Chapter 61. [Second Update] The tears she's shedding now aren't just...
Wen Xue hadn't felt heartache in a long time.
Looking at the not-fully-healed wound on He Yan's left shoulder, it felt as if a hand was tightly gripping her heart. She didn't know if she was crying or if her tears were dripping onto his shoulder. She desperately held back her tears, afraid that they would fall on his wound, and hurriedly reached out to touch and wipe them away.
When her hand touched him, he dodged to the side, bent down to put on his clothes, and quickly buttoned them up. "It's really nothing."
Wen Xue remained silent.
She had long since gotten used to crying without making a sound, no matter how sad she was.
He Yan turned his head to look at her.
He felt as if those tears had also dripped into his heart. He closed his eyes and repeatedly told himself that this was the last time.
He got up and walked a few steps along the edge of the bed to her. He did what he had wanted to do since the first moment he saw her: he reached out and hugged her. This was probably the last time. He hugged her tightly, knowing that he had crossed the line and that she would have trouble breathing if he hugged her too hard, but he still didn't let go.
Wen Xue felt helpless and powerless.
She will never forget the scene in the early hours of the morning when He Heng's body, which had already stopped beating, was pulled out of the water.
She even absurdly thought that this was a joke he had someone play on him.
As long as she cries loud enough, and as long as she doesn't find it funny, He Heng will get so nervous that he will immediately open his eyes and apologize to her.
But this time, no matter how much she cried or pulled him and called for him to wake up, he kept his eyes closed.
She clutched He Yan's clothes, silently shedding tears, then silently wiping them away. Her voice was hoarse and weary, "From now on, please don't do this again, okay?"
She knew she posed no threat to him.
So all she could do was beg him to stop doing such things. She didn't care about the lives of others, and they were none of her business. But she wanted him to live a long, healthy, and peaceful life.
He Yan replied sullenly, "Okay."
This is also a promise.
He knew all too well that the tears she was shedding now were not just for him, but also for someone else.
When Wu Yuejiang returned, Wen Xue had composed herself, and apart from her red and swollen eyes, she looked no different from usual.
He Yan, who had refused to lie in bed to rest in the morning, was now lying down obediently and peacefully.
She can be as well-behaved as you want.
"Brother Yuejiang," Wen Xue said, and the person on the bed moved slightly. "I'm going back to the dorm to pack my clothes. Is there anything you want to eat? I'll go to the cafeteria and buy it and bring it over."
Sensing that Wen Xue intended to stay with him at the hospital, He Yan coughed lightly.
This is a secret code that only longtime friends can understand.
Wu Yuejiang didn't even lift his eyelids, and laughed, "Hey, little sister, focus on your studies. Don't worry about this. I've got you covered. I haven't done anything else these past two days but have been keeping an eye on him. What, don't you trust me?"
Wen Xue hesitated, "But..."
She really can't be trusted.
At times like this, she only trusts herself.
"Don't say 'but'," Wu Yuejiang comforted her. "Putting everything else aside, when he takes a shower or goes to the bathroom, it's... inconvenient for you too."
He Yan coughed again.
This time it was a bit serious, so I reminded him not to say anything irrelevant.
Wen Xue glanced at the hospital bed, and He Yan immediately fell silent.
She thought about what Wu Yuejiang said for a moment, then hesitated and said, "Then, you absolutely, absolutely must call me if anything happens."
“Definitely,” Wu Yuejiang said loudly on purpose. “I, your brother Yuejiang, am not the kind of person who would keep quiet about something I know.”
Wen Xue chuckled; this was the first smile she had shown since arriving at the hospital.
He Yan: "..."
…
Although Wen Xue didn't stay at the hospital with her, she still took a taxi to the market early in the morning after asking her local classmates. She wasn't familiar with the area and hadn't been to the market to buy groceries very often in her life. Yesterday, when she left the hospital, she heard several aunties and grandmas in the elevator lobby discussing what to eat and drink after the surgery. She was so engrossed in listening that she followed them into the elevator and walked with them for a while.
Arriving at the fish stall, she mustered her courage and asked the energetic grandmother in front of her to help her choose a blackfish.
Grandma asked with a smile, "Is there a sick person in the family?"
Wenxue nodded, "Yes, he was injured, and his wound hasn't healed yet." Grandma carefully picked out a lively blackfish for her. After thanking her repeatedly, Wenxue bought some other things and hurriedly went to a classmate's rented room to borrow her kitchen. She then stewed a pot of fish soup according to a recipe.
When Wen Xue arrived at the hospital ward with a thermos, He Yan and Wu Yuejiang had a minor argument.
It turned out that Wu Yuejiang had asked the aunt to make meals for patients. The food was light and bland, and there was also fish soup. The soup was fresh and fragrant, but there was a hint of fishy smell that couldn't be masked. He Yan frowned after seeing it and said, "I won't drink it."
Wu Yuejiang cursed him.
Wenxue's arrival temporarily ended the dispute.
He Yan's expression softened slightly. Seeing that she was carrying a thermos, his tone was much gentler than before. "What did you bring?"
