How would she manage without him?

Qi Yue had thought about it.

Perhaps she would spend her whole life guarding his grave like this.

Going to work alone every day, coming home alone, buying groceries and cooking, chatting with colleagues, playing with village children. She wouldn’t return to Beijing, would buy a house here – her salary was enough to support herself. When she got older, she would keep a dog, and when she could no longer work, she would move a small stool and sit in front of her house, keeping company with his grave, watching the sunrise and sunset.

Oh, and she’d have to arrange her own funeral affairs in advance. Being buried together with him was impossible – he was a national-level cultural relic, after all. So she’d set up a small grave mound in the scenic area or on the nearest hillside.

Or perhaps, after some time, she would forget, get annoyed, get tired, pack up and go back, go on blind dates, get married, have children, live the normal life that normal people should live. This person, those events, with the passage of years, would eventually become a vague dream, perhaps vaguely remembered in old age, but unable to recall clearly those faces, those events…

Who knew? Life had to go on, didn’t it?

But she would be affected in the short term. Look, wasn’t she already seeing everyone as that man’s appearance…

Qi Yue lowered her head and walked past this man.

This stinky woman was startled!

Chang Yuncheng couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

“Hey, surprise!” He turned around and called out.

Qi Yue walked with her head down, her nose stinging, tears falling in large drops.

Everyone was right – she was a person with self-control. She had to distinguish between reality and dreams.

She couldn’t let dreams affect her life.

She was Qi Yue, she was someone who could live well no matter what, live a good life.

She could raise her hand to wipe tears, but couldn’t stop the increasingly torrential tears. She could control herself not to make a sound, but couldn’t make her mouth close.

Chang Yuncheng stopped laughing. He lifted his feet and followed, silently watching this woman who walked and cried silently, this woman who wiped her nose and tears with her sleeve like a child.

“Yueniang, it’s really me.” He said, his voice also somewhat hoarse. “I’ve come. You didn’t come find me, so I came to find you.”

Qi Yue cried as she passed through the back door and the corridor, frightening many people along the way.

Those who knew her and those who didn’t all looked at her in surprise.

“Dr. Qi? What’s wrong?” Someone boldly asked.

“I’m fine.” Qi Yue answered while crying. “I’m just too tired. I’ll be fine after resting. I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me…”

She spoke while crying, not stopping her steps, as if answering others’ questions, yet also as if talking to herself. Under everyone’s surprised gaze, she walked into the dormitory.

This was her dormitory. Originally, the county hospital wanted to keep her, but she insisted on going to Nanzhai Township. However, considering they needed her to participate in surgeries, the dormitory was kept. Qi Yue had come to give a clinical lecture once, so she had stayed here before.

She pushed the door open and went straight to the single bed.

“I’m just tired. I’ll be fine after sleeping.” She continued crying as she spoke.

Chang Yuncheng followed behind, but before he could enter, noisy footsteps came from behind.

“Hey, hey, who are you? What are you doing?”

It turned out that the director and others, having learned about Qi Yue’s breakdown, hurried over and saw this man about to enter Qi Yue’s room.

Who was he?

Chang Yuncheng stopped, turned around, and took something from his pocket to hand over.

The director somewhat bewilderedly accepted it.

ID card…

“No, I’m asking what you do. What’s wrong with Dr. Qi…” He hurriedly asked again.

“Oh. I’m her man.” Chang Yuncheng answered.

Her man?

The director and others were even more confused.

Dr. Qi, according to her file, was unmarried…

“Boyfriend?” The director asked with some caution.

A security guard nearby hurriedly came over to speak quietly.

“The one who stopped those people at the entrance last night was him… He also protected Dr. Qi as she came in…” He said in a low voice.

The people present began to understand.

A Beijing doctor suddenly wanting to come be a doctor in a small county town…

The emotional breakdown and crying upon meeting…

This man’s protection…

“The police said he’s from the Central Guard Regiment…” The security guard added quietly.

Now no one doubted anymore.

It seemed like lovers’ separations and reunions, love and hate entanglements…

“Good, good,” The director extended his hand, looking at Chang Yuncheng’s ID card, “Comrade Chang, Dr. Qi just finished surgery. Let her rest well. Whatever it is, talk slowly.”

Chang Yuncheng shook hands with him and nodded.

The people by the door all dispersed, and only then did Chang Yuncheng enter the room, casually closing the door.

This woman always lived in such simple places…

One table, one bed…

So simple it seemed she could leave at any time…

So simple it seemed she was just a passing guest…

The woman on the bed curled up in the quilt, still wearing her clothes and shoes.

It seemed that in this brief moment, she had already fallen asleep.

Chang Yuncheng walked over.

The curled-up woman faced inward, sobbing from time to time.

“Yueniang.” He called.

Qi Yue closed her eyes, shivering, tears having soaked through the pillowcase.

“I’m just too tired. I’ll be fine after resting. I’ll be fine after sleeping…” She murmured. “I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine, I’ll be good…”

Chang Yuncheng stopped talking. He lay down on his side, reaching out to hold this woman together with the quilt in his arms.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine after sleeping…”

The woman in his arms refused to open her eyes, still murmuring to herself.

