Seven

In that western restaurant, he saw Zhao Qian's other girlfriends, Chu Dong was introduced to Ai Hua.

After some greetings, afternoon tea was served. Most of their topics focused on Chu Dong, but Chu Dong was shy and introverted and didn't talk much, so the women didn't put him through too much pressure, they instead chatted about current affairs.

This was the first time Ai Hua saw Chu Dong, she had a short and professional hair cut, doned in a small suit. She didn't like to laugh, she looked at people from the tip of her nose, the temperament of an elite with an excessively sharp arrogance. She works as an executive in a company, unmarried but usually busy at work. She kept reading messages on her mobile phone while drinking tea. After a brief introduction with Chu Dong, she never spoke towards him since.

Qin Ping wore a pair of glasses as always. She was a teacher, her husband was a senior superior of a large state-owned enterprise, and her family was harmonious and happy. Qin Ping was the most gentle and caring towards Chu Dong. During small talk, she always asked what he would like to eat and whether the refreshments suited his taste.

Ai Hua and Zhao Qian became friends after meeting at work. They were in the same company and entered the same department in the same year. Ai Hua worked hard all the way to where she was now. Zhao Qian had no ambitions and was satisfied with the status quo. Qin Ping and her have been playmates since childhood and we're close friends.

"I know your mother best." Qin Ping told Chu Dong, "She has a good heart, maybe too innocent. She's been spoiled by her family since she was a child. After getting married, your father held her in the palm of his hand, everything must depend on her whims. Now that it's come to this she want to go home but doesn't want to bow her head- so we're here to help.”

Chu Dong looked naive, "I've been waiting for my mother to come home."

Qin Ping said, "So, Dong'er, let's find a way to make your parents reconcile, alright?"

Chu Dong asked seriously: "Is there any way?"

"After you go back, talk to your father more and say that you miss your mother, that you don't want them to separate." Qin Ping patiently taught him, "But don't mention me or Aunt Ai Hua, because your father is now angry with us. He feels that we, as your mother’s friends, didn't take care of her well. Hey, we've actually advised her many times to not to be too willful, but she just wouldn’t listen... "

Chu Dong nodded and suddenly asked in a low voice, "But will Dad listen to me?"

"Of course, you're his child, who would he listen to if not you?"

"But... I'm a little afraid of Dad." Chu Dong lost his eyes and lowered his head. "He doesn't seem to like me very much, and he doesn't talk to me much... so... so I've always wanted my mom to come back."

Qin Ping and Ai Hua looked at each other, Qin Ping was busy calming Chu Dong, "It's fine Dong'er, it might be because your father had just brought you back not long ago and he hasn't gotten used to it, right? When you feel lonely, you just need to call me or Aunt Ai Hua. We'll pick you up and we'll play outside, how about that?"

Chu Dong looked up at her in surprise, his eyes bright, but he seemed to remember something, taking a careful look at Ai Hua's direction and quickly retracting. He shook his head and said no, but thank you Aunt Qin. Qin Ping glanced at Ai Hua and winked at her. Ai Hua rolled her eyes impatiently, and continued to reply to phone messages with her head down. Qin Ping had no choice but to comfort Chu Dong, "Auntie Hua loves putting on a stinky face. She usually trains her subordinates, so she's gotten used to it. In fact, she's also very nice, Dong'er, don't be afraid."

Chu Dong nodded and Qin Ping took him to talk for a while, and when the time approached, she got up and settled the bill.

They left the western restaurant, Qin Ping drove Chu Dong back to the library, pushing him upstairs graciously. She watched him enter the library and waved goodbye at him.

Qin Ping went downstairs to the car and breathed a sigh of relief. Ai Hua next to her laughed, "Look at your excessive coddling."

Qin Ping said helplessly: "Otherwise, do want me to act like you? Scaring to child till he's too scared to say anything?"

"If it wasn't for his father or mother, he'd never get an inch of that table. Those looks are useless for a monster. It's embarrassing taking him to that kind of high-end restaurant for dinner."

