The hospital room curtains were pulled open with a swish, and morning light immediately poured in.

“Should I open the window?” Huang Ying turned around and said, looking at Qi Yue on the hospital bed. “It snowed yesterday, it’s a bit cold.”

Qi Yue, wearing a hospital gown, sat on the bed and nodded.

“Open it. I’m not that delicate,” she said with a smile.

Huang Ying opened half the window, and the clear, cold wind of early winter morning swirled in.

Huang Ying stood by the window with her arms crossed, looking at the misty expanse.

“Really, it’s the same weather as the day you had your accident,” she said with a smile, turning her head. “Sleeping for a whole year, you really are something.”

Qi Yue also smiled.

A whole year…

“What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable anywhere? I’ll go call your father,” Huang Ying said hurriedly, seeing her expression was slightly dazed.

Qi Yue quickly smiled and shook her head.

“Nothing, nothing,” she said. “I just slept too much, my brain is still a bit foggy.”

Huang Ying chuckled.

“Well, I won’t call him then. Your father has been busy again lately,” she said, pouring a glass of water and handing it over. “After curing you, someone who was declared a vegetable, he’s famous again. His clinic appointments are completely booked.”

Qi Yue smiled and took the water glass.

Stainless steel, orange-yellow, with a little cat painted on it.

She couldn’t help but turn it around to look at it.

Not that kind of delicate porcelain teacup…

And what was in the glass wasn’t clear tea water either.

“What’s wrong?” Huang Ying asked, somewhat puzzled. “Is it hot?”

Qi Yue smiled and shook her head, slowly bringing it to her lips for a sip. The distinctive taste of purified water…

She put it down.

“Outside, did it snow?” she asked.

Huang Ying nodded.

“Want to take a look?” she asked, seeing Qi Yue’s expression.

Outside, what would it be like?

Qi Yue hesitated for a moment, her gaze sweeping around the room.

A very simple single hospital room, like all hospitals, with white as the main color, the rigid structure of steel and concrete, water dispenser, television, air conditioning…

“Qi Yue?”

Huang Ying’s call brought Qi Yue back to her senses.

“What are you doing?” Huang Ying smiled. “What? Don’t recognize this place?”

She pointed around the room.

“Although you’ve never stayed here before, it shouldn’t be unfamiliar. You came here every day,” she smiled.

Qi Yue smiled.

“Come on,” Huang Ying extended her hand.

Qi Yue got out of bed and supported her arm.

This was a room on the eighth floor. Looking out the window, the first thing visible was the gray, misty sky.

Qi Yue’s steps hesitated.

“Are you okay? Can you walk? If you’re dizzy, just wait a moment,” Huang Ying said.

Qi Yue said she could, then raised her head, declined Huang Ying’s support, and walked step by step toward the window. She reached out to grip the windowsill as the clear, cold air rushed toward her. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

High-rise buildings towered everywhere, patches of accumulated snow covered the ground, and traffic flowed like dragons on the roads.

“Sister Huang,” Qi Yue murmured, “pinch me.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her arm stung sharply.

Qi Yue hissed twice.

“How’s that? Are you sure you’re awake now?” Huang Ying smiled.

Qi Yue rubbed her arm.

“Sister Huang, you really went for it,” she smiled.

At that moment, footsteps came from outside the door, accompanied by knocking.

“They’re all here,” Huang Ying smiled and walked away from the window, pointing toward the door. Through the frosted glass window on the door, the shadow of a large bouquet of flowers could be seen.

Qi Yue looked out the window once more. So it was all a dream.

She turned around, looked toward the door, and smiled.

A large group of people poured in.

“Yue Yue!”

“Wow, you’re fatter than me now!”

“You lazy thing, taking paid leave for a year while we’re all worked to death – you owe us a treat!”

The hospital room became as lively as New Year’s.

Although she knew everything was real, when she actually walked out of the hospital room, Qi Yue still hesitated slightly.

