Xiao Man, being a mature adult, naturally wouldn’t act without restraint.
After a bit of revenge, she simply squatted there, watching Xu Yan leave with a seemingly calm but hurried pace.
She overheard the low laughter and chatter of those around her, but she knew they weren’t serious just casual remarks, nothing of importance.
Xiao Man leisurely returned to Han Shuangshuang’s workstation, waiting to be fed.
Today, she had filmed several videos and deserved the joy of being surrounded by snacks!
After another day at work on Monday, before the end of the workday, the office was already buzzing with restlessness.
Everyone started packing up, and as soon as the clock struck, they all dashed out, including Han Shuangshuang.
After bringing Xiao Bai home, she sat for a while.
While waiting for the takeout, she remembered she should charge Xiao Man’s phone and dug it out from the wardrobe.
The phone was buzzing with numerous messages.
The work group was silent, but other smaller groups were lively with excitement about the upcoming long holiday, their desire to share strong.
Xiao Man didn’t pay much attention until she suddenly heard a unique notification sound-it was from her best friend, Zhou Jiang.
Xiao Man immediately jumped up.
Fortunately, Han Shuangshuang had gone downstairs to fetch the takeout.
She struggled to unlock the phone with her tongue and opened the WeChat interface.
Without even clicking in, she could see Zhou Jiang’s message:
“Darling, guess where I am?”
Xiao Man: “…..”
Since Zhou Jiang could ask this, it meant she was either already at the city’s train station or at the doorstep of her apartment!
Zhou Jiang was a friend Xiao Man met after college, sharing a dorm room.
They got along exceptionally well and were inseparable throughout their four years of university.
However, after graduation, Zhou Jiang was pressured by her parents to return to her hometown, where she became a civil servant, quickly got married, and had children.
With several hours of high-speed rail between them and their lives diverging, their communication gradually decreased, sometimes not even chatting once a month.
But, being kindred spirits, every time they met, they quickly reconnected, becoming as familiar as they were in the past.
However, due to the distance, Xiao Man hadn’t thought to contact Zhou Jiang after her recent transformation.
Tomorrow was the start of the National Day holiday.
Was Zhou Jiang here to visit her?
Something felt off.
Burdened by work and family, the few times they had met after graduation were when Xiao Man visited Zhou Jiang.
Zhou Jiang had never come here before.
If she had come this time, something must have happened.
Xiao Man thought for a moment, then locked the screen, wiped it clean, and pretended she hadn’t seen the message.
Without her reply, Zhou Jiang would call, and Han Shuangshuang would be back soon.
With a click, Han Shuangshuang returned with the takeout.
Just as she changed into slippers, she heard a phone ring.
Han Shuangshuang paused, then quickly walked over to Xiao Man’s phone.
Xiao Man glanced at it.
Fortunately, Zhou Jiang had called instead of sending a voice message, so she could answer without unlocking the phone.
Han Shuangshuang hesitated for a few seconds upon seeing “Zhou Jiang” on the screen before answering.
As soon as she picked up, a clear, excited female voice said,
“Darling, did you miss me? Guess where I am?”
Han Shuangshuang nervously replied,
“Hello, I’m not Xiao Man. There’s a bit of a situation here. May I ask who you are?”
The voice on the other end paused, then after a few seconds, spoke more seriously,
“I’m Xiao Man’s friend. Can you tell me what’s wrong with Xiao Man?”
Han Shuangshuang said,
“She was hospitalized at the beginning of this month due to an unexplained coma and is still in the hospital.”
Zhou Jiang took a deep breath and asked,
“Which hospital is she in? Can you take me to see her? I’m at her doorstep right now.”
Before Han Shuangshuang could respond, Xiao Man, with her keen hearing, jumped off the sofa, dashed to the door, and grabbed the leash.
Han Shuangshuang replied: Please wait a moment, I’ll be right there!”
Han Shuangshuang put down the untouched takeout, changed her clothes, put the leash and muzzle on Xiao Bai, and, after a moment’s thought, grabbed a large backpack and left.
The two neighborhoods weren’t far apart, and soon Han Shuangshuang saw a woman with just a handbag at Xiao Man’s apartment door.
The woman was dressed casually, her long hair simply tied back, without makeup, her face looking somewhat haggard, adding a few years to her otherwise beautiful appearance.
Seeing Han Shuangshuang with the dog, she paused and said,
“Are you the one who answered the phone?”
Han Shuangshuang replied, “Yes, it’s me!”
The woman said, “I’m Zhou Jiang, Xiao Man’s university classmate and dorm mate.”
She opened her phone to show a photo with Xiao Man to prove her identity.
Han Shuangshuang noticed that the recent photos in the album were mostly of children, quickly swiped past, and only further back could she see photos of Xiao Man.
There were many photos of the two of them, mostly smiling, indicating a close relationship.
Han Shuangshuang then briefly explained what had happened to Xiao Man recently and showed a video to prove that she had Xiao Man’s consent to handle her belongings.
Knock knock.
In front of Zhou Jiang, a genuine best friend, Han Shuangshuang, who had only known Xiao Man for less than six months, felt inexplicably guilty.
Zhou Jiang watched the video twice and was about to ask more about Xiao Man’s current condition when she saw the dog Han Shuangshuang had brought.
Xiao Bai lifted its paw and knocked on the door.
Han Shuangshuang quickly soothed,
“Xiao Bai, there’s no one inside, stop knocking.”
