Love and Desire [Complete] - 10

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Love and Desire (69)

Chapter Sixty-Seven:

Zhang Lei was still very disappointed tonight. He had thought that Liu Yan would bring Wu Min along for dinner, so that he could spend more time with her and dance together. However, Liu Yan refused to go. It was only for less than an hour that they managed to have dinner together. He thought it would be better not to mention having dinner with her in the afternoon, but to invite a few friends to have some fun with him.

Of course, one of his dance partners and sexual partners would be indispensable. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but turn to look at Wu Min and found that she was also very cute. Zhang Lei noticed that Wu Min gave him a sweet smile, and his heart pounded twice.

Zhang Lei turned to Wu Min and asked, "What do you think of your Director Liu?" Wu Min, not understanding Zhang Lei's meaning, replied, "Director Liu is quite good." Zhang Lei thought for a moment, then said, "She's just a blockhead." Wu Min, puzzled, shook her head and said, "I don't understand." Zhang Lei said, "What's wrong with dancing and having fun? She locks herself at home all day. She's at the age where

she should be having fun. I really don't know how she spends her time." Wu Min asked, "You don't like her like that?" This question made Zhang Lei think deeply. He thought to himself, "If she were like those other women, constantly going crazy, would I like her? A wife is different from a mistress. What man wants a wife who goes around going crazy? What I want is a beautiful woman like her, proper and dignified."

Thinking this way, he suddenly felt enlightened. Xiaoxiao said to Wu Min, "No, I just feel like she's been holding herself back. Young people like us, if we don't have fun now, when will we?" Wu Min said, "That's because you guys have the means. We soldiers wouldn't dare even if we wanted to." Zhang Lei said, "Exactly, you know, she..." He paused, tapped the brakes, looked at Wu Min, and said, "Let me take you somewhere fun."

Wu Min was startled, staring at him and asking, "Take me?" Zhang Lei nodded and said, "Yes, I'll take you dancing." Wu Min said, "I've never danced before." Zhang Lei said,

"It's okay, I'll teach you." Wu Min hesitated, saying, "But the occasion..." Zhang Lei smiled and said, "You'll get used to it after a few times." Wu Min thought to herself, she really had never been to a dance hall before, so it wouldn't hurt to go and see. Besides, he really didn't dare refuse Zhang Lei, so he said, "I only dare to go with you, I wouldn't dare to go a few more times." Zhang Lei thought for a moment and said, "That's true. Why don't you go and see how I dance? I'm not bragging, my dancing skills are top-notch." Wu Min couldn't help but be tempted and said, "Okay, I'll go and admire your dancing." Zhang Lei was obviously a little excited and said, "It's right after dinner, there's still plenty of time. Let's dance for a while before going home, otherwise what's the point of going home so early?" Wu Min said, "We're like that too, I really envy you guys." Zhang Lei smiled and said, "You're still a soldier now, you'll have a lot more freedom after you're promoted to officer."

Wu Min was happy, thinking that even if she couldn't have that kind of life after being promoted to officer, the difference between an officer and a soldier would be enough to satisfy her. Suddenly realizing that she and Zhang Lei were both wearing military uniforms, Wu Min said, "Are we going to the dance hall in these clothes?" Zhang Lei said, "Just take off your hats and put them away, and remove your collar insignia. We still need to be mindful of appearances." Wu Min took off her hat and put it in her pocket, then removed her collar insignia and put it away. Zhang Lei turned to look at her and said, "Isn't this just like an ordinary citizen!" He noticed Wu Min's shoulder-length short hair and rather charming appearance, and his heart skipped a beat. Turning back, he said, "We'll be there soon. A friend of mine owns it."

As they spoke, they arrived at the entrance of a large restaurant. Zhang Lei parked the car, took off his hat and threw it on the back seat, then removed his collar insignia and put it in his pocket. The two got out of the car, and Wu Min looked up to see fluorescent red lights flashing next to the words "Hilton Hotel." Wu Min asked in confusion, "Isn't this a restaurant?" Zhang Lei smiled and said, "There's a dance hall. Follow me." They entered the lobby and took the elevator. Zhang Lei told the driver to go to the twelfth floor.

The elevator stopped and they stepped out. Wu Min noticed that the lighting was dim, the corridor was quiet, and the decorations were luxurious. A strange sense of fear arose within her. She glanced at Zhang Lei but didn't ask any questions, following him to the end of the corridor. She knocked twice on the door on the north side of the corridor. The door opened, and immediately a burst of dance music reached Wu Min's ears. A head peeked out from behind the door; seeing Zhang Lei, the person instantly smiled broadly and said, "Brother Lei's here." He opened the door and stepped aside to let Zhang Lei and Wu Min in. Wu Min noticed the interior lighting was dimmer, with the colored lights on the ceiling flashing. The dance hall was only about sixty square meters, with long sofas along all four walls, and several small coffee tables in front of them. The dance floor wasn't large, and there were only about ten couples dancing to the music.

Wu Min sat down on a sofa with Zhang Lei. The person who opened the door took two bottles of drinks from a small bar counter near the door and handed them to them, saying, "Brother Lei. You haven't been here for a few days."

Zhang Lei said he was busy. He then turned and nodded to the couples on the dance floor. After the man with the drinks left, Zhang Lei said to Wu Min, "This dance hall is for our own people; outsiders aren't welcome. The man who brought the drinks is the owner; he runs this dance hall." Wu Min nodded and said, "It's not what I imagined. I thought it was a private dance hall. Are you all high-ranking officials' children here?"

Zhang Lei smiled and said, "You could say that. Some of you aren't; you brought some along." Wu Min blushed, knowing he was referring to people like herself. Zhang Lei said, "Our group sometimes gets together here. We eat downstairs and then come here to dance. We don't go to those other dance halls; they're chaotic, full of all sorts of people. We don't want to mingle with them." Wu Min looked at the well-behaved men and women on the dance floor and said, "Yes, people of your status shouldn't associate with people like that." Wu Min always viewed dancers as disreputable. This was perhaps the same as Liu Yan's opinion. Zhang Lei smiled and said, "The key is that it's not a good influence." Wu Min nodded.

The music stopped, and the group dispersed. Several men and women came over to greet Zhang Lei and exchange a few words, glancing at Wu Min a few times, their eyes meeting briefly. Zhang Lei hadn't introduced Wu Min to anyone, and no one asked. After a flurry of chatter and laughter, the music started again. Zhang Lei took off his shirt and handed it to Wu Min, then, wearing only a snow-white polyester undershirt, walked to a woman of exceptional poise, bent down, and invited her to join him on the dance floor.

