chapter 24 A Chinese woman who wants to be strong throughout her life

The banging sounds woke up both Susan and William Lin. William Lin's mother realized that her impatience had caused this commotion. She looked embarrassed as she spoke to Susan. "Susan, I didn't mean to be rude. I just saw you sleeping on the sofa and got impatient for a moment," she said apologetically. "You probably haven't slept well. Come to my room and get some more rest." Susan quickly responded, "It's okay, really. I've had enough sleep. I woke up early this morning and dozed off on the sofa after leaving the room." Just then, William Lin opened the bedroom door, looking bewildered. He saw Susan on the sofa and asked, "Why am I sleeping on the bed, and you slept on the sofa?" ... Susan couldn't help but feel exasperated. She thought to herself, "When a door to heaven opens, do you refuse to enter? When there's no door to hell, do you insist on barging in? I can't help you anymore. Even if Jesus came today, he couldn't help you!" William Lin's mother's anger, which had subsided momentarily, flared up again upon hearing Susan's explanation. She immediately grabbed William Lin by the ear. "You let Susan sleep on the sofa? Do you have no consideration for her? You're just like your father, so thoughtless. You let a girl sleep on the sofa!" She continued scolding while reaching for a broom from behind the door. Confused and scolded, William Lin quickly intervened, pulling his mother's hand away from him. He managed to escape and left the house. Hungry and fearing his mother's temper, William Lin returned home, cautiously poking his head in through the door. His mother had returned to her chores. Upon seeing her son, she said, "Come inside! Susan has explained everything." Susan, who was inside, couldn't help but smile at the situation. William Lin, feeling relieved, cautiously entered the house, still unsure why he had ended up sleeping on the bed while Susan slept on the sofa. As he entered, he heard his mother's voice from the yard again. "You, if I had known that you were so tired that you'd fall asleep on the bed, I wouldn't have let you continue with the treatment. Don't you realize how important your health is? I'm not getting any younger, but you're still young. Your health should be your top priority!" Listening to his mother's words, William Lin felt a pang of emotion in his heart. Among all the people in the world, regardless of their age, only parents truly regarded their children as treasures. As for Susan, upon hearing Lin's mother's words, she too fell into deep thought, pondering something unknown... After having lunch, William Lin gave his mother another acupuncture session. After one more session, they could begin the medication. Lin's mother, feeling like she might be disturbing the couple, decided to go for a walk outside. Susan, on the other hand, found herself bored at home and asked William Lin if there were any interesting places to visit, perhaps some scenic spots. William Lin gave Susan a somewhat sarcastic look and then contemplated whether there were any scenic spots in the vicinity. Suddenly, he remembered a mountain that he and his friends used to climb when they were kids. At the top of the mountain, there was a Taoist temple, possibly called "Baiyun Temple." Every time they climbed up, there was an old Taoist monk up there. William Lin vaguely remembered that the old Taoist monk would give them some dry food and water when they arrived. They would always ask questions, but each time, the old Taoist monk would pose the same question to them: "Has the master arrived yet?" And the old Taoist monk would only smile and shake his head, replying, "Still waiting." It all started because one of them had asked the old Taoist monk, "What are you doing here all alone?" The old Taoist monk had answered, "Waiting for the master and my fellow disciples." So, after that, every time William Lin and his friends climbed up, they would wonder if the master had arrived yet. Many years had passed since then, and William Lin had no idea how the old Taoist monk was doing now. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, William Lin said to Susan, "There's actually a place, though it's not a tourist spot. The scenery is beautiful, though. Want to go? But we'll have to hike." Hearing that William Lin had a place to go with beautiful scenery, Susan nodded eagerly. And so, William Lin grabbed two bottles of mineral water and some snacks and set out with Susan. They chatted and laughed along the way, drawing the attention of passersby, appearing like a sweet couple. And that's how they reached the foot of Baiyun Temple. William Lin grinned as he looked at Susan and said, "So, can you handle it?" Susan glanced up at the towering summit, feeling a bit apprehensive, but she put on a brave face and retorted, "Don't underestimate me!" With that, she took the lead in starting the ascent. William Lin couldn't help but exclaim, "Truly, a strong-willed woman from China," and he began his climb as well. In the beginning, Susan was talkative and cheerful, but as they continued, she grew silent to conserve her energy. Finally, Susan couldn't go on any longer. Gasping for breath, she looked at William Lin and said, "I need water!" With a smile, William Lin opened the bottle of mineral water he was holding and handed it to Susan. She took the water and gulped it down eagerly. The brisk flow of water trickled down her chin, through her hair, and onto her clothes. Because the weather was quite hot that day, Susan was dressed lightly. After the water flowed over her, her clothes became nearly transparent, revealing her skin in a tantalizing way. William Lin couldn't help but swallow hard as he watched. Seeing Susan down almost half the bottle of water and still refusing to let go, William Lin hurriedly said, "Drink less, or you might have trouble finding a restroom later!" Hearing his words, Susan's already flushed cheeks reddened even further due to both exhaustion and embarrassment. She looked at William Lin with a coy expression. "I'm not talking to you!" Susan retorted, unable to come up with any other words to counter William Lin, so she resorted to this threat. William Lin awkwardly rubbed his nose, not sure where he had said something wrong again. He had no choice but to follow Susan as they continued their journey. During the hike, William Lin noticed several times when Susan was nearly out of energy. He suggested carrying her up, and after some hesitation, Susan finally accepted his help. And so, this strong-willed Chinese woman, exhausted to the point of almost fainting, ultimately reached Baiyun Temple without accepting much of William Lin's assistance. After a tiring afternoon, Susan stood in front of the abandoned Baiyun Temple, enjoying the refreshing cool breeze. William Lin, on the other hand, gazed at the desolate temple, lost in thought. Had the old Taoist monk waited for his master and fellow disciples? Was the old Taoist monk still alive? Suddenly, Susan spoke up. Feeling the cool breeze, she asked, "William Lin, do you think all parents in the world treat their children like auntie, always considering them as precious treasures?" William Lin was caught off guard by Susan's sudden question. ..