After hanging up the phone, He Suye couldn’t help but laugh and stood there dumbfounded for a while, until a child tugged at his sleeve, “Big brother, I have something to ask you.”
He was startled, almost dropping his phone. An elderly lady nearby chuckled and said, “Young man, calling your wife, right?”
Just as he was about to explain, another middle-aged man chimed in, “Young man, not used to being here, right? Still have a wife and son at home, can’t bear to leave, huh? We trouble you!”
Immediately someone shouted, “Dr. He got married! When he came two years ago, he was still alone. Why didn’t he reveal any news during these few days? According to etiquette, we should treat everyone!”
People who knew him around started teasing him. Some familiar doctors smirked secretly, leaving him standing there foolishly, attempting to speak several times but swallowing his words.
Forget it, let the misunderstanding be, he quite enjoyed it.
The mountainous area was impoverished, and traditional Chinese medicine was popular here. Despite being deeply rooted for many years, it was inexpensive and claimed to cure all ailments.
Poverty also brought many difficulties and hardships. The mother of a young boy had been bedridden for several months, suffering from persistent dizziness, declining vision, forgetfulness, and insomnia. She couldn’t speak it out in front of her son but pleaded with He Suye secretly, “Doctor, my family is poor. Can you prescribe cheaper medicine? My child still needs to go to school.”
He felt uncomfortable hearing this. He initially thought to cross out “Lu Jiao Shuang,” “Gui Jiao Ban,” and “Ajiao,” then paused, and carefully circled them, intending to tell the pharmacist that he would cover the cost of these medicines.
Outside, the young boy carefully examined the prescription, eagerly pestering He Suye about the effects of each medicine. With naive, longing eyes, he said, “Big brother, I want to study medicine in the future, study traditional Chinese medicine, and become a doctor.”
He smiled and continued to explain, “Coix seed, diuresis, and swelling reduction, invigorating the spleen, clearing heat, and detoxifying. Your mother has spleen deficiency and dampness stagnation, edema, and abdominal distension, so Coix seed is used with Atractylodes and Astragalus. Besides, your mother also has moderate anemia.”
The young boy’s eyes welled up with tears, not saying a word but staring blankly at the high threshold. He Suye forced a smile, “You’re still very lucky. Big brother will help your mother get better.”
Back at his residence, a colleague informed him that villagers had sent several fish, a pot of chicken soup, and a few jars of rice wine, saying there were no decent gifts for Dr. He’s wedding, so they had to make do. He couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Colleagues also took the opportunity to tease him, saying that several young nurses at the hospital had secretly admired him for a long time.
He chuckled, neither confirming nor denying it. Fang Kexin joked beside him, “Senior Brother was very popular back in school. When he was interning, several departments fought to have him. They said taking a photo with him would make good publicity.”
He Suye still maintained an indifferent demeanor. “I’ll go check if the medicines are ready over there and then deliver them.”
Fang Kexin explained, “I’ve already sent the prescriptions we got back earlier. They said someone from their family would pick them up later. Also, we have to administer vaccines to children tomorrow. All the syringes are with the team leader. I just checked.”
At that moment, He Suye noticed the bandage wrapped around Fang Kexin’s hand, a faint red seeping through. He quickly asked, “What happened to your hand? Did you bump into something?”
Fang Kexin hesitated for a moment. “I accidentally grazed a nail while moving the medicine box.”
“Remember to get a tetanus shot to prevent infection, no matter what. Take care of the wound properly,” he sighed, carefully examining the wound. “Girls shouldn’t be doing such strenuous tasks. Tomorrow’s vaccine injection, I’ll go.”
A colleague who was recording overheard and also advised her, “Dr. Fang, you’ve been working hard these past few days, doing just as much as us men, even handling meals. Take a break, don’t exhaust yourself.”
He Suye smiled, “Fang Kexin, so it’s true what Qiu Tian said, that you work like crazy! No wonder you were so outstanding academically. First, take care of your hand properly, then we’ll talk.”
