Teasing
Who is stirring hearts?
Jian Qing shuffled in slippers, the sound of her footsteps going “pat-pat,” deliberately making them very loud so that the person in the bathtub could hear it clearly.
Lu Yinxi shrank in the bathtub, hiding under the foam. Her ears, cheeks, and neck were steamed red by the vapor. She covered her blushing cheeks, peeking through the gaps between her fingers.
The steps got closer and closer.
With each step closer, her heartbeat quickened a bit more.
Jian Qing walked straight to the edge of the bathtub, her knees pressed against the rim. She looked down for a moment, then bent over, her fingertips lightly touching the foam on the water, her gaze glued to Lu Yinxi’s face, unabashedly scrutinizing her.
Sensing the burning gaze, Lu Yinxi lowered the hand covering her face, mustered up her courage, met her gaze, and said defiantly, “You… you want to look? Then have a good look! We’re both women, what I have, you have too. What’s so interesting to see?”
Like a cat bluffing with claws outstretched.
Jian Qing remained silent, her gaze shifting downwards, staring at the foam on the water’s surface.
Her sharp gaze seemed to penetrate the foam, taking in the enchanting scene beneath the water, leaving nothing to the imagination.
She reached out her hand, slowly brushing aside the foam on the water, like unfolding a painting, gradually revealing the icy skin and jade bones beneath.
Lu Yinxi’s eyes widened instantly. With a splash, her left arm broke through the water from under the foam, grabbing Jian Qing’s wrist to stop her teasing action.
She averted her gaze, not looking at the scene beneath the water, only looking at Lu Yinxi. Her eyes were like spring water formed from melting ice and snow, glistening and radiant.
Lu Yinxi quickly let go of her hand and snapped at her, “If you keep joking like this, I… I’ll splash you with bathwater!”
Jian Qing scooped up some foam with her right hand, stared at it for a few seconds, and then blew it gently, letting it land on Lu Yinxi’s exposed shoulder.
She didn’t say a word, but her eyes seemed to speak volumes.
The bit of foam on her shoulder felt like a searing ember, burning a whole patch of skin. Lu Yinxi turned her head away, avoiding Jian Qing’s gaze, involuntarily curling her toes.
This hypocritical scoundrel…
Jian Qing leaned in, her red lips moving close to her ear, warm breath brushing against her earlobe as she spoke: “I take back what I said earlier, you are very beautiful.”
In the enclosed bathroom, her voice sounded even more melodious and magnetic than usual.
Seeing Lu Yinxi’s face blush so red it seemed as if it would drip blood, with embarrassment and shyness evident in her eyes, Jian Qing decided it was enough, stopped teasing her, stood up straight, and walked out without looking back.
The warm breath brushing against her ear softened half of Lu Yinxi’s body. Holding her breath, she sank softly into the water, bubbles rising, with Jian Qing’s words, “You are very beautiful,” echoing incessantly in her mind.
Rarely had she heard such a compliment from her…
Although she had heard such words many times, why did it feel different when it came out of her mouth?
Every word seemed to embed itself into her heart, stirring it into a chaotic mess.
After a while, she vaguely recalled something. Lu Yinxi suddenly emerged from the water, breaking free from the sweet words, and slapped the water forcefully, sending water and foam flying.
Back then, when she had a toothache, it was clearly that block of ice who first blew into her ear. On the playground, it was also she who inexplicably gave her a hug, causing her “arrhythmia.” From the very beginning, it was clearly she who had first started teasing people!
She had cast the hook, and Lu Yinxi had accidentally taken the bait, her heart being reeled in by her. How did it end up with her being the one to provoke her first?
She really was a thousand-year-old fox spirit, silently ensnaring people in her trap without them even realizing it.
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Her body warmed by the soak, Lu Yinxi wiped the water off her face, stood up with a splash, stepped out of the bathtub with her long legs, stood under the shower, quickly washed her hair and body, wrapped herself in a bathrobe, and stormed out to demand an explanation.
She needed to find her and ask clearly—who exactly was the one stirring hearts and playing with emotions?
The living room was empty. Lu Yinxi circled around a few times with a fierce demeanor, only to turn around and find Jian Qing squatting by the entrance, quietly wiping the leaves of a pothos plant.
This clean freak couldn’t stand a speck of dust in the house, regularly hiring a cleaning lady to come over. However, she refused to let anyone else take care of the green plants they had bought from the flower and bird market. If Lu Yinxi forgot to wipe them, Jian Qing would do it herself.
