Chapter 18

The night was deep and still. The streetlamp outside the window still shone, casting the same orange glow it had for years. Lin Ye leaned against the windowsill, her gaze passing through the sparse plane tree leaves, resting on a small figure below.

Half a minute ago, she had pushed open the door to her home, not yet having changed her shoes, when she received a WeChat message from Tang Feiwan. A paragraph, neither long nor short.

“Lin Ye, you didn’t directly refuse. Does that mean I still have a chance? You said you hope I’ll treat the person I like well. But right now, the person I like is you. So from now on, if you don’t want to accept my kindness, don’t force yourself. You can tell me clearly. Let’s follow our hearts.”

She admitted that after reading these words, a warm breeze seemed to brush across her heart, leaving her dazed for a few seconds. But soon, the memories returned, and reason snapped back. After all, the person who wrote these words was the same one who could call the night before to accompany you through the first second of your birthday with punctual wishes, send flowers, gifts, and cakes across the ocean, yet disappear for 39 hours in the following two days without an explanation, not even explaining when she finally replied.

Later, the disappearances grew more and more frequent. Lin Ye made excuses for her: her studies were heavy, work was busy, pressure was high. After all, when Tang Feiwan had applied for the combined master’s and PhD program at Heidelberg University Medical School, the advisor had screened her and made one demand: during her studies, unless absolutely necessary, she shouldn’t return home. Early on, all her spare time would be in the lab. Later, if her clinical skills were outstanding, she could enter the hospital to study.

Until the last straw broke the camel’s back. Trust collapsed, and she could no longer deceive herself.

But tonight, she hadn’t told the other woman about that “last straw.” Because it was no longer necessary…

The AC hummed, cool air brushing the loose hairs at Lin Ye’s ears. She lowered her gaze, placed her phone on the bedside table, and turned to leave the bedroom.

Not far away, on a bench in the parking lot, Tang Feiwan, not yet ready to go home, had sat in silence for half an hour. The yellow light overhead was dim, attracting mosquitoes and bugs swarming around the light source. The air was hot and dry. Yet at this moment, her restless heart was unusually calm.

She knew the reason for their breakup. She knew it was all her fault, and that wallowing in self-pity was futile. So she examined herself. After reflection, she had sent that paragraph to Lin Ye. After sending it, Tang Feiwan felt much lighter. She opened the group photo they’d taken in the office that day, looking at Lin Ye in the picture. The smile in her eyes spread like the gentle breeze of an early spring night.

After a while, she exited the photo album, tapped the pinned WeChat avatar, and sent two words.

“Good night.”

After a 24-hour shift, then a day off, Saturday arrived. Before 7:30 a.m., Lin Ye was already at her desk. Lu Yuqing, on night shift and having worked all night on an emergency surgery, came over to mooch breakfast.

“Thanks for breakfast.” The woman ate the wontons Lin Ye had brought and asked casually, “Hey, what’s up with Tang Feiwan lately?”

“Hm?”

“Since Tuesday night, she’s been posting motivational quotes on Moments every morning and evening.”

…

Lin Ye had already noticed. Every day, after sending her good morning and good night messages, Tang Feiwan would post a status on Moments.

“‘True strength isn’t never falling, but standing up bravely after every fall.'” Lu Yuqing read aloud the post Tang Feiwan had made 30 minutes ago and said, disgusted, “Did she take the wrong medicine? Or did you do something to her?”

“Maybe she’s going through a literary phase.” Lin Ye browsed Moments, her expression calm, and shared a health article. Thirty seconds later, a heart notification appeared.

She didn’t need to look to know it was Tang Feiwan. In the past three days, the other woman had posted six updates. Whether work or family related, she liked every single one. After Lu Yuqing finished breakfast and left, the spot by the water dispenser was filled by Tang Feiwan. She typed a message.

“Doctor Tang, you don’t need to like every post. Because things that can’t be maintained don’t need to be done.”

The next second, Tang Feiwan replied: “Okay!” Then added, “But I’ll continue the good morning and good night.”

Lin Ye was exasperated and set her phone aside. She looked up inadvertently and saw Tang Feiwan also putting her phone away, already starting work. She seemed much easier on the eyes than the Tang Feiwan who had lately liked to zone out before handoff.

Before handoff, Gu Yan suddenly burst in. “Director Lin, a patient who fell from the third floor will be here in two minutes. Teacher Liu is busy and can’t get away. We need help.”

