Breaking the Fourth Wall

The ward was filled with the faint scent of disinfectant. The afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting shadows on the floor. Wen Qing's fingertips lightly brushed across the screen, then slowly lowered the phone. He leaned against the cold bedside, letting out a soft thud. He cast his gaze toward the IV bottle and sighed softly, "The part about your parents' love... isn't it incomplete? It seems like something's missing?"

Xiaofeng's heart skipped a beat, as if being brushed by a feather. "Can you tell?" There was a hint of temptation and expectation in her voice.

Wenqing turned his head and looked at her with eyes that were slightly dimmed by fatigue. He didn't say anything extra, but just nodded quietly.

A mixture of shyness at having his secret thoughts exposed and the joy of finding a soulmate mingled. Xiao Feng pulled out his phone like he was presenting a treasure, his fingertips flicking across the screen. The ward was quiet, with only the beeping of phone messages. "Here, I sent it to you. This is the original manuscript of 'Parents' Love Story,' the version I didn't send out in its entirety. You... take a look at this."

Wen Qing's eyes focused as he picked up his phone again. He sat up slightly, leaning against the headboard, as if entering another, more solemn space. The only sounds in the ward were the gentle scraping of his fingertips across the screen and the faint hum of traffic outside the window. At less than 50,000 words, it wasn't too long for him.

Time flowed in silence. Finally, Wenqing put down his phone, his knuckles unconsciously tapping the side, as if he were weighing his words. After a brief hesitation, he looked up at Xiaofeng, his tone filled with a strange mixture of inquiry and embarrassment: "You... really understand men's psychology." As soon as he finished speaking, a faint blush crept onto his ears and cheeks.

Xiaofeng's cheeks also began to heat up slightly. She subconsciously lowered her head and whispered, "That's why I didn't send it out... I was afraid that this was all just my imagination as a woman."

"Look here," Wen Qing said, as if trying to prove something. He held the phone out to Xiaofeng, his fingertips tapping the text on the screen. "The sun, like a skilled sculptor, carves out strong lines in Rao Haiyi's figure. Rao Haiyi's powerful arms rest on the hood, the outline of his muscles faintly visible beneath his shirt, exuding a uniquely masculine beauty of strength."

"Hmm," Xiaofeng nodded, trying to explain the feeling from that perspective. "This is 'me'—a woman's perspective. I feel that this picture is full of tension... well, or should I say, 'sexual tension'?"

"And here," he continued, "'He clapped his hands in a dashing manner, and the dust on his hands danced in the sunlight.'"

"Hmm?" Xiaofeng was a little confused.

"The following description is also true," he continued without pausing, "'He put his hands casually in his pockets, and the pebbles under his feet became his object of boredom. He first kicked the pebbles lightly with his feet, watching the pebbles roll a short distance on the ground. As he walked, his feet seemed to suddenly gain strength, and with a sudden volley, the pebble flew out like a bullet and quickly disappeared without a trace.'"

"Is there anything wrong with these descriptions?" Xiaofeng became even more confused.

Wenqing seemed to be trying to grasp his own vague feelings, shaking his head gently. "I just feel like it's very vivid. Every movement seems to come alive before my eyes. I'm a little disappointed that you didn't post this part. Actually," he paused, looking at Xiaofeng with gentle yet firm eyes, "you don't have to doubt yourself. Human emotions are universal. The details you captured are very real."

"Thank you for your encouragement," Xiaofeng replied softly, a warm feeling passing through her heart. "I will try to continue writing when I have time later."

Wenqing put down his phone, slipped his arm around Xiaofeng's shoulders, and gently pulled her into his arms. The familiar warmth and scent instantly enveloped her, the warm breath brushing against her ear. "Thank you for all the hard work during this time..." His voice was filled with genuine care and apology.

Xiaofeng buried her head in Wenqing's strong neck, shook it vigorously, and blurted out, "No, I just hope you can get better."

Wenqing suddenly gently pushed Xiaofeng's shoulder away, creating a little distance between them. His eyes were gentle but a little confused. "What did you just say?"

Xiao Feng was startled, her heart seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand - when they hugged just now, she habitually tilted her head to the right, with her cheek against his left shoulder while speaking... and he had completely lost the hearing in his left ear!

"...Nothing." Xiaofeng shook his head again, swallowing the bitterness and forcing a smile. A strange question quietly surfaced in his mind: Why is it that every time we hug, I always habitually turn my head to the right and lean on his left shoulder?

