After midnight, it was a new year.

Yet Qing Hang was still repeating yesterday’s routine, knocking three times on Cheng Wanyue’s door after everyone else had gone to sleep.

The door wasn’t locked. She had played wildly all evening and was like a deflated balloon in the car, but the excitement hadn’t completely settled, leaving her unable to sleep.

Qing Hang touched her forehead with his chin. “Are you running a fever?”

“There’s fever medication in the drawer. I’ll take one in a bit,” Cheng Wanyue felt something cool—a jade pendant that had fallen from his clothes. “When the cherry blossoms bloom at Jiming Temple, let’s go there together. I wonder if the wish card you hung is still there.”

Thinking back, that was many years ago.

“There are too many tourists. Even if it’s still there, it would be difficult to find.”

“Then let’s hang two more. People say making wishes for relationships at Jiming Temple is very effective. We can also make a wish for Yan Ci, hoping that by next New Year’s Eve, he won’t be alone. He’ll be like us, able to hold someone warmly.”

“Okay.”

She suddenly changed the subject. “Qing Hang, do you not regret it?”

Qing Hang said he didn’t regret anything. “Wherever you are, I’ll go there.”

Cheng Wanyue held the jade pendant in her hand, gently rubbing it. The cool jade gradually warmed with her body temperature. “We’re always arguing. I’m always making you unhappy.”

Qing Hang thought for a moment. “Still, the happiness is more, many times more.”

He went downstairs to get water, waiting for Cheng Wanyue to take her fever medicine before preparing to return to his room. Her parents were there, so they needed to observe some propriety.

Cheng Wanyue said the bed was too cold. Qing Hang reached one hand under the covers. Her feet were ice cold. He lifted the blanket and lay down beside her. Her toes sought warmth by pressing against his pajama legs.

She was in that state between sleep and wakefulness, drowsy and heavy-headed. “Qing Hang, would you like to get married along with Cheng Yanqing and Zhi Zhi? They’re already planning their wedding.”

“Yes,” he answered quickly.

It was the expected answer. Cheng Wanyue couldn’t help but smile. “Then you need to work hard. Weddings are troublesome—finding a venue, booking a hotel, choosing wedding candies, writing invitations, and so on. A whole bunch of hassles. The only thing that might be easy would be taking wedding photos, but by then, Zhi Zhi will probably be too busy to manage everything.”

For Cheng Yuzhou’s wedding, Qing Hang had only rushed to Nanjing on the wedding day, but Cheng Wanyue had been involved since Cheng Yuzhou began preparing his proposal.

Qing Hang: “If Huo Zhi doesn’t have time, I’ll find a way to book the photographer you like.”

This reminded Cheng Wanyue of a friend she hadn’t contacted in a long time. “I had a set of photos in college that I loved. That photographer is very famous now, mostly taking pictures of celebrities. I wonder if we could still book them… Qing Hang, I want to wear the most beautiful wedding dress.”

“What kind?”

“Hmm… the skirt should be as long as a river, with flowers embroidered all over, but still light and airy. The veil should be more ethereal than the wind.”

“Where in the world would you find such a wedding dress?” He was always practical.

“I’m just dreaming. A’Yu wore a wedding dress from several years ago when she married Cheng Yuzhou, and she was still the most beautiful bride.”

“Then I’ll dream a bit too,” Qing Hang appeared calm, but in his heart, he had already begun planning. He needed to move faster. “Summer is too hot, winter too cold. Do you prefer spring or autumn?”

Cheng Wanyue deliberately made it difficult for him. “Spring has cherry blossoms, autumn has maple leaves. Each has its beauty. I can’t choose.”

“Then we’ll take wedding photos in spring and hold the wedding in autumn. From what Uncle Cheng said, he also hopes to set the date in autumn. But we still need to discuss it with Huo Zhi’s parents and choose an auspicious day. I’ll work hard. The papers I submitted last year should have results soon. If all goes well, I’ll receive the bonus before summer arrives.”