She nodded lightly, pondering for a moment. “I’ll go urge them to finish the medicine and check on dinner. Excuse me.” She got up and left, lowering her head so that no one would notice her occasional expression.
A single nail, a small wound, yet it earned him the same care as he would give to an ordinary patient. But it wasn’t the cherished care he showed to Shen Xifan. She should just give up hope.
She knew who had called him, the one person who could evoke such expressions from him. Even in front of Zhang Yiling, he didn’t show the same dedication and warmth, all of it now flooding back.
Such a gentleman, would also foolishly tumble into love, unable to extricate himself.
And oneself, would also foolishly fall into what is called the poison of love. She always thought that He Suye’s injury from love was just temporary pain, and she, always the closest person by his side, could forgive him for not liking her because he wouldn’t like anyone else either. But how could he fall for someone else now?
Fate, she and him, it’s a doomed fate.
The signal in the mountainous area was indeed poor. He sent a message to Shen Xifan but didn’t receive a reply for a long time, so he reluctantly threw his phone away and went to sit in the yard.
Outside the house, there was a gloomy and stuffy heat, the air clinging to the body like melted syrup, somewhat sickly sweet. Suddenly, a gust of wind slammed the wooden door open, dust flying, and then fine, dense raindrops fell. Immediately, a neighbor shouted, “Doctor, it’s going to rain heavily, you need to bring back those medicinal herbs in your yard.”
He Suye thought to himself, this rain was a sign of heavy rain, it would probably continue tomorrow, and work would be much harder.
Suddenly remembered the agreement with Shen Xifan—to help her get a protective charm before leaving.
Hoping to help her seek a lifetime of safety and happiness. Having seen so many people separated by fate, tasted the pain of losing loved ones, in this world, nothing touched him more than the words ‘safety’. He could disregard whom she liked, but he genuinely hoped for her safety.
His thoughts seemed to be noticed at some point, no matter how well hidden they were, they were betrayed by that book.
But if he were to study abroad in the United States, he also had this opportunity. Since she always liked to walk in front, then he would walk one meter behind her, giving her freedom and space, and if she needed it, he would be within reach.
Sure enough, the next day the heavy rain continued, with a trend of getting worse. The original plan was to have the children come to the clinic for vaccinations, but now it had to be changed to doctors providing home services.
The leading doctor joked, “We should carry a straw hat and a first aid kit, it feels like going to war.”
Someone next to him chimed in, “Field army, we are Liu Deng’s army, ready to advance into the Dabie Mountains.”
Fang Kexin helped prepare tea for them and reminded them, “The rain is heavy and the road is slippery, be careful.”
He Suye quietly pulled aside an intern, “Let’s switch places, it’s not easy to walk in the rain, and we have to cross a mountain here. Do you think that’s okay?”
The intern was flattered, “Ah—okay, okay.”
With such heavy rain, just an umbrella couldn’t provide enough cover, soon his shoulders were all wet, his pant legs covered in mud, and he felt as if he were soaked in water, unable to catch his breath.
The foundation of the mountain was unstable, stepping on it didn’t feel solid at all, and the rain-washed soil exposed many small stones, mud, and water rushing down along the terrain. He was extremely cautious with every step, taking more than half the usual time to arrive.
After finishing all the house visits, it was already dark. The local young men offered to take him back, he wanted to decline, but couldn’t resist the enthusiasm of the young man, “My mother-in-law’s house is nearby, I’ll stay there tonight.”
They talked as they walked, He Suye kept asking about the local health conditions, and the young man didn’t hold back. Suddenly, when they reached halfway up the mountain, they heard a child’s cry for help, “Help! Help!”
The desperate cry tore through the night sky, startling them both. The young man cautiously asked, “It seems to be coming from the east, should we go take a look?”
The voice became fainter and hoarser, sounding even more chilling on this rainy day, but they were getting closer to the source. With the light of the flashlight, the young man shouted, “Over here, over here! A child!”
