Chapter 2: The Blind Girl and Her Struggle with Anorexia

“Miss, the rain has stopped outside. Old Li got held up with family matters, so we’ll have to take a cab home,” Aunt He hurried over to Ying Zhiyao’s side, her gaze, however, falling warily on Ji Shichu.

Aunt He’s voice pulled Ji Shichu back from distant memories.

“I’m from Ping Town; it’s not easy to hail a cab here,” Ji Shichu said politely. “I came on a tricycle; if you don’t mind, I can give you a ride home.”

Aunt He was about to refuse when she heard Ying Zhiyao say from behind, “Aunt He, he helped me just now.”

“Is that so!” With that one sentence, Aunt He instantly let down her guard and broke into a smile. “Young man, we’ll trouble you then.”

With that, the three of them headed outside.

Though Ji Shichu’s tricycle was old, it was clean. After getting caught in the rain earlier, he had carefully wiped it down before letting Ying Zhiyao and Aunt He sit on it.

It really was a pedal-powered tricycle, not electric.

Ji Shichu rode steadily, slowing down whenever he came upon uneven cobblestone paths.

The journey wasn’t far—Ping Town was a poor, humble place—and ten minutes later, the tricycle stopped in front of a tasteful little courtyard.

This was once Song Yushu’s home.

After Song Yushu left, the place had remained empty.

Two years ago, Ji Shichu returned to Ping Town and would occasionally come by to take a look. He had never thought much of it, and until today, hadn’t imagined he would ever see that little girl again.

So, eventually, he stopped coming.

After all, his home was on the other side of Ping Town, far out of the way.

At this moment, a black sedan was parked outside the gate.

“Oh? Shichu, how did you know Miss lives here?” Aunt He asked curiously.

The boy hadn’t said much along the way; he seemed sullen, but whatever she said, he would respond politely. He was truly a well-mannered child.

Ji Shichu glanced at Ying Zhiyao. “I attended the kindergarten run by Teacher Song.”

Aunt He suddenly understood. “So that’s it.”

But after speaking, Aunt He glanced at Ying Zhiyao, a flicker of pity in her eyes, and pulled Ji Shichu aside.

“After Miss lost her sight, her grandmother also passed away from illness not long after. It was such a blow for her; she loved her grandmother the most… Later, the doctor suggested a change of environment to recuperate, so Miss came back to the place her grandmother once lived—Ping Town.”

Ji Shichu listened quietly. No wonder the girl’s voice had trembled when she mentioned her grandmother at the hospital.

“Will Ying Zhiyao’s eyes heal?” he asked, a bit anxious without quite knowing why.

“She can’t see for now, but she’ll recover.”

Ji Shichu’s heart eased a little.

Ping Town, nestled against mountains and water, was poor but its people were simple and honest, life moved at a slow pace, and even smart phones were rare—most used old button phones. Yet life here was simple and happy.

A quiet place like this was indeed good for recovery.

But another thought crossed his mind—Ping Town was remote and small, with poor transportation, and outsiders rarely visited. If something were to happen to Ying Zhiyao, the hospital here was woefully basic—was this really the best place for her?

Unusually, Ji Shichu found himself troubled.

“Why did you go to the hospital today?” he asked again.

Aunt He let out a soft sigh.

“Miss fainted suddenly this morning; it scared me half to death. But what can we do? She can barely eat. She tries to force herself so we won’t worry, but she always throws up. The doctor says it’s anorexia.”

Aunt He’s words made Ji Shichu’s brow furrow.

He still remembered Song Yushu saying years ago that the little girl had always been frail and picky about food.

Now, with her eyes injured, she had also developed anorexia.

What on earth had she been through…

Careful as he was, Ji Shichu could tell Aunt He was hiding something.

For example: How did Ying Zhiyao’s eyes get hurt?

“You’re back,” Old Li called out with a smile as he came running out. He was about Aunt He’s age and served as Ying Zhiyao’s driver.

The movers had come by earlier, which delayed Old Li from picking them up at the hospital.

“We just got back too, and there’s plenty to unpack,” Aunt He said, patting Ji Shichu on the shoulder. “Shichu, thank you so much. Come in and have some tea.”

Ji Shichu glanced at the pile of things in the yard. “Do you need help?”

Aunt He and Old Li exchanged a glance, smiled, and nodded.

After that, Ji Shichu helped them unpack and organize.

Used to years of hard work, he was full of energy and completed his tasks with care, making Aunt He and Old Li like him even more.

Before leaving, Ji Shichu gave Aunt He his home phone number, telling her to call him if anything came up.

Though he worried about Ying Zhiyao, he felt he had no right to ask further or do more.

But from that moment on, a feeling named “Ying Zhiyao” took root in Ji Shichu’s heart.

He called it: worry.

Still, he figured Ying Zhiyao wouldn’t stay in Ping Town for long; at least for now, he would keep an eye out for her.

Though Ping Town was honest and simple, there were still ruffians like “Traffic Light,” especially after what happened at the hospital.

He needed to give them a warning.

Thinking thus, Ji Shichu looked at the Shiba Inu keychain on his backpack.

Remembering the little Shiba Inu the girl had hugged in the photo, a smile curved his lips.

So the keychain was modeled after that puppy—an exact likeness.

So, the first thing Ji Shichu did after leaving was to track down “Traffic Light,” corner them, and issue a fierce warning.

He almost frightened the three boys out of their wits.

Wailing, “The devil himself! Terrifying!”

...

On the other side of Ping Town, in a shabby, narrow courtyard.

A section of the yard was set aside for garbage—some from their own household, some that Ji Shichu had picked up outside.

Once enough had been collected, he would sell it to supplement their meager income.

As soon as Ji Shichu returned, Ji Nuan, who sat in a wheelchair, greeted him with a gentle smile.

“You’re back.”

Two years ago, an accident had taken Ji Nuan’s legs—she lost everything below the knee and had relied on a wheelchair ever since.

After that, the two of them returned to Ping Town and lived a quiet, frugal life.

Ji Shichu took out the medicine from his schoolbag, carefully writing the dosage and times on it with a pen, not forgetting to remind her, “Once in the morning and once at night—two pills each time.”

“All right~” Ji Nuan replied with a smile. “There’s still a jar of canned peaches in the fridge—take it out and eat it. If you have time, pick some more on the mountain behind the house; I’ll make some more for us to keep. It’s so hot, you should have something to cool off when you get home. Especially when you don’t feel like eating—just a little sweet peach will whet your appetite.”

Ji Nuan’s words immediately made Ji Shichu think of Ying Zhiyao.

Aunt He said the girl had anorexia—perhaps she could try the canned peaches?

“I’ll go now!”