FMT 26

Chapter 26 Gravely Ill

At first light, Chen Shuangning was about to leave.

Liandan hurried to boil hot water for him, warmed two mantou, and after he finished eating, saw him to the door.

Before leaving, Chen Shuangning said, “If something happens, go next door and call Auntie Wu’s family to keep you company. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

Liandan nodded uneasily. He rose on tiptoe and brushed a reliant, affectionate kiss on Chen Shuangning’s lips. “Be careful on the road.”

Chen Shuangning lowered his eyes to look at him, gave a quiet “Mm.” The fingers at his side twitched, then somewhat awkwardly lifted to smooth Liandan’s fringe before he turned and strode across the yard, out the gate.

When the young man’s figure vanished outside, Liandan closed the door heavily. He sat in the outer room, tending the stove and staring blankly, both hands clasped on his knees, veins taut across the backs.

All morning, Liandan went into the other room several times. The old lady remained unconscious. Unlike before, one could barely see her chest rise and fall unless looking carefully. Her face, no longer just withered thin, was now swollen, so puffed that her features were nearly unrecognizable.

After Xiaodan woke, Liandan was a little better with the child to keep him busy.

It seemed Xiaodan sensed his dad’s anxiety. He was well-behaved the whole morning, eating when hungry. At noon, after finishing a small bowl of egg custard, he digested and went down for a nap.

Once Xiaodan slept, the house went silent again, and Liandan grew restless.

Chen Shuangning returned just as Xiaodan was waking. Liandan came out with the child to meet him, like a fledgling greeting the bird that brought food back, all the day’s fear and anxiety vanished.

He wanted to throw himself into the young man’s arms, but when closer, he saw several people behind him.

At the front was Zhang Xing, the eldest son of the Zhang family, followed by the old lady’s elder brother, beating his thighs and weeping. Behind him, the second son Zhang Li supported their grief-stricken father as they came.

Zhang Xing asked anxiously, “How is my aunt?”

Liandan answered, “She hasn’t woken at all.”

The three Zhangs hurried inside. Chen Shuangning followed. Passing Liandan, he squeezed his wrist.

Liandan’s fear and grievance welled up, and tears spilled. Chen Shuangning lifted his sleeve and gently wiped them from his face. In a low voice he said, “It’s all right. I’m here.”

Liandan gave a faint “Mm,” and watched him hurry in as well.

Inside, the Zhang elder brother sat by the bed, holding his sister’s hand. Tears streamed down as he said, “My poor sister, her life so bitter, husband gone early, son gone too, living without a shred of hope!”

“Luckily Shuangning returned. With son, wife, and a plump grandson, life had just started to look right. Even the Chen relatives didn’t dare make trouble anymore. But after only a few days of good life, how could one fall and end up like this?”

He broke into sobs, pounding his chest. Zhang Li tried to console him.

Zhang Xing, however, wore a pensive look and glanced once, seemingly casually, at Chen Shuangning.

After the Zhangs arrived, Auntie Wu’s family, hearing the commotion, also came—her, her husband, and Tingzi—to see if help was needed.

Some Chen relatives followed soon after. Meeting the Zhang family, words were exchanged, tempers flared, and the atmosphere grew tense.

Only when the village head arrived did it quiet down.

The Zhang elder brother, not young anymore, after crying bitterly and clashing with the Chen relatives, looked pale and kept clutching his chest.

Zhang Xing, seeing this, told his younger brother to take their father back by cart, fearing he might not bear it.

Once those two left, the room grew calmer. The village chief called Chen Shuangning aside, asking about preparing funeral arrangements.

Just then, Auntie Wu cried out from the inner room, “She’s awake, awake!”

Everyone rushed in to the bed. The old lady lay there, eyes swollen grotesquely as she strained to open them. Her clouded pupils turned toward those who entered, it was a frightening sight.

Tingzi rose from the bedside, took Xiaodan from Liandan’s arms, and whispered, “I’ll take the child to the other room.”

Liandan thanked her.

The old lady seemed to hear. Her gaze followed the child until he was carried out of sight, then turned back.

This time her eyes fixed on her nephew. With effort, she raised a hand and pointed at him.

Zhang Xing hurried close, bent down. “Aunt, you have words to tell me?”

The old lady nodded with difficulty. Her voice rasped, unclear. “Yes, and also…”

Her eyes searched among the people. Auntie Wu cried, “Your son is here!” pointing to Chen Shuangning.

The old woman’s lifeless eyes turned to him. Her swollen lids made it impossible to see her expression. She looked at the young man for a long moment, then, to everyone’s surprise, shook her head.

Her trembling hand shifted, pointing instead… at Liandan.

Zhang Xing turned to the others. “Please, wait outside for a while.”

It was clear she meant to speak her last words. Everyone knew and filed out. Only a single Zhang Xing and an anxious Liandan remained.

Liandan turned, looking for the familiar figure, and saw Chen Shuangning still standing there, eyes lowered to the floor, lost in thought.

Only when the others had gone did he lift his head. He gave Liandan a single glance, then turned and walked out.

Liandan could not tell its meaning, only that in that moment, his anxiety reached its peak.