“But my hair hasn’t grown long yet,” Cheng Wanyue said, rubbing her hair. “It’s still so short.”

Qing Hang gazed at her delicate features and said softly, “Short hair is beautiful too.”

Cheng Wanyue treasured her hair but also liked to experiment with it. The quality wasn’t bad, but it grew slowly.

Qing Hang wanted to ask her what kind of ring she liked, but she had already fallen asleep.

She had only stayed in Beijing for half a year, but the rings she had worn could fill an entire jewelry box. When Qing Hang packed these things, he hadn’t looked carefully, but he knew which ones she wore most often.

Those were all accessories. None was an engagement ring.

The fever medicine wouldn’t take effect too quickly. She had been in the cold wind at night and had a slight cough.

Qing Hang didn’t leave her room until the next morning, treading carefully. He went out to buy cough medicine. Her family had scheduled a medical checkup for her—she couldn’t keep being sick.

…

Monday morning, there was a meeting that Qing Hang attended as an observer. He met two alumni about ten years older than him.

After leaving the conference room, a colleague asked about a certain professor at their school. Qing Hang had contacted him just last week. The professor was aging and had been in poor health since falling while hiking. He was approaching retirement and no longer accepting students, though he was still teaching classes.

Cheng Yanqing had said they would come to the hospital early. Qing Hang had finished his meeting but still hadn’t heard from them. Thinking they might have been delayed, he was about to make a call when he heard someone nearby greeting Cheng Wanyue.

Qing Hang turned his head and saw Cheng Wanyue just entering through the main entrance. Dr. He waved to her.

Qing Hang was somewhat surprised. “You know each other?”

Dr. He smiled. “She’s a patient of our department’s director. I saw her a few years ago.”

Qing Hang froze, his voice unnatural. “Which department are you in?”

“I forgot to mention earlier. I’m from the Hematology Department, my surname is He.” Dr. He opened his WeChat QR code. As alumni from the same school, meeting felt more cordial. “Let’s exchange contact information. I’ll add you to the alumni group. At home you rely on parents, outside you rely on friends. Making more friends never hurts.”

Cheng Wanyue was walking closer, but the scene before Qing Hang’s eyes grew increasingly blurry. The escalator reached the first floor. His feet stiffened, and he swayed, knocking Dr. He’s phone out of his hand.

People behind them urged loudly for him to move aside. He heard people talking, but at that moment, a roaring sound seemed to pass directly through his brain.

Hematology Department…

Hematology Department…

These four words echoed repeatedly in Qing Hang’s ears, as if a gust of cold wind from outside had swept him into icy seawater. A heavyweight dragged him down, not giving him the slightest chance to escape.

“I’m sorry, is it broken?” Cheng Wanyue ran up, picked up the phone from the ground, and handed it to Dr. Zhou.

“It’s fine, I just didn’t hold it firmly. Today’s phones are quite durable; they don’t break that easily,” Dr. He had known she was coming today. “Have you seen the director yet?”

“Not yet. Traffic was congested, we just arrived,” Cheng Wanyue pulled Qing Hang aside. “Qing Hang, why are you spacing out? That’s so dangerous.”

Dr. He said, “We just finished a meeting today. Young doctors have many tasks and high requirements. They need to adapt gradually.”

“He’ll manage. He’s extraordinary,” she always looked proud whenever she praised him.

“I’m sure he won’t disappoint,” Dr. He politely complimented him as a fellow alumnus. His gaze shifted between Cheng Wanyue and Qing Hang. “You two are…?”

Cheng Wanyue was straightforward. “He’s my boyfriend.”

“What a coincidence,” Dr. He was surprised, but it was working hours and not time for casual chat. “I happen to be heading back to my office. Shall we walk together?”

“Sure,” Cheng Wanyue turned and waved to Qing Hang. “Qing Hang, you go ahead with your work. I’ll call you later.”

Qing Hang watched her walk away in a daze, his lips moving but unable to make any sound.