Nurses walked past in small groups in the hallway, doctors were making rounds in the rooms across the hall, and call bells rang intermittently nearby.

She couldn’t help but close her eyes.

The disciples of Qianjin Hall in white coats came toward her carrying trays.

“Dr. Qi,” someone called her.

Qi Yue opened her eyes – a nurse was walking past her.

“Dr. Qi, being discharged?” they smiled in greeting.

Qi Yue nodded at them with a smile.

“Thank you for taking care of me,” she smiled.

“Sister, hurry up!”

Qi Yue’s younger brother was ahead carrying large and small bags, using his elbow to press the elevator button.

Qi Yue smiled and greeted the nurses before following him.

“Big sister and brother-in-law have an afternoon flight…” her brother said.

Qi Yue hummed in acknowledgment.

The elevator doors opened, and they both went in. Qi Yue reached out to press the elevator button.

The momentary feeling of weightlessness made Qi Yue sway, and she reached out to steady herself.

“Sister, are you okay? Should we take the stairs instead?” her brother said hurriedly, reaching with his arm to press the elevator button.

“No need, no need,” Qi Yue quickly stopped him.

The elevator still stopped at the sixth floor. When the doors opened, both people inside and outside were stunned.

“Qi Yue, you’re being discharged?” Wu Jianfeng said, lifting his foot to step in.

“Get out,” her brother said with a stern face, turning his head.

Wu Jianfeng stopped his foot somewhat awkwardly, turned his head, and looked at Qi Yue again.

“I’m relieved that you’re okay,” he said.

Qi Yue looked at him and smiled.

“My accident was just that – an accident. It has nothing to do with you,” she said.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Wu Jianfeng said hurriedly, again lifting his foot to step in.

Her brother blocked the door with one step, pressing the elevator button with his arm.

The elevator doors slowly closed.

“Really unlucky,” her brother muttered angrily, then turned to carefully observe Qi Yue’s expression. Seeing that Qi Yue’s expression was quiet, or rather, wooden.

“Sister, there are plenty of good men. This man is terrible,” he said hurriedly. “Several of my buddies like you. I’ll bring them all over sometime and you can pick whoever you want.”

Qi Yue laughed heartily.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” She raised her hand and tapped her brother’s head.

Good men…

Yueniang…

A man’s voice echoed in her ears.

Qi Yue couldn’t help but press her head, though it didn’t feel like a headache.

“Sister, sister?” Her brother was startled and quickly dropped his bags to support her.

“Nothing, nothing. I just get a bit dizzy in elevators,” Qi Yue said quickly.

The elevator dinged and stopped. Her brother sighed with relief and quickly helped her walk out.

The cold wind of winter blew over, and Qi Yue couldn’t help but wrap her coat tighter around herself. The wind blew her hair into disarray. Hair strands flew and slid across her cheek. She reached up to catch them, looking at the high-rise buildings on all sides and the hurried crowds of passersby.

“…Do you want to go to the movie tonight together…”

“…Help me order two takeouts… coffee with sugar…”

“…Mom has been hospitalized for so long, and you don’t even come to visit. At least transfer the hospital fees to my card!”

“…No parking here. That comrade, please move your car…”

Various voices came from all directions.

“Miss, miss?”

Someone was calling nearby.

Qi Yue instinctively turned around and saw two unfamiliar men standing behind her.

“Young master, what can I do for you?” she said hurriedly.

The man’s eyes widened.

Young master?

This was a general hospital – it had a psychiatric department too, right?

The man stepped back slightly.

“Miss, we’re asking for directions. Um, where is the Third Inpatient Building?” he asked.

Qi Yue quickly looked around and pointed in one direction.

“Oh, go around this building from here. It’s right behind,” she said.

The two men thanked her and walked past her.

“That person just called me ‘young master’… Do people in big cities all greet each other like this now?”

