After what felt like an eternity, Xu Ze finally reached the top of the slope. He stopped, balancing on his toes, and took deep breaths of the not-so-fresh roadside air.
Despite his victory, his legs felt like jelly, and his whole body ached. Looking at the remaining 15 kilometers, Xu Ze sighed inwardly. My stamina still isn’t enough. Even after six months of training, I can’t keep up.
Although he had grown accustomed to the weekly long-distance rides, the physical toll was still overwhelming. After all, he had just biked over 40 kilometers from Xingcheng to Liuhe City in an hour and a half.
The bike he was riding was a cheap mountain bike he had bought four years ago during high school. Despite his careful maintenance, it was showing its age.
But Xu Ze couldn’t bring himself to sell it. A new bike would cost at least 400 or 500 yuan, and he couldn’t bring himself to spend that much.
Standing at the top of the slope, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and waited for his breathing to steady. Then he reached for the water bottle on the bike frame, shaking it lightly. Good, there’s still some left. I won’t have to buy more water.
He took a couple of big gulps, finishing the last of the water. Reluctantly, he placed the empty bottle back on the frame. Then he pulled out three neatly wrapped chocolates from his pocket and smiled wryly.
These chocolates were a gift from Zhang Linyun long ago. He had saved a few for moments like this, when he needed an energy boost during his rides. Now, they were a bittersweet reminder of what once was.
He carefully put one chocolate back in his pocket and unwrapped the other two. The rich, sweet aroma made his mouth water. Though the chocolates had softened from being in his pocket, they were still a treat—delicious and energizing.
He chewed slowly, savoring the sweetness as it spread across his tongue before reluctantly swallowing.
His T-shirt clung uncomfortably to his sweaty back. Xu Ze took off his hoodie, tied the sleeves around his neck, and tugged at the T-shirt to let some air in. After shaking out his legs to relax the muscles, he got back on the bike and continued riding.
Using chocolate for energy was indeed a good idea—much better than the milk candies he used to rely on. After riding for a short while, Xu Ze felt his previously weak legs regain some strength, and his whole body felt much lighter. The rest of the journey shouldn’t be too difficult.
The road ahead was smooth, and in less than twenty minutes, the small town came into view. Xu Ze gathered his strength, ready to push through and ride home, when suddenly, he heard the sound of crying coming from a group of people rushing out from the side of the road up ahead.
Squinting, he saw five or six people gathered around an old man carrying a young child on his back, hurrying toward a nearby tricycle motorcycle. An elderly woman and a woman in her thirties were chasing after them, crying and shouting, “My dear Jun, you can’t be gone… If something happens to you, how will your mother and I live?”
Seeing the child lying motionless on the old man’s back, Xu Ze felt a pang of sadness. He sighed softly, thinking, “From the looks of it, it’s probably…” He didn’t finish the thought and continued riding forward.
As he got closer, the old man reached the tricycle and placed the child in the back. He was about to urge the driver to hurry when he glanced at the child, now completely still, and his face turned pale. Trembling, he reached out to check the child’s nose.
Seeing the old man’s actions, the people around him also grew tense. The elderly woman and the younger woman behind them fell silent, covering their mouths, their faces ashen as they waited for the old man’s verdict.
The old man’s fingers trembled as he felt for a breath. Suddenly, his face crumpled, and two streams of tears rolled down his cheeks. He turned to the women behind him, his voice shaking. “Jun… I’m afraid he’s gone…”
“My poor child…” The elderly woman and the younger woman, hearing this, let out a wail before collapsing to the ground, their legs giving way beneath them.
The others looked on with heavy hearts. One of them stepped forward, hesitated, and waved a finger in front of the child’s nose. Then, with a sigh, he nodded in agreement.
The old man wiped his tears and was about to carry the child down from the tricycle when the younger woman suddenly scrambled to her feet. She threw herself onto the child in the back, crying out, “No, no! My little Jun can’t be gone! He can’t!”
She turned to the old man, tears streaming down her face. “Dad, Jun can’t be gone. We have to save him. We have to save him…”
The old man shook his head helplessly, wiping his tears. “Jinhua, Jun isn’t breathing anymore. The hospital is still six or seven miles away. Even if we try, it’s too late.”
“No, Dad, save him, save him… I don’t want him to die!” The woman knew deep down that the child was beyond saving, but she couldn’t accept it. She clung to the child, refusing to let go.
The others watched her with heavy hearts. The sudden loss of a child was something no one could easily come to terms with.
Xu Ze had ridden closer by now. Hearing the woman’s heart-wrenching cries, he sighed inwardly, feeling a deep sense of pity. He was about to continue on his way when someone from the group noticed him.
Seeing Xu Ze pass by, the man’s eyes lit up, and he called out urgently, “Ah Ze, Ah Ze! Don’t go! Come here, quick!”