Wu Min couldn't tell if they were dancing a quickstep or a slow waltz; she'd only heard the terms. She watched with great interest. Zhang Lei's dance steps were skillful, his manners impeccable, and he frequently chatted with the woman, their smiles occasionally catching her attention. He was quite the gentleman. Wu Min thought to herself, "If only I could dance! I could be dancing with Zhang Lei now." But seeing the extraordinary manners of everyone on the dance floor, a sense of inferiority welled up within her.

Just then, a man of similar age walked up to her, left hand behind his back, right hand outstretched, and bowed, inviting her to dance. Wu Min hesitated for a moment, then blushed and said, "I'm sorry, I can't dance. I just came to watch." The man smiled, said sorry, and turned to leave. Wu Min felt extremely ashamed, her heart pounding, and she wanted to leave immediately.

She stopped looking at the dance floor and stared at her toes. At that moment, she felt the vast difference in their social standing. She felt so insignificant. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She felt extremely uncomfortable. Every second felt like an eternity.

The music finally stopped, and Zhang Lei came over and sat down beside her, smiling, "How was it? Did I dance well?" Wu Min nodded, her face flushed. At this moment, a man walked over, tugged at Zhang Lei, and said, "Brother Lei, I need to talk to you." Zhang Lei stood up and said to Wu Min, "Wait for me." Wu Min nodded. Zhang Lei followed the man out the door and didn't return until the music started again. Wu Min was both nervous and anxious. She worried that someone else would ask her to dance, so she kept her head down. Fortunately, no one asked her to dance until Zhang Lei returned with something in his hand, and Wu Min breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Lei sat down next to her and looked at her, saying, "A friend told me something." Wu Min nodded. Zhang Lei asked, "Are you not used to it?" Wu Min blushed and said, "I don't know anyone."

Zhang Lei smiled and said, "That's true. I saw someone ask you to dance just now." Wu Min said, "Yeah, I was so nervous, and I can't dance." Zhang Lei said, "Why don't we go back?" Wu Min was eager to leave this place that didn't really belong to her, and immediately agreed and stood up. Zhang Lei took the clothes from Wu Min's hand, draped them over the arm he was holding the item on, waved to the dance floor, and walked towards the door. He didn't pay the owner when he left, but the owner politely saw him off.

Wu Min glanced at Zhang Lei and said, "I'm so sorry to have spoiled your fun. You only danced once." Zhang Lei smiled and said, "It's alright. I saw you suffering sitting there." Wu Min blushed and smiled, saying, "Assistant Zhang is so understanding."

After getting into the car, Zhang Lei handed Wu Min the clothes and the package he was carrying. Wu Min asked, "What's this?" Zhang Lei said as he started the car, "A friend got me some insider footage." Wu Min had never heard of insider footage before, so she assumed it was for high-ranking officials or people like them. She asked, "What's it about?" Zhang Lei said, "He said it's some kind of art film from Hong Kong, but I've never seen it." Wu Min said, "My favorite Hong Kong film actress is Maggie Cheung." Zhang Lei said, "I wonder if you have any here? There are several discs." Wu Min asked, "Are these all movies?" Zhang Lei

said, "They're all videos, you can't see them outside. If you want to see them, I'll take you." Wu Min said, "I wouldn't dare go to your house." Zhang Lei laughed and said, "Why would you go to my house?" Wu Min said:

"Where else would we go if not your house?" Zhang Lei said, "I don't live at home either. I live in the house my mother allocated to me. My brother lived there a few years ago, but they moved to the Armed Police area last year, so now I'm the only one living there." Wu Min asked, "Just you alone?" Zhang Lei said, "Yes, I still eat at my parents' place. Haha, I don't eat at home much." Wu Min nodded without saying anything. Zhang Lei turned and glanced at her, asking, "How about it, want to go for a look around?" Wu Min asked, "What time is it?" Zhang Lei glanced at his watch and said, "It's not late, just eight o'clock. It's not far from here, it's not interesting for me to look around alone."

Wu Min hesitated for a moment, thinking that it wasn't appropriate to go to his house alone tonight. A woman's unique wariness made her heart flutter, but then she thought that someone of his status wouldn't be interested in her. She already had a lot of respect for Zhang Lei, and now she thought to herself that it was a rare opportunity to be alone with him like this, to talk and build a relationship, which would be very beneficial for her to get into the training team or even to be promoted later. How many girls could possibly be able to get close to him? So she nodded in agreement.

Zhang Lei drove around several corners and entered a large compound. The roads within the compound were lined with large plane trees, their canopies meeting at the top like a corridor. After two more turns, he stopped in front of a row of buildings. Wu Min saw that it was a row of two-story duplexes, each with a small courtyard in front. Zhang Lei opened a gate, went into a courtyard, and then closed it again. Wu Min saw small, spherical flowering plants planted on either side of the path leading to the buildings. Following Zhang Lei inside, Wu Min looked around at the two-story house with its own staircase and thought to herself that only high-ranking officials could afford such a house. She said, "You live in such a big house all by yourself!" Zhang Lei smiled and said, "My family hasn't been added yet." Wu Min understood that he was still unmarried, and thought that if Liu Yan married him, she would live in such a luxurious and spacious house, and she couldn't help but feel envious. "Then why don't you live with your parents?" Zhang Lei asked.

"I'll live with both sides," he replied.

As he spoke, he went up the stairs and stopped in front of a door. Zhang Lei opened the door and turned on the light. Wu Min saw a large Simmons double bed in the room, with a beautiful wall lamp on each side of the headboard. The bedding was messy. At the foot of the bed against the wall was a low cabinet, on top of which was a color television, and in the drawer of the cabinet was a VCR. Pale yellow curtains hung to the floor. There was a beautiful ceiling light.

Looking at the room, Wu Min felt a sudden tension, a strong premonition that something was about to happen. She inwardly blamed herself for entering a private room with a man.

Zhang Lei smiled and said, "Look how messy my room is, I'm too lazy to tidy it up. Most of the things in this room were left by my brother. I'll replace them when I get married." Wu Min nodded, her heart pounding. Zhang Lei said, "Sit on the bed. There are no chairs in this room." Wu Min nodded awkwardly but didn't sit down. Zhang Lei said, "Wait a moment, I'll go get two drinks." He then left the room.

