Long Ge and I hailed a taxi downstairs and headed straight for the big hospital.

The area around it felt eerily quiet. Afternoon was drawing near. All the wreath shops beside the hospital were closed; not a single pedestrian was in sight.

We stepped out and walked straight through the main entrance.

The young nurse at reception already knew me. She was chatting and laughing with a nearby doctor. When she saw us, she merely glanced up and went back to her conversation.

We took the stairs to the third floor. The nurse wasn’t there—I’d tucked some cash in my pocket earlier, planning to slip her a little tip to keep a closer eye on Grandpa. But after scanning the area, I didn’t spot the phone-glued nurse. Maybe she wasn’t on duty today.

Gray clouds hung low, deepening the ward’s gloom. None of the elderly patients were up yet, leaving the room hushed and shadowy.

To the left of the doorframe, an old man sat holding his vintage flip phone, muttering at the screensaver photo. He startled Long Ge as she entered behind me. Unaware two people had come in, he kept murmuring to the screen.

Long Ge shot him a wary glance, then subconsciously wiped her hands on her skirt hem—probably itching to shove them in her pockets. After a beat, she dropped her arms and crossed them over her chest.

I turned—and saw Grandpa already awake, two girls seated by his bedside. I tilted my head with a wry smile. *Hitting on girls now?*

He was chatting warmly with the black-haired one. Two girls in the ward was unusual, but X High was nearby. I figured they were student volunteers and didn’t think much of it.

Both had shoulder-length hair, stools pulled close to the bed. One with ash-brown locks scrolled silently on her phone; the other, black-haired, laughed with Grandpa. Both had their backs to me.

Long Ge tilted her head, curiously scanning the room.

I stepped closer with a cheerful smile. Grandpa noticed me and grinned.

“Speak of the devil! Xiao Lu, come here—I’ll introduce you. This young man used to play chess with me back in our old neighborhood…”

Long Ge, clearly uneasy without pockets, clasped her hands behind her back and stood quietly beside me.

I smiled warmly at the girls. *Back in high school, we did community service too. Probably X High volunteers…*

I was about to offer a polite greeting—when the black-haired girl turned with a bright smile.

I froze. Took a half-step back. Stunned.

Lao Han beamed. “Well, what a coincidence!”

The other girl lifted her head from her phone, gave me a faint glance, and quirked a small smile.

I blinked. *Lao Shen?!* My mind went blank. *What is happening?!*

Lao Han turned to Long Ge. “Sister Long’s here too.”

Grandpa looked between us, bewildered. “You all know each other?”

Lao Han smiled. “Same school.”

Long Ge shot me a confused look—clearly wondering why this didn’t match my story.

Honestly, I was just as puzzled. My dazed expression lasted seconds before I smoothed it into a grin. “Yeah… really quite a coincidence.”

Lao Han chuckled. “Haven’t crossed paths since graduation. Our uni’s running volunteer credits this term—I’m not exactly hitting the books hard. Still… wild running into you here.”

I nodded slowly. “Sure is.”

Lao Shen smirked faintly and returned to her screen.

Long Ge watched us, suspicion flickering in her eyes. Sensing the tension, she stayed silent behind me.

After the pleasantries, quiet settled over the ward.

After a moment, Grandpa’s face softened. “My dear girl…”

Lao Han peeled a tangerine with a smile and handed it to him. “Right here.”

He took a segment, popped it in his mouth, nodded gently. “Such good children… You’re all good children.”

Still smiling, he peeled another piece and offered it to Lao Han. She accepted without hesitation, eating it with a warm smile.

I watched the tender scene, words catching in my throat.

“If only my grandson were here by my bedside now…”

I stood silently beside the bed.

Grandpa gazed out the window, voice soft. “That boy Xiao Feng… I wonder what keeps him so busy.”

Lao Han followed his gaze. “Grandpa, he’s being a bit negligent. No matter how busy, he should visit you.”

Grandpa shook his head slightly. “He’s busy.”

“But… youth is for living fully. He should be out there, making his mark.”

Lao Han fell quiet, nodded, and focused on peeling another tangerine.

Grandpa’s smile returned. “My grandson… not great at much, but basketball? Exceptional.”

Lao Han shook her head, handing him the peeled fruit. “Plenty of good players out there.”

He accepted it gently. “Five or six years ago… Xiao Feng was in seventh grade. Obsessed with basketball. Came home drenched in sweat every day. His school team was strong—even the province sent people for a tournament…”

“He asked if I’d come watch.”

Lao Han’s fingers stilled mid-peel.

“My son and daughter-in-law are abroad—Xiao Feng’s parents. They visit once every few years. No one to take him… That day, Old Liu passed. I had to attend the funeral. An old friend… you have to pay respects.”

“I told him I couldn’t go. Sports Day. He left that morning hugging his basketball. Didn’t say a word—just smiled and went. He’d talked about it for weeks. ‘Grandpa, you *have* to come watch.’ I promised every time… never expected this.”

Lao Han peeled on in silence. Popped half the tangerine in her mouth, chewed slowly, then smiled. “Sweet tangerine… Don’t blame yourself, Grandpa. A friend’s funeral—you had to go. Here, Lao Shen—ah~”

Lao Shen sighed, accepted the segment, chewed, and went back to her phone.