Chapter 16

While the doctor treated the wound, Jiang Min realized Lin Xuqing’s injury was worse than she’d imagined.

Blood had soaked the clothing a dark red; the doctor cut open the black trousers with scissors to expose the wound.

“Next I’ll clean it. It might hurt a bit.”

“It’s fine, Doctor.”

Lin Xuqing’s expression was calm. As the doctor began cleaning with a mild alkaline solution, her brows knitted and she bit down hard on her lip, making not a sound.

Jiang Min instinctively took her hand, her warm palm covering the back of Lin Xuqing’s hand.

Lin Xuqing froze, turning her head to meet her gaze—and saw only the undisguised concern in her eyes.

“Really, it’s fine.” Lin Xuqing smiled at her.

Jiang Min frowned.

Of all times—she could still smile.

“All right, the wound is treated. Now for the bandaging. Don’t walk around for the next few days. The wound is fairly serious, so keep your diet light recently.”

“Today you’ll get the first vaccine shot; come back on schedule for the remaining doses.”

Jiang Min noted the doctor’s orders in her memo app, thanked the doctor, then bent down to ask Lin Xuqing, “Can you still walk? Do you need a wheelchair?”

Lin Xuqing shook her head. “I’m not that delicate.”

“I’ll help you.”

Jiang Min extended a hand. Lin Xuqing looked up at her, and after two seconds took her hand, braced against it, and stood up.

The wound wasn’t small, and the doctor had prescribed some medication too. Coming out of the treatment room, Jiang Min had Lin Xuqing sit on the bench in the corridor while she went to fill the prescription.

Lin Xuqing sat on the bench, dazed, her gaze following Jiang Min’s back. Looking outward, she caught sight of a figure hurrying over, as if rushing to get there.

Zhang Heqiao, breathing hard, stopped at a distance, his tone awkward. “Wound treated? How is it?”

“It’s fine,” Lin Xuqing answered casually. “Did you get Little Guai bandaged up?”

“Done.”

“Well, then…”

“Once your wound heals, come talk to me anytime. I’m off.”

Zhang Heqiao dropped those few words and left.

After all, a man like him showing up in a hospital would only draw disgust.

By the time Jiang Min returned with the medication, she only caught a departing back.

Lin Xuqing smiled at Jiang Min. “It worked.”

The smile was radiant, her eyes sparkling. She rarely smiled so happily.

“In your eyes, only work matters—your own body doesn’t?” Jiang Min’s voice was a bit stern, the worry she’d been suppressing now bursting out all at once. “It was pure chaos back there, and you still dared to charge forward?”

Lin Xuqing heard the concern beneath the scolding and nodded. “I know I was wrong. It’s just…”

Just that I knew this project had been troubling you for so long.

Jiang Min wanted to say more, but seeing her cheeks still pale, her clear dark eyes looking even blacker—

Never mind. She’s the injured one here.

She ruffled Lin Xuqing’s hair. “Let’s go. Go home and rest well.”

Lin Xuqing froze, and only after a long moment said, “…Okay.”

Her left leg was the injured one. Afraid that exertion would reopen the bleeding, Jiang Min waited until she stood, then wrapped an arm around her, her left hand supporting her elbow, and said softly, “Don’t put weight on that leg.”

Lin Xuqing was a bit at a loss. “…Mm.”

Mindful of the wound, they walked very slowly—it took a good ten minutes just to reach the hospital entrance.

Outside, night had fallen, traffic flowing endlessly. Just as Jiang Min was about to hail a taxi, a black Audi pulled up and its window rolled down, revealing Jiang Xuezi’s face. “A-Min! Little Lin!”

“Xuezi, is everything settled on your end?”

“All settled. Don’t worry. I sent the others home first. Little Lin, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Thank you, Sister Xuezi.”

“No need for thanks. Perfect timing—I’ll drive you home. Wait here; I’ll park a bit ahead.”

Once Jiang Xuezi had parked and come to help, Jiang Min managed, without too much effort, to bundle the great invalid Lin into the car.

Her phone buzzed just then.

Jiang Min finally had the time and the mood to check her messages—Ning Rou had sent them.

One from over half an hour ago: Sister A-Min, I’m home.

And now another: How is Little Lin? Are you still at the hospital?

She stared at the screen for a few seconds, then pressed back.

Jiang Xuezi had just finished parking. “Which complex does Little Lin live in?”

Jiang Min turned off her phone screen. “No need for the GPS—I’ll tell you the way. Go straight for now, then turn right later.”

“You’ve been to Little Lin’s place plenty of times, huh—you know the way by heart.”

“Drove there twice and I had it memorized. Not a hopeless case with directions like you.”

“And here I am slaving away as your driver, and you’re finding fault with me.”

“Well, what else? Not just anyone gets to be my driver. You should be honored.”

“Yes, yes, yes, my honor.”

Listening to their banter, Lin Xuqing relaxed for once, saying nothing, just listening quietly, her gaze settling on Jiang Min.

