Section 4

Shen Xi was surprised; she thought he was merely engrossed in business affairs

How could someone who has gone through the extermination of their family be weak and fragile

Shen Xi gazed at his silhouette, contemplating the journey to and from Guangzhou if he were to return to his homeland. He wished to go back and take a look.

She lowered her head and put away the stethoscope: "Are you feeling unwell now?"

After a while, Dr. Tan said again: "This person, when it comes to achieving his goals, will stop at nothing, but if you suggest he gets involved with opium, that is absolutely out of the question"

Thirty years... what year and month would that be

She picked up the teapot, raised it towards Fu Tongwen, and hurried away: "I am going to refill the water"

Through the glass, one can see the misty clouds cradling the moon

Perhaps it was only after last night that he truly accepted Shen Xi as his travel companion. The two of them were most concerned about the same person and the same matter, which opened the floodgates for conversation.

Shen Xi silently took note of this point

Well. Since he knows that she is a member of the Shen family, he must be aware of her name

Shen Xi is the name she adopted when she escaped

Xi, as in "slave", female slave. She wants to forever remember the Shen family

She has also speculated about the cause of the Fourth Master's death, but all her conjectures are far from the truth

Is he not aware that back then at the Fu family, she had already been misunderstood like this in the eyes of everyone around her?

After Fu Dongwen touched her long hair, he removed the satin ribbon used to tie it up. This was his first time doing such a thing, and lacking experience, he accidentally pulled out two strands of her hair. He placed the ribbon on the table, and the jade pendant at the end struck the surface of the pocket watch, producing a crisp sound.

Fu Dongwen's pair of pitch-black eyes gazed at her

She replied softly: "I think something must have happened. Staying behind, I strike at myself." Her voice was gentle, yet her words carried strength.

The moon is brighter in my hometown, the ancients truly do not deceive me

"I actually consider myself a decent person," Fu Dongwen said, laughing to himself at this point, "It is a matter of circumstances beyond my control, and I hope you understand"

Coronary artery occlusion. Shen Xi recalled the statement from the latest medical journal, which seemed to be so

What she could not overcome was a psychological barrier, but from the moment she heard his heartbeat, she realized she had already let go. What she wanted was for Fu Dongwen to be alive, firmly believing that he was right and good, and thus, nothing else mattered anymore

The development of cardiology began in Europe, with renowned academic journals primarily based in France and Germany; it was only in the past two years that English journals emerged. She and several classmates treasured each issue they received, reading them sparingly, which naturally allowed them to remember the content well.

Shen Xi shook her head, signaling him not to talk here. She picked up the teapot and asked Dr. Tan to bring an empty cup, then went with her to the private deck. At this moment, it was just before dawn; drinking hot tea warmed her stomach, and Dr. Tan felt more at ease, becoming more talkative.

She was indeed very curious and continued to ask Gu Yiren whether these were all serious engagements, and what about those beautiful confidantes? Whenever men brought up such topics, they would all put on an air of mystery, and Gu Yiren was no exception. "That is not something I can share with you," Gu Yiren said, as if he himself were the main character of the topic from that evening.

The quilt was just pulled off her, leaving only a corner at her chest; he seemed to have grown cold, frowning slightly in his dream

Even if he is unwilling, having witnessed the scene from last night, she would never dare to let him sleep on the floor

Dr. Tan sighed lightly, "At first, we were classmates, and we both studied cardiology."

It is not yet dawn

In those years, Third Master once provided financial support to the reformist figures.

Shen Xi's gaze slipped down and landed on her own hands

His name has lingered for so long, as if he is one of those around me. Upon first hearing such words, a sense of desolation arises. For someone like him, who is determined to help others break free from opium addiction, this is the greatest torment; it is not merely the physical suffering, but also the crushing of ideals and will.

Is your nickname Yangyang? Fu Dongwen suddenly asked

It is something under the pillow in the room

Shen Xi quietly got out of bed, found the stethoscope from the drawer under the wardrobe, and barefoot, climbed back onto the bed. She put it on and slowly pressed the stethoscope against his shirt. Her fingers brushed against the fabric of his clothing, and through the cloth, she could feel his body temperature.

This is a dream ... it is a book memorized in childhood, it should not be his words ...

Shen Xi stared at him, knowing that the words to follow were of utmost importance

This posture seems as if the next sentence is about to be a reprimand

At this point, Fu Dongwen seems unwilling to continue the conversation

She turned and walked out. As she passed through the gate, the threshold, which was clearly 3 inches and 6 tenths high, seemed to rise an additional 3 inches, tripping her up. The fall left her in pain all over, and she regained her senses.

He paused for a moment and replied to her, "Just let it go."

