The person in your heart has come back, right?
My brain started working at lightning speed.
Judging from the phone call Gu Wanlin made to me back then, it's not surprising that she knew I was dating someone else. My social media posts at the time, whether it was about eating out or visiting exhibitions, made it easy to tell that I was dating. But she probably didn't know it was Qiao Qi, since I never posted any photos of us together.
Qiao Qi might not even recognize who Gu Wanlin is.
Qiao Qi and I actually only dated for less than two months. I really liked her when we first met, and I felt quite comfortable around her, but the kind of electric passion I had when I fell in love with Gu Wanlin never happened.
I once comforted myself that maybe it was because I was getting older and more mature. It's impossible for every relationship in a person's life to be so intense and unforgettable. I should be content with having had a relationship with Gu Wanlin. But I have indeed lost her. Life has to move forward. This does not mean that Qiao Qi and I are not suitable for each other.
Later, a phone call from Gu Wanlin stirred up a storm in my heart. Hearing Gu Wanlin's voice, which I hadn't seen for two years, coming from the distant sea, as she reflected on our relationship and finally said goodbye and wished me happiness, I cried uncontrollably on the other end of the phone.
I realized that I had never forgotten Gu Wanlin for a single day, and that I was the one who was stuck in the same place and unable to move forward.
Qiao Qi is too nonchalant. Noticing my absent-mindedness, he immediately suggested that we should call off the date. "Qingyi, to be honest, I really like you, and I've seriously considered being with you. But I feel like you have someone else in your heart. I don't want to ask who it is, and I don't plan to wait for you to forget the person in your heart. The person I like must be the one who likes me the most in the whole world."
I was speechless and apologized to her. Qiao Qi said it wasn't necessary; who at our age hasn't had a few relationships? It's not that the person next to us isn't our true love, but rather that our true love is no longer by our side. She understood. She winked at me mischievously, "I only said I really like you, I didn't say you're my favorite. Anyway, we're just dating, we haven't even started dating, let alone have any emotional foundation. If it's not a good fit, we can just break up and still be friends."
And so we did become friends. Since we didn't even have time to develop any emotional entanglements, our friendship was clean, straightforward, and generous. Qiao Qi has a carefree personality and values ​​friendship. We share similar interests, so we were indeed a good match as friends.
But the visual impact of her and Gu Wanlin sitting together was truly immense. One was my ex-boyfriend (and hopefully my next boyfriend), and the other was my ex-date who dumped me after realizing I still had feelings for my ex. It made me feel like I had walked into some kind of hellish battlefield, and that I was about to be taken to court, branded as a heartless person, and executed.
My stomach hurts.
Qiao Qi laughed loudly, "Shen Qingyi, it's been a long time! I heard from them that recently no one can persuade you to come. They've been asking you to go skiing, camping, and hiking all winter, but you haven't come. You've been quite busy."
I laughed it off, "Of course I'm busy. Once this book I'm working on is published, I'll send each of you a copy signed by the author, okay?"
The truth is, ever since I met Gu Wanlin again, my heart has been completely devoted to her. On weekends, apart from going home for one day, I only occasionally have a short dinner with friends on the other day. After dinner, I rush home to be with Gu Wanlin. I don't have time for any longer activities, and I don't even want to come to large gatherings that take up most of the day.
They invited me to sit down, and Xia sat down next to me. I moved over step by step, feeling like I was going to my death.
"What are you talking about?" I hope my smile isn't too stiff or forced.
Qiao Qi talked about the play she's currently working on, a one-woman show about a former elite female lawyer who defended a sexual assault suspect but becomes a victim herself, standing on the witness stand instead of the lawyer's stand for the first time, and beginning to deeply doubt and question the legal system she once firmly believed in. The original work sparked a frenzy of discussion abroad and won numerous awards. Qiao Qi's teacher, after reading the text, felt it was worthwhile to introduce it to the domestic stage play market, bought the rights, and is currently leading a team to adapt and create it.
Qiao Qi pointed to Gu Wanlin, "It just so happens that Teacher Gu said she saw this play in London's West End two years ago, so I would like to ask her to talk about her viewing experience from the audience's perspective, and also ask her what she thinks about the few details we need to adapt."
There was a bottle of water in front of Gu Wanlin, but it looked untouched. Perhaps Xia had brought it to her, but Xia didn't know that Gu Wanlin's hands were mostly paralyzed and she couldn't open the bottle herself. I quietly took it, unscrewed it, and handed it to her.
Gu Wanlin shook his head and didn't take it.
She doesn't have much strength in her hands, and at home she usually uses a special cup with handles on both sides and a straw. This mineral water bottle is quite heavy for her, and she has to hold it firmly with the heels of both hands. She doesn't want to show her disability in front of people she's just met, which I can understand, so I put it down and will find her a straw later.
Gu Wanlin glanced at the time on her phone. It was already past midnight, but she didn't want to bring it up directly, and she was in a hurry. She smiled at Qiao Qi and Xia Xia, "Excuse me, I'm going to the restroom."
I looked at her questioningly, asking if she wanted me to come with her. Gu Wanlin shook her head slightly.
Xia pointed her in the right direction and watched as Gu Wanlin wheeled herself in. She looked at me with concern and asked, "My bathroom is just a regular toilet, without the handrails found in accessible bathrooms. Will Teacher Gu be able to use it?"
