Chen Yi also came back to his senses at this “long time no see,” putting away the surprise in his eyes. Actually, during these nine years, he hadn’t been completely ignorant about her.

Li Zhi’s Moments during Spring Festival each year would occasionally feature her shadow. Regarding her whereabouts, he also knew bits and pieces.

He knew she had returned to her previous school to repeat the year.

He knew she was the science top scorer the second year.

He knew she went to a northern city to study medicine.

……

The intermittent news wasn’t enough to piece together a complete impression of her, but it wasn’t the strangeness of complete ignorance either.

Chen Yi dispensed with those polite back-and-forth pleasantries and returned to the previously interrupted topic. “The batch of soldiers who were just sent in for surgery—how are they doing now?”

Ruan Mian pressed down the pen cap—this was her small habit when working. “They’re all still in the operating room being resuscitated. The specific situation won’t be known until the doctors come out.”

Chen Yi’s brows furrowed slightly. Before he could speak, Shen Yu, who had been called away by leadership and arrived a step late, hurriedly ran in from outside. “Chen Yi, how are Little Zhou and the others? Instructor Yu’s side—”

When he said this, he also saw the female doctor standing opposite Chen Yi. At first he didn’t recognize her. A few seconds later, Shen Yu’s eyes widened, his tone surprised. “Ruan Mian?”

Originally thinking that encountering one old acquaintance in a foreign land was coincidental enough, Ruan Mian hadn’t expected there would be a second. She put down her pen and smiled lightly. “It’s me. What a coincidence, you’re here too.”

Shen Yu made a sound of surprise, looked at the name on her white coat, then looked at her, shaking his head and sighing. “How did you become a doctor? Weren’t you doing physics before?”

Ruan Mian hadn’t heard people mention past matters for a long time. Suddenly having those dusty past events uncovered, memories seemed to have a floodgate opened, surging out like a tide. Her heartbeat skipped. Her fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the medical chart, yet her tone was ordinary. “Later, didn’t I not win an award in the competition? So I didn’t want to follow that path anymore.”

Shen Yu had always been the joking, playful type. Age had grown but his temperament hadn’t become more steady. His words still carried past shadows. “Gosh, people with confidence really speak differently. Back then I was puzzled—how could you, a girl, study science so well? You should know that before you came to No. 8 High School, I treated Chen Yi like a god. But unfortunately, after you came, I pulled him down from the altar and pressed him to the bottom of the chest.”

“……”

Ruan Mian instinctively glanced at Chen Yi. The bright lighting in the lobby gathered around his upright figure. That face was especially handsome under the light—his three courts and five eyes so perfectly proportioned that one couldn’t pick out a single flaw. Even covered in dust couldn’t suppress that extraordinary bearing.

Compared to the lean face of the high school period, his facial contours had become much sharper. His angles had been polished by the years, also becoming clearer and more mature, with more of a masculine quality he hadn’t had before.

Only those eyes were identical to those in her memory.

She silently withdrew her gaze and raised her hand to point to the side. “The operating room is over there. You can go wait there. If you need anything, you can also tell us.”

“Alright.” Shen Yu hooked his arm around Chen Yi’s shoulder and walked forward. His hand reached down to touch Chen Yi’s arm and felt stickiness. When he brought it over to look, it was all blood.

He couldn’t help but curse. “Damn! You’re injured and didn’t say anything? What’s the point of enduring like this?”

Chen Yi also seemed to have just reacted. He turned his head to see that the sleeve on his left arm was torn in a spot, the fabric already soaked through with blood.

He laughed at Shen Yu’s overreaction. “Such a small injury—is it worth this?”

“Stop your damn nonsense! So much bullshit.” Shen Yu cursed and swore, telling Lin Sui and the others to go wait by the operating room while he himself walked over to the consultation desk. “Ruan Mian, can you help? Chen Yi’s arm is injured.”

Ruan Mian raised her head from the medical record book, meeting Chen Yi’s gaze looking this way. Suppressing the panic in her heart, she put the pen back in her pocket, tucked the medical chart under her arm and walked forward. “Alright, come with me.”

Only two duty nurses were left in the treatment room. The entire medical center was temporarily built by the fire department. Aside from a few operating rooms, there were few remaining rooms and few beds. Only those with somewhat more serious conditions would stay inside to rest, waiting until the next day to be transferred to hospitals outside the disaster zone.