Xiao Man thought, this is my house, if someone’s inside when I’m not, how scary!
She ignored it, simply lifting both paws and pressing her whole body against the door, patting it loudly.
Anyone watching would think they could see the words “Open up, let this dog in!”
Zhou Jiang chuckled, stepped forward, and skillfully entered a few numbers on the keypad.
With a beep, the door opened.
She paused for a moment, her expression softening.
Back in university, she often came here with Xiao Man.
Knowing the story behind this house, she wasn’t envious.
Although her parents weren’t the most ideal, at least they were alive.
As an only child, they truly cared for her, albeit in their own way.
She thought of their university days, with their share of troubles but mostly beautiful memories, especially in Xiao man’s house, cooking together, cuddling on the sofa watching movies, those carefree days she hadn’t experienced since graduation.
And now, the companion from those happy memories couldn’t relive them with her.
Zhou Jiang suppressed the lump in her throat, looked down at Xiao Bai, and warned,
“The door’s open, you can go in, but don’t mess up the place, or I’ll chop you up for soup.”
Xiao Man: “…”
I’m just trying to let you rest inside, okay!
She noticed Zhou Jiang didn’t have a suitcase, realizing this trip might have been a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Judging by the time, Zhou Jiang must have taken leave from work and come directly by high-speed rail.
Plus, her haggard appearance suggested something had pushed her to the brink, so she fled here.
But now, her real self was lying in bed, her consciousness in a dog that couldn’t speak, unable to hug Zhou Jiang and comfort her, to let her know she was always there.
Just like back then, it was with Zhou Jiang’s companionship that she gradually overcame the pain of losing her parents and the betrayal by her brother.
Xiao Man stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Jiang’s pant leg with her mouth, and dragged her inside.
Zhou Jiang turned to look at Han Shuangshuang.
Han Shuangshuang awkwardly said,
“Xiao Bai is very smart, she must have her reasons for doing this.”
Zhou Jiang relaxed and let herself be dragged in.
Standing in the foyer, everything in the room felt so familiar, not much changed from her last visit.
Zhou Jiang couldn’t help but tear up.
Then she saw the dog pull out a pair of dark green turtle slippers from the shoe cabinet-the ones she always wore when visiting Xiao Man.
It felt like all her strength was drained in an instant.
Zhou Jiang squatted at the doorway, picked up the slippers.
They were clean, with a faint lingering scent of lavender, Xiao Man’s favorite.
She hadn’t been here in years, but Xiao Man had kept her slippers well-preserved, regularly cleaned, as if she might come over at any time.
Zhou Jiang couldn’t hold back anymore, hugged the slippers, and burst into tears.
Han Shuangshuang was about to ask why Xiao Bai hadn’t fetched her slippers last time, but the next moment she heard the crying.
She was momentarily stunned, opened her mouth but couldn’t say anything, reached out but then withdrew her hand.
She glanced at Xiao Bai sitting beside her, blaming her, why did you have to make her cry!
Xiao Man, however, couldn’t care about Han Shuangshuang at the moment.
She lifted her paw and patted Zhou Jiang’s back.
Alright, cry it out, you’ll feel better after.
Zhou Jiang cried for a full ten minutes.
After ten minutes of patting, Xiao Man’s paw was stiff.
Seriously, why does a comatose person have to comfort someone else!
If she’s crying now, what will happen when she sees the real me later?
After crying out all the water in her brain, Zhou Jiang’s intelligence came back online.
She stared at Xiao Bai, “How did you know these were my slippers?”
Xiao Man tilted her head, looking innocent.
I’m just a dog, I don’t understand what you’re saying.
Zhou Jiang looked at Han Shuangshuang, “Is this Xiao Man’s dog?”
Han Shuangshuang quickly replied,
“No, Xiao Bai is a stray I adopted after Xiao Man fell into a coma. Dogs have a keen sense of smell, Xiao Bai probably recognized your scent.”
Zhou Jiang accepted the explanation, and the dog was indeed very human-like, seeming to comfort her while she cried.
Her eyes were swollen, her voice hoarse, but after crying, she felt a bit better than when she arrived.
She said, “Could you do me a favor? I’d like to see Xiao Man now.”
Han Shuangshuang said,
“Visiting hours are over for today, but I can ask the doctor.”
Han Shuangshuang had already added the attending doctor on WeChat, and fortunately, the reply came quickly.
The VIP ward had strict management, and it was indeed not possible to visit now.
Han Shuangshuang explained the situation to Zhou Jiang, who could only agree to go tomorrow, thanking Han Shuangshuang,
“Thank you for today, and sorry to trouble you again tomorrow. Go back and rest now.”
With that, she ushered Han Shuangshuang and her dog out of Xiao Man’s apartment, gently closing the door.
Standing at the apartment door, Han Shuangshuang was still a bit dazed.
She looked down at Xiao Bai, “Is it really okay to leave her alone in Xiao Man’s house?”
Xiao Man thought, I haven’t changed the apartment code, it’s so Zhou Jiang can come anytime.
And Zhou Jiang’s clothes, pajamas, still occupy a place in my wardrobe, along with other disposable items Zhou Jiang knows where to find.
She didn’t bring anything with her, where else could she stay but here?
But no matter how much she thought, she couldn’t say it out loud.
She just ran out, pulling Han Shuangshuang along.
Let’s go back and eat, Han Shuangshuang, your takeout is already cold!