Chapter 42 But at sunset today, he still loves him (End of text)
After the successful surgery at the end of last year, there was a wave of heated discussion in the medical community. Some thought it was pure luck, while others thought it could serve as a reference. But overall, the comments were mostly positive.
The wealthy family of the patient brought dozens of carts of flowers, made a massive silk banner, and donated a large sum of money to the hospital. The media immediately rushed to report on the incident, raising the profile of the incident to a new level.
Meanwhile, in an unnoticed corner, a medical accident that had been hidden for twenty years had resurfaced in public view. The closure of the department for rectification and the forced resignation of the attending physician were now only remembered by a few elderly people, and the individuals involved remained silent, intent on keeping the incident under wraps.
But does anyone remember?
It was as if an intelligent hand was behind the public opinion, controlling the winds and steering the situation in a positive direction. The patient's family actually apologized, admitting their misunderstanding of the attending physician and hoping to repair the damage. The media reported extensively, and word spread widely. Thus, a twenty-year-long injustice was cleared.
By the time the aftermath of the incident had completely subsided, it was already midsummer.
By then, Xu Yong had been reinstated to his full title and benefits, and even assumed the concurrent position of Vice President, but he remained frugal and thrifty. In the sweltering summer heat, the small electric fan in his office creaked, a protest of disrepair.
Every time Zhou Wangchuan went to his office to get his signature, he would jokingly say, "Director Xu, there's an electric fan in the little shop downstairs for fifty yuan, and it's quiet. Can I bring one up for you?"
When Xu Yong signed his notes now, he no longer scrutinized them sentence by sentence, as he had before. Instead, he simply glanced at them. After their relationship improved, he became accustomed to Zhou Wangchuan's tantrums. Hearing this, he said, "The new one isn't working well. It smells like plastic."
"I understand. You are lonely at work and deliberately want to listen to the little tune of the electric fan." Zhou Wangchuan took the signed document with a smile and was about to leave when Xu Yong called him.
"Xiao Zhou."
Zhou Wangchuan stopped and was a little surprised to see a look of hesitation on Xu Yong's face.
Amid the creaking sound of the electric fan, Xu Yong said, "Thank you."
The two had never spoken openly about it, but both knew it.
Zhou Wangchuan understood and said with a smile, "You're too polite. Without your help on the operating table, the success rate of the operation is hard to say. It's just a courtesy. Besides, you now deserve the title."
This was said modestly. But he was the lead surgeon in that operation, in full control of the entire process, while Xu Yong provided experience and judgment.
Xu Yong sighed, looked at him with a smile and said, "The Yangtze River's waves behind push the waves ahead. If we old guys don't move out, we will be blocking the way for you young people."
He said this casually, without any anger, and Zhou Wangchuan just ignored it.
But on Friday, half an hour before getting off work, Zhou Wangchuan called Xu Yong's internal line as usual and told him that he had notified other people in the department and was preparing to hold a regular meeting.
Holding weekly meetings was a rule Xu Yong instituted after becoming department director. Everyone was uncomfortable with it at first, but eventually got used to it.
Xu Yong said, "You decide."
Zhou Wangchuan was puzzled.
"You decide whether to hold it or not," Xu Yong said. "Or, like you said before, hold it in the group. Whatever is most efficient will do it. You decide."
Zhou Wangchuan understood what he meant and after a moment's thought, he said, "Weekly meetings have their merits. We can hear everyone's opinions and exchange experiences, but sometimes they take too long and might delay work. Abstaining from holding them altogether isn't an option either. Perhaps we could change it to once every two weeks, which wouldn't be a violation of the rules."
After more than half a year of adjustment, he was no longer as free and radical as before, and slowly accepted the positive parts of the rules and regulations.
Xu Yong said: "I have no objection."
At the subsequent regular meeting, Xu Yong said his throat was uncomfortable and asked Zhou Wangchuan to preside over the meeting. After that, he basically stopped presiding over the meeting.
***
Before leaving, Zhou Wangchuan looked helplessly at the person busy in front of the wardrobe: "It's fine just like this, no need to bother."
Shang Mu turned his back to him, selecting a tie from the wardrobe: "Aren't you going on stage to receive the award? How can you not dress a little smarter?"
He picked out a dark grey tie with dark embroidery, gestured at Zhou Wangchuan's chest, and nodded with satisfaction: "Not bad, tie it on."
Zhou Wangchuan wore a well-tailored black suit, shiny leather shoes, and even his hair was gelled. He wore a tie, and his demeanor was calm and composed.
Shang Mu took two steps back, took a look, and helped him pick out a watch.
Zhou Wangchuan let him toss around on her and said, "Baby, I'm just going to receive an award for 'Outstanding Young Doctor of the Year,' and you're making it seem like I'm running for mayor."
