chsdbacks Chapter 55 Cilang's Doll
Chapter 55 Cilang's Doll
After finishing breakfast, Wang Yueling tidied up the kitchen and drank the pear soup her grandmother had made.
Grandmother sat in the rocking chair by the window and continued knitting a scarf.
The off-white yarn was wrapped around the needles, already knitted to a length that covered the knees. Judging by its width, it didn't look like an ordinary scarf, but more like a shawl that could be draped over the shoulders.
Wang Yueling glanced at it a couple more times.
With the recent transition from spring to summer, there's been a lot of rain and large temperature differences, so my grandmother has been knitting much more frequently than before. This shawl has a particularly exquisite pattern; I've never seen anything like it before.
"Grandma, have you learned a new acupuncture technique from someone recently?"
Grandmother adjusted her reading glasses and turned the piece of fabric in her hand over to show him. "Mrs. Matsushita next door taught me how to make it. It's called feather knitting. It's more breathable than gold thread knitting, so it won't feel stuffy when you wear it in the spring."
Wang Yueling leaned closer for a closer look, and indeed the stitches were sparser than those of ordinary ingot-shaped needles. The patterns were layered like feathers, very delicate.
He squatted beside the rocking chair, tilted his head and looked for a while, then pointed to the edge, "Isn't the stitching a little too tight here?"
Grandmother looked down and saw that it was indeed a bit tight, so she picked up a knitting needle and pried it a couple of times. She glanced at Wang Yueling, a smile in her eyes.
"You're quite observant."
"I watch it every day, so I'll learn it even if I don't know it before." Wang Yueling said proudly and arrogantly.
Grandma smiled and patted his hand: "Go change your clothes quickly, don't waste time. When you go to Cilang's house later, don't go empty-handed. I made some wagashi (Japanese sweets), and take the box of canelés I made this morning with you."
Wang Yueling hummed in agreement, glanced at the clock in the living room, and went back to her room to change her clothes.
Wearing a white shirt with a light gray long trench coat, the collar meticulously trimmed, her hair neatly combed and smooth. Wang Yueling stood in front of the mirror, thought for a moment, and then pinned on a simple silver orchid brooch, her posture languid yet exuding sophistication.
He carried the gift box and paper bag he had prepared earlier, and greeted his grandmother with a smile, "I'm leaving now, don't wait for me for lunch."
Grandmother waved her hand, didn't look up, and continued knitting her scarf. The rocking chair swayed gently, making a soft creaking sound.
-
Wang Yueling got on the bus and carefully placed the paper bag containing desserts and Japanese sweets on the seat next to her.
I glanced down at the time.
6:30.
His phone screen was lit up. He had sent Yukimura a message that morning, saying that he would take his teammates to the hospital for check-ups today and then come to see him afterward.
[Seishi]: Okay. (A white cat is lying on the pillow.jpg)
Wang Yueling looked at the emoji, rubbed her thumb on the screen twice, and put her phone back in her pocket with a smile.
The traffic in Mehanacho, Tokyo, wasn't too congested on the weekend.
Outside the car window, the cherry blossoms along the street were already a vibrant green, and a few crabapple trees had blossomed, their pink and white petals flitting past the window.
We arrived at Cilang's little villa soon.
Wang Yueling got out of the car carrying a paper bag and immediately spotted the apricot tree at the entrance of the courtyard. Compared to her last visit, the leaves were noticeably larger, with glossy green leaves layered upon each other. The green apricots hidden among the leaves were already the size of coins, round and smooth, with a layer of fine fuzz on their skin, glistening slightly in the morning light.
He stood under the tree and looked at it a few more times.
The apricot tree's shape wasn't like the common varieties on the market; its branches were more spread out, and its leaves were slightly narrower. He couldn't recognize the variety, so he bent down, picked up a leaf that had fallen to the ground, and examined its veins.
The door opened at that moment.
"Ling Jun?"
Cilang's mother stood at the door wearing an apron, a genuine smile on her face. "It really is you. I saw the car parked at the window and wondered who it could be."
Good morning, Auntie.
Wang Yueling straightened up, gave a polite bow, and handed over the paper bag in her hand. "Grandma made some wagashi (Japanese sweets) and asked me to bring them to you to try. I also baked some canelés myself. Please have a look."
"You're too kind to bring so much stuff."
Cilang's mother quickly took the paper bag and stepped aside to let him in. "Come in, come in. Lingjun, you're so thoughtful. Cilang is still sleeping upstairs. I'll go wake him up right away."
"It's okay, no rush."
