Chapter 5 — Don't Run Anymore, Hua Tri Hoa

Luong Nghien Chu is sitting in the opposite tea shop, on the table is a laptop, the headphone cord hangs to one side, the screen is filled with English documents. The tea shop owner behind the counter kept looking at him secretly, and the high school girls at the next table also held their phones and pretended to take pictures of the menu. I rushed forward and slammed the appointment card on his desk.

“What do you mean?”

He took off one earphone and glanced at the slip.

“My mother has been coughing for three months, and the medicine the town hospital prescribed doesn't help.”

“Who let you investigate my house?”

Luong Nghien Chu closed his laptop.

“I don't investigate private matters.”

He gave me the phone. On the screen is the small noodle shop's public account, including a short video my mother posted, in the background she is coughing so much that her back is bent, my father commented below with a sentence: Wait until Tri Hoa finishes taking the exam, then go to the city for a check-up. Luong Nghien Chu said: "This is all public information for everyone to see." I stared at the screen, a lump in my throat. He continued: "I asked a familiar doctor to book the examination schedule for me. I paid for the examination in advance. It's like I lent you a loan. You can slowly pay it back." I pushed the phone back to him.

“I don't need it.”

He raised his eyes.

“Your mother doesn't need it either?”

This sentence nailed me to the spot. The tea shop suddenly became unusually quiet, the shopkeeper stopped wiping the table. I squeezed the slip tightly, the paper wrinkled in my palm.

“Luong Nghien Chu, don't use my family members to force me.”

He stood up, the chair leg rubbing against the floor made a harsh sound.

“I don't force you.”

“So what are you doing?”

“I'm entering your real life.”

My chest rose and fell. He looked at me, his voice low.

"You deleted On Le, I couldn't find her, so I had to go find Hua Tri Hoa."

I was so angry that my hands were shaking: "Hua Tri Hoa never invited you to come."

"Hua Tri Hoa hasn't finished speaking yet."

I was just about to open my mouth when the phone rang. It was my father calling. I picked up the phone, the wind was blowing loudly on the other side, he was probably at a rest stop on the highway.

"Tri Hoa, listen to what your mother said, did your classmate help you book a doctor's appointment? This kindness is not small, our family cannot accept it. Ask if their family needs anything, someday I will send some specialties from the countryside to give as gifts."

I closed my eyes: "Dad, I know." The phone turned off, I put the appointment slip back into Luong Nghien Chu's hand.

“I will pay you, I will also repay the favor, but don't do these things anymore.”

He didn't accept it, the paper fell on the table.

“Hua Tri Hoa, do you consider all kindness a trap?”

I raised my head, my voice strained.

“Because I can't pay for it.”

His eyes paused. I pointed to the street outside.

"You came here from Shanghai, stayed at a good homestay, drove a luxury car, made a random phone call and got the number to see a specialist. But my family sold a bowl of noodles for only twelve yuan, my mother didn't dare to go for any more tests, my father had a backache after running a long distance for three days. He thought he was helping me, but every thing he did, was reminding me how vast the distance between me and him was."

The tea shop is silent. Luong Nghien Chu's knuckles slowly tightened The laptop was pressed down and made a soft sound. I turned around to leave, he grabbed my wrist. Just as I was about to swing it out, he placed the appointment card in the middle of my palm.

“This time I think I owe On Le.”

I was stunned. He said in a low voice: “She was with me through the worst half of my year.” I raised my eyes to look at him. Luong Nghien Chu let go, the fire in his eyes seemed to have been suppressed by something.