“Okay.” Lin Ye and Tang Feiwan stood simultaneously. After a brief glance, Tang Feiwan indicated she’d go too. Lin Ye nodded, and the two hurried to the resuscitation room.

Outside the resuscitation room, the transport cart sped forward. The accompanying doctor was drenched in sweat. Seeing Lin Ye, he said urgently, “Male patient, 23 years old. BP 65/51, HR 139, hemorrhagic shock. Two peripheral IVs are in.”

Lin Ye arranged: “Resuscitation room, Bed 3.”

The curtain was pulled open, and the patient was transferred to the flat bed. Lin Ye examined him, Tang Feiwan assisting. After listening to the patient’s heart and lungs, Lin Ye pocketed her stethoscope and said, “Dopamine 200 mg + metaraminol 100 mg + 20 ml NS to raise BP. Do a bedside ultrasound.”

Tang Feiwan split duties with her, palpating the patient’s abdomen and listening with her stethoscope. She added, “Prepare four units of packed red cells. The routine four tubes of labs definitely need to be drawn. Most likely abdominal organ hemorrhage. Surgery will be needed as soon as possible.”

The resident and nurses got to work. Lin Ye asked the accompanying doctor, “Where’s the family?”

The doctor pointed toward the door. “Outside. Her boyfriend jumped off a building, so she must be terrified.”

“Boyfriend and girlfriend?” Lin Ye asked Tang Feiwan to go find out. If they weren’t married, they needed to notify immediate family, because if surgery was needed for internal bleeding, the patient could die on the table.

Tang Feiwan nodded. “Okay, I’ll go.” She removed her bloodstained gloves and walked out.

The resuscitation room door slid open. A nurse called out, “Family of Dong Guo?”

“Here!”

Tang Feiwan searched for the voice. Two meters away, a girl in a white shirt was crouched against the wall. Hearing the patient’s name, she stood reflexively, her face still full of fear. She hurried over and asked nervously, “How is he?”

“Hemorrhagic shock, likely internal bleeding. Once the ultrasound confirms it, he’ll need emergency surgery immediately.” Tang Feiwan tried to explain in language she could understand.

The family member was Dong Guo’s girlfriend, Cao Yangqiao. “Surgery? Is it risky?”

“Any surgery has risks, especially for a fall victim. His blood pressure and heart rate aren’t optimistic.” Seeing her shaking hands, Tang Feiwan lowered her voice and asked gently, “You’re his girlfriend, not married, right?”

Cao Yangqiao shook her head.

“Can you contact his parents?”

Cao Yangqiao replied, “His parents are out of town. There’s no airport where they live, so it would take them ten hours by high-speed train to get here.”

Tang Feiwan reminded her, “Call them first.”

“Oh, okay.” Cao Yangqiao pulled out her phone, took two minutes to find Dong Guo’s father’s number, and dialed.

After two rings, the other side hung up.

Tang Feiwan frowned. “Why?”

Cao Yangqiao said honestly, “His parents don’t approve of us dating. We haven’t been in contact for three months.”

“Send a text saying Dong Guo fell from a building and is in critical condition.”

Cao Yangqiao did so. Five seconds after the text was sent, the other side called back. Cao Yangqiao answered. The man demanded, “Guoguo fell? How did he fall? Did you push him?”

Cao Yangqiao didn’t lie. “No, Uncle. I asked to break up. He didn’t agree and said he’d jump to threaten me.”

Dong Guo’s father snapped, “You wouldn’t agree to get back together? So Guoguo jumped?”

Cao Yangqiao gave a soft “mm.”

Dong Guo’s father accused, “How can you be so heartless?”

Half a minute ago, Tang Feiwan had learned that Dong Guo had bleeding from two major abdominal organs. She couldn’t stand it and signaled Cao Yangqiao to hand over the phone. She pressed record and said, “Hello, I’m a doctor from the Second Affiliated Hospital’s emergency department. Dong Guo fell and has internal bleeding. He needs surgery immediately. Do you consent?”

“Is surgery necessary? Can you guarantee success?”

“The patient is bleeding heavily. We can’t guarantee success, but without surgery, he won’t last long.”

Finally, the other side agreed. “Do it. Do it now.”

“Good. This conversation has been recorded. I hope you understand.”

Tang Feiwan returned the phone to Cao Yangqiao. Just as she turned, Director Gao called out, “Xiao Tang, there’s an in-hospital emergency skills competition tomorrow morning. Do you have time to participate? With your Director Lin.”