He Suye received the call from the school Red Cross very late.
Recently, he noticed he often made mistakes in actions related to ropes, like pulling down a pen holder while taking off a wire or tripping over a power cord and spilling things on the table. He carefully analyzed it and found it was due to cognitive defects, a lack of logical thinking causing an extremely poor understanding of cause and effect—a postnatal disadvantage.
It was all because of that offer, making his mind restless and his thoughts scattered.
The phone call temporarily calmed his chaotic thoughts. The school Red Cross organized medical teams every year to provide medical services in mountainous areas. He visited that place two years ago and was very familiar with it.
In that small mountain village where terraced fields and unfamiliar rice paddies stretched out, every household raised chickens and ducks, with pigs covered in mud. He fetched water, made fires, treated villagers’ illnesses, and taught classes. Most people there were very poor, unable to afford expensive medicine or hospital stays. The only doctor in the village was just a quack, not even knowing how to disinfect before administering vaccines.
The air there was fresh, though conditions were extremely harsh. But he liked seeing the children calling him “big brother,” asking him math questions, and villagers thanking him with fresh vegetables, while the elderly invited him to drink rice wine in the evening.
There was a thought that crossed his mind—he wanted to stay in that small mountain village for a lifetime.
When he returned that time, he was scolded by his counselor and boss. His roommates didn’t hesitate to drag him to the women’s dorm to weigh him, and he ended up losing ten pounds. There were still patches on his ankles; the foundations of the mountains were unstable, prone to landslides.
Later, he got busy and gradually forgot about that place. Perhaps it wasn’t because of being busy, but because that person was no longer important, and all the pain went away with it, memories becoming insignificant.
It wasn’t that he was heartless, it was because she wasn’t worth his demeaning himself. There are plenty of fish in the sea.
In the rice cooker, he was stewing chicken soup with Astragalus and Chinese yam.
Astragalus tonifies Qi, raises yang, benefits the stomach, and stabilizes the exterior. It also promotes diuresis and reduces edema. Chinese yam tonifies Qi and nourishes yin, strengthening the spleen, lungs, and kidneys.
It was said that bridesmaids were more exhausted than brides at weddings, running around, taking care of everything, and too busy to even eat a meal. Even though that little girl promised confidently that she had ample experience, he still worried.
Perhaps, besides preparing extra meals for her and Qiu Tian, he also needed to prepare some adhesive bandages or something. According to Su San, one of Shen Xifan’s high-heeled shoes had straps, and walking too much could easily chafe her feet.
He sighed, thinking, “This wedding is exhausting, thank goodness I’m not getting married.”
Wait, getting married? Me? With whom?
A figure flashed through his mind, and he held his breath for a moment, hastily opening the lid, and accidentally burning his hand again. But the aroma of the chicken soup filled the air, making him smile involuntarily.
He was already eager to see her in a wedding dress.
Qiu Tian—He shouted in his mind—I regret it. If I had known, I wouldn’t have let you tie me three times. At least I could still win against you three times.
The next day, He Suye was awakened by a phone call early in the morning. Qiu Tian shouted from the other end, “Come to Li Jie’s house and see if he can marry Su Meimei dressed like this?”
Li Jie shouted helplessly, “I am as charming as Pan An, a pear blossom presses a sea of flowers, why do I look so ugly in this outfit!” But Qiu Tian was not interested in his self-deprecating jokes and continued to tease, “Are you sure you want to get married dressed like this? Do you want to wear another green hat?”
He Suye listened with extreme speechlessness and immediately took a taxi to Li Jie’s house. Sure enough, aside from the disheveled groom, Qiu Tian had made himself shine brightly. He sighed, “Qiu Tian, you look like a goldfish!”
In the end, they chose a set of the most decent and conventional wedding clothes from among the many. He wondered, “Didn’t you guys try on the clothes before? Why is today so chaotic?”
Qiu Tian was quite helpless, “I did remind him like this, but this guy refused to cooperate!”
Li Jie was even more helpless, “My mom suddenly brought so many clothes, I’m under pressure too!”
But when the three of them finally came out, the young and old of Li’s family were stunned. Li’s cousins almost stared blankly, “Oh my god, these three could star in a youth idol drama.”