The two men looked back at her and whispered to each other.

Qi Yue couldn’t help but smile and touched her face.

Two sharp car honks suddenly rang out, startling her again.

This kind of sudden high-decibel sound really made her uncomfortable…

“Sister, get in the car quickly,” her brother said, rolling down the window.

“Why are you driving my car?” Qi Yue said, opening the car door and getting in, touching the seat.

“If you don’t drive a car, it’ll break down. You should thank me,” her brother smiled, patting the steering wheel. “Look, to pick you up from the hospital, it’s been completely renewed inside and out.”

Qi Yue smiled looking at the newly replaced decorations in the car.

“Mom paid for it,” her brother said with a cheeky smile, turning his head.

“Just drive,” Qi Yue smiled, lifting her foot to kick the back of the seat.

“Sister, it’s newly replaced! Be careful! It’s very expensive!” her brother shouted exaggeratedly.

The car drove along the lane toward the exit, quickly leaving the hospital gates and merging into the traffic flow on the street.

When night fell deeply, the family gathering dispersed. Qi Yue put on her pajamas and dried her hair in front of the mirror. Under the soft light, the person in the mirror quietly looked back at her.

Qi Yue slowly stopped her hands and looked at the person in the mirror.

“I have gotten a bit fat,” she said to herself, then touched her hair. “I should go get my hair done too. It’s lost all its curl.”

“Little Yue?” someone called softly from outside the bathroom.

Qi Yue quickly snapped back to attention.

“Mom,” she responded and opened the door.

Mother Qi looked at her with some concern.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Qi Yue smiled and shook her head, reaching out to rest her hands on her mother’s shoulders and pushing her along.

“I’m fine. I’m completely better. Don’t you trust Dad’s diagnosis?” she said.

Mother Qi also smiled.

“Are big sister and the others asleep?” she asked, sitting down on the sofa.

“They’re tired from the flight,” Mother said, pointing to the table in front of them. “I’ve warmed up some milk.”

Qi Yue reached out to take it, holding it in her hands and sipping slowly while looking around the room.

“What’s wrong? Don’t recognize it? You’ve been looking at everything strangely since you came in,” Mother smiled.

“A little. I slept for so long,” Qi Yue smiled.

“Sleeping for so long, were you conscious?” Mother asked, pointing to her own head with some curiosity. “Was it like dreaming?”

Qi Yue held the cup and was slightly dazed.

It was dreaming, wasn’t it?

“How would I remember that, Mom? As a doctor’s family member, you should know these basic facts. Don’t ask those things you see on TV,” she smiled.

“Fine, fine. You’re all rational elites, and I’m an ignorant housewife,” Mother smiled and stood up. “Go to bed early. You elite should get better quickly and go back to work, or you’ll become a housewife too.”

Qi Yue laughed heartily and waved at her mother.

The living room returned to quiet. Under the soft yellow night light, the person sitting on the sofa remained motionless for a long time.

Really, was it a dream?

No…

No…

That girl’s heart-wrenching cries, the blood flowing from her self-inflicted wounds…

Qi Yue hissed twice and touched her forehead.

She drank all the milk in one gulp, stood up, and walked back to her room.

She didn’t stay at home much because of her busy work, so she rented a place near the hospital. The furnishings in the room were still the same old ones, which brought her a familiar feeling and much peace of mind.

She sprawled spread-eagle on the bed, looking at the light above with slight absent-mindedness.

It was a dream, wasn’t it? Now she had awakened from the dream.

She got up again and reached out to snap off the light. The room plunged into darkness, but not that kind of darkness. Street lights, building lights, and car lights on the road made the room dimly bright.

Qi Yue walked to the window and looked at the night outside that was still bustling, then pulled the curtains shut with a swish.

“That’s it, sleep early, rest well, get back to work quickly, or I’ll be broke,” she said, stretching and waving her hand, then flopping onto the bed and closing her eyes.