Chapter 187: Old Friends Meet Again |
Zheng Dong Li stared at Yu Xiao, a moment of silence stretching between them before he finally declared, “You know, you remind me of myself at your age.” Another pause. “Alright, alright. Consider this a freebie.” He sighed, a long, suffering sound. “My services don’t come cheap, you know.”
Taking care of Zhou Si Heng’s final arrangements was surprisingly straightforward. With no family and all his friends having passed away long ago, cremation, ashes, and a pre-purchased plot awaited.
Zheng Dong Li insisted on inviting Yu Xiao, Zhao Lan, and Zhou Xiao Zhen to the burial. The old man had loved a good crowd, and he deserved a proper send-off.
Yu Xiao politely declined. She had a hospital shift. Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen exchanged knowing glances but readily agreed to go.
Yu Xiao looked down at the grieving dog curled up at her feet. The world was a strange, strange place. Back at the hospital, when the former director Zhou Si Heng had been scheming to get discharged, he’d moved heaven and earth to get Zheng Dong Li to take his place. If it hadn’t been for that Lao Jun Talisman Zheng Dong Li had conjured up, who knows, she might have found herself calling him ‘Director Zheng’.
And now here they were, unlikely friends, with Zheng Dong Li arranging the old man’s farewell. Life was full of unexpected turns.
“What about the dog?”
Zheng Dong Li stroked his chin. “My uncle can look after him for the time being.”
His uncle, who stood nearby, visibly paled.
Zheng Dong Li let out a dramatic sigh and turned pleading eyes on Yu Xiao and her friends.
Yu Xiao cut him off. “I’m still a student!”
Zhou Xiao Zhen shook her head. “No way, gotta train for the Olympics.”
Zhao Lan, ever the picture of professional polish, simply sighed. “Work. Travel. It’s chaos. Even cacti wither under my care, let alone a dog.”
Another sigh, this one deeper and heavier with defeat, escaped Zheng Dong Li. He crouched down, his gaze meeting the sorrowful eyes of the dog, Goldie.
“Look,” he confessed, “I’m not a dog person. Especially big, black dogs.”
The dog whined.
He’d just have to take Goldie home for the night, Zheng Dong Li decided, and hope someone at tomorrow’s gathering would take pity on the poor creature.
The next day’s gathering was scheduled for noon. Yu Xiao, Zhao Lan, and Zhou Xiao Zhen, however, didn’t stir until well past nine. A leisurely breakfast at a local restaurant later, they were finally en route to the rendezvous point.
“Should’ve put on makeup,” Zhou Xiao Zhen muttered, eyeing Zhao Lan’s expertly made-up face with envy.
“Don’t sweat it,” Yu Xiao chirped from beside her, barefaced and carefree. “I didn’t bother either.”
“Yeah, but you have hair.”
“Well…”
Seeing her friend’s crestfallen face, Yu Xiao rallied. “Hey, you have a wig!”
Zhao Lan, unable to help herself, turned from the passenger seat and sighed. “The things I’d give to be young again…”
They’d agreed to meet at the Forbidden City. Yu Xiao, upon seeing the message, had been momentarily stunned. Apparently, Zheng Dong Li explained, many of their former ward-mates had never been to Beijing. Sightseeing by day, reunion dinner by night – it was the perfect plan.
Except for one tiny detail.
Stepping out of the car, they joined the throngs of tourists milling about the Meridian Gate. It was like trying to find a single grain of rice in a paddy field.
Zhou Xiao Zhen, clinging to Yu Xiao’s arm, scanned the crowd. “See anyone familiar?”
Yu Xiao’s eyes darted back and forth. “Not a soul. Though, to be fair, they’re not exactly wearing hospital gowns anymore…”
“Let’s just find Zheng Dong Li,” Zhao Lan suggested, ever the pragmatist. “He’s bound to know everyone.”
Easier said than done. After a fruitless search, they resigned themselves to waiting near the entrance, hoping against hope that he hadn’t forgotten all about them.
The three weren’t the only ones loitering near the entrance. To their left, a group of middle-aged tourists sported matching red baseball caps. To their right, a gaggle of foreigners seemed to be having a competition to see who could wear the most ridiculous green hat. And directly in front of them stood a cluster of people, noticeably hat-free.
