The nurse stared at me with an exaggerated expression for a long time before saying, "Nursing is our profession, that's true, but if it's not something within our job scope, we simply don't want to come to the ward... So, I don't know who emptied your urinal... Maybe it was your friend, or your family... Ask around, the person who would do this for you must be someone very close to you!"
I was extremely embarrassed, and then filled with doubt... If it wasn't this nurse, then who was it that emptied my urinal?
Wednesday?
He's the most likely one. Although I disappointed him, the friendship we built in the detention center is special. Even though it made me lose face, he still secretly looked after me.
Lost in thought, the nurse asked me again, "Do you still want me to find a caregiver?... I have an aunt who works as a caregiver."
"Are there any men? It might be inconvenient for women."
"Uh... I don't really know any guys... Let me ask around for you... By the way, how much salary are you looking for?"
"Pay according to the market price."
The nurse nodded and then left.
...
After the nurse left, Chen Jin, who had been saying he was busy, finally called me. After I answered, he said, "I just finished my work. I'm at the decoration market right now. Do you want me to bring you something to eat?"
"Just bring me the northwest wind, I can get full just by drinking the northwest wind."
"Look at you... You know how much work there is at the bar... I really just had some free time."
"I ordered takeout myself."
"Do I still need to go over there?"
"You go ahead and do your thing."
Just as I was about to hang up, Chen Jin suddenly said to me, "Dude, I'm asking you something really serious... are you really planning to break up with Lu Jia?"
"We didn't break up, but it's definitely over."
"Don't say I didn't warn you... you still have two houses under her name."
I was stunned for a moment before I remembered this whole thing, and suddenly I understood why Lu Jia had asked me to transfer the house in Dali to her name as well... After doing something she shouldn't have done, she had already anticipated this day, so she wanted to use these two houses to lock me in.
If that's the case, she'll definitely wait for me to come to her, because ultimately, there has to be an explanation for these two houses.
After a moment of silence, I finally replied to Chen Jin, "I hadn't thought about that yet..."
"Are you planning to give her both of these houses?... Don't be ridiculous, those are things most people can't achieve even after a lifetime of hard work!... They're all your achievements before you turned thirty... If you give her both of these houses... all the time you've worked since you started is wasted!"
"If it were you, what would you choose?"
"That's obvious...it's definitely her idea."
"I'm sorry... You're the one who made the mistake... For the sake of these two houses, you have to keep Lu Jia here."
Is this how you understand love?
"Damn it... Can you stop being so arrogant?... You're the one in the wrong right now, not Lu Jia... This has nothing to do with love, you've made a fundamental mistake!"
I was momentarily dazed before realizing that I hadn't changed my position as the lie had claimed... In Chen Jin's eyes, I was the one who had made a mistake, yet I had the audacity to talk to him about love—it was truly hypocritical!
I coughed and replied to Chen Jin, "Yes, I'm the one in the wrong... so I'm too embarrassed to bring up the house with her... let her tell me herself."
What if she doesn't tell?
"I give up..."
"Stop talking nonsense... Let's not even talk about the house in Dali, the one in Chengdu has probably appreciated to at least 3 million by now... What's wrong with you giving in to Lu Jia?"
"Even if we're going to argue about this, it's a problem between me and Lu Jia, so please don't get involved..."
"I hope you'll still be this assertive when you need money!"
After saying that, Chen Jin hung up the phone before I could. This is yet another man who got angry with me because of me and some other woman... I'm so tired. It seems like everyone around me loves to meddle in my affairs, but they're unwilling to stand in my shoes and help me. They always think I've done something wrong, and then they start isolating me.
As a result, I found myself caught in the middle... and there was no way to explain it.
I tried to be more open-minded... Maybe this is what I have to bear as a man... Just like Lu Jia, even though we've broken up, I still want to do my best to protect her reputation... I don't want to take revenge on her, otherwise I'd be letting down the "one I once loved".
...
After finishing my takeout, I was too lazy to clean up, so I threw the box on the bedside table. The table was already a mess, with an ashtray, fruit peels, and tissues on it... I don't mind being so sloppy; this is how I am right now... All the messy things correspond to my messy mood.
...
In the afternoon, the rain that had been falling finally stopped, and as I watched the sunlight fall on the green plants on the balcony, my mood gradually improved.
I wanted to get some fresh air, so I went to the window with my cane... The two sliding windows seemed to be stuck by something, and even with great effort, I couldn't open them with one hand.
I let go of my crutches and tried to pull myself up with both hands... but without the crutches, I lost my balance and fell... My leg hurt terribly, but I endured it with sheer willpower... I didn't call a nurse or ask anyone for help.
That's just the kind of person I am. The more embarrassed I am, the more I value my pride above all else.
During my school days, I was the county's 100-meter sprint champion. How could I possibly be defeated by my own...
Is your bad leg giving you trouble?
I struggled to get up, but with only one leg, I couldn't muster any strength at all... I grabbed the windowsill again, trying to use it to stand up... I had almost completely ignored everything around me.
...
Just as I was holding back my anger, my face turned bright red, a slender hand reached out to me. I looked up and saw that the woman standing behind me was Ye Zhi... Her other hand had already taken my cane...
We just stared at each other... She smiled at me, a smile that contained encouragement, but also a hint of heartache.
She finally came.
I nodded to her and then took her hand. She used a lot of strength to pull me up... Without the help of crutches, I was very unsteady on my feet, and in the end, she, a woman, held me in her arms.
I gripped her shoulders tightly, harder and harder...
This was an outburst of emotion; I almost tore her suspenders off... I was in so much pain, right now!
(End of this chapter)
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