ISBH - Chapter 33
Chapter 33: Discharged from the Hospital
Knocking sounded outside the door again.
It had been almost two months since Sister disappeared.
People telling Mo Sheng to move out soon had come in many waves, and the day of the demolition drew closer and closer.
Mo Sheng did not dare leave this house. She was afraid Sister would come back and not be able to find her.
Mo Sheng wished even more that all of this was only a dream, so that when she woke she could still see Sister.
The knocking stopped.
Light filtered in through the window lattice. Mo Sheng opened her eyes and glanced toward the head of the bed, then pulled the quilt over her head, planning to sink back into deep sweet sleep.
Last night she had dreamed of Sister. Sister had come back, tapping her on the forehead and saying she had been bad and had not eaten properly at all during this time...
Yet after waking, that sculpture still sat alone at the head of the bed, with nothing unusual about it.
Mo Sheng tightened the quilt around herself. She had never felt this house so empty...
No one smiled at her anymore, no one brought her a glass of milk with such care, stroked her head and gently called her 'Mo Sheng', pulling her out of the deepest mire...
Was she too greedy?
Wishes were supposed to stay hidden in her heart, yet that day she had insisted on speaking hers aloud to Sister.
So Heaven was punishing her by taking Sister away.
Perhaps she had never deserved happiness from birth.
But couldn't she be pitied just once, and have Sister returned to her?
After returning, Mo Sheng prayed day and night that she would be obedient from now on and try her best to be the most well behaved little sister, and never harbor any other thoughts again.
As long as she could see Sister, as long as she could stay with Sister, she was willing to pay any price...
Yet everything proved this was Mo Sheng's extravagant hope.
Her mother was gone, her father was dead, Sister was gone, and the house would soon be torn down. She had nothing left...
That feeling like drowning surged over her heart again. All around was darkness, and between heaven and earth she could hear only her own wailing...
...
Mo Sang felt a sharp pang in her heart, her nails digging hard into her palms as her eyes flew open.
Another nightmare. Once again she had dreamed of what she went through at eighteen.
The humble young girl was filled with blame, guilt, hatred and pain, wishing she could vanish together with the Sister she loved.
Clinging to a last shred of hope, she took part in a talent show. Though her College Entrance Exam scores ranked first in the city, she unexpectedly applied to the instrument research department of the Music Academy, then transferred to the musicology department while in school, and went through debut, group formation, going solo, film and television...
Because Mo Sang was one of the victims in the case of the assaulted young girl, the police wiped away every trace to protect her.
So, following the persona created by the company, Mo Sang became the most outstanding idol, raised in a wealthy family with a smooth and easy upbringing.
Just as she had planned, Mo Sang climbed step by step until she finally became a dazzling star in the entertainment industry, holding the humblest wish in her arms and thinking only that if Sister ever came back, the very first thing she saw would be her...
Everyone loved Mo Sang's beautiful young face and her mysterious languid voice, yet no one knew that all these years this young and outstanding idol had been waiting for one person, the woman who had seen her at her most wretched and helpless, pulled her from the mire and given her strength!
Yet as year after year passed, Mo Sang grew more despairing with each day, and she began to think she would never see her again.
Even if she had become the star for so many people, what use was it?
The person she most wanted to see could not see her light at all, or perhaps that person had never cared about her...
...
In despair, Mo Sang began to resort to every unconventional means.
Even if Sister had gone to hell, she still meant to drag her back!
Mo Sang funded a great deal of vague and insubstantial research, and everyone who knew what she was doing said she had gone mad.
Even Mo Sang herself thought she had gone mad.
Did the woman she held at the tip of her heart truly exist? Or was she only a phantom bred from boundless loneliness?
...
She hated the woman who had so gently made her call her 'Sister', and hated herself even more for letting that woman steal her heart so easily.
But compared with hate, she missed her more.
All these years, she could not forget, yet there was never an echo...
Mo Sang had never expected cruel fate to open a sliver of starlight for her just as she reached a dead end.
Backstage at a concert, in one startling glimpse, she saw a person.
