Chapter 51: The Class Reunion (1)

Sheng Yao took a cab first to the area near the high-tech park. At the spot where the Monster Clinic had relocated last night, he found no sign of the clinic, only a scattered row of small shops. The storefronts lining the street seemed to be undergoing renovations. Several had shuttered their doors, and three or four had already been gutted, opened all the way through so you could see the heaps of construction debris piled up behind them. Workers were busy among the ruins.

The street trees were ginkgoes. Come autumn, if the renovations were finished, this stretch would surely be beautiful.

Sheng Yao glanced at the office building where tonight's class reunion would be held, then withdrew his gaze and took another cab to his father-in-law's neighborhood. After getting out, he headed straight for the Monster Clinic.

He didn't greet Bai Xiao. After hearing Tong Bin's complaints the previous night, he'd messaged Bai Xiao, called again during the day, and told her he had business today and would not be coming by.

Now, he knocked gently on the clinic door but waited a long while without hearing any movement inside.

Sheng Yao couldn't help but look at the ward door across the corridor.

The ward door was as tightly shut as the clinic's, with no sound from within, as if both rooms were empty at this hour.

Sheng Yao felt like a family member of a gravely ill patient, afraid to reveal the truth about the illness, worried it would upset the patient and worsen her already fragile health.

He'd lied to Bai Xiao, fearing the lie would be exposed and hurt her, but also fearing that the act of lying itself would cause her pain.

Images flashed in his mind: the tumor growing on Liu Yu, and Maomao finally transforming directly into a monster.

Behind the closed ward door, Bai Xiao reclined on the bed, holding her phone and staring at the movie playing on the screen without blinking.

The play of light reflected in her pupils, her face mirrored on the phone screen.

Click.

At that moment, the clinic door opened.

The doctor appeared as usual, holding the door handle and blocking the entrance, showing no intention of letting anyone in.

"What is it?" the doctor asked.

His deep blue eyes fixed on Sheng Yao, the nails on his ten fingers chattering away in their usual tone of disdain.

Sheng Yao let out a silent sigh, then quickly thought on his feet and asked, "It's like this... Yesterday, after I left the clinic, I met a patient. I'd like to ask about him. I'll be seeing him again tonight. Is his health okay?"

The doctor's blue eyes continued to stare at Sheng Yao, the nails still restless.

Sheng Yao felt a moment of awkwardness, but swiftly adjusted his demeanor and asked again, "Doctor, about the medical record you were reviewing last night..."

"To protect patient privacy, I cannot disclose any information about them," the doctor interrupted, speaking slowly.

Sheng Yao frowned, "Even if that patient is about to... experience something bad?"

There was no emotion in the doctor's deep gaze.

The ten noisy nails fell quiet for an instant, then suddenly snickered, raged, cheered, and wept with joy. Like spectators at a spectacle, they were excited by Sheng Yao's suggestion.

The uproar lasted two seconds, then eerily shifted to a mood of sorrow. There were cries and roars—even the laughter was tinged with tears.

Sheng Yao felt puzzled, even absurd.

After their performance, the nails fell silent again.

The doctor said, "I am merely a consulting physician. I do not make house calls."

His tone remained cool, but his words came much faster. The nails were silent, as if lifeless.

After that, the doctor closed the clinic door.

Sheng Yao stared at the closed door, wanting to knock again or turn the handle, but halted mid-motion.

He sensed something, turned his head, craned his neck, and looked outside the glass doors.

In his father-in-law's neighborhood, the roadside trees were the common plane trees. Despite all kinds of treatments, their fluff still drifted in this season. But now, Sheng Yao saw clusters of green leaves shaped like little fans.

This season, ginkgo leaves were still lush and green, but their distinctive fan shape made them easily distinguished from other trees.

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In Sheng Yao's eyes, those green leaves grew larger and larger.

He immediately pivoted and dashed toward the clinic's main entrance.

Pushing open the door, letting the breeze in and hearing the rustling of leaves, Sheng Yao saw a row of ginkgo trees. He looked up slightly, gazing into the distance, and sure enough, there was an office building.

The glass door closed behind him.

He felt the wind at his back.

Turning around, he was confronted by a landscape of ruins and debris.

The constant pounding of hammers and the whirring of drills filled the air.

Sheng Yao found himself back at the place he'd just visited.

He stared at the vanished Monster Clinic, pondering the doctor's words, lost in thought.

...

Kong Yajie and her husband Gao Yan arrived at the hotel for the class reunion right on time. She signed her name at the registration desk and received two different-colored flower pins from the greeter—one tinged pink, the other yellow, both artificial, fastened with magnets.

"The red one is for Miss Kong, the yellow for your companion," the greeter said with a smile.

"Is it divided by gender?" Kong Yajie pinned the red flower to her chest and helped Gao Yan attach the yellow one to his lapel.

"No. Red is for Mr. Zheng's classmates, yellow for their partners," the greeter explained. "Mr. Zheng was concerned about pollen allergies, so he ordered artificial flowers. We've removed all floral decorations from the hotel. The magnet fastener was also specified by Mr. Zheng for convenience."

Kong Yajie remarked to Gao Yan, "Zheng Yichao is still as thoughtful as ever."

"Hm?" Gao Yan was puzzled.

"When we had sports meets in school, the number bibs would poke through the students' backs and ruin their clothes. There was even a girl allergic to pollen who had to take antihistamines daily in spring and summer. Once, the counselor had her present flowers, and she couldn't sleep at all that night."

"Why didn't she refuse?" Gao Yan asked.

