At another end of the night, Shimizu Tetsu sat in the back of the taxi and raised his eyebrows slightly in front of the text on his phone.

"Sorry, I may not be able to give you a gift."

What does it mean? Could it be...what happened during that time just now?

Considering a little, Shimizuki moved his fingers and planned to ask about the specific situation. However, the moment his fingertips touched the screen, the phone suddenly vibrated, and the call prompt picture also overshadowed the chat interface, and his fingers fell on the answer button.

Looking at the words "Professor Takahashi" marked in the center of the screen, Shimizu Tetsu decided to answer the phone first.

"Hey, Teacher Takahashi...what?! Shuntiantang University Affiliated Hospital? Okay, I'll come right away!"

The thoughts were occupied by the vague descriptions on the phone, and Shimizu Tsuki temporarily forgot about the reply to Mai Shiraishi.

-----

"teacher!"

After getting off the taxi, Shimizu Tetsu saw Professor Takahashi Toshio who was waiting in front of the hospital building. He was wearing a thick long windbreaker, gray hair was a little messy, but his waist was straight, and he looked energetic, completely different from the words described in the previous phone call.

Shimizu Tsuki couldn't help but wonder: "Teacher, you... aren't it?"

Takahashi Toshio, who was opposite, was also stunned, then came to his senses and waved his hand and said, "It's not me. The signal in the corridor was not good before, so I didn't say it clearly. The one who was hospitalized was Junichisan Watanabe. I came to visit today, and he suddenly asked to see you. He originally called to ask when you were free, but he didn't expect to misunderstand."

"That's how..."

Seeing that it wasn't that my teacher was hospitalized, Shimizu Tetsu also breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed. However, he was puzzled: At this time, Junichi Watanabe proposed to meet him, why?

There is no clue, and there is no way to start speculating.

Shimizu Tetsuki looked at the light leaking from the hospital hall and asked, "Since you have arrived... Is it appropriate to visit Watanabe San now?"

"No problem, he is waiting, I'll go up with you."

"Okay," Kiyoshi Shimizu nodded, and asked again before taking a step: "By the way, why is Watanabe San hospitalized?"

"Cancer," Professor Takahashi paused and spit out another word, "latest stage."

-----

Taking the elevator upstairs and passing through the empty corridor, Shimizu Tetsu followed Professor Takahashi and walked into a single ward. After greeting the nurse who took the initiative, his eyes turned to the old man leaning on the bed.

He leaned against the pillow, his eyes closed, his cheeks were sunken, his dull skin was covered with irregular markings, and he curled up, so thin that he was the size of a monkey. Although his skinny and bone-skinned chest was undulating in front of him, he had reached the point where he needed oxygen tubes to maintain his breathing. Compared to when he visited him half a year ago, he was completely different.

Just watching quietly, Shimizu Tetsu realized the feeling of life passing by.

He turned his head to look at Professor Takahashi next to him, and wanted to ask if he should come again another day, but the person on the bed suddenly opened his eyes and said hoarsely: "Boy Kiyomizu, please stop your eyes. At my age, no matter what happens, it is no surprise."

Listening to his voice was quite energetic, Shimizu Tetsu felt the heaviness in his heart faded a little, looked away, nodded and said, "Yes, Watanabe San."

"Well, you guys, sit."

He pulled out two chairs and placed them on both sides of the hospital bed. As soon as Shimizu Tetsu sat down, he heard the person on the hospital bed say, "Kid Shimizu, do you know why I want to see you?"

"It should be...not for missing me, right?"

"You know a little bit about yourself, cough, cough," said Junichi Watanabe who was used to coughing a few times. "Since I was hospitalized, although I had no contact with the outside world, there was always someone who mentioned the good things you did to me when visiting the disease, saying yes, and hoped that I could come forward to criticize you. Do you have anything to say about this?"

"I just wrote it."

"Hmph, just... I remember reminding you half a year ago that as a writer, you should not participate in the world of politics."

"This is indeed the case. However, Watanabe San, I don't think the Fukushima accident that affects tens of millions of people should be a political bargaining chip for Nagata-cho to collude with interests."

"Don't you think...this is something you can decide!"

Although he was still in a weak and hoarse tone, Junichi Watanabe's turbid eyes suddenly became sharp.

"You just don't know your fate. Takahashi is here too. Come on and tell your favorite disciples what the fate will be if a writer participates in politics."

Unexpectedly, he suddenly turned to himself, Professor Takahashi looked embarrassed: "There is no need for this..."

"Don't bother the teacher," Shimizu Tetsuki interjected, "I know this."

"Oh?" Jun Watanabe rolled his eyes, "Then let's talk about it."

"Teacher, I'm rude," said Professor Takahashi who was surprised and bowed slightly behind him, and Shimizu Tetsu said: "Because I accidentally heard someone mention it before, I found some reports from that year. About thirty years ago, Mr. Takahashi had just graduated from college, and because the books he wrote in succession were very popular, he became one of the most anticipated new stars in the literary world."

"At that time, the country was discussing whether state-owned railways should be privatized. Not only within the national railway, but also the ruling factions and opposition factions in the parliament also faced an opposition. The ruling factions proposed that to repay the huge debts borne by the national railway, the national railway system should be split and sold; the opposition factions accused this move by someone to make profits from it and attack the union forces in the national railway."

"Just when the two sides were quarreling, Takahashi wrote an article, pointing out that the sale of the National Railway will not solve the debt problem at all, and will make the railways in remote areas such as Hokkaido unable to maintain and eventually have to be abandoned. At the same time, it also said that the internal problems of the National Railway are serious and the operating costs remain high, so it must be completely reformed."

"As soon as this article was published, it offended the two factions at the same time, and attracted public criticism from several literary giants, so that, "Qimizu paused, looked at Professor Takahashi's expression opposite, and continued, "so much so that he had to give up writing and sought a teaching position in Waseda to engage in literary history research. This is probably the case."

"It seems you're pretty clear," Junichi Watanabe waved his thin hands in the air, clapping, "Do you think you're different? Or are you planning to give up literature?"

"I didn't give up on the idea of ​​writing." Shimizu Tetsu responded in a deep voice.

"Then don't participate in this matter anymore," Junichi Watanabe decisively. "As a writer, it's enough to pay attention to culture and social atmosphere. As for irrelevant things, you should avoid them far."

Shimizuki disagreed with his words.

"Watanabe San, although the responsibility of a writer is to develop literature and guide the atmosphere, Tokendian and Nagata Town only know how to shirke responsibility in such a big incident in the Fukushima accident. They just do their best to guide them, and will not be much better. No matter when, the person who makes mistakes must be punished as they deserve."

"Who do you want to punish?" Junichi Watanabe stared at his eyes, "The clan behind Nagatacho and the chaebol behind Tokten, are the people who really control this country. Punish them? Just a young boy? Humph! Destroy yourself."

"Did Watanabe San think so?" Shimizu Tetsuya went right, "As you are right, the clans and chaebols control this country, but it does not mean that they are invincible. Otherwise, why would they have to spend all their efforts to sell the national railway and attack the trade union? After all, they are still afraid!"

"you…"

Junichi Watanabe sat up from the bed, and Shimizu Tetsu also stood up. Just as the atmosphere became more and more tense, the door of the ward was pushed open, and the young nurse before entered with the medicine box.

"The visiting time has passed, and the patient needs to rest. Please go back first."

"snort!"

Jun Watanabe glanced at Shimizu Tetsu, then wrapped himself in a quilt and lay down, never saying a word again.
Chapter completed!