Section 5

He looked for a while, then suddenly reached out his hand, seemingly wanting to touch her face, but he stopped, leaving his hand suspended in the air, in a gesture of caress

The inpatient department was eerily quiet, and the lights in the lobby appeared particularly pale, somewhat unsettling. Approaching the elevator, she paused to think, then turned back and pushed open the wooden door to the stairwell

Carrying her suitcase, she stood at the entrance of the hospital for quite a while before walking in. Following the signs, she easily found the inpatient department

She is indeed very tired, unable to sleep soundly on the plane, but she managed to fall asleep in the taxi. Upon reaching her destination, it was the driver who woke her up.

Her professional intuition told her that the worst of the situation should have already passed

Uncertain how long she had been sitting like that, she suddenly saw the person beneath her shadow, whose eyelashes fluttered gently. She thought it was a trick of her eyes, but in the next moment, he slowly opened his eyes

It has been exactly seven years since our parting

For a moment, he curved the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile that was both joyful and somewhat sorrowful. Then she heard his voice, reminiscent of a dream, carrying a hint of hoarseness from not having spoken for a long time: "Did I dream again... Why is it so vivid..."

As he was leaving her office, Ji Silang suddenly turned around and said to her: "Oh, I won't see you off anymore. If you have booked your return flight, let me know, and I will pick you up."

The ward to which she was headed was on the fifth floor. She climbed the stairs with her suitcase, and although she was wearing flat shoes, the sound of her footsteps echoed distinctly in the quiet stairwell. As she ascended floor by floor, the motion-sensor lights flickered on and off, creating an eerie sensation amidst the alternating illumination.

It was only a five-story building, yet she walked for a long, long time

She stopped on the third floor, leaning against the wall, standing in the darkness for a long time

He closed his eyes and fell asleep again

Ji Silang suddenly chuckled lightly, tilting his head to gaze at her: "My dear fiancée, I suddenly feel a bit hurt, you clearly have made all the decisions and are just here to inform me"

Across the vast mountains and rivers of time, upon their reunion, she realized that a thousand words and ten thousand phrases were all contained within this silent gaze

Her gaze lingered on the potted plant for a long time before she turned to look at the person on the hospital bed. She was enveloped in a warm yellow light, and her shadow fell upon him, resembling two people intimately embracing each other

The person on the sickbed has a pale complexion, furrowed brows, and tightly pressed lips, appearing to be in an uneasy sleep. His eyelashes are long, thick, and dense, casting a small shadow under the light. Even with a sickly appearance, this man remains quite handsome

Having changed her boarding pass and with some time left before boarding, she went to buy a cup of Americano. Holding it in her palm, the warmth of the hot coffee gradually warmed her cold hand. In the early morning departure hall, there were still few people. Looking out from the floor-to-ceiling windows, the tarmac was bathed in the faint light of dawn, illuminated by warm yellow lights.

Well

She remembers that he likes to have a faint warm light when he sleeps

After returning to the hospital post-meal, she meticulously handed over the patients she was responsible for to him. Except for one postoperative patient who was somewhat troublesome, the other patients were newly assigned, and changing doctors would not have much impact.

Visiting hours have already passed, and entering through the main entrance will certainly be obstructed by the on-duty nurse

Unexpectedly, it was she herself who broke the agreement

She had watched many movie scenes about reunions, some filled with tears of joy, some with deep gazes, some with tight embraces, some in silence, and some with just a few words exchanged before parting again. She had also thought about what kind of situation it would be if she were to see him again. What would the first sentence be? She had also considered that perhaps in this lifetime, they would never meet again. Because she had once told him that if they were to accidentally reunite, they should not acknowledge each other. What would the first sentence be? She had also thought that perhaps in this lifetime, they would never meet again. Because she had once told him that if they were to accidentally reunite, they should not acknowledge each other.

She made a sound of "mm," closed her eyes, and stopped the driver who was trying to continue the conversation

He slowly retracted his hand, murmuring: "Forget it, it's better not to touch it. Once touched, it disappears... This happens every time..."

She placed the box in the corner and gently walked to the bedside

After more than ten hours, she landed in Shanghai and waited for her connecting flight. Unfortunately, she encountered a flight delay, and by the time she arrived in Liancheng, it was already past one o'clock in the morning

Over the years, he seems to have never changed

She suddenly felt that she was truly insane, what on earth was she doing at this late hour?

On the second day, before dawn, she took a taxi to the airport, carrying only a 20L suitcase as her luggage

She took a deep breath, and the unique autumn atmosphere of the southern Chinese city enveloped her, the crisp night breeze was very pleasant

Suddenly, there was a mist in her eyes

The person in the hospital bed is not on a ventilator

Zhu Jiu directly ignored his seemingly genuine yet fake expression of injury

She slept uneasily, drifting in and out of a series of chaotic dreams. In the dreams, there were vague memories of the past, one time when he had a high fever that wouldn't subside, and an old leg injury had caused a slight infection. He was so ill, yet he stubbornly refused to go to the hospital. His cousin Leo, who was his private doctor and had always been responsible for his health, happened to be out of town at that time. She was at a loss, unable to carry him, and in her helplessness, she called Leo to ask him how to proceed. In the dreams, there were vague memories of the past, one time when he had a high fever that wouldn't subside, and an old leg injury had caused a slight infection. He was so ill, yet he stubbornly refused to go to the hospital. His cousin Leo, who was his private doctor and had always been responsible for his health, happened to be out of town at that time. She was at a loss, unable to carry him, and in her helplessness, she called Leo to ask him how to proceed. At that time, she was in her third year of undergraduate studies at medical school. Although her grades were excellent, it was her first time treating someone. She stayed by his bedside all night, and when dawn broke, his fever finally subsided, and he became conscious again. After being tense for so long, she suddenly relaxed and couldn't help but cry, tears of joy, in fact. He looked at her for a long time and suddenly said softly, "If one day I am to die, I will definitely not tell you, and I will send you far away..." Thus, you would not be sad...

Long time no see

She stood at the door from a distance, and when her gaze fell upon the sickbed, she let out a gentle sigh of relief

She got into the taxi, and the driver asked her where she was going. The address of her home was about to slip out, but she remembered that it was so late and that returning home would disturb her grandmother. After a moment of hesitation, she said: "To the central hospital"

Standing outside the hospital room, she glanced at the tightly closed door, and without any further hesitation, she raised her hand and pushed it open

As she just sat down by the bedside, she noticed the plant placed on the bedside table. No, in fact, her sense of smell detected it even before her sight; it was a scent she was very familiar with and fond of. A small pot of mint, vibrant green and lush, appeared particularly lively against the backdrop of the white wall

The lights in the ward are on, and the floor lamp in the corner is adjusted to the most suitable light for sleep, with a warm yellow glow that is gentle, as if one has entered a bedroom rather than a hospital room

Standing at the exit, the sound of the local drivers soliciting passengers is both unfamiliar and familiar in my ears

She was taken aback

He looked at her, his gaze hazy, as if he had not fully awakened, resembling the expression of a sleepwalker

Zhu Jiu waved her hand, just right, as she also did not like farewells

"Are you going to visit the patient?" the driver asked, glancing at her through the rearview mirror

Last night, she booked the flight ticket

She did not check in any luggage and quickly exited the gate

She kept the note left by Leo in her pocket, but she did not call that number, nor did she contact that person in advance

Once on the plane, she wrapped herself in a blanket, put on an eye mask, and fell asleep

And this day seemed to stretch on exceptionally long, like a dream

She did not dare to move at all, and even her breathing became exceptionally light and slow