Chapter 37 The Moment Closest to Love
Gu Weiyi glared at Gustav. Li Wenjing nudged him sideways and said, "Go drive the car. Your dad won't eat me, so what are you afraid of?"
"He bullied you..."
"Nothing," Li Wenjing interrupted him, "It's just business as usual. We just need to talk."
"Okay, I'll wait for you for half an hour."
He withdrew his gaze from Gustav, his eyes softening once more. His cheek brushed against hers, the touch of his stubble resting on her face, a tickling sensation like caressing her body, momentarily distracting her—he was telling her that she should leave, go with him, go anywhere, do something crazy and outrageous, instead of sitting here and talking so much nonsense. Everything happened so quickly, and she was puzzled as to why she was here tonight. She was like a floating duckweed, drifting wherever fate took her... until Gustav took her hand and called her back.
Gustav and Li Wenjing walked to the corridor. There weren't enough wards, so several workers were sleeping on benches. It was just dawn, and Li Wenjing was exhausted. She yawned constantly, her eyes red and filled with tears. Gustav apologized.
“If I were in Mombasa, I would buy you coffee.”
"People here don't need coffee, they need a hospital," Li Wenjing said. "The hospital wasn't built, but an oil field was built."
"With the oil fields, there is money, and then there are hospitals."
Pierre had explained these things to him privately a long time ago - the energy company had invested too much in this oil field, including land purchase, resettlement, workers, machinery, and other expenses, big and small. They had to mine, make a profit, and earn money. This was their purpose in coming to Africa.
Li Wenjing asked him, "Who is this money going to? The government, officials, chiefs? How much of it actually reaches ordinary people? Why not just admit you're here to make money? Who doesn't come to Africa to make money? Are you here for charity? ... There are some, like Dr. Gu."
Gustav looked at her coldly, "Did Charles say these words?"
"Yes, he said that oil hasn't brought happiness to the people here, but has instead caused a lot of trouble. Tribes are fighting over money, and many people have been killed or injured. You don't care. Just build good relationships with the government, officials, and a few chiefs, and you can pay them off."
"I don't think this is your job description."
"Indeed," Li Wenjing said, "but I was responsible for my work on your project and submitted a report to you a long time ago. Yet you dragged your feet for so long. Fortunately, no one died. Otherwise, how could you afford the compensation?"
"A few tens of thousands of dollars is enough." His voice was calm. "It doesn't matter."
"This is very important." Li Wenjing sighed, "That's why Charles hates you. You put a price tag on everything. You don't care if we live or die. It doesn't matter if someone dies. You care about your own children, but your workers are other people's children too. Their families will be sad too."
He paused for a few seconds, a hint of annoyance creeping across his face. Without continuing her words, he spoke in a colder, commanding tone, "Pierre will write the report on this accident. The cause is an earthquake. Please cooperate with him."
Li Wenjing was so angry that she laughed. She shook her head and smiled, "It doesn't matter if you don't pay me or ask me to fire me. I will write another report and state the real reason."
"To be honest, I admire you, but I don't like you," he said.
"goodbye."
Unable to continue the conversation, Li Wenjing said goodbye to him and turned away.
After coming out of the rural hospital, the sun had already risen, and the morning sun was bright red. The sun here was always bigger than she had seen before. It gradually became dazzling after piercing through the lavender mist. Gu Weiyi drove over and stopped in front of her.
The bouquet of white roses lay quietly in the back seat. Gu Weiyi noticed her looking at the flowers and asked if she wanted to throw them away. Li Wenjing said no, there was nothing wrong with the flowers. After driving for a while, she looked out at the wasteland. In the distance were the oil fields, where the construction site was still working, like a flowing river.
"I kind of regret not accepting your card." Li Wenjing leaned against the window with her head tilted, squinting her eyes and smiling. "I had another fight with Gustav. This time, I might really lose my job."
Gu Weiyi didn't say anything and just listened to her quietly.
"Gustav asked Pierre to write an accident report. Pierre was the chief engineer, a nice guy, and we had a good relationship. But he always listened to Gustav and just said it was an earthquake. His subordinates were appeased with some money."
"He's always like this. Talking to him too much will only make him angry."
"Indeed, I should have listened to you and left earlier."
Li Wenjing yawned. She was very tired and could only try her best to keep her eyelids open. "I will write a new report and report it to the Kenyan government and the French company headquarters. The problem has persisted. We must stop production and rectify it. Even if I lose the job, no one will accompany me to do it, and everyone scolds me, I have to do it."
A few antelopes ran across the road. Gu Weiyi stopped the car and let them go first. He reached out and touched her forehead. She leaned her face in his palm and kissed his palm.
"Come on, you won't be alone, I'm here with you."
"Don't ask me why?"
"No need to ask," he said. "I remember what you said that day at the beach. Your cousin, your uncle... you care about them very much. No matter what you do, I support you. If you need anything, I will do my best to help you."
"Do you remember after drinking?"
"I remember everything about you. You are my patient and the person I love."
Li Wenjing's heart was pounding. The sunlight from the car window shone on his soft chestnut curls, like golden threads, so soft. She missed the nights she'd spent leaning against him, his fur as soft as a cat's. She suddenly wanted to kiss him so badly. Just as she leaned in a little, an antelope happened to pass by. He gently patted her forehead, told her to sleep if she was tired, and then started the car again. Li Wenjing sat back down, the sun burning her face. The breeze from the window soothed her embarrassment.
"I will go to Congo next year and return to Mombasa this month to prepare for work. I have a lot of work to hand over in Kenya. Don't worry, I will be with you until you get better."
Or Congo, the most dangerous area in Africa, could she go with him? The salary there would be higher, but it was too dangerous. She was most afraid of having the life to earn money but not the life... She had considered this idea several times. "Being brave once for love" had always been a ridiculous idea to her.
She didn't realize it, but now her mind was completely consumed by the thought of kissing him. She also felt a bit regretful for not saying it out loud earlier. If she did, it would ruin the perfect atmosphere. She looked at the wound on her hand. It felt like the first time she'd been injured so badly since turning thirty, and the first time she'd felt happy about it. He was by her side, not blaming her. He was the only one who could fully understand her feelings.
Li Wenjing had thought she didn't need anyone to understand her, but having someone by her side, someone who understood her, that feeling could be called a kind of happiness. She pondered the question of love more than ever before, thinking she might be trapped. This was the closest she had ever come to love. Today was a sunny day, and the car was bumpy on the road across the African savannah. She and he staggered back and forth, jazz playing in the car, and he would caress her hand. The road seemed to stretch out endlessly, and she felt tired. She yawned, leaned back in the seat, and fell asleep peacefully.
"Good night, Wenjing." He still gave her the kiss. "When you wake up, I will take you home."
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