STT – Chapter 48

Loving you is the best thing I have ever done.

From the afternoon in Linzhou, it began to pour with heavy rain. The sky was gloomy, and along with it, people’s moods also felt weighed down.

In the operating room, the surgery had just successfully concluded. Li Liwen stood beside Jiang Wang, secretly observing this beautiful, aloof woman.

He had been colleagues with Jiang Wang for over two years, and it seemed he had never seen her truly relax her brows and smile openly. In the hospital, everyone privately referred to her as the “cold beauty.” When women said this, it carried a hint of jealousy, but when men said it, it came with longing and fascination. Jiang Wang’s cold indifference did not diminish her charm to men. In the hospital, there were quite a few people who openly or secretly liked Jiang Wang, but Jiang Wang never gave those pursuing her the slightest hope. Li Liwen was also among them.

Jiang Wang gently nodded to her colleagues beside her to acknowledge their hard work. Then, she removed her surgical gloves and walked out of the operating room with steady, calm steps.

Li Liwen hesitated for a moment, then followed. Just as Jiang Wang pushed open the operating room door and stepped out, he invited her, “Doctor Jiang, I heard there’s a good Japanese restaurant that opened on Changxin Street. Would you honor me with your company to try it?” As he spoke, he lifted one corner of his mouth, revealing a slightly playful smile, as if it were a casual joke.

Jiang Wang, without the slightest hesitation, was about to refuse, but then she unintentionally raised her eyes and saw Xu Baihan’s clear eyes fixed intently on her. At that moment, her eyes shone with joy.

On Xu Baihan’s lap was a large red bag, and Jiang Wang didn’t dare to look further. She couldn’t deceive herself, pretending not to care. The fact that Xu Baihan couldn’t stand up, ever since she learned about it, had always felt like a needle piercing her heart, pricking her unexpectedly, making her bleed, causing pain she couldn’t suppress.

Jiang Wang’s body paused slightly, she frowned a bit, lowered her eyes slightly, and after a moment of silence, she lifted her foot again, walking out while faintly agreeing to Li Liwen’s invitation: “Okay, wait a moment, I’ll go to the office to change clothes.”

Li Liwen was momentarily startled, thinking his ears must have been mistaken. Jiang Wang actually agreed to him? Realizing this, he hurriedly caught up, repeatedly assuring Jiang Wang: “No problem, no problem, I’m not in a hurry. I’ll go change clothes in my office and then wait for you in yours.”

His mind was overwhelmed with excitement and joy, so much so that he completely failed to notice the low sound of a wheelchair turning behind him, which, after he entered his office, continued to follow Jiang Wang, echoing in rhythm with her footsteps…

Xu Baihan arrived at the hospital a little after three in the afternoon, knowing Jiang Wang had an unexpected surgery, so she waited outside the operating room for over four hours. The solemn and cold atmosphere of the hospital, combined with the gloomy sky and the pitter-patter of rain outside, made Xu Baihan’s heart gradually feel damp and cold, her expression desolate.

The moment Xu Baihan saw Jiang Wang, she felt as if her heart came alive, beating vividly and genuinely. She didn’t overlook Jiang Wang’s frown upon seeing her, but she still mustered the courage, pretending not to notice Jiang Wang’s cold indifference, and silently followed her.

Jiang Wang knew Xu Baihan was always silently following her, and she frowned, walking ahead of Xu Baihan, silently with her. She pushed open her office door, leaving it ajar, and calmly washed her hands at the sink, meticulously removing her white coat, locking it in the cabinet, before turning around to Xu Baihan, who was watching her, slightly closed her eyes and faintly spoke with a less than pleasant tone: “What is it?”

Xu Baihan looked at her frowning, somewhat impatient expression, and for a moment, it felt as if fine needles pricked her heart, causing an indescribable pain. Yet she still grinned, smiling with curved brows and gentle tone: “I just wanted to know if you have time to eat a meal together? I made your favorite dishes, hoping you’d eat them hot after work, but I didn’t expect you to have an unexpected surgery, so now they’re probably cold.”

Jiang Wang looked deeply at Xu Baihan’s smiling face, feeling the needle in her heart start to prick painfully again. She turned her eyes and saw Li Liwen already standing at the door, smiling and waiting for her. She gently closed her eyes slightly, then reopened them, her expression even more indifferent, and took a few steps toward Li Liwen, asking Xu Baihan: “What to do, I’ve already made plans with Liwen.” Although it should have been a question, Jiang Wang used an extremely plain and detached tone, making her refusal very clear.

