Chapter 254: Thanks for the Meal

Zhao Yi shook his head, his figure passing the brightly lit shop door and plunging straight into the biting cold wind.

He wandered alone on the streets for a long time, walking from the bustling, noisy streets to the gradually desolate western suburbs. When he returned to the dilapidated small building, the only light in the darkness was the glow of a kerosene lamp emanating from within.

Zhao Yi stepped up the stairs one by one. After entering the room, he found that Ling'er had already fallen soundly asleep on the sofa by the door... One of her hands was still clutching a small blanket, as if she had simply been unable to stay awake while waiting for Zhao Yi to return.

There were no electric lights in the room. Zhao Yi stood in the dim doorway, looking at Ling'er, who was still snoring softly, and a faint smile appeared on his face, which had been frozen by the cold wind.

He walked into the room softly and picked Ling'er up from the sofa to carry her to the bedroom... But in the process, even though Ling'er was very light, a tearing pain shot through Zhao Yi's back, causing him to almost lose his footing and collapse to the ground with Ling'er.

Fortunately, Zhao Yi steadied himself against the wall. By the time he placed Ling'er back in her small bed, his forehead was covered in sweat.

"Damn it..."

Zhao Yi gritted his teeth, tremblingly fished a pill out of his pocket, and swallowed it. He squatted at the door for a long time before the pain that pierced his soul subsided slightly.

Divine Doctor Chu's diagnosis was correct. Zhao Yi could clearly feel that his physical condition was declining in every aspect... At this rate, in a few days, he would only be able to lie in bed and wait for death.

The hazy moonlight spilled onto the bed, illuminating Ling'er's sleeping face. Zhao Yi's fists clenched involuntarily, and he remained motionless in the darkness like a statue.

I don't know how much time passed before he took a crumpled form out of his pocket, his gray eyes gradually turning firm.

He gently covered Ling'er with the quilt, stroked her head, then closed the bedroom door, his figure disappearing into the dark room...

As soon as Zhao Yi walked downstairs, he saw Xu Chongguo sitting at the door smoking.

"Xiao Yi, when did you get back?" Xu Chongguo asked in surprise when he saw Zhao Yi walk out of the house.

"Just got back..."

"Oh, I didn't know when you'd be back, so I took Ling'er to our place for dinner... She should be asleep by now, right?"

"Yeah."

"Have you eaten?"

"...No."

Xu Chongguo looked at Zhao Yi's somewhat pale face and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Something on your mind?"

"..." Zhao Yi was silent for a moment, then forced a smile. "Uncle Xu, I might need to trouble you to take care of Ling'er from now on..."

"What do you mean?"

"I found a good job, but it's a confidential unit with strict requirements, so I might not be able to come back often."

"Confidential work?" Xu Chongguo looked at Zhao Yi in surprise. "Where did you find it?"

"Through the authorities." Zhao Yi changed the subject. "Although it's tiring, the pay is very good. I can't spend it all at that unit, so I'll have them send it out... Ling'er is too young, so I used your name for the payments."

"Ah? Oh... no problem."

Xu Chongguo seemed to remember something. "Did you finish your medical checkup?"

"Finished. The doctor said it was just an external injury, nothing major. I got some medicine, and it should be better soon."

"As long as your health is good, you can always earn money." Xu Chongguo nodded. "But even if you're working and it's hard to come back, you should still visit occasionally... Ling'er is at the age where she's growing fast. If you don't come back to see her, she won't even recognize you."

Zhao Yi was stunned for a moment. He looked toward the door of his home and smiled slightly.

"I'm leaving then, Uncle Xu."

"Safe travels."

Zhao Yi walked down the stairs and was about to continue forward when Xu Chongguo's voice sounded again.

"Xiao Yi."

"Yeah?"

Zhao Yi turned back. He saw Xu Chongguo holding a cigarette in one hand and saying with emotion, "You know? You look like a real, upright man now... If your dad could see you now, he would be very happy."

Zhao Yi was stunned. He twitched the corners of his mouth, not knowing whether to cry or laugh... He didn't respond, just silently turned his head and walked toward the end of the dark street.

The cold night wind cut across his cheeks like a knife. Loneliness and sorrow tore him to pieces in a corner where no one noticed. Zhao Yi was like a sick wolf leaving the pack step by step. As he gradually sank into the darkness, a fire ignited deep within his heart.

It was a fire of unwillingness, a fire of anger, the final echo of a dying man before the dawn. Zhao Yi clutched the form in his hand, suddenly feeling an uncontrollable urge!

He quickened his pace, faster! Faster!

He was practically running through the cold night, speeding past the few scattered pedestrians returning home. He didn't know what he was doing or where he was going; he only knew that his suppressed, young heart needed a channel to vent its final emotions.

I don't know how much time passed before he stood panting in front of that noodle shop, his hands on his knees.

"Little brother, why are you back?" The middle-aged man, who was just about to close up, asked in surprise when he saw Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi looked up at the shop, which was brightly lit by the lanterns. In a trance, it seemed to overlap with the breakfast shop from his memories... He stood at the door, dazed, and only after a long time did he regain his senses, smiling as he walked inside with long strides.

"Boss! A bowl of noodles!"

The boss, who was halfway through closing up, was stunned. "Ah? Oh... fine. If you want to eat, I'll make you another bowl. What kind of noodles?"

"Pork chop noodles!" Zhao Yi slapped all the remaining small change from his pocket onto the table, looking just like a wealthy tycoon.

"Give me the biggest pork chop! No... make it two!!"

The boss looked at Zhao Yi with a strange expression but still skillfully started boiling the noodles. Not long after, a piping hot bowl of noodles was handed to Zhao Yi, topped with two pork chops, each as big as the bowl's rim, so much so that you could barely find the noodles with your chopsticks.

Zhao Yi didn't care if it was hot; he picked up his chopsticks and began to devour it, making loud, savory slurping sounds.

"Slow down... hey, slow down, no one's going to steal it from you." The boss couldn't help but advise.

Zhao Yi didn't stop. He greedily sucked up every drop of soup in the bowl. This was the final meal he had prepared for himself, and the final period he was drawing on his young and vibrant life...

One bowl of noodles, two pork chops;

Zhao Yi felt it was enough.

When he slapped the clean noodle bowl back onto the table and let out a long, satisfied burp, he spoke loudly:

"Boss, give me a pen!"

Although suspicious, the boss handed Zhao Yi the pen he used for bookkeeping. The latter took a tattered form out of his pocket and, in the final name column, wrote two large characters with a flourish:

——Zhao Yi.

He put the pen back on the table and walked out of the shop with the form in hand.

He stood outside in the biting cold wind, at the edge of the lantern light and the dark street, and looked back slightly... He looked at the shop, or perhaps the breakfast shop in his memories, or perhaps his nineteen years of life, and murmured:

"...Thanks for the meal."

He disappeared into the darkness.