Manh Tuan's house from school had never been so far like that before. He ran on that road forever but couldn't seem to see his house. In fact, the road was still the same. The thing that made him feel the road seemed longer was because of himself. As Tuan lost his inherent calm, questions about Bich Quyen kept popping up in his head as each sharp knife stabbed into his heart. Are you still healing from a back vertebrae fracture while hospitalized? He wondered, did she care about her health or not? But then, Tuan stopped. Fragments of fragmented memories made it impossible for him to move on. Bich Quyen fractured her back vertebrae. Wasn't it because she was pushed down the stairs the day before? Was it true that she was hospitalized because of that? He couldn't think anymore. In Manh Tuan's head now, there is only the image of the girl lying motionless on the stairs, her eyes looking at him, painful. In those eyes, he saw loneliness, he saw helplessness, but he chose to stand still and watch. At that time, Manh Tuan could only think of one thing: that someone like Bich Quyen was not worthy of his help. He really did think so, and he did, standing still and acting like he had nothing to do with these things.
When Manh Tuan came home, it was also when his mother returned from the market. Looking at the large and small bags in her hand, he was a little confused. Mrs. Linh rarely goes to the kitchen. To be more precise, she never goes to the kitchen. Every time Mrs. Linh goes to the kitchen, there will definitely be a murder of burnt fruit flies all over the house. That's why his mother never cooked Manh Tuan's father and sons a meal. But look, Mrs. Linh carried a large bag into the house. Manh Tuan wondered who would be the unlucky person to enjoy the food his mother would make.
- Is Tuan back, son? Bring this to the kitchen for me.
Mrs. Linh saw Tuan and quickly gave him the things she had just returned with. Tuan took the bags and took a look. It's all normal meat, fish, and vegetables, nothing special. Apparently, his mother really wanted to go to the kitchen.
- What are you planning to cook today?
He just put those things on the kitchen counter and asked. In fact, Manh Tuan really wanted to know who would eat the food cooked by his mother. Speaking out, he told Tuan to speak badly of his mother, but he really cried for anyone to taste those dishes.
- How can I cook? Your father will come home, and he will cook lunch. Besides, he asked me to buy some bones and vegetables to cook some porridge to bring to the hospital.
- For Quyen?
- How do you know?
- Today, the teacher announced that Quyen had to be hospitalized, so she took a month off from school.
He lowered his eyes, not wanting to meet his mother's surprised gaze. How did Tuan have the courage to tell her that he helped let these things happen? After hearing that, Mrs. Linh just nodded and said nothing more. Yesterday, when Tuan went to school, Mrs. Linh received a phone call from Mrs. Huong, Bich Quyen's mother. Mrs. Huong asked Tuan to let Bich Quyen be absent from school that day. After asking, again and again, Mrs. Linh knew that Bich Quyen had been hospitalized. Originally, they thought it was no big deal, and they expected to call back in the evening and receive news that Bich Quyen had a fractured vertebra in her back, meaning she would have to be absent for more than one month. Needless to say, Mrs. Linh really cares for Quyen. She soon considered Quyen a family member and, now knowing that Quyen is like that, she needn't be worried.
- This afternoon, I will go to the hospital to visit Quyen. Will you go with me?
She looked at Manh Tuan, who was disappearing on the stairs and quickly asked. Manh Tuan heard the question and stopped answering. Should he go? Manh Tuan didn't know if he should go or stay at home. He wanted to know how Quyen's condition was, but he was afraid that if she saw him, her mood would be much worse. Standing in silence for a long time, Manh Tuan decided to go to the hospital with Mrs. Linh. In the end, he still couldn't stop worrying about her.
Mrs. Linh smiled lightly, her eyes following the figure that had disappeared on the stairs. As a mother, she realized that the son she had raised for so long was hiding something. Although she really wanted to know, she thought that if Manh Tuan wanted to say it, he would have said it already, not for her to ask. Tuan didn't say it himself, which means he chose to be silent and will deal with it alone.
