"Dr. , are there any foods I should avoid with my dition?"

  "I give up hot pot, barbecue, bubble tea, and soda, starting now. No problem. I also start going to bed early and waking up early. No more te nights."

  Zhuang Zi'ang looked early at his attending physi, Dr. Dexiu. He had a sinking feeling that his health was in serious trouble.

  Dr. , in his fifties, with a reg hairline and thick, gold-rimmed gsses, had a wall behind him adorned with tless silk banners. The banners silently attested to his medical expertise and high moral character.

  "No, you eat whatever you want."

  This seemingly simple statement hit Zhuang Zi'ang like a bolt from the blue, deafening him with its implications.

  Dr. handed him a diagnosis report filled with dense medical jargon. In yman's terms, it spelled out a death sentence: a terminal, uable illness.

  "Dr. , how much time do I have left?" Zhuang Zi'ang's voice trembled, fear of death gripping his heart.

  "Three months at most. Try to stay positive. Everyone has to face this day eventually," Dr. sighed, a hint nation in his voice. As a doctor, he had witnessed tless life-ah situations and thought he had bee numb to them. Yet, seeing such a vibrant young man about to be extinguished still pained him deeply. In the face of disease, life seemed sile.

  Clutg the diagnosis report, Zhuang Zi'ahe hospital in a daze. His mind was bnk as he wandered numbly dowreet, bumping into several shared bicycles along the way. At eighteen, in the midst of peach blossom season, his life was already ting down.

  Three months, y days, two thousand one hundred and sixty hours...

  Dr. said three months, but iy, it could be even less. In the blink of an eye, he would have to bid farewell to this world, a reality he was far from prepared for.

  Tears silently streamed down his face. An overwhelming wave of sadness a filled his chest, leaving him at a loss for how to express it.

  Outside the hospital, there was a wholesale market. Zhuang Zi'ang noticed a clothing store dispying a variety of cheap, brightly colored clothes. A loudspeaker outside bred about a clearance sale, selling at a loss, promoting bargain prices. His clothes still carried the pu smell of hospital disiant, and he felt an urgeo take them off and throw them away. It was as if doing so would sever his ties to the hospital and perhaps slow down the relentless march of death.

  But it was nothing more than a pathetic attempt at self-deception.

  "Hey, how much for that shirt?" Zhuang Zi'ang poio a garish floral shirt. It was a riot of colors, like a spilled paint palette. In the hospital, everything was a sterile, sickly white. He now desperately craved more color in his life.

  "Thirty yuan," the shop owner replied, hesitantly adding, "But I don't think this style suits you, kid."

  Zhuang Zi'ang pulled out his money. "It's fine. I like it."

  The garish floral shirt cshed horribly with his schorly demeanor, making him look like a child pying dress-up in adult clothes.

  , Zhuang Zi'ao a bookstore and bought a plete set of The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, a cssic martial arts he five hefty volumes felt heavy in his hands. He stopped by a bubble tea shop and ordered a taro boba, a new spring special.

  Back at school, Zhuang Zi'ang was stopped by the security guard at the gate. Although the school didn't have a striiform policy, they still frowned upon outndish attire. And Zhuang Zi'ang's floral shirt was certainly an eyesore.

  Only after presenting his student ID and a doctor's note signed by his homeroom teacher, and after the guard made a call to firm, was he allowed to enter.

  "Kids these days, dressing like punks. What's the world ing to?"

  As Zhuang Zi'ang walked through the school gates, he heard the security guard's sigh behind him, a wave of sadness washing over him. The guard didn't know that this "punk" student had been ranked first in his grade for two years running and was a city-reized model student and outstanding student leader.

  But to Zhuang Zi'ang, all those accodes were now meaningless. In three months, everything about him would vanish like smoke.

  It was during the break between csses, and the pyground was bustling with noise and activity. Outside Css 9's , a few students were chasing each other around. When Zhuang Zi'ang, looking like a fshy rooster, walked into the , he instantly became the ter of attention.

  "What the hell? Why is he dressed like that?"

  "If the Dean of Students sees him, it's a 3,000-word essay for sure."

  "Zhuang Zi'ang took yesterday off for a doctor's appoi. Judging by his outfit, he must be seriously ill!"

  ...

  Ign his cssmates' bewildered stares, Zhuang Zi'ang walked straight to his seat, took a deep breath, and hahe taro boba to the girl sitting in front of him.

  "Mu Shi, I'm sorry I stood you up yesterday. I bought you bubble tea as an apology."

  Lin Mushi, the school's reigniy, had captivating phoenix eyes and skin as fair as milk. She was every bit the pampered princess. Girls like her were always surrounded by admirers, but she treated most boys with indifference. Only towards Zhuang Zi'ang did she show a softer side.

  Sitting close to each other day in and day out, they had formed a pure and precious friendship. Lin Mushi had asked Zhuang Zi'ang to go see a newly released movie with her yesterday, but he had to reschedule because of his doctor's appoi.

  "Why didn't you reply to my messages?" Lin Mushi demanded.

  Zhuang Zi'ang pulled out his phone and saw several unread messages, three of which were from Lin Mushi.

  "Zhuang Zi'ang, I heard from Li Huangxuan that you took a day off to go to the hospital."

  "Are you okay? We see the movie aime."

  "If you don't reply, I'm going to ignore you."

  Despite the g nature of her messages, there was a hint of her usual feigned indifferen them.

  Zhuang Zi'ang's ung, and he nearly broke down in tears. He tried his best to suppress his sorrow. "Mu Shi, I'm fine. If you drink this bubble tea, it means you five me, okay?"

  Lin Mushi, after a moment of hesitation, took a sip of the bubble tea, her phoenix eyes fixed on him. The drink was smooth, sweet, and refreshing.

  "I'm only drinking this because I'm thirsty. It doesn't mean I five you."

  Zhuang Zi'ang forced a bitter smile, the effort visible on his face.

  Just then, a tall, nky boy walked in and plopped down in the seat o Zhuang Zi'ang, his voice loud and boisterous.

  "Son, what the hell are you wearing? Are y to get yourself skinned alive by Old Zhang?"

  Li Huangxuan, Zhuang Zi'ang's deskmate a friend, jokingly referred to each other as father and son. When he saw Zhuang Zi'ang's floral shirt, he thought he was seeing things.

  Zhuang Zi'ang, the css president and model student, was always well-behaved and followed the rules. He was the teacher's most trusted student. Yet today, he was stirring up trouble by wearing such bizarre clothes.

  "Son, I went to the hospital a like a ge of pace," Zhuang Zi'ang expirying to sound casual.

  "Not bad, good taste. Now, if you add a big gold around your neck, you'll really have the look down," Li Huangxuan teased with a ugh.

  "Here, this is for you." Zhuang Zi'ang pced the set of The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils heavily on Li Huangxuan's desk.

  Li Huangxuan was a huge martial arts fan and often snu some light reading during css. He was overjoyed to receive this gift.

  He slung an arm around Zhuang Zi'ang's shoulders. "Son, you're too kind. Did you witery or something?"

  Zhuang Zi'ang came up with a me excuse. "Well, your birthday is i months, right?"

  Lin Mushi burst out ughing, her full chest heaving with mirth.

  Looking at his two dearest friends, Zhuang Zi'ang screamed silently in his heart: I'm going to miss you both so much!