His heart felt as if it had been carved open, blood and bitterness flowing out. He controlled his surging sadness and trembling, pressing the button on his wheelchair firmly: “Not needed.”
Shu He’s words stopped in her throat. She watched him turn away, not looking back even as he entered the lift.
Only after Jing Yi entered the lift did he realise his eyes were terribly red.
He thought that if there were a lift accident now, if he got trapped and died here, Shu He probably wouldn’t even come looking for him.
He knew those were her parents, but he still felt miserably sad. Cheng Shu was her parents’ attending physician, Tang Yun was her blind date.
He was the only one in the world who had no right to be with her.
Even when he’d suffered from terrible pollen allergies, been unable to move after a car accident, or endured excruciating pain during rehabilitation—none of it had made him want to cry.
But she was sending him away. She didn’t need him.
He pressed his hand against his eyelids, but hot tears still flowed down, wetting his dry lips. The sorrow in his chest nearly consumed him, and his throat involuntarily released a sob.
He could no longer rightfully stand beside Shu He. She no longer chose him or needed him.
This was the one thing he couldn’t accept.
Shu He accompanied Yao Qing through a series of tests. After Cheng Shu reviewed all the reports, his conclusion was, “We really can’t delay any longer.”
The surgery was scheduled for the following afternoon. Once it began, Shu Hua kept pacing outside the operating room, making Shu He feel dizzy.
Fortunately, the surgery was successful.
Afterwards, Tang Yun unexpectedly came by, bringing nutritional supplements.
Shu He felt somewhat helpless and joked with him: “I heard lawyers charge by the hour. Mr Tang, can you give me a discount?”
Tang Yun smiled: “How about you treat me to a meal?”
Since he had brought her parents over and came to visit, Shu He didn’t think much of it: “All right.”
“Shu He.”
Cheng Shu had just finished surgery and returned to his office. He had taken off his white coat and was about to finish work.
“Are you going to dinner with Mr Tang?”
The gazes of the two men met in the air, as if something was silently spreading between them.
Shu He stood between them. Cheng Shu had helped her too, and since she was treating someone anyway, she thought for a moment and asked: “Why don’t I treat both of you?”
Cheng Shu was the first to look away. He smiled slightly: “I don’t mind.”
Tang Yun snorted inwardly but gave the same answer.
Shu Hua stayed to keep Yao Qing company, so he didn’t join them. After dinner, Cheng Shu was suddenly called back to the hospital. Tang Yun graciously opened the passenger door for her, the corner of his lips curved in a perfectly measured smile.
“Dr Cheng is your former classmate?” he suddenly asked.
Shu He hadn’t thought much about it and nodded.
“I heard from your father that you’ve opened a coffee shop here?”
Shu He made a sound of agreement, still absent-mindedly thinking about buying a car.
“Then I’ll have to visit your shop sometime.”
Shu He looked back and met his deep, unfathomable black eyes. She smiled faintly: “Lawyers must be very busy. Actually, takeaway is also an option.”
He nodded, as if he really planned to order takeaway. “All right, what’s your coffee shop called, or do you have a shop WeChat?”
“Yes.”
As they stopped at a red light, they exchanged WeChat contacts. Shu He found “Tian Tian” Coffee Shop Number Two and sent him the business card.
“The shop account updates daily content.”
Tang Yun glanced at it and asked: “Are you managing this account?”
“No, my staff handles it.”
Tang Yun said nothing more. When they reached the neighbourhood, Shu He thanked him again and opened the car door, but he suddenly called out to her.
“Perhaps I could try once more?”
Shu He was startled for a moment but quickly understood his meaning. She barely hesitated: “I’m sorry, Tang Yun. I’m grateful that you drove my parents to the hospital and especially that you came to see them, but my feelings haven’t changed. Don’t waste your time on me.”
Rejected again, Tang Yun didn’t seem disappointed but looked at her and said: “I don’t see it as a waste. Or let me phrase it differently—Shu He, won’t you even give me a chance to pursue you?”
Shu He pressed her lips together: “I’m sorry.”
Tang Yun smiled as if defeated: “Honestly, from the first time I saw you, I felt we were quite similar in some ways.”
Resolute, decisive, leaving no room for false hope.
Shu He didn’t contradict him. As she was leaving, Tang Yun called out to her again: “May I ask one last question?”
“Go ahead.”
“Is it because there’s someone in your heart?”
Tang Yun’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “Or let me ask differently—is it your flatmate?”
Shu He was silent for two seconds. She inexplicably looked up towards the third floor, where a faint light had come on.
Before leaving, she said: “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can answer that question.”
Shu He punched in the code and pushed open the door. The living room was brightly lit, and she instinctively looked towards the source of movement.
She saw him not watching her eagerly as before, but silently putting dishes on the dining table, looking unwell.
Shu He walked in and glanced at the two dishes and soup on the table. “Did you make this for me?”
He said nothing, just lowered his eyelashes and turned to go back to his room.
“I’ve already eaten.”
Shu He didn’t know he would cook dinner. Because of her words, he stopped dead in his tracks, his pale hand nearly prying the button off his wheelchair.
He turned around, not looking at her, and went to the dining table to pick up the chopsticks, his voice somewhat cold: “If you don’t want to eat, then don’t.”
Shu He knew he was unhappy, but she had no energy to comfort him.
She’d rushed to Li Tang for two days, then hurried back, and now she was exhausted.
The door slammed shut with a “bang,” and Jing Yi’s hand holding the chopsticks froze. The fragrant aroma completely devoured his expectations and stubbornness. His raven-like eyelashes trembled, and tears fell drop by drop.
