Chapter 58 The Self-Torture Tactic Was Useless
In the hospital, the surgical debridement doctor saw that both of his hands were injured so neatly and couldn't help but ask him how it happened?
He asked the doctor if he could skip the bandage. The doctor said that they could use a dressing on other parts of his body, but the structure of his finger was too complex to apply. In the end, they applied a thin bandage and told him to buy a pair of gloves and change the dressing every other day.
Qin Tian felt incredibly guilty. He probably couldn't do anything until his injury healed, and it was so hot, how uncomfortable it would be. He was about to leave, but she held him back and said, "Since we're here, let's make an appointment for a follow-up visit to the cardiology department."
He looked at her steadily: "Okay."
The cardiology department only had appointments for the afternoon. He and she went to eat nearby. He suggested a hamburger. She didn't think much of it, but then she saw him pick it up. You don't need chopsticks, a knife, or a fork to eat a burger. He was probably going to be eating burgers every day for a while.
In the afternoon, the doctor performed an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a cardiac ultrasound, saying he was recovering well. When asked how he was feeling, he reported palpitations. The doctor's expression grew more serious, and after carefully reviewing the two reports, he said the ECG showed no signs of illness. However, if symptoms were present, 24-hour ECG monitoring would be recommended.
Qin Tian was horrified to hear this; she hadn't even realized he was experiencing palpitations. She asked the doctor if they could start monitoring him today. The doctor said they would have to schedule an appointment and come in a few days early to install the device, which would be returned 24 hours later.
He thought it was too much trouble and said forget it, since he didn't have frequent palpitations. She said to the doctor without hesitation, "Then make an appointment, the sooner the better."
After completing the formalities and exiting the hospital, it was already dusk, not far from dinnertime. She felt conflicted. Logically, his hands were inconvenient, and it was dinnertime, so she should have dinner with him. Emotionally, she felt she had shown sincerity that day and didn't want to get involved any further.
When she was hesitating, he said, "Let's find a place to eat."
Since he had already spoken, she could only say yes.
"Somewhere quieter." He said, "You can take a look at the bronze coin."
He reminded her that she hadn't even glanced at it since he'd given it to her that morning. She quickly pulled it out of her pocket. One glance and she felt like she was under a spell, unable to move.
Tong Zhongyuan, hands in his trouser pockets, gazed at her calmly. It was another dusk, a beautiful sunset. She held the bronze coin up to the setting sun, her eyes as clear as glass. The setting sun shone through the square hole, illuminating the coin's distinctive symbol on her face. Her expression was startled, and her gaze gradually shifted to him, her incredulous eyes meeting his unfathomable gaze. On her forehead, between her brows, a golden rose blossomed.
They found a quiet western-style restaurant for dinner. This restaurant mainly served salads and light meals, and was mostly busy at noon, so it was not very popular in the evening.
Tong Zhongyuan ordered a sandwich, and Qin Tian ordered a salad and pasta. She wrapped the noodles around her fork and placed it on Tong Zhongyuan's plate, thinking he should be able to eat it. Tong Zhongyuan didn't refuse her and picked up the fork and brought it to his mouth. His expression was calm, and he didn't even look like he was injured.
Seeing this, she breathed a sigh of relief and pushed the salad towards him. She herself had no appetite and took out the bronze coin to look at it.
This coin was almost certainly from a tomb. Its obverse bore two symmetrical lines of inscription, not Chinese characters. If she was right, it looked like Kharosthi script. Each stroke was curved, resembling a pattern or symbol. At the bottom of the reverse was a rose, a distinctly Western Regions-style flower. These two clues suggested its origin. However, its square hole and border were unique features and craftsmanship of Han Dynasty coins. This coin was definitely not officially issued currency, yet it combined the characteristics of two regions at the time, which was incredible.
Kharosthi was the official script of Gandhara and later spread to the ancient kingdom of Loulan. This script was still used along the Silk Road, but was forgotten by the 7th century. Today, it is virtually extinct, with few documents capable of cross-deciphering it.
Could this be a fake coin, made just for fun? She wondered, then shook her head. Impossible. No one would bother making a mold for such a complex counterfeit, and it wouldn't be circulated. But... she fell into deep thought.
Tong Zhongyuan had finished his sandwich. He picked up the coin from the table with his gloved hand and stared at the two lines of Kharosthi script.
