My Childhood Friend is Secretly in Love with Me - Chapter 12

I Am a 1

On the bus back to Qi Yan’s house, he received a phone call. Zuo Yi caught most of the conversation: the department head was trying to persuade him to reconsider his application for a leave of absence. Qi Yan’s response was vague; he did not commit to staying, only saying he would think about it.

A genius boy who had been treated like a star since childhood had been pushed to this point by life.

Zuo Yi felt a mix of emotions, like a lump in his throat. After a long silence, he spoke slowly, “Actually, Xiaoxiao happened to see you at the hospital on Sunday. She has been very worried about you.”

Qi Yan felt a surge of guilt. “Sorry for making you both worry.”

Zuo Yi quickly countered, “I did not mean to blame you. I just wanted to tell you that Xiaoxiao and I can take turns staying at the hospital to help. There is no need for a leave of absence.”

Qi Yan flicked Zuo Yi’s forehead with his index finger. “I will think about the leave of absence carefully.”

Zuo Yi grabbed his hand and moved it into the gap between their seats, giving a serious command, “No, you do not need to think about it. Xiaoxiao is waiting for my reply. Trust us; none of the Moon Bay Iron Triangle can be missing when it comes to taking care of Auntie Chen. If you hesitate again, I will unilaterally kick you out of the group.”

Finally, under Zuo Yi’s combination of threats and persuasion, Qi Yan smiled and nodded.

After seeing Qi Yan home, Zuo Yi immediately called Ding Wenxiao to explain the situation. As he expected, she burst into tears on the other end of the line. Auntie Chen used to adore them. Every time she bought new clothes or sneakers for Qi Yan, she would buy a set for Zuo Yi and Ding Wenxiao as well. Children grow fast, and their heights changed in the blink of an eye, but she always remembered the sizes of all three of them.

Learning that Auntie Chen was ill was difficult for everyone to accept. After Ding Wenxiao vented her emotions, she volunteered to help with hospital care. With the National Day holiday starting in two days, Zuo Yi made a snap decision not to return to Jiangcheng. Staying at school would make it easier to take shifts. He told Ding Wenxiao his plan, and she unhesitatingly cancelled her travel plans. The two agreed to take turns, one day each, during the holiday.

By the time the call ended, Zuo Yi had reached the dorm. Li Zihao walked in whistling, just before curfew.

“Brother Hao, why are you so happy?” Zuo Yi did not really need to ask; he could guess the reason.

Li Zihao sat on the edge of Zuo Yi’s bed, covering his blushing face with his hands. His voice squeezed through his fingers, “Guan Guan and I are together.”

Zuo Yi was happy for him. “Congratulations! You finally caught up to Sister Guan Guan.”

Li Zihao suppressed his excitement. While having late night snacks with Guan Guan, he had heard a lot about Qi Yan’s situation. It had not been easy for him this past year. “Xiao Yi, if Qi Yan needs help, just let me know anytime. Do not feel too bad.”

“Yeah. Let us call Sister Guan Guan for a meal together sometime when we have time. We have troubled her,” Zuo Yi said.

“Sure. You should focus on being there for Qi Yan for now. There is no rush for the meal.”

After the dormitory lights went out, Zuo Yi opened WeChat. There was a new friend request from a user named “1.” Zuo Yi did not know who it was but accepted the request. Immediately, the other party sent a system greeting.

[1: I am a 1]

Zuo Yi found it a bit funny. What kind of person would give themselves a screen name like that?

[Zorro: What a coincidence, so am I.]

After replying, he exited the chat and realized he had been pulled into a group of three. Ding Wenxiao posted a caregiving schedule in the group. Soon, the user named “1” replied with a “Thank you.”

Zuo Yi felt as if his brain had been struck by a hundred pound mace. This “1” guy appeared to be Qi Yan! He hurried back to their private chat and retracted the “so am I” message, but he was a step too late.

[1: You are too?] The other party retracted a message. [1: Retracted?] [Zorro: Sent it to the wrong person. Ignore it.] [1: Okay.]

Zuo Yi breathed a long sigh of relief. Fortunately, Qi Yan did not understand his dark humor, and he managed to smooth it over. He went back to the group chat. They had already talked a lot, mostly messages from Ding Wenxiao. When it was mentioned that Zuo Yi was staying at school for the holiday, Qi Yan sent another message.

[1: Is there anyone else staying in the dorm during the holiday?] [Zorro: Yes.] [1: Jingjing?]

Zuo Yi was speechless. Did Qi Yan think he was staying just to be with Guo Jingjing? The problem was that he seemed to have heard Guo Jingjing mention that he was not going home for the holiday either. Now he really felt like he could not clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

[Zorro: He is staying, but he and I are really not in the kind of relationship you think. I am not staying because of him.] [1: Mm.]

Mm? What does “Mm” mean? Does he not believe me? Zuo Yi tossed and turned with his phone. Qi Yan actually did not believe him!

[Zorro: I really am not. Do not misunderstand.] [1: Mm.]

Another Mm? Is he doing this on purpose?

[Zorro: The school swimming team has recruitment trials after the break. I need to step up my training, and going back would be inconvenient. Not to mention, I have to take care of Auntie Chen. Isn’t that all in the schedule?] [1: Mm.]

Can this person not type any other words besides “Mm”! Zuo Yi was mentally punching the wall. He wanted to reach through the phone, grab Qi Yan by the collar, and ask him what he was playing at!

[Zorro: Then I might as well go back to Jiangcheng.] [1: Oh.]

It was either “Mm” or “Oh.” He was not happy if I stayed at school, and he was not happy if I went back to Jiangcheng. This man is so hard to read!