My heart ached. How could I explain to them that Gu Wanlin didn't actually need the toilet? Aside from that one time in the early morning, she only needed to empty the urine bag she carried on her person. Of course, I wouldn't go into details. I just waved my hand and said she didn't need it, that she could manage on her own, and that if she didn't come out after a while, I'd go in and check on her.
Xia said, "Okay, I'll go into the kitchen and keep an eye on things for you. You and Qiao Qi can chat."
I cried out in my heart, "Don't leave me alone!"
Qiao Qi was determined to make me happy. As soon as Xia left, she couldn't wait to put on a gossipy smile and said, "The person in your heart is back, right?"
I haven't explained Gu Wanlin's identity to the friends who came today, since I don't have any official status right now. I've only said that she's a good friend and that I wanted to introduce her to everyone. I only met them after I broke up with Gu Wanlin after graduating from university, unlike my long-standing friendship with Li You. Therefore, I've never mentioned Gu Wanlin and me to them before.
Is it that obvious? I looked at Qiao Qi in surprise, "Huh?"
Qiao Qi curled his lip. "Do I even need to say that? Your eyes are practically glued to her. Ex?"
I silently agreed, "Yes, she was my girlfriend in college. We were together for three years. Later, she went abroad to study, and I graduated and started working. We had some disagreements for a while, so we broke up."
Qiao Qi said "Oh," and then hesitated before asking, "Would you mind if I asked, when you first met, was she already...?"
My voice lowered, "No, it was after we broke up... because of the car accident... about a year and a half ago. Not long after she returned to China, I met her again last autumn."
Qiao Qi sighed, "That's... such a pity... You must be feeling pretty bad too."
I gave a wry smile. "No matter how bad I feel, can it compare to how bad she feels? But she's working very hard and recovering very well, and I'm happy and proud of her."
Qiao Qi patted my shoulder. "That's good. I quite like her. If there's anything I can help you with in the future, just let me know."
I glanced at the time. Gu Wanlin had been in the bathroom for a long time and hadn't come out yet. Emptying the urine bag shouldn't take that long. Her leg injury hadn't fully healed; it was still being treated and bandaged. I was worried she might be having some trouble. "Hmm. I have to go check on her."
I stood in front of the bathroom door and knocked gently. "Gu Wanlin, it's me. May I come in?"
She answered from inside the door. Unlocking the bathroom door was quite difficult for her, and it took her half a minute before the door slowly opened a crack.
I slipped inside and locked the door behind me.
Gu Wanlin didn't look well. Her face was pale, she was slightly out of breath, and her left foot was spasming slightly on the wheelchair footrest.
She glanced at me, her voice sounding weak. "I turned the urine bag upside down and tied it back up myself. Could you help me wash my hands? I've tried several times but I can't reach the sink."
Xia's bathroom wasn't spacious, and it must have been very difficult for her to maneuver her wheelchair inside. The sink was also a standard type with a cabinet underneath, which her wheelchair couldn't fit in. When she tried to reach the faucet, she couldn't maintain her balance.
My heart ached. I hadn't expected that she hadn't come out for so long because she was struggling to wash her hands by herself. "Why didn't you call me sooner?"
Her voice sounded flat. "You were chatting happily with your friends outside. It was just washing your hands. I don't want to call you over for such a small thing. Maybe we can find a way if we try a few more times."
I was a little worried. Her words were positive and encouraging, but they didn't sound quite right. I was worried that she was just overthinking things. What could she do? The platform was designed this way, and the location of her injury meant she had no control over her body below the shoulders. In the absence of accessible facilities, perhaps she could learn some skills through rehabilitation exercises, but that would take time.
After I washed her hands, I picked her up to relieve the pressure for a while, but the cramps in her legs hadn't completely subsided. When I came in, I saw that she was pale, and I thought it was just because she had been lying on her lap for a long time dealing with the urine bag and had just sat back down, so she had a little low blood pressure and would get better after a while. But after so long, she still hadn't gotten better. Remembering that she had occasionally had a low-grade fever recently, I touched her forehead with concern.
As expected, it has a fever.
"Gu Wanlin, are you tired?" She had been out for quite a while today and had been talking to different people. Gu Wanlin was essentially a quiet person, and no matter how well she got along with the conversation, dealing with people was always an energy-consuming thing for her.
With her eyes downcast, she said listlessly, "A little. Ah Qing, I'm sorry, I want to go back first. Your friends are all outside. If the seizure gets worse and I can't control it, it will be embarrassing in front of everyone."
I gently brushed the stray hairs from her forehead. "Why are you apologizing? If you're tired, we'll just tell you when we're going back."
She looked up at me. "I didn't say I wanted to go back with you. I messaged Sister Zhang, and she'll come pick me up. I can walk by myself later."
I was worried that her fever was because of the wound on her leg. "Can't I just go home with you and stay here?"
She didn't give me any room for negotiation. "It's nothing serious. I just want to go home and rest for a while. Many of your friends came today because they haven't seen you in a long time. What's the point of you leaving half-cooked food behind and coming with me?"
Seeing that I didn't say anything, she probably realized that her tone was a bit harsh. "Qing, I'm really not in any serious condition. My body is just like this right now, but I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine after a rest. Don't make me feel like I'm just a downer wherever I go. That makes me feel really useless."
This is the second time she's said something like that to me.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com