Miscarriage.

Hemorrhagic shock.

Critical condition, continuous resuscitation.

The emergency room light was on, had been lit for nearly three hours. The corridor was filled with the smell of disinfectant. He sat in the rest area for a long time. Under the white light, his elbows pressed heavily against his knees, head lowered, one hand holding Long Qi’s phone, the other holding his own, pressed against his ear, listening to Ban Wei say: “They’re all evading.”

“The police came to ask about the situation. Everyone said they were on the lower deck when it happened. As for the wild partying, some people said that was indeed the case, said they really did drink and party hard, but what happened after Long Qi went up to the third floor wasn’t clear. It was all Zang Siming accompanying her. For the rest, that person’s oral statement basically matches what Zang Siming said as fact.”

“Who?”

He asked in a low hoarse voice, no vitality in his tone.

“Jian Yizhen.”

Fang Xuan was pacing in the corridor.

Xu Yifen, who had arrived an hour ago, was also pacing.

Wu Jiakui took a cup of warm water from the nurse’s station and walked over here. He slowly replied: “Ban Wei, help me observe something.”

“What?”

“Observe the people on the boat, look at their hands, look for anyone with issues at the web of their thumb.”

“The web of the thumb?”

“Tattoos, wounds, or other marks. Look carefully.”

Across from him, Zang Siming silently raised his head, looking over here.

Then his gaze moved downward, staring at the phone rotating in Jin Yiken’s hand. Wu Jiakui walked past carrying the cup, asking: “Do you want to drink water?”

He withdrew his gaze, looking up at Wu Jiakui.

She placed the cup in her hand on the chair beside Jin Yiken, quietly observing him. He shook his head.

While Jin Yiken listened to Ban Wei’s phone call, he turned over Long Qi’s phone, pressing the Home button. The screen lit up.

Zang Siming stared at his hand movements.

Swiping the screen, it jumped to a six-digit password field.

“Alright, I’ll check,” Ban Wei said. “As for surveillance, only the first floor deck had cameras installed. The second and third floors don’t have any. I copied a file, I’ll bring it to you later.”

“Good.”

He pressed keys on the screen, entering her birthday.

“How is Long Qi’s condition now?”

The screen vibrated, displaying password error.

“She hasn’t come out yet.”

He replied softly.

Across from him, Zang Siming slowly exhaled, lowered his head, continued rubbing his face. After brewing for half a minute: “I’m really sorry to you.”

Jin Yiken didn’t look at him.

He continued: “Originally I brought her on the boat because I was afraid she’d be bored alone. I said it, as soon as we got on the boat I said this is my buddy’s girlfriend, don’t anyone get ideas. You can have Ban Wei go ask, everyone present heard it. Then went up to the second floor to introduce friends to her, drinking, playing dice… She said her stomach hurt, went up to the third floor alone. By the time I went up she was already on the ship’s railing… Fuck, if I’d known she was pregnant, I wouldn’t have let her drink that much in the first place…”

The phone rang again.

Zang Siming’s words stopped. Jin Yiken silently put the phone back to his ear. Ban Wei’s voice was mixed in with noise, shouting loudly: “I’ve looked carefully for you, there’s no one with issues at the web of their thumb!”

Zang Siming’s body leaned back slightly, listening.

“Got it.”

He replied, head lowered.

“Got a list of people who were present, I’ll send it to you later!”

“Good.”

He hung up the phone, stacking it together with Long Qi’s phone. The two phones slowly rotated in his palm. After rotating twice, he swiped the screen again. Long Qi’s phone screen lit up.

Once again pressing six digits in the password field, one by one, entering his own birthday.

Zang Siming rubbed his forehead, staring.

The phone body vibrated, password error for the second time.

The phone slowly rotated another circle in his hand. As Zang Siming silently withdrew his gaze, he spoke: “What dice game were you playing?”

“…Liar’s dice, the loser drinks.”

“How many rounds did she lose?”