Zuo Yi scrolled back through their chat history. He had not said anything to make him angry. Was it really just because Guo Jingjing and he were both staying, and Qi Yan assumed they wanted to use the holiday for some “private time” in the dorm? In Qi Yan’s mind, the idea that Zuo Yi and Guo Jingjing were “gay” was becoming a solid fact!

Zuo Yi was flustered. Before his brain could finish processing, his hands moved ahead of him.

[Zorro: Can I stay at your house during the holiday?] [1: You can.] [1: Going to sleep. Goodnight.]

Zuo Yi felt that something was slightly off, but he could not figure out what it was.

The next day, Zuo Yi coordinated his training plan with his coach. He would finish his 5,800 meter underwater training before 10:00 AM every day. If he had time in the afternoon, he would complete simple land based aerobic training on his own, compressing his training time as much as possible. On the last day of the holiday, he would undergo a solo mock assessment. Short distance racing was not Zuo Yi’s strongest suit; 800m to 1,500m long distance freestyle was his comfort zone. Zuo Yi’s explosive power and endurance in the pool were staggering. He had been almost peerless in his age group competitions.

His results were inseparable from his hard work and the courage and talent he gained from crossing the Yangtze River with his father since he was a child.

At first, the coach refused to let him compress his training time, as it could disrupt muscle memory and affect his underwater performance. Thanks to Zuo Yi’s persistence and the fact that he jumped into the pool and swam eight laps with impressive results, the coach finally relented. The condition was that he had to perform a mock assessment.

After a long day, he returned to the dorm. Most people had already left. Li Zihao, being a local, was not in a rush and stayed another night. Only Zuo Yi, Li Zihao, and Guo Jingjing were left in the room.

Since his last confession, Guo Jingjing had tried to show interest in Zuo Yi from time to time, but Zuo Yi’s firm attitude had blocked him. Realizing it was futile, he had been much better behaved lately.

After the lights went out, the three lay in their beds chatting about holiday plans. Li Zihao planned to take Guan Guan to Semporna for a vacation. Guo Jingjing had a gig as a resident singer at a bar; he would perform at night and come back to sleep during the day.

In the dark dorm, Li Zihao suddenly slapped his bed board, making Zuo Yi jump. “Holy crap, are you crazy!” Zuo Yi cursed.

Li Zihao laughed at his reaction. “Will you be scared being alone in the dorm at night, Xiao Yi Yi?”

“Zuo Yi, are you scared? If you are, I can cancel the gig and stay in the dorm to keep you company,” Guo Jingjing asked with a smile.

Zuo Yi rolled his eyes where no one could see. “Sorry, I am staying at a friend’s house during the holiday. I will not be in the dorm. Sorry to disappoint you all.”

Guo Jingjing asked dejectedly, “Are you going to Qi Yan’s place?”

Just as Li Zihao was about to jump in, Zuo Yi spoke first, “Yes. Brother Yan has some things he needs help with. It is more convenient to stay there.”

“What about your daily training? Will you run back and forth between his house and school?” Li Zihao asked.

Guo Jingjing added sourly, “Is it not tiring to run back and forth? What kind of help requires you to stay at his place?”

“Jingjing!” Li Zihao could not listen anymore and snapped back, “It is only an extra thirty minute commute. Why are you complaining for Zuo Yi? Besides, whatever help it is, we are not his partner. There is no need for him to report everything to us. When you are friends, do not cross the line. Do you understand?”

“I did not mean it like that,” Guo Jingjing defended himself aggrievedly.

Zuo Yi did not expect Li Zihao to jump in for him. If he had not, Zuo Yi would have had a serious talk with Guo Jingjing himself. Since Li Zihao had already played the “bad guy,” Zuo Yi took on the role of the peacemaker. “Alright, Brother Hao did not mean anything by it. Where I go for the holiday is my private business. Let us just mind our own business and go to sleep.”

On the 30th, Zuo Yi finished his morning training, packed a few changes of clothes in the afternoon, and rushed to the hospital. He had never cared for a patient before. Qi Yan had a major course that afternoon, but he would not be going to work after class. Zuo Yi needed to learn some nursing basics from Qi Yan quickly so he would not be a hindrance.

When he reached the ward, Auntie Chen was conscious. She recognized Zuo Yi immediately, her mouth moving as if she wanted to speak, but she was too weak to make a sound.

“Auntie Chen, it is Xiao Yi. I have come to see you.” Zuo Yi went up and took her hand. Qi Yan stood aside with a heavy expression.

Auntie Chen struggled to move the oxygen tube, tears streaming down her face. “Xiao Yi, has, grown up. So handsome.” After saying that, she began to cough violently.

Zuo Yi’s eyes reddened as he comforted her and adjusted the oxygen tube. “Auntie, do not speak. I will be here with you all day. In a bit, I will tell you some stories about the courtyard, okay?”

Only then did Auntie Chen feel at ease. Qi Yan stood nearby, clutching a crumpled tissue, unable to move. Seeing this, Zuo Yi took another tissue and gently wiped Auntie Chen’s tears at the bedside.

After explaining everything, Qi Yan had to rush to school for class. Zuo Yi listened intently. Caring for a patient was not exactly a technical job, but it required great care. One had to constantly observe the patient’s condition: massage them if they were in pain, help them turn over if they had been lying down too long, keep them hydrated, empty the urine bag on time, cooperate with the doctor’s rounds, and keep an eye on the IV bag to call the nurse for a change.

Zuo Yi saw Qi Yan out of the hospital. Qi Yan’s face was tense and he seemed to be in a bad mood, but he did not say anything, and Zuo Yi did not ask. He knew that for some things, asking would not change the outcome. All they could do now was give their best effort and leave the rest to fate.

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