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墨書 Inktalez
The heavy snow howled like the rush hour traffic, quietly passing through this unusually warm winter. The expressway on the outskirts of Fusheng County was already lined with long queues. At this moment, Sakuma seemed a bit disoriented as he watched Keiko lift his arm, feeling as if he were a package being hoisted up and tossed into the car amidst his mother-in-law's indistinct murmurs.
"Honestly, Fusheng never used to snow like this," Nobu no Suke said, gripping the steering wheel. He skillfully flicked his wrist to retrieve a cigarette from his pocket and cracked the window slightly.
"I'm really sorry," he added.
Nobu no Suke lit the cigarette, and Nishijo in the passenger seat nodded with a smile.
Keiko sat beside Sakuma, pulling a thermometer from his mouth. It seemed that the ice pack she had brought was no match for the feverish heat mingling with the cold. The mercury hovered between 39 and 40 degrees, prompting Keiko to shake her head slightly.
"Who knew that infatuation could turn one into this!"
Just as Keiko was about to tidy up her things, she felt a cold yet exerting hand cover her right hand. Surprised, she turned back to see Sakuma's eyes slightly open, mumbling something under his breath.
"Nishijo Auntie."
The two people in front turned abruptly.
"Close... to... forty degrees."
Nishijo gasped; the traffic jam ahead stretched at least a hundred meters long.
"Nobu no Suke, how much longer until we reach the hospital in Fusheng after getting stuck in traffic?"
"About half an hour," Nobu no Suke replied, keeping his grip on the steering wheel. He turned back and fell silent for a moment but noticed Nishijo's hand resting on the armrest of the passenger seat.
"Go home! We're not going to the hospital."
Keiko and Sakuma exchanged incredulous glances at the sudden decision made by Mother-in-law, and they both fell silent for a moment.
Perhaps it was the sudden rise in temperature that left Sakuma gazing dreamily at Keiko, who was hugging her arms—no! Perhaps it was the spirit of Wen Liang possessing Keiko, making Sakuma unwilling to let go of her arm even while speaking nonsense.
This farce caused Nishijo's previously smiling face to tighten abruptly. What were they going to do about this child?
"Wen Liang, are we... are we home?"
The car fell into an instant silence.
Keiko quickly looked up at Nishijo, as if his gaze revealed something to her. She lowered her head and gently stroked Sakuma's hair.
"You silly, you're right at home."
Sakuma didn't continue speaking, but the grip of her arms loosened, no longer holding on like a vice.
At that moment, with her eyes slightly open, Sakuma seemed to be transported back to the time of the accident, on a certain expressway in Fusheng, during a snowy day, either on a business trip or returning home...
It seemed that fate still favored this infatuated man; the traffic jam quickly cleared up. Nobu no Suke tossed aside his cigarette butt and sped down the expressway, passing under the elevated bridge in Fusheng, turning through the traffic lights of the city. The light flickered on the three people in the car, alternating between bright and dim. Keiko sensed that Sakuma's hand showed no intention of letting go, but it seemed Sakuma had stopped talking nonsense and had fallen asleep...
The car finally roared to a stop in the parking lot northwest of Sakuma's home. By this time, Sakuma had been asleep all along...
As she looked up at the sky and noticed that the snow had finally stopped falling, she let out a slow sigh of relief.
The snow felt like an unshakable grudge until Nobu no Suke drove past the small bridge north of Sakuma's house. Sakuma's temperature was still rising, but just as Nobu no Suke was about to say something to Nishijo, he saw a hand raised, signaling him not to speak anymore.
"This child is in my care; you can rest assured. I still need to thank you for bringing us back."
Nobu no Suke and Keiko exchanged a glance just as Nishijo opened the door. With swift movements, Nishijo brought out two pairs of shoes, inviting them in for tea.
"I’m so forgetful; I didn’t even prepare dinner, and here you are, having to deal with me. I truly apologize," she said.
Keiko and Nobu no Suke couldn't agree more, quickly assuring her not to worry about them. They would settle Sakuma and return to help.
"Aunt Nishijo, let me help you," Keiko offered.
Seeing that Nobu no Suke was already bustling about, carrying Sakuma inside, she took the bedding that Nishijo had brought and covered Sakuma with a blanket.
"Nobu no Suke!" Keiko exclaimed, pulling something from her bag and handing it to him.
"This is really bad," he replied.
In another room, Nishijo seemed unable to find the medicine she needed. Leaning against the wall, a faint light filtered through the sliding door, casting a shadow that only revealed her lower half. No one could see the expression on her face.
Beneath a portrait of Sakuma’s late father-in-law, an empty bottle of fever medicine and several boxes that had fallen to the floor seemed to tell a silent story.
Nishijo’s tense expression relaxed slightly as the sounds of Keiko and Nobu no Suke busying themselves on the other side of the wall eased some of her anxiety.
The sound of running water from the faucet, Keiko responding to Nobu no Suke, and the clear mention of "towel" reached Nishijo's ears. She slowly slid down to sit against the wall, gazing at the slightly reflective portrait of her late husband, her hands clasped together.
"Old man, I hope you watch over this poor son-in-law," she murmured before gradually standing up and closing off the dimly lit room, preparing to check on the situation.
Soon enough, tea and snacks were ready. Keiko and Nobu no Suke placed a towel on Sakuma's forehead. Notably, the box that appeared to contain fever medicine made Nishijo's previously tense expression shift into one of forced gratitude.
"You really are too kind," she said.
Nishijo's tone softened as the two confirmed that Sakuma was sound asleep. They took the box of medicine and followed Nishijo to the living room.
"Here, Aunt Nishijo," Keiko said, handing her the medicine.
"I had a fever a few days ago, so I kept this medicine with me. It just happened to come in handy today," Keiko added.
Seeing the sincerity in Keiko's eyes, Nishijo hesitated for a moment before accepting the box. She smiled wryly and patted Keiko on the shoulder.
"You did well."
Nishijo slowly poured tea for the two of them and filled a cup for Nobu no Suke.
"This is what I should do. No, it's just a small effort," they both replied in unison.
Nishijo didn’t respond further; she merely smiled and went to the kitchen.
The night sky over Fushan was shrouded in clouds after the snowfall, obscuring the faint glimmers of light that fell into Sakuma's darkened room. From a distance, it resembled a piercing light in the depths of a palace, prompting one to reach out in hope of discovering their location, moving forward involuntarily.
At the dining table, however, when Nishijo brought out the dishes, she realized that Keiko and Nobu no Suke had quietly left, much like the note that lay there—silent yet leaving something behind. They hoped to see Nishijo intervene, but perhaps it was better if Sakuma discovered new hope on her own.
As bystanders, Keiko and Nobu no Suke likely felt they had no good way to help at that moment.
The letter read:
"Aunt Nishijo, thank you for your hospitality tonight and for preparing dinner for us amidst your busy schedule. We are truly grateful."
However, Keiko has her studies to attend to and some matters to resolve before graduation. Still, I hope her presence brings new hope. Perhaps my feelings are a bit off, but I truly wish this will be an opportunity.
These dark days will eventually come to an end.
By the way, Keiko has already purchased the fever-reducing medicine for the future. There’s no need for him to worry about the recent company matters; I have already requested leave from President Inada on his behalf. Please remind him not to worry; both Keiko and I will take care of everything here.
Thank you once again for your hospitality tonight.
Keiko, Nobu no Suke.
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