His bed was soft, and there was a hint of lemon fragrance on the blanket. The steam from the ginger tea made Shen Xifan feel a bit absent-minded. Before long, it seemed like her pores were opened, bringing an inexplicable sense of refreshment. Fatigue crept over her.
Just as she was about to hand the cup to He Suye, she noticed him staring fixedly out the window. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
He Suye withdrew his gaze, his eyes shifting. “The sun’s out!”
Sure enough, the rain had stopped. Winter sunlight poured in through the glass window, mischievously shifting direction and casting a warm halo around He Suye.
Shen Xifan was amazed.
He took the cup and accidentally met Shen Xifan’s dazed gaze. Bewildered and entranced, he involuntarily reached out and brushed her forehead, his palm lightly grazing her face as he softly advised, “Get some sleep, you’ll feel better when you wake up.”
She snapped out of her trance, nodding slightly as He Suye got up and gently closed the door behind him.
Inside the room, it was so quiet you could hear her heartbeat.
Around noon, he went to open the door, intending to wake Shen Xifan up for lunch. She was still asleep, deeply so.
With a childish expression on her face, her sleeping demeanor was content and sweet. Her shiny black hair scattered on the pillow, all traces of shrewdness and competence gone. At this moment, she was at her most defenseless and authentic.
Now, it wasn’t just flustered feelings anymore. He quickly stepped out, feeling somewhat vexed, scratching his head as he went to the study to contemplate the doctoral application form. Shen Xifan woke up groggily, and he didn’t know how long it had been.
As she was about to get out of bed, she heard some commotion in the living room. Li Jie’s voice came through, “Brother, are you hiding your lover in your room? Why are you locking the door so tightly?”
Then came He Suye’s hurried voice, “Hey, don’t open it!”
But it was too late. The door “clacked” open. Li Jie stared in astonishment, then blurted out, “Brother, you are hiding your lover!”
Shen Xifan felt embarrassed, neither sitting nor standing comfortably. She awkwardly tried to respond, “It’s… it’s just a coincidence!”
Her hair was disheveled, cheeks flushed. Clad only in a thin sweater, her bare feet looked petite and cute. Li Jie glanced at her, then at He Suye, yelling “Don’t look if it’s indecent!” before clutching his heart and running to the study, leaving only her and He Suye staring at each other.
He Suye walked up to her and asked, “When did you wake up? Did Li Jie wake you? Still in pain?”
She shook her head, hastily putting on socks, her speech incoherent, “No, no, everything’s fine!”
He Suye found her amusing; sometimes, this little girl spoke in a muddle. He didn’t dwell on it, though. “Put on some clothes and come eat. It’s past three.”
She was about to say “I’ll just go home,” but Li Jie’s head popped out at some point, “Let’s eat, let’s eat! I’m hungry too!”
He Suye handed bowls and chopsticks to both of them. Li Jie dug in without hesitation, while Shen Xifan had intended to be a bit reserved. However, she ended up scooping a bowl of yam soup. As it slid down her throat, its thick texture and rich flavor left a lingering taste on her lips.
The yam was incredibly tender, devoid of any bitterness. Paired with the hearty bone broth, slow-cooked to perfection, it was simply exquisite. Even she, who was accustomed to the hotel chef’s cuisine, couldn’t help but marvel.
She had never expected He Suye to be so skilled, making her feel ashamed of herself.
She felt like he could do anything.
After finishing the meal, she could hardly muster the strength to stand up. Seeing He Suye bring another bowl of longan and white fungus soup, she lamented, “He Suye, why didn’t you tell me there was more? I’m stuffed…”
Li Jie laughed, “Heh heh, it’s all mine…” He eagerly reached for the bowl, but He Suye snatched the spoon from him, scolding, “Eat! And you, didn’t someone solemnly pledge to control their appetite and not eat? Last time, someone had to check their blood sugar!”
Li Jie’s face fell instantly, but his hands couldn’t keep still. He picked up the chopsticks to fish out the white fungus. He Suye sighed helplessly, “Without a spoon, you’re resorting to chopsticks? Didn’t you have lunch?”
