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墨書 Inktalez
Having money in my pocket made me feel confident. After filling up the tank, I handed the attendant two hundred yuan with a swagger, saying, "No need for change."
The attendant smiled and replied, "Sir, that's four hundred and thirty."
I broke into a sweat and pulled out two more red bills, sheepishly saying, "Gas prices have gone up."
"Do you need change?" she asked.
"Yes, please." Even though I suddenly felt rich, I was used to living frugally, and parting with seventy yuan still stung a bit.
When I arrived at the hospital, I stayed in the car and called Xiao Ting from the parking lot.
"Xiao Ting, are you at the hospital? I need to talk to you about something."
"I'm here. Come on up."
"I'm in the parking lot below. Can you come down? I'm a bit intimidated by a certain nurse."
I heard Xiao Ting laugh. "Alright, I'll be right down."
"Let's walk," I said, pointing to a wooden corridor beside the parking lot.
It was dimly lit, but I could see our shadows on the ground. Looking up, the sun was high and bright. I probably hadn't slept all night and had drunk half a bottle of red wine, leaving my eyes and mind hazy.
It was likely cold; there was no one in the corridor. As we walked, I asked her, "You know Fatty? Do you know where he is and what he's up to?"
Xiao Ting nodded silently.
"That's good; no need to hide it from you. Has he contacted you recently?"
"No," Xiao Ting shook her head. "After he left, he hasn't contacted me."
I clicked my tongue. "That's troublesome. Spring is just around the corner, and with him gone, there's no news from his side. It might delay things."
After taking a few steps, I added, "But you mustn't call him. Even if he can't make it to the Lop Nur underground, don't call him. That would complicate matters even more."
"I know," Xiao Ting looked up at me. "You shouldn't worry too much. You look anxious. Have you not slept well for several days? Your complexion is terrible."
I...
Could I have drunk all night last night?
"Gangzi will definitely come back," she insisted. "He promised me before he left that he would return to help me find my dad. I believe in him."
Women in love seem to have a negative IQ; looking at Xiao Ting's demeanor, it really seemed that way. Fatty wasn't just going to the supermarket to buy tomatoes; he was off to Laos to deal with an Antimatter Bomb. The chances of him coming back were slim, let alone returning on time.
It seemed there was no hope of getting news about Fatty and the Antimatter Bomb from Xiao Ting's mouth. However, I didn't dare to call either him or A San casually. The reason I didn't want Xiao Ting to call was that I feared her phone might be monitored.
Although I had a phone number that no one knew about and didn't have to worry about being tapped, I was concerned that my call could put them in danger. Who knew what they were doing right now? Were they in a situation that required absolute silence and concealment? I decided to wait a few more days. If there was still no news, I would send him a text message instead of calling directly; it wasn't safe.
Thinking about it, staying here wouldn't yield any results. I hurriedly advised Xiao Ting a few more things and prepared to go back and get some sleep. My mental state was too poor.
"Brother Qiang," at that moment, I heard someone calling me from a distance.
As soon as I saw who it was, I felt irritated. It was Liu Squad Leader, running out from the Inpatient Building and shouting at me.
Well, at least this time it wasn't in vain. Even though I hadn't gotten any news about Fatty, at least I had spotted an old rival. In the hospital room, I couldn't curse at him; otherwise, I'd be inviting not just hot water but also scalpels and syringes upon myself. The nurses in this place already had a big issue with me. Now I could vent my frustrations a little.
Watching Liu Squad Leader rush over, panting heavily, I couldn't help but mock him before he got close. "Aren't you supposed to be limping? How come you're running all over the place? Is it all just an act?"
"Can this be faked? The hospital set my bones, and I have MRI scans to prove it. Besides, it's been a while; if I'm not better by now, it should be considered medical malpractice." Liu Squad Leader said this with a sincere expression, as if we were long-lost friends. He seemed to forget our bitter rivalry and the fact that he had once betrayed me.
"That's my fault for not being ruthless enough back then. I should have made you spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair. Otherwise, who knows how many people you would have harmed?"
Even though there were no outsiders around, saying this in front of Xiao Ting made Liu Squad Leader's face turn as red as a liver.
"Brother Qiang, you really gave me a beating back then; you broke my leg! Isn't that enough for you? I'm the liaison for the military and Task Force. If it weren't for me keeping things under control, just your assault on me would be enough to get you in serious trouble."
"Stop pretending with me. Your life is in my hands; breaking one of your legs is nothing." At this moment, all I felt towards Liu Squad Leader was hatred; I couldn't muster even a shred of sympathy for him. There was no way I would give him a friendly face.
I was about to continue berating him when my phone suddenly rang. Looking at the screen, I saw it was Cao Mingzhe calling. My heart sank; I put aside my tirade against Liu Squad Leader and answered the call.
Damn it, I hope this isn't about heading out soon. If that's the case, my plans would be completely ruined. If we leave right away, Fatty definitely won't make it to Lop Nur.
As I answered the call, I pointed at Liu Squad Leader. "Don't go anywhere; I'm not done with you yet. Wait until I finish this call before I continue."
"Who are you trying to show off to?" My words clearly reached Cao Mingzhe's ears, and he asked me with dissatisfaction.
"Liu Squad Leader. I'm in the middle of giving him a hard time. Old Cao, missing me?" I forced myself to joke.
"Someone does miss you, but it's not me. It's Old Zhou; he wants to talk to you."
"Zhou?" It took me a moment to recall who he was. "Captain Zhou!?"
"Yeah." Cao Mingzhe replied coldly. "What were you up to last night?"
"I just spent the night drinking with Jack and just came out from his place. Now I'm at the hospital, training with Liu Squad Leader." I stepped aside, avoiding Xiao Ting and Liu Squad Leader, covering the microphone.
I wasn't just talking nonsense; the effects of the alcohol were still lingering, and my head was pounding.
"What do you want me to do? Don't you realize how sensitive your identity is right now? And you're still mixing with Americans. Forget it, let's not talk about that. You need to make a trip to Beijing and see Old Zhou."
Ever since I learned that Captain Zhou was the one who pulled me out of that dark room, I had intended to thank him in person. However, my identity was too sensitive, and I was afraid of causing trouble if I went. Now, going would likely just add to the complications.
"Is it appropriate to go now?" I tentatively asked Cao Mingzhe. I felt that this suggestion from Cao Mingzhe was an attempt to keep me away from the Americans. With my current identity, associating with them could easily lead to accusations of treason.
"It's not appropriate for you to go anywhere right now," Cao Mingzhe snapped back. Then his tone suddenly shifted to one of visible sadness: "Old Zhou doesn't have much time left."
"What happened to Captain Zhou?" I asked, sensing something was wrong.
"Liver cancer, advanced stage. He specifically requested to see you. I've sent the hospital address to your phone. Don't go anywhere else; just head straight to Beijing." (To Be Continued...)
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