"Ai Hua, don't speak so meanly. He's still Zhao Qian's child, we should treat him better."

"Whatever you want." Ai Hua put the phone in a small sachet and snorted coldly, "Anyway, as long as you don't let her divorce Wu Yue, you can do whatever you like."

At 5:30 in the evening, Wu Yue went to the library on time to pick up Chu Dong.

Wu Yue seemed to be in a good mood again. He stepped forward in three steps and directly picked up Chu Dong. He carried his wheelchair with one hand and said with a smile, "Let's go, dad will take you to dinner. I'll take you to see dad's friends there."

His arms were so strong that he almost turned Chu Dong upside down. Chu Dong hugged his shoulders, looking helplessly at the excited man, he asked, "Who is it?"

"He was your father's closest comrade-in-arms in the past. When we were soldiers, he was very handsome, but now he's become too fat." Wu Yue said cheerfully. "He and his wife have the same surname, so we always used to yell when saw them¹."

Wu Yue drove Chu Dong straight to the suburbs and stopped in front of a farmhouse. From a distance, they saw a couple waiting by the door. The man was very fat and the woman was of medium build, the two were dressed simply but generously. When they spotted Wu Yue's car, they took the initiative to walk over.

The fat man was Wu Yue's former comrade-in-arms, Lao Li, and next to him was his wife. The two greeted Chu Dong, and they all entered the farmhouse together. Wu Yue and the couple were very familiar with each other, they skipped the small talk. Lao Li directly sat on a chair, dangling a cigarette from his mouth and saying to Wu Yue, "Come, let me take a look."

Wu Yue pushed Chu Dong next to him. Lao Li's wife from besides him took the cigarette from his mouth and scolded, "What kind of cigarette can you smoke in front of a child, you old smoker."

Lao Li rubbed his hands. Wu Yue bent over and rolled up the legs of Chu Dong's trousers until he reached the stump of his broken leg. Lao Li glanced at it and nodded, "Well, the kneecap is still left, so it'll be much easier."

Chu Dong obediently sat in the wheelchair, a little puzzled. After listening to Lao Li's words, Wu Yue's last worry disappeared. He explained to Chu Dong: "Uncle Li now specializes in making medical equipment, he has the contacts of a the company that can help provide you a tailor-made calf prostheses."

Chu Dong was still stunned, Lao Li smiled and said, "Little Dong'er, worry not! Now that technology has advanced prostheses are often very well made, your uncle will get bring back a bionic machine from abroad so that you can live life better!"

Everyone glanced at his legs again. Lao Li took a few photos with his mobile phone and told Wu Yue: "I'll ask someone to contact that foreign company first. I'm guessing that you'll need take little Dong'er to a top tier Beijing hospital for the checks. I'll try to get it done as soon as possible, just wait for my signal."

"Alright, alright." Wu Yue was obviously in a very good mood. He got up and paced back and forth, stroking Chu Dong's palms and patting Lao Li's back again, he walked to the dining table with arms around Lao Li's shoulders, "Lao Li, let's drink!"

"Then you have to finish eh."

The four people sat around a table, Wu Yue and Lao Li drank and chatted. Wu Yue chatted with him for a while about embarrassments they had done together when he was a soldier, he then repeatedly asked whether the prosthetic limbs for Chu Dong were really good.

Chu Dong sat quietly and ate vegetables. The dishes were all made according to his taste, and a large juice box was in his hands. He lowered his head to eat, and occasionally glanced at Wu Yue next to him.

After dinner, Lao Li's wife drove for Chu Dong and the two men who had drunk too much. When they got downstairs at Wu Yue's house, Wu Yue got out of the car and clumsily went to hug Chu Dong, but Lao Li's wife unhappily interrupted him, "Don't let the child fall."

Chu Dong said, "I can walk by myself with the crutches. Dad, can you walk alone?"

"Yes." The drunk Wu Yue listened to Chu Dong's words very seriously. Chu Dong asked him to go alone, so he went to the stairs railing with his drunk eyes wide open. He slowly stepped on the stairs step by step and said while walking. "Son, you should let Auntie support you so you don't fall."

