Diagnosis: Friend [Rebirth] - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Gu Yining didn’t sleep well that night. Perhaps influenced by that phone call, she dreamed of Jiang Qing again. She dreamed of their past—dreamed of herself huddled in Jiang Qing’s arms, crying loudly.

When she woke up, she was drenched in sweat. The room was pitch black; dawn had not yet broken. She hadn’t closed the window or drawn the curtains before sleep, and the cool wind drifted in unhindered, sliding against her damp skin.

It was a nightmare.

She couldn’t remember the specifics of the dream; the images were fading rapidly, but the sense of terror persisted. Her heart felt as though it were being squeezed tightly by an invisible giant hand, and every breath brought a sharp, stabbing pain. It was like fine needles pricking her over and over, deep into the marrow, making her body tremble involuntarily.

She retreated to the head of the bed and switched on the light. The brightness stung her eyes for a moment but provided a massive sense of security. She finally pulled herself out of the dark abyss, only to be hit by a vast wave of emptiness.

She missed Jiang Qing. She wanted to hold her.

It was cold at night, and the room was hollow. Gu Yining pulled her legs up, wrapped her arms around her knees, and curled into a turtle-like shape against the headboard, her head resting weakly on her knees. The light spilling from the ceiling unknowingly transformed into a dizzying pillar of radiance. Her ears began to buzz again—tiny, thread-like sounds weaving a massive net that enveloped the girl on the bed so tightly not even air could pass.

It felt like countless ants crawling on her eardrums.

The tinnitus was an affliction from her previous life; Gu Yining couldn’t remember exactly when it started. She tapped her ears, and the dense swarm of noise temporarily vanished, but the sensation of crawling ants migrated to her sense of touch. Realizing her legs were numb, she tried to move her calves, which felt as heavy as wooden logs.

A sliver of daylight peeked through the window.

Because she hadn’t slept well, Gu Yining crawled back into bed after a quick wash. This sleep was deep and long. When she finally woke up in a daze, she heard a knock on the door.

Gu Yining forced her aching body out of bed and grabbed the phone by her side. It was already 1:00 PM. The screen showed several missed calls—three from Zhou Xuening and the most recent from Gu Xi. She put on her slippers and went to open the door.

Zhou Xuening stood outside, looking at her with concern. “Why are you up so late today? Are you feeling unwell? I called several times and you didn’t pick up.”

Gu Yining shook her head and gave a soft smile. “Auntie Zhou, I didn’t sleep well last night and was a bit tired, so I overslept. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Zhou Xuening: “You remember we have to go to the hospital for a follow-up at 2:30 PM, right?”

Gu Yining had suffered a brain injury; although she appeared fully recovered now, she still needed regular checkups. She nodded.

Even after getting into the car for the hospital, Gu Yining remained somewhat dazed.

“Did you stay up late yesterday? You look so tired.” With several dozen seconds left on the traffic light, Zhou Xuening glanced at the exhausted-looking youth. “Are you adjusting well to school?”

Gu Yining yawned. “It’s alright. I just didn’t sleep well last night, and then slept too much this morning, so my energy is low.”

“A nightmare?” Zhou Xuening asked. “Or is the academic pressure too much? Encountering difficulties?”

“Auntie Zhou,” Gu Yining thought for a moment. “I have a friend… we used to be very, very good friends, but we haven’t seen each other for a long time, and she doesn’t remember me.”

A light chuckle came from the driver’s seat. Zhou Xuening glanced at the red light above, released the brake, and slowly turned the steering wheel. As the car entered the main road, Zhou Xuening couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: Truly still a child.

She offered a few words of comfort, but they didn’t have much effect. The girl’s eyes drooped, and she asked in a very soft voice, “Auntie Zhou, I’m not a very dislikable person, am I?”

“Of course not.” Zhou Xuening smiled gently and slowly pressed the brake. There was a crosswalk ahead, and the light flickered before turning red. “Friendship is a matter of fate and timing. Perhaps the timing just isn’t right for you two yet.”

Gu Yining kept her eyes lowered, her long lashes resting on her lower lids. According to the timeline of her previous life, she and Jiang Qing weren’t supposed to meet until next semester, and becoming best friends happened much later. Gu Yining couldn’t wait. Having been blessed by heaven with a chance to start over, she didn’t want to wait any longer.

But there was no way around it—Jiang Qing seemed to dislike her a little right now. Gu Yining was outgoing and generally popular; this was the first time she had experienced frustration in such matters, and the object happened to be her Jiang Qing. She was at a loss, feeling restless and anxious.

With Jiang Qing not by her side, Gu Yining was plagued by the fear of losing her again. Although… the time when she lost her in her previous life was still far off, the timeline of their meeting in this life had already changed. Who knew if an accident might arrive early? She had to stay by Jiang Qing’s side and sever all possibilities of an accident.

At this thought, Gu Yining’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if signaling that her intentions were far from purely simple. As the fresh citrus scent of the car perfume entered her nostrils, she refused to think deeper and merely lifted her eyelids slowly.

Pedestrians crossed the walkway. Gu Yining’s gaze fell on two girls walking arm-in-arm; one wore a plush doll backpack and was excitedly gesturing to the girl beside her. As the red light was about to end, Gu Yining cast a casual glance toward the side of the crosswalk. In her peripheral vision, a familiar figure appeared. Her body stiffened as her sight successfully captured that long-cherished silhouette.

