Uncle Li watched Cheng You's smug and defiant expression, shaking his head with a smile.
"You should be more low-key."
You'll easily get beaten up.
Cheng You snorted, "I can't be low-key."
She was showing off, wishing she could hold her tail up in the sky.
"Uncle, I'm going to the clinic."
She handed the household registration book to Zhang Fuhai; the rest was out of her hands.
"Go ahead. Think of a name soon."
The name of the pharmacy had to be decided in advance.
Cheng You tucked the household registration book into her pocket and rode her bicycle to the commune, muttering to herself, thinking about what name would be better along the way.
Lost in thought for a moment, she almost collided with a child who darted out from the intersection.
Cheng You braked hard, nearly flying off her bike.
The child was clearly terrified, collapsing onto the ground.
Cheng You quickly dismounted. "Little one, are you alright?"
The child scrambled to gather the scattered items on the ground, not crying out in pain, and got up.
"Where are you going? I can give you a ride for a bit."
Cheng You's heart softened, and feeling guilty, she couldn't help but offer.
The child looked back at her. His hair was cut like weeds, clearly not done at a salon.
His face was dirty, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
"I'm going to the black market."
Cheng You was taken aback. She had only been to that place once.
"What are you going there for?"
"To sell something."
Cheng You's gaze fell on the item he was holding, wrapped in cloth and appearing very precious.
"Why are you out alone? Where are your adults? It's not safe to go to a place like that by yourself."
The child hugged the item tightly, his lips pressed together without speaking.
After a moment of stalemate, Cheng You said, "Let me see what you have. If it's what I want, I'll buy it from you."
As she spoke, she took out money from her pocket.
The child's eyes brightened slightly, and without hesitation, he unwrapped the item in his hands.
It was a ginseng root, and for this era, it was much better and larger than the ones Cheng You had dug up from the mountains.
Cheng You happened to need it. After a moment's thought, she counted out ten large yuan bills.
"One hundred yuan, is that okay?"
The child stared at her blankly, not speaking.
"Is it too little?"
The child stammered, "No... too much."
Cheng You smiled. "This ginseng is of excellent quality, it's worth the price. Hop on the back, I'll give you a ride home."
She tucked the money into the child's pocket and placed the ginseng in her bag.
The child climbed onto her bicycle and said softly, "Sister, you're a good person."
Cheng You nodded. "I think I'm a good person too."
Following the child's directions, she took him home.
It was a dilapidated thatched hut, barely offering shelter from the wind and rain.
"Sister, I still need to find a doctor for my mom."
Cheng You asked, "Your mom is sick?"
"Yes, she hasn't woken up for days."
Cheng You ruffled his hair. "Take me in to see her."
"Are you a doctor?"
"Not yet, but my master is."
The child seemed to have found a lifeline and quickly pulled Cheng You inside.
As soon as the door opened, Cheng You smelled a foul odor.
It was dim inside, barely allowing visibility.
The child led her to the bedside. "Sister, can you check on my mom?"
Cheng You instinctively covered his eyes, her expression shocked.
The woman on the bed was clearly not breathing, and she looked like she had passed away not today.
"Sister, what are you doing?"
Cheng You said with difficulty, "How many days has it been since your mom was like this?"
The child counted on his fingers. "It's the fourth day. I call her every day, but she won't wake up."
Cheng You patted his head. "Little one, besides your mom, is there any other adult at home? Which village are you from?"
The child shook his head and replied obediently, "Mom said we don't belong to any village."
"No village? Then where is your father?"
"I don't have a father either."
Cheng You looked around the humble dwelling, wondering what kind of woman would live here alone with her child.
No father, no relatives, utterly alone.
Cheng You led him outside. The child looked puzzled. "Sister, aren't you going to see my mom?"
Cheng You bent down and said, "Little one, listen carefully to what I'm about to say. Your mom... isn't sick. She has passed away."
The child just looked at her, his eyes vacant.
He seemed to be processing Cheng You's words.
He remained silent for a long time.
Cheng You suddenly felt a pang of pain. She had felt the same way when her own mother passed away.
She was momentarily lost, not yet ready to accept the reality.
"She's dead?" he asked.
"Yes."
The child pushed Cheng You twice, but to no avail.
He suddenly ran back into the house and slammed the door shut.
"I don't like you! Go away! My mom isn't dead! You're lying!"
Then, he burst into tears, a heart-wrenching wail.
Cheng You stood there for a long time. Suddenly, someone pushed the door open.
"Cheng You, what are you doing here?"
Cheng You turned her head and saw Zhou Wenxuan.
Hearing the child's cries, Zhou Wenxuan quickly ran inside.
"Zhenzhen, open the door."
"I won't! Uncle Zhou, she said my mom is dead, but my mom isn't dead! She's not dead!"
The child cried so sadly, it made Cheng You feel extremely uncomfortable.
Zhou Wenxuan suddenly looked at Cheng You. "Wenjie is dead? How do you know she's dead! And why are you here?"
His tone was hardly pleasant.
Cheng You didn't take it to heart and explained, "I met this child on the road. He said his mom was sick, so I followed him back, only to find his mom had already..."
Zhou Wenxuan couldn't believe it. How could she be gone after only a few days?
His eyes reddened, and he wiped them furiously.
"Zhenzhen, open the door. I want to go in and see your mom."
The child slowly opened the door, sobbing uncontrollably, his face streaked with tears.
Zhou Wenxuan entered the house and took one look. He didn't need to get close to know that the woman was truly gone.
He dropped to his knees with a thud and cried out, "Wenjie!"
"Uncle Zhou, please wake my mom up, tell her to get up and stay with me."
Zhou Wenxuan picked him up and carried him outside.
"Zhenzhen, your mom is gone. Uncle will arrange for people to handle her funeral. Will you stay with this sister for now?"
The weather was still cool, so the body could be preserved for a few days.
If left any longer, it wouldn't be possible.
He wanted to go back in, but Cheng You quickly held him back.
"Zhenzhen, I know this is cruel, but your mom is no longer with us. The deceased should rest in peace. If you want to go in and say goodbye to her, I'll let you, but then you have to listen to everyone and let your mom rest in peace, okay?"
He sniffled, his face smudged.
"Is my mom really dead?"
"Yes."
"She'll never come back?"
"Probably not. I wish my mom could come back too."
The child looked at her and asked, "Is your mom dead too?"
Cheng You nodded and took out a handkerchief to wipe his face.
As the dirt was wiped away, a fair and delicate small face was revealed.
This small face didn't look like a boy's.