Chapter 39

“Dr. Xia, is this how you should be acting?” The department chief sat with his legs crossed, wearing a stern expression.

Xia Zhile thought, what attitude? The chief was just deliberately picking a fight — workplace bullying.

Xia Zhile didn’t bother responding. He had already planned to switch hospitals but hadn’t found a suitable new position yet.

Though Gu Fei hadn’t retaliated against him, and Director Xie hadn’t sabotaged him, Xia Zhile felt awkward and out of place at Ruitan. To medical professionals, Ruitan was the “dream palace,” but for Xia Zhile, it was a prison suffocating him. Rather than living each day in the department like an eternity, constantly fearful and anxious, he preferred a fresh start in a new environment.

He told his parents about this. His father scolded him fiercely, saying he was becoming more and more spineless and that a man should always strive upward — how could he have no ambition and slide downhill like this?

Compared to his father’s passionate outburst, his mother was calmer, simply saying, “It’s not easy for you in the big city. The pace there is too fast. If you’re tired, just come home.”

Xia Zhile wanted to work at another top-tier hospital, not to leave Yunzhou.

Because in this city lived someone he couldn’t let go of, someone who tugged at his heart every day and night.

After work, Xia Zhile’s mother called again to ask how he was doing. Xia Zhile gave a brief summary, not wanting to talk anymore. “Hang up, my number’s about to ring.”

His mother asked, “Where are you?”

Xia Zhile opened his cat carrier. “At the pet clinic, getting Qiu Bi vaccinated.”

Hearing “Qiu Bi,” his mother paused for a few seconds. “Lele, what did Mom say? Lin Hening was such a good kid…”

“Mom,” Xia Zhile interrupted wearily, “don’t join in scolding me too.”

His mother choked up, her heart filled with sourness and bitterness. She comforted her son tenderly.

After hanging up, Xia Zhile looked up at the sky, blinking his moist, tired eyes. Hearing a nurse call someone, he took a moment before carrying the cat inside.

When the vaccination was done, it was already dark.

Qiu Bi was brave and unafraid of people, so Xia Zhile didn’t put it back in the carrier, instead holding it as he walked onto the street.

“Qiu Bi, what flavor of cat food do you want tonight? Chicken and tuna, or salmon and—”

Xia Zhile glanced to the side without thinking—and froze instantly, his smooth stride coming to a halt.

He nearly spotted Lin Hening in the distant crowd.

So many people, all similar in height and build, yet Lin Hening stood out so brightly, so distinctly. She was smiling and talking to someone beside her. That person nodded, suddenly pulling out an umbrella from their bag and opening it, sheltering them both.

Xia Zhile realized belatedly—it had started to rain.

The drizzle gradually turned into a steady sprinkle. The cat in his arms got scared and kept burrowing into his jacket.

Gu Fei held the umbrella with his left hand, linking arms with Lin Hening. Their steps were perfectly in sync, their strides matching.

On this rainy night, even Qiu Bi was there.

But one of the main characters no longer belonged to him.

The expelled supporting character stood in the shadowy mouth of an alley, watching the two leading men walk along the wide street.

 

Xia Zhile didn’t even need a mirror to know how pathetic he looked—soaked through, like a drowned rat; ridiculous and ugly.

 

Xia Zhile was a proud man, but at this moment, a sudden urge to play the victim welled up inside him.

 

If only this pitiful state could stir even the slightest sympathy from Lin Hening—if even just pity—it might serve as a kind of medicine to help him fall asleep a little earlier tonight.

 

“Lin…” Xia Zhile opened his mouth to call out, but his sight was abruptly blocked by a figure darting up beside him.

 

The man wore a black T-shirt, and like him, had no umbrella or hat—drenched by the rain.

 

A flash of lightning struck, casting a pale electric light that revealed the man’s dark, grimacing face.

 

Xia Zhile’s pupils constricted sharply. “Wang—”

 

A stabbing coldness shot through his lower abdomen.

 

Xia Zhile’s eyes widened as he stared blankly downwards. Crimson liquid fell into a shallow pool of rainwater, spreading out into a faint pink stain.

 

Startled, the cat let out a loud cry, wriggled free from his arms, and ran off. Xia Zhile was pulled along and stumbled several steps before collapsing, dizzy and disoriented.

 

“Don’t run, Qiu Bi. Come back. You can’t run. You can’t run away again!”

 

Sharp, stabbing pain surged like a tide, causing his whole body to convulse, leaving him unable to make a sound.

 

He gasped for air, struggling to look out beyond the alley’s mouth, trying to call out that name, to shout so that person would notice him.

 

Look, I’m hurt.

 

I’m bleeding badly. I might die.

 

Have some pity on me, won’t you?

 

If I really die like this, will you be sad?

 

Lin Hening had originally planned with Gu Fei to go eat barbecue, but as soon as they crossed the street, they heard someone shouting “Murder!” in the distance.