When Chen Yi and Shen Yu followed Ruan Mian inside, Yu Zhou, who had been lying on the bed, still wanted to get up to salute them both but was pushed back by one sentence from Ruan Mian. “If you want your wound to split open, keep moving.”

Yu Zhou lying back wasn’t right, standing up wasn’t right either. He could only look to Chen Yi for help. “Captain……”

Chen Yi walked to the bedside and lifted the cut pant leg to take a look. Blood was still seeping through the gauze. He reached out to pat Yu Zhou’s shoulder, comforting him. “It’s fine, listen to the doctor.”

“Yes!”

On the other side, Ruan Mian had already had the nurse prepare cleaning tools. When Chen Yi came over, she had him sit on the stool by the table. Lowering her eyes to glance at both his arms, she asked, “Left or right?”

“Left.” Chen Yi took off his outer jacket. Inside was a military green short-sleeved shirt, revealing a section of firm and slender arm. Near the outer side of the upper arm was a large area of abrasions and bruising. The scrape marks were very deep, with residual sand and dust of various kinds still on top, blood marks mottled.

Ruan Mian put on her mask and gloves. She first used tweezers to help him pick out the sand and stones from the wound. The surrounding environment and equipment were all very limited. The lighting wasn’t strong enough.

She could only get very close. Her warm breath, separated by a layer of mask, lightly fell near the wound. Chen Yi stared at her profile for a while, thinking of the scene earlier during the aftershock when she had lunged toward Yu Zhou. In his mind, it was like there was a tangled mess.

After a moment, he looked away.

This type of wound was even more troublesome to treat than a sutured wound. Some sand and stones had penetrated quite deep. When the tweezers touched them, they brought waves of sharp stinging pain.

Half an hour passed. Sweat seeped from the corner of Ruan Mian’s forehead. Her jet-black bright eyes stared at the wound without blinking. Her movements were methodical and unhurried.

After handling the sand and stones and preparing to clean the wound, Ruan Mian straightened her waist and glanced at Chen Yi. Only then did she remember to ask, “Does it hurt?”

This degree of pain sensation for Chen Yi was like being stung by an ant—not much feeling at all. He met Ruan Mian’s gaze and shook his head. “It’s fine, doesn’t hurt.”

Ruan Mian looked up and glimpsed a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. She felt his words really had no persuasive power, but she also couldn’t say any comforting words. She only said gently, as she normally treated other patients, “It’ll be done soon.”

Chen Yi made an acknowledging sound and looked away.

Throughout the entire process, Shen Yu stood to the side with his arms crossed, chatting idly with Ruan Mian. During this, he casually asked when she had come here.

Ruan Mian said without looking up, “We came here for training half a month ago. When the earthquake occurred, we were right here. After that, we just never left.”

Shen Yu raised his eyebrows. “Then aren’t you what they call the first batch of medical teams organized here?”

“Should be.” Ruan Mian turned back to get alcohol cotton. “At that time, the situation was quite critical. People outside couldn’t get in, and we couldn’t get out. Staying was the only choice.”

“Not necessarily. Even if you could have gotten out at that time, I think you wouldn’t have left.” Shen Yu leaned his head against the wall and smiled. “Earlier, people from your Union Medical College were having a meeting outside. That should have been your leader, right? Asked if anyone was an only child and could apply to be transferred back. Not a single one of you raised your hand.”

Ruan Mian’s movements stopped. She was somewhat surprised he knew about this.

Shen Yu said, “I was resting back there at the time. The few people who applauded for you were all my teammates. But I didn’t see you at that time.”

Ruan Mian laughed and said no more.

The remaining finishing work was much faster to handle. Ruan Mian’s ten fingers flew nimbly, the knots she tied coming out beautiful and even.

Before she could give medical instructions, Lin Jiahui hurriedly ran in from outside. “Ruan Mian, Little Hu somehow keeps crying non-stop. Go quickly and take a look.”

Little Hu was the little girl who had held onto Ruan Mian last night asking her to tell stories. From when she was rescued yesterday until now, this was the first time such intense emotional fluctuation had appeared. The two doctors on duty tonight had only temporarily learned a few commonly used daily life sign language gestures and couldn’t communicate with her. That’s why they had people from Union Medical College come find Ruan Mian.

“I’ll go see what Little Hu’s situation is. I’m entrusting this patient to you—check if he has any other wounds.” Ruan Mian entrusted Chen Yi to Lin Jiahui. Not having time to say more to him, she stood up, removed her gloves and tossed them in the trash can by the door, then hurriedly ran out in a rush.