Xu Baihan was momentarily stunned upon hearing the words, turned her wheelchair, and then saw the tall, handsome young man standing at the door, smiling at them.

Jiang Wang took a few more steps outside, stood beside Li Liwen, and gently held his arm, with intimacy evident in her expression.

Li Liwen, smiling, glanced at Jiang Wang and, with a hint of humor, half-jokingly pleaded with Xu Baihan: “Friend, you don’t know how hard it is to get an appointment with Xiaowang. Please help me out; if I succeed in winning the beauty, I will definitely credit you with a great achievement.”

Jiang Wang, appearing both scolding and shy, glanced at Li Liwen, who immediately surrendered with a smile: “Oh, I didn’t say anything…”

At that moment, Xu Baihan watched them in harmonious accord, like a perfect couple. The color drained from her face instantly, and she couldn’t even manage a forced smile, gripping the wheelchair tightly, her fingertips already pale. She opened her mouth, trying several times before stammering, “Then… then no problem, I, I’ll go first, you go ahead…” and then fled in distress.

She felt tears at the corners of her eyes uncontrollably overflowing, not daring to lift her head for fear Jiang Wang would see. She only lowered her head, quickly turning her wheelchair, stumbling and hurriedly rushing out.

Jiang Wang’s eyes were fixed on Xu Baihan, watching her hastily departing, desolate figure, with an expression marked by undeniable bitterness, remaining motionless…

Li Liwen suddenly felt somewhat awkward, softly reminding: “Um…”

Jiang Wang closed her eyes, concealing all her emotions, released Li Liwen’s arm, walked a few steps forward, creating some distance between them, and faintly said: “Let’s go…”

Li Liwen, however, keenly noticed that her footsteps carried a faint, almost imperceptible unsteadiness…

Since the afternoon in Ji’an, it had started to drizzle lightly, and because of the rain, the weather suddenly turned a bit cooler.

After dinner, Lu Zizheng and Jiang Huaixi snuggled into the quilt early, both leaning against the pillows on the bed, shoulder to shoulder, casually switching TV channels, watching either the news or advertisements…

As the news broadcast ended, Jiang Huaixi, holding the remote, was carelessly switching channels when suddenly, in an instant, the TV screen went black, the ceiling light went out, and the room was plunged into darkness…

Lu Zizheng, momentarily unable to react, slightly panicked and lightly exclaimed, “Ah…”

Jiang Huaixi immediately reached out and gently grabbed her arm, comforting her: “It’s okay, probably the utility pole line outside burned out again; it’ll be fine after a while.” Ji’an is a small village with severely aging lines, and although there’s public repair and renovation every year, it’s unavoidable that the lines often burn out due to high voltage. Having lived here for many years, she’s long been accustomed to it.

Jiang Huaixi jumped off the bed, unable to find her slippers in the dark, so she went barefoot, groping in the dark as she squatted in front of the drawer to find the long-prepared candles. She lit them one by one, bringing a little brightness to Lu Zizheng.

In the flickering candlelight, she saw Lu Zizheng’s eyes shimmering as if filled with water, watching her intently. In the hazy light and shadow, her blurry outline and jet-black long hair made her appear even more pitifully charming and captivating.

Outside, the rain pattered continuously, accompanied by the slanting wind, beating against the window, making sounds like big and small pearls falling on a jade plate, crisp and pleasant. Jiang Huaixi’s thoughts drifted far for a moment.

Many years ago, on a similar rainy night, she sat below the stage, watching Lu Zizheng’s slightly hazy figure under the spotlight in the darkness. She listened to her low, gentle, lingering singing and watched her charmingly moving dance. At the moment the lights brightened, she saw her lift her eyes, sweeping over the audience. Amidst everyone’s applause and joy, her expression was unexpectedly one of loneliness and chill, like a solitary, proud blooming green lotus, and unconsciously, she was captivated…

She never thought that just one more glance would make her unable to forget from then on…

Jiang Huaixi bent down to pick up her phone, and with a light touch of her fingers, gentle music began to flow, “never forgotten…” It was Lu Zizheng’s song from that year, 《Equator and North Pole》.

She extended her hand, her voice slightly hoarse and hazy: “Zizheng, shall we dance?”

Lu Zizheng stared blankly at the beautiful white hand in front of her, listening to her own slightly sad song slowly flowing by her ear, feeling momentarily dazed.

“Huaixi…” she murmured softly.

