Chen Yi also came back to his senses amidst the “long time no see”. He hid the surprise in his eyes. In fact, over these nine years, he wasn’t entirely unaware of her.
Li Zhi’s WeChat Moments1 during Spring Festival would occasionally have her in the pictures. He also knew a little about where she had gone.
He knew she had repeated at her former school.
Knew she was the science stream valedictorian the next year.
Knew she went to a northern city to study medicine.
The sporadic news was insufficient to piece together a complete impression of her, but it also wasn’t total unfamiliarity.
Chen Yi skipped over the perfunctory greetings and picked up where their earlier conversation had left off. “How are the soldiers who were just sent in for surgery?”
Ruan Mian pressed the top of her pen. It was a small habit of hers when working. “They’re still in the OR. We’ll know the specifics after the doctor comes out.”
Chen Yi’s brow furrowed slightly. Before he could speak, Shen Yu, who had come in late after being held up speaking with a superior, rushed in anxiously from outside. “Chen Yi, how are Xiao Zhou and the others? Teacher Yu’s side…”
When he spoke, he also saw the female doctor standing across from Chen Yi. At first he didn’t recognize her, but a few seconds later, Shen Yu’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ruan Mian?”
She had thought one unexpected encounter with an old friend was already quite the coincidence. Ruan Mian didn’t expect there to be a second one. She set down her pen and laughed lightly. “It’s me. What a coincidence, you’re here too.”
Shen Yu exclaimed in surprise. He looked at the name on her white coat then back at her, shaking his head with a sigh. “How did you become a doctor? Weren’t you into physics before?”
Ruan Mian hadn’t heard anyone bring up the past in a long time. Having that sealed history suddenly pried open, her memories seemed to burst free like floodwaters.
Her heart thudded. Her fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the clipboard as she kept her tone normal. “I didn’t get an award in the competition later on, so I didn’t want to continue down that path anymore.”
Shen Yu had always been playful and sarcastic. He had matured with age but was no more steady. His words still carried vestiges of the past. “As expected of a study queen, full of confidence when she speaks. I was really puzzled back then how a girl could be so good at science. You have to know, before you transferred to No. 8, I worshipped Chen Yi like a god. Unfortunately after you came, he got shelved by me.”
Ruan Mian unconsciously glanced at Chen Yi. The bright lights in the hall outlined his tall, straight figure. His face was especially handsome under the illumination, with proper and balanced features that left no room for criticism. Even covered in dust and dirt, it couldn’t conceal his extraordinary bearing.
Compared to his lean face in high school, the lines had become much sharper. Time had polished the edges and made them appear clearer and more mature, exuding manliness that hadn’t been there before.
Only his eyes were exactly the same as her memories.
She quietly drew her gaze back and gestured to the side. “The OR is over there. You can wait there and let us know if you need anything.”
“Got it.”
Shen Yu hooked an arm around Chen Yi’s shoulder and walked forward, reaching down to feel the stickiness on his arm. Bringing his hand up, it was all blood.
He couldn’t help but curse. “Fuck! You’re hurt, why didn’t you say anything? What’s with bearing it silently?”
It seemed Chen Yi had just noticed too. He turned his head and saw the left sleeve was ripped open, the fabric already soaked with blood.
He laughed at Shen Yu’s dramatics. “It’s just a small wound. Why make a big deal out of it?”
“Bullshit! Stop wasting time talking so much.”
Shen Yu cursed and grumbled for Lin Shui and the others to wait at the OR. Then he went to the triage desk. “Ruan Mian, can you help with something? Chen Yi’s arm is hurt.”
Ruan Mian raised her head from the medical records, meeting Chen Yi’s gaze looking over. She suppressed the turmoil in her heart and put the pen back in her pocket. Clutching the clipboard, she walked forward. “Alright, come with me.”
The treatment room only had two nurses on duty. The entire medical center was temporary structures set up by the fire department. Other than several ORs, the remaining rooms lacked beds and space, only keeping some more severely ill patients to rest overnight before transferring them to hospitals outside the disaster area the next day.
When Chen Yi and Shen Yu followed Ruan Mian inside, Yu Zhou who had been lying in a sickbed was about to get up and salute them. Ruan Mian shot him down with a sentence. “If you want your wounds to tear open, keep moving.”