Although he hadn’t seen who brought her home, he vaguely guessed it was that blind date.
She sent him away, ate with someone else, and ignored him when she came back.
Under the cold white light, he wiped his aching eyelids with the back of his hand, but the sad emotions wouldn’t stop. He sat alone at the dining table, his throat involuntarily releasing whimpers. As the steaming food cooled, his heart seemed to slowly freeze.
Shu He finished showering and came out of her bedroom to get water.
The living room was empty, except for the health pot still plugged in on the dining table. The water bubbled and rolled, with fruit slices soaking in the orange-red tea, faintly giving off a fruity fragrance.
Shu He looked back at the tightly closed door of the studio, her heart feeling dull, as if a small hammer was silently pounding it—not painful, but impossible to ignore.
She poured herself a cup, and the warmth gradually spread. The fatigue in her limbs also seemed to slowly seep away. She held the steaming fruit tea, pleasantly emptying her mind.
After drinking two cups, she leisurely picked up her phone and sent a message: [Was this made for me too?]
Some people were very cold today: [No.]
Shu He: [Oh, but I drank it. What should we do?]
He didn’t reply again. Shu He took a sip of hot tea and felt she was already starting to sweat.
Shu He: [Next time, it’s better not to brew at night. Drinking too much causes water retention.]
Jing Yi: [You just don’t want to drink it.]
Shu He strangely detected some grievance in his tone but still didn’t comfort him: [If you know I don’t want to drink it, why do you still make it?]
Jing Yi: [I made it for myself.]
Shu He: [Then why don’t you come out and drink it?]
Jing Yi: [Don’t you not want to see me?]
Shu He stared at these sulky words for a long time: [Fine, then you’d better listen to me for the rest of your life and never appear in front of me again.]
Yao Qing recovered quickly and could already eat some food.
“Hehe, why didn’t you tell us you were sharing a flat?” she worried. “Are you having difficulties?”
Shu Hua didn’t speak, but his ears were pricked up listening. Seeing her bland expression, he couldn’t help saying: “And your flatmate is a man.”
“Although he has leg problems, you’re still a young woman.”
He hadn’t finished speaking, but Shu He understood his meaning.
Afraid they would argue, Yao Qing said: “Hehe, we’re not prejudiced against him, but isn’t sharing a flat inconvenient?”
“Mum, don’t worry.” Shu He gave her the peeled apple and carelessly wiped her hands. “We’re just flatmates. We hardly talk to each other.”
“But—”
“Besides,” Shu He interrupted, “the lease is almost up.”
“That’s good. Start looking early this time, find a better place.”
Shu He stayed with them for a while. When leaving the hospital room, she found the door hadn’t been closed. She doubted herself—had she forgotten to close it when she came in?
She gently closed the door, turned around, and suddenly met a pair of black eyes.
Something seemed to crack open, silently spreading between them.
She stepped forward, quietly returning his gaze: “When did you get here?”
He was holding a paper bag, and mumbled: “Just now.”
Shu He looked down at him, directly, not allowing him to hide anything: “You heard?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he softly grunted in agreement.
Shu He’s gaze shifted to what he was holding: “Is that for me?”
He slowly nodded, looking up at her, just like a little dog begging with its tail wagging.
Shu He sat down in a chair nearby. She didn’t speak, letting the anxiety in his heart continue to spread.
“Are you angry?”
Shu He asked him back: “What would I be angry about? Weren’t you the one upset yesterday? Why did you come today?”
Jing Yi’s throat tightened. The corridor was empty, with only the two of them.
“I don’t know why I came.” He opened his mouth with difficulty, clutching a corner of the paper bag.
He only knew that he wanted to see Shu He. He couldn’t accept that she ate with someone else, couldn’t accept that they were just flatmates.
Shu He reached out her hand to him. He was stunned, giving her his hand after a delayed reaction.
“……” Shu He slapped his hand away, the pale back of his hand instantly showing a faint red mark. She looked at him expressionlessly: “Isn’t this for me?”
He silently gave her the things. As he withdrew his hand, he instinctively curled his fingers, the slight pain on the back of his hand making his heart beat faster, and also making him somewhat happy.
Shu He took out a sandwich and began eating it slowly right in front of him.
He dimly realised something and slowly moved closer to her. “Today, you’re not eating with someone else?”
Shu He met his gaze. The silver, cultured glasses frame sat on his nose bridge, the pupils behind the lenses black and quiet, without any aggression, yet still bloodshot.
“Isn’t it a bit late to ask now?”
She didn’t directly answer the question, but Jing Yi still sighed in relief. Staring at her lips as red as berries, he swallowed, his voice very soft but filled with fussy jealousy: “Don’t eat with others.”
“What I make tastes better than outside food.”
Shu He strangely felt that he was acting like a jealous husband, but she deliberately said: “My dad has said the same thing.”
“……”
He quietly watched her eat until she finished a sandwich. Then he spoke tentatively: “When are you going back?”
Shu He folded the bag neatly. “Later.”
“Oh.” He responded dryly. “Then I’ll wait for you.”
But Shu He shook her head, refusing him: “You should go back. It wouldn’t be appropriate if my dad saw you.”
“What’s inappropriate about it?”
He asked instinctively, but the words he’d overheard earlier broke like a string without warning, the pain instantly sobering him.
Shu He saw his suddenly rigid, helpless expression and understood that he had realised. She hid her emotions: “We can’t exactly tell my parents that you’re my ex-boyfriend.”
“…..”
“In that case, it’s even more inappropriate for you to be here.”
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