It was early in the morning, the dawn was clean and gentle, with a faint mist and the fragrance of plants in the air.
Walking into the courtyard outside, Qiu Tian hung on He Suye in an unflattering manner, leaned close to his ear, and chuckled, “Sharp Corners, do you think Xifan will be infatuated when she sees you?”
His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly pushed Qiu Tian away, “Stop talking nonsense, be a good groomsman, and don’t cause trouble.”
Qiu Tian’s head still didn’t leave his shoulder, “Sharp Corners, why haven’t you confessed to her yet? Do it now! Quickly!”
He Suye smiled wryly, somewhat helpless, “Qiu Tian, when we used to have goldfish at home, I loved them so much. When it was my turn to feed them, I would sprinkle a little bit, and the fish would rush to eat it all. Then I poured in a whole packet, and in the end, the fish died from overeating. It’s the same situation now; I can’t ignore her feelings and impose my will on her. And… ” His voice lowered, “The situation is very chaotic right now, it’s not the right time. She still has unresolved issues, and besides, I’m greedy. I want her to love me wholeheartedly, not just have a little bit of goodwill.”
Qiu Tian sighed, “I wish Fang Kexin would stop looking at you all the time, she seems to have a lot of hostility towards Shen Xifan?”
He Suye smiled, “That’s your business, take care of your people and lock your doors.”
Truly arriving at Su San’s house, he felt like the one who would be infatuated wasn’t Shen Xifan, but himself.
In a light pink dress, a crystal headpiece, and high heels, her slightly curled hair and light makeup, holding pastries and candies, she immediately smiled when she saw them, “The groom’s here to steal the bride!”
Qiu Tian whistled mischievously and said with a smirk, “Let’s not steal the bride, let’s steal the bridesmaids instead!”
A slight blush swept across her face, like the peach blossoms of April, while her fair porcelain-like neck radiated with a dazzling charm at the corners of her eyes and eyebrows, shining like sunlight.
Unable to describe his feelings, he felt a tightness in his throat and couldn’t help but turn his face away, yet his peripheral vision involuntarily glanced over.
Su Shan shouted from the room, “Xifan, I’m nervous, I’m scared, can we not get married?”
Qiu Tian laughed heartily, “Too late, too late, even if today were a kidnapping, I’d still take you back.”
Li Jie, feigning helplessness on the side, said, “Shen Jiejie, please let him go. I’m old upstairs and have no young ones downstairs. I’ll raise a yellow dog until I’m old. If I marry this wife, I’m still hoping to serve her tea, massage her back, and pamper her with good food and drink for the rest of my life!”
Shen Xifan giggled, “Su Shan, do you want to sign a post-marriage contract now? We can all be witnesses.”
In the end, Su Shan walked out herself, her eyes red, and threw herself into her parents’ arms, crying bitterly. Shen Xifan was amazed, “Why didn’t you cry when we were teasing you just now? Now it’s like the floodgates have opened.”
Li Jie, at a loss on the side, tightly held a pack of tissues and handed them over one by one attentively.
He Su Ye took the dress paper bag she was carrying, “The deep bond between parents and children is like this. My cousin cried so heartbreakingly when she got married, and her husband felt like he was a tyrant who abducted a maiden.”
Shen Xifan smiled, “I guess if I get married, I’ll cry uncontrollably too. I can’t bear to leave my parents.”
Qiu Tian, seeming somewhat sentimental, said, “If I get married, my parents will cry tears of joy.”
Then the groom carried the bride out, got into the car, returned to the groom’s house, and finally drove to the hotel. The wedding procession occupied most of the main roads of the city, grandly and majestically, reminiscent of ancient royal wedding processions.
After getting out of the car, Shen Xifan and Qiu Tian were kept busy, helping the newlyweds touch up their makeup, collect red envelopes, and distribute wedding candies, and by the time the wedding started, their throats were dry as if on fire, yet they still had to toast with the newlyweds and shield them from alcohol.
The festivities didn’t end until after two o’clock in the afternoon, and there was still another event in the evening, leaving the two of them feeling gloomy and wanting to cry.