Li Jie shook his head, pointing to a thick stack of papers on the table with a sigh, “I just grabbed these documents and came back. The boss said he needs them the day after tomorrow. My God! I’m going to die translating all this!”
Shen Xifan was curious, “What are these?” She leaned in to take a look and softly read, “All in English? Acupuncture treatment?”
Before she finished speaking, Li Jie’s eyes lit up. He hurriedly asked, “Shen Xifan, do you recognize these words?”
“I…” Shen Xifan hesitated for a moment, then answered cautiously, “I do recognize them, but I can’t spell them out. Why?”
Li Jie pushed the bowl of soup toward her, “It’s all yours now. But could you do me a favor? Help me translate some of the Chinese parts into English!”
He Suye interrupted him, “Li Jie! Have you even asked if she’s busy? Just casually…”
Shen Xifan quickly waved her hand, “It’s okay, it’s okay. If I can help, I’ll do my best. Besides, you guys have helped me a lot.” Especially He Suye, she silently added in her heart, though she didn’t dare to say it out loud.
Taking the documents, she examined them carefully and frowned at Li Jie, “I’m not very familiar with these professional terms, but I have no problem with sentence structure. How about you translate a rough draft first, and I’ll help you revise it?”
He Suye took the documents and whispered to her, “Are you sure this won’t bother you? If not, just give them all to me.”
“It’s okay!” Shen Xifan emphasized, “I majored in English at university, and I’ve translated some medical materials before. No problem.”
He Suye smiled at her and then turned to Li Jie, “Kid, after you finish translating, you owe us a meal!”
Li Jie, his head buried in a pile of documents, murmured dreamily, “So sleepy, big brother, I didn’t hear anything you said…”
Shen Xifan looked at the professional terms in acupuncture and read aloud, “Emphasizing the primary use of the Yangming meridians of the hand and foot, with supplementary use of the Shaoyang meridians of the hand and foot, including Tianzhu, Baihui, Dazhui, Houxi… so many acupoints!”
She changed the topic, “He Suye, Li Jie, how do you remember so many acupoints?”
Both He Suye and Li Jie were momentarily stunned, and then they exchanged glances and chuckled. Li Jie eagerly responded, “You don’t know how our teacher taught us back then. If we didn’t know, he’d draw on us. He started with the face, like Jingming and Xuanji, calling students by their numbers, only the boys, not the girls, and he’d mark them while explaining.
Later, when it came to the torso and limbs, the boys started taking off their clothes one by one—some had their arms exposed, some their thighs, and there were even some baring their chests and backs. It was hilarious. He was even more cunning; he’d give spot checks, and if you didn’t know anything, you had to be prepared to undress the next day—many boys in our class were caught off guard. Some girls took photos with their phones and mosaic-ed their faces before posting them on the campus network. It caused quite a stir back then—I got caught twice, once on my back and once on my thigh… It was so embarrassing!”
Shen Xifan burst into laughter and turned to He Suye, “How many times did you undress back then?”
He Suye smirked, his lips curling slightly with pride, “Just once, and only my arm, plus it was early autumn, so I was wearing a shirt. Nothing revealing.”
Li Jie felt even more frustrated, “I had to do it in the dead of winter, wearing shorts to class, and that old guy had to draw on my legs. Those who didn’t know thought I had mental problems!”
The three of them laughed heartily, dispelling the earlier awkwardness.
Suddenly, Li Jie suggested, “Big brother, can I borrow your set later? I have a headache and didn’t sleep well!”
He Suye had to go fetch the box. Li Jie, pretending to be mysterious, said to Shen Xifan, “Pay attention later. Big brother’s needles are invaluable.”
Shen Xifan was puzzled, “Are they made of gold or something? Why are they so precious?”
Li Jie grinned the pen in his hand spinning, “More or less. They’re worth even more than gold. They’re his family heirloom, not something he shows off easily. You can’t find nine-needle sets nowadays. Most people use filiform needles, but he has the whole set!”
She was about to ask what nine needle sets and filiform needles were when He Suye came out, holding the box, and looked at Li Jie teasingly, “Are you going to do it yourself or shall I help you?”
