treat to a meal
2188 Words
Shen Zhitong didn't have time to speculate on her relationship with Zhou Xingjin. Her father's illness came without warning. He collapsed on the podium, and it was the school's teacher who hurriedly sent him to the county hospital. The doctors at the county hospital solemnly advised him to go to a big city for further diagnosis. Shen Zhitong took him to Jincheng for a diagnosis, and the result was late-stage stomach cancer, with only three months left to live. Like a bolt from the blue, it left Shen Zhitong staggering.
She sat on the cold chairs in the hospital corridor, her mind buzzing for a long time, unable to get up for a while. Shen Zhitong's mother passed away early, and in her childhood memories, there was only the figure of her father, with almost no impression of her mother.
After learning about his illness, Shen's father couldn't eat for several days, barely able to drink a few sips of porridge, and just wanted to leave the hospital every day and return to his old house in the small county town, back to his classroom.
Shen Zhitong looked at her visibly aging father in pain, wiped away her tears secretly for a few days, and finally had to accept reality. She decided to resign from her job and accompany him home for the remaining three months.
As she was about to leave, she remembered Zhou Xingjin. Thinking of that man, she couldn't help but feel a sour and inexplicable reluctance. At least she wanted to bid him a proper farewell, invite him to dinner, and return the valuable bag to him.
She sent a WeChat message to Zhou Xingjin, simply stating her desire to invite him to dinner. A day passed before he replied, "What time?"
Shen Zhitong let him choose the time and place, after all, she was the one inviting him to dinner.
She waited for two days before finally scheduling a time with the busy Zhou Xingjin. It was on a weekend evening, at a high-end western restaurant. Shen Zhitong saw the restaurant link he sent, clicked on it, and saw that the average price per person was 800 yuan.
Although Zhou Xingjin added after the link, "I'll treat."
Shen Zhitong still gritted her teeth and replied, "No need, I said I'd treat."
There was no further reply.
Shen Zhitong went out to fetch hot water for her father. When she came back, she saw him sitting on the hospital bed, holding her phone that she had left on the table.
"Dad." Shen Zhitong hurriedly went in and took her phone back.
Shen's father was a physics teacher at a middle school in the county. He was usually quiet and kind. He had no hobbies, didn't drink, and didn't smoke.
The only two things he cared about in his life were his students' grades and his daughter's lifelong happiness.
Shen's father seemed to be in a better mood. He pointed to Shen Zhitong's phone and asked softly, "Who is this Zhou guy?"
Shen Zhitong didn't have time to speculate on her relationship with Zhou Xingjin. Her father's illness came without warning. He collapsed on the podium, and it was the school's teacher who hurriedly sent him to the county hospital. The doctors at the county hospital solemnly advised him to go to a big city for further diagnosis. Shen Zhitong took him to Jincheng for a diagnosis, and the result was late-stage stomach cancer, with only three months left to live. Like a bolt from the blue, it left Shen Zhitong staggering.
She sat on the cold chairs in the hospital corridor, her mind buzzing for a long time, unable to get up for a while. Shen Zhitong's mother passed away early, and in her childhood memories, there was only the figure of her father, with almost no impression of her mother.
After learning about his illness, Shen's father couldn't eat for several days, barely able to drink a few sips of porridge, and just wanted to leave the hospital every day and return to his old house in the small county town, back to his classroom.
Shen Zhitong looked at her visibly aging father in pain, wiped away her tears secretly for a few days, and finally had to accept reality. She decided to resign from her job and accompany him home for the remaining three months.
As she was about to leave, she remembered Zhou Xingjin. Thinking of that man, she couldn't help but feel a sour and inexplicable reluctance. At least she wanted to bid him a proper farewell, invite him to dinner, and return the valuable bag to him.
She sent a WeChat message to Zhou Xingjin, simply stating her desire to invite him to dinner. A day passed before he replied, "What time?"
Shen Zhitong let him choose the time and place, after all, she was the one inviting him to dinner.
She waited for two days before finally scheduling a time with the busy Zhou Xingjin. It was on a weekend evening, at a high-end western restaurant. Shen Zhitong saw the restaurant link he sent, clicked on it, and saw that the average price per person was 800 yuan.
Although Zhou Xingjin added after the link, "I'll treat."
Shen Zhitong still gritted her teeth and replied, "No need, I said I'd treat."
There was no further reply.
Shen Zhitong went out to fetch hot water for her father. When she came back, she saw him sitting on the hospital bed, holding her phone that she had left on the table.
"Dad." Shen Zhitong hurriedly went in and took her phone back.
Shen's father was a physics teacher at a middle school in the county. He was usually quiet and kind. He had no hobbies, didn't drink, and didn't smoke.
The only two things he cared about in his life were his students' grades and his daughter's lifelong happiness.
Shen's father seemed to be in a better mood. He pointed to Shen Zhitong's phone and asked softly, "Who is this Zhou guy?"
"He... is... my boss. I'm going to have dinner with him before I leave." Shen Zhitong sat beside him, tucking him in.
"Can Dad go?" Shen's father asked.
Shen Zhitong hesitated.
Her father stared at her and said seriously, "Don't hide it from me. I read your conversation with him; it's just about dinner, no talk about work."
If it were usual, Shen Zhitong would have been angry that he looked at her phone.
But now... facing her father, who had less than three months left, how could she still be angry?
Shen Zhitong bowed her head and said nothing.
