Chapter 31
As winter draws to a close, the wind in Jinzhou still carries a chill, but the sun has taken on a warmer quality, and the sky often appears a clear, azure blue. Between the bare branches of the roadside trees, bulging buds can be vaguely seen, ready to burst forth.
It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon. Xia Wan finished her work early and left the design institute. She wasn't dressed up, wearing a comfortable off-white sweater and dark casual pants. Her long hair fell softly over her shoulders, and she wore minimal makeup. Her steps were a bit more brisk than usual, a subtle hint of anticipation.
At the entrance of the First Municipal Hospital, traffic and people crisscrossed. She had just stopped, her eyes scanning the area when the familiar black sedan, as if sensing something, silently slid to a stop in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing Jiang Yu's sharply defined profile. He wore a dark gray cashmere cardigan over a light-colored shirt, his work-related austerity diminished, his air of warmth and scholarly grace enhanced.
"Get in the car." His voice was low and steady, and no special emotion could be heard. His eyes just lingered on her face for a brief moment, with a barely perceptible trace of inquiry.
"Yeah." Xia Wan opened the car door and got in. The familiar crisp fir scent mixed with the clean leather inside the car instantly enveloped her. She fastened her seatbelt and smiled at him sideways: "Thank you for your help, Mr. Jiang."
"It's just on the way." Jiang Yu said concisely and started the car.
The car merged smoothly into the traffic flow. Soothing piano music flowed through the cabin, the volume just right. The atmosphere was subtly quiet, but not awkward. Xia Wan could feel the lines of his profile as he focused on driving, and could also sense the warm glances he occasionally cast at her. She didn't deliberately look for topics to talk about, but simply looked out the window quietly.
Sunlight streamed through the car window, casting a warm glow on me. The willow trees lining the road, their branches already tinged with a tender yellowish green, swayed gently in the breeze, like countless soft little hands, silently announcing the approach of spring. In the flowerbed, the tender yellow blossoms of the winter jasmine had quietly bloomed, like stars scattered across the ground.
"Spring...seems to be coming soon." Xia Wan murmured unconsciously, her eyes following the flashes of fresh green and tender yellow outside the window.
Jiang Yu's hand on the steering wheel paused imperceptibly. He tilted his head, his gaze sweeping across her profile, gilded by the sunlight, then toward the vibrant spring news outside the window. A faint smile spread across his deep eyes, like the first cracks in a frozen lake.
"Hmm." He responded in a low voice, his voice much softer than before, "The willow branches are sprouting."
That simple response, like a pebble dropped into a lake, sent ripples through Xia Wan's heart. He noticed it, felt it too, the subtle shift in seasons. This shared feeling instantly replaced the subtle silence in the car with a strange, spring-like warmth.
The car pulled into the hospital parking lot. After parking, the two walked side by side to the outpatient building. They maintained a perfect distance, neither distant nor overly intimate. Registration, waiting, number called... the process was familiar and routine.
When Xia Wan walked into the clinic, Jiang Yu naturally sat on the waiting chair outside. He didn't ask any questions, nor did he show excessive concern. He just whispered before she went in, "I'll wait for you outside."
These five simple words carried a heavy weight. Xia Wan nodded, feeling strangely at ease.
The examination went smoothly. Director Zhou carefully examined her X-rays and gently pressed on the site of the previous fracture to inquire about her sensation.
"He's recovering very well. The bone suture has completely healed." Director Zhou took off his glasses and said to Xia Wan with a smile, "It's faster than expected. It seems that Engineer Xia pays close attention to rest."
"Thank you, Director Zhou." Xia Wan breathed a sigh of relief and a relaxed smile appeared on her face.
"However," Director Zhou changed the subject and warned, "Although the bone has healed, the muscles and fascia in the injured area still need time to fully recover their toughness. You may still feel some soreness and swelling after working at a desk for a long time, or on rainy days. This is normal. Make sure to balance work and rest, and do some stretching exercises as needed. Don't worry too much."
"Okay, I'll remember that. Thank you." Xia Wan carefully wrote down the doctor's instructions.