Li Jie’s face changed color, “I’ll do it myself, I’ll do it myself! How could I trouble big brother!”
And so, he did it himself, holding the needle in one hand while explaining the basic principles of acupuncture to Shen Xifan. Shen Xifan watched in awe as He Suye also took a needle and casually inserted it into his left hand.
Shen Xifan couldn’t believe her eyes. The needles seemed like toys to them, as they casually inserted them, whether they were happy or not, unlike her, who had to endure agonizing pain today, only to receive one needle.
Seeing her puzzled and astonished gaze, He Suye quickly explained, “I’m not as bored as Li Jie to insert needles for no reason. I hurt my hand the day before yesterday while playing basketball.” He pointed at Li Jie’s arm, “His acupoint is called Qingling, belonging to the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian, which can treat headaches, shivering, and shoulder and arm pain.”
Shen Xifan looked curiously at the needles and acupoints, her eyes sparkling with admiration. “You guys are amazing… It’s so miraculous…”
The three of them chatted until late before leaving. He Suye accompanied Shen Xifan home, holding a stack of documents, while she bounced beside him. The fatigue and pain from earlier had vanished, and she looked lively now.
Seeing her like this made him very satisfied. Although her physical pain wasn’t a serious illness, he felt immense comfort in taking care of her. Even if he treated hundreds of patients every day, none made him feel as fulfilled as she did.
He didn’t know why, perhaps it was because he felt needed.
He thought, even someone as calm and composed as he still had a bit of vanity, and still needed constant affirmation from others.
As the lights of the residential area flickered on, while not a bustling neighborhood, the scene was still warm and cozy. Occasionally, a car passed by, melting into the darkness, and distant children’s laughter echoed softly.
Near the entrance to Area F, Shen Xifan inadvertently glanced sideways, furrowing her brows slightly—Yan Heng?
In reality, they were quite far apart. He stood on the main road of the residential area, leaning against a black BMW, separated from Shen Xifan by an iron railing. The cigarette in his hand flickered faintly, emitting a sense of disillusionment in the darkness. The flickering flame, along with the dim glow of the streetlights, outlined his face, adding a touch of loneliness to his handsome features.
He stared blankly at Shen Xifan and He Suye, smoke curling around him. With a gust of wind, his gaze became disoriented.
But He Suye didn’t notice. She looked at Shen Xifan’s somewhat absent-minded expression and playfully ruffled her hair. “Why are you daydreaming all the time, little girl?”
Shen Xifan snapped back to attention, scrambling to take the stack of documents. “It’s nothing, it’s just too cold today, my thoughts are frozen. I’ve reached home, give me these documents, and I’ll come to find you tomorrow.”
He Suye helped her straighten out the documents, her expression as stern as the stars on a winter night, yet with a hint of indulgence. “If you can’t finish them, it’s okay. Just rest well.”
Shen Xifan squeezed out a smile. “No problem, I’ll call you tomorrow. Goodnight.”
He Suye nodded, waved goodbye, and retraced his steps. Shen Xifan watched his retreating figure blend seamlessly into the darkness, his outstanding composure always giving her a sense of security.
Her heart stirred. How could such a good man not have a girlfriend?
Then Shen Xifan’s gaze fell lightly on the man, his face so familiar, his posture so familiar, his presence so familiar, yet after three years, he felt strangely distant.
When did he start smoking?
Why did he change his surname, why did he return from the peak of success in the United States, why did he keep appearing in front of her, why was he waiting for her at her doorstep now?
She inexplicably felt a sense of resentment, for Yan Heng’s ambiguous attitude, yet shamelessly kept him in her heart.
Deep down, she was afraid of this moment; she had never been brave. Just as she reached the second floor, she listened intently, relieved by the absence of sound. She reached out to touch the sensor light on the stairs.
Startled, she dropped all the documents in her hand, white papers tumbling down the stairs, scattering on the ground with a crisp sound.
It felt familiar.
Shen Xifan struggled to control herself from turning around, desperately twisting her arm, half pleading, half helpless. “Don’t do this, let go, all the documents are scattered!”
“Who was that man just now?” Yan Heng’s tone was questioning, with a touch of jealousy evident.