Both hands gripping the broken stones and mud tightly, blood flowing down his arms, the slope of the mountain was very steep, one wrong step and it wouldn’t be a joke. The child was terrified, staring wide-eyed at them, unable to even shout for help.
He Suye cautiously approached the steep slope, softly comforting him, “It’s okay, big brother will pull you up.” He reached out to pull him up, and the young man quickly took the child from the side, shining the flashlight to check, couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, “Luckily it’s just a flesh wound, nothing serious…”
The last “thing” hadn’t been said yet when He Suye suddenly felt his feet go weak. A force, irresistible and natural, stripped away all the strength from his body, and he was airborne. The young man turned back, startled, “Dr. He, be careful!” reaching out to grab him, but he along with the mud and stones cascading down, disappeared in the pouring rain in an instant.
It was already dark, the rain gradually subsided, and the medical team’s doctors returned one by one. Everyone was soaked, with rainwater streaming from their trouser legs to their cuffs. One doctor exclaimed, “We’ve never been so thoroughly drenched even in a sauna! It feels amazing, to be honest!”
Fang Kexin handed them towels and hot tea, instructing them, “Take a hot bath, I’ll have the kitchen prepare some red date ginger tea for you, to dispel the cold! And we’ll cook some Job’s tears porridge tonight, the weather here is too damp, it helps to promote diuresis and reduce swelling.”
Others sighed, “Having a female doctor with us is nice, attentive, treating us like patients.”
Fang Kexin smiled embarrassedly, her eyes drifting away, strong winds accompanied by fine raindrops, wetting her hair completely, she reached to touch it, her palms icy cold, blood seeping through the previously bandaged wound.
Helping out in the kitchen, she couldn’t sit down or stand still, a bad premonition gradually emerged in her mind, sourness rising in her stomach, suppressing the urge to vomit, she tasted a bit of porridge, and then dropped the spoon, pulled out her phone and pressed the familiar number.
No one answered, which made her even more afraid. She kept reassuring herself, perhaps she was being too sensitive. As the saying goes, worrying leads to chaos. He Suye must be fine, maybe just delayed by something. Perhaps in the next second, he would come knocking on the door.
The Job’s tears in the pot bubbled, one minute, ten minutes, twenty minutes passed, and she felt she couldn’t hold on any longer, restlessness, anxiety, and panic wove into a dense web, making it hard for her to breathe and think.
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the courtyard, someone shouting, “Doctors, something’s happened! Call 120 quickly!”
Her body trembled heavily, a chill ran from the soles of her feet to her brain, she hurriedly threw off her apron and ran out of the kitchen. In the courtyard, two or three locals were pulling doctors outside, “Dr. He, they’ve found him, but he’s unconscious now, with several bruises on his body. We dare not move him, afraid of causing more harm, so we just got a few people to watch over him.”
For a moment, the pain was so intense that she couldn’t breathe. But the alertness of being a doctor made her immediately sober, “I’m going too!”
The few hundred meters from the clinic to the village seemed never-ending, distant without end. Everything around was shrouded in mist and rain. She had to run with all her might, running as if every second missed was missing a lifetime.
Her mind was in a daze, and only one thought lingered in her mind: He Suye, as long as you’re okay, as long as you’re okay if heaven asks me to give up everything, I’m willing.
At the village entrance, several people were gathered. Seeing them coming, they were overjoyed, “The doctor is here, the doctor is here!”
The leading doctor rushed forward, she followed suit, the scene before her almost made her unable to hold back tears. The experienced doctor took a look, “Concussion, abrasions, no major injuries apparent from the outside, but not sure about internal bleeding or brain displacement. We can’t make the best plan yet.”
The man, eyes closed, looked as if he were asleep, but gave her the illusion that he would never wake up. Fear, despair, chilling to the bone, unable to breathe, even consciousness wasn’t very clear, a blurry vision of darkness.
All they could do was pray for the ambulance to arrive quickly.
After some time, suddenly the sound of sirens made everyone alert, and then the ambulance arrived. Several doctors came down with a stretcher, lifting He Suye onto it. She jumped on as well, “I’m the most familiar with him, I’ll go.”