As Xia Wan walked out of the clinic with the follow-up results, she immediately spotted Jiang Yu sitting in a waiting chair. He was looking down at his phone, his profile serene. The afternoon sun filtered through the large glass windows, casting a warm shadow on him. He seemed to sense her gaze and looked up.
Their eyes met.
Xia Wan still had a relaxed smile on her face, her eyes bright. Jiang Yu's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then fell on the review form in her hand.
He didn't ask about the result immediately. He just stood up and took the bag and receipt from her naturally. His voice was low and gentle: "Is it done?"
"Yeah!" Xia Wan nodded vigorously, her smile brightening a little. She raised the list in her hand and said, "Director Zhou said the recovery is going well, and the bones have grown back!"
"That's good." Jiang Yu's tone was filled with a subtle joy, his eyes gently falling on her face, "Thank you for your hard work."
The words "thank you for your hard work" seemed to contain a thousand words, for her past pain and for her current recovery.
The two walked out of the hospital building side by side. The wind blew against their faces, carrying the warmth of the sun and the scent of the awakening earth, no longer so biting. Xia Wan took a deep breath, feeling that even the breath carried the joy of a new life.
"Director Zhou said that although the bone has healed, the injured area may still feel sore and swollen occasionally, so you should make sure to rest." Xia Wan took the initiative to share the doctor's advice in a relaxed tone.
"Yeah." Jiang Yu responded, slowing down his pace to match hers. His eyes swept over her cheeks, which were slightly raised with a healthy blush as she spoke. "Are the project materials almost ready?"
"Well, the main part has been completed, and we are just waiting for the final review by the institute." Xia Wan nodded, and when talking about work, her eyes were focused and confident.
"The gold medal... is very promising." Jiang Yu's voice was firm. It was not a compliment, but an approval based on professional judgment.
"I hope so." Xia Wan smiled, her heart full of anticipation.
They chatted about work, the weather, and the spring forsythia blossoms quietly blooming along the roadside. The topics were ordinary, the tone natural. There was none of the subtle tension of the hospital, nor was there any deliberate distance. It was like two long-time friends casually strolling under the warm spring sun.
Back in the car, the atmosphere was more relaxed. Jiang Yu didn't start the car immediately, but took out a thermos cup from the armrest and handed it to her.
"I just bought it at the convenience store downstairs, it's hot." He said in a normal tone.
Xia Wan took it with some surprise, unscrewing the lid. A sweet, refreshing aroma of corn juice washed over her, a warm sensation. She took a small sip, the warm, soothing liquid sliding down her throat, sending warmth through her every limb. This subtle, thoughtful gesture once again struck a chord with her softest spot.
"Thank you." She held the thermos cup, the warmth spreading from her fingertips to her heart, and her cheeks were slightly red from the heat.
"You're welcome." Jiang Yu started the car and looked intently at the road ahead. The lines of his profile looked particularly soft in the sunlight.
The car pulled away from the hospital and merged into the lazy flow of traffic on a spring afternoon. Sunlight streamed through the windows, scorching the interior. Soothing music played, and the sweet aroma of corn juice filled the air. Xia Wan leaned back in her chair, glancing sideways at the rapidly passing, increasingly intense spring atmosphere outside the window—the ever-growing green of the branches, the potted flowers quietly arranged in the streets and alleys, the more relaxed smiles on the faces of passersby...
Her heart, like the revived world outside the window, was filled with warmth and a light thing called "hope."
She no longer deliberately avoided the feelings brought by the man beside her. She felt his calm aura as he focused on driving, felt his silent but omnipresent care, and felt the comfortable and reassuring atmosphere flowing through the car at this moment, like the warm spring sun.
Ten years of secret love is a deeply buried seed.
The chaos of the class reunion that night was like an untimely freezing rain in winter.
The subsequent alienation, temptation, protection, loss of control and restraint... is a long winter, the turning and silence of the soil.
And now...
Xia Wan's gaze fell on Jiang Yu's bony hands gripping the steering wheel, then she looked out the window at the vibrant world.
She seemed to hear deep in her heart, the seed that had been solemnly planted, finally making an extremely slight but extremely firm sound of breaking through the soil under the call of the spring breeze and warm sun.
Spring has really come.
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