A Love So Beautiful (致我们单纯的小美好)(To Our Pure Little Beauty)

A Love So Beautiful (致我们单纯的小美好) - Chapter 1

Comrade Old Chen, aka my dad, formally retired February of this year. Old Chen who has been doing hard labour his whole life couldn't sit still after having spent half a month just idling at home. It so happened that the Senior Citizen's club in our town was recruiting members so off he went. Once he got there, he then found out that his 50-something age was considered the young backbone in the Senior Citizen's club where the average age was 70. Because of that, Old Chen's passion from long ago was ignited. Every day, he'd be pedalling his bike towards the club to organize their recreational activities. This kind of passion, is the kind that has been burning for years.

It's just that his passion also hasn't been burning for quite some time, and had only given him an initial show of strength for the first few years. This old man got on a stool to hang their activity banner when his foot stepped on air, causing him to fall down.

When I got a call from my mom, I was on the highway, looking out at the billboards. My entire body broke out into a cold sweat though it was one sunny day. Even though I was always being beaten by Old Chen when I was young, I was also thinking of beating him as soon as I grew up. But despite that, I really love him.

On the way to the hospital, I kept on crying while talking endlessly with the cab driver about how good my dad was. The driver, a 7-feet tall sturdy-looking man, was seemingly moved by me, and floored the gas to its maximum extent. When I paid him, he offered to just round up the fare, and told me, "Young child, remember my plate number, XXXX, by all means, don't flag down my cab again. I have a blabbermouth wife and mom at home so when I listen to other people talking nonstop I can't help but tremble. Forgive me, I wish your father a speedy recovery."

.........

I rushed inside the hospital, crying. When I got there my mom was paring apples while scolding my dad, "Your weary old body is still considered backbone? Fall one more time and I'll push you straight to cremation. Your backbone I'll upgrade it into bone ash.

I held unto the door frame, in tears, "Mom, how's dad?"

Mom looked up at me, "Oh, stop crying, what are you crying for, I've endured so much to raise you just so your face won't be covered in snot and tears."

I held back my tears and went over to sympathize with the old man who has been oppressed for such a long time, "Dad, are you alright?"

My dad looked helplessly at the apple mom was holding, "No, your mom already pared three apples, and didn't even give me one to eat."

I've been thinking there was no way of knowing things straight from their mouth, hence, I simply picked up the thermos and said, "I'll go get hot water."

I went straight to the nurse's station carrying the thermos, and didn't mind my mom who was shouting behind me, "This damn child, the thermos is full!"

Probably because I looked too menacing, the nurse quickly got the doctor. The doctor described my dad's condition with a blank face, he said the fall affected his lower back - the vertebra was compressing the nerves. In other words, he needs to go through surgery, and made me prepare 30,000 bucks.

I asked the doctor a few specific questions but he gave me a pointed look, "If I were to explain it to you, you still wouldn't be able to understand it, just prepare the money alright? Leave the rest to us doctors." I asked again, "Then, when's the surgery?"

He said impatiently, "Line up, when it reaches your turn then we'll do it."

I was itching to cough out a big mouthful of thick phlegm on his face, and then tell him, "Sorry, I have tuberculosis."

But I couldn't, I could only fish out a few hundred bills from my pocket, and force it on him, "Then, I can only bother you to take care of it......"

He glared at me and pushed away the money, "What are you doing?! I understand your sentiments as a family member but this is against the hospital regulations! You really don't have to worry, I will find time to give you a detailed explanation."