Section 2

As it was not yet dawn, the vehicle first took them to a low factory building

It is appropriate for her to take care of him and protect him by living in the same room. Shen Xi comforted herself as she communicated with Dr. Tan about the Western medicine that Fu Dongwen would need, and she also obtained a dual-head stethoscope. The syringe and needles are emergency supplies and should ideally not be used. It was only at this point that Shen Xi learned that Dr. Tan specialized in cardiopulmonary function, which surprised her.

This is not the case..." She nervously brushed her hair back, focusing her attention on the sewing machine

Fu Dongwen smiled: "Did you feel seasick when you first came over?"

Shen Xi blurted out without thinking, "I will not sleep with him"

Tan Qingxiang is thinking of him; he should no longer meet with Shen Xi, let alone bring her back to the country

Shen Xi tried to comfort him: "It is all created by people, and we are all learning."

"It is not a matter of politeness," he smiled, "the matter I wish to discuss with you concerns your residence."

The reason for temporarily taking her away

Shen Xi pulled out the lining and gradually stuffed it underneath: "Is it like this?" She indicated with her toes.

Dr. Tan smiled and said, "Do not be surprised, it was not convenient in the past to inform you of his specific situation"

At three o'clock in the morning, there were actually people squatting by the roadside selling cigarettes

"Are you complaining that I didn't arrange things well for you back then?" he laughed

Do you know how much this costs in the city of Beijing?" He patted the sewing machine, "Forty to fifty silver.

His relationship with Dr. Tan is truly strange; it resembles that of classmates, yet also that of a family doctor, and even that of master and servant. To this day, Shen Xi still cannot discern what their true relationship is.

Shen Xi sat down

Fu Dongwen paid the money and handed the cigarette to Dr. Tan

Looking for someone to help with boarding the luggage onto the ship

"Come and give it a try." Fu Dongwen moved aside the stool

Fu Dongwen prefers to downplay the serious issues, using a light touch to achieve significant results, but he is more inclined to speak the truth: "I am not accustomed to sharing a room with girls; it would be unsafe to leave you alone in one. Furthermore, he requires medical care at night, Miss Shen, so I must trouble you this time."

"This is not your area of expertise," Dr. Tan comforted her, "there is no need to overthink it"

When did he discover his own curiosity? Was it when she saw Doctor Tan diagnosing patients at the Fu family, or later when she tried to see his medicine in New York? Shen Xi looked at those medicines and felt relieved; it was not tuberculosis. Every time she thought of him over the years, she would recall the image of him coughing incessantly. At that time, it should have just been a cold.

It turns out that help is still needed

After the two doctors completed the handover of the patients, Dr. Tan suggested that Dr. Fu Dongwen should sleep deeply for two hours

Dr. Tan noticed his silence, lowered his head to light a cigarette, took a deep puff or two, and then earnestly advised him: "Send her to California. If you persist, she will listen. You are just one step away from completing your good deed; keeping her in the United States is the most correct choice."

She was taken aback: "Is the room already gone?"

In this calculation, the distance of time becomes more apparent

She watched Fu Dongwen leave the factory, his shadow elongated on the ground, disappearing beyond the iron gate

There is no opportunity to engage with this rare item in China, and there is also no time to study it in the United States

His fingers are close at hand, with neatly trimmed, long, and straight nails

Shen Xi shook his head again and continued to look outside

"An electrocardiogram was performed in New York this time," Dr. Tan smiled and said, "There is no need to worry too much; his current physical condition is stable"

Shen Xi lightly shook her head, regaining her focus. As she gently pressed the pedal, the lining of her suit was caught by the needle and thread, slipping from her hand. She carefully halted her movements, leaned in to take a closer look, and observed the fine needle and dense threads, truly a fine item

Can you do it? Fu Dongwen sat on the stool and pressed the pedal of the sewing machine twice

This time, there was a theatrical flavor to it, she thought anxiously, what was wrong with what she said that could make him laugh like this

However, when leaving home it is the autumn rain, and when returning home it is the spring rain, which is a more favorable omen. Shen Xi comforted herself.

The two individuals looked around simultaneously, but found nothing

Thus, only he and Fu Dongwen remained at the door

Well

This is a reason, and it is also for your safety. If you mind me... you can also share a room with Qingxiang, I believe he has a better reputation than mine

Over a hundred years, Jiaqing, Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, Guangxu, and Xuantong... Six generations of emperors

Hmm. She is distracted and restless.

