The black cat stood on the table in the small room, its tail twitching, its eyes narrowed, and it looked at Fang Yuan strangely.
It even meowed, as if recognizing Fang Yuan.
It was that black cat!
It was the black cat from Girls' Dorm 441!
Although every black cat looked alike, and it wasn't certain this one was the one from Girls' Dorm 441 based on its appearance, Fang Yuan was certain.
She was all too familiar with the black cat's meow.
Its meow was strange, unlike other cats' meows, with distinct emotions in it.
For example, joy, pride, anger—she could hear all these emotions in the black cat.
Was it because she had adopted it for a while, or was it because she and the black cat had a telepathic connection?
How did this black cat end up here with Xiao Jing?
Fang Yuan looked away from the black cat and then saw Xiao Jing writhing on the ground.
Xiao Jing's headache returned. His lanky body spasmed constantly, and he clutched his head in his hands, sweating profusely from the pain.
Qin Yue and He Jianhui hurried over, helped him up from the ground, and sat him on the bed.
"Again? Where are the painkillers?" Qin Yue poured him a glass of water.
Xiao Jing, unable to speak in pain, managed to gesture to the drawer under the table. Qin Yue found a medicine bottle, read the instructions, poured out three white pills, and stuffed them into Xiao Jing's mouth.
Xiao Jing tilted his head back, drank a few sips of water, swallowed the painkillers, and then breathed deeply.
Ten minutes later, Xiao Jing's complexion improved slightly, and his convulsive body gradually returned to normal.
"Why did you think of coming to see me?" Xiao Jing scoffed. "Luckily you arrived just in time, otherwise, I'd be damned."
Xiao Jing dusted herself off and wrapped her black windbreaker tighter around her. She looked up at He Jianhui and smiled. "This must be your boyfriend, right? Qin Yue mentioned him. He's quite the handsome fellow."
He Jianhui shook Xiao Jing's hand, smiling broadly. "Yes, my last name is He, and my given name is Jianhui. You can just call me Xiao He. We're getting married soon."
"Marriage? That's great!" Xiao Jing suddenly started coughing violently, as if she had to vomit something.
Qin Yue's expression was a little strained, and he looked around, "Xiao Jing, I think it's too dangerous for you to live here alone. No one would know if you had a headache. Why don't you move to the school dormitory?"
Xiao Jing shook her head. "No, how many days do I have left? Don't you think it's not enough?"
He turned to Fang Yuan, a smile in his eyes. "Fang Yuan, you look well."
Fang Yuan smiled bitterly. He said he looked well, even in her current state. What was wrong with him?
"That black cat..." Fang Yuan finally found an opening to speak.
"Black cat?" Xiao Jing smiled and called to the black cat, "Meow, come here."
The black cat seemed to understand Xiao Jing's words and actually jumped into his hands.
"Good boy, cat!" Xiao Jing's face lit up with satisfaction.
Ever since he fell ill, he'd lived alone in this small room, with no one else around. It was quite pitiful. It was rare that the black cat didn't dislike him and came here, and surprisingly, man and cat got along so well.
"When did it come to your place?" Fang Yuan wanted to ask more.
Xiao Jing changed the subject. "Hey, you've come just in time. I was just looking for you. Fang Yuan, I'm going to give you all these books from my collection."
"For me?"
"Yes. What? You don't like them?"
"No, it's just..."
"Nothing, it's just that. Keep it. This is the key to my room. Come move in when you come." Xiao Jing pressed a brass key into Fang Yuan's hand without further ado.
Then, he stood up and said to Qin Yue, "Qin Yue, do you still remember Sun Changbin?"
"Sun Changbin? Oh, I remember. He was our old classmate at medical school. He sat next to you back then."
"Yes, he's now the attending neurosurgeon at the Provincial People's Hospital. Take me to him. I'm planning on having surgery."
Qin Yue was worried. "Have you really decided?"
Xiao Jing smiled, a brilliant smile. "I've decided. Let's take a gamble."
Qin Yue didn't say much. He asked He Jianhui to drive his Passat, and the group took Xiao Jing to the Provincial People's Hospital.
They found Sun Changbin at the Provincial People's Hospital without much trouble. Sun Changbin was very welcoming, but when he talked about Xiao Jing, he couldn't help but sigh.
