It was late. Very late. Aunt Wine had been waiting until the sun was setting, but Anji did not turn up. Concerned, the retired woman packed so food for three ti-insensitive fools and marched to Researcher Ke’s compound.
"Little cutie! It’s dinner ti!" she called from outside loudly. However, it was unusually silent inside.
Most researchers placed soundproofing wards around their labs because they could get rowdy. Hence, Aunt Wine entered unceremoniously, intending to reprimand the workaholics for setting terrible examples for a child. However, when she entered, it was completely dark, sothing unusual for the stargazing lover.
"What happened?" she questioned, venturing further in when she saw the shattered bowl on the floor and disorganised furniture. Sothing big had happened.
Worried, the head chef searched the entire compound. Yet, she did not find anyone around. Concerned, she went to the other labs to find out what happened.
When one of the tired assistants finally opened the door to answer her, the cook learned how there had been an accident earlier at Researcher Ke’s lab.
"She was running around to find the doctor. I think they moved to the infirmary a few hours ago, but nobody has co back yet. They might still be there."
Feeling her heart drop, Aunt Wine asked if the assistant knew who the injured person was. From the bits and pieces that the assistant witnessed, it was Assistant Hu who was hurt and unconscious. The small girl that Aunt Wine was looking for went with them, but she appeared unhard.
Thanking the assistant for the information, the head chef gave one of the snacks she had prepared for the trio to her. Thrilled to receive a snack, the assistant thanked Aunt Wine and told her sothing she heard from the grapevine.
"The small girl saved his life, apparently. I heard she is busy assisting the doctor with his operation!"
Assisting the doctor with his operation? Aunt Wine almost could not believe her ears. However, she thanked the assistant and hurried off to the infirmary. The food was getting cold.
It took almost thirty minutes before Aunt Wine found the infirmary. She had lost her way a few tis because it had been too long since she last visited it. Who visited the infirmary these days? There were no longer any wars. Unless it was a freak accident, most researchers did not beco so severely wounded that they needed dical attention.
When Aunt Wine arrived, she found Researcher Ke curled up asleep outside the infirmary, which had all its doors and windows closed and only lamp lights inside.
The infirmary, she recalled, always had its windows and doors open for ventilation. What was going on?
"Ke Xing, wake up!" Aunt Wine shook her shoulder lightly. "Where’s my little cutie? What happened? I heard Silly Hu got into an accident. Are you ok?"
Seeing a familiar face from her apprentice days, Researcher Ke teared up. Like a broken dam, she told the head cook everything that went wrong that afternoon and cried.
"I should have tested this more safely," she sobbed. "It was my fault. I got too excited to show off the new calculation to Anji that I almost killed him!"
Although general relativity and teleportation were not Aunt Wine’s areas of expertise, she understood how Researcher Ke must be feeling. The regret and guilt eating away at the usually stubborn child after the shock of hurting her only friend was haunting her.
Hugging the young researcher, Aunt Wine humd. Although she was concerned about Assistant Hu, hearing that there was a senior researcher who specialised in qi manipulation ant that Assistant Hu was in good hands. If anything, Researcher Ke was the one who needed more help. Without anyone to support her emotionally, the young woman was spiralling into depression.
"Accidents happen," she stated calmly. "It wasn’t anybody’s fault. It is human to make mistakes and forget. I think Assistant Hu took the hit to protect Anji. From what you ntioned, there was a chance it could have hit Anji. If that happened, you would have beco a murderer. He was protecting both of you, so trust in him."
Hearing another person’s perspective, Researcher Ke’s hands shook. Not many people knew about her relationship with Assistant Hu. However, Aunt Wine was one of those people with whom she grew up in this sect. Although she was a scary head chef, many people looked up to her as a motherly figure.
From the ti when they were young, Assistant Hu had always been her cornerstone and strongest supporter. Whatever she wanted to do, he would support her to the best of his abilities. He was not the smartest, fastest or strongest man she knew. However, he was the most loyal and stubborn one she had. In truth, he was the brother she never had and probably did not deserve.
"Don’t bla yourself," Aunt Wine stroked Researcher Ke’s hair. "It was a breakthrough, wasn’t it? When accidents happen, it often ans you’ve discovered a new unknown. Assistant Hu did what he could do. But you both know that you can only finish the research your shifu cannot complete. Eat up and go back. I’ll stay here to wait for Little Cutie to be done. He will be fine."
Numbly, Researcher Ke ate. Aunt Wine could tell she was still feeling lost. However, for emotionally less mature researchers, it was better to treat them as children. Occupying Researcher Ke and giving her sothing to do was better than watching her drive herself crazy. She would update Keke as soon as she received the news. However, staying here was bad for the researcher both ntally and physically.
After eating dinner, Researcher Ke reluctantly left. Aunt Wine shooed her away and promised to be there in the morning with news, even if she had no idea if the operation would conclude by then.
Once she was the only one waiting outside the infirmary, the head chef looked at the cold food. There was a kitchen in the infirmary as well because they needed to boil dicine. The staff wouldn’t mind if she borrowed it to heat up the food, would they?
User Comments
0 comments from readers