Wen Xue, however, was less certain. She walked to the bedside and said, "Black fish soup. People say it's good for you. I bought the fish at the market this morning, but—"
She had been sick before and knew that what you eat and drink was secondary; the most important thing was to be in a good mood.
If he really doesn't like drinking it, she won't force him.
"Give me."
Wen Xue was stunned for a moment, then quickly placed the thermos on the small table.
Wu Yuejiang leaned against the wall and watched coldly as He Yan unscrewed the lid of the bucket and drank the fish soup sip by sip, and couldn't help but sneer repeatedly.
After the meal, Wen Xue went to wash the thermos. She ran into Wu Yuejiang, who was on the phone, in the corridor. Just as she was about to sneak over, Wu Yuejiang put away his phone. The two smiled at each other and walked together toward the ward, chatting casually.
"I don't know whether to say he was unlucky or just had bad luck," Wu Yuejiang sighed. "The person he saved was said to be the eldest son of the Zhou family in Huacheng."
"week?"
Wen Xue was puzzled.
Wu Yuejiang slapped his forehead. "You probably don't understand the Zhou family of Huacheng, but you know Wanbo Group, right?"
Wen Xue nodded. "I think I've heard of it."
Wu Yuejiang said with mixed feelings, "I admire him. To be honest, even if he were the richest man in the world, I wouldn't care if he went to save me."
Wen Xue seemed to be deep in thought, then asked him, "What's that person's name?"
“Zhou…” Wu Yuejiang thought for a moment, “Zhou Zhan, the Zhan with the water radical, what does it mean?”
Wen Xue smiled and said, "It's nothing, I was just asking."
-
In the days that followed, He Yan was discharged from the hospital without any problems. He had already recovered quite well in the United States, but Wen Xue and Wu Yuejiang were still worried and made him stay in the hospital for three more days of observation before they felt at ease.
On Friday night, after leaving Fang's house, Wen Xue took the subway and then a taxi back to her apartment building.
She rushed over, stood downstairs, and looked up at the dark room on the second floor, feeling confused and worried. It was already past ten o'clock, why hadn't he returned yet? She took out her phone and walked into the stairwell, intending to send him a message, but suddenly realized that two days had passed since their last conversation.
Wen Xue stopped and stood on the stairs until the motion sensor light went out.
She stood in the darkness for a long time, then continued upstairs as if nothing had happened. The motion-sensor light came on again, illuminating her gentle, serene, and expressionless face.
She went up to the second floor, step by step, until she reached the end and stopped in front of He Yan's door.
The rabbit lantern hanging on the door looked a bit dirty. She lowered her eyes, touched the gray rabbit with her finger, smiled, and stared blankly for a while. Then she took out a plastic bag containing ointment from her bag and hung it on the doorknob.
After doing this, she turned and walked to the third floor.
The cool moonlight of late autumn and early winter shone on her.
Meanwhile, Wu Yuejiang drove He Yan home from the dinner party, and the streets were much less crowded around 10 p.m.
He Yan rolled down the car window and let the cold wind blow on him. He realized that the road looked familiar and said, "Old Wu, drive slower."
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Wu Yuejiang asked anxiously.
He Yan was speechless. "I've said it so many times, it's been fine for a long time."
"That would be best."
Wu Yuejiang slowed down and drove a few hundred meters before He Yan called for a stop.
The street is no longer as bustling as it was a few years ago. Parking used to be hard to find, but now the street is incredibly empty. After Wu Yuejiang parked the car, He Yan put his arm on the lowered window, pointed to the shop name whose signboard had faded so much that it was hard to read, and said wistfully in a nostalgic tone, "After the college entrance exam, he brought Wen Xue to Xicheng to see a concert, and I brought them to this restaurant."
Wu Yuejiang looked in the direction he was pointing, a smirk playing on his lips. "Let me see, more than three years have passed in the blink of an eye. Has this company gone out of business?"
"I don't know." He Yan chuckled. "When I was shot and unconscious, I dreamed about him."
Wu Yuejiang hummed in agreement: "And then?"
"He hates me."
"He won't."
He Yan remained silent.
Wu Yuejiang sighed, "If he could see it, he would rather hate himself than hate you."
In this world, when it comes to love, He Heng only loves Wen Xue; when it comes to family, He Heng only loves He Yan.
For He Yan, those words truly struck a nerve. He gave a bitter smile, "I..."
He could only utter one word before he could no longer continue.
Wu Yuejiang looked at him with pity. He didn't need He Yan to say anything more; he knew everything and understood everything. He took out his cigarette case, lit a cigarette, and silently stayed with He Yan without saying a word.
"It's nothing really."
After a long pause, He Yan said in a low voice, "I can manage on my own, I'm used to it."
That's how we lived in our past lives, isn't it?
Wu Yuejiang didn't know what to say and could only remain silent.
"I'd be better off being her brother." He Yan sighed and turned back to look at the shop.
"Have you thought it through?"
"Um."
Wu Yuejiang took a deep drag of his cigarette, coughing several times as he choked. "Fine, fine! From now on, you'll be my sister's lackey. No problem, we'll protect her and see her doing well and happy. As for you, maybe..."
