Xiao Lin was the name of the caretaker Su Zhinian employed to look after Auntie Su.
Su Zhinian flipped the document with one hand while his other searched for his phone. His thumb settled on the home page for some time to unlock the phone before passing it to his mother.
After Auntie Su made the call, she turned to glance at the bed. Su Zhinian held a pen in his hand as he jotted down his signature on one of the documents. She lowered her head quickly and tapped into the contacts. She typed the word ‘hiding’ in the search box. When the entry for ‘the person hiding in my memory’ came up, she clicked on it, copied the details, and sent them to her own phone. Then, she deleted the message, walked back to the bed, and placed the phone by the side of Su Zhinian’s pillow, adding, “Ah Nian, I’ve placed your phone here, okay?”
Su Zhinian answered with a grunt without even lifting his head. Auntie Su stood beside the bed for some time before turning to leave.
…
Like the day before, it was Song Qingchun who sent Auntie Su back to the hotel that night. Song Qingchun did not step into the hotel; she merely stood at the steps before the lobby and bade Auntie Su farewell. “Auntie Su, good night.”
“Good night,” Auntie Su replied with a smile. Just as Song Qingchun turned, she suddenly called her name. “Qingchun.”
“Yes?” Song Qingchun turned around, and her lips curved into a slight smile.
Auntie Su removed her phone from her pocket. “Do you mind giving me your phone number? I’ve known you for so long, and I still don’t have your number.”
“Of course.” Song Qingchun immediately pulled out her phone and said, “Auntie Su, why don’t you tell me your phone number? I’ll give you a call now.”
“Okay…” Then Auntie Su listed the eleven digits. After Song Qingchun entered the number, she repeated it once to Auntie Su. After Auntie Su nodded, she dialed the number. After about five seconds, Auntie Su’s phone rang. Song Qingchun ended the call and said good night once more before turning to leave.
Auntie Su waited until Song Qingchun walk away before she clicked open the phone record. She memorized the phone number and opened her inbox. She compared it to the number that she had messaged herself from her son’s phone. The eleven digits matched each other perfectly.
Even though Auntie Su knew this was coming, when the concrete proof was placed before her, her face was still white. After some time, Auntie Su put away her phone and raised her head to look at the hospital before sighing greatly and walking back despondently into the hotel.
…
Auntie Su did not close her eyes at all that night. Early the next morning, she climbed up from bed.
She did not go to the hospital but sent a message to Song Qingchun saying she would be too busy that day to visit Su Zhinian at the hospital. She would need to depend on her to take care of Su Zhinian. When Auntie Su received the message from Song Qingchun telling her not to worry, she left the hotel.
It was not until 2 pm that Auntie Su arrived at the hospital.
On the third day, Auntie Su also arrived at the hospital late. In fact, she was two hours later than the day before.
On the fifth day, after dinner and when the nurse came to change the IV, Auntie Su said that she was a bit tired and wished to return to the hotel.
Song Qingchun tipped the nurse to have her pay more attention to Su Zhinian before she left with Auntie Su.
It was snowing lightly that afternoon, so the road outside the hospital and the hotel were dusted with flurry of snow
After crossing the zebra line, Song Qingchun stopped at the steps to bid farewell to Auntie Su. However, Auntie Su suddenly pointed up at the café on the second floor of the hotel and said, “Qingchun, come up with me. I have something to talk to you.”