Although Luo Yang didn't fully understand Shi Nan, from his impression of her, she was supposed to be a cheerful girl.
Why she was so sadly crying secretly today, Luo Yang really couldn't guess the answer.
Shi Nan wiped the tears from her face with her hand and said hoarsely, "It's nothing."
That was clearly a lie.
She refused to talk, and Luo Yang couldn't force her.
Following Shi Nan's lead, they soon arrived at the suburbs.
"I'll get off here. Thank you for driving me back," Shi Nan said.
Since Luo Yang knew that Shi Nan often cursed, hearing her speak so politely felt unusual.
"Where do you live?" Luo Yang asked casually.
Shi Nan seemed reluctant to answer, her words elusive.
There were no shops ahead and no villages behind.
"You all should go back too; it's getting late," Shi Nan said as she closed the car door.
"Then goodbye," Luo Yang waved.
At that moment, night had fallen, streetlights were just starting to light up, and everything around was hazy, just like Luo Yang's mood.
After driving a distance away, Luo Yang looked back and saw Shi Nan crossing the street.
Luo Yang wanted to know where Shi Nan was going, out of curiosity, he said, "Little Sister Qiao, stop the car for a moment; I'm going to check on Sister Nan."
Qiao Zai Shui asked, puzzled, "Why suddenly go looking for her? We still need to buy a bed."
Since Shi Nan's behavior was a bit odd, Luo Yang wanted to investigate, unable to calm his curiosity.
"Little Sister Qiao, it will be quick. You go around, and I'll call you to come over with the car," Luo Yang said.
"Why so secretive?" Qiao Zai Shui laughed.
"I just want to check on Sister Nan," Luo Yang laughed.
"You're busying yourself for no reason," Qiao Zai Shui teased.
Watching Shi Nan walking further away, Luo Yang quickly got out of the car.
In the darkness of the night, one could faintly see Shi Nan's lonesome figure almost merging with the haze.
Luo Yang followed her, keeping a certain distance to avoid being noticed.
After walking a few hundred meters, he saw Shi Nan turn from the road into a small path, flanked mostly by residential buildings, simple brick houses about three stories high.
Luo Yang guessed that Shi Nan was either heading home or to a friend's house.
The small path had no streetlights, relying solely on moonlight and the lights from roadside homes to make out the ground.
In the suburbs, some villages were developed and economically better off, but those not yet developed were hardly better than rural villages.
After several twists and turns and two narrow alleys, Luo Yang finally saw Shi Nan entering a low house.
It was a two-room bungalow, and by the dim light, one could still see the dilapidated and spotty walls, indicating the house was quite old.
People moved about inside the house occasionally, suggesting it was quite crowded.
Driven by curiosity, Luo Yang wanted to go up and confirm whether this was Shi Nan's home or her friend's.
Being a young man, Luo Yang didn't bother about whether or not to bring a gift when visiting someone.
Approaching the doorway, Luo Yang called out, "Sister Nan."
Suddenly Shi Nan rushed out hurriedly, staring blankly at Luo Yang; panic, anger, and helplessness on her face.
"What are you doing here!?" Shi Nan shouted at Luo Yang.
Not expecting such a strong reaction from Shi Nan, Luo Yang stood awkwardly still.
Leaving seemed wrong, but staying seemed inappropriate too.
Despite owing Shi Nan some favor, even if he wasn't invited in for a drink, there was no need for her to yell like that.
After a pause, Luo Yang asked, "You live here?"
Shi Nan visibly shuddered, probably from a mix of shame and anger.
Her back was to the light, but her eyes were still visibly wide with fury.
Suddenly, Luo Yang seemed to understand why Shi Nan was behaving this way.
So, he stepped up to Shi Nan and said softly, "My family's house is similar to yours."
As Luo Yang expected, after hearing this, Shi Nan's expression was no longer so harsh.
But she still didn't speak.
Luo Yang stood silently for a moment before saying apologetically, "You're busy, I'll head back first."
Previously, she had yelled at Luo Yang out of sheer irritation.
Now somewhat calmer, Shi Nan's tone of voice had become much friendlier.
"Come in and sit for a while," Shi Nan invited.
Since she had invited him, Luo Yang didn't want to refuse her and only planned to stay for a short visit before saying goodbye.
"Is it convenient?" Luo Yang paused his steps.
"Why ask so many questions? Just come in."
Seeing Luo Yang hesitate at the door, Shi Nan grabbed his hand and pulled him inside.
Inside, one could see that the small house was filled with clutter, and there were also two beds.
One was a double-decker metal bed and the other was a single wooden bed.
On the lower bunk of the double-decker bed lay a young girl facing the wall, her face unclear.
On the single wooden bed, sat a middle-aged woman whose features clearly identified her as Shi Nan's mother.
Yet Shi's Mother's eyes were vacant, and she seemed to have some sort of mental illness.
At that moment, a young man about Luo Yang's age walked in from another room, glanced at Luo Yang, and then returned to the other room.
Luo Yang noticed the scars on the young man's face, which, from experience, seemed likely caused by a fight.
"My mom, my sister, my brother."
Shi Nan pointed them out one by one with an unnaturally flat tone.
Luo Yang smiled and nodded as he greeted Shi's Mother, "Hello, auntie."
But Shi's Mother showed little reaction, still maintaining that vacant expression on her face.
Luo Yang glanced over at Shi Nan from the corner of his eye, just as she was also looking his way, so he quickly averted his eyes.
"My mom is a bit…" Shi Nan stammered.
"Does your sister not have school tonight?" Luo Yang quickly changed the subject to spare Shi Nan any embarrassment.
"She has a high fever and took leave," Shi Nan replied.
"Has the fever gone down?" Luo Yang casually asked.
He felt somewhat uncomfortable sitting there, merely making awkward conversation.
"Probably not yet," Shi Nan vaguely responded.
The family didn't even know if the fever was down?
Luo Yang, curious, asked further, "Shouldn't you check on your sister? A high fever can easily damage the brain."
Shi Nan's voice turned hoarse, "She refuses to see a doctor."
Her voice grew lower and lower, eventually becoming as quiet as a mosquito's, and Shi Nan lowered her head.
Observing this, Luo Yang instantly understood the situation and also grasped why Shi Nan had been sobbing softly in the car.
Shi Nan was the financial support for her family and had reluctantly become Big Brother B's lover to secure a singing gig at his bar, thus ensuring a stable income.
Now that Big Brother B's wife was demanding accountability, it would be difficult for Shi Nan to continue singing at his bar.
Without a stable income, the family would face dire straits.
Shi Nan was, of course, utterly heartbroken.
Her sister's reluctance to visit the doctor was likely due to the family's lack of money.
Considering this, Luo Yang said, "Let me help your sister with her illness."
At the hospital, Shi Nan had witnessed Luo Yang's medical skills.
Thus, she went over to wake her sister up, saying, "Get up. Don't sleep anymore."
When Shi Nan's sister sat up, Luo Yang was surprised; he hadn't expected Shi Nan's sister to be such a beauty.
Even ill and looking haggard, her delicate features could not be concealed.
Luo Yang moved closer and saw Shi Nan's sister's face was flushed, her lips cracked from the fever, and her eyes looked dazed, as if she were about to pass out.
Touching her forehead, Luo Yang felt confident enough to guarantee she had a fever around 40 degrees!
If the fever continued like this, it really could damage her brain.