Diagnosis: Friend [Rebirth] - Chapter 38.1

Chapter 38.1

Perhaps exhausted from crying, or simply heart-weary, Jiang Qing slept exceptionally long this time.

When she woke again, it was 9:00 AM the following morning. The room was empty. She spotted the thermometer on the nightstand and took her temperature.

36.5°C. The fever had broken.

However, perhaps from sleeping too long, her head still throbbed slightly. There was a tiny mark from a needle on her hand; the doctor must have administered an IV drip while she was out.

Jiang Qing looked around. This appeared to be Zhou Xuening’s room.

Memories of the previous night slowly flooded back. My fever-addled self was certainly bold, she thought. Actually seeking out Zhou Xuening and crying in her arms.

She sat up and lifted the quilt just as someone pushed the door open. Her body tensed instantly as she looked toward the entrance. It was Zhou Xuening. Jiang Qing relaxed immediately.

Zhou Xuening placed a bowl of porridge on the nightstand. “Eat something first. Freshly stewed silver ear fungus porridge. It’s delicious while it’s hot.”

Steaming vapor rose lazily from the white porcelain bowl, carrying a faint, sweet aroma. Inside, the silver ear fungus was fluffy and soft, its large petals fully unfurled.

Jiang Qing steadied the bowl and looked up at Zhou Xuening. “Did you make this?”

Under the steam, the fungus looked translucent, and the thick, amber-colored broth looked genuinely appetizing.

Zhou Xuening shook her head.

The porridge had been cooked by Gu Yining. It was Gu Yining who had carried it up, silently handing it to Zhou Xuening in the hallway and asking her to take it in to Jiang Qing.

Noticing the girl’s slightly cracked lips, Zhou Xuening cautioned, “Blow on it first if it’s too hot.”

The girl gave a soft “mhm,” took a spoonful, and tested it cautiously. The temperature was perfect.

After finishing half the bowl, Jiang Qing drank the warm milk provided. Finally, she looked at Zhou Xuening, who had just finished a phone call. “Aren’t you going to work today?”

Zhou Xuening placed her phone on the nightstand and sat in a soft chair by the bed. “Today is Saturday.”

“Oh, right.” Jiang Qing tutored Tan Baozhu almost every day, moving in a straight line between the study room and the dorms; she had lost track of the days of the week.

Someone entered to clear the dishes. Jiang Qing held her phone and sent a message to Tan Baozhu, essentially saying she was sick and couldn’t make it to the study room today. She quickly received a reply: “Okay, take care of yourself.”

Surprisingly normal.

Setting the phone down, Jiang Qing looked around the room and then at Zhou Xuening. “Thank you for letting me stay last night. My fever is gone. I want to head back to school; the teachers will worry if I stay out too long.”

Zhou Xuening stared at her for a good while before offering a smile. “Alright. I’ll drive you.”

It had rained heavily yesterday, and the road conditions were uncertain. If Jiang Qing took the bus, she’d have to transfer several times. Since she hadn’t fully recovered, catching a cold in the wind would be troublesome. Jiang Qing thought it over and didn’t refuse.

She got out of bed, put on her shoes, and went to the bathroom to wash up. Her peripheral vision caught her feet, and she suddenly realized she was wearing slippers. Her shoes were still in Gu Yining’s room.

How annoying.

When she came out of the bathroom looking gloomy, Zhou Xuening heard her footsteps and shifted her gaze from her phone to the girl. “Go say something to Ning’er. She’s the one who brought you back, after all.”

Jiang Qing paused, then nodded. “Okay.”

She sat on the edge of the bed and reached for her phone on the pillow. Opening her contacts, she saw Gu Yining’s name immediately. Her finger hovered over the screen. She took a deep breath and pressed down.

Suddenly, a ringtone sounded. It wasn’t loud, but Jiang Qing caught it instantly.

It was Gu Yining’s ringtone.

She glanced at her own phone—the name “Gu Yining” on the screen felt like an eyesore—then looked toward the source of the sound: outside the bedroom door.

The door was closed. Jiang Qing couldn’t see who was there, but she heard a flurry of hurried footsteps. Then, the familiar ringtone grew fainter until it vanished completely.

And Gu Yining’s call connected.

Both ends of the line were silent. From that tacit silence, Jiang Qing could discern Gu Yining’s effort to suppress her heavy breathing.

Jiang Qing instinctively looked at Zhou Xuening before speaking into the phone: “Gu Yining, I… I want to go back now. If I don’t, Ms. Jian will worry.”

An “mhm” came from the other end. “Wait a few more minutes. I’ll have Dr. Yang take another look. The fever is down, but you might need some medicine.”

Jiang Qing replied with her own “mhm.” “My shoes… I think they’re still in your room…”

“I’ll have someone bring them to you in a moment.” Gu Yining was crouching by the wall, her fingers picking at the grout between the tiles. “The roads aren’t great. I’ll have someone drive you back.”

“No need, thank you,” Jiang Qing said softly. “Zhou… Zhou…” She almost called her by her full name, but remembered she was sitting right there. She swallowed and searched for a proper address. “Auntie Zhou is taking me back.”