Wu Min paused, sat down on the edge of the bed, glanced at the messy bed, and then stood up to tidy it up. Just as she lifted the blanket, she saw a box next to the pillow. She picked it up, looked at it, and immediately put it back. It was a box of condoms. Wu Min's heart pounded, her face flushed, and she stood there dumbfounded, her mind racing. She only calmed down when she heard Zhang Lei's footsteps.

Zhang Lei entered the room and saw Wu Min's flushed face and lowered head. He thought she was probably feeling uncomfortable and had some thoughts. He smiled inwardly, walked over, handed her a can of drink, and said, "Why aren't you sitting?" Wu Min turned to look at him and said, "I don't want to sit either." Zhang Lei smiled, turned around, walked to the television, took out a videotape, turned on the television and VCR, put the tape in the VCR, and a video started playing on the television. Zhang Lei looked at it and said, "Hey, it's starring Maggie Cheung." Wu Min had already glanced at it when Zhang Lei started playing it, and now that she saw it was indeed a comedy, she said, "Really." Zhang Lei sat down on the bed and said, "Watch it, why are you standing?" Wu Min sat down timidly, her eyes fixed on the TV. Soon she was drawn into the plot and laughed along with it.
Zhang Lei kept stealing glances at Wu Min, seeing her smiling face and flushed cheeks, and his heart began to flutter. He hadn't really had any feelings for Wu Min; many of the women he'd met were more attractive than her, and besides, he'd never been interested in girls from the countryside.

Tonight, it was the influence of alcohol that led him to the dance hall with Wu Min. He hadn't seen a woman there with whom he could have a sexual relationship, and among the videotapes his friend had given him were two pornographic ones, which he'd said were incredibly enjoyable. It was in that instant that Zhang Lei thought of Wu Min, and that's why he brought her here.

A man and a woman alone in a room, even those who had no intention of having thoughts about each other would have thoughts, let alone Zhang Lei who deliberately brought her here after drinking. So at this moment, his mind was not on the video recording at all, but on the scenes that excited him. After a while, he could no longer control himself, so he hugged Wu Min tightly. Wu

Min 's heart had just settled down, and at this moment, in the middle of the TV drama, she was hugged by him and her body trembled. She turned her head and stared blankly at Zhang Lei, looking at him in a daze. She was so nervous that she couldn't speak. Zhang Lei put his mouth close to Wu Min's mouth. Wu Min shook her head in fright and said, "No, Assistant Zhang, this is not right." Zhang Lei was panting heavily and didn't say anything, but hugged her tightly. Wu Min didn't know where she got the strength, so she stood up and took two steps to the side, her head down and panting heavily. At this moment, she was a little confused. Zhang Lei was stunned for a moment, looked up at her and didn't say anything. He stood up a moment later, ejected the tape from the VCR, glanced at one, and put it back in. Immediately, a scene of a man and woman having sex appeared on the television. Zhang Lei walked over and suddenly picked up Wu Min again. Wu Min struggled, looking at him with pleading eyes. Zhang Lei, panting, said, "Watch the video." Wu Min turned her head to look, then immediately closed her eyes, saying, "I won't watch, I won't watch." Zhang Lei grinned lewdly, his mouth reaching out again. Wu Min shook her head desperately. Zhang Lei, unable to contain his anger, released her and asked, "You don't want to?!" Wu Min was startled by his question, though not loud, it was very serious. She looked up at him in fear. Zhang Lei looked at her and said, "If you don't want to, I'll take you back now." Wu Min instantly sobered up. She understood that if he took her back, it meant she would lose her entire future. However, what Zhang Lei wanted to do with her was something she had never considered before. It was too sudden, and tears streamed down her face. Seeing his state, Zhang Lei's mind cleared up a bit, and his heart softened. He took a breath and said, "I'm sorry, I was too excited from drinking. I'll take you home." Wu Min thought to herself that since things had come to this, she absolutely couldn't let him take her home. She looked at him pitifully and said, "I... I'm scared."

Zhang Lei stood beside Wu Min for a while, then pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed. He put an arm around her shoulder and said, "Don't be afraid, I like you." Wu Min cried and said, "I... I'm just scared." Zhang Lei said, "Haven't you thought about that?" Wu Min shook her head. Zhang Lei said, "I'm only doing this because I like you." Wu Min whispered, "I... I'm not good enough for you." Zhang Lei smiled and said, "It's not a matter of being good enough or not. Men and women can do it if they like each other, and they don't necessarily have to be husband and wife." After saying that, he reached out and turned her head, saying, "You see on TV, doing this kind of thing is the most enjoyable." Wu Min hurriedly shook her head and said, "I don't want to watch. Please turn it off." Zhang Lei thought for a moment, got up, went over and turned off the video, then sat down next to Wu Min again and hugged her. Wu Min no longer resisted. Zhang Lei pressed his lips to Wu Min's, his tongue parting her mouth and swirling inside... This novel and wonderful kiss, after a moment of shyness, stirred a response within Wu Min. Her hands involuntarily clasped around Zhang Lei's neck, her body pressed tightly against his, kissing him. At that moment, her mind was blank, filled only with primal desire. After a while, their lips parted, and Zhang Lei cupped her face in his hands. He saw Wu Min's eyes were glazed, her cheeks flushed, her shy expression captivating. Zhang Lei gently asked, "Was it very comfortable?" Wu Min was startled, speechless, her heart pounding with excitement. She dared not meet Zhang Lei's gaze and closed her eyes. Zhang Lei asked, "Have you never kissed before?" Wu Min shook her head. Zhang Lei asked, "Have you thought about it?" Wu Min exclaimed, "Oh dear, please don't ask anymore!" Zhang Lei smiled and pressed his lips to Wu Min's again.

Wu Min had thought about it. How could a 23-year-old girl not have such thoughts? Sometimes, seeing words of love between men and women in books and magazines, or scenes of men and women embracing in movies, would stir strange feelings within her. When walking down the street, she would involuntarily glance at a man's genitals. At night, touching her breasts would give her a tingling sensation throughout her body. Occasionally, when she touched her genitals, she would secretly caress them, and the feeling was like an electric shock, transporting her to another world. Every time this happened, she felt afraid, even though she was willing to enjoy that indescribable pleasure, she still dared not continue. The feeling of forcing herself to stop was painful, but she could only helplessly stop. In her heart, she regarded that area as the most sacred territory. She thought other girls might have similar feelings. No one had ever talked to her about it. She was the class monitor, and no one would mention it to her. She had also thought that one day a man's thing would invade her territory, of course, this man would be someone she loved, someone who loved her. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like when that man penetrated her, but even just imagining it made her body burn, and she felt a faint sensation of something leaking out below. She was afraid yet hopeful, but she always managed to forcibly control herself.

