He Yao let out a long sigh of relief as she followed Zhan Jingrui out of the door.
"Thank you for taking me out. I'm leaving now."
Zhan Jingrui had been ready to invite her to his place, but he was taken aback by her words: "Where are you going?"
He Yao couldn't possibly go to his house.
It wouldn't be easy to explain to his parents if a male classmate brought a female classmate home.
Besides, if he really kept her for an hour or two and then let her leave, it would be too late, making it even harder for her to go.
"To my aunt's place."
Zhan Jingrui recalled the address she had given last time when the class monitor drove her and asked, "Is your aunt on Binhe Road?"
"Yes. It's the place where I ran into you last time."
It was so late, and she was alone. After being frightened, she still had to take the bus. Zhan Jingrui felt a sense of unease.
"Wait a moment, I'll take you."
Unwilling to let her stand by herself at the entrance, he took He Yao to the Tang family's home.
Zhan Jingrui had never lied to his family before, but this was the first time in his life.
He told his father that he was going out with a classmate to buy study materials and would be back soon, then smoothly drove out.
The car drove slowly, and after much thought, Zhan Jingrui asked her.
"You said it wasn't the first time, but your mother wouldn't believe you?"
He Yao looked out the window and spoke after a long pause, not answering directly.
"My mother was pregnant with me before she got married. My father ran away when she was about to give birth... Over the years, she dated many boyfriends, but none of them worked out. This one is not only young and promising, but he's also willing to marry her, so she's very grateful."
Zhan Jingrui was speechless.
After a moment, he said, "What if he asks you to go back tomorrow? Have you thought about what you'll do in the future?"
He Yao turned back to face forward, her tone indifferent.
"I have. I told my mother I wanted to continue living at my aunt's place, but she disagreed. To be precise, he disagreed."
"He said that since my mother was already married to him, I should logically live with them. Otherwise, people would think he couldn't tolerate me."
"My mother is unemployed now and can't afford to pay extra money to my aunt."
Zhan Jingrui had lived for eighteen years, and this was the first time he had encountered a family situation so complicated.
Besides empathizing with her, he didn't know what else he could do.
"So, what are you going to do?"
He Yao replied with a tone of resignation, "I'll take it one step at a time. If all else fails, I'll confront him."
Zhan Jingrui's first thought was to report it, but He Yao shook her head.
"I haven't thought about it. Given my mother's feelings for him, she would hate me if I ruined his marriage."
"I'll be eighteen next month. Just a few more days, and then I'll be free."
As the car weaved its way to the apartment building of her aunt, He Yao's attention was caught by a figure cycling past at high speed as she hadn't yet gotten out of the car.
She hurriedly rolled down the car window and looked back. It was her cousin, He Chuan.
He wasn't carrying a schoolbag or wearing a school uniform. At this hour, cycling out meant her aunt was definitely not home.
"Sorry, I need to make a phone call."
He Yao took out her phone and called He Chuan. As expected, He Chuan said his mother was on a night shift.
"What's up? Why are you suddenly caring about my mom? 'Unsolicited gifts are either robbery or treachery.' Are you thinking of staying at our place again?"
He Yao retorted, "Don't forget you owe me money. What's wrong with staying at your place for one night?"
"Stop mentioning money to me. You lived at our place for so many years, eating and drinking my family's things. It's good that we haven't settled accounts with you yet... You can stay at our place for one night, but you're not allowed to pester me for money anymore."
The car was quiet, and Zhan Jingrui heard He Chuan's words clearly.
Just when he thought He Yao was going to give in, she said expressionlessly into the phone.
"Dream on. I paid your mother when I lived at your place. Let's settle accounts separately. If you dare not return my money, I'll tell my aunt all your dirty secrets. Try me if you don't believe me."
"Hey! He Yao! With your attitude, do you think I'll treat you well? Dream on!"
Her cousin hung up the phone.
Zhan Jingrui knew her plan to seek refuge with her aunt had failed. After a two-second silence in the car, he asked.
"Was the person who snatched your phone last time your cousin?"
"Mm, you remember?"
Her aunt was not home, and her cousin had a bad character. Going to his place would be like escaping one tiger's den only to fall into another's.
Zhan Jingrui asked, "Is there nowhere else you can go?"
He Yao looked at the entrance of the residential complex with her beautiful, ethereal eyes. After a two-second pause.
"Yes, could you please take me to the hospital?"
She wanted to find her mother. Staying in the hospital room was also an option.
However, "Isn't the hospital ward crowded? Are you sure there's a place to sleep?"
"It's okay, just take me there."
Zhan Jingrui thought he was going to take her to her mother. He reversed the car and dropped her off at the hospital entrance.
Upon returning home, Mrs. Tang asked him why it took so long to buy study materials.
Zhan Jingrui told the truth, saying that the classmate was the daughter of their next-door neighbor.
"Isn't her mother hospitalized? I took her to the hospital on the way."
"Is that so? Then she's really like her mother. The young lady is quite pretty. But that hospital isn't far away, why did it take so long?"
"Not far? Do you know which hospital he lives in?"
Mrs. Tang said, "Weren't your grandfather and I out for a walk? We ran into them and asked. Their nanny said they were going to the Maternal and Child Health Hospital. It's only about a ten-minute drive from here."
But He Yao went to the First People's Hospital.
She might not even know which hospital her mother was in.
Zhan Jingrui was about to put the keys back in the drawer when he suddenly thought of something and turned to ask Mrs. Tang.
"I remember you mentioned before that many people, to save money on hotel rooms at night, would sleep in the hospital's waiting rooms on chairs for free..."
"Yes, in our time, there were many such things. Empty hospital beds, chairs in waiting rooms. Underpasses. Park benches. Any public facility could be a home for someone."
As Mrs. Tang spoke, he took the car keys and went out again.
"What's wrong? Where are you going now?"
"I suddenly remembered I left my study materials there. I'm going to get them back."
Zhan Jingrui drove quickly to the First People's Hospital.
He had been here before when accompanying Mrs. Tang to see a doctor, so he was somewhat familiar with the inpatient department.
He searched from the first-floor lobby, looking through rows and rooms, until he reached the third floor without seeing any sign of He Yao.
The hospital smelled of disinfectant, and everyone's face looked numb. He was truly conspicuous in the crowd.
As he searched, Zhan Jingrui's social anxiety kicked in.
He wondered if he was being too meddlesome.
She hadn't asked him for help, and she wasn't a three-year-old child. On the contrary, it was clear she was a stubborn and opinionated person. What was he doing?
Zhan Jingrui felt a bit sheepish. He planned to look one floor higher, and if he still couldn't find her, he would go back.
As it turned out, when he turned around, he saw He Yao coming out of the restroom, shaking the water off her hands.
Because of his height and striking appearance, He Yao spotted him immediately.
Their eyes met, and there was a moment of awkwardness.
But they were both smart people and tacitly agreed not to address the matter.