Chapter 68

Although his mother's injuries were not severe, Liu Handong still stayed at the hospital for a few days. His stepfather bought groceries and cooked, riding his bicycle to the hospital to deliver meals. During this time, his grandfather came to visit once, but his uncle's family never showed up, reportedly too busy to spare the time.

"Xiaodong, you should go back. It's fine here with Uncle He." Mother was concerned about her son's work and repeatedly urged him to return to work.

Liu Handong couldn't find an excuse to stay, so he took out a thousand yuan and placed it on the bedside table. As soon as his mother saw it, she became upset: "Your expenses in the provincial capital are high. How can you give me your money? Take it back, take it back. I have health insurance."

His stepfather also said they didn't need his money, as they had enough at home.

Liu Handong felt very ashamed. His mother was in a large ward with eight beds, with poor conditions. At night, the snoring of the patients and their families made it hard to rest. He didn't have the means to get her a private room, and even the thousand yuan was borrowed from Huo Ying. The cost of repairing his Fukan, which was damaged, hadn't been calculated yet, and it was likely to be a significant expense.

"Then I'll leave first." Liu Handong lowered his head and left. As soon as he stepped out of the ward, he saw a familiar figure at the end of the corridor—it was Ma Ling.

Ma Ling was asking a nurse something. She looked up and saw Liu Handong, quickly running over with a basket of flowers and a box of pastries in her hand.

"How did you come here?" Liu Handong was pleasantly surprised.

"What, I'm not allowed to come?" Ma Ling scolded, giving him a glare.

Liu Handong had told Ma Ling about his mother's injury over the phone, but he didn't expect her to come and visit. This meant their relationship would be made public, which he was more than happy about. His mother was eagerly looking forward to having a daughter-in-law, and seeing Ma Ling would certainly lift her spirits, aiding her recovery. Ma Ling was truly a blessing.

Liu Handong hurriedly apologized: "Yes, yes, come this way."

He led Ma Ling into the ward. His mother was getting up to go to the bathroom with Uncle He's help. Seeing her son bring in a tall girl, she was puzzled: "Who is this?"

"Auntie, I'm Ma Ling, a friend of Liu Handong's." Ma Ling was not shy and spoke confidently.

"Ma Ling, I've seen your photos. Oh, you look even better in person. I almost didn't recognize you. Sit down, I'll go wash my hands first." Mother was delighted.

"I'll help you." Ma Ling didn't wait for a response, supporting Mother's other arm and leading her to the bathroom in the corridor.

"What a good girl." Mother was overjoyed and didn't refuse.

After a while, they returned. His stepfather gave up his stool, and the neighboring patients tactfully went for a walk, giving them space.

Ma Ling sat down and inquired about Mother's injuries. Her Mandarin, with a provincial capital accent, made Mother extremely proud, her eyes glancing at the other patients with a hint of pride, as if to say, "My son has a girlfriend from the provincial capital."

"Ma Ling, have some fruit. Lao He, go wash some apples." Mother was beaming, and his stepfather was busy, washing three apples in the washroom and then sitting by the bed, peeling them with a fruit knife. He peeled the apples so thinly and continuously that the peels formed a single long strip that fell into the trash can.

His stepfather peeled three apples for everyone but didn't eat any himself, remaining silent.

After chatting for a while, Mother still urged her son to leave: "It's not easy for Ma Ling to take a day off. Take her around Jiangbei for a tour. Go on."

Unable to resist his mother, Liu Handong took Ma Ling on a city tour.

After the couple left, Mother instructed his stepfather: "Lao He, go home and clean up. Make everything spotless; the children will be staying."

His stepfather nodded and was about to leave.

"Throw away all the old stuff, the broken TV, the old fridge, and that five-drawer cabinet with the broken leg. It would be embarrassing for Ma Ling to see them." Mother added.

"Understood." His stepfather replied.

...

Liu Handong and Ma Ling strolled aimlessly along the riverside boulevard. It was already evening, and a neon-lit sign on a building by the river read "Summer Holiday Hotel."

"Let's stay another night. I'll get a room for you to rest." Liu Handong pointed to the hotel.

"Pervert, you wish. I've already bought a train ticket for tonight. I have to catch the first bus at five in the morning. I can't be late." Ma Ling hit him.

Liu Handong sighed in frustration.

His phone rang; it was his mother: "Xiaodong, don't waste money on a hotel. We have a house. I've asked Uncle He to clean it. Stay at home tonight, got it?"

"Ma Ling is taking the train back tonight. She has to work tomorrow. Don't worry about it." Liu Handong hung up.

"What did your mom say?" Ma Ling asked.

"My mom is worried about us wasting money on a hotel. She wants me to take you home."

"Sounds like your real mom." Ma Ling pinched his arm hard.