 

Lin Hening, sensitive as a prosecutor, immediately grabbed Gu Fei and rushed into the chaotic crowd.

 

On the ground lay a seriously injured victim, the murder weapon tossed aside nearby, and the villain who had been killed in the rainy night had fled—not completely.

 

Probably trying to hide and watch to see when the victim would die: to confirm the deed, and to enjoy the full suffering of a painful death.

 

In short, the scoundrel’s plan backfired—Gu Fei spotted him instantly and only tested the waters by shouting, “You! Come out!”

 

But the guilty thief bolted as fast as he could.

 

There was no way to outrun Gu Fei.

 

With a reputation for sprinting to airports and more, Lin Hening didn’t worry; he first called for an ambulance, then crouched to check on the victim. His mind immediately went blank from the shock: “Xia Zhile?”

 

In under three minutes, Gu Fei dragged the culprit back.

 

Lin Hening’s eyes widened even more. “Oh my god! Wang Tu?!”

 

The ambulance and police arrived in succession, loading the unconscious Xia Zhile onto the ambulance. Nurses anxiously asked who the family was. Lin Hening thought to himself: no family, not even friends—just an acquaintance who could help contact the family.

 

Xia Zhile was taken into surgery. As an acquaintance, Lin Hening felt responsible and waited outside the operating room, at least until Xia Zhile’s friends or parents showed up to take over.

 

Gu Fei cooperated with the police to finish the report and returned carrying hot milk and some fried pancakes.

 

Only then did Lin Hening remember he’d been hungry all evening, and his stomach complained belatedly. He ate greedily, unable to stop himself from complaining:

 

It seemed every time he got involved with Xia Zhile, he ended up hungry! And every time Gu Fei came to feed him.

 

Halfway through dinner, Xia Zhile’s parents finally arrived. Grabbing Lin Hening’s hands tightly, they thanked him profusely, tears streaming down their faces.

 

Lin Hening said, “No need to thank me.”

 

Honestly, there was no need for thanks. He had only happened to be there to call an ambulance. Without him, any bystander would have called the police.

 

If thanks were due, it should go to Gu Fei, who bravely caught Wang Tu bare-handed, and also to the doctors inside fighting to save your son.

 

Hearing about Xia Zhile’s severe injuries, Xia Zhile’s mother fainted from crying, while Xia Zhile’s father was torn between caring for his wife and worrying about his son’s unknown fate, overwhelmed and frantic.

 

Looking at the aging couple, Lin Hening said, “Take care of Auntie first.”

 

Xia Zhile’s father looked at Lin Hening gratefully, but also a bit ashamed.

 

After five hours of surgery, Xia Zhile was out of danger and moved to intensive care.

 

Jian Xiaoxi interrogated Wang Tu for just half an hour before Wang Tu confessed everything.

 

At first, Wang Tu denied everything, but Jian Xiaoxi didn’t push. She only lightly mentioned An Nian’s name, and Wang Tu instantly lost control. His resentment overwhelmed him as he vented nonstop, saying Xia Zhile had eyes for the beautiful An Nian like a toad lusting after a swan’s meat. After tasting the swan’s meat and not cherishing it, Xia Zhile dared to betray An Nian, break his heart, and deserved to die a thousand deaths.

 

Then, as if drugged, he dazedly recalled the happy life he once had with An Nian.

 

Jian Xiaoxi patiently listened, then casually cut in, “So all of this is your fault? Nothing to do with An Nian?”

 

Wang Tu nodded firmly.

 

Jian Xiaoxi nodded too, then scoffed coldly, “No wonder An Nian rejected you. You’re a lunatic—delusional and selfish. An Nian just had a spat with Xia Zhile. Which young couple doesn’t quarrel or break up? But you brought a knife and hurt the person he loves most. If I were An Nian, I’d hate you too.”

 

Wang Tu glared fiercely, “Impossible! An Nian loves me the most. He cried in my arms, telling me he hated Xia Zhile, wished he were dead! He hates Xia Zhile, and I took revenge for him!”

 

In his passion, he completely betrayed An Nian.

 

Jian Xiaoxi shifted her position slightly and narrowed her eyes. “So you’re saying An Nian ordered you to kill Xia Zhile?”

Wang Tu looked like he’d just woken from a nightmare, his face pale. “No—”

“No?” Jian Xiaoxi shook her head with a disappointed sigh. “Wang Tu, you probably don’t know this, but I’m actually a fan of your books.”

Wang Tu was stunned, thrown off by the sudden, unrelated topic change.

Jian Xiaoxi enthusiastically praised Wang Tu’s talent, revealing that she’d read all his works, listing out the most exciting and brilliant parts. Wang Tu wasn’t stupid—he knew she was a genuine fan, not just pretending by cramming his books in a short time.

Hearing such heartfelt compliments and praise, Wang Tu gradually lowered his guard, lost in the fantasy of “I’m truly talented—only someone this talented deserves An Nian.”

“But too bad, you’re going to jail.”