"She thought the medicine would help, but it got worse. She broke out in a rash, couldn't sleep, and her face was still red the next morning," Kong Yajie explained. "Luckily, it was Saturday and she didn't have class. Her roommate took her to the hospital. The doctor prescribed the same allergy meds. By Monday, she was fine."

Kong Yajie, being a local, hadn't witnessed this herself, but heard about it from her roommates on Sunday. She even visited the girl in the next dorm, who was already much better by then.

The greeter gestured, "Mr. Zheng reserved the main hall on the second floor. You can take these stairs up." She added, "Your table is number 17. You'll be seated with Miss Du Aiyun and her partner, Miss Ding Yi and her partner, and Mr. Tong Bin. Mr. Tong Bin has already arrived."

"Did Zheng Yichao arrange the seating?" Kong Yajie asked.

"Yes," the greeter replied.

Kong Yajie took Gao Yan's arm and went upstairs.

"He put you all together," Gao Yan said.

"Exactly. It's perfect. I can introduce you to Tong Bin today. You've never met him. I was thinking of inviting him to dinner soon," Kong Yajie laughed.

Gao Yan smiled too, "No need to avoid suspicion?"

"If we needed to, would you be here today?" Kong Yajie rolled her eyes. "Besides, weren't you the one who always said we should avoid suspicion?"

"You didn't agree when I suggested you join my company."

"I wanted to, but didn't make it through the interview," Kong Yajie said, displeased.

"I meant when you switched jobs, not after graduation..." Gao Yan retorted.

"Sigh... I was young and naive, tricked by you into choosing this major. Husband and wife in the same field, even colleagues—work together by day, go home together at night. I used to imagine how wonderful that would be—" Kong Yajie clung to Gao Yan's arm. "Now I realize we'd tire of each other eventually."

Gao Yan chuckled, "How could we ever get tired?"

"Easy for you to say," Kong Yajie leaned into him, teasing.

Laughing together, they reached the hall entrance on the second floor.

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Kong Yajie immediately spotted several old classmates near the entrance and greeted them warmly.

She introduced Gao Yan along the way, and the classmates complimented her for keeping him hidden, praising Gao Yan during handshakes, their gazes filled with admiration, envy, or a hint of bitterness. They had all heard of Gao Yan; Gao Yan, in turn, only knew their companies—a testament to their difference in status.

As more old classmates gathered, their progress slowed.

By the fourth table, Kong Yajie felt a cold shiver crawl up her back, as if something sharp was watching her from behind.

Her smile stiffened, and she unconsciously tightened her hold on Gao Yan's hand.

Gao Yan glanced at her, handled a greeting from one of her old classmates, and said, "We haven't greeted Mr. Zheng yet. Yaya and I should go say hello." With an apologetic nod, he tried to lead Kong Yajie away.

"Oh! Old Zheng is right behind!" The classmate raised his hand and called, "Zheng!"

Gao Yan instinctively turned, seeing a young man in a suit walking over with a wine glass.

Zheng Yichao looked to be a promising young man in his late twenties, elegant and poised. His looks weren't striking, but his features were decent. Especially when he smiled and extended his hand in a polite introduction, he always seemed approachable.

Between them stood the silent Kong Yajie. Gao Yan took Zheng Yichao's outstretched hand.

Almost in unison, they said, "Mr. Zheng, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." "Mr. Gao, I've long admired you."

Again, in chorus: "You're too kind."

The classmates nearby burst into laughter.

"Old Zheng, now you look like a real boss."

"Why don't you shake hands with us when we meet?"

Gao Yan was a bit surprised.

Zheng Yichao laughed with his classmates, "Why would I shake hands with you? I already shook hands with your husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends—and your sister. Where's your sister?" He nodded at a nearby classmate, speaking lightly.

The classmate replied offhandedly, "Getting some food."

"Eat plenty. If you don't, it'll either be tossed out or given to the restaurant staff. All my money down the drain," Zheng Yichao joked, then glanced at Kong Yajie, his gaze flickering. "Kong Yajie, are you feeling unwell?"

Gao Yan snapped back to attention.

Kong Yajie finally turned her head. Her makeup masked her true complexion, but beads of sweat had formed at her brow. She clung to Gao Yan's hand, her fingers white with tension. She glanced cautiously at Zheng Yichao standing behind her, then her gaze flicked past him.

Two tables away, Kong Yajie saw Tong Bin sitting alone at the edge.

Zheng Yichao followed her gaze, then turned back and explained, "I thought since you and Tong Bin always worked on projects together in college and both joined the same company after graduation, I'd seat you together. Du Aiyun and Ding Yi know him well too, right?"

Kong Yajie's heart had calmed. She forced a smile, "Yes. We used to eat together."

During college group projects, Kong Yajie's two roommates, Du Aiyun and Ding Yi, had been assigned to one group. According to student ID numbers, Kong Yajie, the odd girl out, should have been paired with Zheng Yichao, the lone boy.

The dorm assignments were similar. Dorms were four-person rooms, often paired with upperclassmen, underclassmen, and students from other majors and schools.

The three girls and a senior from another department ended up together.

The boys had it worse: five were scattered across different dorms. Zheng Yichao ended up with three other students from different departments.

Tong Bin was even less lucky.

His three original roommates—one, the top scorer in their department, moved off campus halfway through; another dropped out a week after enrollment; the third joined the military after freshman year. In sophomore year, two new residents arrived: a senior returning from the military, busy catching up credits before graduation, and a freshman who, like the top scorer, kept his bed but moved off campus.

After being grouped with Kong Yajie, Tong Bin spent more time with her and the three girls than with his own male classmates.

Now, Tong Bin sat alone at the table, no one striking up a conversation, nor did he join any discussions.

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