Seventh Year Of Separation chapter 60
A Key
The temperature in Pingcheng rose rapidly these two days. Gu Jiahe felt like he was starting to sweat after standing in the sun for just ten minutes.
When the two returned to the hospital, they received the latest news from the doctor.
After observing overnight, Li Guoyi’s blood oxygen level had improved, and his lung function had partially recovered, allowing him to breathe independently.
However, the doctor also reminded them that despite this improvement, there were still some irreversible lung damages that Li Guoyi had sustained during his illness. Even after being discharged, he would require careful maintenance, especially avoiding smoking.
As the doctor mentioned this, Li Zhao turned to look at Gu Jiahe.
Feeling a bit guilty, Gu Jiahe avoided eye contact.
After listening to the doctor’s advice, Li Zhao walked into the corridor and felt a sense of relief washing over him. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Gu Jiahe stood in front of him. Li Zhao looked at the exposed nape of Gu Jiahe’s neck and suddenly spoke, “Baby.”
Gu Jiahe was startled by this address. They were in a public place.
He turned back and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Li Zhao replied, “I want to hold you.”
Without waiting for Gu Jiahe’s response, Li Zhao wrapped his arms around his shoulders from behind and rested his head on Gu Jiahe’s neck. Li Zhao’s breath was deep and long, as if he was confirming that he was still alive after surviving a disaster.
Gu Jiahe raised his head slightly and saw Song Ling standing at the other end of the corridor, looking at them.
Gu Jiahe’s palm involuntarily tightened, then relaxed.
After Li Guoyi was transferred to a regular ward, the doctor came to check on him, and his cardiac monitor showed everything was normal.
Song Ling arranged for a caregiver to take care of Li Guoyi in the hospital.
“When are you two going back to work?” After settling everything, Song Ling turned to look at Li Zhao.
“Let’s stay for a while longer,” Li Zhao replied after some thought.
“There’s nothing urgent now, you can go back earlier. Are you okay? Is Xiao Gu okay?” Song Ling asked.
Li Zhao was somewhat puzzled. It had only been two days, but Song Ling was already worrying about Gu Jiahe.
Li Zhao and Gu Jiahe bought some food at the cafeteria and returned. Song Ling happened to come out of the ward.
“Your dad is awake,” Song Ling said to Li Zhao, “Go in and see him.”
Li Zhao nodded and then pulled Gu Jiahe along, saying, “Let’s go in together.”
Gu Jiahe hesitated and took a step back. “Forget it. I’m afraid I’ll disturb Uncle… He just came out of the ICU.”
Li Zhao tried to pull him along, but in vain.
Song Ling sighed softly, “Xiao Gu, come in. It’s okay.”
Only then did Gu Jiahe muster up some courage, clenched his fists, and followed them in.
Li Guoyi still looked a bit weak, lying in the hospital bed with his eyes open, still wearing the breathing mask.
When he saw Gu Jiahe come in, he didn’t get angry. Instead, he just looked at him several times.
Gu Jiahe saw his throat move as if he wanted to speak, so he approached quickly.
In the end, Li Guoyi didn’t say anything, but Gu Jiahe understood his lip movements through the breathing mask.
He said, “Don’t worry.”
Gu Jiahe nodded at him.
Eventually, they were chased out of the hospital by Song Ling, who said there were too many people in the ward, making it too noisy and disturbing for the patients.
Li Zhao readily agreed and took Gu Jiahe home.
However, halfway there, Gu Jiahe changed his mind.
Gu Jiahe said, “I want to visit my grandmother.”
Li Zhao checked the date on his phone; it was almost May 1st.
He nodded and replied, “Sure.”
Gu Jiahe’s grandmother lived on the second floor of an old apartment building in the old city area. The community was dilapidated, with bits of plaster falling off the exterior walls.
Gu Jiahe pulled Li Zhao along and pointed to the ceiling, “Stay close to the wall.”
This time, they didn’t inform Gu Jiahe’s grandmother in advance. Instead, they went straight to her door and knocked.
After a while, someone opened the door. When Gu Jiahe’s grandmother saw him, she was both surprised and delighted, “Guai Guai, why are you back?”
She turned to see the person standing behind Gu Jiahe and hurriedly asked, “Is this young man your friend?”
Gu Jiahe nodded, “Yes, he’s also from Pingcheng. He came back with me to see you.”
Grandma smiled at Li Zhao and patted his arm, “Such a tall and kind-hearted young man.”
Gu Jiahe smiled, “Yes, he’s like a real brother to me.”
Upon hearing this, Li Zhao nudged him with his elbow.
After Grandma finished speaking, she hurried back into the house and took out a metal cookie box from the cabinet in the living room, along with a packet of peach pastries wrapped in oil paper.
Li Zhao quickly reached out to take it, “Grandma, please sit down and don’t bother.”
Li Zhao sat on the sofa and noticed that the house seemed to have been renovated. Compared to the simple exterior, the interior decoration was quite new.
Gu Jiahe, noticing his thoughts, explained, “I renovated it a bit a couple of years ago and changed some of the furniture.”