His body reacted instinctively, wanting to follow her, but a group of people emerged from the elevator. He was a step too late and lost sight of her. He didn’t even notice Cheng Yanqing entering behind him.

Hematology Department.

Qing Hang struggled back to his office, those four words still dominating his thoughts.

Medical examinations take time, and many tests don’t produce same-day results. Qing Hang obtained Cheng Wanyue’s medical record number from Dr. He, allowing him to check her files in the internal computer system.

She had mentioned taking a few years off after the college entrance exam, before returning to repeat her senior year and retaking the exam.

Now he knew that during those years, she had been in and out of the hospital, spending a total of three discontinuous years there. The records detailed various physiological indicators, treatment plans, medication regimens, and even one resuscitation record.

What had he been doing during those years?

…He had been resentful of her.

The computer suddenly crashed, and the system closed unexpectedly, freezing on a harsh blue screen.

Outside, the sky had already darkened.

“Qing Hang, I’m sick. Won’t you come see me?”

Go see her.

Yes, go see her.

As if awakening from a dream, Qing Hang strode out of his office. His mind was utterly chaotic yet simultaneously blank. He walked a few steps to the left, bumping into someone without reacting, not even offering an apology. He continued walking until he reached the end of the corridor. With nowhere else to go, he stopped abruptly, standing there in a daze. His downcast eyes lacked focus, as if his soul had departed. After a long while, he forcefully rubbed his face, regained some clarity, and then turned and entered the elevator.

He didn’t know where Cheng Wanyue was. All phone calls went unanswered, the mechanical busy signal irritating him. He searched and inquired until he finally found the Hematology Department director’s office.

All the Cheng family members who had accompanied Cheng Wanyue to the hospital were in the office, except for her.

The director’s expression was serious, recommending that Cheng Wanyue be hospitalized.

Upon hearing this, Yang Huimin’s eyes immediately reddened. “We should have come to the hospital earlier.”

“It was like this two years ago, too, but in the end, it was just an ordinary fever. It’s nothing to worry about, Dad, Mom,” Cheng Yanqing was the first to regain his composure. “Qing Hang, go find Yueyue first. She’s downstairs. Bring her back. I’ll call Second Uncle and then handle the hospitalization procedures.”

Qing Hang was pushed toward the exit, the back of his hand hitting the cold wall, and the pain numbed.

“What did the doctor say?”

“They checked her blood and found some abnormalities,” Cheng Yanqing said, patting his shoulder. “Let’s have her admitted first, and follow the doctor’s advice. We had a similar situation two years ago. Yueyue had a high fever at school that wouldn’t break, but it turned out she was just frightened during an escape room game. She was hospitalized for a week and then discharged. It’s nothing serious. The temperature has dropped these days, so colds and fevers are common. Look at how many patients with colds come to this hospital daily—the infusion rooms are always full. It’s very normal.”

Qing Hang wanted to ask why they hadn’t told him until now.

But what right did he have to ask?

She had told him, but he hadn’t believed her. He thought she was lying to him.

“When did it happen?”

Cheng Yanqing had been able to smile and reassure his parents in the office, telling them not to worry, but outside, his smile disappeared.

Only Qing Hang himself knew what emotions lay beneath his unnaturally calm exterior. Cheng Yanqing, meanwhile, had to remain composed—if he panicked too, their family would become more anxious. If everyone lost their composure, how could they comfort Cheng Wanyue?

“Not long after the college entrance exam. She couldn’t even go abroad to travel as she wanted.” Cheng Yanqing looked out the window. “Don’t blame yourself. Even if you had known, even if you had spent all your time outside of classes and exams by her side like I did, you couldn’t have eased her pain. Everyone was quite exhausted then. No one could consider your feelings. Besides, you also had to take care of your grandfather.”

“Her hair…”

“She lost a lot of hair during chemotherapy, so eventually she shaved it all off. Hair grows back after being shaved. She was sad for a while, but then stopped caring about these things. Sometimes she’d go out without even wearing a hat.”

…