Yu Zhou didn’t know whether to lie back down or stand up. He could only look to Chen Yi for help. “Captain…”
Chen Yi walked to the bedside and lifted Yu Zhou’s shredded pant leg to look at it. Blood was still seeping through the gauze. He reached out and patted Yu Zhou’s shoulder reassuringly. “It’s fine. Listen to the doctor.”
“Yes sir!”
On the other side, Ruan Mian had the nurse prepare the cleaning tools. When Chen Yi came over, she had him sit on a stool by the table and glanced at both his arms. “Left or right?”
“Left.”
Chen Yi took off his outer jacket. Inside was an army green short sleeve, revealing a section of sturdy, long arm. Near the outside of his upper arm was a large area of abrasions and bruising. The scratches were very deep with remnants of various grit, sand, and dust. The blood stains were mottled.
Ruan Mian put on a mask and gloves, first using tweezers to pick out the sand and grit from the wound. The environment and equipment were very limited here. The lighting wasn’t strong enough.
She could only get very close. Her warm breaths through the mask lightly landed near the wound. Chen Yi watched her profile for a while, recalling the moment earlier when she had thrown herself at Yu Zhou during the aftershock. His mind was a tangled mess.
After a bit, he shifted his gaze away.
Treating this kind of wound was more troublesome than suturing. Some of the grit was embedded quite deep. When the tweezers made contact, it triggered waves of sharp pain.
Half an hour passed. Beads of sweat appeared at Ruan Mian’s temples as her dark, bright eyes stared fixedly at the wound without blinking, her movements orderly and efficient.
After removing all the debris, when she was about to wash the wound, Ruan Mian paused and straightened up to look at Chen Yi, suddenly recalling she should ask, “Does it hurt?”
This degree of pain to Chen Yi was like an ant bite, nothing major. He met Ruan Mian’s eyes and shook his head. “It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt.”
Ruan Mian glanced up and saw a sheen of sweat on his forehead. She felt his words didn’t hold much persuasion, but she also couldn’t think of any comforting things to say. As usual with any patient, she gently said, “Almost done.”
Chen Yi gave an “Mm”, looking away again.
Throughout the process, Shen Yu stood to the side with his arms crossed, chatting idly with Ruan Mian. Halfway through, he randomly asked when she had come here.
Without glancing up, Ruan Mian said, “We came half a month ago for training. When the earthquake happened, we were already here, so we never left after.”
Shen Yu raised a brow. “Then aren’t you all the first medical team they mentioned that was formed here?”
“I guess so.”
Ruan Mian turned back for alcohol pads. “The situation was very dangerous then. No one could get in from outside, and we didn’t go out either. Staying was the only option.”
“Not necessarily. Even if you all could’ve left at the time, I think none of you would have gone.”
Shen Yu leaned against the wall with a smile. “Earlier people from your hospital had a meeting outside. That should be your superiors right? They asked if anyone was an only child that could request to be transferred back. Not a single one of you raised your hands.”
Ruan Mian’s movements stilled, somewhat surprised he knew about this.
Shen Yu said, “I was resting back there at the time. The few who applauded you are my teammates, but I didn’t see you then.”
Ruan Mian laughed softly without elaborating further.
The remaining cleanup went much faster. Ruan Mian’s fingers nimbly twisted and tied beautiful, neat knots.
Before she could give any medical instructions, Lin Jiahui rushed in anxiously from outside. “Ruan Mian, Xiao Huo suddenly won’t stop crying and making a fuss. Go take a look.”
Xiao Huo was the little girl from last night who had gotten Ruan Mian to tell her stories. Since being rescued yesterday until now, this was the first time she had shown such an intense emotional reaction. The two doctors on duty tonight had only hastily learned some basic daily sign language and couldn’t communicate with her. That was why the hospital had come to find Ruan Mian.
“I’ll go see what’s going on with Xiao Huo. I’ll leave this patient to you, help check if there are any other wounds.”
Ruan Mian entrusted Chen Yi to Lin Jiahui. She didn’t have time to say more to him, hurriedly taking off her gloves and tossing them in the trash bin by the door as she rushed out.
“Got it.”
Lin Jiahui brushed past her walking in and had just put on a mask when Chen Yi reached out to grab his jacket and stood up.
