Chapter 17: 17 Chapter 17

◎The Best Egg Fried Rice in the World◎

A flicker of surprise crossed Yu Qinjiu’s eyes.

Ji Qingyou pursed her lips slightly, and could only stare wide-eyed back at the innocent Yu Zhijiu, adding softly, “I’m on the early night shift tonight. You haven’t contacted me.”

Her tone was a little light, carrying an inexplicable hint of emotionality.

Not quite the tone she usually used.

“Don’t be mad, Doctor Sister.” Yu Zhijiu’s childish voice piped up. She tugged at her sleeve. “I was the one who asked Little Jiu to come see me before the surgery.”

“And Little Jiu even bought me a lucky bracelet! See, isn’t it pretty?” As she spoke, she excitedly waved the red bracelet on her wrist.

“It’s very pretty.” Ji Qingyou glanced at Yu Qinjiu, then explained, “I’m not mad.”

“I know.” Yu Qinjiu leaned back. The lemony sunlight fell entirely on her carefree face, the golden light landing on her slender, upturned lashes.

She looked like a vibrant oil painting.

She curved her eyes and smiled. “Dr. Ji has a very good temper.”

Ji Xiruan stood by the wall, half her shoulder bathed in the warm sunlight, scrutinizing Ji Qingyou with a sharp gaze. After a moment of silence, she said lazily with a smile, “Dr. Ji really does have a good temper.”

Ji Qingyou glanced at her, about to say something.

Her sleeve was tugged again.

It was Yu Zhijiu.

Her eyes were eager, as if she had something to tell her.

Ji Qingyou bent down slightly. Yu Zhijiu leaned in close to her ear and whispered a secret within everyone’s hearing, “Doctor Sister, I only have one piece of candy left. I’ll give it to you. You mustn’t tell anyone, okay? I don’t have any more.”

With that, a lollipop was pressed into Ji Qingyou’s palm. Strawberry flavor. It carried the sweaty warmth of the child’s hand. Ji Qingyou looked up. “Why me only?”

Yu Zhijiu covered her mouth, making a “shh” gesture, then grinned, whispering, “Because Doctor Sister likes strawberry flavor the most~”

Ji Qingyou was stunned for a few seconds. She glanced outside. Yu Qinjiu had already averted her gaze, pretending not to have seen anything, but the corner of her mouth held a smile, as if she were immersed in this warm winter sunshine, sharing this warm glow. Ji Xiruan’s eyebrows were raised, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall watching their interaction. Her expression showed a hint of undisguised jealousy, but she was also smiling.

Whether it was at Yu Zhijiu’s blatant secret and favoritism.

Or at the fact that she loved strawberry flavor.

Ji Qingyou couldn’t figure out how even Yu Zhijiu knew she liked strawberry flavor best, or why Yu Zhijiu favored her. Perhaps the child was satisfied with their bond of sharing the same birthday.

In the end, she couldn’t refuse. After hesitating for a moment, she reached out and touched the child’s soft head. The hand tucked in her white coat pocket clutched the braided bracelet she had made. She said softly,

“When you’re discharged from the hospital, I’ll give you a gift too.”

–

The laughter in the ward didn’t stop because of Ji Qingyou, but it didn’t last long either. After chatting for a few minutes, Yu Qinjiu received a call and had to go back to sort out some urgent work documents.

“I promised Little Jiu I’d come see her before her surgery,” Yu Qinjiu said. “So I thought I’d pick you up from work at the same time.” The snow from before had completely melted. As they passed the open space in front of the corridor, the snowman and the snow were nowhere to be seen. Yu Qinjiu glanced casually at the spot. “I didn’t expect you to be on the night shift tonight.”

Ji Qingyou followed her gaze. “Did you drive here?”

“No,” Yu Qinjiu shook her head. “I haven’t even gotten my driver’s license yet. Besides, my UK license is useless here anyway.”

Ji Qingyou lowered her eyes. “True.”

Yu Qinjiu couldn’t help but laugh. “Maybe I should go get one? Then I can drive you to and from work every day.”

Ji Qingyou looked at her, knowing she was joking. “You only have a two-month vacation. Don’t bother and don’t waste time.”