Seeing her focused and serious expression, Lu Yinxi’s anger dissipated by more than half.
Before she could speak, Jian Qing threw out, “Have some soup first.”
She hadn’t felt hungry before, but now at the mention of soup, Lu Yinxi suddenly felt her stomach empty and rumbling.
She obediently responded and went to the dining table.
The spicy crayfish had gone cold by the time they brought it back. Jian Qing had reheated it, and its fragrant aroma filled the air.
The soup was a strong ginger broth with two golden fried eggs floating in it. The smell of ginger mixed with the aroma of fried eggs evoked the taste of her childhood home.
As a child, whenever she came home drenched from a downpour, like a soaked chicken, her grandmother would cook a bowl of ginger soup, watching her drink it under the lamplight.
A feeling of warmth arose in her heart. Lu Yinxi quickly ladled half a bowl of soup, scooped up one of the fried eggs, and ate with great appetite.
On the table, there was also a very light vegetable salad, containing kale, lettuce, quail eggs, and cherry tomatoes, all colorful and visually appealing.
At this point, any sense of anger was gone, and the frivolous behavior of the so-called “cultured scoundrel” was forgotten.
When you accept someone’s hospitality, it’s hard to stay angry. Eating these foods, Lu Yinxi felt easily pacified.
After taking a few bites, she noticed that it seemed only she had touched the food on the table. So she turned her head and asked the person by the entrance, “Teacher Jian, why aren’t you eating?”
“Coming,” said Jian Qing, after wiping the last leaf. She went to the balcony to wash her hands.
With winter gone and spring here, the green plants at home were flourishing, their branches and leaves lush and vibrant, full of life.
Jian Qing said, “The crayfish has a strong flavor; should we eat on the balcony?”
“Sure, move the lounge chair a bit and bring out two small chairs,” Lu Yinxi said, carrying the dishes from the table out one by one.
Under the clear moonlight and gentle breeze, the two sat facing each other on the balcony.
Lu Yinxi drank more than half a bowl of ginger soup, put on gloves to peel the shrimp, and chatted while peeling, “Why did Director Yan want to commit s*icide?”
Jian Qing’s eyes remained calm, and she said indifferently, “I stay with you every day. What you don’t know, I don’t know either.”
“Stop trying to fool me, you must have guessed it.”
“Maybe he’s sick,” Jian Qing responded nonchalantly, as if it had nothing to do with her. “He should come to see me tomorrow.”
“I guess he doesn’t want us to talk about him jumping into the river.”
“Mm.”
“I don’t think he planned to commit s*icide; it must have been an impulsive decision.”
“Mm.”
“I won’t say anything.”
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“Mm.”
“Tomorrow, we should persuade him properly.”
Jian Qing responded with another “Mm.”
Lu Yinxi handed her a peeled shrimp, “You, say a few more words.”
Jian Qing murmured “Mm” again and asked, “Is the soup too spicy?”
“No, it’s just right. It’s very tasty, but I don’t like the ginger shreds. Next time, pick them out after cooking.”
“You’re spoiled, no picking.”
Lu Yinxi snorted.
Jian Qing poured a small cup of wine, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of Lu Yinxi, coaxing her, “Sending you the moon.”
A bright moon hung in the sky, reflected in the cup of wine.
Lu Yinxi drank it in one gulp, then poured another cup and pushed it in front of Jian Qing, “Then I’ll send you the stars.”
Jian Qing glanced at her sideways, “There is only the moon in the cup.”
Lu Yinxi laughed and said, “The stars are beside the moon, temporarily invisible.”
She was originally a solitary moon in the sky, occasionally casting her reflection into her own cup.
If not for meeting in this bizarre virtual world, if it were in reality, Lu Yinxi would be willing to be a star beside the moon.
May I be like a star, and you like the moon, shining brightly together every night.
The next afternoon, Director Yan indeed brought his wife and his medical examination reports to Jian Qing’s clinic.
As it approached the end of the workday, Jian Qing let Wei Mingming, who was following her in the clinic, leave first. Lu Yinxi from the inpatient department came over to wait for her to get off work.
Seeing Lu Yinxi, Director Yan and his wife rushed over to shake her hand and thank her, inviting her to a meal.
Lu Yinxi smiled and said, “No need for a meal, it was just a small effort. Let’s first see how the Director is doing.”
