What underlying messages did you miss at the time?

My mom has had a best friend for over 20 years. I’m not really sure how to describe their relationship—it’s not close to the point of being inseparable, and they aren’t like sisters, but one phone call, a simple greeting, and they can chat about family matters for hours.

Every time they’re on the phone, my siblings and I always check the kitchen to see if something’s cooking, because, without fail, the pot would burn every time!

Just this morning, while I was still half-asleep, a phone call woke me up. It was from that auntie. She’s the only one whose call I wouldn’t dare answer with a bad attitude, even if I was woken up. She’s a kind-hearted person, and to be honest, she’s always been really good to me.

Coincidentally, my mom had just returned, so I handed the phone to her. After a few words, they hung up.

When I came out of the bathroom, I casually asked, “What’s up with Auntie Gu? You two not gossiping about everything under the sun today?”

My mom just replied, “Nah, not much.” I didn’t think too much of it and went back to bed. But something felt off—I couldn’t sleep. Auntie Gu was always so proud and self-assured.

Her daughter was an agent for a well-known brand in East China, and her son was a planner for a tech company. She herself had retired from a government job and owned several properties, both in the city and the suburbs. Even when she was polite, she had that unmistakable aura of a lady of status.

Why would she call just to complain about a stomach ache? Something wasn’t right.

I got up and said to my mom, “Mom, something’s wrong with Auntie Gu.”

My mom, while wrapping dumplings, was surprised. “Don’t overthink it. Her family’s doing well, she has nothing to worry about. It’s probably just indigestion from overeating. People from our generation all have this issue, we suffered from food shortages during the Great Famine.”

I ignored her and called Auntie Gu’s home directly. No one answered.

At that moment, I knew something was definitely wrong. I called her cell and asked, “Auntie, which hospital are you in?”

There was a brief silence on the other end before she replied, “I’m at Renji Hospital, but you don’t need to come. I’ll be home soon.”

I immediately told my mom to stop making dumplings, had my sister take over, and drove my mom straight to the hospital.

Sure enough, we found Auntie Gu all alone. The moment she saw my mom, she started crying.

My mom, with her loud voice, scolded her from head to toe: “Why didn’t you just say something? Are we still friends or not?” She kept on berating her.

But Auntie Gu, who would normally argue back with my mom like they were happy rivals, just held my mom’s hand, crying and laughing at the same time.

I quietly left.

Later, my mom told me that both of Auntie Gu’s children were out of town on business and couldn’t come back. She had dragged herself to the hospital at dawn, alone, for emergency care. (Her husband had died of liver cancer, the same illness my father had.) She had been fine until she saw all the other patients in the ward being cared for by their children or with their spouses. It became too much for her, and she called my mom but didn’t know how to ask for help. She felt embarrassed to ask someone to come sit with her.

Later, my mom told me, “Auntie Gu wants me to thank you.”

Honestly, there’s no grand lesson from this. I just feel that sometimes, when it comes to your friends, you don’t need to send messages on holidays, and you don’t always have to check in with phone calls.

But when something happens, and they pick up the phone, you should immediately sense that something is off and go to them in person.

Because no one, not even a friend, will openly show you their most vulnerable side. You need to be the one who knows, even when they don’t say a word, that they need you by their side.

Sometimes, silent companionship is much stronger than any words of comfort from afar.