“Yes, you’ll be fine. You’ll be fine after sleeping…” Chang Yuncheng said softly behind her, holding her tighter. “Sleep, have a good sleep. Haven’t you not slept well for a long time? Sleep well…”

When Qi Yue woke up, the room was pitch black.

She lay in the darkness with her eyes open, momentarily confused.

“A’Ru?” She opened her mouth slightly, making a soft sound.

No one answered.

She opened her mouth again, but ultimately couldn’t call out that name.

Her eyes adapted to the darkness. Actually, it wasn’t really dark – light from outside the window and through the door crack came in, making the room brighten.

This brightness also made her sober.

Those people would never be there again…

She sat up, feeling the coldness on her neck. She touched it – the pillowcase and quilt were soaked again.

“Better wash them before leaving…” She said to herself, her hand falling on the lamp switch by the bed, but she didn’t press it for a long time.

Her gaze looked toward the outer side of the bed, which was empty… as always… and would remain so for a long time…

So… sleeping would make it better.

She bent her wrist, and with a soft click, the light came on.

Light drove away the darkness, and the air in the room seemed to flow.

Qi Yue exhaled, waving her arms as she got up from the bed.

“What time is it?” She said to herself, looking at the watch on her wrist.

Seven-ten.

“The cafeteria probably doesn’t have much food left. Let’s go out to eat.” She said, simply going to the faucet to wash her face.

The woman in the mirror had a pale face, making her two red, swollen eyes more prominent. Her curly hair had been tied up for surgery and hadn’t been let down before sleeping, now looking messy.

Qi Yue made a face at the person in the mirror.

“Going out like this would scare people to death.” She said.

Having come in a hurry, she hadn’t brought toiletries or cosmetics, so she could only slightly wet her hair with water and shape it with her hands.

“Alright, it’s passable now.” She said after examining herself for a moment. “Maybe I should ask if there’s a car available. I’ll go back to the health center tonight.”

Having made this decision, she opened the door and walked out.

As the door opened, the bustle outside rushed toward her.

Having just woken up, the night wind felt a bit cool.

She couldn’t help but hug her arms.

“Dr. Qi…” People going in and out who recognized her greeted her with smiles.

Qi Yue nodded and smiled back.

“Is Director Wang still here?” She asked.

The person thought for a moment.

“Should be. The police just left.” She said.

Qi Yue thanked her and walked quickly forward.

Although it was nighttime, the hospital was still bustling with constant foot traffic.

As she was about to cross the corridor, a voice came from ahead.

“Qi Yueniang.” The man called out.

Qi Yue abruptly stopped, closed her eyes, and shivered. Then she opened her eyes again.

In the crowd across from her, a man was striding over, carrying plastic bags with food containers.

“You’re awake? I bought food. Let’s go back to the room to eat.” Chang Yuncheng said, lifting the food containers in his hands.

Qi Yue took a deep breath. The street lamps and external lights of the outpatient building made everything around seem somewhat unreal.

She lifted her feet and continued forward.

Chang Yuncheng smiled and approached, but the woman brushed past him and walked quickly away.

This stinky woman… what was she doing now?

He was stunned for a moment, then turned around to see Qi Yue had already entered the outpatient building.

Really…

Chang Yuncheng shook his head and followed.

Qi Yue had already entered the administrative duty room.

“Director Wang.” She called out with a smile.

Director Wang, who was bending over making tea from the water dispenser, quickly stood up.

“Dr. Qi, you’re awake. The cafeteria has food ready. Go eat quickly.” He said.

Before Qi Yue could speak, a man behind her had already spoken.

“No need, I bought food.”

Qi Yue paused slightly, didn’t turn around, still looking at Director Wang with a slight smile.

Director Wang made an “oh” sound.

“Director, are there any cars available now? I want to hurry back to the health center.” Qi Yue continued.

“Oh, how can that work? It’s so late. Stay here, stay here.” Director Wang quickly shook his head.

As Qi Yue was about to speak again, the man behind her spoke first.

“It’s fine. If she wants to go back, let her go back. I brought a car.” He said.

Qi Yue took a deep breath, looking at Director Wang.

“I…” She said.

Director Wang was already looking behind her.

“Comrade Chang, it’s already dark, and the mountain roads are difficult. Wait until tomorrow.” He said to Chang Yuncheng with a smile. “Besides, thanks to you today. We agreed that we must express our hospitality. Tomorrow’s banquet – people from the county committee, county government, and police station all agreed. Comrade Chang, you can’t refuse…”

As he spoke, he put down his tea cup and was about to walk over to express his sincere desire to keep them.

Qi Yue reached out and grabbed him.

“Director Wang…” She looked at him and called out.

Her expression was deathly pale, her eyes terrified.

Director Wang was startled.

“What’s wrong?” He asked hurriedly.

“You… you…” Qi Yue said tremblingly, slowly and somewhat stiffly turning her head to look behind her. “…Can you… see… the person… from my hallucination?”

The man behind her, with the same face as that man, the same voice, the same presence, only with different clothes and appearance – wasn’t he a person from her hallucination?

How could others see him?