The heart she had thought long dead began to beat again in that instant. Trembling all over and biting her lower lip hard, Mo Sang, who dared face millions of spectators, felt timid for the first time and hardly dared appear beside that person, so she could only beg Li Ai to find some way to keep her there...
That person finally appeared in her life!
Warm, and in a form everyone could see.
Smiling brightly and wearing a mask, she blended in among millions of fans and happily called out to her, "Mo Sang, Cub..."
Standing on the brilliantly lit stage, Mo Sang looked at the person Li Ai had placed in an excellent seat, and amid her joy she felt only bitter irony.
She had searched for her all these years. How could she appear so naturally beneath the stands?
Did she know she had nearly driven her mad?
...
Yet for all the tangled feelings in her heart, once on stage Mo Sang could not help performing at her very best.
Under the gaze of countless fans, Mo Sang sang a love song.
This was the song the hopeful little girl at eighteen had wanted to sing for the Sister she loved.
That summer, the little girl had written this song with an extremely excited heart, pouring all her nervous and urgent feelings into the lyrics. She had wanted to spend her whole life with Sister and had planned a romantic confession, yet what came was a separation lasting five years...
This song came five years late, yet still she sang it for her amid the sea of people.
Just as in her teens, when the little girl had learned her first song and joyfully played the guitar, singing it for Sister with nervous delight in that home which had already been leveled to the ground...
She had never changed. But what about Sister?
After the concert ended, Mo Sang felt a nervousness like never before. She felt ashamed of her own reaction and deeply embarrassed. She was clearly the one who had been abandoned for five years, yet she still could not let her go, and did not even know what face to show when meeting her...
Mo Sang lingered for a long time before finally mustering the courage to enter the backstage dressing room, only to find a drunken Sister waiting for her.
Mo Sang did not know how to face Sister and did not want to talk with a drunkard, so feeling an inexplicable relief, she took Sister to a hotel to rest.
After bringing Sister to the hotel, Mo Sang could not help studying her closely. Porcelain white skin, crimson lips, gentle brows and eyes... Except for clothes different from the Sister she had known, even the tiny red mole on her ear was exactly the same...
Mo Sang was utterly certain this was her Sister.
She had a heartbeat now, and she could even breathe!
And at that moment, Sister woke up.
Mo Sang had originally had so much to say.
She wanted to accuse her of cruelty, to ask where she had gone and why she had abandoned her, and to know whether she had gone to see that star she loved...
Yet Mo Sang had never imagined she would not remember.
The look Sister gave her was both familiar and strange.
Mo Sang had seen this look in the eyes of many fans, but this should not have been Sister's look.
"Are you lying to me? Are you trying to run away again..."
How could she not remember?
Mo Sang pinned Han Tian by the waist onto the bed, feeling that these five years of hers had been nothing but a joke.
It was as if she had been pouring all her strength into a one-woman show while her only audience had long since left.
...
Before she knew it, Mo Sang's face was covered in tears. She wiped them away fiercely, and the sweeping shame and anger made her want to pull away. Just as she was about to leave, she never expected Sister to suddenly lean in and kiss her with a tender aching look...
What followed was beyond Mo Sang's control.
Since her teens she had dreamed dreams about Sister, yet she never thought they would all come true on the day they reunited.
But Sister still ran away!
Even though the two of them now shared such a deep bond...
And Li Ai insisted on telling her that she could not have any connection with Sister, saying Sister was a most famous scientist who had only returned to the country five years ago and had always been abroad before that...
Mo Sang no longer wanted to recall whether everything in the past had been her hallucination or had truly happened!
In any case, a Sister truly existed in this world, and now this woman had appeared in her life, so even if it took everything she had, Mo Sang would bind her to her side.
So what if she had lost her memories?
She had changed from Mo Sheng to Mo Sang, and Sister had changed from an illusory form no one but her could see into Han Tian.
Perhaps this was fate, decreeing they were born to be together!
Mo Sang used every trick she knew to cling to her.
Li Ai had witnessed Mo Sang's madness over these years. Seeing she could not dissuade her, she could only help her in secret with every means she had. Li Ai made up a story about an ex-girlfriend, and Mo Sang did not stop her...