When Manh Tuan closed the door of the room, the whole person fell on the soft bed. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, his mind only thinking about what happened the day before. He wondered, would she let go of everything and accept seeing him again? His heart ached, painfully. Bich Quyen's eyes, filled with pain and loneliness, were like thorns piercing his heart. Tuan turned over. Did he think he was wrong to leave her alone?
- Tuan, you treat Quyen so well, but that girl is texting in the class group like this: "Friends say that they treat you like that.
Minh Hong's voice rang in his ears. The memory of the previous day was replaced by a text message that Hong gave him to read. "Tuan is just a stalker," "I don't want to be friends with Tuan," "If it wasn't for Tuan, I wouldn't be interested in him," "Like him? I don't want that kind of guy". Each line of text message bounced back from his memory and made him frown. Right! But that text message made him lose face in front of the whole class. If it wasn't for Hong giving it to him to read before the messages were deleted, he would never have known that Bich Quyen considered him like a dog who only knows how to please the owner.
He clenched his fists tightly. His nails dug deep into the flesh, leaving clear marks. It's excruciating! But it was these pains that kept him awake and made him realize that he was not worth a penny in Dang Bich Quyen's face. The friendship for so long, to her, was nothing but a farce. The respect that he had for her was like something said to be thrown away. Uncomfortable! An uncomfortable feeling surrounded Manh Tuan, making him unable to calm down.
That afternoon, Tuan and Mrs. Linh went to the hospital. Standing in the elevator, he looked down at the phone screen, silently saying nothing. For a brief moment, Mrs. Linh stood next to him. For a brief moment, she felt that she had just looked at something she shouldn't have looked at. She thought it was a photo of a text message. Children's privacy is not related to parents'. More than anyone, she understands this very well when she lets Tuan be independent since he was a child. But for a fleeting second, she felt she was looking at something that wasn't quite right. She just didn't know what it was.
"Ting"! The sound of the elevator sounded, signalling that they had reached the hospital floor where Bich Quyen was lying. Mrs. Linh looked at the phone, mumbling to room 103, room 103 while walking and looking at the room that Quyen was in. Tuan walked beside her, his face expressionless. He was used to his mother never paying attention to everything.
Standing in front of room 103, Mrs. Linh opened the door and entered. In the deserted room, only Bich Quyen was half lying, half sitting on the bed. In front of her was a hospital food table. Hearing the door open, Quyen slightly turned her head to look. Her movements were slow and then stopped as if moving her body was difficult for her. Quyen saw Mrs. Linh appear at the door, her face showing a slight smile, looking a little brighter than before. But when she saw Manh Tuan standing behind her, the smile on her face froze. Quyen didn't know what face she should put on at this point, but she knew for sure she couldn't laugh anymore.
- Where's your mother, Quyen? Why are you alone?
Mrs. Linh closed the door of the hospital room. The little girl, who was half lying and half sitting on the hospital bed, saw the tangled ropes on her body, and Mrs. Linh couldn't help but frown. She was quietly recovering and being hospitalized. This girl really doesn't know how to protect herself.
- My mother has work to do today and can't come. Soon, my father will come over. Please sit down, standing like that is very tiring.
Bich Quyen smiled lightly. She lowered the chopsticks in her hand and closed the lid of the lunch box. Mrs. Linh looked at the lunch box on the table and pouted. The hospital meals for patients are so sketchy like this, there's not even a single piece of meat. If you eat like that, how can you be cured? If you eat more, you will only get sick more.
- Tuan, take the bowl over there for me.
Mrs. Linh sat down on the chair, put the bag on the table, and said
- Uncle Hoan cooks for you. That's your favourite potato rib soup.
After that, she turned back to Quyen. Her face was extremely satisfied. This dish was cooked by a chef at a five-star restaurant and is definitely many times better than the hospital's dinner box.