"Zhitong, you know, the thing I can't let go of the most in my life is you..."
"Dad..."
"If you can find a good place, a man who loves you and cares for you, then I can rest assured, even if I'm gone."
Shen Zhitong choked up, tears falling from her eyes.
"Between him and me, it's really nothing."
"Dad just wants to go and see him. Even if there's nothing, let Dad go to dinner."
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhitong hesitated. Shame and bitterness surged within her.
Yes, her father had rarely eaten such an expensive meal in his life.
Taking her father there, Shen Zhitong felt it was inappropriate, after all, she and Zhou Xingjin had no relationship. Taking her parent to meet someone else felt presumptuous.
But she couldn't resist her father's pleading. With his current condition, she could compromise on anything he wanted.
She carefully composed her words on her phone. Without mentioning her father's illness, she simply said her father was coming from the county to see her, and she wanted to bring him along for dinner, asking if he was available.
The reply came back simple, "Okay."
Shen Zhitong looked at the word "okay," and her nervous heart settled.
On that day, Shen's father was in a very good mood. Before leaving, he even tidied up in front of the hospital mirror. Shen Zhitong stood behind him, watching him use a plastic comb he didn't know where he got it from, dipped in water, and constantly combed his still dark hair. An unspeakable bitterness surged in her heart.
For the first time, she felt so keenly that her father was still very young.
He was only forty-eight years old.
Not even fifty.
Thinking of this, tears welled up in Shen Zhitong's eyes, and she quickly turned around to wipe them away outside the door, before coming back in and urging him gently, "Dad, let's go."
The restaurant was located on the busiest commercial street in Jincheng.
Shen Zhitong parked the taxi on the other side of the restaurant's entrance and looked up, seeing a familiar figure sitting by the window on the third floor opposite.
He had arrived.
Shen Zhitong looked up carefully at him.
From her angle, there were mottled plane trees in between.
The night wind swayed the branches, and Zhou Xingjin's figure appeared and disappeared, swaying in the gaps of the tree canopy.
Even just a simple figure made one's heart beat uncontrollably.
Elegant and calm, exuding his cold yet noble temperament everywhere.
It seemed that he was still unhappy. Ever since she first saw him, he always had this cold and lonely look.
Shen Zhitong couldn't help but feel a little sad.
She really wanted to ask him why he was unhappy.
Could they redeem each other by exchanging their pain?
In her loneliness, she raised her phone and, facing his figure upstairs, casually pressed the shutter button.
"It's... my boss. Before I resign and return home, I wanted to invite him for a meal," Shen Zhitong said as she sat beside him, tucking the blanket around him.
"Can Dad come?" Shen's father asked.
Shen Zhitong hesitated.
Shen's father stared at her and said seriously, "Don't hide it from me. I saw your conversation, it's just about having dinner, no talk about work."
Normally, Shen Zhitong would be angry that he looked at her phone.
But now... faced with her father, who had less than three months left, she had no room for anger.
Shen Zhitong lowered her head and remained silent.
"Zhitong, you know, the thing I can't let go of most in my life is you..."
"Dad..."
"If you can truly find a good place, a man who cherishes and loves you, Dad can rest assured even if he leaves."
Shen Zhitong choked up, tears falling like raindrops from her lowered eyes.
"Between him and me, it's really nothing. Dad just wants to go and see him, even if there's nothing, you should let Dad go for dinner."
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhitong hesitated. Shame and bitterness surged.
Yes, her father had rarely eaten such an expensive meal in his life.
Taking her father there, Shen Zhitong felt it was inappropriate, after all, she and Zhou Xingjin had no relationship. Taking her parent to meet someone else felt presumptuous.
But she couldn't resist her father's pleading. With his current condition, she could compromise on anything he wanted.
She carefully composed her words on her phone. Without mentioning her father's illness, she simply said her father was coming from the county to see her, and she wanted to bring him along for dinner, asking if he was available.
The reply came back simple, "Okay."
Shen Zhitong looked at the word "okay," and her nervous heart settled.
---
Shen's father was in a remarkably good mood that day. Before leaving, he even tidied up in front of the hospital mirror. Shen Zhitong stood behind him, seeing him holding a plastic comb he didn't know where he got it from, dipping it in water, and continuously combing his still dark hair. An unspeakable sourness surged in her heart.
For the first time, she felt so keenly that her father was still very young.
He was only forty-eight years old.
Not even fifty.
Thinking of this, hot tears welled up in Shen Zhitong's eyes. She quickly turned around to wipe them away outside the door, before coming back in and gently urging him, "Dad, let's go."
The restaurant was located on the busiest commercial street in Jincheng.
Shen Zhitong parked the taxi on the other side of the restaurant's entrance and looked up, seeing a familiar figure sitting by the window on the third floor opposite.
He had arrived.
Shen Zhitong looked up carefully at him.
From her angle, there were mottled plane trees in between.
The night wind swayed the branches, and Zhou Xingjin's figure appeared and disappeared, swaying in the gaps of the tree canopy.
Even just a simple figure made one's heart beat uncontrollably.
Elegant and calm, exuding his cold yet noble temperament everywhere.
He seemed still unhappy. Ever since she first saw him, he always had this cold and lonely look.
Shen Zhitong couldn't help but feel a little sad.
She really wanted to ask him why he was unhappy.
Could they redeem each other by exchanging their pain?
In her loneliness, she raised her phone and, facing his figure upstairs, casually pressed the shutter button.
- Writer
