I went back to the bench and sat down.

In exactly fifteen minutes, Plump materialized in the hall, puffing and sucking in big gulps of air. She dashed up to me with her fleshy hand waving a phone card. “Here you are. One hundred renminbi. ”

“How come so expensive?”

“You said double.”

“All right, I’ll take it.” I fished the bills from my pocket, counted them, then placed them in her outstretched hand.

“Thank you, miss,” she said, then hurried back behind the nurses’ station.

As I was walking toward the phone booth, I heard Kind Face’s excited voice. “Wah! You make a fortune in fifteen minutes! What about a treat for dinner tonight?”

I thought it would be so hard to get a connection to the States that I was very nervous and had to keep telling myself to be patient. But to my surprise, this time the line was connected only after five rings. I immediately recognized Donna’s voice—like cold ashes long forgotten at the bottom of an antique incense burner.

“Donna? This is Lily Lin calling from Urumqi.”

“Alex there with you?”

“Yes.”

The impersonal voice piped up again. “Why didn’t he call himself? Can I talk to him?”

“I’m afraid not. Alex… had an accident.”

“Oh, my God, what happened? Anything serious? Is he all right?” Her voice was suddenly filled with fear and concern.

Good. At least some hot cinders were finally shooting out from this pile of cold ashes.

“Don’t worry, he’s fine now and asleep. He fell into a lake and got chilled.” I left out the head stitches, in case that would stir her imagination, assuming she had any.

The voice, now fierce and demanding, shot an octave higher. “How did that happen?!”

“Alex was accidentally knocked over by a few frolicking teenagers,” I lied.

Silence.

I said, “Donna, can you tell Frank about this?”

She didn’t answer my question but said, “Alex really shouldn’t have gone to that part of China. He just won’t listen. It’s because of you that he…”

There was a lot I could think of to say, like, “Your son is a grown man and if you think you even have the tiniest shred of control over his adult mind and body, then you’re either damn stupid or a downright retard!” or “Too bad I’m the one he loves, not you. You old, cold, wrinkly, ugly, pretentious, mean-mouthed, and icy-hearted bitch!” But of course I swallowed these would-be-firecracker-like strings of words. This was not the time to be antagonistic. After all, Alex did need his parents’ help now.

I tried my best to sound calm and friendly. “Don’t worry, Donna, the doctor said he’s OK.”

But Donna’s shrill voice attacked my ear membrane from eight thousand miles away. “I don’t trust any doctors in China. They don’t know what they’re doing!”

I said, “I don’t know about Chinese doctors, but a Japanese doctor who trained in Boston also checked on Alex and said he’s fine. In fact, he was the one who rescued him.”

Silence.

Finally she spoke, her voice deflated. “All right. I’ll tell Frank about this, and we’ll book a ticket to come to Alex as soon as possible. Tell my son we are coming right away.”

“Thanks, Donna,” I said, then told her the hospital’s address and phone number.

The telephone conversation, though it lasted only a few minutes, exhausted me. I walked back to thank Plump for the card and told her I wanted to stay with Alex overnight.

“Sorry, miss, hospital visit over. Come back tomorrow.”

I looked at my watch: 9:45 PM.

But I couldn’t just leave Alex by himself. Besides, since the truck was left at the pond, how could I get a taxi and find a hotel? So, pretending to look for the washroom, I left the counter and walked through some corridors until I spotted a bench. Thinking I would sneak in later to see Alex, I stretched out and was soon asleep.


I felt a slap on my shoulder and opened my eyes to see a young woman in a white uniform looking down at me, smiling. “Hey, miss, good morning.”

It was Plump.

“You didn’t go to see your boyfriend?”

“No, not yet.” I peeked at my watch and realized it was six o’clock in the morning. I was so exhausted that I’d slept through the night.

She winked at me. “You slept here all night?”

Before I knew how to respond, she spoke again. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, not even my comrade.”

I suddenly realized since yesterday she’d made a small fortune from me, she probably didn’t want to kill the hen who laid the golden egg. And I was right.

“Anything you want? Just tell me.”

“Thank you, not now, but maybe later.”

She smiled again, this time mischievously. “He’s very good looking, but very young, your little brother boyfriend.”

