Chapter 42: Taking Responsibility

Ming You endured the mental and physical pain as she followed the room number that woman had given her. She checked room by room and finally found Yan Ningxi’s bed.

She slowed her steps and approached the bed closest to the door with extremely light movements. She blinked her dry eyes, and tears instantly welled up, wetting her eyelashes.

Sensing something, Yan Ningxi suddenly opened her eyes. In her shock and fear, she raised her hand, but Ming You grasped it. “Sister Yan, it’s me.”

“Ming You?”

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m here.” Ming You sat on the edge of the bed and buried her head in Yan Ningxi’s chest, listening to the suddenly erratic heartbeat. “Don’t scold me. Even if you do, I’m not going anywhere.”

Yan Ningxi stroked the girl’s hair, not daring to imagine how she had rushed over in the early hours of the morning. The two cities were five or six hundred kilometers apart. There were no early flights, nor high-speed trains or bullet trains in the dead of night.

She had traveled hundreds of miles through the starry night. As she thought about it, Yan Ningxi’s eyes also grew wet.

“Silly girl.” She pinched Ming You’s ear, which felt ice-cold to the touch, and gently rubbed it to warm her up. “Who told you I was in the hospital?”

“One of your female classmates answered the video call I made. She told me. She had her hair in a ponytail and was wearing glasses.” Ming You sat up straight and lowered her voice to describe the stranger’s appearance, so Yan Ningxi could identify her.

“What did she tell you about my injury?”

“She said you fell.”

The girl’s statement didn’t seem like she was hiding anything. Yan Ningxi continued from her words and explained further, “I got a bit drunk last night and didn’t notice the steps, so I fell accidentally.” She didn’t want to mention Luo Yongjun’s name.

“Mm.” Ming You didn’t quite believe her, but this wasn’t the time to press for details.

“You rushed here—what about the afternoon competition?”

Yan Ningxi was concerned about the National Finals. She sat up a little and reached for her phone to check flight tickets. “Tomorrow’s competition starts at one in the afternoon, right? Wait until dawn, then go back to school.”

Ming You’s gaze was firm as she took away Yan Ningxi’s phone. “I said, I’m not going anywhere. Sister Yan, can’t I stay with you?”

Yan Ningxi was resolute. “No.”

She didn’t rush to lecture Ming You with grand principles. The girl had come all this way for her, and she shouldn’t get even a bit of praise. “Help me raise the bed.”

Ming You did as told and adjusted the bed to a suitable height. Then she heard Yan Ningxi say softly, “Come closer.”

Yan Ningxi opened her arms and embraced the sulking girl.

Only after hugging her did she realize the girl’s body was trembling, just like that time she had a nightmare from being sick.

“I’m fine here. Nothing’s wrong.”

With this solid embrace, the nightmare fragments in Ming You’s mind scattered like startled birds and beasts. She held onto Yan Ningxi, reluctant to let go.

In this moment, she also understood how untenable the excuse of “coming to make Yan Ningxi feel guilty” really was.

The two embraced, their necks intertwined, each other’s body and mind enveloped in the other’s warmth. It was like the warm sun in winter, like the cool breeze in summer—utterly captivating, making one linger and immerse oneself in it.

Yan Ningxi: “Does my scent smell bad?”

Ming You: “Mm, a little. The smell of smoke—I don’t like it.”

Yan Ningxi laughed. “Then why are you hugging so tightly?”

Ming You muttered, “I’m hugging you, not the smell.”

“What time is it?”

“Five.”

“You took a ride here?”

“Mm.”

“Six hours. Did you sleep on the road?”

“Couldn’t sleep.”

“It’s not dawn yet. Flatten the chair and lie down to sleep.” Ming You clung to her without letting go, so Yan Ningxi coaxed, “Be good. I want to sleep a bit more too.”

The girl finally let go.

The accompanying chair was against the wall. Under Yan Ningxi’s guidance, Ming You pulled it out, flattened it, took off her jacket, lay down, and covered herself with her clothes.