In the outer room, everyone found seats. Auntie Wu wiped her eyes and said to Chen Shuangning, “Your mother can’t let you go. She wants to entrust you to her most trusted nephew and your closest wife to look after.”

At this, the others understood why she had not let her own son remain inside.

The village chief sighed. “That old lady always doted on her son most. No one cared for him like she did. Even after he married and had his own child, she still treated him like a boy. Such is a parent’s heart.”

Several people were chatting, but Chen Shuangning remained silent, rarely speaking. Others only thought he was too grieved and did not find it strange.

He stood near the inner room door, head slightly lowered, his face as always expressionless. His lowered eyelids hid every change in his eyes, the growing coldness, and the surging undercurrent of blood and darkness.

Two whole sticks of incense burned, yet there was no movement inside. The Chen relatives grew restless. After a few polite words, they left one by one.

They had only come to see if they could take advantage, but seeing not only Chen Shuangning, but also the Zhang family and the village chief present, there was no chance, so they left disappointed.

Only Auntie Wu’s family and the village head remained. After a little small talk, there was nothing else to say, so they sat in heavy silence.

After about a cup of tea’s time, finally there was movement inside. The door creaked open, and Zhang Xing came out.

Auntie Wu immediately stood. “How is it?”

Zhang Xing glanced at the few outside, his face grim. “We talked a while, then she fell back asleep.”

Auntie Wu let out a heavy sigh.

Then footsteps sounded from behind him. Someone else came out of the room.

It was Liandan. His face was frighteningly pale, but his eyelids were red. As he came out, his head stayed lowered, he did not look at anyone, did not speak, just stood quietly in the corner.

The village head stood and asked, “Did the old lady leave any instructions? How are the funeral plans to be handled?”

Zhang Xing said, “Keep it simple. Bury her with my uncle.”

The village head nodded. “All right. Let’s do that for now. Everyone go home and wait for word.” He turned to Chen Shuangning. “You stay on watch tonight. Keep an eye at all times. If something happens, come call me, and I’ll gather help.”

Chen Shuangning nodded and thanked him.

As everyone spoke and left, Chen Shuangning followed behind to see them out. Liandan came out of the corner too, following to send them off.

Tingzi said Xiaodan had napped, and now he would need milk. Liandan answered softly that he knew, thanked her again.

Between him and Chen Shuangning stood Tingzi. Chen Shuangning turned and glanced at him, but Liandan seemed unaware and gave no response.

After sending everyone off, Chen Shuangning latched the courtyard gate.

When he turned back, he only saw Liandan’s back. He had already gone back into the house alone.

Chen Shuangning’s fingers at his side curled slightly. Then he stepped back inside.

With everyone gone and the child still sleeping, the house was oppressively quiet.

Liandan went into the inner room. The door closed tight.

Chen Shuangning stood outside a while, then turned away. He added wood to the stove, steamed the prepared goat milk, along with a few leftover mantou from yesterday, a bowl of egg custard, and a plate of oil-dregs fried mustard root.

When the steaming was nearly done, he took out the goat milk to cool, then put on a kettle of hot water.

After finishing, he heard Xiaodan’s soft fussing from inside. The child had woken.

Chen Shuangning tested the milk’s temperature. It was just right. He took a spoon from the cupboard, carried the milk to the room door.

Just as he was about to push the door, his motion stopped. Instead, he raised his hand and knocked. After a pause, he heard “Come in” from inside. Only then did he push open the door.

Liandan was sitting on the bed edge, head lowered, changing Xiaodan’s diaper.

Chen Shuangning came to the bed, looked at him, and said slowly, “The milk is ready.”

Liandan did not look up, only paused slightly in his movement, and said quietly, “Put it on the table.”

Chen Shuangning set down the bowl and spoon, and waited aside.

After changing him, Xiaodan rolled onto his stomach, reaching eagerly for the milk on the table.

Afraid he would overturn the bowl, Liandan quickly caught his little hand, trying to stop him. But Xiaodan persisted, stretching out the other hand. Liandan scrambled to catch that too.

Then, Chen Shuangning bent down, reached out both hands. “I’ll hold him.”

But before his fingers even touched the child’s clothes, Liandan’s body stiffened at the sight of his hand. Then suddenly, clutching Xiaodan, he leaned back, avoiding the young man’s hand.

Chen Shuangning’s motion froze. He slowly raised his head, looking at the boy who had drawn back with the child in his arms.

Liandan’s eyes were swollen red, his face white as chalk. Only now did Chen Shuangning see clearly the look in his eyes, full of wariness, vigilance, fear, and doubt.

Outside, the sun was setting. The room grew dim. Chen Shuangning slowly withdrew his hands, straightened his body. In the dimness, his expression could not be seen.

Xiaodan seemed to sense something wrong. He no longer reached for the milk, only stared blankly at his dad.

After a while, in the gloom, the boy’s lips trembled. He spoke with difficulty. “You are not Chen Hanwen.”

The words fell, and the room was silent. Chen Shuangning stood at the bedside, motionless.

Liandan’s breath quickened, his throat choked with sobs. He asked, “Who are you?”