Chapter 21
288 Vouchers
I left the research institute after twelve years.
The drug development had been a complete success, and the specific drug for heart failure had been approved to start selling at a low price.
I attended the launch event with a bunch of my colleagues
and seniors.
Many patients with heart failure problems and their families spontaneously came to the venue, weeping emotionally while thanking us.
It happened to be December 1st, the day my parents died in the lab.
All of a sudden, I had the illusion that time had gone back and changed their ending.
Memories came flooding back to me; that night many years ago, my mom held me in her arms and said softly.
“If we speed up, those heart patients can get the new, cheaper medicine before Christmas. It’ll be a New Year they’ll never forget.”
Back then, I only had a shallow understanding of a lot of things.
So, I was baffled by the mixed emotions in her teary eyes. There seemed to be passion and hope.
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She said gently, “There are so many patients in this world who choose to give up their lives because of poverty and the high cost of medicine.
“For every dollar the price of a drug goes down, one more patient may have a chance to live.
“Grace, it’s what your dad and I want.”
They died abruptly just like that before their dream came true.
And now, I finally did it for them.
Would they finally be able to rest in peace?
I accepted bouquets from patients and was interviewed by reporters who came in flocks.
Amidst the crowd, I suddenly met a pair of familiar eyes.
Ruben and Mason were standing on the other side of the big crowd.
It had been twelve years; like me, they had grown old.
Now that I came to think of it, they were both over forty now.
There were fine lines on Mason’s forehead, and he looked haggard and tired.
Ruben, though he was only forty–two years old, there was already gray hair at his temples.
I met their eyes, and for a moment, I even felt like a lifetime
away.
Ruben skipped classes to attend the parent–teacher
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conference for me, and Mason stepped on a stool to cook for
- me.
And I, back then, was naughty and unruly under their protection.
We had all grown old.
They tugged at the corners of their mouths, trying to smile at me, but it seemed they were about to cry.
After twelve years, they looked at me intently from afar.
Yet neither of them took a step toward me.
I smiled at them, feeling nothing but calm.
Those twelve years didn’t obliterate my resentment and hatred.
It was just that I had learned to let go.
At the end of the launch event, I left with my colleagues and seniors.
Suddenly, a male voice rang out behind me, sounding husky and eager. “Grace…”