“That,” he replied, “I didn’t pay attention to that, it was too chaotic at the time.”

“In the condition where her stomach hurt, how much did she drink?”

“…” Zang Siming rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighing as he replied, “About three cups, I didn’t pay much attention.”

“She’s very good at playing liar’s dice. When playing with me, she’s never lost.”

Jin Yiken said slowly.

Zang Siming raised his eyes.

Wu Jiakui also raised her eyes. Sitting side by side with Jin Yiken, she looked at Zang Siming.

After pausing for three or four seconds, Zang Siming said: “She didn’t have her mind on the game at the time, kept shouting about her stomach hurting, was quite impatient. I should have noticed earlier…”

“She’s never played liar’s dice.”

He interrupted.

Calmly raising his eyes to look at Zang Siming. Zang Siming was breathing. He continued: “You have to call numbers, she felt it was like doing math, refused to learn. How can you describe it so naturally, without even a process of teaching her?”

…

“She probably learned it after watching a few times. I saw her interact with others.”

“She would die before playing this.”

Zang Siming’s hands gripped in front of his knees. After hearing this sentence, his fingers trembled slightly, spreading out: “You suspect me? Setting traps with your words? I’m just stating the facts I know to you. Are you so certain Long Qi wouldn’t play? Then did you know she was pregnant?”

As the words fell, even Fang Xuan ten steps away thought a fight was about to break out, immediately looking over at the sound. Wu Jiakui said in a low voice “Zang Siming, what do you want to do?” But Jin Yiken didn’t explode.

He looked at Zang Siming.

Looking at his eyes and his trembling fingers, saying word by word: “You also know I suspect you, so match up the testimony in your heart properly. As long as she doesn’t wake up, I’ll ask you over and over tirelessly. Get it straight, don’t have contradictions front to back, don’t have flaws, don’t lose logic. Or tell me now the version that doesn’t need fabrication. Before she wakes up, there’s still time.”

His tone was low, hiding a threat.

Zang Siming breathed roughly, the two locking eyes.

But at this moment, during this quiet and delicate moment of tension, there was suddenly movement at the corridor entrance. Wu Jiakui turned her head to look. Wu’er had been on the phone at the corridor entrance, but now suddenly waved toward the corner. Zang Xipu’s figure immediately came over. Wu’er asked how come you just arrived. Zang Xipu glanced over here with furrowed brows, his lips seeming to say “went to the airport,” then turned back to look at the corner, gesturing inward invitingly, as if receiving someone. Zang Siming stood up calling “Uncle.” Jin Yiken turned his head.

At the same time, Lao Ping followed Zang Xipu appearing at the corner, also like Zang Xipu receiving someone from behind. Two ladies’ figures followed closely after—Long Ziyi and Lu Zimu. Long Ziyi walked with quick steps, her movement creating wind, forehead full of sweat with an expression of approaching storm. The second he recognized the person, he immediately stood up.

“Where’s that person who pulled my daughter onto the boat? Where’s that boy!”

She questioned as she walked, completely disregarding Lu Zimu and Lao Ping. Wu Jiakui also stood up, calling “Auntie.” Long Ziyi paid no attention, only when passing Jin Yiken did she quickly glare at him, almost glowering. He silently received it. Their gazes met for no more than a second before Long Ziyi turned and pointed directly at Zang Siming: “Is it you? You pulled my daughter onto the boat?”

“Ziyi! He’s also the one who saved Qiqi. He’s Mr. Zang’s nephew.”

Lu Zimu pulled her hand, persuading, but was quickly shaken off by Long Ziyi. She grabbed Zang Siming’s collar: “What did you do to my daughter on the boat? Huh? Making her end up like that! What were you all doing on the boat!”

“Auntie, I didn’t do anything! She drank too much and jumped into the sea, I saved her!”

“She drank too much so she’d jump into the sea? Think she’s a three-year-old child? My daughter has a temper but she’s not stupid! What were you bunch of little bastards doing on that boat!”

