Chapter 1
1294 Words
"Dr. Perry, do I need to avoid any foods for my condition?"
"Hot pot, barbecue, milk tea, and cola—I can avoid those for now."
"I can also go to bed early and wake up early, and stop staying up late."
Archer stared at his attending physician, Dr. Perry, with a sincere expression.
Because he had a vague feeling that his health condition seemed very bad.
Dr. Perry was approximately fifty years old, with a receding hairline and thick gold-rimmed glasses.
Behind him, a wall of banners silently testified to his superb medical skills and high moral standing.
"No, eat whatever you want!"
"Really?"
Such a seemingly casual remark struck Archer like a bolt from the blue.
Deafening!
The diagnostic report that Dr. Perry handed him was densely printed with medical terminology.
Incurable disease with no hope of recovery.
"Dr. Perry, how much time do I have left?" Archer's voice trembled, and his heart was filled with the fear of death.
"At most three months. Try to accept it; no one can escape this day." Dr. Perry sighed helplessly.
As a doctor, he was used to seeing life and death, and he had long since become indifferent.
Seeing such a vibrant young man approaching the end of his life still evokes a deep sense of sorrow.
Life seems exceptionally fragile despite illness.
Archer clutched his diagnosis, unable to recall how he left the hospital.
His mind was blank; he wandered aimlessly onto the street, knocking over several shared bicycles.
At eighteen, in the season of peach blossoms, his life had already begun its countdown.
Three months, ninety days, two thousand one hundred and sixty hours…
Dr. Perry said three months, but in reality, it might be less.
In the blink of an eye, he would be saying goodbye to this world.
He was clearly not mentally prepared.
Tears streamed silently down his cheeks.
All the sadness and regret filled his chest, and he didn't know how to express it.
A wholesale market was outside the hospital. Archer saw clothing stores filled with brightly colored, cheap clothes, and loudspeakers blaring announcements of clearance sales and massive clearance events.
His clothes still smelled strongly of disinfectant; he simply wanted to take them off and discard them.
As if doing so would distance himself from the hospital.
Would the footsteps of death slow down?
It was a laughable self-deception.
"Excuse me, how much does that shirt cost?" Archer indicated a brightly colored floral shirt.
It was a vibrant explosion of colors, reminiscent of a spilled palette.
In the hospital, everywhere he looked, he saw sickness.
He yearned for more color in his life and envied those who had it.
"Thirty dollars," the shopkeeper said hesitantly before adding, "but this style doesn't really suit you."
Archer took out his money and said: "It's okay; I like it."
The gaudy floral shirt contrasted sharply with his refined demeanor, making him look like a child dressed in adult clothing.
Next, Archer went to a bookstore and bought the complete seven-book set of 《A Song of Ice and Fire》, which felt heavy in his hands.
Passing by a boba tea shop, he bought a cup of the new season's taro ball boba tea.
Upon returning to the school, Archer was stopped at the gate by the security guard.
Although the school did not require uniforms, inappropriate clothing was still prohibited.
Archer's floral shirt was unmistakably conspicuous.
He was only allowed in after presenting his student ID and a leave slip signed by his homeroom teacher, and after the security guard confirmed his identity by phone.
"Sigh, students nowadays are all so unruly; what kind of behavior is this?" As Archer stepped through the school gate, he heard the security guard's sigh behind him, and a sense of desolation welled up in his heart.
The security guard was unaware that this unruly student had ranked first in the entire grade for two consecutive years.
He was a city-level exemplary student and an outstanding student leader.
At this moment, all of this was meaningless to Archer.
Three months later, everything about him would disappear like smoke.
It was recess, and the playground was filled with noise.
Outside of Class 9, several students were chasing each other and playing.
When Archer entered the classroom dressed a rooster, he immediately captured the attention of the entire class.
"Wow, what wrong with him? Why did he dress like that for school?"
"He was caught by the dean of students and well have to write self-criticism of at least 3,000 words."
"Archer took sick leave yesterday, which suggest that he is quite ill!"
---^0^---
Disregarding the horrified stares from his classmates, Archer walked directly to his seat. He took a deep breath and handed the taro ball boba tea to the girl in front of him.
"Phoebe, I'm sorry for standing you up yesterday. I bought you milk tea to apologize."
Phoebe, a goddess of exceptional school beauty.
She had beautiful almond-shaped eyes and milky white skin, resembling a delicate princess.
Girls like her were never lacking in suitors.
She ignored all the other boys but always showed a tender side to Archer.
They sat at desks beside each other, spent every day together, and forged a genuine and cherished friendship.
Yesterday, a movie was showing, and Phoebe had arranged for Archer to accompany her.
However, Archer had to go to the hospital for a checkup and therefore had to postpone it.
"Why haven't you responded to my messages?" Phoebe asked.
Archer took out his phone and saw that he had many unread messages.
Three of them came from Phoebe.
"Archer, Charles informed me that you took leave to visit the hospital."
"Are you okay? We can go to the movies another time."
"If you do not respond to my message, I will no longer communicate with you." Clearly motivated by concern, it nonetheless carried a hint of arrogance.
Archer's nose stung, and he was on the verge of tears.
He tried to suppress his sadness and said: "Phoebe, I'm fine. Just drink some milk tea, and that will show me you forgive me, okay?" Phoebe stared at him with her almond-shaped eyes, hesitated briefly, then picked up her milk tea and took a small sip.
The texture is delicate, sweet, and silky smooth.
"I was simply thirsty, that's which is why I didn't forgive you." Archer managed a bitter smile.
At that moment, a tall, thin boy entered, dropped down beside Archer, and began shouting loudly.
"Hey, what are you wearing? Aren't you afraid that Mr. Smith will chop you up?"
Charles was Archer's deskmate and closest friend.
When he entered the classroom and saw Archer's floral shirt, he thought he must be imagining things.
Archer was the class monitor and a model student, always well-behaved, obedient and the teacher's most trusted pupil.
However, today he was leading the charge, dressed in outlandish clothes.
"Bro, I went to the hospital to clear my head," Archer explained, attempting to sound casual.
"Quite tasteful. Add a large gold chain around your neck, and you'll look even better," Charles teased with a laugh.
"This is intended for you." Archer set the collection of 《A Song of Ice and Fire》 down heavily on Charles's desk.
Charles was fond of fantasy novels and often read them in secret.
Upon receiving the gift, he was overjoyed.
He put his arm around Archer's shoulder and said: "Bro, you're so filial! Did you win the lottery?" Archer offered a rather half-hearted excuse: "Your birthday is in eight months!" Phoebe laughed warmly.
Her full chest rose and fell with each breath.
Glancing at his two close friends beside him, Archer cried out inwardly:
I'll miss you both very much!
- Writer