She understood Han Tian's character so well and knew once this reason was spoken, Han Tian would surely agree.
Just as Mo Sang expected, Sister yielded half willingly and still ended up together with her.
After so many years, Sister was still so kind and easy to fool!
The more Mo Sang spent time with Han Tian, the more certain she became that Han Tian was her Sister!
Han Tian's little gestures when nervous, her food preferences, and even the way she later looked at her were exactly the same as the way Sister had looked at her...
Yet... she truly did not remember her.
What on earth had happened?
Mo Sang felt joy, and even more fear. She feared all of this was a dream and she would lose Sister again.
Mo Sang never thought it would all come so fast. She never thought she would one day see again that sculpture she had thrown away long ago, much less that she would lose Sister again!
...
This was already the fifth day!
Ever since Han Tian left in the rain that day, Mo Sang had been unable to reach her for five days.
At first Mo Sang thought Han Tian was angry with her. She changed countless mobile phones to call Han Tian yet never got through. Only later did Mo Sang notice something wrong. The Research Institute where Han Tian worked had suddenly been placed under lockdown.
Mo Sang contacted the Research Institute under the pretense of being Han Tian's good friend, but the Research Institute was evasive with her.
Mo Sang became even more certain something had happened to Han Tian.
But what could have happened?
Mo Sang remembered Han Tian had left carrying that sculpture.
Was Sister thinking of abandoning her again?
...
For these five days Mo Sang had not slept a moment. The instant she closed her eyes, the image of Sister's angry face that day floated before her.
She should never have let her go.
Even if she had to tie her up, she should have kept her bound beside her...
Today Mo Sang had only managed a brief nap with the help of sleeping pills, yet when she woke and checked the time, she had slept less than two hours.
Now Mo Sang felt no sleepiness at all.
She walked to the window and lit a cigarette, opening the photo album with her other hand and a cold look in her eyes.
The album was full of photos of Han Tian.
In recent days she had collected countless photos of Han Tian. Han Tian receiving awards, Han Tian smiling, Han Tian sleeping...
Mo Sang's fingers gently traced Han Tian's cheek on the screen, a flicker of madness crossing her eyes.
Since the Research Institute would say nothing, Mo Sang would have to find Han Tian in her own way!
So what if she turned the Research Institute upside down and ruined her own reputation. She had gone mad long ago!
...
Just then the phone rang. It was Li Ai calling.
"Mo Sang, you can't act on impulse!" Li Ai's voice on the receiver was extremely anxious. "I've won an opportunity for you."
Li Ai and Mo Sang had known each other for a long time. She knew Mo Sang was mature beyond her years, and that few in the entertainment industry could avoid being dazzled by its glamour, yet Mo Sang was an exception. Li Ai even felt nothing in the entertainment industry could make Mo Sang linger. She had entered it only because of that woman from her fantasies.
Li Ai had never thought the woman she assumed was illusory would truly become a living person. After spending these years with Mo Sang, she understood all too well how much Han Tian weighed in Mo Sang's heart.
If Han Tian disappeared again, Li Ai knew Mo Sang would truly go mad!
So Li Ai exhausted every connection she had to negotiate with the Research Institute, and finally secured a slot for Mo Sang to enter the Research Institute tomorrow.
"Professor Han's research project involves classified information, so the Research Institute is in a difficult position. Tomorrow they'll send someone to explain to you exactly what happened, but before you go in you must sign a series of agreements..."
"All right!"
After a long while, Mo Sang finally spoke softly, pressing down the frenzied thoughts surging in her heart.
She hung up the phone, stubbed out the cigarette in her hand, and poured herself another glass of wine.
The wine tasted bitter.
In this life of hers, there had rarely been a time that was not bitter.
Han Tian was that rare sweetness she could taste in this bitter life.
Even if it cost her life, she would keep that sweetness by her side.
...
She did not know how long had passed when the doorbell rang. Mo Sang opened the door and was about to go out with Li Ai when Li Ai turned back and gave her a helpless look.
"My dear lady, you're going out just like that in your pajamas?"