On the way out of the hospital, afraid Lin Xuqing would strain herself, Jiang Min had taken nearly two-thirds of her body weight onto herself. That stretch of road had been walked so slowly—she must have been exhausted.

Outside, the night deepened, neon flickering along the roadside.

Lin Xuqing looked at the beads of sweat on her fair nose tip.

“What are you looking at me for?”

Jiang Min turned her head and asked.

Lin Xuqing looked away and handed her a tissue. “Wipe the sweat.”

Jiang Min took it and wiped her face. “Thanks.”

For the rest of the ride, Lin Xuqing turned to look out the window at the roadside trees sweeping past.

Half an hour or so later, the car entered her residential complex and stopped temporarily at the roadside.

Jiang Min helped Lin Xuqing out of the car. Tang Xiaoyu was already waiting downstairs and hurried over. “How did you get bitten by a dog out of nowhere? The wound’s okay, right?”

Lin Xuqing smiled. “You’re the third person to ask me that.”

Tang Xiaoyu was speechless. “So caring about you is a crime now?”

“Right. My mistake.” Lin Xuqing quickly steadied her, afraid Eldest Miss Tang might get worked up later and say something wild in front of Jiang Min.

“That’s more like it.”

The two spoke with great familiarity.

Jiang Min had noticed it the previous two times. It seemed that with her taciturn nature, Lin Xuqing actually talked more, was livelier, when around Tang Xiaoyu.

Jiang Xuezi glanced at the time. “It’s late. We’ll see you up, then you should rest early.”

After all this commotion, it was already ten at night.

“Thank you, but no need,” Lin Xuqing said, pausing before adding, “Parking isn’t allowed here. The property management will come soon.”

Her words maintained just the right measure of propriety and distance. Jiang Min had been about to offer to see her upstairs, but the remark blocked her; she could only murmur, “Rest early.”

“All right, we’ll be off then.”

The elevator had already reached the ground floor; Tang Xiaoyu helped Lin Xuqing in. Once the doors closed, she looked her over. “What were you being so cagey about just now? Are you hiding something in your room you can’t let people see?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” After that light rebuke, Lin Xuqing ignored her, staring blankly at the elevator doors.

“What are you looking at? They’re gone. Weren’t you the one who wouldn’t let them come up?”

“Let me state upfront: I’ll walk you to your room. Don’t worry, I won’t peek at anything.”

Lin Xuqing was somewhat lost in thought.

There really wasn’t much in the room.

Only a yellowed, blurry old photograph.

……

“What are you looking at? Little Lin wouldn’t let us come up earlier—are you sulking?”

Jiang Xuezi shook her head with a smile. She thought of Lin Xuqing’s excuse—afraid the property management would tow the car. Who policed parking that strictly at eleven or twelve at night in the dead of winter? She simply hadn’t wanted them coming up.

The excuse was so clumsy it was transparent at a glance.

“What would I have to be upset about?” Jiang Min said lightly, looking out the car window.

Jiang Xuezi smiled faintly and dropped the subject. “Well, you haven’t been resting well with all this project filming. You can get a good night’s sleep tonight.”

Jiang Min gave a weary sound of acknowledgment.

She suddenly remembered she hadn’t replied to Ning Rou’s messages. Her fingertips hovered over the screen a moment before she typed: It’s all settled. Rest early.

By the time Jiang Min got home, it was already eleven thirty at night.

She’d barely arrived when a new message popped up on her phone.

LXQ: Home yet?

Jiang Min thought for a moment. Since Lin Xuqing had sent that friend request, they’d barely chatted. She hadn’t even changed the contact name.

Thinking of what had just happened, Jiang Min couldn’t be bothered to reply. After taking off her coat, she suddenly remembered something and screenshotted the notes she’d recorded, sending them over: No need to come in to work these next few days. Rest well.

The reply came quickly: I know.

Jiang Min didn’t reply again; she changed and went to wash up.

The hot water washed away the day’s fatigue and tension. Only after lying down in the soft bed did she see the photo Lin Xuqing had sent ten minutes earlier.

She opened it: a sticky note was pasted on the headboard, on which was hand-copied the passage she’d sent over—signifying that its writer would faithfully follow the doctor’s orders.

In one corner of the photo, a Little Bear Plush sat on the bed, quite old now, wearing a worn dusty-green scarf.

Jiang Min zoomed in and studied it a while longer. She’d given it to Lin Xuqing back in her university days, hadn’t she? How many years ago was that now?

A grown woman, and still so sentimental.

That was what she thought, but she didn’t ask, only replying: The doctor said to sleep early.

The reply was still instant: I’ll do whatever you say. Good night.

She’d told her to follow the doctor’s orders—when had she said to listen to her?

Jiang Min didn’t reply again. She put down her phone and turned off the light. But when she closed her eyes, what surfaced was the image of Lin Xuqing’s pale face breaking into a smile at her.

After a moment, she picked up her phone again, opened her chat with Lin Xuqing, and pressed the voice message button.

She said softly, “Well then. Good night.”