Yan Ningxi handed her own jacket as well. “Put this one on too.”

With two jackets layered, Ming You raised her left hand, and Yan Ningxi grasped it with her right, covering it with the blanket. “Sleep.”

…

After seven, messy footsteps and voices gradually increased outside the door. The other middle-aged woman in the same room also woke up.

The lights came on, and the room brightened.

For two hours, Yan Ningxi suffered from insomnia while the girl holding her hand fell into a dream.

Ming You got up dressed and used her hand to smooth Yan Ningxi’s messy hair behind her head. Touching the bandage on her forehead, she asked, “Does the wound on the back of your head have stitches? Does it hurt a lot?”

There probably weren’t stitches—her head couldn’t be numbed, or she definitely would have woken up in pain. Yan Ningxi said vaguely, “It’s okay.”

As she spoke, the rounds doctor arrived.

Ming You learned about Yan Ningxi’s condition from the doctor: “There’s a swelling on the back of her head with local soft tissue damage. Although the skin was broken from the fall, it wasn’t serious enough to require stitches. She had a head CT last night—no intracranial bleeding, but there are signs of mild concussion. The next day or two will come with headaches, nausea, vomiting, and such—HSR are all normal symptoms. Observe in the hospital today, rest more, and take anti-inflammatory and painkillers as prescribed. Another head CT at ten in the morning.”

“Okay, thank you, doctor.” After hearing the doctor, Ming You’s worries eased a bit.

Yan Ningxi advised, “Since the doctor says it’s nothing, you don’t need to stay here with me. Be good, buy a plane ticket, go back for the competition…”

Ming You ignored her, took out the charger she brought, and plugged in Yan Ningxi’s phone. She said to herself, “If Sister Yan doesn’t want to see me, I’ll just go out.”

With that, she really went out.

Yan Ningxi panicked and threw off the blanket to get out of bed. “Ming You!”

Ming You hurried back, half-holding Yan Ningxi and helping her lie down properly. “You’re silly too. I just went to buy some things. I’m not leaving.”

But seeing Yan Ningxi’s pained expression, she worried, “Where does it hurt? Twisted ankle? Or leg?”

“No.” The specific painful spot, Yan Ningxi couldn’t say out loud.

The woman in the next bed was washing up in the bathroom. Ming You quickly kissed Yan Ningxi’s forehead, finally showing a smile. “You be good and lie down to rest properly.”

…

Ming You went to the convenience store in the hospital nearby and bought toothpaste, toothbrush, cup, towel, mineral water, and such. Then she went to the cafeteria for hot porridge, eggs, corn buns, fried dumplings, etc.

She wanted to buy a change of clothes for Yan Ningxi outside, but it was too early, and roadside clothing stores weren’t open yet.

Back at the hospital room, a man was standing by Yan Ningxi’s bed.

Ming You went to the other side and put the bags on the cabinet. “Sister Yan, wash up first, then eat breakfast.”

Luo Yongjun had come so early and also brought daily necessities and breakfast. Last night, he had wanted to stay and keep watch, but the room was full of women, and his relationship with Yan Ningxi was improper and inconvenient. It was his own mistake, and he had no reason to make other classmates clean up for him.

Yan Ningxi handed her hand to Ming You without looking at Luo Yongjun. “Senior Brother, please go back. My little sister will take good care of me. This incident isn’t anyone’s fault. Senior Brother doesn’t need to blame himself excessively.”

Senior Brother?

Ming You glanced warily at Luo Yongjun.

“Ningxi, the medical expenses… I’ll take full responsibility.” The responsibility was his. Whether Yan Ningxi pursued it or not was her business, but he wouldn’t shirk what he should bear.

“Sir, if you want to take responsibility, take it for yourself. With me here, no outsider needs to interfere in Sister Yan’s affairs.” Ming You spoke coldly to him, as if declaring sovereignty.

This man clearly had ulterior motives toward Yan Ningxi. As fellow pursuers of Yan Ningxi, they were rivals in love. When rivals meet, what good expressions were there?

