Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
How long is eight years?
It is a once arrogant and flamboyant girl becoming low-key and calm; a once slender and refined youth growing into a steady and reserved man; it is nearly three thousand days and nights, every single moment spent wanting to become a better self.
Xiang Ge’s first reaction upon realizing she liked Zhou Xingyan was: that person is really good.
She knew he came from a wealthy family, that his parents had a great relationship, that he was excellent academically, always ranking in the top three in various exams.
He was too good; he had everything. While she didn’t even have a complete family.
He was so good that in her youth, for a fleeting moment, she felt pathetic and unworthy.
During the hospital’s lunch break, the place became busier again, with patients and their families streaming through. No one noticed the conversation between the two people sitting by the window in the corner.
Lin Ran was stunned by Xiang Ge’s words and gaze, her mouth slightly open, looking a bit dazed and unresponsive.
Xiang Ge saw her expression and slightly curled her lips, “Dr. Lin, some things have nothing to do with time. You don’t have to feel like you’ve lost just because of this.” She lazily lifted her chin, “I mean, not to mention eight years ago, even if I had just met Zhou Xingyan eight weeks ago, I still wouldn’t have a chance with him.”
Her expression was calm, her voice soft and lazy as usual, but her eyes were deep and intense, burning with a fierce light.
All that talk about being low-key and calm was a lie.
She had just hidden her sharp edges where necessary.
Zhou Xingyan finished work at 5:30 pm, but Xiang Ge hadn’t left yet.
She sat on the innermost chair, took off her baseball cap and covered her face with it, leaning her head back against the chair, sleeping soundly.
The sunset streamed through the window, dyeing her hair tips with warm golden light, making her look peaceful and gentle.
Despite the noisy hospital environment, she could still sleep like that.
Zhou Xingyan stood there watching her for a few seconds, then turned and started to leave.
After a few steps, he stopped, then turned back, walked up to her, and stood over her, looking down.
The tip of the woman’s chin, visible outside the cap, twitched slightly, as if smacking her lips.
Zhou Xingyan was surprised and amused.
Sleeping that soundly?
He bent down, leaned over, pinched the brim of her baseball cap, and slowly lifted it off her face.
The sudden light shone directly onto her eyelids. Xiang Ge frowned impatiently, raised her hand and blindly reached forward, opening her eyes a slit.
The man’s face appeared straight and bright before her eyes.
Holding her hat, Zhou Xingyan bent over and looked at her, “Did you sleep enough?”
Because she was asleep, her body slid down the chair considerably. Hearing this, she instinctively propped herself up, squinting at him, “You’re off work?”
Zhou Xingyan’s expression shifted slightly, and he straightened up, “Yeah.”
Xiang Ge nodded, raised her hand to rub her eyes, then seemed to remember something and put her hand down, tilting her head to ask, “Did my mascara come off?”
“No.”
“Did I get oily?”
“No.”
“Is my powder cakey?”
“...”
Zhou Xingyan thought about what “cakey powder” meant but gave up.
He paused and shook his head.
Xiang Ge relaxed and breathed out, stood up and stretched lazily, “I was afraid you’d run off, so I waited for you to finish work. I actually wanted to find you for lunch, but my timing was off, so I’m a bit late.” She looked at him lazily, eyes still sleepy, “Dr. Zhou, will you be kind enough to have dinner with me?”
Dr. Zhou looked at her for a moment, then raised his arm and put the baseball cap back on her head, pressing it down to cover half her face, which earned a soft sigh.
Xiang Ge adjusted the hat and looked at him with slight dissatisfaction.
Zhou Xingyan’s lips curled slightly, “Let’s go.”
Xiang Ge stood and walked forward, glancing sideways at the man beside her, suddenly saying, “Senior Zhou, have you grown taller these past few years?”
It’s said boys develop late, but when she knew him in senior year, he wasn’t that young and looked about 1.8 meters tall.
Though she herself wasn’t tall then.
Zhou Xingyan glanced at her and said, “You looked like a bean sprout back then.”
He paused, then added, “You still look like a bean sprout now.”
Xiang Ge froze, looking at him incredulously.
“Did you take the herbal medicine I prescribed?” Zhou Xingyan asked.
“...”
Xiang Ge said nothing.
“Didn’t take it?”
“...”
Zhou Xingyan chuckled lightly and said coldly, “Looks like you’re not very eager to cure your underdevelopment.”
Xiang Ge glared at him, her ears turning red.
They had reached the elevator. Zhou Xingyan pressed the button; the metal doors slowly opened.
They stepped in. Xiang Ge looked at the descending red Arabic numerals and suddenly said, “Bitter.”
Zhou Xingyan turned his head.
Xiang Ge tilted her head and licked her lips bitterly, “The herbal medicine is too bitter. I don’t want to drink it.”
Zhou Xingyan glanced at her, “Then don’t drink it, and you’ll keep hurting.”
“...”
See? His cold skin had only just started to peel, and his harsh and ruthless nature was already showing.