"Even without makeup you look beautiful, but today you're going to meet Professor Han's colleagues. Is this the impression you plan to leave on them..." Li Ai sighed inwardly.
She knew Mo Sang was extremely anxious now. Telling her directly to change would be useless, so she could only hint at it sideways.
Mo Sang hesitated a moment, then quickly went upstairs to change, even putting on light makeup.
Sure enough, only by bringing up Professor Han would this girl become obedient.
Almost the moment the Research Institute opened, Mo Sang arrived at its gates right on time.
Mo Sang took the certificate issued by the Research Institute leaders, signed a series of confidentiality agreements, and entered the Research Institute.
The reception staff member glanced at Mo Sang again and again, and finally could not help asking aloud, "Are you really Mo Sang? Could you give me an autograph later?"
Mo Sang's eyes darkened. She blinked and revealed a smile. "Of course."
Seeing how approachable Mo Sang was, the staff member immediately smiled, thinking he must tell Mo Sang a little more of the hidden details later.
Yet remembering why this popular star had come, the staff member frowned in difficulty.
This popular star had taken an unyielding stance and insisted on tracking down Professor Han's whereabouts, which clearly showed a deep connection with Professor Han. Strictly speaking, the Research Institute bore great responsibility in Professor Han's matter...
As the staff member led Mo Sang through layer after layer of checkpoints, he explained Han Tian's situation to her.
"Please calm down and listen to me first. Professor Han has been in charge of a classified project within the Research Institute, and that's why we sealed off the news."
"Five days ago the project Professor Han led hit a bottleneck. Everyone in the Research Institute had left at the time, and no one expected Professor Han's apprentice Shang Yan to harbor evil intentions..."
"We checked the surveillance. It shows only Professor Han entering with no record of leaving, while the fingerprint check-in records show only Professor Han and her Assistant Shang Yan were in the research wing at the time..." Seeing Mo Sang's furrowed brow, the staff member deliberately concealed the fact that Shang Yan had been assigned to Han Tian as an assistant by the Research Institute.
"Professor Han is modest and never competes with others, and Shang Yan usually showed the utmost respect for Professor Han. No one thought he could harbor such ambition. Because Professor Han's research results were imminent and Shang Yan knew the research best apart from Professor Han, Shang Yan was momentarily possessed and tried to push Professor Han into the machine to fake an accidental death, yet he never expected Professor Han to suddenly vanish as she fell into the machine..."
"Missing?"
Mo Sang frowned tightly and glanced at the staff member.
The staff member sighed. "Yes, missing."
"Yesterday Shang Yan confessed everything and admitted he pushed Professor Han while momentarily possessed. But when he pushed Professor Han into the machine, a white light suddenly appeared, and Professor Han vanished right after! His plan could only come to nothing. He suspects her disappearance happened because the experiment had already succeeded and Professor Han had time-traveled to an unknown spacetime..."
"But now no one can say for sure whether Professor Han fell into some spacetime rift or Shang Yan is lying..."
Time travel?
Mo Sang narrowed her eyes, feeling as if something suddenly flashed across her heart.
"You may find this strange," the staff member scratched his head, pride creeping into his voice despite himself. "But Professor Han is the genius of our Research Institute. She has the ability to create miracles..."
Yet thinking that such a brilliant Professor Han was now missing and her fate unknown because of Shang Yan's jealousy, the staff member lowered his head.
Feeling defeated, he swiped a key card at the door of a sealed room, then looked back at Mo Sang. "Professor Han disappeared in this very room before. We have searched everywhere..."
The door opened to reveal the layout inside. The researcher led Mo Sang in. "Strictly speaking, core technology like this can't be shown to you, but we believe no one in this world besides Professor Han could understand the principles behind it..."
So Sister was so respected in her field? Then where was she now?
Mo Sang nearly exhausted all her self control to hold back the grief and panic in her heart.
The staff member could not help turning to glance at this young popular star.
Yet he saw the star suddenly widen her eyes and stare blankly straight ahead.
Seeing Mo Sang's expression, the staff member also realized what was happening and immediately turned around.