She caught Zhou Xuening smirking out of the corner of her eye. The call ended politely and quickly.

Zhou Xuening sat in the chair with her legs crossed. She tucked away her smile and looked at the girl seriously. “A fight?”

Though she didn’t know the trigger, she could guess Jiang Qing’s current state of mind. Resting her chin on her hand, she said, “It’s for the best. It had to happen sooner or later.”

Hearing this, Jiang Qing looked down at her interlaced hands. After a long silence, she murmured, “Is it that obvious?”

Whether in her past life or this one, Zhou Xuening was always the first to sense her feelings and the first to warn her to stay away from Gu Yining. Before, Jiang Qing disliked Zhou Xuening, viewing those warnings as insults. Now, she realized they were honest advice.

Zhou Xuening narrowed her eyes. “You and I are very much alike.” Their way of loving someone was similar; looking at Jiang Qing was like looking in a mirror. Sensing her thoughts was the easiest thing in the world.

Jiang Qing exhaled, her shoulders slumping slightly.

The heavy rain had caused significant damage to Anhe City. Some riverbanks had burst, flooding streets and soaking shops and cars. Three days later, the water had receded, and post-disaster reconstruction was underway.

During these days, Jiang Qing continued tutoring Tan Baozhu. By unspoken agreement, neither mentioned what had happened that night, and their conversation outside of studies became even sparser.

Tan Baozhu guessed they had fought, which was exactly what she wanted. With this bit of “entertainment” as a side dish, she studied with even more vigor. She had to admit Jiang Qing had talent; problems she couldn’t understand before now yielded a solution with just a glance.

Spinning a slender pen between her fingers, Tan Baozhu looked at the dwindling number of red “X” marks on her papers. She felt that the top 500 was finally within reach and felt a sense of relief.

Jiang Qing also felt a sense of relief because she had retrieved two more photos. Leaving the study room, she tore the photos into shreds and threw them into a trash can.

Returning early today, the noodle shop by the school’s back gate was still open. Jiang Qing bought a bowl of noodles and headed into the school under the soft glow of the setting sun.

Someone was crouching in front of the dormitory entrance.

Jiang Qing’s gaze swept past the person as she went to open the door. The person followed behind her as usual, trying to enter the dorm together. Unlike usual, however, Jiang Qing immediately tried to push the door shut, but a pair of hands held it firm.

She simply let go, steadied her breathing, and pulled out her phone as if making a call.

Seeing her let go, Gu Yining was suddenly joyful, pushing the door open to step inside. “Qingqing, I knew you—”

Before she could finish, she heard Jiang Qing’s cold, impersonal voice: “Hello? Is this the security uncle? Yes, it’s the student staying over that Ms. Jian mentioned. There’s an outsider trying to follow me into the girls’ dorm. I can’t stop her; could you please come over? Yes… yes, thank you for your help.”

Hanging up, Jiang Qing took a step back and pointed toward the door, saying politely, “Please.”

Gu Yining didn’t budge, her eyes burning as she stared at her. “I came to apologize.”

Jiang Qing blinked and slowly lowered her gaze. After a long moment, she seemed to sigh and looked up at Gu Yining. “Gu Yining, really… stop wasting your time on me.” Her voice was very calm. “We aren’t suited to be friends. Being around you makes me miserable.”

Gu Yining’s voice held a stubborn edge: “What about me makes you miserable? I can change.”

Can you change your sexual orientation?

The thought nearly escaped Jiang Qing’s lips. She swallowed. “Every word I say to you, every look I give you, it makes me miserable.” Her tone was flat. “If you truly consider me a friend, please respect my feelings and my choice.” Jiang Qing forced a small smile. “Please leave, or the guard will be here.”

The light in Gu Yining’s eyes faded. Jiang Qing looked away and added, “Don’t cause trouble for me. It wasn’t easy to get permission to stay on campus.”

The shadow on the ground moved; Gu Yining walked outside in silence. Jiang Qing locked the door without a word, the sound of the old iron chain clinking. She looked up and caught a glimpse of Gu Yining’s watery gaze, then looked away in panic.

Her heart began to race. Jiang Qing tilted her head to look at the large loquat leaves in the flowerbed and spoke dryly: “Don’t go asking Tan Baozhu about this. It has nothing to do with her.”

She offered a brief explanation anyway: “It’s not what you think between me and Tan Baozhu. We aren’t friends, just classmates. She pays me a high hourly rate for tutoring, and I have something I need from her…”

Gu Yining gripped the iron gate, the rust chafing her palm. It hurt slightly. She heard the underlying message and couldn’t help but say, “Don’t worry. I won’t interfere in your business.”

The tall dormitory building blocked the last of the sunset, leaving them both in the cold shadows. The noodles in Jiang Qing’s hand were steaming; the vapor touched her cold skin and condensed into tiny, cool droplets.

Jiang Qing took another step back, not daring to look at the person, only at the lock on the gate. “Go home. Be safe.”

She turned and walked into the building without looking back. The sun slipped behind the clouds and dipped below the horizon.