Yu Qinjiu walked slowly, hands in her pockets. “It seems Dr. Ji has never taken a real vacation. The most important thing about a vacation is to waste time. A vacation without wasting time is no fun.”

Ji Qingyou didn’t deny her statement. “What if you can’t finish getting your license in a month?”

Would you give up?

Or would you come back next time to try again?

—Ji Qingyou couldn’t bring herself to ask this question.

Yu Qinjiu stopped walking, squinted her eyes slightly, and countered, “Do you think I can’t pass the test in a month?”

Yu Qinjiu had always been very competitive. Once, when Ji Qingyou had eaten a plate of egg fried rice brought by her deskmate and said it was delicious, Yu Qinjiu brought egg fried rice for her for a whole month. Finally, Ji Qingyou declared it was the best egg fried rice in the world before she would stop.

Actually, Yu Qinjiu’s egg fried rice wasn’t good.

But later, Ji Qingyou never ate anyone else’s egg fried rice. And so, Yu Qinjiu’s egg fried rice became the best in the world in Ji Qingyou’s perception.

Or perhaps, to remember the taste of the best egg fried rice in the world, she dared not eat any other.

Ji Qingyou pursed her lips. “I didn’t say that.”

Yu Qinjiu stared at her for a moment. “Okay, then let’s make a bet.”

Ji Qingyou was a little helpless. “Bet on what?”

“I haven’t thought of that yet.” Yu Qinjiu looked away lightly. “I’ll figure it out later. Anyway, if I win, you’ll owe me a wish.”

Ji Qingyou didn’t object. “Sure.”

Yu Qinjiu asked, “Any wish is okay?”

Ji Qingyou thought for a moment. “I suppose so.”

Seeming satisfied with the answer she got, Yu Qinjiu’s steps instantly became lighter. She put her hands in her pockets and squinted her eyes, as if thinking about her wish, or maybe just squinting in joy because of her good mood.

The good mood lasted until she parted ways with Ji Qingyou.

She curved her eyes and waved goodbye to Ji Qingyou, until Ji Qingyou, in her white coat, frowned slightly, telling her to watch where she was going. Finally, as she disappeared into the bustling crowd in the afterglow, Yu Qinjiu put her raised hand away and slipped it back into her pocket.

Turning around, her smile hadn’t had time to fade.

An expensive car was parked not far away. Beside the car stood a man in a suit, a black turtleneck under a gray shirt. The smooth, boyish fringe from her memory was slicked back, and the features of his youthful, teenage face had matured.

The man watched her from a distance, hesitating, not daring to approach.

Yu Qinjiu lowered her eyes. Her fingers curled into a fist in her pocket. It was as if she had suddenly stepped into a bottomless ice cave. As she passed Yu Muzhou, she heard him hesitate for a few seconds before stepping forward and calling out to her.

“Little Jiu… aren’t you coming home?”

She didn’t stop, acting as if she hadn’t heard him, walking briskly past Yu Muzhou. A faint ferry siren came from afar. In that instant, the warm sunlight seemed to morph into acid rain corroding her heart, falling upon it.

Only when she was back in the midst of the bustling crowd, no longer feeling his presence, could she finally breathe. She slowly crouched down, letting her messy hair cascade over her shoulders, wrapping her up tightly.

Someone passed by and asked if she needed help.

She shook her head slowly, stood up with difficulty, paused on the spot, pinched her fingertips to ease the numbness in her legs, then smiled at the person.

“Thank you, I’m fine.”

After the passerby left, she slowly started walking again. She stared at the hospital building not far away. She knew Ji Qingyou was definitely inside, busily walking around. She also knew that Qin Shuangchi and Qin Bailan were in this hospital. She also knew that Yu Muzhou was coming to this hospital because of Qin Shuangchi.

And she knew that, at this very moment, she didn’t actually hate Yu Muzhou that much.

It wasn’t until a much later day, when she saw the wound on Ji Qingyou’s face, and encountered Yu Muzhou getting out of his car again, and she didn’t hesitate to slap Yu Muzhou across the face…

That moment, she realized—that was when she hated Yu Muzhou the most.