Qiu Tian choked up, “I didn’t even get a taste of the shark’s fin soup.”
Shen Xifan was in agony, “I’ve been eyeing that roast suckling pig for so long, but when I finally went to get some, all that was left was the skin.”
Qiu Tian slumped on the couch, looking at He Suye with puppy eyes, “Sharp horns, if I had known, I wouldn’t have tried to be tough. I’d have let you be the best man and gone to feast!”
Shen Xifan pointed at him and laughed, “He Suye, with your looks, who would dare to invite you as the best man? You’d overshadow the groom too much!”
He could only ask, “Aren’t you two hungry? I have food at my place!”
As a result, these two sneaked away from the newlyweds and went to He Suye’s house.
All the dishes just needed to be reheated in the microwave. He Shouzheng carried two large food containers and boasted, “Uncle, I packed these dishes for you.” Then he looked at Qiu Tian, “Uncle, eat less, don’t snatch Sister’s food!”
Chicken soup stewed with Chinese yam and astragalus, braised mushrooms, braised eggplant, and cold beef salad. Qiu Tian waved his hand, “Bring another bottle of Pepsi!”
He Shouzheng obediently poured a glass of juice for him and said seriously, “Uncle, men should drink less cola.”
Shen Xifan was happily indulging in the chicken soup, and He Suye asked, “Do you want an apple? Or an orange?”
With a mouthful of meat, she couldn’t speak, so she raised her hand and made a gesture. He Suye smiled, “Orange? I’ll make it into juice for you.”
Shen Xifan nodded in satisfaction, and Qiu Tian exclaimed in surprise, “You can understand this too? Sharp horns, you could be an animal trainer!”
Shouzheng blinked, “Isn’t it said that women are tigers? – Oh! Uncle, this was what my dad said!”
The commotion was even more intense and busier in the evening. Shen Xifan felt like her legs were about to give out, yet she had to force herself to stay alert. When the banquet was dispersed, she looked at her feet again. Several places were rubbed raw, causing her to suck in a breath of cold air from the pain.
As she hesitated whether to change out of her high heels, He Suye pushed the door open, holding a small box in his hands and sighing softly, “Qiu Tian said your feet are hurt, so he asked me to take a look.”
He knelt halfway down and carefully took off her shoes, his movements natural as if he were treating a patient. Shen Xifan didn’t detect any ambiguous atmosphere and simply complained, completely in a girlish manner. Her delicate foot, akin to a piece of white jade, rested on He Suye’s knee, with several abrasions visible.
He first lightly wiped them with alcohol, then took out a small bottle and applied some brown powder. Shen Xifan asked curiously, “What is this?”
“My grandfather made it, Sanqi powder. The main ingredient of Yunnan Baiyao is Sanqi.”
“That… specifically for treating cuts, bruises, scrapes, and wounds?”
“It stops bleeding and disperses blood stasis, not only for external injuries but also internal ones, without leaving bruises. It treats coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, and sequelae of cerebral hemorrhage.”
“It’s so miraculous! Then give me a little more. If I get a cut in the future, I can just apply it, right?”
He applied a little Sanqi powder to the wound, then covered it with a band-aid and checked again, “It’s okay now, it’ll be better in two days. In the future, wear less of these types of shoes. They’re easy to rub…”
Before he finished the last word “foot,” Fang Keyin pushed the door open. Upon seeing them, she immediately froze, and then quickly closed the door again. Shen Xifan was puzzled, “What’s wrong, Fang Keyin? Is something the matter?”
Fang Keyin stood silently at the door for a while, until Qiu Tian called her before she came back to her senses. The scene just now kept replaying in her mind like a thorn, piercing her heart, impossible to shake off.
Why have I silently waited by your side for so long, waiting for the past to pass, waiting for the future to come, yet still unable to see the glimmer between us?
As long as you treat me well, even a little, it’s enough for me to let go.
The wedding chamber was filled with joyous revelry. People in the medical profession often marry later than usual, and working in hospitals can be quite stressful, so whenever there’s a happy occasion, the celebrations tend to be especially lively.