She had also thought about Zhang Lei. This man, though not exactly handsome, was her idol, and she had dreamed of one day holding him and letting his penis enter her body. The thought excited her, but when she sobered up, she would berate herself. How could someone of her status crave a man like him? In his eyes, she was probably worthless.

Since Liu Yan arrived, she had seen Zhang Lei frequently visiting her, and she thought that the two of them were probably on the same level, both in terms of family background and appearance. She thought that only Liu Yan could be a match for him. What was she compared to them? She never expected that Zhang Lei would be with her like this tonight. She knew that tonight she would definitely be captivated by Zhang Lei, and her feelings at this moment were a mixture of initial excitement and overwhelming fear and dread. She knew she couldn't resist; otherwise, she would lose everything she was about to gain. She couldn't refuse him. Although she knew Zhang Lei wouldn't reciprocate her feelings, that his relationship with her was just a fling, she still couldn't disobey him.

While kissing Zhang Lei, she felt his hand unbuttoning her blouse, but she didn't move. She was startled when his hand touched her breast. She broke the kiss, saying no, and tried to grab his hand. Zhang Lei, however, pushed her down onto the bed, one leg pressing against hers, his body pressed tightly against hers. His hands kneaded her breasts. Wu Min opened her eyes and saw a terrifying light in Zhang Lei's eyes, a gaze that seemed to devour her. She felt her body tremble. She tried to say something, but Zhang Lei's lips were on hers again. His kneading made Wu Min tremble all over, her lips pressed against Zhang Lei's, desperately responding to his touch.

Zhang Lei looked up at her and said softly, "You'll feel very happy. Will you do as I ask?" Wu Min opened her eyes and looked at him pitifully, saying, "I'm scared." Zhang Lei smiled and said, "Women are always a little scared the first time. But you'll know how wonderful it is after you've done it." Wu Min closed her eyes and stopped talking. Zhang Lei helped her up and gently took off her top piece by piece. When she was left with only her bra, Wu Min instinctively covered her breasts with her hands. Zhang Lei said gently, "Don't be afraid." He reached behind his back to unhook the back of her bra. Wu Min clutched the bra tightly. When Zhang Lei removed the bra, Wu Min struggled for a moment and then let go. Zhang Lei laid her flat on the bed, got up, and quickly took off his own clothes. His penis was now reflected in Wu Min's secretly peeking eyes. In an instant, Wu Min seemed to stop breathing, her eyes tightly closed, and her hands covering her breasts.

Wu Min felt Zhang Lei unbuckling her belt. Her hand moved down from her breasts, unconsciously reaching out towards him. Zhang Lei pulled away, and Wu Min's hand felt so weak. Two smooth, naked bodies were now completely exposed to the room's light. Wu Min's snow-white body excited Zhang Lei even more. He looked at Wu Min's thick, protruding pubic hair, parted her tightly closed legs, and touched the two fleshy mounds with his fingers, feeling that they were already wet. He leaned down, grasped his erect penis, and gently pushed open the slit, inserting it inside.

Wu Min felt his hard object gradually penetrating deeper into her body. She felt only fear and terror, but also an indescribable pleasure. It hurt a little, and she felt a swelling sensation. She felt Zhang Lei's thing slowly moving inside her body, and with each movement, her whole body trembled as if being electrocuted. She felt Zhang Lei's movements becoming faster and faster, and the electric shock sensation grew stronger and stronger. It felt as comfortable as floating on clouds. After a series of more intense thrusts, Wu Min suddenly felt the hard object being pulled out of her body quickly, and then she felt the penis sliding on her abdomen. A moment later, she felt warm liquid shooting out from the hard object.

Zhang Lei, panting heavily, lay on top of Wu Min. After a while, he calmed down and slid off her. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he sat up, reached out and pried open Wu Min's closed legs. After looking at her for a moment, he looked up at her face and asked, "You're not a virgin? Have you been with someone else?" Wu Min was flustered and ashamed, thinking about Zhang Lei looking at her private parts. She hadn't recovered from the tension, fear, and excitement she had just experienced. Hearing his question, she quickly opened her eyes wide and said, "No, I haven't been with anyone else." Zhang Lei said, "You didn't bleed."

Wu Min didn't think of anything at that moment. She sat up abruptly and looked down at herself. Sure enough, there wasn't a trace of blood. After a moment, she looked up at Zhang Lei and said, "I really haven't, I really haven't been with anyone else. I felt a little pain just now." Zhang Lei didn't speak, just stared at her. Wu Min met his eyes and suddenly felt a sense of fear. Desperate to defend herself, she looked at him and said, "Believe me, this is my first time even kissing. I haven't, I really haven't." Zhang Lei still didn't speak. Wu Min felt disappointed and wronged; a strong sadness from being misunderstood and distrusted overwhelmed her. Her eyes pleaded as she looked at him, and large tears instantly streamed down her face. She covered her face with her hands, saying, "I didn't, I just didn't." Then she turned away and wept bitterly.

Zhang Lei could tell she wasn't faking it. He thought back to the women he'd been with; similar things had happened before, even though those women had also insisted they were innocent, and he hadn't believed them then either. But he hadn't seen this kind of honesty in Wu Min's eyes. He remembered reading in books that a woman's hymen could rupture for various reasons, and seeing Wu Min's heartbroken tears made him feel guilty. He pulled her close and said, "Don't cry, I believe you."

Wu Min became even more heartbroken upon hearing this, and hugged him tightly, sobbing in his arms, "I really haven't been with anyone else. I don't know why I haven't... haven't bled." Zhang Lei stroked her hair and said, "It's my fault, I was just curious. Actually, I read in a book that there are different reasons for the rupture of the hymen, such as excessive exercise."

Hearing this, Wu Min stopped crying and said, "But I don't do much exercise." Zhang Lei said, "There could be other reasons." Wu Min thought for a moment and said, "Could it be during basic training..." Zhang Lei asked, "Did you feel anything then?" Wu Min said, "One day I felt some pain and bled a little. I had just finished my period, and I thought I wasn't clean yet."