Grandma nodded in agreement, “Jiahe was worried I wouldn’t live comfortably, so he bought a lot of things for me. He’s really considerate.”
Li Zhao gained some insight into Gu Jiahe’s life over the years. Unlike himself, who focused solely on work, Gu Jiahe also took care of many household matters.
The two sat on the sofa, and Li Zhao reached out to him, gently holding his hand.
As Grandma was getting older, she had already asked Li Zhao’s name when he first entered. However, after a few moments, she seemed to have forgotten and asked again.
“Child, what’s your name again?”
“Li Zhao, the ‘Zhao’ character with ‘sun’ next to it.”
After writing his name on the calendar, Li Zhao circled his birthday arrogantly, causing Grandma to laugh endlessly.
After bidding farewell to Grandma, Li Zhao walked outside, where the sunlight was intense.
“How about we go see your mom?” Li Zhao suggested.
“Huh?” Gu Jiahe didn’t expect him to suddenly say this.
“May Day is coming.”
“Right.” Gu Jiahe realized.
This time, Li Zhao found a flower shop and bought a bouquet of fresh lilies.
With the improving weather, the green lawn of the cemetery had grown taller. From afar, it looked vibrant, with many birds perched on it.
Li Zhao held the bouquet of lilies and found Qian Liyun’s tombstone from memory.
He stood in front of Gu Jiahe, bent down to wipe the tombstone clean with a tissue, and repeated the steps Gu Jiahe had taken last time.
Then he put away the withered roses and replaced them with the fresh lilies.
“Auntie, I’ve come to see you.” Li Zhao looked at Qian Liyun’s photo and said softly, “Gu Jiahe is doing well.”
“He now has an older brother. Who has some money and rented a small house for him, keeping him well-fed.”
Gu Jiahe stood behind him, listening to his improvised words, unable to help but laugh, “Mom, you only need to listen to half of what he says.”
After arranging everything, they left the cemetery while the sun was still high in the sky.
Gu Jiahe couldn’t resist teasing him, “Why are you bragging about yourself again?”
Li Zhao looked righteous, “Did I say something wrong? Haven’t you been plump lately? Isn’t it thanks to my love?”
Gu Jiahe raised his eyebrows, “That’s because I exercise these days.”
Li Zhao stopped in his tracks, “Isn’t it nurtured by my love?”
Gu Jiahe rolled his eyes lightly, “fine, It’s because of your love.”
Seeing his disbelief, Li Zhao continued, “Then let me nurture you well tonight.”
Gu Jiahe quickly ran off. He dared not provoke Li Zhao again; this person always delivered on his promises.
On the day they were leaving, the two of them made another trip to Li Zhao’s house.
Song Ling specially cooked a meal for them, and when Gu Jiahe went to help, he was pushed out by her.
When he had entered the kitchen, he saw fresh clams on the cutting board and thought about helping to wash them.
But when Song Ling called them to eat, Gu Jiahe found that the dish was not on the table.
Instead, there were chicken, freshwater fish, and beef.
Gu Jiahe suddenly realized what was going on, feeling like he had been soaked in warm water.
After days of exhaustion, he finally let go of his guard and burden, enjoying a hearty meal.
After preparing some things for them to take with them, Li Zhao cleared out a suitcase, and one by one, they packed things into it—honey, floral tea, and many snacks like candied fruits.
“Does your mom treat us like children?” Gu Jiahe asked while receiving the items.
“Take them, you love eating these anyway,” Li Zhao smiled.
Song Ling wasn’t a talkative parent. Except for the day when she called Li Zhao and sounded a bit flustered, Gu Jiahe didn’t see her talking much to Li Zhao during these days. Most of the time, she just silently watched over them.
After helping Li Zhao pack up the luggage, Gu Jiahe walked to the entrance to change his shoes.
Before long, Song Ling came over with a paper bag and stuffed it into Gu Jiahe’s hands, “Xiao Gu, take this with you.”
Gu Jiahe looked down and saw only a small box inside the bag, not sure what was inside, “Is this for me?”
“Yes, not for Li Zhao. Take it for yourself,” Song Ling nodded at him.
Gu Jiahe was puzzled but quickly thanked her and put it into his backpack.
In the afternoon, Gu Jiahe followed Li Zhao to the train station by taxi. It wasn’t until they had stowed the suitcase and sat down in their reserved seats that Gu Jiahe took out the paper bag.
Li Zhao leaned over from the side, “What’s this?”
Gu Jiahe replied, “It’s from Auntie.”
He opened the paper bag and took out the box inside, gently opening it, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
Inside the box lay a small gold pendant, shaped like a small horse.
Gu Jiahe was born in the Year of the Horse.
He reached out to touch the gold pendant and suddenly felt a sourness in his nose, a kind of indescribable emotion about to overflow.
He picked up the box and found that there seemed to be something else underneath, shaking and making a clinking sound.
He took out the soft compartment under the gold pendant, and then saw a key inside the box.
He had seen that key before, Li Zhao also had one.
It was the brass key used to open the door to their house.