Chapter 24: Sharing a Cigarette with You

There is an old saying: no one knows a son better than his father.

This holds just as true for Wu Bei. He understands his father; if Wu Shihao wants to hide, no one could find him, even if they dug three feet into the earth.

Yet, he cannot for the life of him figure out why Wu Shihao would choose to leave.

He had stayed through the hardest times, and now that they finally had the money for treatment and the surgery was within reach, he had chosen to slip away without a word.

That night, Wu Bei sent all his friends away. He sat on the hospital bed like a statue, eyes wide open, never blinking until dawn.

Compared to sudden tragic news, he found it far harder to accept that his father had simply given up on treatment.

All night long, he pondered whether he had fallen short in some way that caused his father’s dissatisfaction, or if he hadn’t shown enough care in his daily life.

Shortly after six in the morning, the door opened. Su Qing, the nurse, stepped inside with a graceful gait.

Wu Bei only gave her a perfunctory glance before dropping his head again, lost in his daze.

Perhaps because it was still early, Su Qing was not wearing her nurse’s uniform. Instead, she wore a denim miniskirt; her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her long, straight, fair legs accentuated a figure that was remarkably alluring.

"It is hard for normal people to understand the state of mind of a cancer patient, but I believe that as a father, Uncle Wu would never want to see his son like this," Su Qing said, sitting down gently beside him.

Wu Bei paused, but remained silent.

"I used to chat with Uncle Wu quite often. You were always on his lips. He was so proud of you—he spoke of how outstanding you were in the military and how incredibly resolute your character was."

Su Qing pulled a pack of cigarettes from somewhere and held it out to Wu Bei.

Seeing the "Da Qianmen" brand on the pack, Wu Bei felt a pain in his chest like a knife twisting inside.

This was his father’s favorite brand. But ever since the diagnosis, Wu Bei had deprived the old man of his only hobby, ignoring him no matter how much he begged.

If he had known his father would give up on treatment, he really should have let him smoke a few more.

"Uncle Wu secretly gave me this pack when he first checked into this ward. He said if he ever left, he hoped someone would share a cigarette with you," Su Qing said.

She fumbled clumsily with the pack, pulled out a cigarette, placed it to Wu Bei’s lips, and lit it for him.

As the white smoke curled upward, two teardrops the size of beans rolled down Wu Bei’s cheeks.

The man who was as tough as a tiger could no longer control his emotions. He pulled Su Qing into a hug and broke down in sobs.

When he was rushing about for help, his heart had been as solid as a rock. When he had to humble himself to beg others, he had feared no loss of dignity. But the old man’s silent departure had snapped the final straw in his heart.

Su Qing was startled at first, then began to pat his back gently.

A few minutes later, realizing his loss of composure, Wu Bei hurriedly released her, his voice hoarse as he apologized, "I'm sorry, Nurse Su. I... just now..."

"I understand. I really do," Su Qing said, her face flushed, waving her hand with immense grace.

Wu Bei choked back a sob and looked at her with an almost desperate plea: "Can we keep my father’s room for a little longer? I’m afraid that if he comes back, he won’t be able to find me."

Su Qing smiled and said, "Theoretically, as long as you keep paying, you can hold onto it. But personally, I would advise against it. You know the reasons; I don't need to spell them out for you."

Wu Bei’s throat moved, and he finally nodded in defeat.

"Don't worry. I work here every day. As soon as Uncle Wu returns, I promise to contact you immediately," she said, patting his forehead as if he were a child.

"Thank you," Wu Bei said, standing up to bow in gratitude.

"That doesn't sound very sincere. Is a 'thank you' just words?" Su Qing smiled, her sparkling eyes curving into crescents.

She was a truly charming girl; her smile was infectious. For a fleeting moment, Wu Bei’s heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped rabbit.

"The hospital has rules—no smoking in the wards, or the head nurse will issue a fine. The money I have on me today is just enough to cover the fine, but then I wouldn't have money for breakfast." Seeing Wu Bei’s blank expression, she covered her mouth and giggled.

"My treat. I should have treated you to a proper meal a long time ago! If you’re willing, I’ll cover your lunch and dinner from now on!" Wu Bei, despite his numbness, finally snapped back to reality and blurted out.

After saying it, he felt it sounded too intimate and hurriedly corrected himself, "Ahem, what I mean is..."

"I mean, let’s go have deep-fried dough sticks and soy milk. There’s a shop I used to go to when I was at the Fifth Middle School—the taste is wonderful!"

Without waiting for him to finish, Su Qing pulled him toward the door.

Wu Bei was stunned. "The Fifth Middle School is in the southern part of the city, over ten miles away from the hospital."

"Exactly! If you dawdle any longer, I’ll be late for work! Hurry up, I'll be waiting downstairs!" Su Qing shot him a look and ran out of the room.

Breathing in the pleasant scent she left in the air, Wu Bei looked back at his father’s empty bed once more.

He whispered to himself in a voice only he could hear: "You must be playing a joke on me. You’ll be back in a couple of days, right?"