Zhang Lei said, "That's probably when it broke. Okay, don't think about it." After saying that, he turned Wu Min to lie down on the bed and pulled the blanket over them both. Wu Min curled up in his arms.

Wu Min asked, "Do you really like me?" Zhang Lei hugged her tightly and said, "Yes." Wu Min felt a surge of sweetness in her heart. Wu Min asked, "Have you wanted to be with me for a long time...?" Zhang Lei hummed in agreement and kissed her forehead. Wu Min said, "How could you like a girl from the countryside like me?" Zhang Lei said, "I didn't mean to look down on people from the countryside." Wu Min thought for a moment and said, "I know in my heart that you won't like me. I'm not very pretty either." Zhang Lei said, "But you're very cute, really." Wu Min said, "I don't dare to hope for you, I'll be content if you like me." Zhang Lei said, "I really like you, otherwise I wouldn't have done this with you." Wu Min sighed and said, "I'm content. But I know in my heart that I'm not good enough for you." Zhang Lei was speechless. Wu Min said, "I just long for you to always like me." Zhang Lei said, "I will. I'll take good care of you." Wu Min said, "Thank you, it's enough that you have me in your heart." Zhang Lei said, "Even if this hadn't happened between us today, I would still have helped you get promoted." Wu Min said, "I'm really grateful to you. I don't regret giving you my first time today at all. I just feel bad that I didn't let you see me bleed." Zhang Lei laughed and said, "Silly girl, I was just wondering earlier. Now I'm 100% sure it's your first time." Wu Min burst into tears. She hugged him tightly and said, "Thank you. I'll give myself to you whenever you want for the rest of your life." Zhang Lei was moved and said, "Wu Min, I like you."

After a moment of silence, Wu Min said, "I know you like Director Liu. You two are a perfect match. I hope you'll be happy." Zhang Lei's heart sank. After a while, he said,

"I won't lie to you, I really like her, and I want her to be my wife. But I still don't understand her feelings. To be honest, even though we're laughing and joking together, I always feel like she doesn't have any feelings for me." Wu Min said, "She's very beautiful, the kind of very elegant. Maybe she has feelings for you right now, but she doesn't show it on her face." Zhang Lei nodded and said, "Your analysis makes sense. That's probably it. I hope you can help me in the future." Wu Min's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "How can I help you?" Zhang Lei said, "I don't know, we'll talk about it later. Anyway, if I need your help, you must help me." Wu Min said, "I will."

Wu Min was thinking about what she could do to help him, and a wave of jealousy welled up in her heart. Zhang Lei said, "Shall we watch a video?" Wu Min nodded shyly. Zhang Lei climbed off the bed naked, turned on the TV and video recorder, inserted the tape, turned around, sat on the edge of the bed, and then hugged the naked Wu Min in his arms. The two of them stared intently at the TV. This was the first time Wu Min had ever seen anything like it. Even though she had just had sex with Zhang Lei, she was still terrified and her face flushed. She quickly closed her eyes and said, "I don't want to see, I don't want to see. Turn it off!" Zhang Lei smiled and said, "Still shy?" Wu Min said, "How can these people be like this?" Zhang Lei's hands grasped her breasts and said, "This is more comfortable." Wu Min shook her head, but hearing the moans coming from the television, she couldn't help but open her eyes again. She saw a woman writhing on top of a man, making exaggerated noises. The thrusting at their point of contact was filmed so clearly.

Just then, Zhang Lei picked her up, and his hard object entered her from below. Wu Min felt it was very deep, but also incredibly pleasurable. Zhang Lei whispered in her ear, "Does this feel good?" Wu Min nodded, her face flushed. Zhang Lei said, "Move." Wu Min's eyes were fixed on the television, and she actually started moving. Zhang Lei's hands kneaded her breasts, and the pleasure from the up-and-down motion drove Wu Min wild. As she moved up and down, she looked down and saw Zhang Lei's penis going in and out of her, which excited her even more. Each time it reached the bottom, she felt a little pain, but also a stronger tingling sensation. Suddenly, Zhang Lei sat up, making her kneel, and his hard penis went straight in from behind. Wu Min saw this action on TV, so she cooperated with Zhang Lei. After a while, Wu Min suddenly felt a strange sensation in her body, like she needed to urinate, followed by a huge wave of pleasure that swept through her body, and she felt waves of trembling inside her. This feeling was like ascending to heaven. After a series of violent thrusts, Zhang Lei pulled out, and streams of semen shot onto her back. The two of them collapsed on the bed like two wet mud bricks, panting heavily. The erotic moans from the TV continued to emanate.

After a while, the two of them got up, and Zhang Lei took the towel and wiped the semen off Wu Min's back. Wu Min curled up there, not wanting to move. Zhang Lei got out of bed, turned off the TV and video recorder, and lay back on the bed, saying, "This is so comfortable it's almost unbearable." Wu Min smiled silently, thinking to herself, "I never thought something like this would feel like this; it's like heaven." Zhang Lei rolled over and hugged her, asking, "Now you know how comfortable it is, right?" Wu Min didn't answer, her face turning red again. After lying there for a while, Wu Min asked, "What time is it?" Zhang Lei took out his watch and looked at it, saying, "Almost ten o'clock." Wu Min sat up abruptly, saying, "It's too late; I have to go back. It's not good if I go back too late." Zhang Lei stretched and said, "Okay, let's go back." So the two of them got dressed.

Wu Min bent down to make the bed, and Zhang Lei said, "Just leave it there." Wu Min didn't say anything, picked up the blanket, folded it, put it away, and then smoothed out the sheets. Zhang Lei suddenly noticed the condom on the pillow and quickly tucked it under the pillow. Wu Min looked at it and laughed, saying, "Why don't you use it?" Zhang Lei smiled and said, "You saw it." Wu Min nodded. He bent down and picked up the towel he had used to wipe away the filth. Zhang Lei said, "I don't like using it, it's uncomfortable." Wu Min asked, "Where's the bathroom?" Zhang Lei said it was downstairs. Wu Min then took the towel and left the bedroom.