Wang Yueling changed into slippers and glanced around the living room. On the coffee table was a ball of yarn and a half-knitted sweater. The stitches were different from her grandmother's; it was a denser kind of plain knit.
Cilang's mother noticed his gaze and smiled somewhat embarrassedly, "I was just knitting for fun when I had nothing else to do. The weather has been so unpredictable lately, and Cilang doesn't wear enough clothes when he goes out in the mornings, so I thought I'd knit him a cardigan."
"The plain knit is thick and suitable for wearing in the morning and evening." Wang Yueling sat down on the sofa and took the barley tea handed to her by Cilang's mother.
"You know about this too?" Cilang's mother was a little surprised. She sat down opposite him, picked up the yarn, and continued knitting. "Young people these days rarely touch these things."
"My grandma also loves knitting. Recently, she learned a new type of knitting needle from a neighbor. It's breathable and perfect for wearing in the spring." He gestured to illustrate the general stitching method. Cilang's mother's eyes lit up, and she immediately asked for a few more details.
The two of them started talking about knitting.
Wang Yueling doesn't actually know how to knit, but after watching a lot of knitting, she can say a few words about it, from the thickness of the knitting needles to the material of the yarn, from garter stitch to openwork patterns, and they can chat back and forth.
Cilang's mother became more and more excited as they chatted, and forgot to wake Cilang up, saying repeatedly, "So there's another way to weave like this."
Wang Yueling, holding a cup of barley tea, would chime in at opportune moments, occasionally asking, "Does this pattern require a new needle?" or praising, "Your stitches are so neat."
The atmosphere in the living room was as relaxed and warm as the morning light outside the window.
"By the way, Auntie," he glanced out the window, "what kind of apricot tree is that by the door? Last time I came, it didn't have many leaves, but today the fruit is so big."
Cilang's mother followed his gaze and said, "Oh, that tree is called Hachiro."
"Hachiro?"
"Yes, it's a type of red-skinned apricot, larger than regular apricots, with red skin and yellow flesh."
Cilang's mother became interested in talking about this, and put down her sweater to measure the size. "When it's ripe, it's about the size of a table tennis ball, and it's very sweet. We can pick them in mid-to-late June. Come over then, and we can pick them and eat them fresh. Cilang's father looks forward to this tree bearing fruit every year. Last year, he harvested a whole basketful, and we couldn't finish them all, so we made apricot jam."
Wang Yueling looked out the window at the lush green apricot tree, where unripe little fruits were hidden under the leaves, swaying gently in the wind.
"Okay, I'll definitely come."
After saying that, he smiled and reminded him, "Ci Lang has been training very hard lately, so please prepare some warm milk for him more often, so he can sleep more soundly."
"it is good."
Wang Yueling spoke tactfully and with perfect tact. A few kind words warmed Cilang's mother's heart, and her gaze towards him became even more gentle.
Before they could exchange more than a few words, a series of slow, deliberate footsteps came from upstairs.
With a head of messy, reddish-brown curly hair, Jiro slowly walked down the stairs, holding onto the handrail.
His eyes weren't fully open yet. He yawned widely and mumbled indistinctly, "Mom... what time is it...?"
"It's almost 7:30." Cilang's mother stood up, walked over and smoothed down his raised collar. "Ling Jun is here to pick you up. Go wash your face and change your clothes."
Cilang rubbed his eyes, turned his head and saw Wangyue Ling sitting on the sofa. He was stunned for a second, and then his whole body lit up as if a switch had been flipped.
"Ling!" He shuffled over in his slippers and threw himself at Wang Yueling. "You've come to pick me up! It's the weekend round-robin tournament, I have to hurry..."
He yawned again halfway through his sentence, leaned his head on Wang Yueling's shoulder, and almost fell asleep again.
Wang Yueling reached out and caught the boneless little lamb, straightening him up. "You're not going to school today. Didn't I tell you last time I'd take you to the hospital for a checkup?"
"examine?"
Jiro blinked, looking bewildered for a moment before realizing what he'd said. "Ah...right, you said you'd take me to see a doctor."
"What do you mean by 'seems like'?" Wang Yueling patted the back of his head, the force as light as patting cotton. "Go wash up quickly. I brought you something delicious, you can eat it after you're done."
The words "delicious" are more effective than any alarm clock. Cilang immediately perked up and shuffled off in his slippers to the bathroom to wash up.
Jiro's mother stood to the side, watching the interaction between the two children, her eyes full of smiles. She turned and went to the kitchen to arrange the canelés that Mochizuki Ryo had brought on a plate, and poured a glass of warm milk.