It turned out that Xiao Jing had excelled academically at medical school and was once the pride of the school. Many teachers there said he had a natural talent for medicine and that if he focused on his studies, he would definitely achieve great things. Unfortunately, while a graduate student, he developed a strange illness. Something seemed to be growing in his brain, pressing on his nerves, causing constant headaches. The problem was that even with surgery, the chances of success were only 30%, so he had to endure it.
It was precisely because of this that Xiao Jing and Qin Yue, once considered a perfect couple by medical students, finally parted ways. It was said that it was Xiao Jing who initiated the breakup, and she was adamant about it. To dissuade Qin Yue from her feelings, he volunteered to work in the library, secluded himself there, rarely venting except for meals, let alone meeting or going out. Over time, their feelings naturally faded.
Now, Xiao Jing's illness was worsening, and the thing seemed to be growing. If left unchecked, it would be fatal. As a last resort, he sought out Sun Changbin and asked him to arrange surgery.
Alas, before Sun Changbin could perform the surgery, his body collapsed. That night, Xiao Jing, still under observation, suddenly worsened. His heartbeat weakened, his breathing became labored, and even oxygen couldn't keep him alive for long. By the time Fang Yuan, Qin Yue, and He Jianhui rushed to Xiao Jing's room, he was speechless, staring at them with his eyes wide open.
He seemed to have something to say to Qin Yue and Fang Yuan, but the words wouldn't come. He opened his mouth, mumbling for a long time, but no one could make out what he was saying.
He's dying.
Fang Yuan thought darkly.
These days, people around her have been dying constantly. Mentors and friends she'd once shared her affections with, lost one by one.
Xiao Jing seemed unwilling to accept this fate. After struggling for over half an hour, he finally breathed his last, his legs kicking back, and he was no longer breathing.
Sun Changbin calmly and sorrowfully disposed of his body, having the nurses wheel it to the morgue.
Then, Sun Changbin led Qin Yue and He Jianhui to handle the relevant paperwork. Xiao Jing had no family in this city, so Qin Yue had to handle all matters on her behalf.
Perhaps she had been too nervous earlier, but after Xiao Jing's death, she felt a sense of relief. Watching Xiao Jing's struggle had been thrilling and horrifying. And now, she sat alone in the hospital corridor, drowsy.
She was truly numb. Xiao Jing was dead, and she hadn't shed a single tear.
Did she have no feelings for Xiao Jing, or had she become cold?
Xiao Jing had left all his books to her. Why had he done this?
What had he wanted to say to her just now? Could those books he had left her hold some secret?
A flash of inspiration struck Fang Yuan, and her sleepiness vanished.
She abruptly stood up, eager to rush back to her small room in the library to look through the books Xiao Jing had left her.
However, she couldn't go back yet; she had to wait for Qin Yue and He Jianhui to return.
At that moment, she saw what seemed to be a figure standing in the shadows at the end of the corridor.
—A black windbreaker, a thin figure, and a habitual twitching.
Is it Xiao Jing?
Isn't he dead?
Why is he standing there?
Furthermore, he stood there, waving at her, as if beckoning her over.
It seemed as if a mysterious force was controlling her, making her involuntarily move toward that direction.
One step, two steps... getting closer and closer...
Suddenly, a hand tapped Fang Yuan on the shoulder, startling her.
"What's wrong, Fang Yuan? It's me." It was Qin Yue who tapped her shoulder. Suspicious, Fang Yuan glanced in the direction Fang Yuan was walking. "What are you looking at? So focused?"
"Nothing." Fang Yuan wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and looked toward the shadows again. There was no figure, only a sycamore tree swaying in the wind. Strange, where did that person go? Fang Yuan blinked hard, then looked over there. Two blue lights flickered beneath the tree's shadow.
It was the black cat!
The blue light was the black cat's eyes!
Why did it come to the hospital?
The black cat's eyes are blue.
Xiao Jing's eyes are also blue.
During the day, a cat's eyes are constricted, squinting like needles. Only at night do they dilate into a round shape.
Fang Yuan then noticed that the cat's eyes, dilated into a round shape, were exactly the same as Xiao Jing's pupils!