EHTM - 72

After midnight, it was a new year.

Qing Hang, however, was still repeating the actions of yesterday. Everyone was asleep, and he knocked on Cheng Wanyue’s door, three times.

The door wasn’t locked. She had been playing wildly all night and felt like a deflated balloon in the car, but the excitement hadn’t worn off, so she couldn’t sleep.

Qing Hang touched her forehead with his chin. “Are you a bit feverish?”

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

Thinking back, that was many years ago.

“There are too many tourists; even if it’s still there, it’ll be hard to find.”

“Then let’s hang two more. Everyone says praying for a good marriage at Jiming Temple is very effective. Let’s make a wish for Yanci too, hoping that next New Year’s Eve, he won’t be alone and can be warmly embraced like us.”

“Okay.”

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

Qing Hang said he didn’t regret it; there was nothing to regret. “Wherever you are, I’ll go.”

Cheng Wanyue gently rubbed the jade pendant in her hand. The cold jade slowly absorbed her body temperature. “We always argue; I always make you unhappy.”

Qing Hang thought for a moment. “No, there’s much more happiness, many times more.”

He went downstairs to pour water. After Cheng Wanyue took the fever medicine, he prepared to return to his own room. Her parents were present; he had to observe some rules.

Cheng Wanyue said the bed was too cold. Qing Hang put one hand under the covers; her feet were icy. He lifted the blanket and lay down, and she nestled her toes into his pajama pants.

Half-asleep, half-awake, she drowsily asked, “Qing Hang, do you want to get married with Cheng Yanqing and Zhizhi? They’re already discussing their wedding.”

“Yes,” he answered quickly.

It was the answer she expected. Cheng Wanyue found it hard not to smile. “Then you’ll have to work hard. Planning a wedding is very troublesome: finding venues, booking hotels, choosing wedding candies, writing invitations, and so on—a bunch of hassles. The only thing that could save trouble was taking wedding photos, but Zhizhi will definitely be too busy to care about anything then.”

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

Qing Hang: “If Huo Zhi doesn’t have time, I’ll find a way to invite your favorite photographer.”

That reminded Cheng Wanyue of a friend she hadn’t contacted in a long time. “I had a set of photos taken in college that I really loved. That photographer is very famous now, only photographing celebrities. I don’t know if I can still book them... Qing Hang, I want to wear the most beautiful wedding dress.”

“What kind?”

“Hmm... the train should be as long as a river, the fabric embroidered with flowers but very light, and the veil should be more ethereal than the wind.”

“There’s no such wedding dress in the world,” he was always very practical.

“I’m just imagining it. Ayi looked like the most beautiful bride even in a wedding dress from years ago when she married Cheng Yuzhou.”

“Then I’ll imagine too,” Qing Hang appeared calm, but in his mind, he was already planning. He needed to be faster. “Summer is too hot, winter is too cold. Do you prefer spring or autumn?”

Cheng Wanyue deliberately made it difficult for him. “Spring has cherry blossoms, autumn has maple leaves. They each have their merits; I can’t choose.”

“Then we’ll take wedding photos in spring and have 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 pick an auspicious day. I’ll work hard. The papers I submitted last year should be getting results soon. If all goes well, I can get the bonus before summer arrives.”

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

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

Cheng Wanyue cherished her hair, but also loved to experiment with it. Her hair quality wasn’t bad, it just grew slowly.

Qing Hang still 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 wore could fill a jewelry box. Although Qing Hang hadn’t looked closely when he packed those things, he knew which ones she wore most often.

Those were all accessories; none of them were engagement rings.

The fever medicine wouldn’t take effect too quickly. She had caught a cold draft last night and was still coughing a bit.

Qing Hang tiptoed out of the room until the next morning to buy cough medicine. His family had scheduled a physical exam for her; she couldn’t stay sick forever.

________________________________________

Monday Morning

During the Monday morning meeting, Qing Hang sat in. He met two alumni, about ten years older than him.

After the meeting, a colleague asked about a certain teacher at their school. Qing Hang had just contacted him last week. The teacher was elderly, and his health had been poor since he accidentally fell while hiking. He was nearing retirement and no longer taking students but was still teaching classes.

Cheng Yanqing had said they would arrive at the hospital early, but Qing Hang hadn’t heard from them even after his meeting. Thinking they might be delayed, he was about to make a call when he heard someone next to him greet Cheng Wanyue by name.

Qing Hang turned his head and saw Cheng Wanyue who had just entered through the main gate. Dr. He waved to her.

Qing Hang was a little surprised. “Do you know her?”

Dr. He smiled. “She’s a patient of our department head. I saw a lot of her in previous years.”

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

“I forgot to mention just now, I’m from Hematology, last name He,” Dr. He opened his WeChat QR code. They were alumni from the same school, making the meeting more cordial. “Let’s exchange contact info. I’ll add you to the alumni group. At home, you rely on parents; outside, you rely on friends. It never hurts to make more friends.”

Cheng Wanyue walked closer and closer, but the sight in front of Qing Hang became more and more blurry. The escalator reached the first floor, his feet stiffened, his body swayed, and he knocked Dr. He’s phone to the ground.