"Ling-jun, thank you so much." Her voice was soft, with a mother's gentleness and solemnity. "Jing-wu told me about you helping me contact the doctor. I really don't know how to thank you enough."
Wang Yueling stood up, placed the teacup on the table, and said in a calm voice, "Auntie, Cilang is my deskmate and also my friend. We just happened to have this resource, so we used it. You don't need to be so polite."
Cilang's mother looked at him, her eyes slightly red, opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she only said, "Good boy."
When Cilang came out of the bathroom, he had changed into casual clothes. He wet his curly hair, combed it back, and revealed a round face.
He walked to the dining table, sat down, picked up a canelé, and took a big bite, his cheeks puffing out like a hamster.
"So delicious!"
He mumbled indistinctly, his eyes narrowed to slits, and popped another one into his mouth. "Ling, everything you make is so delicious! What's this crispy on the outside and soft on the inside?"
Canelé is a type of French dessert.
Wang Yueling sat down opposite him, watching him eat with crumbs all over his mouth, and handed him a tissue, saying, "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."
Seeing the harmonious interaction between the two, Cilang's mother smiled and remarked, "Lingjun is truly capable. He can arrange everything perfectly. He's a tennis coach now, isn't he? Cilang kept talking about it when he came back yesterday."
"I'm just offering some guidance," Mochizuki Ryou said humbly, her gaze fixed on Jiro. "He's very talented, but he needs more attention."
Cilang's mother saw them off at the door, standing under the apricot tree as she watched them get into the car. She waved to the two people inside, her lips moved as if she were saying something.
With the car windows closed, it was hard to hear clearly, but Wang Yueling understood.
She said, "Be careful on the road."
-
Jinjing General Hospital Building.
Mochizuki Ryo led Jiro directly to the medical examination center in the elevator. When the elevator doors opened, he subconsciously glanced at the end of the corridor, which led to the inpatient department, and a few floors above that was the floor where Yukimura's ward was located.
He withdrew his gaze and led Cilang toward the pre-booked consultation room.
The entire morning was meticulously planned out for Cilang. Blood tests, EEG, sleep monitoring data collection—one task after another was performed, and the little lamb, who had initially been cooperative, became listless.
After completing the last examination, Jiro slumped in a chair by the door of the examination room, his head resting on Mochizuki Ryou's shoulder, looking utterly hopeless.
"It's not over yet." Mochizuki Ryo straightened his head. "There's still a consultation to come."
"And another thing..." Jiro wailed, then leaned back onto his shoulder.
Professor Zhang, who was in charge of the consultation, is an authority in the field of sleep disorders in China. After reviewing all the reports, he took off his glasses and said, "It's not a big problem. It's not an organic lesion, but it's related to family history and mental stress. It's unlikely to be completely cured, but it's entirely feasible to alleviate the symptoms through treatment."
"It mainly involves Chinese acupuncture and acupressure, combined with Chinese herbal medicine and regular sleep patterns."
Professor Zhang pointed to the report and explained, "It can reduce the occurrence of sudden deep sleep, improve endurance and physical threshold, and prevent overexertion during high-intensity training in the future."
Cilang listened attentively to the first half, but as soon as he heard the word "acupuncture," he jumped up from his chair.
"Acupuncture? Needles..." He gestured to his arm, his eyes wide, "You mean those long needles that go in? No, no, no!"
As he spoke, he tried to slip out the door.
Wang Yueling reacted quickly, grabbing him by the back of his collar and pulling him back like a kitten, then pressing him back into the chair.
"Why are you running?"
"It will hurt!" Cilang looked at him pitifully, his eyes darting around, and began his cuteness offensive. "Ling, I don't want to get a needle. I can take medicine, even the bitter kind, but a needle..."
Wang Yueling looked down at him, reached out and pressed down his curly hair, which was sticking up, and rubbed it a couple of times. It felt soft to the touch.
He bent down to look Cilang in the eye, his voice soft and gentle, as if coaxing a tantrum-throwing child.
"If you cooperate with the treatment, besides desserts, I'll also help you get a signed photo of Bunta Marui. Not the ordinary kind, but a rare, discontinued one that you can't find on the market."
Jiro's ears visibly perked up. He loosened his grip on Mochizuki Ryou's sleeve, his eyes widened, and his lips moved slightly.
"real?!"
"Really." Wang Yueling's expression couldn't be more sincere.
"Out of print?!"
"Out of print."
