Chapter 6 — Don't Run Anymore, Hua Tri Hoa

"Hua Tri Hoa, you lied to me, I admit it. But I remember what she said, every time she couldn't hold on anymore, she just wished someone would pull her."

My nose stung and I immediately looked away. His voice softened.

"This time I pulled it, you can scold me, but don't use your mother's health as an argument."

I clutched the slip tightly, the edge of the paper cutting my fingertips. I don't know when Tran Mat stood in front of the shop door, looking at me with complicated eyes. I don't say no anymore. That evening, my mother cut the chestnut cake she couldn't bear to eat into four parts and brought it to the table. My father hurriedly drove home, sat on a stool, and carefully tasted a piece.

“City food is different, it's really smooth.”

I lowered my head to eat the noodles, the chestnut flavor melted on my tongue, so sweet that it made my throat ache. The phone lights up. Luong Nghien Chu sent a text message. 「Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, I'll take you two to the hospital.」 I stared at the screen, typed "No need", then deleted it, typed "Thank you", deleted it again. In the end, there was only one word in response. 「Okay.」 The other party answered very quickly. 「Is this true?」 I turned the phone face down on the table, my ears felt hot, and angrily took a big bite of noodles. * 【Chapter 4】 On the day of going to the city hospital, the sky was not yet bright. My mother changed into the shirt stored carefully at the bottom of the trunk, the cuffs of which had been washed to the point of fraying, and stood in front of the mirror combing her hair over and over again. My father stuffed a bag of eggs from home-grown chickens into the trunk of the car, saying that people had worked hard to help, but anyway, he couldn't go empty-handed. Luong Nghien Chu did not laugh at all, he personally picked up the egg bag and placed it firmly in it. On the way, my mother sat in the back seat, so nervous that she kept rubbing her shirt. Luong Nghien Chu brought down a bottle of warm water from the front seat.

“Miss, before the examination, just take a small sip, it's enough to wet your throat.”

My mother quickly took it: "Thank you, Tieu Luong." I sat next to him and heard the words "Tieu Luong" and my temples twitched. Luong Nghien Chu looked at me through the rearview mirror, the corner of his mouth curled up a little. I glared at him. He withdrew his eyes and pretended nothing happened. The hospital lobby was very crowded, the smell of antiseptics rushed in and made my nose sting, the loudspeaker's order number rang continuously, and the elevator door was crowded with people. When my mother came in for the exam, my father sat on a plastic chair in the hallway, rubbing his pants with his hands. I went to the window to line up to pay the hospital fee. As soon as I put my bank card in, someone behind me jumped in line, elbowing me hard, making me lean forward.

“Stay away, I'm in a hurry.”

I clung tightly to the edge of the window sill and was about to speak when Luong Nghien Chu reached out to protect me beside me. He didn't push the other person, just bent down to look at that man.

“Line up.”

The man evaluated him once, his tone a bit tougher: "Who are you?" Luong Nghien Chu lifted the paper to get the number and pressed it against the glass of the window.

"There were three people in front of her, and behind her there were seventeen people. If you're in a hurry, you can go find a nurse to explain, but don't nudge her."

His voice was not loud, but the people behind him all looked over. The man mumbled and cursed a few words, then finally had to step back. I held my bank card tightly, my palms sweating. Luong Nghien Chu bent down and looked at me: "Does it hurt when you get hit?"

“No.”

“Promise Tri Hoa.”

“It doesn't really hurt.”

He stared at me for two seconds then looked away. The test results came back, the doctor said the disease was not very mild, but with timely treatment it could still be controlled. My mother's eyes were red, but she was afraid I would worry so she lowered her head and searched her bag for tissues. My father stood up, his lips trembling and said thank you to the doctor. I grabbed my mother, she held my shoulder so tightly it hurt.