“Think those are our lot?” whispered Zhou Xiao Zhen, nudging Yu Xiao with her elbow.
Yu Xiao squinted, trying to match any of the faces to the hazy memories of their hospital stay.
Perhaps her scrutiny was a tad too obvious. The hatless group began murmuring amongst themselves, shooting curious glances in her direction. Yu Xiao, blessed (or cursed) with exceptional hearing, caught snippets of their conversation.
“Think she wants to chat us up?”
“Wonder which one of us she’s eyeing?”
“Nope,” she muttered, turning away. “Don’t recognize a single one. Not that they’re not here for the shindig, but still…”
Zhou Xiao Zhen sighed dramatically. Just then, a hand tapped Yu Xiao on the shoulder. She spun around, reflexes honed from years of hospital shenanigans, and grabbed the offending hand, yanking the owner off balance.
“Whoa there, little lady! That’s quite a grip you’ve got!”
Yu Xiao finally got a good look at her would-be assailant. “Lu Xu?”
Behind him, a man froze mid-step, camera raised. “Luo Jin?” Yu Xiao exclaimed, recognizing him too.
Luo Jin grinned, adjusting his grip on the camera. “You know us?”
Yu Xiao hesitated. They wouldn’t remember the hospital… “I, uh…”
Thinking quickly, she released Lu Xu’s hand and gestured vaguely. “What was that for?”
“Just saying hi,” he said, rubbing his wrist with mock injury. “You know, that video of you three crushing water bottles at the night market? Went kinda viral. You’re practically famous.”
“Ah,” Yu Xiao said, the penny finally dropping.
“Zheng Dong Li told us about you,” she improvised, hoping they wouldn’t press for details.
“Really?” Lu Xu chuckled. “And he managed to describe us without any photos?”
It was a good question. Yu Xiao, momentarily stumped, shot Zhao Lan a desperate look.
Zhao Lan, ever resourceful, stepped into the breach. “He did mention you two were the most handsome of the bunch. Easy to spot.”
Lu Xu threw back his head and roared with laughter. “That sounds like him! Not that we’re that handsome, mind you. Just maybe… ninety-nine percent better-looking than the rest of the country?”
Luo Jin, who had been enjoying the banter, stifled a laugh at Lu Xu’s audacious claim. Truly, the man had no shame.
“Luo Jin. How should I address you?”
Luo Jin and Lu Xu looked just as she remembered, and seeing their familiar faces sparked a warmth in Yu Xiao’s chest. She played along, pretending they were strangers. “I’m Yu Xiao, this is Zhao Lan, and this ray of sunshine is Zhou Xiao Zhen.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Luo Jin gestured around the square. “Has anyone else arrived yet?”
Zhao Lan shook her head. “We have no idea who we’re looking for.”
“Are these two really the most attractive ones?” Zhou Xiao Zhen whispered to Yu Xiao.
“Nope.”
Zhou Xiao Zhen’s eyes widened. “You mean… there are more?”
Yu Xiao suppressed a smile. There had been plenty of handsome men in their hospital, but who knew what time had done to them. Luo Jin and Lu Xu seemed to be the youngest of their small group.
“Group photo!” Lu Xu declared, snatching the camera back from Luo Jin. “You know, I saw you three from across the square when we arrived – didn’t even see your faces, but I knew. Knew you were here for the gathering. Like some weird sixth sense.” He jabbed Luo Jin in the ribs. “Didn’t you feel it too, Old Luo?”
Luo Jin frowned, considering. “A bit, yeah.”
“Maybe it’s some kind of awakened ability?” Lu Xu pondered. “But then why didn’t I feel anything when Zheng Dong Li showed up at my door?”
“Let’s not go there,” Yu Xiao interrupted hastily. “The photo, right? Let’s do it.”
“Someone has to take it,” Lu Xu said, glancing around. The only people nearby were the Red Hat Brigade and the Green Hat Crew. Not the best candidates.
He approached a woman with her back to them. “Excuse me, Auntie, would you mind taking a quick picture for us?”