Wenqing didn't notice Xiaofeng's sudden turmoil. His attention returned to his phone, and he read another paragraph with interest: "'The bell for the end of get out of class is like a sickly singer, its singing no longer smooth due to a malfunction. The once crisp ringing sound has become intermittent, ringing only a few times before it abruptly stops, as if an invisible hand had suddenly covered its mouth. Then, another faint ringing sound struggles to emerge, echoing weakly in the silent corridor of the teaching building, making the hearts of the students waiting for the end of get out of class also fluctuate.'"

He looked up, his eyes gleaming with the light of having discovered a treasure. "Isn't this what our Chinese teacher meant by indirect description? Using the state of the bell to describe the feeling of waiting for get out of class to end is really interesting!"

"Yeah," Xiaofeng collected her thoughts, her fingers sliding unconsciously across the screen of her mobile phone. "People in class... their minds have already flown away... That's probably how they feel." She responded vaguely, but quickly typed the question that was lingering in her mind into the search engine.

"Just like you are now," Wen Qing suddenly chuckled, with a knowing look, "Your mind is not with me."

Xiao Feng suddenly raised her head, like a child who had been caught, and quickly turned the phone over and handed it to him: "No! I was looking for the problem with the hug position just now!"

Wen Qing took the phone suspiciously, his eyes quickly scanning the explanation on the screen. As he read, the confusion on his face gradually deepened, eventually fading into a sighed murmur: "This... actually has a psychological basis?"

"Yes!" Xiaofeng leaned closer to him and pointed to the key paragraph on the screen. "Look, 'The left brain controls the right side of the body. When positive emotions arise, the left brain's response increases, leading to increased activity on the right side of the body. So, the more your partner loves you, the stronger their left brain's response becomes, causing their head to tilt to the right during hugs and kisses.'"

Xiaofeng's voice was filled with excitement and shyness. "And here: 'Positive emotions come from the right side, while negative emotions are believed to be expressed more on the left side.' This means," Xiaofeng raised her head and met his smiling eyes, her voice as soft as a whisper, "we... are true love." After she finished speaking, her face flushed and she lowered her head again embarrassedly.

Wen Qing looked at Xiao Feng, his chest vibrating as he let out a low, joyful laugh. "It seems you'll have to slowly get used to turning your head on the left side... or," he winked mischievously, "remember to whisper into my right ear..."

"Don't talk about that!" Xiao Feng quickly reached out to cover his mouth, his tone filled with stubborn insistence and gentle scolding, "It will get better! It definitely will!"

Wenqing's warm hands held Xiaofeng's hands that were covering his lips, gently pulled them down, and wrapped them in his palms. Then, with his other hand, he gently patted the back of her hands, again and again, with a steady and powerful rhythm, as if it was a silent promise and endless comfort, soothing the worries deep in her heart.

"Oh, right," Wen Qing seemed to have remembered something, with a thoughtful glint in his eyes, "Can I make a small suggestion?" It seemed as if some new inspiration flashed through his mind.

"Okay, go ahead." Xiao Feng straightened his back, looked at him with curiosity on his face, and tilted his head slightly, like a student waiting for the teacher's comments.

"The 'Jiang Wenqing' you created," he chose his words carefully, "feels... too perfect, without any flaws at all?"

"When I was writing it, I wanted to lean towards 'male chauvinism'," Xiaofeng defended.

"Macho?" He raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I guess a lot of girls want this kind of 'macho', right?"

Xiao Feng's eyes lit up, and she caught the meaning behind his words: "You mean...'Dad'?"

"Dad style?" Wen Qing was stunned for a moment. "What kind of internet buzzword is this?"

Seeing his bewildered look, Xiao Feng couldn't help but laugh and patiently explained, "Yes, a 'dad-type boyfriend' refers to a boyfriend who is mature, steady, caring, and responsible, just like a father. Isn't that... very vivid?"

Wenqing laughed too, as if a new world had opened up to him. After laughing, his expression became serious and gentle. He leaned forward slightly, looking intently at Xiaofeng. "Honey, honestly, if I had really pursued you when I first met you... do you think the ending would have been different?"

Xiaofeng slowly suppressed the smile on her face and looked at him. Time seemed to be stretched out in silence for a few seconds. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if imagining what might happen. Finally, she answered clearly: "Now is the best ending..."

"Then..." Wen Qing turned his head, his voice filled with anticipation, "In my next life, I'll be braver..."