My Childhood Friend is Secretly in Love with Me - Chapter 16

“Are You Smoking or Eating Those Cigarettes?”

Zuo Yi closed his eyes and waved a hand, muttering in a low voice, “This is nothing. I have an even better gift I want to give you.”

Qi Yan asked curiously, “What gift?”

“…”

Zuo Yi snapped awake. He had almost drifted off and accidentally let his inner thoughts slip out in his daze.

“No, nothing. I am tired. I am going to shower and go to bed.”

Qi Yan watched his retreating back with a half-smile, his right thumb lightly stroking the webbing of his hand. Somewhere deep inside, a restless spark was blooming wildly.

“7:56.26. Have you been slacking on your physical conditioning lately?” Coach Huang shot a dissatisfied look at the person in the pool.

Zuo Yi felt as though he were being targeted by an infrared scope on a sniper rifle. Feeling guilty, he quickly dove back into the water and swam another 100-meter lap.

After finishing the 5,800-meter underwater training session, Zuo Yi climbed out of the pool.

“Tell me, kid, what kind of land-based training did you do at home these past two days?” Coach Huang tossed a bath towel toward Zuo Yi’s head.

Zuo Yi knew he was in the wrong. That 800-meter time was nowhere near his usual level. Alcohol affects the brain’s balance and bodily coordination, and the coach had strictly forbidden them from touching cigarettes or alcohol. Those few drinks from last night were clearly enough to drag down his performance today, and he felt a surge of regret.

He haphazardly rubbed his hair and body dry before running barefoot to Coach Huang to admit his mistake. “Coach, I messed up. I did get lazy after the holiday started.”

Coach Huang let out a cold snort, his face dark as he reprimanded him earnestly: “How did you guarantee me you would perform when you asked to compress your training time the day before yesterday? It has only been a few days and your true colors are showing. You know better than anyone how much hardship it took to get to this point. Do you think getting into Jingxi Physical Education University is the peak of your swimming career? You are nothing here. Do not walk around thinking you are amazing just because you have talent. How many talented athletes end up losing everything? Competitive sports are about hard work. From now on, you either train properly and improve your times, or you quit early and crawl back to a classroom to coast for a degree. If you do not cherish your feathers, they will all fall out sooner or later.”

Zuo Yi’s face flushed red at the coach’s words, and he was too ashamed to raise his lowered head. “I understand. Coach, please do not be angry. I will go run ten laps as punishment right now. I will not eat lunch until I finish!”

“If you run ten laps, will you even be able to train tomorrow?” Coach Huang said sternly. “Go run ten laps, then add 20 sets of abdominal crunches and 20 sets of sit-up. Tomorrow morning’s underwater training is canceled and replaced with land-based training.”

Zuo Yi stood at attention and gave a very sharp military salute: “Yes, sir!”

After the coach left, Zuo Yi deflated like a popped balloon. He dragged his exhausted body to the locker room to shower. The cold water hitting his face felt like a harsh slap, stinging painfully.

Coach Huang was right; he was indeed acting recklessly based on his talent. From carelessly touching alcohol to slacking on training, these were things he would not have dared to imagine in the past. Entering university had made him feel like a wild horse off its tether, and he had almost forgotten his own worth.

It could not go on like this!

A year ago, the time on his Master Athlete certificate was 7:53.33. A year later, his time had actually dropped by three seconds.

Faced with the bloody reality, Zuo Yi slammed his fist against the wall in regret.

After washing up, Zuo Yi hesitated before finally calling Qi Yan.

“Hello, Xiao Yi.”

On the other end, Qi Yan seemed to be in a very quiet environment.

Zuo Yi sat on the locker room bench, the atmosphere around him incredibly heavy. “Yan-ge, I might be a bit late going to the hospital to stay with Auntie Chen today.”

Qi Yan sensed something was wrong with his mood and asked with concern, “What happened?”

Zuo Yi did not want to worry Qi Yan with his performance issues, so he forced a grin and joked, “Hah, big trouble. I got assigned extra training, ten laps around the track.”

Qi Yan chuckled and said, “Focus on your training. I am at the hospital.”

“You did not go to the restaurant?” Zuo Yi asked.

“No. There is enough staff today, so the manager is letting me make up for the leave I took yesterday.”

Hearing this, Zuo Yi felt a bit more energized. “Then can you accompany me somewhere tonight?”

Qi Yan answered, “I can.”

A nurse stepped out of the ward and happened to see Qi Yan standing haggardly by a window in the hallway taking a call. She did not know who was on the other end, but his tone was incredibly gentle. Despite having just endured a gut-wrenching nightmare ten minutes ago, his bloodshot eyes held an undeniable tenderness.

“Sister Yang, Sister Yang.” A young nurse at the station called out to the nurse who was clearing the aftermath from the ward. “Was Doctor Luo about to call the time for the auntie in bed 23 just now?”

Nurse Yang sighed, still shaken by the scene. “Yes. We rotated through five or six rounds of CPR and it was not working. It was my first time participating in a resuscitation; my legs were shaking from fear.”

The young nurse sighed sympathetically. “Tell me about it. We could hear the commotion all the way at the nurse station. That poor woman is really suffering.”

“It is a lot of suffering. When you change shifts, make sure the rounds are thorough these next few days, especially for bed 23. If anything happens, get the doctor on duty immediately. We cannot afford any delays.” Nurse Yang gave a few more instructions before pushing the defibrillator away.

