to, but not now. When in love, Qin Fang could be impulsive and a bit love-struck, but once out of love, he was always clear-headed and rational.


 He was very cautious about any choice, so after each choice, he would persist to the end without any regrets no matter the result.


 Now, every time he saw Xing Yan, he felt unsettled and emotionally out of control. As soon as they talked, a result would definitely emerge. Before Qin Fang could make a decision with a clear head, this result couldn't come out. He didn't want it either.


 Xing Yan understood him so well. He knew Qin Fang too well, so when Qin Fang shook his head, he made way. Giving him space to think, Qin Fang always needed time to sort himself out before making a decision. Xing Yan gave him time.


 Before Hua Tong's last exam, there was a call from home saying his grandmother had suddenly fainted. The local hospital couldn't handle it, so she was being sent directly to the hospital here and was still on the way.


 Hua Tong's parents were both away on business trips. Only his uncle and aunt-in-law came along. Hua Tong was about to leave the dorm at the time, with thirty minutes left before the exam.


 Upon hearing this, Hua Tong wanted to leave immediately. Qin Fang stopped him.


 "I'll go right now, I'll go immediately." Qin Fang had heard enough from his phone call. He jumped off the bed and said to Hua Tong, "I can handle anything that needs to be done, like hospital admission, payment, pushing the bed. You go finish your exam."


 Hua Tong's face stiffened a bit. He shook his head and said, "I have to go."


 "We don't know grandma's condition yet. It might not be a big problem. It's normal for the elderly to faint due to unstable blood pressure. You go answer quickly and come find me after you're done." By the time Qin Fang finished speaking, he had already changed his clothes.


 He squatted down to put on his shoes. "Didn't your uncle also say on the phone? He told you not to worry first."


 Qin Fang took his phone and sent his uncle's and aunt-in-law's numbers to his own phone. He patted Hua Tong on the back, "Bro, I'll go for you first. Trust me."


 Hua Tong was a studious person. He couldn't compare to Xing Yan, but he was the kind of studious person who won national awards in the academy. In their school, missing an exam meant directly failing and having to retake it.


 It was the last exam of his entire undergraduate period. If he failed it, Hua Tong's postgraduate recommendation would be gone. Now it was still uncertain what the problem was, whether it was big or small. If he missed the exam just like that, it would be a bit reckless.


 Qin Fang brushed his teeth and washed his face at top speed. He stuffed his phone, car keys, and wallet into his backpack and said to Hua Tong, "I'll go first. You keep your phone with you. If the situation isn't good, I'll call you immediately. If you see it's my call, just turn in your paper without answering."


 Hua Tong was also a bit flustered from suddenly receiving the call just now. At this point, he had also regained his composure. He pursed his lips and nodded.


 Qin Fang said, "If I don't call you, it means there's no problem. Answer your exam with peace of mind."


 If this were someone else, Hua Tong probably wouldn't be able to put his mind at ease no matter what. But this was Qin Fang.


 Qin Fang was too trustworthy. He could handle things, but if there was really a problem, he would definitely call at the first opportunity. He wouldn't foolishly wait until the exam was over to notify him. He could distinguish the priorities. Hua Tong trusted him very much.


 Qin Fang arrived at the hospital and parked the car. The ambulance had just arrived as well. Qin Fang had been to grandma's house with Hua Tong before and had met his uncle and aunt-in-law. This wasn't an occasion for pleasantries. When meeting, they directly talked about and handled matters.


 Grandma was pale and unconscious on the stretcher. With Hua Tong absent, Qin Fang went to take care of things. The bigger the hospital, the more difficult the procedures were to handle. You wouldn't know how many patients there were without going to the hospital.


 After stopping in the emergency room for a few minutes, she was pushed out again for various examinations. Then the doctor told them to take her directly to the neurology department on the twenty-second floor.


 Hearing that they had to go to the neurology department, Qin Fang's heart sank. Generally, going to the neurology department meant it was quite serious.


 When Hua Tong arrived, grandma was still in the operating room and hadn't come out yet. It was a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, and it was unknown whether she could be rescued for the time being.


 Hua Tong's face was completely pale. Qin Fang hugged him and patted his back forcefully, saying, "It's okay, bro."


 Hua Tong usually appeared carefree and joked around all day, but at times like this, he was also very closed off. Except for the necessary communication with the doctors, he didn't say a word. Qin Fang didn't leave and stayed at the hospital to wait with him.


 The surgery was temporarily successful, but the danger period hadn't passed yet. She also had to be sent directly to the intensive care unit.