"Your hospital is so stingy, it's so rare for you to hold a semi-annual meeting, you have to show up in person."
After tidying up to the end, Shang Mu took out a small sandalwood box, which contained a pair of exquisite sapphire cufflinks.
"There are still some scraps left from the sapphire you gave me last time. I made cufflinks and a brooch. The cufflinks are for you, and the brooch is for me."
Zhou Wangchuan smiled and said, "This time I'm not running for mayor, I'm running for president."
The party was held in a hotel hall in the city center. The atmosphere was harmonious and full of laughter.
After the banquet, Zhou Wangchuan came out of the hotel and saw his car parked on the side of the road. Shang Mu was sitting in the driver's seat, smoking a mint cigarette.
The midsummer night was sweltering. Shang Mu wore only a short-sleeved, dark-printed shirt and large sunglasses. His newly dyed flaxen-brown hair was smooth and lush. His skin was pale, and this hair color accentuated his cool demeanor.
Zhou Wangchuan walked over and rubbed the soft hair habitually. Shang Mu was unusually lifeless, as if he was lost in thought.
"Why are you still wearing sunglasses so late at night?" Zhou Wangchuan asked.
Shang Mu raised his sunglasses, glanced at him, and then his fingers loosened, and the sunglasses fell back onto his nose: "Cover your face to prevent perverts."
He looked at the certificate of honor in Zhou Wangchuan's hand and stretched out his hand: "Let me see it."
Zhou Wangchuan opened the passenger door and got in. He handed over the certificate with a gold-stamped cover and said with a smile, "It's the same as in previous years. Nothing fancy."
Shang Mu took it, flipped through it, and smiled: "You are so proud, Doctor Zhou."
Zhou Wangchuan said: "At the party, Director Xu told me that he is old and doesn't want to be on the front line anymore. He will retreat behind the scenes and become the executive vice president."
"so?"
Zhou Wangchuan smiled and leaned over, lifted his chin, and kissed his moist lips: "So, your boyfriend needs to be promoted."
Shang Mu blinked, revealing a rare hint of hesitation, but his sunglasses hid his emotion. He spoke softly and hesitantly, "So... do you want a gift?"
Zhou Wangchuan raised his eyebrows in surprise: "Huh?"
Shang Mu said, "If you want a gift, I can give it to you with reluctance."
Zhou Wangchuan now knew why he was wearing sunglasses. He reached out and took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of vague and evasive eyes.
There's definitely something fishy going on.
1
Shang Mu looked up at the sky and said, "Let's go home."
Zhou Wangchuan glanced at the cigarette box and found that two were missing: "My body is still recovering. I can only smoke one cigarette at a time, and no more than twice a week."
"Tsk." Shang Mu started the car. "You're really nosy."
Although he said this, he obediently handed over the half-burned cigarette between his fingers. Zhou Wangchuan took it and finished smoking it. The minty scent sank into his lungs, blowing away some of the drunkenness.
When they got home, Shang Mu hesitated and refused to open the door. Zhou Wangchuan watched him in silence. Shang Mu sighed, opened the door, and pushed Zhou Wangchuan to the study. He said with a bold move: "Okay, okay, look at it. Here's a gift for you!"
A grayish-blue wooden cabinet, as tall as a person, stood in the corner, and it was clearly not there before I left.
There were six layers in total, each filled with things. The bottom three layers held silk banners, and the top three layers held certificates of honor, all of which Zhou Wangchuan had received since college, neatly arranged in chronological order.
Shang Mu walked behind him and put tonight's new certificates into the corresponding place in the cabinet. He coughed uncomfortably and said, "Well... I moved them from... my mother's house. I also sorted and organized your certificates, banners, and so on."
Zhou Wangchuan looked at him deeply, his expression slightly moved.
Shang Mu scratched his head and continued, "Well, uh, people always say the wrong thing sometimes, right? I've already given you a gift, so don't be so picky."
He spoke, glancing over at the living room. That night, over six months ago, he had stood there and spoken his goodbyes, followed by a barrage of hurtful, sharp words. He had pointed the knife at his silent, gentle lover, but he felt no satisfaction from the hurtful words, only a fleeting, twisted pleasure, followed by deep regret.
He never showed it, but he did regret it.
On summer nights, the bright moon is like frost, the wind is like water, and the leaves rustle in the corridor.
Zhou Wangchuan looked at the person in front of him, his voice a little low: "You know, I will never blame you."
Shang Mu looked at him and sneered: "Come on, if you don't blame me, then why did you run away from home?"
Zhou Wangchuan: “…”
He walked over and carried the person onto the desk: "It was an accident."
Shang Mu's waist was held tightly, their bodies pressed together. He swung his legs, which were hanging over the edge of the table, and wrapped his flexible thighs around Zhou Wangchuan's waist: "Don't run away from home again."
