Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Yu He searched high and low throughout the living room and dining area, creating a cacophony of noise.

Fu Yunzhe wheeled himself into the study and saw Yu He's keys on top of the computer tower.

On the computer tower?

Even Fu Yunzhe, who was extremely adept at analyzing the behavioral logic of others, was at a loss for words at this moment, choosing to abandon any attempt to dissect Yu He’s pattern of behavior.

“Found them,” Fu Yunzhe called out.

He left the study and, standing at the door, tossed the keys to Yu He.

Yu He caught the keys with one hand and brought his hands together in a prayer-like gesture: "I'm eternally grateful, love you."

The security door closed once again.

However, Fu Yunzhe no longer found the silence to be cold or lonely. Yu He had been so thorough in his search for the keys that he had turned over every unexpected corner, even lifting up the cushions on the sofa, one of which had ended up on the floor.

The storage box in the entranceway had been knocked over, scattering a mess of items across the floor: lighters, sugar boxes, face masks, coins, phone cases, a Gua Sha scraping tool, wads of paper, and so on.

Everything that should and shouldn't have been in the entranceway had been shoved into the storage box.

Fu Yunzhe looked at the living room, now as chaotic as if a husky had rampaged through it, and sighed.

He’s still just a kid.

*

Yu He rode his motorcycle, speeding along the road.

At 7:58 am, Yu He finally arrived at the bottom of the teaching building. The classroom was on the fifth floor. He glanced at the elevator, only to see that it had just ascended to the third floor.

Seeing that waiting for the elevator would take too long, Yu He stretched his long legs and swiftly sprinted up the stairs.

With a silent thank you to the gods of fate, Yu He managed to rush into the classroom just before the class bell rang.

Panting, Yu He took a seat at the back of the class.

Wang Guangbin handed him the breakfast he brought for Yu He: “Meat bun and soy milk.”

Yu He formed a heart with his hands, expressing his gratitude: “Thanks for feeding me, Brother Bin.”

Liang Ran switched seats with Yu He, letting him tuck into his breakfast in a more concealed spot: “Why did you get here so late today?”

With a mouthful of meat bun, Yu He replied: “Couldn’t find my motorcycle keys this morning.”

The meat buns from their cafeteria were exceptionally delicious. Fresh out of the oven in the morning, the crust was crispy and flaky, while the meat filling was fragrant without being greasy, tender and juicy.

With a bun in his mouth, even Yu He’s breath carried the rich aroma of the meat.

What made it even more perfect was that these meat buns didn’t contain any green onions!

Absolutely divine.

After finishing the meat bun, Yu He was still not satisfied: “Next time, buy me two.”

Wang Guangbin was suddenly shocked: “Two? You can eat two? I only eat two myself.”

“I can eat,” Yu He assured him, taking a sip of soy milk: “The oil in this pancake must be mixed with lard; otherwise, it couldn’t be this delicious. It’s just too good.”

Liang Ran and Wang Guangbin exchanged glances.

Liang Ran: "I still have a tea egg here, would you like to eat it?"

Yu He didn’t stand on ceremony, reaching over to take the tea egg from Liang Ran's desk.

Actually, purely based on age, Yu He is older than both Liang Ran and Wang Guangbin.

Liang Ran was born in the summer, half a year younger than Yu He, while Wang Guangbin just turned nineteen.

But when they hang out with Yu He, they unconsciously treat him like a younger brother, as if they need to look after him more, or else he might get taken away like the spent dregs from the academy's medicine pots, sold by the pound.

After finishing breakfast, Yu He sat in his seat, spaced out for a while, and fell asleep.

His sleeping posture was quite simple; his face was directly on the desk, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and his hands tucked into the sleeves of his down jacket, warming his stomach.

Liang Ran looked at Yu He, feeling quite helpless, and whispered to Wang Guangbin, "Is his stomach hurting? Look at him."

Diagnosing and treating diseases is a family tradition for Wang Guangbin; he started learning from his grandfather and treating the villagers as soon as he could read. He has seen as many medical cases as a doctor from a top-tier hospital.

Even if Liang Ran has a great talent in medicine, he can't compare with Wang Guangbin's decades of practical experience. So, noticing that Yu He seemed uncomfortable, he instinctively turned to Wang Guangbin for a consultation.

Wang Guangbin observed for a while, but since Yu He’s hands were tucked into his sleeves, he couldn’t take his pulse. Thus, he could only rely on visual diagnosis. Unable to ascertain anything, he listened to Yu He's breathing, which sounded somewhat heavy and rapid.

"Did you eat too quickly and swallow some air?" Wang Guangbin offered his diagnosis.