 In the following days, Qin Fang also accompanied Hua Tong to the hospital. Most of the time was spent in the hospital. Hua Tong was very close to his grandmother, so even now, he would return to his grandmother's house for winter and summer vacations.


 Qin Fang understood this feeling very well. When his grandfather was critically ill, he was still so young, but he was already so terrified.


 Sometimes Qin Fang thought that if he were a bit older, if it were now, he might have an even harder time accepting his grandfather's departure. The older a person gets, the harder it is to bear this kind of separation.


 It was several days later when the elderly woman was out of danger. She woke up and could speak, but she was very confused and couldn't remember people. But this was already much better than the expected situation. The doctor said that with time, there was still a possibility of recovery.


 It was only at this point that Hua Tong relaxed. He had been holding it in before, and now he said to Qin Fang in the corridor, "I was really scared to death..."


 "Don't be afraid." Qin Fang hugged him again. Between brothers, they would bump shoulders and pinch arms, silently giving comfort.


 Qin Fang actually also let out a big sigh of relief. People don't like separation. He was very afraid that Hua Tong would also have to experience this kind of helplessness and forced acceptance. Although there will be many times in life, it's still better to have it happen later.


 Qin Fang felt relieved for Hua Tong and also very envious.


 His old man back then couldn't come back. Once gone, he was gone forever.


 Because he had been busy in the hospital for so many days, his matter with Xing Yan had been put on hold. But when Qin Fang sat with Hua Tong on the corridor chairs day after day, he also thought a lot.


 This kind of environment seemed to be able to settle one's state of mind, allowing one to automatically filter out the emotions floating on the surface and think about the most essential thread, to ponder the problem from the root.


 These past few days, Qin Fang sometimes emptied his mind and soul, sitting in a daze, and other times he pondered about himself and Xing Yan. He studied himself, his thoughts and feelings, and also studied Xing Yan. He thought about Xing Yan's experiences, Xing Yan's personality, and every day from the beginning until now for the two of them, and he went over the words Xing Yan had said.


 This was a very good relationship, and Qin Fang never doubted this point.


 But this was also a relationship that stepped on Qin Fang's minefield.


 From the very beginning, he had made it clear. Qin Fang was always sincere towards people, and he demanded equal sincerity, which was the premise of everything.


 But Xing Yan didn't give him this. Xing Yan gave him so much love, so many sweet dreams, but Xing Yan just didn't give him what he cared about most.


 It was still the person Qin Fang liked, really liked, liked too much. Qin Fang hoped he would shine, hoped he would fly high, hoped his life would have no regrets. Qin Fang had also always hoped that he would be there.


 He was still too naive.


 But thank you.


 Putting everything aside, he was his Yan-ge, and his kindness to him was real, and Qin Fang's happiness was also real. He had to say this thank you to Xing Yan face to face. Xing Yan definitely deserved this thank you.


 The day they met, neither of them made an appointment with the other.


 It was a cloudy day, with no sun. Qin Fang got up in the morning, changed his clothes, sent Jian Muyang to the tutoring class, and then drove directly to the small building. He didn't call Xing Yan, he went directly.


 The front door was not locked, and Qin Fang drove the car in.


 A melodious and long tune was transmitted into the car. Qin Fang turned off the engine and got out of the car. Following the sound, Qin Fang raised his head.


 Xing Yan was sitting on the roof playing the harmonica.


 The two met each other's eyes. Xing Yan didn't stop, playing the tune from last year when Qin Fang went back home with him. One evening, the two of them took a bus to go out to eat noodles. That day, Xing Yan picked a leaf and played the nursery rhyme from their hometown at that time.


 Qin Fang looked up at him with a smile, and Xing Yan looked down at him while playing the harmonica.


 Qin Fang climbed out of the attic and also went up to the roof. He walked over and sat down next to Xing Yan, quietly listening to Xing Yan finish playing the tune.


 The two of them were sitting on the edge of the roof, dangling their legs, looking at everything in the courtyard that Xing Yan had restored for Qin Fang's memory and beauty.


 Above their heads was a thick layer of clouds, not dark clouds, just a little bit gray because they were too thick. The cherry tree in the courtyard was still alive, and surprisingly, it was already sparsely hung with light pink little fruits.


 Qin Fang looked at the short tree and spoke softly,


 "Yan-ge, let's talk."

Picking Up Stars

Picking Up Stars

Chapter 69 - Chapter 59

Windwalker