Chu Dong replied warmly, "I see."

Lao Li's wife felt funny and helpless, she finally took the father and son to the door of the house and put the wheelchair down, helping Wu Yue into the bedroom and letting him lie on bed, she then came out and asked Chu Dong, "Can you take care of your dad by yourself?"

Chu Dong answered happily, "Yes. Thank you Aunt Li."

The woman walked to the door, she turned around again and turned to Chu Dong.

"Chu Dong, your father loves you very much."

Chu Dong stared at the woman.

"He's a very kind, upright and righteous man, he'll definitely be a good father." The woman considered her words and told Chu Dong, "I'm not judging your mother, but I think your father's love for you might be able to make up for the part she's absent on. Sometimes... if you insist having a complete family, it'll become even more incomplete."

"Hey... what am I saying to a child? Forget it, Auntie just wanted to tell you that if your mom approaches you in the future, no matter what she tells you, you must think about your father first, alright?"

It was night, the moon hung far above the clouds.

Chu Dong moved the wheelchair back and forth towards Wu Yue, who was lying on the bed and snoring. He took off his shoes, undressed him, and used a towel to wipe his body. Wu Yue was very drunk and flushed red. Chu Dong climbed into bed with some effort, kneeling besides him and carefully wiping his face with a hot towel. Wu Yue woke up in a daze, muttering, "Dong'er."

Chu Dong held the back of Wu Yue's head, wiping his neck with the towel to make him feel more comfortable. He leaned in slightly, "I'm here dad."

Wu Yue opened his eyes and saw Chu Dong in front of him.

Chu Dong struggled for a while and couldn't move at all, he had to relax my body and lay down in the man's arms, saying softly, "Dad, I haven't taken a shower yet."

Wu Yue muttered vaguely, without any intention of letting go. He hugged Chu Dong, smelled the light scent of him. Almost involuntarily, he lowered his head and kissed Chu Dong's hair. "From now on, Dong'er will be able to walk on his own. He'll have the best prosthesis and will be able to walk... "

He was so drunk that he talked himself silly. Chu Dong quietly nestled in his arms, letting the man kiss his forehead and cheek happily, the slight itch of his skin made him smile. He raised his hand to touch the man's face, looking at the man with eyes that were like a lake covered with cold white mist, gentle but distant.

He saw the moonlight outside the window, a whole platinum ribbon spread along the old window sill. The lights were scattered outside, and the noise was out of reach.

Chu Dong's eyes returned to Wu Yue's face. He looked at the man for a long time, stroking the man's hot cheek lightly with his fingers, and saying softly, "Dad."

Wu Yue's consciousness was dim, but after hearing his voice, he replied, "Yes."

Chu Dong said, "I can use a wheelchair and crutches too."

"Yeah."

"Can you not buy a prosthesis? It's too expensive."

Wu Yue quickly muttered, "No, I want to buy it."

He frowned, rolling over, he hugged Chu Dong in front of him firmly, saying to himself, "Dong'er... my baby, I'll buy it for you... "

Chu Dong laid on Wu Yue's chest his cheeks pressed against it, he listened to the steady and powerful heartbeat on his eardrums, it shook his mind and his heart. He stopped talking, and the man fell asleep soon, gradually beginning to snore.

In the quiet room, the man's body temperature and broad chest spread out like a thick and firm net, covering Chu Dong. The steady heartbeat wad close to his ear, the snoring, the breath full of alcohol, and the sound of the distant night city, in Chu Dong's mind, slowly blending like the clouds, rain and sea, densely enveloping him. The pillows and sheets underneath were of old style red-gold silk. They were too old, even their smell belonged to the past. They were like wooden piles stacked under a wall, basking in the sun of the countryside, or cats with shiny fur falling silently on a stake, leaving as silently.

Chu Dong listened to Wu Yue's breathing and heartbeat, he gently closed his eyes.