Running Towards You - Chapter 8.1

“You, how could you sneak out again?”

Lu Jiahe practically spat the words through gritted teeth.

“I wanted some fresh air. Staying in the hospital room for too long makes me feel like a zombie. I could barely smell the outside anymore,” Ji Yin answered honestly.

“What smell? The scent of chili peppers?” Lu Jiahe stared pointedly at the plate of stir-fried pork with peppers on the table.

“…”

Ji Yin patted the seat beside her. “Dr. Lu, have you eaten yet? Want to join us?”

Lu Jiahe glanced at the wheelchair Ji Yin was sitting on. Perhaps because the girl had already done too many outrageous things, the sight of the wheelchair actually made her sigh in relief, her anger significantly diminishing.

“Cut back on spicy food,” Lu Jiahe reiterated.

“I specifically ordered mild spice. Here, try it if you don’t believe me.” Ji Yin handed her a clean pair of chopsticks.

Skeptical, Lu Jiahe stepped forward, picked up a piece of pepper, and took a bite. Instantly, her face scrunched up, and she gulped down several mouthfuls of water from the glass beside her. “You call this mild spice?”

Seeing her reaction, Ji Yin looked puzzled. She took a bite herself and remained completely unfazed. “Yeah, it’s mild. I barely feel anything.”

“…” Lu Jiahe panted with her mouth open before downing more water.

“Is it really that spicy? Auntie, come try it and tell us if it’s spicy,” Ji Yin called out.

The auntie took a bite as well. “Hmm, not spicy at all.”

“Auntie, where are you from?” Lu Jiahe asked, unwilling to concede.

“I’m from Shan City,” the auntie replied. “Dr. Lu, you better stop eatin’ your face is all red, lookin’ kinda scary.”

“Oh, so Auntie’s from Shan City! I could tell from your accent. Coming all this way to work, that’s impressive,” Ji Yin remarked.

“You’re from Shan City too?” Lu Jiahe asked.

“Nope.” Ji Yin waved her hand dismissively. Spotting the restaurant owner bringing another dish, she quickly urged Dr. Lu to sit. “I also ordered pork bone soup it’s light. Dr. Lu, have some with us.”

“Are you absolutely determined to eat this meal today?” Lu Jiahe asked.

Ji Yin nodded, her eyes pleading. “It’s been so long since I’ve had food that actually suits my taste. Besides, I’ve already paid.”

Lu Jiahe knew how hard Ji Yin worked for her money. With a resigned sigh, she sat down to supervise the meal. “Eat less of the spicy stuff.”

“Of course, of course. I just wanted the meat slices anyway.” Ji Yin obediently picked at the pork, then noticed the auntie still standing nearby and invited her to join them as well.

With Dr. Lu there to share the meal, the auntie happily took a seat.

Lu Jiahe had only intended to supervise until Ji Yin finished eating before escorting her back, but her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly.

“Have some, Dr. Lu. It’d be a waste not to eat all this food,” Ji Yin said, struggling from her wheelchair to ladle soup for her.

“Don’t move, I’ll do it myself.” Lu Jiahe snatched the ladle and served herself a bowl. The hot broth instantly warmed her stomach.

She sent a quick text to her mom, telling her not to wait for dinner.

“Anyone want a drink?” Ji Yin asked.

At that, Lu Jiahe’s head snapped up, her gaze locking onto Ji Yin.

“…” Ji Yin scratched his cheek sheepishly. “From your professional perspective, Dr. Lu, what kind of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks would be suitable for me?”

Lu Jiahe glanced at the counter, nothing but alcohol and carbonated beverages. “Soy milk.”

“Alright then. Boss, three more bottles of soy milk,” Ji Yin called out.

Business at this shop was quite good, as was the case for all the eateries along this strip right outside the hospital gates. Countless people chose to dine here for convenience every day.

Just then, a family of four walked in. Judging by their accents, they seemed to be from Guangdong or Guangxi. With no seats available at other restaurants, they had no choice but to inquire here, asking the owner about the spiciness level of the dishes.

The two children, clearly hungry, stared fixedly at the food on a nearby table.

Ji Yin turned to look at them.

The kids shyly averted their gaze and instinctively ran toward their parents, but the floor was slippery, and they nearly fell.

Ji Yin swiftly reached out to steady the little boy.