The little lamb instantly perked up, straightened its back, and looked fearless: "So what if I get a needle! I'm not afraid!"
Acupuncture is not as scary as Cilang imagined.
The needles were very fine, and Professor Zhang's technique was gentle; when they were inserted, there was only a slight tingling sensation. Cilang closed his eyes and bit his lip, waiting for a long time without experiencing the excruciating pain he had imagined. He secretly opened one eye and saw several thin silver needles inserted into his arm, then blinked.
"It doesn't seem to hurt that much," he said softly.
Wang Yueling was sitting next to him, legs crossed, flipping through a physical examination manual. Hearing this, she didn't look up, but the corners of her mouth curved slightly.
One course of treatment is completed.
Jiro jumped off the treatment bed, stretched his arms, and told Mochizuki Ryou about his feelings with a look of surprise.
"Wow! Ling, I feel like I'm floating, like I'm walking on clouds, and I don't want to sleep at all right now."
Professor Zhang, tidying up the equipment, smiled and said, "This is the immediate effect. Real improvement will require several courses of treatment to see. Dietary adjustments and regular sleep patterns must also be followed; acupuncture alone is not enough."
He handed a densely detailed dietary adjustment plan to Wang Yueling.
Wang Yueling took the paper, glanced at it, folded it, and put it into Cilang's small bag, instructing him to keep it safe and give it to his mother when he got back.
Cilang looked at the exaggerated food chart, his lips pouting so much they could hang an oil bottle, but after glancing at the serious Mochizuki Ryo, he obediently put it away.
The car is still waiting downstairs.
Wang Yueling helped Cilang into the car, then got in herself and instructed the driver to go to Cilang's house first.
The car stopped under the apricot tree. The green apricots were several shades brighter than when we arrived in the morning, almost transparent under the midday sun.
Cilang unbuckled his seatbelt and was about to open the car door when he turned around and grabbed Wangyue Ling's sleeve, looking at him expectantly.
"Ling, I was very good today. I had acupuncture, got my medicine, and collected my diet plan."
His voice was soft and gentle, with a rising intonation at the end. His reddish-brown curly hair looked fluffy in the light streaming through the car window. "Um, Bunta's rare photo..."
Wang Yueling looked at him for three seconds, then took something out of her bag and stuffed it into his hand.
It was a handmade cotton doll.
Red hair, a small tuft of hair on top, wearing Rikkai University's team uniform, small, curved eyes, and a smug smile at the corners of his mouth. The stitches were very dense, even the school badge on the team uniform was hand-embroidered, stitch by stitch with khaki silk thread, the edges so neat as if machine-pressed.
There's also a detachable accessory for a green chewing gum bubble; there's a small magnet on the doll's mouth that will attract it when you get close.
Jiro looked down at the doll in his hand, his whole body frozen as if under a spell. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out; he opened his mouth again, and finally managed to let out a scream.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhh...!"
The sound startled the birds on the nearby telephone pole, causing them to fly away.
"It's Bunta! It's my Bunta doll! You finished it..." He turned the doll over and over, examining it intently without blinking. "The wristband, and his ahoge... the size is perfect! The school badge is exactly the same too! Ling, you're amazing..."
Wang Yueling leaned back in her seat and watched him jump and bounce around while holding the doll, almost hitting the roof of the car. She reached out and pressed his head down to prevent him from actually hitting it.
"Alright, alright, get excited when you get back. Get some rest today, no need to go to school. Be on time for morning training tomorrow."
Cilang nodded vigorously, hugging the doll tightly in his arms, almost as if he were holding some rare treasure. He pushed open the car door and got out, took a few steps and then ran back, pressing his nose against the car window, making a small round disc against the glass.
"Ling, if I continue to behave, will I get even more?"
Wang Yueling lowered the car window and flicked his forehead.
"Let's finish this treatment first, and if you do well..."
Jiro chuckled twice, rubbing his forehead, then turned and skipped back into the house. Through the car window, you could hear him calling out, "Mommy... Mommy, look! The Bunta doll Ling made for me!"
The sound was so loud that the whole building was echoing.
Jiro's mother leaned out of the window and waved to Mochizuki Ryou inside the car, still holding the unfinished ball of yarn in her hand. Mochizuki Ryou nodded to her, rolled up the window, and told the driver to start the car.
As he turned the corner, he glanced at the apricot tree again.
In another month, these unripe little fruits will turn into red apricots the size of billiard balls, hanging heavily on the branches.
When the time comes, I'll come and pick some apricots, choosing the biggest and reddest ones, and chill them in well water.
Seiichi would probably like it.