Running Towards You - Chapter 7

The caregiver was diligent and exceptionally strong, effortlessly lifting Ji Yin with ease.

Though Ji Yin wasn’t overweight, her height meant she wasn’t exactly light. It had been a long time since anyone could pick her up so effortlessly.

It was a little embarrassing.

“Sis, just hand me a crutch, there’s no need to carry me ah!” Before she could finish, the caregiver scooped her up and carried her straight to the bathroom.

Having been hospitalized for over a week, Ji Yin had only been wiped down with a towel by the caregiver. But today, the weather was nice, the temperature had risen a bit, and with the sun still up, she really wanted a proper shower.

The caregiver set her on a stool, wrapped the cast in cling film, and carefully rinsed her back with the showerhead.

“Take your underwear off too,” the caregiver said.

“You can step out, I’ll handle the rest myself.”

“Oh my, such a big girl and still shy?” The caregiver chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m a professional. In this line of work, we’ve seen all kinds of patients. When you’re at death’s door, there’s no room for shame.”

“But I’m not at death’s door yet,” Ji Yin urged her out. “Can’t you come back in after I’m done?”

“Fine, fine. I’ll be right outside the door. Call if you need anything, and whatever you do, don’t get that cast wet.” The caregiver lingered outside, chatting with others in the ward.

Ji Yin managed to wash up thoroughly, and just as she finished, she heard someone outside call out, “Dr. Lu!”

“Dr. Lu, you’re still here after your shift?” a fellow patient asked.

“A young patient is being discharged today, so I thought I’d stop by.”

Hearing Lu Jiahe’s voice, Ji Yin turned off the water, dried herself with a towel, and called out, “Sis, I’m done. Can you pass me my clothes?”

“Coming!”

Ji Yin slowly shuffled to the door and cracked it open just enough to see Lu Jiahe’s profile, his sharp features framed by a black trench coat.

He stood by the window, deep in conversation with someone else. At the sound of movement, he turned his head, and their eyes met.

Fresh from the shower, Ji Yin’s damp hair clung to her shoulders, her face flushed with steam. Her dark pupils gleamed, but her gaze held a hint of wariness, much like the stray cat Lu Jiahe had once rescued as a child.

“Here, here.” The caregiver arrived with fresh clothes, sidling past to enter the bathroom.

Lu Jiahe averted his gaze and resumed his conversation.

A little boy, now fully recovered, darted excitedly around the ward, stopping right in front of Ji Yin.

“No running around,” Lu Jiahe chided gently, resting a hand on the boy’s head and guiding him back to his bed, away from the bathroom. “Being discharged doesn’t mean you’re completely in the clear. You still need to be careful.”

“Understood! Thank you so much, Dr. Lu. We really appreciate everything you’ve done,” the boy’s family gushed, shaking Lu Jiahe’s hand repeatedly.

With the caregiver’s help, Ji Yin dressed and returned to her bed.

“Did the cast get wet?” Lu Jiahe came over to check on her.

“No, we were very careful. It didn’t touch any water,” Ji Yin answered honestly.

“Good.”

When Lu Jiahe returned home, his mother served a steaming hot meal. As the family ate, they discussed their plans for the New Year.

Professor Lu was about to start his winter break and wanted to take the family on a vacation to an island.

“You two go ahead, I have to work during the New Year,” Lu Jiahe said, picking at the green beans on her plate.

“Don’t just eat the green beans. This braised cured meat is delicious, your aunt specially sent it over,” her mother said, placing a piece of tender pork skin into her bowl. “Can’t you swap shifts with a colleague?”

Lu Jiahe wasn’t fond of cured meat, the lean parts got stuck in her teeth, and the fatty bits were hard to stomach. Only the pork skin suited her taste, so she ate it in one bite.

“If I could swap, I would’ve already. The problem is, no one wants to work over the New Year. I just happened to draw the short straw.”

“Then maybe we shouldn’t go either. Lao Lu, hold off on booking the tickets, let’s just celebrate at home.”

“No, you two should go and enjoy yourselves. Don’t worry about me, I’ll have plenty of chances to travel later. You’re always stuck at home, Mom, so go have fun with Dad,” Lu Jiahe insisted.

“But leaving you alone for the New Year it’s just too sad,” Liu Jia said, her voice tinged with reluctance.

“Mom, do you know how old I am this year?”

“Seventeen.”

Lu Jiahe laughed. “It’s just spending New Year alone no big deal. Don’t worry about me.”

“Alright, then take care at home. If it’s too much, go eat at Yaoyao’s place. I’ll talk to Old Li and the others,” Professor Lu said.

“I know their family better than you do no need to worry.”

After several days in the emergency room, Lu Jiahe was back in the operating theater. After a full day of surgeries, she checked the time and instructed the nurse to bring Ji Yin in.

The moment Ji Yin saw the orthopedic brace in her hands, her face lit up. “Finally, I can get rid of this cast?”

“Mhm.”

Lu Jiahe replaced it with the new brace, freeing Ji Yin’s calf from its stifling confinement. Her toes could finally wiggle freely again.

Ji Yin flexed her toes, visibly thrilled, as if she couldn’t wait to jump up and walk around right then.

Lu Jiahe pressed down on her restless leg. “Are you slipping back into old habits?”

“What habits?” Ji Yin blinked, amused. “This is the first time anyone’s ever called me cute.”

“Who said you were cute?”

“Didn’t you just say something about me being cute?”

“Slipping back into old habits.”

Ji Yin paused for a few seconds. “See? You totally called me cute!”