“Alright.” Lin Jiahui brushed past her walking in. She had just put on her mask when Chen Yi reached out to grab his jacket and stood up.

He held his clothes. His figure was tall and upright. The jacket was already dirty and torn. Chen Yi didn’t put it on but held it in his hand, saying to the person, “No need to trouble you. No other injuries.”

Lin Jiahui pulled down her mask. “Really none? No, I should still give you an examination. Otherwise, when Doctor Ruan asks later, I’ll have nothing to say.”

Chen Yi stood straight, his words carrying some politeness. “Really it’s fine. We still have duties. Thank you first.”

Lin Jiahui smiled. “You’re too polite.”

Yu Zhou had still had energy just now, but now he was already tired and asleep. He didn’t even hear Chen Yi walk over. His snores were loud.

Chen Yi pulled the blanket by his leg over to the side. Shen Yu also walked over. Looking at him sleeping, he smiled and shook his head. “Let’s go. Let’s go see the operating room side.”

“Mm.”

The two walked out one after the other. On the operating room side, Lin Sui and the others were waiting there. Seeing Chen Yi and Shen Yu come over, they said with red eyes, “Captain Chen, Captain Shen, Little Zhou was pushed out. The doctor said he……”

At that time, Little Zhou had been pinned by a concrete slab that fell down. When he was rescued, the lower half was all blood. Chen Yi had long prepared for the worst outcome.

At this moment, he pressed his lips and asked in a low voice, “What did the doctor say?”

“Said, said……” Lin Sui really couldn’t bear it. He had only said a few words of one sentence, yet tears had already fallen first.

Chen Yi said in a low voice, “What are you crying for! On the first day of enlistment, I told you all—since you’ve chosen this path, you must be prepared for the worst. The severe case is sacrifice, the lighter case is early retirement. Have you all forgotten?!”

“Haven’t forgotten!” Lin Sui wiped his face, choking as he said, “The doctor said Little Zhou’s left leg might have permanent disability.”

……

This part of the corridor fell silent for a moment. Chen Yi stood in front of the corridor window. Opposite were green tents piled like slopes. Various kinds of human figures, draped in the vast night, shuttled among them.

He stood with both hands braced on the windowsill for a while. In the end, he still put on that damaged jacket and turned back to say, “Return to the unit first. We’ll talk about other matters after the rescue ends.”

“Yes!”

Shen Yu quickly caught up with Chen Yi’s pace, his tone somewhat worried. “Before Little Zhou came here, he had already passed the unit’s comprehensive assessment. The audit form for entering Team One had already been submitted to Instructor Yu. Now this……”

“Let’s talk when we get back.” Chen Yi’s face was solemn, his steps swift and forceful, walking very fast. Outside on level ground, he ran into Ruan Mian returning after coaxing Little Hu. His footsteps stopped.

Shen Yu, seeing the two had something to say, walked ahead first.

Ruan Mian looked up at him. In her eyes were bloodshot veins caused by staying up late and excessive fatigue. “Did Doctor Lin finish examining you?”

Chen Yi shook his head. “Didn’t examine. I’m fine.”

“Alright then. Remember to come to the center to change the dressing on your arm injury.” Ruan Mian said, “When I’m not here, you can also find other doctors from Union Medical College. I’ll tell people on the medical team in advance.”

“Okay, thanks for the trouble.” Chen Yi asked one more question. “How’s that child?”

Ruan Mian was formal and methodical, as if reporting on work. “Already asleep. She might have been frightened and has a slight fever, which is why her emotions weren’t very stable.”

Chen Yi probably also felt she was too serious, but at this time he also had no mood for joking. He only said, “Alright then, I’ll head over first.”

“Okay.”

Ruan Mian habitually put both hands in her white coat pockets, watching him walk away. The night dragged out his figure. She couldn’t help calling out, “Chen Yi.”

The man who had already walked several meters away turned his head. The motion still carried shadows of the past. For that instant, Ruan Mian seemed to see him from high school.

After nine years, there had been changes between them. Chen Yi was also no longer that person who would stand in place waiting for her to speak. He walked back two steps. “What’s wrong?”

Ruan Mian’s gaze fell on his face, revealing a smile. “Stay safe.”

He froze for a few seconds and responded that he would.

—

**Author’s Note:** This Mei You Ren Xiang Ni – Chapter has been revised.