A nameless fire ignited within her, overwhelmed by grievances and anger. She bravely met his gaze, finding an unfamiliar anger and unwillingness in his eyes. She immediately spoke without restraint, “It’s none of your business, what right do you have to control me? Let go! I told you to let go!”
Unexpectedly, Yan Heng tightened his grip, and she fell into his arms, the familiar scent mingling with the allure of tobacco. Suddenly, she felt her empty hands had nowhere to rest.
Because she was too tired, she had no strength or courage to hug back.
His chin rested on her forehead, she could feel the slight stubble, his warm breath, and his arms holding her tightly as if she would disappear in the next second.
It felt like protecting a precious treasure.
He finally spoke, breaking the silence. “You didn’t look well this morning, I was worried. Your phone was switched off, so I waited for you at your doorstep for over two hours. Is everything okay now that the lights are on at home?”
His words were full of concern and affection. Shen Xifan didn’t know how to respond and just remained silent. Was he genuinely concerned about her? In such a situation, should she be happy and smile? But there was a frozen place in her heart, she couldn’t muster a smile.
Should she be moved to tears? But tears wouldn’t come either. She felt ‘numb’ was the most fitting word to describe her current state.
Suddenly, Yan Heng’s phone rang. Shen Xifan broke free from his embrace, not daring to look at him, and squatted on the ground to pick up the documents. She only heard him answer, “Okay, got it. I’ll come over right away. From the U.S.? No problem!”
Ending the call, he gave a helpless smile, bending down to help her tidy up. “I’m sorry, Xiaofan, I was too impulsive. As long as you’re okay.”
As he placed the last document in her hand, he sighed. “I have to go now. See you tomorrow. Goodnight.”
She lowered her eyelids. “Thank you. Goodnight.”
Then, without looking back, she went upstairs, unlocked the door, and went to make herself a cup of tea. She noticed that Yan Heng stood beside the BMW, staring at her house for a while before finally getting into the car and driving away.
Her heart was in turmoil.
Suppressing her restless heart, she prepared to go through the documents. Just as she had read two pages, she remembered her phone was dead. So, she fetched her bag to get her phone. As she turned it on, she froze.
A bottle of medicine lay neatly in her bag, accompanied by a note with handwriting she knew all too well. “You’ve finished the month’s supply of medicine. I don’t know if you’re still suffering from insomnia. If there are still mild symptoms, you don’t need to take Chinese medicine. This bottle of sour jujube seed powder can help. Sour jujube seeds can calm the mind and soothe the nerves, harmonize the stomach, regulate the liver, moisten the lungs, warm the spleen, and relieve sweating. It also helps improve concentration and vision. The best part is it’s not bitter; you can take it directly with water. But you must be consistent, don’t give up halfway.”
Shen Xifan carefully opened the bottle, revealing reddish-brown powder with a delicate texture, as if it could be blown away with a gentle breath, clearly finely ground.
She took a spoon and poured a bit of sour jujube seed powder, along with some water, into her mouth. It was sweet and sour.
Perhaps this was the taste of love. Sour and sweet.
She recalled reading a novel, though the details were fuzzy.
“The sour taste is like vinegar. When girls get jealous, they look cute and foolish, both confused and adorable. Chinese girls, when jealous, are subtle and wise. The sweet taste is like when a boyfriend buys a pomegranate for his girlfriend, and they sit together on a garden bench to eat it. The pomegranate has the most transparent pink, like southern red beans, representing longing. He eats one seed, she eats one, chatting and eating, spending a long afternoon together.”
She had told Yan Heng before, “I hope my love is like this, supporting each other, being equals, as calm as water. I found him over time, relied on him, and entrusted my life to him. To be his wife, the mother of his children, to cook for him, do his laundry, sew on a lost button. And then, we’ll grow old together. One day he’ll leave me or I’ll leave him to repair our fate in another world. By then, we can still say the simplest words to each other, ‘I do.'”
But that person, she didn’t know who he was.
As all her defenses faded away, loneliness surged through her heart. Unable to hold back any longer, she tightly gripped the medicine bottle, tears streaming down her face.