Luo Yongjun looked at the somewhat young Ming You. “Little sister, your sister and I…”

Yan Ningxi interrupted him. “Senior Brother, Professor Zhang’s birthday banquet is over, and my main purpose for coming here is accomplished. I probably won’t have the chance to meet everyone again. Please convey my apologies to them for dampening their spirits last night.”

“The one who should apologize is me.” Luo Yongjun hesitated to speak, “These things should be useful to you. I’ll leave them here.” With an unfamiliar little girl and the roommate present, he could only put down the items and leave awkwardly.

In the bathroom, Ming You accompanied Yan Ningxi as she washed up and got straight to the point. “Did he cause you to fall?”

Yan Ningxi spat out the mouthwash, placed the new cup and toothbrush Ming You bought on the counter, and took the towel from Ming You’s hand.

“Last night on the roadside waiting for a cab, everyone had drunk quite a bit. We got into a tussle and fell accidentally. He happened to be the closest to me at the time, so he took the blame on himself.”

Ming You didn’t ask further. Asking was pointless; Yan Ningxi always skirted the important details.

During breakfast, Yan Ningxi brought up the afternoon competition again. “You’re giving up the competition for me, even possibly missing first place. Don’t you feel it’s a pity?”

“No.”

“Have you thought about how I feel?”

“Sister Yan doesn’t need to feel guilty about it.” Ming You knew the lecture was coming—it might be late, but it wouldn’t be absent.

“Ming You, this isn’t a school or college competition; it’s a national event. Getting a good ranking would be an honor for you, your school, your department. You’ve fought your way to the National Finals—you’re no longer carrying just your personal honor. You’re bearing the hopes of your comrades who fought alongside you, and the expectations of your classmates, friends, and alumni. You boasted you’d conquer all and claim the crown, so what does quitting halfway count for?”

The competition wasn’t huge, but for students, winning an award in a national event was icing on the cake and job-hunting capital.

Yan Ningxi wanted to see Ming You on the podium, wearing her halo, the center of attention—she would share in the glory.

But she never told Ming You that she had also bought a plane ticket.

“Ming You, I’m very touched that you came to see me first thing. But if you don’t want me angry, don’t want me feeling guilty about this for a long time, buy a ticket now, go to the airport, back to school!”

From entering the hospital, Ming You knew Yan Ningxi wouldn’t let her skipping the competition slide easily.

She thought she was prepared, thought she could be strong enough not to fear Yan Ningxi’s “lecture.” But her thoughts were just thoughts.

Physical and mental discomfort, plus an eyesore of a “third party”…

More than anger, she felt inferior and wronged. “As expected of the eloquent language teacher—everything you say is logical and irrefutable. But I’m not your student; I can’t stomach your nonsensical grand principles!”

Ming You’s eyes were red with bloodshot veins. “Yan Ningxi, dare you look into your heart and tell me, from the time we met until now, what position do I hold in your heart? If I were the one lying in this hospital bed today, and you were the one with the competition, what would you do? Ha, I shouldn’t even ask—it’s self-humiliating. Because you wouldn’t hesitate at all. You’d choose the competition, choose your damn rationality! I didn’t get it wrong, did I, Teacher Yan?”

The Yan Ningxi called by full name, the Teacher Yan contradicted, was also provoked into anger. “You should know what kind of person I am by now. You’ve seen and heard—the injury isn’t serious. No need to make a fuss.”

Ming You sneered. “Make a fuss?”

Yan Ningxi realized her words were too harsh and grabbed Ming You’s arm. “I know you’re worried. If you’re worried about no one accompanying me, I can call other classmates to the hospital right now. Ming You, you say you’re an adult, but being an adult isn’t just about age—adults prioritize the big picture and don’t act purely on emotion…”

“Have you said enough, Teacher Yan? You’re really impressive—one lecture after another, impossible to refute. I almost want to applaud you.”

Ming You clapped her hands, stood up, and said, “In that case, I have nothing more to say. From now on, you continue being your good teacher, I’ll continue being your bad student. We mind our own business, and neither interferes with the other.”