Even this he wishes to do. He took the pen from the pocket of his suit and, under the light, gazed at this small object with a multitude of emotions. Over a hundred years ago, the British began to make it, yet we still do not know how to do so. Was it during the Jiaqing era...?

Thus, this concludes the topic, and it is not open to debate

You see, I have never asked you to quit smoking, even though I detest tobacco. Without needing others to remind him, Fu Dongwen also knows that he is creating a huge problem for himself. She has her own aspirations, and I have no right to deprive her of them

At 9:30, they arrived at the dock. The heavy rain had not stopped

Fu Dongwen did not respond, instead taking the cigarette from his fingers, lightly pressing his lips against the mouthpiece, the tip of the cigarette flickering as if he were truly smoking. In Fu Dongwen's pupils, there was a reflection of the streetlights, bright yet devoid of warmth, unexpectedly complementing the torrential rain on the streets of New York.

"I cannot bear to look back," she shook her head, "I must not think about it, it makes me dizzy."

I am not sure whether the recording device he is using is the latest model

Dr. Tan sat for a while, then went outside to smoke and refresh himself

In the darkness, his figure in a shirt appeared somewhat slender: "I will take your bed first, and at night, you can sleep on the floor."

The luggage was quickly brought in. Shen Xi stood in the living room, counting the luggage, and heard the movers outside the door whispering, saying that this Chinese couple was very stingy, able to afford the most expensive room, yet had no servants.

Fu Dongwen did not deny it, smiling with a hint of self-deprecation: "I want to do everything"

She remembers this item, which the professor had shown them on site. The recorder would be placed over one thousand meters away, while the subject's arms would be immersed in saltwater for examination. However, the professor also mentioned that what they saw was not the latest product, and there are even better options available

But at the same time, she also felt a sense of regret; it was her heart, the direction she had given up on

He rested his right hand on the edge, observing the machine

"How can you bring her back to the country?" The laughter and jokes in the apartment were merely a facade; it was now that Dr. Tan wanted to speak, "Wasn't it agreed from the beginning that she would be sent abroad and not brought back? She would live without worries, enjoying a life like that of a noble; isn't this the future you had planned for her?"

Fu Dongwen looked at his suit, had an idea, took it off, turned it inside out, and placed it under the needle: "Come on"

Shen Xi chuckled to himself, moved closer to Fu Dong, took the hanger from his hand, picked up a pair of trousers, and draped it over: "This matter does not require discussion, I will help you organize everything properly"

She suddenly felt a rush, as if her ears were on fire

In the future China, in the hands of your generation, Fu Dongwen said with a smile, tearing off the thread from his suit and putting it back on: "I will go out for some fresh air"

Fu Dongwen had something to say, so he took half a step back and sheltered from the rain under the eaves

The foot-operated board can move on its own. However, a piece of fabric is needed

"No need, I will sleep on the floor," Shen Xi retorted, "If I let you sleep on the floor, I would have nightmares due to losing my medical ethics"

Shen Xi furrowed her brows, regretting once again that she had not delved deeper into the discussion of this examination with the professor. Even if she were to show her the results, she could not guarantee that she would understand them.

"You see, you are not much better off than I am. Character is a luxury for both you and me." Fu Dongwen's gaze fell on a spot four meters behind her.

And I also noticed that you are curious. Naturally, Dr. Tan must be more vigilant.

Fu Dongwen seemed to have no intention of letting her get involved, as he independently organized the shirts, vests, and suits, hanging them one by one in the wardrobe. With his back to her, he suddenly said: "There is something I need to discuss with you"

She speculated: "You want to do this too"

"Letting a girl sleep on the floor, I suppose I can no longer be considered a man," Fu Dongwen smiled, glancing at her in the darkness. "Am I really such a figure in your mind, being a modern man who has studied abroad?"

Fu Dongwen is laughing again

Shen Xi took a seat in the back of the Parker, while Dr. Tan first closed the car door for her and then went to close the apartment door behind them

He actually joked about this, and Shen Xi couldn't help but feel her face flush even more

His room is a suite

She turned around, and Fu Dongwen placed the vest on the adjacent seat

Shen Xi turned around in a panic and saw the person who had been standing outside the door for a long time: "... ... Dr. Tan."