While urinating in the bathroom, she felt a slight pain in her lower body. After washing the towel with soap, Zhang Lei came over. Once inside the bathroom, they hugged and kissed for a while. Zhang Lei said, "I got you some snacks and drinks." Wu Min blushed and said, "I don't want any." Zhang Lei said, "They were all gifts from friends, I don't eat much." They washed their hands and faces in the bathroom. After tidying their military uniforms, they left together.
When they were still a few hundred meters from the club, Wu Min said not to drive all the way there, but to get off here, as it wouldn't be good if someone saw them. Zhang Lei stopped the car in a dark corner, and they hugged and kissed for a while. Wu Min got out of the car, carrying the bag of groceries Zhang Lei had given her, and walked back to the club.

Love and Desire (71)

Chapter Sixty-Nine:

Xu Hui received a reply from Ouyang Mei. In the letter, she said that she was in very good condition and had no tension or fear before the exam. She said that she was very confident in herself. She

also told her that she had received a letter from her brother and would not write back to him alone. She asked her to tell her brother to rest assured. She also said that the whole family missed Xu Hui very much, especially her grandmother who always talked about her. Since receiving the food sent by Xu Hui last time, she has praised Ouyang Yiming's wife to everyone she meets, saying that she is beautiful and filial to the elderly. She is also proud to have such a sister-in-law. She also said that after her brother marries her, he will not call her sister-in-law but "elder sister" so that it will seem like the closest relationship. She has no sister and really hopes to have one. Now that she has a sister-in-law and an elder sister, she is excited when she thinks about it.

Xu Hui was quite happy after reading the letter. How could she not be happy that she could also have such a younger sister? Thinking about it, she has no brothers and sisters and has always envied families with brothers, sisters and elders. Little did she expect that all of this would come true after she fell in love with Ouyang Yiming in college. Although they were Ouyang Yiming's siblings and his elderly relatives, she considered them her own family. She couldn't help but smile when she remembered Ouyang Yiming's grandmother constantly saying she was Ouyang Yiming's wife. She thought that after marrying Ouyang Yiming, she would definitely bring her grandparents and maternal grandmother to live with them, and take them shopping and sightseeing on their days off. She would use her earnings to buy them food and clothes and take good care of them.

She wanted to tell Ouyang Yiming about Ouyang Mei's reply, but she hadn't had the chance for several days. That evening, after dinner, she and Wu Yingying strolled along the campus path and ran into him. Ouyang Yiming was walking towards them, chatting and laughing with Jiang Yuqi. The four greeted each other with some lighthearted banter, and Jiang Yuqi immediately complimented Xu Hui's beautiful dress.

Xu Hui was wearing a white dress with blue flowers, its waist fitted tightly, her high breasts accentuating her curves. Her bare neck was fair, and her black hair was styled high behind her head. She stood tall and graceful, exuding both youthful charm and mature elegance. Ouyang Yiming couldn't help but be captivated. Jiang Yuqi said to Ouyang Yiming, "Let's sit over there." Ouyang Yiming nodded. So the four of them sat down in the grass in the garden.

Since Zhu Haitao's arrest and sentencing, Wu Yingying had been depressed, completely lacking her previous cheerfulness, and suddenly seemed much more mature. She spoke very little and rarely went out for walks, only occasionally strolling with Xu Hui. Although the weather was already quite hot, and most girls had changed into pretty dresses, she was still wearing long sleeves and trousers. Deep down, she didn't want to dress up anymore.

She had blushed when she heard Jiang Yuqi compliment Xu Hui's dress, secretly thinking that she didn't share Xu Hui's feelings and felt inferior compared to her. It wasn't because Xu Hui was beautiful, but because she felt inferior that Xu Hui had a man like Ouyang Yiming while she had loved a man unworthy of her love.

After chatting for a while, Xu Hui stood up and pulled Ouyang Yiming along. Ouyang Yiming stood up and followed her a few steps to the side. Xu Hui said, "Meizi replied." Ouyang Yiming said, "Really? I wrote her a letter too." Xu Hui smiled mischievously and said, "She only has me as her sister now, not you as her brother." Ouyang Yiming laughed. Xu Hui said, "Meizi wrote to say she won't write to you anymore, but asked me to tell you she's in a good state of mind. She doesn't feel any pressure about the upcoming college entrance exam."

Ouyang Yiming said, "I was worried she was under pressure, so I talked to her a lot last time. It seems my words worked." Xu Hui laughed and said, "Meizi isn't someone who relaxes just because you say a few words. Her confidence comes from herself, so it's thanks to you that she's listening to you now." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "I'm quite relieved about her now." Xu Hui said, "Were you in a good state of mind before you took the college entrance exam?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, I didn't feel much pressure then. My mother always encouraged me. I think Meizi also listened to a lot of her mother's advice."

Xu Hui said, "It's all about accumulating knowledge over time. But it varies from person to person. I was very nervous when I took the college entrance exam, my mother kept nagging me, and I wasn't very confident myself. Your mother is really good at this. I still have some doubts, why..." Some people are so confident, while others get very nervous before the exam. Confidence isn't something that can be instilled by a few words of advice. Students all undergo psychological counseling before exams. Back then, my classmates always talked about the "black seventh day of the seventh lunar month," because they were afraid of the exam day.

Ouyang Yiming said, "Everyone is different. But our No. 1 High School is very effective in these aspects of education. The teaching level is also high. There's a saying there: entering the gates of No. 1 High School is equivalent to entering the gates of university, and it's true. Every year, 80% of the students have a chance to get into university, and not many get into prestigious universities. My only regret now is not getting into my dream school, Peking University." Xu Hui laughed and said, "I heard Meizi say that you even cried back then." Ouyang Yiming blushed and said, "I was very sad at the time." Xu Hui said, "It was also fate. If your mother hadn't insisted you go to this school, where would I have met you?" Both of them blushed after saying this.

Xu Hui sighed, "Time flies so fast, it's almost that dreaded July 7th again. I wonder how many young men and women are afraid of it now. My only wish is that Meizi will do well." She paused, then looked at Ouyang Yiming and said, "You can accompany her to the exam; we'll be on holiday by then." Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, I'll definitely be there on the day of her exam."

Xu Hui said, "I really want to go with her. But these past few days I've been thinking, will my presence affect her mood?" Ouyang Yiming really didn't want her to go, saying, "You shouldn't go.

She'll be excited to see you." Xu Hui said, "Yes, that's what I'm worried about. I won't go; I'll just silently wish her well."