The woman turned, her face – surprisingly youthful for someone in her forties – hardening as she looked him up and down. “Young man, how old are you?”
“Twent– twenty-eight,” Lu Xu stammered.
“And you think that makes you young enough to address older people as ‘Auntie’?”
- (阿姨 (āyí): [āyí; ‘Auntie’] – A term used to respectfully address older women, often used generically as a form of address in informal settings.)
Lu Xu: “…”
Lu Xu started sweating.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Yu Xiao rushed forward, grabbing Yu Qing Lang’s hand before Lu Xu could dig himself any deeper. “Big Sister! What a coincidence! You’re here for the gathering too?”
Yu Qing Lang blinked, momentarily startled. She looked from Yu Xiao to her friends, then back again. “You are?”
“Yes! Absolutely! Also for the tour group!” Yu Xiao’s mind raced. “Um… How should I address you? Are you with the tour group?”
“Yu Qing Lang.” She smiled, her earlier annoyance seemingly forgotten. “Family business, you see. Travel agency. And you are…?”
“Yu Xiao.”
“Yu Xiao…” Yu Qing Lang frowned slightly, a puzzled look on her face. “You know, I could swear I’ve dreamt that name before…”
A cheerful voice rang out. “Greetings, comrades! Hope I haven’t kept you waiting long!”
They turned to see Zheng Dong Li striding towards them, a gaggle of people trailing behind. He was waving a small flag emblazoned with the words ‘Healed Team’. Subtle.
“Zheng Dong Li!” Lu Xu called out, waving back.
“Already acquainted, I see!” Zheng Dong Li beamed, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Just about to take a group photo,” Yu Qing Lang chimed in, whipping off her hat and fluffing her freshly-permed curls. “Care to join, Old Zheng?”
“Don’t mind if I do.” He cast a curious glance at the assembled group. “So, how did you all find each other?”
“Oh, you wouldn’t believe–” Lu Xu began, but Yu Xiao wasn’t taking any chances. She ‘accidentally’ bumped into him, cutting him off mid-sentence. “These are the seniors you were talking about, right?” she said brightly, turning to Zheng Dong Li. “Introductions, please!”
The diversion worked. Zheng Dong Li launched into a detailed explanation of who was who, oblivious to the near-miss.
Yu Xiao, meanwhile, took the opportunity to study the faces of the ‘Healing Team’. None of them rang a bell. Disappointment pricked at her. “Is this everyone then?” she asked.
“Some people didn’t want to come,” Zheng Dong Li said with a shrug. “And a few couldn’t make it just yet.”
After the introductions, Zheng Dong Li turned to the group. “So, what’s the plan? Should we head inside now, or wait for the stragglers?”
“How many more are coming?” Lu Xu asked.
“Two.”
“It’s already noon,” someone piped up, glancing at the sun already high in the sky. “If we don’t go in soon, we’ll be wandering around in the dark. It would be a waste of tickets. Let’s just go; we can always call the others when they arrive.” He looked at Zheng Dong Li. “What do you think, Boss?”
Zheng Dong Li, always the democratic leader, surveyed the eager faces around him. “Right then, inside it is!”
With a flourish of his ‘Healing Team’ flag, he led the way through the Meridian Gate.
The Forbidden City buzzed with activity, but Yu Xiao and her friends were acutely aware of the shift in atmosphere around their group. Everyone, except for the three of them, truly believed they possessed supernatural abilities. Seeing so many of their ‘kind’ for the first time, they were like kids in a candy store, chattering excitedly with newfound comrades.
Yu Qing Lang, with her arm now firmly linked through Yu Xiao’s, leaned in conspiratorially. “What do your friends call you?”
“Smiley.”
“Smiley it is, then.” Yu Qing Lang squeezed her arm affectionately. “Fate has brought us together, mark my words. I told you, I dreamt about someone named Yu Xiao.”
“Really?” Yu Xiao said, trying to sound casual. “What did she look like?”
“Can’t remember a thing,” Yu Qing Lang admitted with a sigh. “Dreams, huh? Gone before you can say ‘laozi’. But looking at you… feels familiar, you know? Destined.”
“Destined,” Yu Xiao echoed, trying not to laugh.