Zhou Wangchuan said, "I didn't run away from home, and I never blamed you. Didn't I tell you last October at the hospital—if you agreed to have a gastroscopy, the past will be written off. As far as I'm concerned, those things are long gone, so don't let it bother you anymore."
Shang Mu blinked, feeling his heart being gently caressed, and he hummed.
Zhou Wangchuan kissed him, nuzzled his nose, and asked, "How about taking you on a trip? You've been recuperating lately, aren't you bored? I've saved up some annual leave, so I can go out and have some fun."
"Okay." Shang Mu responded immediately, "Where are we going?"
"Snow Cicada Mountain."
***
During the period when they had the most intense quarrel that year, they actually came to Xuechan Mountain once.
During that time, their relationship was nearly broken, and they were on the verge of breaking up. Zhou Wangchuan happened to hear about a couple's plank path on Xuechan Mountain, where couples who walked along it reconciled. The doctor, always calm and rational, chose to believe in metaphysics and invited his lover, who was currently in a cold war, to join him on the journey.
I thought there was no hope, but Shang Mu actually agreed.
The mountain road on Xuechan Mountain is steep. The so-called "Lovers' Plank Road" is a nearly vertical staircase that requires two people to support each other to pass.
Shang Mu was still angry, striding ahead with a cold expression. Zhou Wangchuan followed him closely and saw a wild red rose on the side of the mountain road. It stood gracefully in the wilderness, its color a pure, bright red, like a box of ancient cinnabar.
He paused for only a few seconds, but Shang Mu was already far ahead, his thin figure wedged in the thicket of people. Zhou Wangchuan chased after him, thinking he would tell him about the red rose when they got down the mountain.
That year, Shang Mu paused noticeably before the steep Lover's Plank Road. Zhou Wangchuan seized the opportunity, stepped forward, and grasped his hand, which hung at his side. Together, they crossed the plank road, their hands never loosening.
As they climbed and descended, their hands remained clasped, even as sweat seeped through them. Neither of them spoke. It wasn't until they returned the same way, passing the steep Lover's Plank Road again, that the crowds jostled them, that their hands finally loosened.
Shang Mu started to feel bad again, his thin lips pressed tightly into a straight line, and he walked in front without saying a word.
At that time, Zhou Wangchuan was chasing him from behind. Thinking of their broken and patched relationship over the years, he thought -
"Born in this world, there is no emotion that is not riddled with holes."
But……
The setting sun shone on Shang Mu's trembling long black eyelashes. He raised his head slightly, and the setting sun illuminated half of his face, which looked cold and lonely.
Zhou Wangchuan chased after him and held his hand again.
In this world, there is no emotion that is not riddled with holes. But at sunset today, he still loves him.
Shang Mu, whose hand was held, stopped and turned to look at him, his brows furrowed and he looked impatient.
Zhou Wangchuan pointed to the dirt beside the stone steps and told him, "When you go up the mountain, there is a beautiful red rose here."
Shang Mu looked in the direction he pointed, and saw only bare branches of flowers.
Zhou Wangchuan said, "But it was picked by someone. I should have picked it and given it to you."
Shang Mu looked at him, and his brows gradually relaxed.
Zhou Wangchuan smiled and said, "I'll buy some for you when we get down the mountain, okay?"
…
"Hey, what are you daydreaming about?"
Zhou Wangchuan came to his senses and saw Shang Mu standing a few steps below, looking back at him with a strange expression. It was the peak tourist season, and there was a constant stream of people coming down the mountain, and the two of them were squeezed apart.
Zhou Wangchuan suddenly remembered—that year when he went up to Shang Mu and took his hand, Shang Mu looked back at him, and the expression on his face wasn't impatience. It was relaxation after tension, relief after a hope was fulfilled. The furrowed brows and drooped eyelashes were only to hide the relaxation of his gaze.
In fact, if you look closely, when Shang Mu strode forward, his right hand was always slightly backward, as if he was waiting to be held.
"Hey!" Shang Mu shouted again in dissatisfaction, "What are you thinking about? Stop daydreaming!"
Zhou Wangchuan smiled, pushed through the crowd, strode over and held his hand: "I was thinking of stealing a rose for you."
When he went up the mountain, he saw another wild red rose growing in the same place.
Shang Mu's lips curled up. "Oh? Would the law-abiding Dr. Zhou casually pick and break wild flowers and plants? Why wouldn't I believe it?"
Zhou Wangchuan said: "It's just because at this moment, I want to give you roses and can't wait."
Shang Mu said: "Don't think about it, it's probably been taken away by someone."
"What if?"
"Then go and have a look. Walk quickly."
Shang Mu said this and quickened his pace. Zhou Wangchuan followed him with a smile.
The two of them intertwined their fingers, tightly wrapped around each other, never letting go.
[End of Text]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