Listening to his breathing, it seems he is still not very comfortable

On that day, if she had the courage to look back, she would surely have discovered that her shadow was already reflected in those eyes

His features are indistinguishable, all that is visible are silhouettes

They wanted to force San Ye to withdraw, to abduct Dong Zhan, and to inject him with morphine and opium, probably for about six months. When he returned, he had become a useless person. Dr. Tan took off his glasses and placed them on the low table, sipping from his teacup. After Dong Zhan returned to the country, he had always wanted to focus on how to help people quit opium. He was physically dependent and psychologically unable to bear it, so he shot himself. Do you see the gun he carried? It was that one.

"There is a new quilt in the wardrobe," Fu Dongwen said softly, feeling quite apologetic, "I wasn't feeling well last night and didn't want to move it. I will take it out again tonight."

There is one more small matter," he smiled, "On the ship, you may have to endure being Mrs. Fu for a while.

Finally, she followed his figure and saw him speaking to a gentleman dressed in the official attire of a previous dynasty, with a queue hairstyle, saying: "The ministers of today, unable to assist the sovereign above, and failing to benefit the people below, are merely occupying their positions and eating without contributing."

A hand promptly pulled down her stethoscope

He thought she would wake up, but she had already fallen deeply into her dreams

The switch for the wall lamp is located beside both individuals

She suspected that as long as Fu Dongwen moved slightly, she would also suffer from an acute myocardial infarction

The impatience faded from that clear and refined face

When Shen Xi saw Fu Dongwen, she felt a hint of shyness during the day as she recalled their "sharing the same bed" in the latter half of the night. Indeed, one's courage differs between the darkness of night and the light of day

Dr. Tan nodded and said, "Unfortunately, whether in internal or external medicine, our development has come too late."

During the week we spent in London, I met many old classmates and former professors," Dr. Tan said, "My professor has been conducting research in this area. I will get his article for you to see. Five years ago, he observed five patients with myocardial infarction and prepared a report. Acute myocardial infarction can easily be triggered by overwork and emotional excitement.

She lay with her head resting on the headboard, silent.

Shen Xi nodded: "Is there anything else Mr. Tan would like to say regarding Third Master’s condition?"

"Are you waiting for me to start?" Fu Dongwen teased her, "Is there really nothing to say to Third Brother?"

Shen Xi looked at the corner of the quilt and let out a soft "mm" sound again

He was quite surprised to see Shen Xi fully recovered, and even more appreciative. With a warm smile, he softly said, "I specially brought morphine, worried that you might not be in good spirits, and I wanted to give you an injection."

The sound of the heartbeat passed through the stethoscope, striking her eardrum

"Hmm." She replied

Two people are engaged in lively conversation, as the smoke of last night has dissipated.

He fell asleep, and she watched

Having adapted to the darkness, she saw a pillow propped up against the headboard, elevated, with Fu Dongwen resting on it. He had not removed his shirt or trousers, and even his leather shoes were still on; he had merely covered himself with a quilt.

The two compartments are quiet

Thus, after a moment, both individuals smiled

His heartbeat

Shen Xi shifted her body and covered him with a blanket

"Were you born this way?" she asked

Dr. Tan's glasses were knocked off, and he laughed in anger: "An outsider shouldn't think that knowing the use of a rabbit makes them an expert."

Shen Xi shook her head, leaning against the edge of the bed, her bare feet resting on the floor.

The blood vessels in the heart are blocked

She thought he was afraid that she would get stuck in a rut, and then explained: "Third brother, rest assured, with the change of dynasties, I have already let go."

He is a humorous person, but has never revealed it in front of Shen Xi

On one night, his response of "many" transformed into countless images. She would see the young Fu Dongwen sitting upright in a chair, crossing his legs, taking out a gun and placing it on the table, instructing someone to kill a certain person. She would also see him walking past a dilapidated house, with corpses scattered on the ground. These illusions were like a performer singing a play.

This is also what troubles Shen Xi the most

As she pondered, she suddenly came to her senses. After returning to her country, would she still be able to see him again

Shen Xi reacted, coming to an understanding. She lightly lifted the quilt, mimicking Fu Dongwen's posture, propping the pillow against the headboard, and covered herself with the same quilt as him. There was still residual warmth inside, and her feet quickly became warm.