“Thanks.” I couldn’t tell if the last remark was meant as praise, a comment, a criticism, an insult, or a lament. Or all of the above. “Can I go see him now?”

“Of course! And don’t worry, he’s fine. I just finished feeding him chicken and vegetable porridge. He looks sad but handsome.”

A current of jealousy surged inside me. It should be me feeding Alex, not this fat, greedy bitch!

She winked at me. “See you later, and take good care of your little handsome!”

Once she wriggled her mahjong-table-wide bottom away from my sight, I got up and hurried to Alex’s room.

Alex was sitting up in bed with a lost expression. Then he spotted me, and a sad smile bloomed on his face while he made a gesture for me to sit next to him on the bed.

“Alex, how are you feeling?” I planted a kiss on his face as I lowered myself onto the bed.

He pointed to his lips. “What about here? They miss you, too, Lily.”

Immediately my mouth went to his. After lingering for moments, I detached myself, now worrying again. Alex’s kiss was definitely different—devoid of his usual abundant qi.

“Alex, tell me honestly, how do you feel?”

“Cold and a headache, otherwise OK.”

“Don’t worry, the doctor said you’ll be fine.”

“Hope so, since my plan to marry you still hasn’t changed.”

I smiled, then began to rub his hand. “How was breakfast?”

He rolled his eyes. “Horrible. The nurse treated me like I was her baby.”

“How so?”

“She kept blowing off steam from the porridge with her thick, wet lips before she fed me. I swear I saw her saliva shooting into the congee.”

“Then why didn’t you eat it by yourself?”

“Because she wouldn’t let me!”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alex, she’s not treating you like her baby, but her boyfriend. She likes you. Excited, too. I bet you’re this hospital’s first Barbarian patient,” I teased. “What don’t you like about her? She’s young and lively, not bad looking, either.”

Alex made a face. “Are you kidding me, Lily? Have you lost your mind?” He paused, then said, “I don’t care whether she’s young or lively, old or ugly, pretty or horny. I only want you, Lily. If you still don’t get it by now.”

“Sorry, Alex, just kidding.”

He cupped my face and looked deeply into my eyes. “And thank you for saving my life, twice. How am I going to repay you in this life?”

“Alex, this time it’s the Japanese doctor who rescued you, not me.”

“Who’s this doctor?”

“Remember the guy who took pictures with a big camera? He was the one who held your head above water as he swam back to the shore.”

“Yes, I remember.”

Some silence, and Alex spoke again. “Sorry that I failed to retrieve Lop Nor’s necklace. I know it means a lot to you.”

“Alex, I feel guilty enough for your near drowning, so please don’t apologize again, ever.” Then I saw tears in his eyes. “You all right?”

“Lily, I made a promise to take very good care of you and protect you, but I failed. It turned out that you’re the one who’s been protecting me, twice. I’m so sorry….”

“Alex, please. Accidents happen…. ” I paused, then said, “Maybe it’s better that Lop Nor’s necklace is gone.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s reunited with him, where it belongs. I believe this is a sign telling me it’s time to let go of this tragedy.”

Alex nodded.

As I was leaning over to kiss him, a voice jolted me to a halt. “Hi. Morning.”

I turned and saw Akira Muramachi.

I introduced the two men and told Alex this was the person who had saved his life.

“Thank you for saving my life, doctor. I owe you.”

A warm smile rose on the Japanese’s deeply tanned face. I noticed his teeth were white and neat. I also noticed that jealousy was gradually spreading on my young lover’s face.

“Akira, please. And Alex, thank your girlfriend. She’s a brave woman. She was about to jump into the lake to save you had I not stopped her in time.”

Alex lifted my hand to his lips. “I know, I’m the lucky guy.”

Akira spoke again. “I’ve just come to check if you’re OK. I don’t trust hospitals in remote parts of China. May I?”

“Of course,” Alex and I said simultaneously.

He leaned close to examine Alex’s head. “Just want to make sure that they changed the bandage and that the wound is clean. You seem fine.”

After some pleasantries, Akira threw me a meaningful glance. “I think I should leave you two alone. Lily, you have my hotel phone number. So in case you guys need me for anything, just let me know.”

I took his hand and smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Akira, it’s very kind of you.”

Alex chimed in a loud, “Thank you again for saving my life, doctor.”