“Auntie, I really… I really didn’t lie…”

“Please calm down first, we’ll sort through this matter slowly.”

Zang Xipu caught up, timely mediating between the two. Long Ziyi wouldn’t listen. Under everyone’s persuasion she still raised her hand pointing at Zang Siming, demanding an explanation from him. It wasn’t until the operating room door opened with a click that her nearly explosive emotions were slightly halted. Jin Yiken immediately looked over. The doctor asked if family members were present. Long Ziyi answered before him: “Here!”

He was a step slow, walking behind Long Ziyi.

“You are?”

“I’m her mother. How is my daughter doing, doctor? She was resuscitated after drowning just now, wasn’t she? Why does she need to be resuscitated for so long?”

“Please calm down first, let me explain slowly.” The doctor raised his hands pressing down the air, taking a step with Long Ziyi toward a quiet place. “The drowning isn’t a big problem, but your daughter had traumatic miscarriage, excessive blood loss. Although she’s currently out of danger, her vital signs are weak and need…”

“She was pregnant?”

Long Ziyi asked back.

The doctor paused, turned back, his gaze looking past Long Ziyi toward Jin Yiken who had previously registered as family. He also heard that passage, on the edge of collapsing, grasping the key words, asking back: “Traumatic miscarriage?”

Then looking toward Zang Siming, his hand almost grabbing Zang Siming’s collar when his arm was suddenly pulled by Long Ziyi who had turned around. The fierce gaze didn’t have time to meet Zang Siming’s before his shoulder received a swipe from Long Ziyi’s bag: “How could you let her get pregnant!”

The metal chain on the bag scraped him. He turned his head away, a red mark on the side of his neck. Wu Jiakui stepped forward. Lu Zimu also immediately pulled at her arm, pressing down her hand grabbing the bag: “Calm down, Ziyi.”

“She’s still so young, can’t even take care of herself! Originally said it would be a one-day trip, why did she stay in this godforsaken place for three days! Did you abduct her here?”

“Auntie.”

But Long Ziyi wouldn’t listen to persuasion, wouldn’t listen to his voice that was more exhausted than anyone’s at this moment. She pushed forcefully at him: “If anything happens to her today, you and that bunch of little bastards will all be buried with her!”

…

Those words were left there.

After half an hour of being hoarse and exhausted, physically and mentally drained.

He sat alone on a chair at the corridor corner, head lowered, listening to the doctor describe every external injury on her body, listening to the doctor say she might spend the next three days in a coma, or might not make it through. What did not making it through mean—the doctor didn’t say. He listened to everything, saying not a word.

In the diagonally opposite ICU ward, through the glass wall, Long Qi slept inside.

From the moment she came out of the operating room, her wrist had been pierced with various tubes. Her face had no color, no lip color either. Eyes closed, covered with a respirator, breathing weakly in a state of deep sleep. But he knew the word “sleep” was used too nicely. She was more like someone who had suddenly had their spirit drained, leaving only a shell gasping on the hospital bed. His thumb web still had the painful sensation from being dug into by her fingernails. He still remembered her reddened eyes, remembered the icy cold dampness on her skin. Those lingering feelings and images replayed in his head in turns. He looked at another part of the corridor where Zang Xipu was gripping Zang Siming understanding the situation. Zang Siming felt the gaze, looking over here through Zang Xipu. After looking for a second, he dodged. Zang Xipu then turned his head. Across the long hospital corridor, their gazes met silently with Jin Yiken’s.

A ten-year age gap—one place calm and restrained, one place young and wild. Like a lion with natural威严 facing a young bloodthirsty wolf. The prey to be strangled was clearly laid out in their eyes. Zang Siming involuntarily stepped back. Zang Xipu then withdrew his attention.