Zhou Xiao Zhen, meanwhile, was engrossed in a conversation with two middle-aged men, hanging on their every word as they recounted their ‘recruitment’ by Zheng Dong Li.
“When my powers manifested,” one was saying, puffing out his chest, “I thought I was the hottest thing since sliced rice. I dressed up in a costume, mask and all, and hit the streets, fighting for justice! I roamed around for days before Zheng Dong Li found me. He knocked me flat with a single punch, he did…”
“Not me,” the other man chuckled. “Too chicken. I didn’t tell a soul about my… condition. Then I heard about this underground fighting ring in… well, let’s just say it’s a big city. I heard there was good money to be made…”
“How much did you win?”
“Win? Hah! I had barely finished my second fight when Zheng Dong Li showed up. He explained the whole deal. Said we shouldn’t attract attention, as we could end up as lab rats. I didn’t even ask for payment, just hightailed it out of there…”
“So how do you make ends meet now?”
“Got myself a job at a construction site when I returned,” the man replied. “I’m a foreman now.”
Even though it wasn’t peak season, the Forbidden City was still crowded with tourists. Every courtyard, every pavilion, every inch seemed to be occupied by visitors wielding selfie sticks.
“I should have worn hanfu,” Zhao Lan sighed wistfully, gazing at a group of girls posing gracefully in their flowing robes. “Imagine the photo opportunities.”
“Right?” Zhou Xiao Zhen agreed, her eyes wide with envy. “They look stunning.”
Seizing the opportunity while Yu Qing Lang was busy buying drinks, Zhao Lan leaned closer to Yu Xiao. “Can we… you know… take your phone to *that* hospital?”
Yu Xiao blinked. “Yes?”
“Just checking,” Zhao Lan said with a mischievous grin. “Come on, let’s get some good shots. Something to brighten up those dreary hospital walls.”
Just as Yu Qing Lang rejoined them, drink in hand, she overheard their conversation. “What’s this? Secret plotting?”
“Group photo!” Zhao Lan announced. “Are you coming, Qing Lang?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Yu Qing Lang shouted across the courtyard. “Hey, Old Zheng! Photo opportunity! Come over here!”
Zheng Dong Li, deep in conversation with Luo Jin, turned and chuckled. “I’m coming, I’m coming!”
They gathered together, debating the logistics of capturing the perfect group shot, when Zheng Dong Li’s phone rang. “Little Tang? Yeah, we’re inside… Not far from the entrance, you’ll see us… Just come on in…”
He hung up and turned back to the group. “Right, where were we? Photos!”
“Little Tang is coming too?” Yu Qing Lang asked.
“Just so happens he’s in Beijing for business,” Zheng Dong Li explained. “He heard about the reunion and decided to stop by.”
“I should have brought a selfie stick,” Lu Xu grumbled. “I’ll be right back, I need to find someone to take our photos.” He darted off, approaching a random passerby.
Photos were taken – group shots, paired selfies, the whole works – and Yu Qing Lang pulled Yu Xiao aside.
Back in the hospital, Yu Xiao had heard whispers that Yu Qing Lang had a partner, but the details were lost to time. Now, curiosity got the better of her. Gazing at their smiling faces on her phone screen, she casually asked, “So, Qing Lang… are you married?”
“Happily.”
“Ah, right…” Yu Xiao hesitated, unsure how to delicately pry into Yu Qing Lang’s love life. “So… about that… someone… You know, back when you were ill. I heard you had someone who stood by you through thick and thin. What happened? Did you two…?”
Yu Qing Lang’s brow furrowed. “Someone who stood by me? Well, there was this one guy… but after I got sick, he snuck in a few kisses when I wasn’t looking. I nearly beat him to death when I found out.”
“You what?!”
“You heard me.” She rolled her eyes. “Turns out, that’s when I first noticed… changes. I flew into a rage, I did. The poor sod ended up spitting blood. Luckily for him, we were at the hospital and he got patched up quickly. I scarpered, though. I didn’t want to face the music from his family…”
“Whoa…” Zhou Xiao Zhen, who’d been shamelessly eavesdropping, breathed. “Smiley! Look! Hot guy alert!”