Jian Xiaoxi poured cold water on his delusion. “Within a day or two, you’ll be trending online—famous suspense thriller author intentionally injures someone, future ruined, reputation destroyed.”

“Xia Zhile’s different—he’s a young talent, a respected doctor praised by all the people of Yunzhou. You probably don’t know, but his ward is packed with friends and family worried about him.”

“Of course, that includes An Nian.”

“An Nian has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. What he said back then was probably just out of anger.”

“You’re going to jail, so no one will stand in the way of him and Xia Zhile being together. Hopefully, they’ll be safe and happy.”

Jian Xiaoxi got up to leave, and Wang Tu suddenly let out a guttural roar unlike any human sound: “Shut up! Shut up! An Nian is mine! He’s the one I love most in this world, and no one’s allowed to take him from me!”

“Xia Zhile, you deserve to die! An Nian is mine! He can only be with me!” Wang Tu’s wild eyes locked onto Jian Xiaoxi’s, filled with a crazed desire. “It was An Nian who ordered me to do it, hahaha! Don’t believe me? I have proof! Recordings and videos! Isn’t that enough evidence? Hahaha!”

“That’s what happened,” Jian Xiaoxi recounted to Lin Hening. “An Nian’s already been arrested and is in custody.”

The way she said it almost sounded like an invitation—Lin Hening thought bitterly to himself.

Speaking of Xia Zhile and An Nian, the two who were once inseparable now turned enemies.

Really…

He didn’t even want to comment anymore.

As the responsible detective, Jian Xiaoxi also kept close tabs on the victim’s condition: “Xia Zhile’s been moved to a regular ward. He’s alive.”

Lin Hening responded with a grunt.

Jian Xiaoxi asked, “Where are you? It’s so noisy there.”

“Convenience store. Enough, I gotta go.” Lin Hening hung up and stood waiting for Gu Fei to arrive from afar.

Gu Fei rolled a cart full of snacks, including Lin Hening’s favorite vanilla ice cream.

While waiting in line to pay, Gu Fei asked, “What did Xia Zhile’s mom want from you earlier?”

Lin Hening liked this about Gu Fei—straightforward, always saying what’s on her mind, never awkward or withholding.

That “earlier” was actually about an hour ago.

Xia Zhile’s mother had been waiting outside the prosecutor’s office for Lin Hening to get off work, begging him to visit Xia Zhile in the hospital.

Xia Zhile had already woken up and was in good spirits. The first thing he said was, “I think I saw Hehe before I lost consciousness.” Xia Zhile’s mother then told Lin Hening how he “saved” her son, and though Lin Hening wasn’t sure what Xia Zhile’s brain made of it, she was moved to tears.

For her son’s speedy recovery, Xia Zhile’s mother had no choice but to swallow her pride and beg Lin Hening to show some care and love—for the sake of their past relationship.

Lin Hening said flatly, “I refused.”

If Xia Zhile had died despite efforts, he would have gone to pay respects, but now that Xia Zhile was eating, drinking, and daydreaming, what was the point?

Gu Fei pushed the shopping cart forward and said, “You don’t have to avoid visiting him just because you think I wouldn’t like it.”

Lin Hening paused, surprised.

Gu Fei smiled gently. “I was just saying, I know you really don’t want to deal with him.”

Lin Hening felt a warmth spread through his chest.

Gu Fei never rejected Lin Hening’s past. Whenever Xia Zhile—the ex—came up, Gu Fei faced it calmly. Among couples, exes were a sensitive topic. Lin Hening tried his best not to mention Xia Zhile, even hoping to erase him completely. It was only later he realized that was unnecessary.

Gu Fei had said that if Lin Hening wanted to keep some good memories of Xia Zhile in his heart, that was perfectly fine. After all, who doesn’t have a first love?

That was the respect Gu Fei gave Lin Hening.

Sometimes, when his mind wandered, Gu Fei even felt a bit grateful for Xia Zhile’s existence. During Lin Hening’s hardest, most difficult times, Xia Zhile had been there to accompany, care for, and encourage him.

Gu Fei suddenly sighed. “I hate it too.”

Lin Hening looked at him, puzzled.

Gu Fei’s fiery eyes met his. “I hate that I didn’t meet you sooner. I hate the things Xia Zhile did, I didn’t do.”

Lin Hening’s heart skipped a beat.

Gu Fei crossed his arms like a sulking child. “I’m so jealous, I hate it.”

Lin Hening laughed outright.

After scanning all the items, the cashier reminded, “Spend fifty more and you’ll reach $299, and get a free gift! We have lots of discounted items here to add.”

Lin Hening glanced at the shelves by the counter—there were masks, gum, and…

Buy one, get one free?

He grabbed two packs of condoms and stuffed them in his pocket, then turned and pinched Gu Fei’s stretchy cheek. “Don’t be mad, don’t be mad.”

Gu Fei reached for the shelf—

And grabbed two more.