Xiang Ge felt a sudden pain in her lower abdomen. She pouted and didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
Xiang Ge chose a Thai restaurant.
Zhou Xingyan had a mild palate, rarely eating sour or spicy food. Xiang Ge realized this after ordering and looked at him.
He said nothing and walked straight into the restaurant.
They picked a window seat. Two menus were handed over. Xiang Ge happily took hers but didn’t open it, instead looking up and telling the waiter, “One curry crab, please.”
The waiter responded cheerfully, quickly jotting it down.
Just as he wrote the first character, Zhou Xingyan slowly opened his menu without looking up, “No curry crab.”
The waiter paused, “Eh?” and looked up.
Xiang Ge also said “Eh?” and stopped flipping the menu.
Zhou Xingyan looked up, “I’m allergic.”
Xiang Ge had been craving curry crab for days and chose Thai food today just for it. Her cheeks puffed slightly, “You order something else, I’ll eat it.”
“No,” Zhou Xingyan’s expression didn’t change, “I’m allergic to crab.”
“...”
Do you think I’m stupid?!
Although Xiang Ge really wanted curry crab, she didn’t insist. After ordering, she still rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly at the curry crab on the next table, looking gloomy.
Zhou Xingyan pretended not to see.
Xiang Ge sighed long and continued staring.
The people at the next table felt creepy under her hot gaze; the hand holding the curry crab paused and instinctively turned to glance at her twice.
Xiang Ge didn’t look away and sighed again.
Zhou Xingyan’s brow twitched.
He helplessly said, “Crab is cold in nature.”
Xiang Ge ignored him, her expression faintly melancholic.
“You only have your period for two days, right?”
Xiang Ge was stunned, turned to look at him, “How do you know?”
Zhou Xingyan said casually, “You went to the clinic last time; it was written there.”
“...”
What exactly did Xia Wei tell you?!
Xiang Ge slumped her shoulders, giving up on dignity, “Mine’s not regular, not reliable.”
After saying that, she looked at him expectantly.
Zhou Xingyan nodded, “Don’t think about it. I’m allergic.”
“...”
Keep talking nonsense then.
Fortunately, the restaurant’s food was good, and the other dishes were tasty. Once the food arrived, Xiang Ge temporarily put aside the crab issue, thinking she’d ask Gong Mo to buy some for her to cook tomorrow.
But as she ate, whether from the conversation or some psychological effect, her lower abdomen’s dull, heavy pain grew more distinct.
The feeling was too familiar. Finally, Xiang Ge’s face turned pale, she bent slightly, and put down her spoon.
Zhou Xingyan looked up at her.
Xiang Ge leaned back a bit, resting against the sofa.
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Xingyan asked.
Xiang Ge looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Her period had never been regular, but this month it was surprisingly on time, off by no more than two days.
Zhou Xingyan had already finished eating and was casually picking at some fruit. Seeing her, he put down his fork, “Are you full?”
Xiang Ge was troubled, sitting on the sofa tangled in thought. She pulled the coat hanging on the chair back and tied it around her waist, then stood up.
She closed her eyes, her steps a bit unsteady, and her lips had started to turn pale.
Zhou Xingyan watched her actions and understood.
He frowned, stood up, paid the bill, then came back and looked at her, hesitating.
After a while, he pressed his lips, “Do you want me to—”
He didn’t finish.
Xiang Ge looked at him, conflicted, “Wait for me, I’m going to buy something.”
Zhou Xingyan knew exactly what she meant.
He watched the unconscious frown on her face and sighed, “Wait here.”
Xiang Ge: “??”
“I’ll go buy it.”
“...”
Xiang Ge: “???”
Zhou Xingyan left quickly and returned quickly. There was a mall next to the restaurant. He went straight to the supermarket in the basement, grabbed a bunch of various brands and colors of sanitary pads without looking, then pushed a cart full of more than a dozen packs to the checkout.
The cashier was a bit surprised by the sheer quantity, scanning them while sneaking glances at him. The people in line behind also marveled. A little girl asked her mother in a childish voice, “Mom, why is that uncle buying so many things for moms?”
Her mother hushed her, head lowered, “Maybe he’s buying them for his girlfriend.”
Zhou Xingyan expressionlessly bagged them, paid expressionlessly, and carried the full bag of sanitary pads away.
When he returned, he saw Xiang Ge still sitting in the same spot, obedient and quiet.
Her head hung low, looking wilted like a hurt little animal.
Zhou Xingyan walked over and handed the bag to her.
Xiang Ge looked up, stunned, staring at the full plastic bag of sanitary pads, then at the man in front of her, speechless for a moment.
Zhou Xingyan lowered his long lashes to look at her, expression unreadable, “Here.”
After a few seconds of hesitation, Xiang Ge took the bag from his hand, pulled out a pack, and went to the restroom.
Zhou Xingyan suddenly lowered his head, raised his hand to his brow, and let out a long, long sigh.
Google Sites
Report abuse