The rain had already made her unable to open her eyes, but she tried to keep them open as she watched the doctor take his blood pressure and pulse. Her mind was buzzing with noise, and she desperately told herself, to stay calm, stay calm, quickly call Qiu Tian.
Pulling out her phone, she struggled to press the number, and Qiu Tian quickly answered on the other end, “Fang Kexin, what’s wrong? I’m on duty.”
Like a piece of driftwood caught in a raging river, she finally had someone to rely on. A fierce pain erupted from all over her body, pushing her to the brink of collapse, shaking violently, and even her teeth chattered, “Qiu Tian, quickly, went to the Military District General Hospital, something’s happened to He Suye, no major external injuries, currently unconscious, needs further diagnosis. Also, inform his father.”
Qiu Tian, after all, was experienced, “I got it, calm down, I’ll go right away, don’t panic!”
After all, it was a military hospital, and the emergency response was fast. When He Suye was diagnosed, it was just a mild concussion and fractures. He was immediately taken to the VIP ward. Everything depended on the patient waking up.
At this moment, Fang Kexin’s strength was completely drained. Leaning against the wall, she slid down slowly. She told herself not to cry, not to cry, but she was already exhausted, unable to hold on any longer. The pain in her heart was unbearable, everything was hazy, tears streaming down her face.
The pain she had endured for so long dissipated upon hearing the news of his safety.
As long as he was safe, as long as he was happy, there was nothing she couldn’t compromise or give up. Isn’t this the form of loving someone? As long as he was safe and happy, she could be happy too.
Until someone gently called out to her, “Fang Kexin, Fang Kexin, don’t cry, he’s fine, he’s fine.”
She refused to look up, her voice hoarse, “I know, I just can’t control myself. Qiu Tian, let me be quiet for a moment.”
Qiu Tian sighed, but said nothing, standing quietly on the side. The corridor was empty, with only the two of them. The door to He Suye’s ward opened and closed, with no one paying attention to them.
After a while, Fang Kexin spoke up, “Qiu Tian, Shixiong, do you like Shen Xifan?”
“Yeah.”
“Call her, tell her Shixiong’s in trouble, he must want to see her most now. Maybe he’ll wake up when he knows she’s here. Right now, I just want him to wake up. Then, whether he ignores me or continues to treat me as a little sister, I don’t care anymore.”
“Miss, it’s already midnight. I’ll call her tomorrow for sure.”
“Qiu Tian—”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think Shen Xifan likes Shixiong? Will she hurt him again like Senior Zhang Yiling did?”
“I don’t know. But your Shixiong is suffering a lot because he likes her.”
“Qiu Tian, if I call Shen Xifan, Shixiong won’t blame me, will he? Given his personality, he definitely wouldn’t want to see her sad. But what if he gets angry and ignores me? What should I do?”
“Maybe your Shixiong will be secretly happy about it, you never know.”
“Qiu Tian, if Shixiong likes Shen Xifan and she likes him back, that would be great.”
“What about you?”
“I—what can I do? In the love story of two people, there’s always no shortage of supporting roles, and there’s always no need for supporting roles. When the curtain falls, besides smiling and leaving the stage, there’s no other choice.”
“Fang Kexin, don’t say that, it hurts to hear.”
“Qiu Tian—”
“Yeah?”
“I’m hungry…”
That’s it, she told herself. Waiting any longer was meaningless. How many years could a woman spend waiting for someone who would never set their sights on her? The recklessness of youth was gone, her youth had been squandered on an unrequited love, and there was little left. Her life was still long, and she would meet a man who loved her, cherished her, and protected her.
Unrequited love is the most painful thing in the world, but it’s also the most blissful. After all, at that time, we have no regrets about loving someone—a person who is unique to us.
In the end, we smile and bless him, even if we linger, even if it hurts, even if the smile is forced, we still let go.
But we all know that loving him was the best thing we ever did.