Liang Ran: "...Decades of medical experience and that's your conclusion?"

Wang Guangbin shrugged, "Eating greasy and rich food too quickly can lead to the invasion of pathogenic cold, causing obstruction in the stomach. When it's obstructed, it hurts. Does this explanation satisfy you?"

Liang Ran chuckled softly, "Riding a bike against the wind in the morning and gobbling down a meat bun – how could you not have pathogenic cold attack your stomach? It’s really something new to have a student eat breakfast and end up with a stomachache in our major."

Yu He, in a drowsy state, hummed in denial, "It has nothing to do with the meat bun. I'll still eat a meat bun tomorrow."

Wang Guangbin leaned back in his chair, his tone deliberately cold: “Director Liang, this patient isn't following medical advice.”

Liang Ran also crossed his arms and leaned back, his tone serious: “Never mind him, just serve him plain congee tomorrow.”

Yu He frowned: “Not plain congee, bro. I'll come earlier tomorrow, won’t run upstairs, and I’m sure my stomach won’t hurt.”

Wang Guangbin gestured for Yu He to extend his hand, and as Yu He did so, Wang Guangbin began to feel his pulse: “It’s just indigestion from swallowing air. Drink more hot water, and if the pain gets too intense, take some ibuprofen.”

Liang Ran cast a vote of approval.

Yu He: “...”

It really seems like the finest ingredients require only the simplest cooking methods.

The two most talented students in their major actually prescribed drinking more hot water and taking ibuprofen.

Faced with Yu He's skepticism about his medical skills, Liang Ran’s face remained expressionless: “Acupuncture can also relieve pain. Would you dare to try it?”

Yu He shook his head vehemently.

Liang Ran continued: “First, try massaging the Liangqiu and Hegu acupoints yourself. I’ll get you some hot water after class.”

Yu He said: “Liangqiu is on the leg and Hegu is on the hand; if I massage Liangqiu, I can’t massage Hegu.”

Liang Ran chuckled softly: “So, you mean you want me to do it for you, Young Master Yu?”

Yu He, lying on the desk: “My stomach hurts.”

Liang Ran was exasperated, but the pragmatic Wang Guangbin was already massaging the Liangqiu acupoint in the hollow of Yu He's knee.

Liang Ran resignedly placed his hand on Yu He’s knee and gave it a good squeeze: “How can you be so good at acting spoiled?”

Yu He, lounging lazily in his chair, replied in a slow and drawling tone: “Who’s acting spoiled? I never act spoiled.”

Under the full-force treatment of the two doctors, Yu He was completely revived before the English class ended.

The second period was Shen Han’s public lecture on acupuncture.

“An Overview of the Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Diseases in Acupuncture and Moxibustion” was a theoretical class, not a practical one. Liang Ran assured Yu He that there would be no needles involved.

“At least there won’t be any physical needles. There might be illustrations in the PPT, but Professor Shen is over eighty years old; he might not even use PPT,” Liang Ran said. “Let’s just listen in. Didn’t Professor Shen write your recommendation letter? Skipping his class might be a bit disrespectful.”

Yu He followed Liang Ran and the others to the lecture hall on the second floor. On the way down, he received a call from Yu Qingyan.

Yu Qingyan was also planning to sit in on the class.

After hanging up, Yu He said to Liang Ran: “Save two seats for us. My friend is coming to listen to Professor Shen’s lecture too. I’m going downstairs to meet him.”

At the west gate of Duxing Building, Yu He saw Yu Qingyan.

It had been busy since the start of the semester, and the last time Yu He saw Yu Qingyan was when he fainted during acupuncture.

Yu Qingyan was a model student, the kind who arrives at the classroom by 7:30 for an 8:00 class, which was completely out of sync with Yu He’s habit of entering the classroom just in time and slipping out the back door as soon as class was over.

In the morning, when Yu Qingyan left the dormitory, Yu He was still not awake;

After class, while Yu He had already run off to the canteen, Yu Qingyan was still leisurely summarizing his notes.

In college, the end of the second morning class is at 11:50. If you’re not in the first batch to get to the canteen, you’d end up in a long queue.

Every time after class, Yu He would drag Liang Ran in a sprint, striving to be the first ones in the canteen. Wang Guangbin, unable to run fast, would arrive at his leisure to find that Yu He and Liang Ran had already gotten his meal ready for him.

If you go too late, not only will you have to queue up at the serving windows, but you might not even find a vacant table in the cafeteria. Hence, some students choose to go back to their dorms first and wait until the crowd diminishes before heading to the cafeteria.