Beside the crosswalk were high stone steps, and atop those steps was the entrance to a hospital. Gu Yining stared intently at the sign on the hospital’s tallest building, confirming it was an obstetrics and gynecology hospital.

Jiang Qing wasn’t wearing her school uniform today. Instead, she wore a white dress that had been washed until it was faded. Her black backpack hung neatly on her shoulders, and her hair bounced slightly against her back with every step she took down the stairs. She was holding several pieces of paper. They were too far away for Gu Yining to see clearly, but she judged them to be hospital test results.

After descending two steps, Jiang Qing stopped, looking down at the papers in her hand with a troubled expression.

Gu Yining recalled the clerk’s mention of a “pregnancy test.” Just as she looked back at the girl on the steps, the car slowly started, and the scenery outside began to recede.

Only when Jiang Qing’s shadow completely disappeared around the street corner did Gu Yining turn back. She looked at Zhou Xuening and tried to seek an answer to her confusion: “Auntie Zhou, if a girl buys a pregnancy test and then comes out of an OB-GYN hospital, what does that mean?”

She naturally believed the “pregnancy test” wasn’t for Jiang Qing herself, but she was terrified that something might be wrong with Jiang Qing’s health, or that Jiang Qing had become entangled in some troublesome affair.

A sudden, sharp braking interrupted Gu Yining’s thoughts. By the time she reacted, her body had jerked forward against the seatbelt before snapping back. Still shaken, she looked at the dark-faced Zhou Xuening.

The Bentley that had illegally changed lanes saw that the two cars hadn’t collided and sped off with a roar. Her racing heart slowly calmed, and Zhou Xuening let out a long breath, turning to ask, “Xiao Ning, you aren’t hurt, are you?”

After receiving a negative answer, Zhou Xuening restarted the car.

Gu Yining’s words replayed in her mind, alongside the sight of Jiang Qing standing on the hospital steps that she had seen while waiting for the light: What was she doing at the hospital?

She tried to probe Gu Yining: “Xiao Ning, you mentioned buying a pregnancy test?” This topic was sensitive for a minor. “Is it your classmate or a friend? You shouldn’t speak recklessly about such things.”

“Mm, I was just asking. My roommates were chatting in a group chat the other day, and I was just curious.”

Both women had their own thoughts. Zhou Xuening could tell she didn’t want to elaborate, so she didn’t press further. As the car pulled into the private hospital parking lot, Zhou Xuening got out and looked down to send a text message.

The weather today was gloomy, with grayish-white clouds draping low over the sky.

The surgery was performed quickly without anesthesia. Sun Ning lay on a long bench outside the operating room, her face deathly pale. Catching a glimpse of Jiang Qing’s skirt in her peripheral vision, she puckered her lips and almost burst into tears: “Jiang Qing.”

Jiang Qing sat down on the bench. A pair of slender hands immediately wrapped around her, and Sun Ning leaned against her shoulder, her voice weak: “It hurt so much.”

“Where’s my mom?” She clung to Jiang Qing, her lips curling into a mocking sneer. “Did she leave already because she thinks I’m a disgrace?”

She had known it would be like this; otherwise, she wouldn’t have sought Jiang Qing’s help in the first place. Who knew Jiang Qing would be so stubborn as to call her mother immediately? She had originally planned to borrow some money and go to a clinic for a medical abortion.

Even though she was in a proper hospital now, her family knew. She didn’t know how they would deal with her once she got back—especially that old woman, who would surely skin her alive.

The smell of disinfectant irritated her nose. Leaning against Jiang Qing, Sun Ning thought self-destructively: It’s better if she’s gone, so I don’t have to listen to her scolding.

Jiang Qing gently patted her shoulder, her tone soft. “No, your mom went out to buy you something to eat. She’ll be back in a bit.”

The girl rested on her shoulder, breathing softly; it was unclear if she believed her. Sun Ning had sought her out yesterday, pale-faced, cautiously asking Jiang Qing for a loan.

As the day grew darker, the light in the corridor turned dim and murky. Jiang Qing advised her: “Don’t get involved with that guy anymore. He isn’t a good person.” The girl on her shoulder let out a whimpering grunt, not clearly indicating if she had taken the advice to heart.

A sudden aroma wafted into the cold corridor, making Jiang Qing’s stomach growl. She looked up to see the middle-aged woman approaching with a lunch box. Her panicked gaze swept over Sun Ning before landing on Jiang Qing: “Is it over?”

Jiang Qing nodded: “Just finished, Auntie.”

Sun Ning looked up at the woman, and her eyes instantly grew moist. “Where did you go just now?”

The woman tapped the lunch box and placed it on the empty spot on the bench beside Sun Ning. “I bought you some chicken soup. Come, have a sip.” Her rough palm traced the girl’s smooth cheek as she choked back a sob. “Eat first. We’ll talk about the rest when we get home.”

She crouched before the bench, ladling out a bowl of golden chicken soup. She blew on it. “Drink it when it cools down a bit.” She then ladled another bowl and handed it to the girl beside her. “Jiang Qing, thank you for today.”