After heavily patting Zang Siming’s shoulder twice, he walked toward Long Ziyi in the adjacent seat. Long Ziyi sat silently on the chair by the ward entrance, supporting her forehead, hair hanging down covering half her face. The outburst directed at Jin Yiken half an hour ago had exhausted her strength. Zang Xipu bent down to speak, consoling. She had no reaction. Lu Zimu beside her nodded and responded for her.

At this moment, eight o’clock at night.

Long Qi’s phone rotated in his palm, only twenty percent battery remaining. After a long while, he lowered his head and swiped to unlock, continuing to persistently press numbers in the password field, entering the last six digits of her ID number.

The phone body vibrated.

Password error.

Entered her bank account password.

Vibration, password error.

Rubbing his face with one hand, recalling her previous gesture when unlocking, entering the calculated numbers.

Vibration, still incorrect.

Multiple password errors, iPhone disabled for one minute.

Gripping the phone forcefully in reverse, back leaning backward. Wu Jiakui at this time came carrying fast food purchased from outside the hospital building. Before she could speak, she heard movement from ten meters ahead. Looking over, Jin Yiken also squinted over. Long Ziyi broke her long dejection, finally walking toward the water room nearby.

He reacted quickly, standing at the water dispenser getting warm water before Long Ziyi arrived. When Long Ziyi arrived, he just happened to hand it over.

But she treated it as invisible.

Lowering her head, she took a new cup, getting new water. He patiently added from the side: “Auntie, I booked a hotel for you all, right next to the hospital. You all should eat some dinner…”

“No need, that Mr. Zang has arranged it.”

Her voice had no inflection. She walked two steps, then turned back.

Looking at him.

Saying: “If this hadn’t happened, you’d be quite likable as a young man. But this did happen.”

She didn’t say what came after—it was mutually understood. Long Ziyi looked toward the ward, looking at Long Qi lying on the bed, smoothing her hair, then looking back at him: “Let’s speak frankly. If my daughter makes it through this time, I won’t interfere with you two. Get your marriage certificate if you should, get married if you should. But if she doesn’t make it through…”

Jin Yiken looked at her.

Long Ziyi also stared at him, her voice choking, slowly saying: “Then don’t think about seeing her again. You won’t get even a fraction of her ashes.”

…

He didn’t respond at the time.

But for a full five minutes after Long Ziyi left, he stood at the ward entrance. Wu Jiakui softly called his name once. He didn’t respond. He stood for a full ten minutes, watched Long Qi in the ward for ten minutes. Only in the eleventh minute did he lower his head, silently dialing a call, holding it to his ear. Waiting for the other party to answer, suppressing his voice calling: “Dad.”

…

“I want to talk with your doctor friends, Uncle Lin, Uncle Jiang and them… My girlfriend had an incident.”

…

“I’m at Yangji Bay.”

…

“Yes,” he replied in a low voice, “I returned to the country.”

…

“Uncle Jiang bringing the team on tomorrow morning’s flight? Can it be tonight?”

…

“Okay, thanks Dad.”

…

He hung up the phone.

Sitting on the rest chair, supporting his forehead. After a long while, he swiped open Long Qi’s phone. The password field had been updated. His phone was once again at his ear, dialing a second call.

Beep—

Beep—

Beep—

…

Click.

The other party answered, softly: “Hello?”

“Hello,” he lowered his head, “Dong Xi.”

…

After nearly five seconds of silence, as if recognizing his voice, Dong Xi said: “I saw the news. How is she now?”

“She hasn’t woken up yet.” He replied, his thumb pad rubbing along one side of Long Qi’s phone body. “I wanted to ask, what’s your birthday?”

“…March seventeenth.”

“Ninety-eight?”

“Mm.”

He entered “980317” on the screen, but the phone body still vibrated. Password error, iPhone disabled for five minutes.

“Are there other numbers? Related to Long Qi.” He said softly. “Some anniversaries, some time points, or house numbers, or student ID numbers.”

“Can I come see her?”

Dong Xi asked.

…

Like asking and like pleading, flowing with water, dampiy asking, repeating: “Can I?”

…