Yu He is among those who dine early, whereas Yu Qingyan tends to eat at the later end of the spectrum, usually arriving at the cafeteria around 12:40, when it’s practically empty.

And what about at 12:40?

There’s a good chance that Yu He has already hopped on his motorcycle and headed home.

Based on the above, it’s only natural that Yu He and Yu Qingyan rarely cross paths.

The day was somewhat overcast, and Yu Qingyan, dressed in a black cashmere coat, stood in the wind, tilting his head back to gaze at the treetops.

The sky was gloomy, the old trees were entwined with vines, and there stood Yu Qingyan, beneath the trees, his demeanor gentle and melancholy, resembling a tragic male protagonist in a TV drama who has just lost his girlfriend.

“What are you doing?” Yu He entered this deeply-toned scene, asking, “What’s up in the tree? I’ve been watching you stare at it for ages.”

Yu He, wearing a white, short puffer jacket, was excessively dazzling, like a beam of bright light shining into Yu Qingyan’s life.

Yu Qingyan turned to smile at Yu He, saying, “My neck’s a bit sore. Just stretching it by looking up.”

“Neck pain, huh?” Yu He squeezed the back of Yu Qingyan’s neck, remarking, “Did you sleep in a weird position, or is it cervical spine pain? I’ll give you a massage in a bit.”

Yu He’s hands were naturally strong, and he had earnestly learned massage techniques. He was so fierce and accurate in finding the pressure points that Yu Qingyan, caught off guard, couldn’t help but inhale sharply from the pain.

“Ouch,” Yu Qingyan winced in pain, instinctively trying to pull away, but with his neck firmly in Yu He’s grasp, he was as powerless as a cat being held by the scruff, unable to escape: “Gentle, Yu He, gentle. It hurts.”

Yu He released his grip: “If it hurts there, it’s not a stiff neck. Could it be cervical spondylosis? Have you been lowering your head for extended periods?”

Yu Qingyan, massaging his neck, rotated his head: “I’ll just put a plaster on it later. It’s an old problem.”

Yu He stepped onto the staircase, speaking as he walked, "We all have just one set of bones; we need to use them sparingly. Who gets cervical spondylosis at twenty? Don't take it lightly; by the time you reach thirty, you'll know how painful it can be."

Yu Qingyan smiled, his eyes curving upwards, and complimented, "The education was not in vain."

Before reaching the lecture hall, the hallway was already crowded with many people from both the medical and non-medical departments, as well as many who couldn't get an appointment with Shen Han and were trying their luck here.

Some held bags with CT scan images, while others carried bags filled with medical records and diagnostic reports.

The students were accustomed to this scene. Every time Shen Han came to give a public lecture, many outsiders would arrive early and wait in the teaching building. They kept quiet, aware that this was a school, not a clinic, and that Shen Han was here to teach. But still, they waited.

Even though the chance of meeting Shen Han, let alone receiving medical attention from him, was slim.

But... what if?

Several security guards stood at the entrance of the lecture hall. Yu He showed them his student ID before he and Yu Qingyan went inside.

Through the side windows of the lecture hall, one could see the hallway.

Yu He looked out the window and said, "Is acupuncture really that miraculous? Look at those people in the hallway; they act as if getting treated by Shen Sanzhen is akin to having their lives extended. They seem almost possessed."

Yu Qingyan also looked out, a compassionate expression beyond his years on his face, "You won't realize how important a straw can be until you're standing on the edge of a cliff."

Yu Qingyan could sometimes be overly tender and compassionate, appearing as if he was about to ascend to heaven in the next moment, especially when he said these words.

Yu He's hand paused slightly as he was sending a text message, "What's been going on with you lately?"

Yu Qingyan forced a smile, trying to sound casual, "It’s my dad’s illness. He was discharged after the New Year, but he had to go to the emergency room a couple of days ago. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything serious. He had dialysis twice, and he’s much better now."

Yu He dimmed his phone's screen, "So?"

Yu Qingyan lowered his gaze to the lecture notes on the table, "It’s been tough for everyone at home, dealing with this back and forth. I’m thinking... maybe I should just donate my kidney to him."

Yu He felt as if all the blood in his body was rushing to his head. He lowered his head, tapped on his phone a few times, and pulled up relevant cases about renal failure from the Global Medical Students Forum:

"Renal failure is not an acute disease. Chronic renal failure is divided into five stages. From stages 1 to 4, it can be treated by actively controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids, while also taking medication to protect the kidneys. If kidney function remains stable over a long period, it does not greatly affect lifespan, with an average life expectancy of 73 years.①"

Yu He showed an article from The Lancet journal to Yu Qingyan: "Your dad, Yu Shiqian, is at most in the mid-to-late stages of stage 2. You're already thinking about donating. Even if you wait until he's at stage 4 to consider this matter, there’s still plenty of time; that’s several years away. Who knows? A compatible donor might appear by then."