Before the staff member's widening eyes, the machine Han Tian had researched suddenly emitted a burst of white light!
And when the white light faded, Professor Han, for whom everyone had been frantically searching during this time, slowly appeared inside the machine!
"Ms. Mo, you can't touch Professor Han right now. Please cooperate with our work..." The staff member blocked Mo Sang as she tried to rush forward to hold Han Tian, while excitedly calling the leaders...
Looking at the unconscious Han Tian, Mo Sang clenched her fists.
And under Mo Sang's gaze, a small black sculpture of a little girl by Han Tian's hand slowly vanished into the air, as if it had never existed at all...
When Han Tian woke up, a whole day had already passed.
Above her was a white ceiling, and around her the smell of disinfectant...
She could smell again?
Han Tian froze, then raised her hand and glanced at the hospital gown she wore, realizing she was now in a hospital.
What was happening now?
...
Just a moment ago she had been risking her life to protect Mo Sheng among the ruins, her body still aching with pain like needles, and before she could properly say goodbye to Mo Sheng, Han Tian had never expected to leave so abruptly at that moment.
...
As soon as Han Tian woke, doctors and nurses rushed over...
What followed was several days of examinations and data reports to the Research Institute.
Han Tian had not expected that five years spent in the past amounted to only five days in the future.
It was only then that Han Tian suddenly understood why Mo Runsheng had stressed to Mo Sheng back then that she must wait five years for him!
If Han Tian guessed correctly, that sculpture of the little girl was the medium for time travel.
This sculpture had a set limit and would automatically return after five years...
Han Tian vaguely recalled that when she first met Mo Sheng it had also been early June, so she had left Mo Sheng on that same day five years later.
...
After waking, Han Tian searched the entire Research Institute yet could not find any trace of that sculpture...
Han Tian also learned that nothing in the future had changed. Mo Sheng had still walked the old path to becoming an idol, and Mo Sheng had still become Mo Sang.
What exactly had happened after she left? Mo Sheng's grades had been so good. Why apply to the Music Academy?
What about Mo Sheng's boyfriend?
When Mo Sheng found her, why had she said that Han Tian was her ex-girlfriend?
A vague guess formed in Han Tian's heart, but she dared not admit it, much less knew what face to show the present Mo Sang.
...
Just then there was a pile of matters to handle, so after leaving the hospital Han Tian simply stayed in the Research Institute all day.
After long consideration, Han Tian told the Research Institute the truth that she had returned to ten years ago through time travel, yet she concealed the fact that Mo Sang had been able to see her.
After what happened with Shang Yan, Han Tian understood how terrifying the human heart could be. Now that sculpture was gone, Han Tian feared people with ulterior motives would target Mo Sang, so she could only hide this part of her experience to protect Mo Sang...
And Han Tian also halted research into the related theory of time and space.
She knew if she searched seriously, she would very likely find that kind of medium. In this field she had already succeeded ninety nine percent and was only one final step away.
But Han Tian did not want to take that step, nor did she want to become another Mo Runsheng.
In any case, during those five years she had thought of many other topics and stored them in her drafts. After finishing the report on this research, she could turn to other directions.
After finishing the theory on time and space research, Han Tian logged into the email account she had registered when she was with Mo Sheng, yet for some reason the system repeatedly said the password was wrong...
Han Tian had to set aside her new research for the moment and walked out of the Research Institute...
Just as she reached the underground parking garage, a car drove in from above...
The car stopped beside Han Tian. The window rolled down to reveal a breathtakingly beautiful face.
The girl who in Han Tian's memory had looked at her with a sweet smile not long ago had become a dazzling beauty. The beauty removed her sunglasses, glanced at the stunned Han Tian, curled one corner of her red lips, and said with a mocking glint in her eyes, "Good morning, Professor Han!"
Mo Sang pushed open the car door and walked slowly to stand before Han Tian, lowering her head to stare into Han Tian's evasive eyes with a cold laugh. "Sister really has no conscience! You stayed in the Research Institute every day during this time, and even after coming out you avoided me. Pity me, your one-night stand partner who has been foolishly waiting for you..."
...
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