The people behind him urged him loudly to move out of the way. He knew someone was speaking, but the roaring sound in that instant seemed to pass directly through his brain.

Hematology...

Hematology...

The four characters echoed repeatedly in Qing Hang’s ears, as if he had been swept into icy seawater by a cold wind pouring in from outside, a heavy weight dragging him down, giving him no chance to escape.

“Sorry, hope it’s not broken,” Cheng Wanyue ran closer in a few steps, picked up the phone from the ground, and handed it to Dr. He.

“No worries, no worries, I didn’t hold it steady just now. Phones nowadays are very 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 bad on the way. Just got to the hospital,” Cheng Wanyue pulled Qing Hang aside. “Qing Hang, why are you spaced out? It’s dangerous.”

Dr. He said, “We just finished a meeting today. Young doctors have many tasks and high demands; you have to adapt slowly.”

“He can definitely do it; he’s really amazing,” she was always full of pride when praising him.

“Well, he definitely won’t be bad,” as they were alumni, Dr. He also politely complimented him a few times. His eyes darted between Cheng Wanyue and Qing Hang. “Are you two...?”

Cheng Wanyue didn’t hesitate. “He’s my boyfriend.”

“What a coincidence,” Dr. He was surprised, but he couldn’t chat during work hours. “I’m just heading back to my office; want to walk together?”

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

Qing Hang stared blankly as she walked away, his lips moved, but no sound came out.

His body reacted instinctively, wanting to follow her, but a group of people got off the elevator, and he was a step too late. He couldn’t see her anymore. He didn’t even notice Cheng Yanqing who came in after them.

Hematology.

Qing Hang returned to the office with only those four words echoing in his mind.

The physical examination was time-consuming, and many results wouldn’t be available the same day. Qing Hang got Cheng Wanyue’s medical record number from Dr. He, and he was able to access her file through the internal computer system.

She had mentioned that she rested for a few years after the college entrance exam before re-enrolling and taking the university entrance exam again.

He only now realized that during those years, she was in and out of the hospital, staying there intermittently for three years. Her file meticulously detailed various physiological indicators, treatment plans, medication, and even a record of a resuscitation.

What was he doing during those years?

...He was holding a grudge against her.

The computer suddenly crashed, the system closed, stuck on a glaring blue screen.

It was already dark outside.

“Qing Hang, I’m sick. Aren’t you coming to see me?”

Go see her.

Yes, go see her.

Qing Hang stepped out of the office as if waking from a dream, his mind utterly chaotic yet blank. He walked a few steps to the left, bumping into someone without reaction, not even apologizing. He continued until he reached the end of the corridor, where there was no more path. He stopped abruptly, standing there dazed, his lowered eyes unfocused, like a lost soul. After a long time, he vigorously wiped his face, and feeling slightly clearer, turned and entered the elevator.

He didn’t know where Cheng Wanyue was. Everyone’s phones were unreachable, the mechanical busy tone irritating him. He asked around and searched, finally finding the Hematology Department Chief’s office.

The Cheng family members who accompanied Cheng Wanyue to the hospital were all in the office, but she wasn’t.

The chief looked serious and suggested Cheng Wanyue be hospitalized.

Upon hearing this, Yang Minhui’s eyes reddened. “We should have come to the hospital sooner.”

“It was like this the year before last too. It just turned out to be a regular fever, it’s nothing, Dad, Mom, there’s nothing to worry about,” Cheng Yanqing was the first to compose himself. “Qing Hang, you go find Yueyue first; she’s downstairs. Call her back. I’ll call Second Uncle back, and then go handle the hospitalization procedures.”

Qing Hang was pushed out, his hand hitting the cold wall. The pain felt numb.

“What did the doctor say?”

“They checked her blood; there’s something abnormal,” Cheng Yanqing patted his shoulder. “Let’s hospitalize her first, listen to the doctor. It happened once the year before last too. Yueyue had a persistent high fever at school, but she was just scared from playing an escape room game, and she was discharged after a week in the hospital. It’s nothing, it’s nothing. The temperature dropped these past few days, so a cold and fever are normal. Look at how many patients with colds are in this hospital every day; the infusion room is full. It’s very normal.”

Qing Hang wanted to ask why they were only telling him 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 comfort his parents in the office just moments ago, telling them not to worry, but outside, his smile was gone.

Only Qing Hang knew the emotions hidden beneath his overly calm exterior. Cheng Yanqing, however, had to remain calm. If he panicked too, the family would be even more anxious. If everyone lost their composure, how could they comfort Cheng Wanyue?

“Not long after the college entrance exam, she wanted to travel abroad but couldn’t,” Cheng Yanqing looked out the window. “Don’t blame yourself. Even if you knew, you’d be like me, spending all your time except for classes and exams by her side, but it wouldn’t lessen her pain. Everyone was quite tired back then; no one could look after you. Moreover, you had to take care of your grandfather.”

“Her hair...”

“She lost a lot every day after chemotherapy, and then she shaved it all off. Hair grows back after being shaved. She was sad for a while but then didn’t care about it anymore. Sometimes she even went out without a hat.”