In the dim light, Jiang Huaixi’s gaze appeared increasingly gentle, filled with tenderness.

Lu Zizheng’s lips revealed a faint smile as she finally extended her hand, placing it in Jiang Huaixi’s slightly cold palm, tightening her grip little by little…

In the darkness, under the weak light, they stood barefoot, holding hands, gracefully dancing in front of the window. Their steps, advancing and retreating, were so perfectly in sync, as if they had rehearsed it thousands of times.

On the wall, the unclear shadows showed only two figures advancing and retreating, turning sideways, leaning, approaching, separating, and intertwining repeatedly…

“… but the ocean is boundless. Can I return to your embrace…” As the song was about to end, Lu Zizheng interlaced her steps, spinning with the music, round and round, landing in Jiang Huaixi’s embrace. As one head lifted and the other lowered, their eyes met…

At some point, the rain had stopped, and only the sound of water droplets, full on the eaves outside the window, could be heard slowly falling from above, making a crisp “tick” sound, slowly spreading in the silence…

At some point, the interlocked hands had loosened, and Lu Zizheng lightly held Jiang Huaixi’s waist with one hand, lifting her head, staring intently at Jiang Huaixi without a break. Her intense gaze swept over her delicate brows, star-like beautiful eyes, upturned nose, and finally rested on those moist thin lips…

Jiang Huaixi seemed to be scorched by the hidden heat in Lu Zizheng’s eyes, and in a panic, she avoided her gaze, about to turn away and break free from her embrace…

In the next moment, Lu Zizheng extended both hands, tightly embracing her waist from behind, burying her face in her shoulder and neck, softly murmuring a plea: “Huaixi, don’t avoid me anymore.”

“I love you…”

At that moment, Jiang Huaixi couldn’t suppress the slight tremble at the tip of her heart. She heard Lu Zizheng’s gentle and soft breathing by her ear and felt that heat, little by little, blowing into her body, into her heart, making her uncontrollably tremble lightly…

She turned around, lowered her head, and gazed intently at Lu Zizheng, who was full of devout love. Her expression was a mix of uncontrollable sweetness that leaped onto her brows and a hint of hesitant sorrowful bitterness…

Lu Zizheng, however, held her with both hands, tightening her embrace little by little. Perhaps it was the lingering night, as she lifted her head, her gaze like water, finally unable to suppress her desire. She slightly stood on tiptoe, approached Jiang Huaixi’s lips, and slowly imprinted a kiss…

Yet, at the moment their lips were about to meet, Jiang Huaixi raised her hand to cover her own lips, letting Lu Zizheng’s kiss fall on the back of her hand. Under Lu Zizheng’s slightly puzzled gaze, she heard her own hoarse and almost unreasonable voice: “Zizheng, I fear you will regret…”

Lu Zizheng, however, looked at her and raised the corners of her lips into a brilliant smile. She stood on tiptoe, gently kissing Jiang Huaixi’s forehead, brows, eyes, and nose, saying: “Huaixi, I don’t know if I will regret loving you in the future, but, Huaixi, I know that if I don’t love you, I will definitely regret it…” Her voice was so devout and firm, yet so tender and lingering…

Jiang Huaixi closed her eyes, her long eyelashes gently trembling. Under Lu Zizheng’s gentle kisses, the hand covering her lips finally, little by little, powerlessly slid down…

Jiang Huaixi felt Lu Zizheng’s gentle, delicate lips and tongue lightly stroking over her lips, prying open her teeth, little by little, conquering territory. Finally, she couldn’t help but gently close her lips and teeth, lightly biting Lu Zizheng’s warm, delicate tongue, as her tongue tip gently and slowly swept over, feeling the most genuine warmth and throbbing from Lu Zizheng…

When Lu Zizheng leaned over her, tremblingly untied her robe, pulled down her belt, and lightly nibbled on her shoulder, neck, and collarbone… Jiang Huaixi closed her eyes, listening to the soft, long, entwined breaths they exchanged, and from deep within her heart, the sigh of finally being satisfied.

Outside the window, the wind blew slanting rain, little by little, ticking until dawn.

The red candle flickered, and in her throbbing, Jiang Huaixi couldn’t suppress the straightening of her body, slightly lifting her head to reveal a captivating neckline, her hands tightly embracing Lu Zizheng on top of her. At the corner of her eye, a tear gently slid down, but at the corner of her lips bloomed a stunningly beautiful smile…

Zizheng, I surrender.

Let’s sink together…

LP: Re-translated on September 08, 2024