Yu He lowered his voice and said, "Kidneys are really important for men."

Yu Qingyan glanced at Yu He, "...I'm never going to have children anyway, so... it's not that important, right?"

Yu He shook his head vigorously, whispering, "Super important!"

He nudged Wang Guangbin with his elbow, "Bin Ge, tell my brother just how important kidneys are."

Wang Guangbin sized up Yu Qingyan, first checking his skin, then observing from his forehead, eyebrows, to the area around his eyes and nose, and finally to his lips, concluding through a simple observation: "Your brother's kidneys seem pretty good, he doesn’t appear to be weak."

Can one really tell just by looking whether someone’s kidneys are weak or not?

Yu He became interested, "How can you tell? Teach me."

Liang Ran explained, "In the Five Elements, the kidneys belong to water. The simplest way to check if a person's kidneys are in good condition is to see if they are swollen or have a dark complexion. This ‘darkness’ doesn’t refer to the skin color, but an internal darkness and poor complexion. You can look at the eyelids, the area around the eyes, the tip of the nose, and around the lips. If these areas are swollen and dull, it’s mostly likely due to weak kidneys."

Yu He lifted his face to look at Liang Ran, "Do I look weak?"

Liang Ran casually glanced at Yu He, "You are radiant, and your skin is as luminous as a fairy's. You're the furthest thing from weak."

Yu He turned to Yu Qingyan and said, "Did you hear that? Know why I'm not weak? Because I have two kidneys."

Yu Qingyan turned his head and rolled his eyes.

During this time, Yu Qingyan has been living under a lot of pressure. Ever since he found out the real reason his biological parents brought him back home, he's been unable to interact with them without reservations.

Every word that Yu Shiqian and Zhang Wan said to him, he couldn't help but ponder over and over again, and every one of their actions seemed to be loaded with hidden meaning.

Yu Qingyan knew that he might be overinterpreting things, but he couldn't help but overthink.

On the surface, Yu Qingyan and his biological parents appeared harmonious and close, but in reality, they were constantly second-guessing each other.

This made his life very exhausting.

Yu Qingyan thought that it would be better if they had just directly asked him to donate his kidney from the start, rather than living in this drama every day.

Yes.

A drama.

Yu Shiqian and Zhang Wan's affection for him was so intense that it felt unreal. From the first day he returned to the Yu family, it was as if he had stepped into a cloud of mud; it appeared soft and warm on the surface but was suspended in the air, leaving him uncertain of when he might fall. Beneath the white, soft clouds was indeed a deep pool of filthy mud.

Not knowing why they were so good to him, Yu Qingyan was always on guard, afraid that he might make a mistake and ruin the perfect image he had in his biological parents' hearts. He was constantly acting the part of a good son, while Yu Shiqian and Zhang Wan were playing the roles of good parents.

After realizing their ulterior motives, Yu Qingyan's feet finally landed on the ground from the clouds, but he could only pretend not to know and coldly watch as Yu Shiqian and Zhang Wan put on their act, saying things that hinted at him donating his kidney.

Yu Qingyan was a detached spectator.

When Yu Shiqian fell ill and was hospitalized, and Zhang Wan secretly shed tears, Yu Qingyan had to step forward to take care of Yu Shiqian and comfort Zhang Wan.

He was also in the drama.

Sometimes, he even felt that Zhang Wan's crying was fake, that she didn’t truly love Yu Shiqian that much. She was just afraid of Yu Shiqian's death. If he himself were to cry, he could do it with more genuine emotion than Zhang Wan.

Yu Qingyan was very aware that he was trapped in this dreamlike drama and couldn't get out.

What could he do?

He had only been back at school and living in the dorm for a week after his birthday when Zhang Wan showed up crying at the dormitory building. With no other choice, Yu Qingyan had to follow Zhang Wan back home.

Yu Qingyan was living a life of utter exhaustion.

He lacked the energy to continue this charade with these people. If giving up a kidney meant he could escape this quagmire, Yu Qingyan would ask for nothing more.

After donating a kidney, he would become ‘useless’, and only a useless person could leave the Yu family.

Occasionally, Yu Qingyan would feel envious of Yu He, who had completely severed ties with the Yu family. He couldn't help but wonder, during those nineteen years in the Yu family, did Yu He also feel like he was suffocating in a quagmire?

He and Yu He were indeed unlucky; their foster parents were not that great, and their biological parents were even worse.