The new bedroom had been decorated with numerous obstacles by those mischievous friends. There were apples, red dates, and cherries strewn all over the floor, and the bride and groom had to eat their way through them before they could proceed. Li Jie and Su Shan had drunk quite a bit of alcohol and couldn’t resist teasing each other, leaving them exhausted.
Finally, Li Jie lost his temper. He raised his eyebrows, pushed Su Shan against the wall, and pressed his entire body against hers. Then he shouted at the crowd of cheering onlookers, “Those who are truly in love, leave now.” He followed it up with a passionate kiss, sending everyone present into a frenzy of excitement.
Qiu Tian, who was hiding in the corner, sighed, “I’m getting old. I can’t handle such intense excitement anymore. I’m going home to sleep. I have surgery tomorrow, and if I anger the boss, I’m done for.”
Upon hearing this, the others bid farewell to the newlyweds one by one, their fists pounding heavily. “Li Jie, well done!”
Shen Xifan was preparing to stand up to say goodbye, but her feet were sore, so she decided to stay put in her chair. A hand reached out to her, “Let me help you back. Can you walk?”
It was already late at night. When they got out of the taxi, only the lights of the security room in the neighborhood were on, and the streetlights were dim.
Seeing Shen Xifan limping, he couldn’t bear it. “Forget it, I’ll carry you. At this rate, you won’t even make it to your doorstep by dawn.”
Shen Xifan felt indignant. Originally, she wanted to glare fiercely at him, but she was too exhausted to muster any energy. She looked at him pitifully. He Suye sighed, “Don’t be stubborn, I’ll carry you.”
As He Suye carried her, the faint scent of alcohol and the delicate fragrance of a young woman on her body seeped into his back. His body temperature seemed to rise like burning charcoal, and suddenly he felt an impulse to hold her tightly, to ask her if she had any feelings for him.
Suddenly she spoke, like a bucket of cold water, chilling him to the bone. “He Suye, I’m going abroad to study.”
His forehead felt scorched from the hot night, sharp pains shot through his throat, and his fingers suddenly felt cold and stiff. “Congratulations. Which country are you going to?”
Shen Xifan didn’t notice his unusual reaction and spoke casually, “The U.S.A, Cornell University, one of the Ivy League schools.”
His suspicions turned out to be true, and he suddenly felt a sense of being ignored, a bitter feeling surged up in his heart. “Oh, congratulations. I’m also going out for a while.”
“Where to?”
“The school is organizing a medical team to provide medical assistance in rural areas.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“I don’t know. According to past practice, a small number of people will be selected to stay for a longer period. I might be chosen.”
“Will life in the rural areas be very hard, with no food and no clothes?”
“Silly girl, it’s not as unbearable as you imagine. It’s just definitely not comparable to big cities.”
He didn’t immediately agree to join the school’s medical team, nor did he think about staying longer. His response at the time was to consider it and give an answer later, but now he had made a decision.
He was just being a bit stubborn, a bit temperamental. He was annoyed by her unilateral decision, but he didn’t have the right to interfere with her. But why couldn’t she have told him earlier? It would have made him feel like he was a somewhat special presence to her compared to others.
He wanted to bet a little. Without him, would she miss the days when he was by her side?
Suddenly, Shen Xifan’s phone rang. She answered it slowly, speaking very softly and cautiously.
She patted He Suye’s shoulder, indicating that she needed to get off. Then she stood on the flower bed and sighed deeply, “I have to face the person I least want to see tomorrow. What terrible luck.”
“Your ex-boyfriend?” he guessed.
“Correct!” Shen Xifan’s face showed no signs of despondency, but rather a hint of cunning. “Even if he didn’t look for me, I wouldn’t have actively sought him out. And then I quietly dumped him the same way he did to me back then, haha, it feels so satisfying! But, is it a bit cruel?”
He Suye watched Shen Xifan as she talked incessantly, her lips slightly curled upwards, her mood unaffected by the phone call just now. She was completely different from the girl a few months ago, with red-rimmed eyes, feeling downcast, and asking him what to do.
This was the only comfort in his low mood. She had already moved on from the past, even though she was preparing to leave.
He asked himself if he could forgive his childish stubbornness for a moment. He wanted to know, in her heart, how much he mattered. As for her studying abroad, there was still plenty of time for that.