Just before he jumped into the lake, she had hesitated. Should she save him? Was this the predetermined outcome in the plot, and would interfering with it result in her inexplicably falling ill like last time?
But if she didn’t save him, her conscience wouldn’t allow it, and she would live in guilt thereafter.
She didn’t want to experience the feeling of seeing someone die without helping and then being tormented by guilt again.
If saving someone was wrong and the heavens wanted to punish her for it, then the heavens were unjust, not that she had done anything wrong.
Jian Qing took the examination reports brought by Director Yan. The reports only included routine blood tests, blood biochemistry, urine tests, and thyroid function tests. Relying solely on these routine tests, it was impossible to determine if he had cancer.
Jian Qing asked, “Director, do you suspect you have nasopharyngeal carcinoma?”1
Director Yan did not have a medical background; he graduated from a normal university with a major in Marxism2. He had been part of the education system of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jiangzhou University for over twenty years. Being exposed to the hospital environment, he had gained some medical knowledge.
He said, “I had endoscopy and a CT scan of the nasopharynx done at another hospital. Although there was no pathological examination, the doctor highly suspected it was nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Moreover, I have a family history of nasopharyngeal carcinoma; my grandfather died of it. After turning forty, I have had an annual CT scan of the nasopharynx. I didn’t expect to be hit this time.”
Jian Qing took the examination reports. Both reports concluded: “Nasopharyngeal mucosal elevation, nasopharyngeal carcinoma? Please correlate with clinical findings.”
“The lump in your neck is only the size of a peanut; does it hurt when you press it?”
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Director Yan said, “It has a bit of tenderness. It appeared in January, just when the entire hospital staff was scheduled for year-end physical exams. But the routine check-up didn’t detect this. I went for a nasal endoscopy myself, and sometimes there’s blood in my mucus. To be honest, when a major illness strikes, one can feel it. I feel like I won’t survive this year…”
Many newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients present with unexplained neck lumps. Initially, the lumps are only the size of a peanut but don’t receive enough attention. It isn’t until they grow to the size of a pigeon egg that they come to the hospital for treatment.
Jian Qing said, “It’s not so dire that you won’t survive this year. From what I see, the lumps in your nasopharynx and neck lymph nodes aren’t very large. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma progresses relatively slowly, and the survival period is relatively long. You need to have confidence in the treatment.”
Director Yan, feeling disheartened, said, “It has already metastasized to the lungs. Look at the enhanced chest CT scan I took in February; there are also ground-glass nodules in my lungs.”3
Many newly diagnosed lung cancer patients see the term “ground-glass nodules” in their imaging reports. However, other conditions, such as pneumonia, alveolar hemorrhage, and bronchitis, can also present this symptom. It doesn’t necessarily mean lung cancer.
The staging of cancer into early, middle, and late stages relies on the TNM classification system: T (tumor), referring to the size of the primary tumor; N (node), referring to the condition of the lymph nodes; and M (metastasis), with M1/M0 indicating the presence or absence of distant metastasis.4
If Director Yan’s nasopharyngeal carcinoma has indeed metastasized to the lungs, it would be classified as M1.
Patients with M1 are directly classified as stage IV patients, which means they are in the late stage.
The author has something to say:
You can stay up late on weekends. I’ll see if I can write another chapter later. You guys can read it tomorrow after you sleep. Mwah~
P.S.: It’s generally not possible to determine if someone has cancer just by looking at routine blood tests, blood biochemistry, or urine tests (excluding non-solid tumors of the blood system, like leukemia, which should be considered). Sudden weight loss, fatigue, pain, unexplained lumps, difficulty swallowing, bloody mucus, black stools, etc., are signs to watch for. Of course, most of you reading this novel are young, and the probability of getting cancer is relatively low. People over 40 or 50 years old with a family history of cancer are considered high-risk groups and should pay attention to screening during check-ups~~~
Footnotes
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (鼻咽癌): A type of cancer located in the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat behind the nose.
- Marxism major (马克思主义专业): A field of study focused on the theories and principles of Karl Marx, often found in humanities and social sciences departments in Chinese universities.
- Ground-glass nodules (磨玻璃状结节): A descriptive term for a type of lung nodule that appears hazy on a CT scan, which can be indicative of various conditions including cancer, but also benign conditions.
- TNM classification (TNM分期): A globally recognized system for staging cancer, where T refers to the size and extent of the main tumor, N refers to the number of nearby lymph nodes that have cancer, and M refers to whether the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body.