Xu Hui suddenly remembered the experiment and asked, "Why haven't I heard anything about you and Professor Cheng doing experiments lately?" “This might have to wait until next semester,” Ouyang Yiming said. “The main problem is the raw materials. It's the lean season, and it's not corn harvest time yet. Rural people don't know corn cobs are useful, so they mostly use them for firewood and compost. The school brought some from Shandong a while ago, but it's unusable. Professor Cheng said those raw materials have basically spoiled, turned black, lost their sugar content, and are worthless. We can only buy some valuable ones after this year's corn harvest.”

Xu Hui nodded and said, “I've been wanting to ask you, but I haven't had the chance. I thought Professor Cheng had given up. Is this project very complicated?” Ouyang Yiming said, “It's definitely not easy.

But the theoretical aspects are basically there. The experiment is also a very complex process. Professor Cheng isn't very confident either.” Xu Hui said, “I believe you will succeed.” "With your intelligence and Professor Cheng's erudition, tackling this project shouldn't be too difficult." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words. However, we can't think of things so simply. I'd be satisfied if I could finish this project before graduation, and then I'll use it to write my thesis."

Xu Hui nodded and said, "If you can really succeed before graduation, it will have an immeasurable impact on your job prospects. Regardless of when the Soviet Union started using it, it's still a blank slate in our country. You've done this without any reference points. I think that after you crack it, it will attract the attention of some research institutions in the country, and then you'll become somewhat famous." Ouyang Yiming was excited and smiled, saying, "I don't need to be hypocritical in front of you. I also have the same idea." Xu Hui glanced at him and said, "Don't I know you? You're not interested in politics either; you're a natural scholar. I just hope you'll become a well-known figure in the chemical industry, famous worldwide."

Ouyang Yiming blushed, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I haven't dared to think about that. But I'll be satisfied as long as I can keep researching some topics. I'm really not interested in politics, and I don't think I'm cut out for it, much less want to get involved in those pointless power struggles. I wouldn't dare say I'm a scholar, but I am interested in it. I just hope to be assigned to a research department after graduation."

Xu Hui nodded, her mind turning to what her mother had said about her uncle in Shanghai helping them find jobs. She wondered what kind of organization her uncle planned to place them in. Now, hearing Ouyang Yiming's words, she wanted to quickly write a letter to her mother, asking her to talk to her uncle and try to get them into some research institutions as well. Then she thought, it would be best to visit her uncle's house this summer and talk to him in person.

Seeing Xu Hui's head bowed and silent, Ouyang Yiming asked, "What are you thinking about?" Xu Hui smiled and said, "Nothing much." Xu Hui didn't want to tell Ouyang Yiming these things yet; after all, there was no information, and telling him her thoughts wouldn't make any difference. It would be better to surprise him later when things were settled. Xu Hui said, "Actually, my temperament is similar to yours. If we could be assigned to the same research institution, that would be perfect." Ouyang Yiming nodded involuntarily.

To be honest, no matter what happened between him and Liu Yan in the future, he truly didn't want to leave Xu Hui. However, he also knew it was impossible; a year later, they would definitely go their separate ways. Thinking of this, his heart sank. He turned to see Jiang Yuqi talking earnestly with Wu Yingying, thinking they were probably talking about Jiang Yuqi. He and Jiang Yuqi had visited Zhu Haitao a Sunday.

Jiang Yuqi was indeed talking to Wu Yingying about Zhu Haitao. Jiang Yuqi told her that Zhu Haitao was serving his sentence in the city's Second Prison. Wu Yingying's heart pounded when she heard this, and she asked, "How is he now?"

Jiang Yuqi said, "He seems to be in good spirits, but he's been quite depressed and has resigned himself to his fate."

Wu Yingying felt a pang of guilt, realizing that everything Zhu Haitao had gone through was related to her, and secretly blamed herself for telling Yang Qian about Zhu Haitao in the first place. If she had waited until after he graduated to bring it up, even if he was destined for prison eventually, he would at least have a university degree and could find a job after his release. But now he had nothing.

After a moment of regret, she wondered if Zhu Haitao had told Jiang Yuqi that Yang Qian had reported him, so she asked, "Did Zhu Haitao tell you who reported him?" Jiang Yuqi said, "I'm not afraid you'll blame me, but I did think about it. I had suspicions. This time I asked him, but he wouldn't say, saying he had assured the school leaders and the court that everything he had done was his own fault and he couldn't harm others. But he told me and Ouyang many times that it wasn't about you, and that we shouldn't have any doubts about you. It was someone else, but he couldn't say. I admire that." " I admire Zhu Haitao.

The words he said to me and Ouyang most often were 'I'm sorry,' and he asked us to take care of you as much as we could. I can see that he's sincere towards you." Hearing this, Wu Yingying burst into tears. To be honest, her feelings for Zhu Haitao had never faded. Even when she hated him most, she still harbored feelings for him. Although she had said some harsh things to Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui, and at the time she truly hated Zhu Haitao to the core, she could never completely forget her feelings for him. She knew that Zhu Haitao loved her from the bottom of his heart, but she just couldn't understand why, if he loved her, he would have affairs everywhere? Was this kind of love for him true love?

She also knew that although she could never forget him, it was absolutely impossible for anything to happen between them again. How could this relationship have happened to her, and why did it have to be so confusing? Now she could only accept her fate and silently bury this ill-fated relationship deep in her heart.

Wu Yingying, with tears streaming down her face, said, "Actually, Zhu Haitao is a very kind person. He's not as bad as the classmates say. But I just don't understand how he could be so reckless in this matter. This time, he didn't just hurt himself; he broke so many hearts. How heartbroken his parents must be, and even his friends are saddened and regretful for him. I won't say anything about how he hurt me. Actually, I don't hate him or blame him anymore. I just feel sorry for him. Such a bright future was ruined by his ignorance and foolishness. Can you blame that girl for suing him?

Didn't he think about how heartbroken she was when he did that? I don't want to say anything now. I just hope he can change for the better, and I hope his good friends can understand the girl he hurt."

Jiang Yuqi said, "Zhu Haitao is now also..." He was filled with regret. He was always crying when we met him, but it's too late now. He said he doesn't resent the girl who sued him at all; it's his own fault for not valuing her. Zhu Haitao has received several years of higher education, so he understands these things. Sigh, don't think about it anymore. He's in this situation now anyway; it's fate. You just have to try to be positive. We've all noticed you're upset lately. You need to get out of this shadow. You've been like a different person since Zhu Haitao's incident. I was talking about you with Ouyang the other day, but I haven't had a chance to talk to you. Don't think about anything. Zhu Haitao also said he hopes you forget him.”