Her hand rested on her lower abdomen, while his hand was placed beside her, with a distance of no more than three inches between them

"Come up." He said abruptly

Dr. Tan placed the teacup at the edge, while Fu Dongwen changed into a different outfit, casually holding a gray suit in his hand as he walked in with a relaxed gait: "Are you two treating me like a laboratory rabbit?" He laughed and tossed the suit onto Dr. Tan's head

He drew back the curtains

He stretched out his arms, moved his stiff shoulders that had been lying on his side all night, and got out of bed. This series of movements was fluid and graceful, as if he too was dissatisfied with his body, wishing to return to the healthy form of his youth

Fu Dongwen smiled and shook his head

Did he think she was afraid of misunderstanding

Doctor Tan hesitated to speak

At that time, Shen Xi was still unaware that Wan Feng had feelings for Fu Tongwen

After Dr. Tan finished speaking, he downed a cup of hot tea, inhaling sharply from the heat, yet continued to say: "He must not get excited, absolutely must not be provoked."

Shen Xi wanted to turn over and felt something pressing down on the other end of the quilt. She opened her eyes, her eyelashes stuck together from the sweat, blurring her vision and obstructing her sight ahead.

Two people, one bed, and neither has anything left to say

Upon hearing this sentence, she sensed that something was amiss

Fu Dongwen couldn't help but smile at the sight of her fleeing figure

"Do you still have contact with those people that San Ge used to support?" she inquired indirectly.

Is it for the third brother

The moon over the sea is very bright, much larger than the one seen from the apartment, though I do not know why. However, the brightest moon in my memory was in Guangzhou

Let me think

In the silent room, only the sound of the heartbeat can be heard

I am well, said Fu Dongwen as he adjusted his position from lying on his side to leaning against the headboard, Have you been feeling better?

Gu Yiren looked at the good cards in his hand with a smile and said, "Doctor Tan also mentioned that every time Third Master calls off an engagement, he believes it is a loss in the east but will surely gain in the west. However, after three losses, where is that gain in the west?"

The quilt wrapped around her constrained her

Shen Xi raised her eyes and met his gaze directly

Shen Xi took a deep breath, yet still felt a heaviness in her heart and chest

She has nothing left to inquire about

Unlike when they had just fallen asleep, the two individuals at this moment were consciously and consensually sharing the same bed and blanket

"Let's chat casually," he said

Both individuals are in a default state, and in the future, they will share a bed.

Shen Xi recalled the three engagements mentioned by Gu Yiren. The first was with a young lady of noble birth during the Guangxu era, who was about to marry, but the Fourth Master passed away that year, and for reasons unknown, he called off the wedding. Later, there was a well-educated young woman, but unexpectedly, due to a twist of fate, she fell in love with the Second Master. Fu Dongwen facilitated the relationship between the two brothers and took the initiative to withdraw from the engagement. The last one was someone who had known Fu Dongwen the longest, having grown up together, and was proficient in French. They shared a deep bond, but the woman had her heart set on going abroad, and their aspirations were different. The woman once used their engagement as leverage, insisting that Fu Dongwen leave China with her, but he ultimately declined. The fiancée bid farewell in tears, and thus the engagement was rendered void. "This is what Mr. Tan told me," Gu Yiren said at the time, holding a few playing cards and vividly imitating, "The Third Master and Mr. Tan said that two people with different ideals are merely strangers at the level of the soul, and such a relationship is not love."

Shen Xi dressed appropriately, opened the door to request hot water from the butler, brewed a cup of morning tea in the living room, set down the teapot, and then Dr. Tan arrived

This time, he had his back turned to Shen Xi.

Fu Dongwen was still tired, so he strolled by the window for a while before going back to bed to sleep

Not turning on the light oneself is selfish. What about him

Must it be like this day and night from now on ... Her face was burning, but fortunately, the light was dim, making it hard to tell.

How many experiences must they endure during those past days and nights to achieve such a feat

The pocket watch is ringing

"Following the flow, it seems to be in the center of the water," Shen Wanyan said, "His words reflect her thoughts, 'Later, I changed my name myself.'"

If cardiac surgery is a vast desert, then internal medicine is a small oasis that has just appeared in the desert, surrounded by still unknown territories. The symptoms exhibited by Fu Dongwen last night closely resemble those mentioned by the professor, which are caused by coronary artery occlusion leading to acute myocardial infarction. Regarding this, the professor's optimistic slogan is that within at most thirty years, effective treatment methods will surely be found

Shen Xi nodded: "I am at the smokehouse, where I have to help them carry the bodies every day. You need not worry too much about me."

It seems that I have changed into clean clothes, yet without a destination, I ultimately rest here

Hmm. She waited for him to speak

In her childhood, when her mother and father were together, they would also engage in casual conversation. Her father would hold her mother's hand, gently playing with each finger, speaking softly. At that time, she did not understand that the term "husband and wife" meant sharing a bed and pillow, a bond cultivated over a thousand years.

Fu Dongwen leaned against the glass window, reminiscing: "Occasionally, there are letters, but the chances of seeing each other again are very few"