"It's not a counterfeit. When I was peeling it off, the depth of the rust matched that of the Han Dynasty. There can't be only one coin in the world. It's a good thing that we didn't find the same coin. It means that this tomb is likely well preserved."
She looked up at him. He was wearing a white shirt and black gloves, his eyes dark, and he held an ancient coin between his fingers. The scene felt a bit like a montage, as if it weren't real, but a movie. How did he know what she was thinking?
So how did I get this one? It was useless to ask him this question; he didn't know her grandfather was an antique dealer. Without seeing the full picture, he would probably think this one was an accidental omission during casting.
He turned the coin over and looked at the rose totem.
"You can first compare it with the rose totem on the amphora; it has relatively more tracing clues."
She stared at him silently, their thoughts coming together again. When it came to identifying artifacts, they were completely on the same page, with no disagreements, but that was their only common ground. Dinner was over, the rust removed, his hand bandaged. Now she had a night to go home and research, to search for clues.
She sat up straight, picked up the coin, and said to him, "Here, thank you for your trouble, and thank you. Remember to change the dressing on your hand. The Holter appointment is on Monday, and you need to be there before nine o'clock. Don't mind the trouble. You can't work these next few days anyway, so why not get the checkup and get some rest? It's getting late, and you've had a hard day. Let's go home early."
He lowered his eyes, his expression cold and indifferent. She only needed him to help her remove the rust; everything else had nothing to do with him. The boundaries were clearly drawn. Her words were all about consideration for him, but every word was a sign of parting ways.
"good."
He stood up and walked out of the store. Qin Tian was stunned, quickly picked up his bag and followed him. She hadn't said anything excessive just now, so why did he react like he was angry? She hadn't been around him for long, but they had been angry with each other several times, both openly and secretly. If there was anything she understood about him now, it was probably that she had some understanding of his expression when he was angry.
He stood at the door waiting for her, but she did not go over. She waved to him from a distance of two or three meters.
"Then I'll take the subway. Bye."
She turned around to find the subway station. Her back was tall and slender. She walked away in a few steps without any lingering steps.
Her figure disappeared into the darkness, and he looked away. It seemed he should follow the doctor's orders for a Holter scan. He was still experiencing some symptoms. He removed his gloves and looked at his hand. The last time he'd been injured was 15 years ago. It had been so long since he'd been injured, and it still hurt quite a bit.
Qin Tian returned home and found the Han Dynasty double-handled cup. The two roses were not exactly the same, but there was no doubt that they came from the same area, the desert with distant legends.
She paced back and forth in the room. Next week, no, next Monday, she would go to Ming Yuanxing to apply for a business trip. The Kharosthi script on the bronze coin was the key to prove its origin. She could not decipher it by herself. She had to find the place that could tell her the answer. However, Qin Yunjie was still in treatment. Should she wait for the results of his first course of treatment before leaving? Her steps slowed down. She was too impulsive. She did not find the most crucial thing. Qin Yunjie had been looking for the Han gilt plate for half his life. How could there be no information? What if the gilt plate was related to the bronze coin? The information must be there. She still had to move back the pile of old things in the rental house and search carefully. Tang Zhixu would come tomorrow, but she would feel embarrassed to ask him to do hard work. She should ask him about the Alzheimer's experimental group tomorrow. If he really helped, she would thank him well.
As she showered and sank into bed, she thought of Tong Zhongyuan. He should have gone to get his dressings changed and get checked out, right? After all, he was staying in China temporarily because of her, sick and injured. Teacher He must be heartbroken. She wondered if the one million he gave to Sun Minfu had any effect. And where was the Buddha statue now?
Her thoughts drifted further and further away, and she had a dream that night. In the dream, Tong Zhongyuan came to her, handed her a box, and said, "Here I give it back to you. I got it back. You're not angry anymore, are you?"
She opened it and saw a golden Buddha statue with its ammonite stripped away. She closed the box and returned it to him coldly.
He said, "I have already returned it to you. How long will you be angry?"
"I'm not angry because you took the Buddha statue away, but because you lied to me."
"Am I that important to you?"
She opened her eyes, and the words still seemed to echo in her ears. When the morning sun shone through the curtains and dimly illuminated the bedroom, the words in her dream, like a night sleep that could not see the sun, drifted away and could no longer be recalled.
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