“M̀h’gōi (Thank you),” the boy blurted out in Cantonese once he regained his footing.

“M̀hsái m̀h’gōi (No need to thank me),” Ji Yin replied with a smile.

In the end, the family didn’t stay to eat, the children couldn’t handle even a hint of spice.

“Where are you from?” Lu Jiahe asked curiously.

“I’m mixed,” Ji Yin said.

“Mountain City mixed with Canton?”

“Type A blood mixed with Type B.”

“…”

Literal mixed blood, huh.

Watching Dr. Lu’s speechless, dumbfounded expression, Ji Yin burst into laughter. “Was that joke funny? Did it hit the mark for an orthopedic surgeon’s sense of humor?”

“Can’t speak for others, but it definitely got me. I’d rate that joke an 8.8 out of 10 because you’re a 1.2.”

It took Ji Yin a few seconds to process the pun before he erupted into laughter again. “Dr. Lu, you’ve got quite the repertoire of dad jokes yourself.”

The older woman couldn’t keep up with their rapid-fire banter and simply sat there grinning, finally managing to interject, “Xiao Ji, where are you actually from? I almost thought you were a fellow townsman earlier.”

“I’m from the north. I’ve just been to Mountain City and Canton before.”

“That’s impressive. Just visiting and you picked up the local dialect. Unlike me, no matter how many times I go somewhere, I never learn,” Lu Jiahe remarked admiringly.

“It’s different. You were there for fun; I was there for business. Learning a bit of the local dialect makes it easier to deal with people. When I spoke their lingo, hardly anyone dared to cheat me when I was sourcing goods,” Ji Yin explained.

“What kind of business did you do in Mountain City?” the older woman pressed.

“Sold ginseng. I traveled all the way to Changbai Mountain to pick and haul the goods back, but people took one look at my little stall and didn’t believe my product was genuine. So the business folded pretty quickly,” Ji Yin said.

“And then you went to Canton?” Lu Jiahe asked.

“Not until a few years later. By then, I’d saved up some money and rented a small shop on a backstreet near a middle school. I’d take the hard-seat train to Canton several times a month to restock. Fast turnover, lots of styles, cheap prices sold like hotcakes.”

“Why didn’t you keep at it?”

“Too many copycats. The moment people saw I was making money, they rushed to Canton to source goods too, even dragging their whole families along to take turns. I couldn’t compete alone, so I quit.”

Lu Jiahe could almost picture the scene, it felt like something out of the last century.

“You could’ve opened an online store. Much more convenient.”

Ji Yin took a sip of soy milk before offering an awkward smile. “Don’t laugh at me, Dr. Lu, but I never had much education, and back then, I didn’t have many chances to use a computer. I always thought computers were some high-end, complicated thing, so I never dared to try opening an online store.”

“No worries. You’re pretty good with your phone now, sending messages in the middle of the night and all,” Lu Jiahe teased.

Ji Yin chuckled.

Truth be told, she hated talking to intellectuals. Many of them, upon learning about her education level, would look at her with pity or disdain, launching into lectures about how education could change her future, eager to guide her life choices.

No shit, everyone knows education can change the future.

But if you don’t survive the present, what’s the point of talking about the future?

Still, she kept those thoughts to herself. After all, these people could offer her opportunities.

She played her role diligently, pretending to have learned so much from them, even throwing in flattery when they met again If it weren’t for your advice, I wouldn’t be where I am today!

It always worked like a charm.

But Dr. Lu’s eyes held none of that complicated emotion, nor any hint of condescension. It was like drinking a plain bowl of soup, once it was done, it was done, nothing more to dwell on.

“Dr. Lu, why aren’t you surprised?” Ji Yin couldn’t help but ask.

“Surprised about what?”

“My low education, not knowing how to use a computer, not even understanding idioms like falling back into old habits stuff like that.”

“I’m a doctor, and you’re a patient. You’re here for treatment, I don’t need to see your diploma or computer skills, and I certainly don’t need you to pass an idiom test,” Lu Jiahe said with a faint smile.

Ji Yin was silent for a moment before murmuring, “Is it only in hospitals that people like me get treated as equals?”

The moment she said it, she felt her thoughts had suddenly ascended to a whole new level!

Lu Jiahe shook her head with a laugh. “Take a walk around the VIP wards and compare them to yours. You’ll realize the only true equality in this world is death.”