Lu Jiahe couldn’t help but laugh at her earnest expression. “Yeah, yeah, you are pretty cute.”

“Dr. Lu, I didn’t delay your meal today, did I?” Ji Yin carefully pulled down her pant leg, remembering how during the last surgery, she’d even had to remove her pants.

Surgery was like standing at death’s door, there really wasn’t room for shame.

“No,” Lu Jiahe said, tidying up her tools.

“That’s good. I’d feel bad if I made you miss another meal.”

“You’re the patient, don’t worry about the doctor’s time. This is our job. The best thanks you can give is taking good care of yourself,” Lu Jiahe replied.

Ji Yin was wheeled back to her ward by the nurse. Leaning on her crutches, she slowly tested her leg, getting used to the feel of the new brace.

The next day, when Yanzi came to visit, she couldn’t stop praising it. “This brace looks so much better kind of cool, actually.”

“I think so too,” Ji Yin said, wiggling her toes again. “Having two good legs really is a blessing. A few days in the hospital was enough, I can’t even imagine how hard life would be if I’d actually lost one.”

“Just take it one day at a time. What could possibly stump you? Back when you were beaten bloody, didn’t you still pull through?”

Ji Yin froze, lifting her head in disbelief. “When was that?”

“Must’ve been when you were eighteen or nineteen.”

“How do you know about that?”

“The police came to see me, that’s how I know. But they said you didn’t want to see me, so I didn’t dare visit. Dong Xiang sneaked me in to see you.” Yanzi shuddered at the memory. “Sis, we’ve got some savings now. Can’t you take it a little easier?”

“Do I look like an idiot? You think I go around picking fights for fun?”

Yanzi chuckled and pulled out their lunch, setting up the small table as they began eating.

At the next table over, another meal was being enjoyed, the aroma so tantalizing that Ji Yin kept glancing over.

Unable to bear it, Yanzi asked the family member sitting there, “Auntie, where did you buy that food?”

“Just a Hunan restaurant outside the hospital. Looks run-down, but the food’s surprisingly good. Though patients shouldn’t eat this, it’s too spicy. I wouldn’t dare give any to my son.”

“See? You can’t have any,” Yanzi said.

Ji Yin: Fuming.

Watching her furrow her brows, Yanzi burst out laughing. “Your expression right now is hilarious.”

“What’s so funny? Dr. Lu even said I was cute yesterday,” Ji Yin declared proudly.

“Did I hear that right? You? Cute?”

“Of course! Dr. Lu himself said I was cute. He even used some fancy word. something like ‘relapsing into old habits.’ Yeah, that’s the one.”

“Ahem! Sorry to break it to you, Ji-jie, but that’s not a compliment,” the guy from the neighboring bed chimed in.

“Then what does it mean?” Ji Yin turned to ask.

“It means you’re back to your old ways.”

“…”

Yanzi and Ji Yin exchanged glances before suddenly bursting into laughter. “I knew it! Since when were you ever cute? You totally misunderstood him.”

“Well, now my illiteracy is exposed,” Ji Yin sighed.

“So what if you’re illiterate? Nothing to worry about.”

“Easy for you to say, your education’s better than mine,” Ji Yin retorted, rolling her eyes.

Yanzi rolled hers right back. “I only have a vocational diploma. Not much better than you.”

“Go away. I don’t want to talk to someone who only has a middle school diploma.”

“That’s academic bullying,” Yanzi accused.

In the afternoon, Ji Yin took a nap and woke up to call Chen’s mother.

Not long after, the manager came to the hospital to discuss New Year’s promotions with her. They talked for over an hour before he left.

As the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, Ji Yin was in good spirits, watching it disappear behind a building before stretching lazily.

The aunt next door was eating again the smell was killing her.

Unable to resist, Ji Yin quietly slipped on one shoe. “Big sis, can you rent me a wheelchair? I want to go out for a meal.”

Lu Jiahe had just gotten off work and settled into his car when he received a message from a new contact.

[Caregiver for Patient Ji Yin, Bed 6]: Dr. Lu, Xiao Ji sneaked out again! She’s at a restaurant just outside the main gate!

Lu Jiahe immediately turned off the engine and got out to hunt her down.

“Big sis, anything you’d like to eat? Let’s order together,” Ji Yin offered.

“N-no, I’ll pass.” The caregiver tucked her phone away, waving her hands guiltily.

“Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Ugh, making money is so hard!”

“It’s fine, go ahead and order. My treat,” Ji Yin said with rare generosity. Seeing that the other person still seemed hesitant, she took the initiative and added a sizzling pot of spicy intestines to their order.

When the first dish of stir-fried pork with green peppers arrived, Ji Yin excitedly rubbed her chopsticks together, ready to dig in. Suddenly, she heard a voice calling from afar.

“Ji Yin.”

Was she hearing things? That sounded like Dr. Lu’s voice.

There’s no way she’d run into Dr. Lu again by coincidence, right?

She shook her head and chuckled to herself. Just as her chopsticks picked up a piece of meat, she heard an even clearer voice.

“Ji Yin, come back with me!”

Ji Yin slowly turned her head and saw Dr. Lu standing right in front of her, appearing out of nowhere. The shock made her drop the meat onto the table.

Ji Yin:

This is bizarre!

How does she keep getting caught red-handed like this?!

“Dr. Lu, did you secretly plant a GPS tracker on me or something?!” Ji Yin exclaimed in horror.

The GPS lady shrank back into the corner, not daring to make a sound.