Life is still so long. He Yan is only in his twenties. Who knows, he might meet another person he wants to cherish and love in the future?
He Yan understood his expectations and hints, and shook his head with a smile, his rugged face seemingly covered with a layer of frost, "There's no more 'maybes,' just consider me as someone who has become a monk."
Wu Yuejiang paused for a few seconds, then burst into laughter. After laughing, his expression quickly changed, and he cursed, "What was that bald monk's Buddhist name again? That damned monk! I knew he was up to no good. I'll curse him to death every time I see him again!"
After he finished cursing, he lowered his head, closed his eyes, and tried to process the heartache.
Upon seeing this, He Yan leaned over and laughed as if watching a spectacle: "Crying? No way, Old Wu, you really cried?"
"roll!"
After Wu Yuejiang finished his cigarette, the car started again. He Yan sat in the passenger seat, watching the shop in the rearview mirror grow smaller and smaller. When they returned to the tenement building, everything was quiet. As he got out of the car, he glanced at the room with the light on at the far end of the third floor, turned to Wu Yuejiang, and whispered, "Close the door gently."
Wu Yuejiang: "Do I need you to teach me?"
He turned off the engine and got out of the car, looking at the window that was letting in warm light. "My sister is back."
The two entered the building. When they reached the second floor, He Yan hesitated for a moment but still didn't go up to the third floor. He turned back to his room, and all the determination he had made almost crumbled when he saw the medicine box in the plastic bag hanging on the doorknob.
The rabbit lantern was shining.
I looked closely at the words on the medicine box—
[Scar removal medication to prevent scar hyperplasia, for external use, 2-4 times daily. Remember to use it^^]
After Wu Yuejiang unlocked the door, he turned his head and found He Yan standing in the doorway as if frozen. He asked, "What's wrong?"
As he spoke, he thought he'd like to come and see what was going on.
He Yan was so disheveled that he could barely stand. He called out to stop him, his breath sounding uneven, "Don't come any closer, don't come any closer."
He gripped the medicine box so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand bulged out.
Wu Yuejiang stopped abruptly.
-
The western part of the city gradually gets cold in December.
Wen Xue cherished her health and put on the coat He Yan bought for her early in the morning. It was bright and dazzling, and people would often turn around to look at her when she walked in the crowd.
Fang Lingwei's grades have also stabilized and she is currently in the upper-middle range of her class.
After finishing her Sunday tutoring session, the kind-hearted Aunt Zhang called her over, asked for her thermos, and filled it with stewed pear and white fungus soup, nagging, "Back in the spring, you and Weiwei both caught the flu, it was terrifying! Be careful now too. Look, it's sweet and sticky, and it's good for your lungs..."
Wen Xue bent down and sniffed lightly, "It smells sweet."
Aunt Zhang beamed, then, remembering something, asked, "By the way, Xiao Wen, it seems like it's been a while since I've seen your brother pick you up?"
Wen Xue paused for a few seconds.
She seemed unable to answer this seemingly simple question.
She opened her mouth, but just as she was at a loss for words, Lin Baizhou's voice came from behind her, interrupting their conversation, "Aunt Zhang, is there any trash? If so, I'll take it downstairs to throw it away."
Aunt Zhang quickly returned the thermos to Wen Xue, wiping her hands on her apron. "Hey, here you are, just wait a moment."
"Aunt Zhang, I'm going back to school."
"Okay, be careful."
Wen Xue walked out of the kitchen with her thermos. As she passed Lin Baizhou, the two exchanged a smile.
She wasn't oblivious; he was using this method to get her out of a difficult situation.
Whether she needed him or not, she was grateful to him.
She arrived at the entrance, changed her shoes, pushed open the door, and took the elevator downstairs. It was a little past five o'clock in the winter afternoon, and even the sun had hidden itself. She walked slowly and leisurely out of the community.
"Teacher Wen."
Hearing someone call her, she stopped and turned around. It was Lin Baizhou, the only person in the world who calls her Teacher Wen.
Lin Baizhou held the car keys. "If you don't mind, I can give you a ride back to Xida University. It might be on my way."
Wen Xue looked at him and politely declined, "No, it's very convenient and fast for me to take the subway."
She smiled and continued walking out. After passing through the gate, she habitually looked around. All she saw were unfamiliar people and vehicles, and she calmly stopped searching.
Lin Baizhou caught up from behind again. Meeting her questioning gaze, he calmly asked, "Can I take you to the subway entrance?"
Wen Xue looked at him in surprise, then at the subway entrance more than 100 meters away, and couldn't help but laugh.
Although he didn't walk alongside her, keeping a distance of two steps behind her, Wen Xue couldn't help but turn around to look at him every few steps.
She just felt that he was very strange.
Some of the things he occasionally said were quite strange, but his clear eyes and proper demeanor made them seem less strange.
Lin Baizhou noticed the probing look in her eyes.
He couldn't help but smile.
No one noticed that there was a gray car with its headlights on in a parking space by the roadside.
He Yan sat quietly in the driver's seat, his expression unreadable as he rubbed the lighter in his hand, remaining silent and restrained.
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