Qi Yan went to the deserted stairwell, took a cigarette from his pack, and put it in his mouth. His lighter was acting up and would not catch fire; in a fit of rage, he slammed the pack of cigarettes hard against the wall.

His body would not stop shaking. He was so close, so close to losing his mother forever. Over these past few months, he had snatched her back from death’s grip time and time again. Qi Yan was in agony; he knew his mother was suffering even more than he was just to hang on, but he did not want to lose her. What was he supposed to do?

His phone began to vibrate violently. Qi Yan pulled it from his pocket; it was a call from Qi Feng.

He leaned against the wall, watching the screen go dark and light up again. Finally, he chose to answer.

“What is it?” Qi Yan’s voice was raspy, but his tone was bone-chilling and devoid of emotion.

“Xiao Yan, find some time to come home and have a meal with your father.”

Qi Yan let out a mocking laugh. “Back to the home you share with that woman?”

Qi Feng sighed, seemingly expecting this response. “Xiao Yan, you have refused to see me. I miss you. Your aunt was also very upset about that matter. Can we both take a step back? I will come pick you up myself tomorrow. Let us just sit down and have a calm conversation over a meal, alright?”

Qi Yan sneered, “Aunt? Qi Feng, you had better stop disgusting me.”

A roar came from the phone: “Qi Yan! I am your father! Who gave you permission to talk to me like that? Where is the upbringing your mother was supposed to teach you?”

“You have no right to mention my mother,” Qi Yan said, white-hot with rage.

Qi Feng reproached him, “Xiao Yan, it is time to grow up. We are family; what kind of grudge can be that deep? No matter how you look at it, your mother has a life on her hands. As a husband, I have been magnanimous enough. Now I am asking my own son to come home for a meal, how is that disgusting?”

“Shut up! Please do not ever mention my mother again. Qi Feng, from now on, you are you and I am me. We will stay out of each other’s way.”

Without waiting for Qi Feng to say another word, Qi Yan slammed the phone shut. He let out a silent roar, shoving all his fury back into his gut to be consumed by his own being.

“Family of Auntie Chen! Is the family of Auntie Chen here?” Nurse Yang pushed open the heavy fire door to the stairwell in a panic.

Qi Yan adjusted his emotions instantly and replied, “I am here.”

“Auntie Chen has regained consciousness.”

Before Nurse Yang could finish, Qi Yan had already bolted past her and back to the ward.

“Mom, I am here!” Qi Yan reached the bedside. Chen Xin’s eyes were struggling to open, and her mouth was moving as she mumbled something, her hand grasping for Qi Yan’s.

“Mom, do not be afraid. I am right here with you. I am not going anywhere.” Qi Yan thought his mother was scared because she did not see him when she woke up.

But Chen Xin’s grip tightened, pulling Qi Yan closer to her. Her mouth opened and closed, desperate to express something.

Qi Yan knelt by the bed and leaned down, putting his ear to Chen Xin’s lips.

“I am going. After I go, go find your father.” Qi Yan heard the broken words clearly.

Qi Yan closed his eyes and took a subtle, deep breath. “Mom, do not talk nonsense. You will be fine.”

And I will never go looking for that piece of trash.

“No, he is your father.”

Qi Yan tucked her in. “I do not have a father. Mom, stop talking and get some rest.”

Tears streamed down the side of Chen Xin’s face. Qi Yan gently wiped them away, but as soon as he finished, another drop slid down, seemingly unstoppable.

“The mistakes of adults should not, should not be yours to bear.”

Chen Xin’s biggest regret was not getting a divorce sooner; it had caused her son to hold onto expectations of a family reunion for far too long. Now that her life was nearing its end, she was leaving the burden for her son to carry. She did not want to die; she did not want her son to be criticized by others. But at this stage, she was even more worried that Qi Yan would be left all alone in the future.

“What did you do wrong? The mistake was that man’s. He ruined you, and where is he now?”

Thinking of that phone call where the man still had the audacity to speak so shamelessly was truly sickening.

“Mom, stop crying.” Chen Xin’s tears were like a broken dam, soaking her hair and the pillow. Qi Yan could not bear it, his voice choking up. “I can live without a father, but I cannot live without you. Please stop thinking like that, okay?”

It took a long while for Qi Yan to calm Chen Xin down. He was physically and mentally exhausted. Once she fell asleep, he escaped downstairs to buy a new lighter.

He did not have a strong smoking habit; he only smoked one or two when he was in a bad mood. But without realizing it, the number of cigarette butts on the ground grew until they were too many to count.

“Are you smoking or eating those cigarettes?”

Hearing this, Qi Yan turned around. Zuo Yi appeared behind him drenched in sweat. The October weather had said goodbye to the heat and was turning slightly cool, the most comfortable temperature, but from the look of him, Zuo Yi must have rushed to the hospital immediately after finishing his ten laps.

“Sit and rest for a bit.” Qi Yan moved over to give him the spot on the left.

“Why are you smoking so much? Did something happen?” Zuo Yi asked, breathing heavily. He did not care about his own exhaustion; from a distance, he had seen Qi Yan’s despondent back, and the cigarette butts on the ground told the whole story.

Zuo Yi could not help but feel a surge of panic.

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