Holding his clothes, he was tall and straight-backed, his jacket already dirty and tattered. Chen Yi didn’t put it on, just held it and told her, “No need to trouble you. No other injuries.”
Lin Jiahui pulled her mask down. “Really nothing else? No, I should still examine you just in case. Otherwise Doctor Ruan asks later and I won’t have anything to tell her.”
Chen Yi stood ramrod straight. His tone carried some politeness. “It’s really fine. We still have tasks to do. Thank you first.”
Lin Jiahui smiled. “You’re too kind.”
Yu Zhou had been spirited earlier, but was already exhausted and fast asleep now. He didn’t even hear Chen Yi walk over, snoring loudly.
Chen Yi helped pull the blanket at his legs aside. Shen Yu also came over. Seeing him sleep, he laughed and shook his head. “Let’s go, see how it’s going at the OR.”
“Mm.”
The two left one after the other. Lin Shui and the others were waiting there by the OR. Seeing Chen Yi and Shen Yu come over, Lin Shui’s eyes were red as he said, “Captain Chen, Captain Shen, Xiao Zhou was wheeled out. The doctor said he…”
At the time, Xiao Zhou had his leg crushed under a slab of fallen concrete. When he was rescued, the lower half was entirely bloodied. Chen Yi had already prepared for the best and worst outcomes.
Now he pressed his lips together and asked in a low voice, “What did the doctor say?”
“Said, said…” Lin Shui really couldn’t bear to say it. He had only gotten out a couple words before tears were already falling.
Chen Yi said heavily, “What are you crying for? The first day I took you all on as soldiers, I already said, having chosen this path, you need to be prepared for the worst outcome – either sacrifice, or early retirement. Have you forgotten?”
“I haven’t forgotten!”
Lin Shui wiped his face. Choking up, he said, “The doctor said Xiao Zhou’s left leg might be permanently disabled.”
The corridor fell silent for a spell. Chen Yi stood by the window in the hallway. Across was the slope-like stretch of green tents with all sorts of silhouettes passing through under the vast night.
He braced his hands on the window edge and stood for a while, then finally put on the damaged jacket again. Turning back he said, “Report back first. We’ll discuss other matters after the rescue ends.”
“Yes sir!”
Shen Yu quickly caught up to Chen Yi’s stride. His tone was somewhat worried. “Xiao Zhou already passed the comprehensive review for First Platoon before coming here. His final review form has already been submitted to Teacher Yu. Now like this…”
“We’ll talk more after getting back.”
Chen Yi’s face was somber, stride swift as the wind. He walked very quickly. Outside, he happened to run into Ruan Mian who had just finished comforting Xiao Huo. His footsteps halted.
Seeing they had things to talk about, Shen Yu went ahead first.
Ruan Mian looked up at him. There were red veins in her eyes from lack of sleep and overexertion. “Did Doctor Lin finish checking you over?”
Chen Yi shook his head. “No, I’m fine.”
“Alright then. Remember to come to the center to change your arm dressing.”
Ruan Mian said, “I won’t be here. You can find any other doctor if I’m not around. I’ll let the medical team know beforehand.”
“Got it. Thanks for the trouble.”
Chen Yi asked again, “How’s that child?”
Ruan Mian was meticulous and orderly in her report. “Asleep now. Could be a mild fever from the shock, leading to the emotional instability.”
Chen Yi also felt her serious and proper manner wasn’t suited for joking around at the moment. He simply said, “Then I’ll head over first.”
“Mm.”
Ruan Mian habitually put her hands in the white coat pockets, watching him walk away into the night. She couldn’t resist calling out, “Chen Yi.”
The man who had already walked several meters away turned back. His motions still carried vestiges of the past. For a moment, Ruan Mian seemed to see him as his high school self again.
After being apart for 9 years, they had both changed. Chen Yi was no longer the one who would stand in place waiting for her to speak. He retraced his steps a couple paces. “What is it?”
Ruan Mian’s gaze rested on his face. She smiled. “Be safe.”
He blanked for a few seconds before responding with an “Mm”.
- WeChat Moments (???) – Literally translated to ‘friend circle’; it’s a virtual space within WeChat, China’s messaging app like Whatsapp/FB Messenger, where people can post photos and updates to their social network. Think X/Instagram but within WhatsApp and for your contacts on there. Screenshots of how Moments look like here. ↩︎
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