At eight in the evening, Liu Handong took Ma Ling out for dinner and saw her off at the train station. They had a tender moment on the platform before the train departed on time. Liu Handong left the station, intending to take a taxi home, but a police car pulled up in front of him. Inside were Han Guang and Wang Xing.

"Is everything settled at home?" Wang Xing asked.

"Your Audi has been sent to the 4S shop." Liu Handong replied.

"I didn't ask about the car. It's insured, so you don't need to worry. With all the trouble you caused on the highway, don't you think you should report to the police?" Wang Xing said with a smirk.

Liu Handong laughed and got into the car. The police had been considerate, giving him enough time to take care of his family, waiting three days before taking his statement. That was very decent of them.

Wang Xing handed him an envelope. Liu Handong took it, and inside was a stack of cash, at least two thousand yuan.

"What's this for?"

"This is from Director Song. The police's inadequate work led to your mother's injury. It's a gesture of apology, and you must accept it."

"So they knew all along that Gu Changjun wasn't dead?" Liu Handong was furious.

"They knew but couldn't confirm his location. They didn't expect him to use a diversionary tactic. In any case, this is the police's way of expressing their regret."

Han Guang added, "Criminals are hard to track. The police can't protect all the relatives of those involved. No one wanted this to happen, but fortunately, no one was killed. You should understand them, Xiao Liu."

Liu Handong accepted the money but cursed the provincial capital's police in his heart.

Wang Xing's Audi belonged to Qing Shi High-Tech and was fully insured, so the repair costs were not a concern. Liu Handong's Fukan, however, needed to be repaired himself. He went to the police station to give his statement, which took until one in the morning. He then returned to the hospital to continue his vigil.

The next morning, Mother told Liu Handong that the police had visited, bringing a basket of flowers and fruit. A leader said his son had helped catch a criminal and deserved praise, and that the police force needed young people like him.

The leader's words soothed Liu Handong's anger somewhat.

Mother said, "My wound is healing quickly. I can go to the provincial capital next month."

Liu Handong was puzzled: "Mom, who are you going to see in the provincial capital?"

"To meet the in-laws. Ma Ling has already visited me, so we can't be impolite. The two families should meet. We'll get married on May Day next year, and by the year after, we'll have a grandchild. I've waited so long, and now I can finally say I've done right by your father and the Liu family." Mother's face was filled with hope, but then she wiped away tears.

Liu Handong held back his words. At that moment, he couldn't bear to disappoint his mother by telling her that Ma Ling's family didn't approve of their relationship.

...

In the morning, Liu Handong went to the traffic police parking lot to retrieve his Fukan. Since the fuel tank was damaged, Wang Xing had arranged for a tow truck to take it to a small repair shop.

The shop was called "Xuan Chao Auto Repair." The previous owner had expanded his business and immigrated overseas, and the current owner was a young man in his early twenties, wearing a Shell work uniform covered in oil. His name was unique, the same as one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu Han, Ma Chao.

Ma Chao touched the bullet holes on the car and asked, "Were these made by a handgun?"

"Yes." Liu Handong didn't want to elaborate, fearing he might scare the young man.

"I thought so. Rifle bullet holes would be larger." The young boss seemed well-informed and didn't ask more, instructing a worker to start the repairs.

The Fukan's fuel tank was made of polyethylene. Replacing the entire tank would be too expensive, so Ma Chao suggested patching it, which Liu Handong agreed to.

"The holes in the body can only be filled with putty and repainted, but there will be a color difference unless you do a full repaint." Ma Chao circled the Fukan, chin in hand.

"No need to patch it." Liu Handong said, offering Ma Chao a cigarette. "The car isn't worth much, and the plates are fake. No need to fix it. I'll just cover the holes with band-aids."

Ma Chao took the cigarette and put it behind his ear, circling the Fukan again. "How about I decorate it for you? It will cover the holes. Don't worry, a friend recommended me, and it's free."

"Thanks." Liu Handong thought Wang Xing had many friends.

Ma Chao took some paint and a brush and painted four more realistic bullet holes on the Fukan, forming a pattern of the Big Dipper with the original three holes. He added some black and red tones, giving the car a rugged look.

A dirty worker with a wrench suggested, "We should write some slogans on the car, like 'Rather the land be barren than lose the Diaoyu Islands.'"

"Get lost!" Ma Chao kicked the worker away.

The Fukan was thus repaired, costing only a few dozen yuan. Liu Handong drove the car, now adorned with the Big Dipper pattern, through the city. He first visited his grandfather at the Binhe neighborhood, then said goodbye to his mother at the hospital, and drove back to the provincial capital.

To prepare for his mother's visit to the provincial capital next month, he had to solve two problems: convincing Ma Ling's parents and covering up his lies about his job.

Liu Handong often lied to his mother as a child, saying the school needed money for books and using the money to buy ice cream or play video games. He never imagined he would still be lying at almost thirty.