Yu Xiao, instinctively turning towards the sound, spotted a group of people ahead. A man in a sharp blue suit stood out from the crowd. As if sensing her gaze, he turned and their eyes met across the throng of tourists.
“Speaking of the devil…” Yu Qing Lang murmured. “That’s Little Tang. I knew him back in the day. Just a kid then, barely fourteen when his powers manifested. Time flies… twenty years, just like that. He’s pushing forty now.”
Zheng Dong Li, with the newly arrived Tang Xing Yin in tow, approached their little group. “Tang, meet the newbies. Fresh out of the hospital. This little firecracker is Zhou Xiao Zhen, still in school. Zhao Lan. And Yu Xiao.”
“Tang Xing Yin.” He looked nothing like the sullen teenager Yu Xiao remembered. Maturity suited him – there was a quiet strength in his eyes now. He offered Yu Xiao his hand, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “You look familiar.”
“You too,” she replied, returning the smile.
“Funny, that,” Zheng Dong Li mused. “Everyone seems to think they know you, Smiley.”
“Must be my forgettable face,” she chuckled, hoping her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.
“Not at all,” Tang Xing Yin said, his tone surprisingly serious. “You stand out. Even in a crowd like this, you caught my eye.”
“Yeah, Brother Tang,” Zhou Xiao Zhen piped up, ever the one to break the tension. “What’s with the suit? Bit formal for a day out, isn’t it?”
Tang Xing Yin’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Work. The meeting ran late, didn’t have time to change.” He glanced around. “Is Teng not here?”
“Not yet,” Zheng Dong Li said. “Stuck in traffic, apparently.”
“Who’s Teng?” Yu Xiao asked.
“One of us,” Zheng Dong Li explained. “Teng Jing Zhi. He and I found Little Tang, actually. Those two clicked instantly, just like you and Tang just now…”
“Smiley?”
“Smiley!”
Yu Xiao blinked, Zhou Xiao Zhen’s concerned face coming into focus. “Earth to Smiley! What’s with the thousand-yard stare?”
“Oh, nothing, just…” How to explain it? Seeing everyone here, whole and healthy, filled her with an unexpected wave of… Relief? Joy? He was out there. Alive. Some people were lost forever, but some… some could be saved.
“I’m just… happy,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “Seeing everyone, it’s… good. Really good.”
The day passed in a whirlwind of laughter, shared stories, and endless photos. As evening approached, they piled into taxis, heading towards a restaurant Zheng Dong Li had booked for dinner, followed by karaoke.
Just before Yu Xiao could slide into a cab with Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen, Zheng Dong Li stopped her, his hand resting heavily on her shoulder. “Walk with me later, yeah? Need to talk.”
She met his gaze, a shiver of apprehension running down her spine. His expression was unreadable.
“About what?” she asked, already dreading the answer.
He just smiled, a cryptic, closed-lipped smile that did nothing to ease her anxiety. “You’ll see.”
Later, crammed into the back of a taxi with Zheng Dong Li, the empty passenger seat a stark reminder that this was a private conversation, Yu Xiao wished she’d taken her chances with the karaoke crowd. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken questions. She met his gaze, refusing to be the one to break.
“You’re hiding something,” he said finally, his voice low and serious.
“We’re not exactly bosom buddies, are we?” she retorted, trying to sound nonchalant. “Everyone has secrets.”
“This isn’t just any secret,” Zheng Dong Li countered, turning to face her, his eyes boring into hers. “This is about us.”
Yu Xiao couldn’t help but shrink back into her seat. “What are you talking about?”
“You know everyone here,” he said, his voice soft but insistent. “At least… Old Yu, Little Tang, Lu Xu, Luo Jin… You know them.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off.
“Don’t bother denying it. Luo Jin already spilled the beans. You’ve never met them, yet you rattled off their names like old friends. Lied to their faces, said I’d told you about them.”
His eyes narrowed, a glint of something dangerous flickering within them. “Well, I know what I did and didn’t say. So, I’ll ask again. How. Do. You. Know them?”
Yu Xiao hesitated, her mind racing.
“And another thing…” He leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper. “That first night… When I was curious about Old Lord’s Talisman, you asked me my name. Why? What’s my connection to it?”