Yu Qingyan keenly realized that there might be something wrong with his mentality. He was becoming a bit... overly negative. He felt as though nothing mattered, leading a monotonous, mediocre life. Everyone seemed like ants trapped in a chalk circle, unable to escape no matter how much they scurried around.

It was as if the whole world was gradually dimming.

Yu Qingyan felt that his life was like a faded, old-fashioned wall calendar, worn and tattered.

That was, until he saw Yu He again.

Yu He... was very lively.

He was like a refreshing breeze coming down from the mountains, easily able to sweep away the dust on one's heart.

He was like the first touch of golden sunlight when the morning sun leaps out of the sea, shining brightly on even the most lifeless of things.

Yu He had the ability to spread vitality to the people around him.

Yu Qingyan began to understand why Fu Yunzheng liked Yu He.

How could Han Yuan refuse the dawn?

When people are at their most triumphant, they might not yearn for the sunrise; only those in adversity truly understand how bright this sliver of light is.

Beside his ear, Yu He was still explaining medical cases related to renal failure: "Renal failure can be primary, secondary, or hereditary. Although the likelihood of it being hereditary is small, what if? You should keep a spare just in case. You're only twenty, and Yu Shiqin is already forty-five. Regular dialysis means living for several more decades shouldn’t be a big problem."

Yu Qingyan pursed his lips: "I'm really too tired, Yu He. Can you understand? Even if I say I’ll donate to him when his condition worsens in the future, he won’t believe me."

Yu He didn’t hesitate: "Having something life-saving on you is different from having it on him. Yu Shiqin is very controlling. For him, the earlier he has the surgery, the better. First of all, his recovery ability will definitely weaken as he ages. As for you, you're willing to listen to him now, but what about in ten or eight years? Once you've spread your wings and he can’t control you anymore, if you change your mind, there's nothing he can do."

Yu Qingyan gave a self-deprecating smile: "Ten or eight years?"

He couldn’t even last a single day.

Yu He always felt that Yu Qingyan had changed a lot during this meeting, looking somewhat unhappy. He patted Yu Qingyan on the back: "You look listless and you're not even arguing with me. What’s going on?"

Yu Qingyan replied helplessly: "I never liked arguing with you; it’s you who always deliberately annoys me."

Just as Yu He wanted to say something in rebuttal, the classroom suddenly fell silent, followed by a burst of enthusiastic applause. He didn’t know what was going on and joined in the applause. Looking up, he saw a tall, thin man walk in.

Is this Shen Han?

Wasn’t Shen Han said to be over eighty years old? But the man in front of him stood straight and tall, robust and healthy, wearing a light blue shirt, and not looking like an old man at all. He looked to be in great health, with none of the aged, weathered feeling one might expect.

As Yu He looked at Shen Han, Shen Han was also looking at Yu He.

Indeed, even the amphitheater that could fit four hundred and sixty people was packed to the brim.

Shen Han's gaze immediately fell upon this external sect disciple he had never met before.

It’s just as Nephew Zheng described.

The clear wind and bright moon are dazzling and overwhelming.

Shen Han has met countless people in his life, but it’s indeed rare to find someone as outstandingly handsome as Yu He.

No wonder the young master from the Fu family is so smitten.

Shen Han walked to the podium, raised his hand to signal, and the applause gradually ceased.

Only after the thunderous applause had completely stopped did Yu He quietly ask Liang Ran, “Is this Shen Han?”

Liang Ran glanced at Yu He and nodded.

Just as Liang Ran promised, there was indeed no PPT during the class, nor any mention of needles, allowing Yu He to get through the two hours smoothly.

Shen Han’s teaching was concise, clarifying the logic behind a case in just a few words. The pace was excellent as well; he didn’t digress too much, nor was it boring. By the end of the class, Yu He was left wanting more.

If all teachers could be like Shen Han, there probably wouldn’t be any underachievers in the world.

At 11:50, the class-ending bell rang, but not a single person in the classroom stood up; they were all waiting for Shen Han to leave first.

Having a class in a large amphitheater is practically like reserving a ‘missed meal’ slot. Even if the lecturer wasn’t Shen Han, Yu He wouldn’t leave; there were simply too many people to navigate through.

Yu He sighed and laid his head on the desk.

Shen Han, already on his way out of the classroom, somehow seemed to have heard this sigh amidst the not-so-quiet environment.

He turned around, his gaze piercing through the crowd like a torch.

A bad premonition rose in Yu He’s heart.

The next second, everyone heard Shen Han say, “Yu He, come over here for a moment.”

All eyes instantly focused on Yu He.