He exhaled that puff of smoke

With righteous words and a serious demeanor, as if entrusting a patient

It is merely a difference of ten years, yet the tone of this statement resembles that of a frail elder

"Are you afraid of breaking it?" Fu Dongwen asked her in a low voice upon seeing her not moving.

"Just listen to what Third Master has to say." Tan Qingxiang responded to Fu Dongwen with ease, as he was already quite familiar with the situation

During this time at sea, you must stay here with me, and there is no single room. Fu Dongwen had a serious expression as he looked at the large bed, saying, "You sleep on the bed, I will sleep—" He thought for a moment and added, "We will see tonight."

Fu Dongwen smiled: "Do you think I have used it?"

Shen Xi was surprised: "You want?"

There are four rows of sewing machines placed there, the aisle is narrow, and the floor is piled with discarded cotton threads

"Thirty cents for one hundred, sir." The woman selling cigarettes handed over the cigarettes

The female worker has not come for three days," the driver said in heavily accented English, "There is a DuPont factory ten kilometers from here that produces ammunition, and they pay better wages. Everyone has gone there, so you can rest here with peace of mind. At dawn, we will go to the dock." After the driver finished speaking, he returned to the vehicle

She understood his guard

When she initially left China, it was in this manner; now, her return to the country is likewise.

Only she and Fu Dongwen remained in the factory

Shen Xi turned around and looked at him

Once the movers had left, Fu Dongwen opened the largest suitcase, picked up a stack of shirts, and tossed them onto the bed

Soon, Fu Dongwen and Dr. Tan both got into the car

This reminded her of the idle gossip she had heard from the maidservants at the Fu family: the Third Master had always been attended to by maidservants for nail trimming in his early years, and every time a young maidservant performed this task, she would blush and share with everyone what the Third Master had talked about with her. Later, for some unknown reason, this private talk among the servants reached Fu Dongwen, and from then on, no maidservant ever touched his hands again. The people in the Third Master's room were also replaced by young servants. Later, for some unknown reason, this private talk among the servants reached Fu Dongwen, and from then on, no maidservant ever touched his hands again. The people in the Third Master's room were also replaced by young servants

Three years ago, the car took Shen Xi to the dock. When she boarded the ship, both of them were there, but they did not show themselves. Sending Shen Xi to the United States was indeed a consensus reached by the two of them. However, just now in the room, he overturned the plan

Fu Dongwen wanted to maintain control, but he couldn't hold it together and still smiled: "Even if you want to, he wouldn't dare. He is an honest person."

I think so

Although Master San is charming, it is a refined charm that does not take advantage of others. The maid, having had little education, finds such a statement rather peculiar

The two individuals boarded the ship, and after Fu Dongwen presented the tickets, a dedicated staff member escorted them to the first-class cabin

Shen Xi feigned ignorance, walked to the window, and leaned out to look outside: "You can see the sea from here, much better than when I arrived."

After the cruise ship departed from the port, Shen Xi drew the curtains together, ensuring that even the light-permeable gaps were well covered, making the surroundings as dark as midnight

Ke Shenxi is capable of understanding what she wants to convey

The appearance of Dr. Tan momentarily embarrassed her, yet it also alleviated the awkwardness of the situation

At the dock, everywhere there are tearful farewells among relatives and lovers embracing with tearful eyes. Many women hold umbrellas, making the already bustling dock even more crowded. Fu Dongwen, fearing that Shen Xi might be swept away by the crowd, took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm: "Hold on to me." Shen Xi nodded and clung to his arm: "Where is Doctor Tan?"

Do you want to help him? Shen Xi turned around, her gaze hesitant

I have never used it," Shen Xi admitted

He did not come in again until dawn

Fu Dongwen shook his head: "You don't need to do this."

His emaciated and pale face was close at hand, waiting to see her experiment with this "toy". ... His breath brushed against her cheek, light and heavy ... . ... Shen Xi was momentarily stunned, recalling that day in the cinema, where it was the same in the darkness.

"It's no trouble," Shen Xi hung up the long pants, "Third Brother, there's no need to be polite."

Fu Dongwen remained silent and waved to the cigarette seller

"Is this what makes you addicted?" The cigarette was thrown into the puddle by the roadside, "Weak-willed."

What nonsense

Fu Dongwen's fingers glided past her eyes, reaching to touch the stitches: "Very good"