I just want you to suffer
Even if there are some things that bother me
At least we have the happiness of suffering together
Every time when love reaches a dead end
The past will hold us together
—: Wakin Chau, "The Happiness of Sharing Hardships"
It was already the evening of the next day when Bai Jiming returned home. He did not bring his cell phone with him, so he had no way to contact his parents. They just sat on the sofa with a frown on their faces, looking at each other from time to time and sighing.
Although he was mentally prepared, he was still shocked when he opened the door and saw his son's red face, smell of alcohol, and disheveled clothes. He didn't know how Bai Jiming could find a bar open on New Year's Eve. He drank from one bar to another and was already in a state of confusion. He fell to the ground as soon as he entered the door.
Bai's mother felt distressed, helpless and angry. She went forward and helped her son up with great effort, muttering, "Why did you drink so much? Are you trying to kill yourself?" Bai Jiming couldn't hear what she said at all. He just felt a knot in his stomach. He ran to the bathroom and vomited into the toilet.
Bai's mother glared at her husband: "Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and bring me a glass of water." Bai's father also felt distressed, and complained as he walked away: "It's all your fault."
"He did something wrong, so I, as his mother, can't even say a word?" Bai's mother felt a little regretful, but still remained stubborn.
"What are you talking about? I can't stand it anymore." Father Bai held the water cup, and the two of them muttered to each other. His hands were not idle either, he wiped his son's face with a towel, handed him water to rinse his mouth, and finally helped Bai Jiming lie down on the bed, took off his coat and shoes, and settled him down.
Bai Jiming's mind was in a fuzzy mess. He felt as if he was back home, but the people around him were wandering around and he couldn't hear a word they were saying. His stomach was aching dully, as if there was a fire burning inside. He felt hot all over, as if his blood vessels were about to burst, and his mouth was just dry. Bai's father fed him some water, but he didn't expect it to cause him to feel nauseous and he vomited it all out.
Bai's mother touched Bai Jiming's body and found it was hot and his forehead was covered with sweat. She couldn't help but feel a little flustered and said to Bai's father, "It can't be alcohol poisoning, why don't we go to the hospital?"
"What hospital?" Father Bai knew what was going on. "Calm down. Have you ever seen a drunk person? Just have a good night's sleep and you'll be fine."
But Bai Jiming simply couldn't calm down. He rolled over and over in his bed, mumbling something with an expression of unbearable pain, or he buried his face in the pillow and sobbed.
Bai's mother fed him fruit juice, honey water, and asked him to hold ginger slices in his mouth, but none of them worked. He vomited everything he drank. The two elders were helpless and could only wet a towel with hot water and wipe his face.
While they were busy and frantic, the phone rang. Bai's mother was taking care of Bai Jiming by the bed, while Bai's father went to answer the phone. It turned out to be Liao Weixin.
Liao Weixin called Bai Jiming every day, but no one answered the phone on New Year's Day. He called again in the evening and it was the same. He was shocked, but then he remembered that Bai Jiming had come home suddenly, and it was the same situation. He smiled to himself, thinking that he was too nervous. Maybe Bai Jiming was busy celebrating the New Year with his family and didn't have time to answer the phone; maybe the firecrackers outside were too loud and he didn't hear the ringing; maybe this confused little rascal simply forgot to bring his phone.