Wu Yingying said, “How can I be happy? A while ago, I saw groups of classmates talking, and I thought they were gossiping about me and Zhu…” "Regarding Haitao's matter, I know many people are speculating that I'm the one who reported Zhu Haitao, but who can I explain to? My only wish now is to graduate and leave school as soon as possible; only then will I feel better.

You've seen how reluctant I am to come out lately. It's only because Xu Hui sometimes drags me out to clear my head that I come out. I'm so grateful to Xu Hui for always encouraging me; otherwise, I don't know if I would have been crushed by this pressure."

Jiang Yuqi said, "I admire Xu Hui and Ouyang Yiming from the bottom of my heart. I think Xu Hui's actions are also due to their mutual consideration. Ouyang Yiming can't talk to you directly; he instructed Xu Hui. You should cheer up because of their friendship."

Wu Yingying said, "I can only be grateful to them. These two kind-hearted people, who are selfless and..." It's rare to find someone with even a hint of malice. I just hope they'll be loving and devoted to each other for life; good people get good rewards."

Jiang Yuqi nodded and said, "Their union can be described as the most perfect match in the world. Not only are they so well-matched in appearance, but their personalities and kindness are also so similar. Ouyang is always kind and helpful to everyone, as Zhu Haitao has mentioned to me. He's the person I admire most in my life. I've thought that if anyone were to hurt either of them, I would fight them to the death."

Just then, Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui walked over and sat down. Xu Hui smiled and asked, "What are you two talking about? You seem to be having a lively conversation." Xu Hui said this partly because she hadn't quite shaken off the excitement of talking with Ouyang Yiming, and partly because she wanted to cheer Wu Yingying up. Jiang Yuqi smiled and looked at Wu Yingying without saying anything. Wu Yingying, however, spoke up, "We were just talking about Zhu Haitao."

Hearing this, Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui were both startled. The smile on Xu Hui's face quickly disappeared. Ouyang Yiming said, "Wu Yingying, we haven't had a chance to talk to you for so many days. Since things have come to this, you must get out of this shadow. Look at you lately, are you still the same Wu Yingying? We can't see any trace of the old you in you now. Seeing you like this makes us feel bad too. We're all classmates, we've been studying together for so many years, and we have feelings for each other. We really care about you. Don't think about Zhu Haitao anymore; if you keep thinking like this, your classmates will talk about you even more. Cheer up, try to be happy, and over time you'll adjust your mindset. If you keep acting like this, how will you change your current mood? You'll only ruin yourself."

Wu Yingying listened to Ouyang Yiming... Tears welled up in Ming's eyes again. He said, "I understand your good intentions, but it's really hard to truly move on. You haven't experienced anything like this.

I hope you never have to." Ouyang Yiming said, "We understand how you feel. It depends on whether you can let go. Going out for a walk will make you feel better. I heard from Xu Hui that you haven't wanted to go anywhere lately, and you just stay in your room after class. Zhu Haitao's matter isn't new. How long are you going to continue like this? Are you going to stay like this until graduation or for the rest of your life? That would be ruining yourself. Seeing you like this makes me angry."

Xu Hui quietly tugged at Ouyang Yiming, signaling him to stop talking. Then, he said to Wu Yingying, "I have a suggestion. How about we go out for a day this Sunday? Let's have a happy weekend."

Jiang Yuqi immediately responded, beaming, "I agree completely! I've had this idea for a while. Hey, Xu Hui, bring your camera. We can chip in for everything, from photos to meals. We haven't really gone on a trip together much in all these years of university. This will be a memorable occasion." Xu Hui smiled and said, "Let's do as the leader says." Seeing that Ouyang Yiming didn't speak, she asked, "What do you mean? Do you agree or not?" Jiang Yuqi laughed and said, "Don't ask him. Does he dare not listen to you?" Xu Hui blushed and said to Jiang Yuqi, "You talk too much."

Jiang Yuqi laughed. Ouyang Yiming said, "How could I disagree?"

So the group discussed where to go. Jiang Yuqi suggested going to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, since it's nearby. Xu Hui thought for a moment and said, "I've never been to Qixia Temple. Have any of you been?" Jiang Yuqi said,

"No, it's too far, over 20 kilometers." Xu Hui glanced at him and said, "Couldn't you have gotten up a little earlier?" Jiang Yuqi then asked Ouyang Yiming, "What do you think?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I've never been either. To say that I've been studying here for several years and still haven't been to Qixia Temple, which is said to be over 1,600 years old, would be a laughing stock after graduation. I agree." He then turned to Wu Yingying and asked, "Wu Yingying, what do you think?" Wu Yingying nodded. Ouyang Yiming turned back to Xu Hui and whispered, "I heard that going to Qixia Mountain to see the maple leaves in autumn is the real treat, but unfortunately it's only early summer now."

Jiang Yuqi cleared his throat and chuckled, "Then it's decided. I'd like to say a few words: everyone bring your own water cups and face towels, and of course, toilet paper..." The four of them burst into laughter.

Xu Hui and Wu Yingying lowered their heads in embarrassment. Ouyang Yiming glanced at Zhu Haitao. Jiang Yuqi said, "This matter should be explained." After saying that, he chuckled twice and continued, "Seriously. We don't need too many people. I think just the few of us will do." Xu Hui looked up and said, "Bring Li Xuan along. She likes a lively atmosphere. Otherwise, she'll scold you if she finds out you're not bringing her." Jiang Yuqi quickly glared and said, "What do you mean I'm not bringing her? I'm thinking about her, but I was afraid you wouldn't agree, so I didn't dare say it." Xu Hui said, "Then I'll have to convey your idea to her." The others laughed.

Jiang Yuqi said, "I have another idea." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "Tell us who else you want to bring." Jiang Yuqi waved his hand and said, "No, no, just a few of our best friends will go together. We can talk about anything and it's convenient. I was thinking, why don't we bring some food and have a picnic? Wouldn't that be romantic?" This suggestion was first approved by Xu Hui, who said, "That's a good idea. I'm really worried about the hygiene of the restaurants in this weather." So the group discussed what food to bring. Jiang Yuqi said, "I'll write these down when I get back. The day after tomorrow is Sunday. Everyone, please hand over the money tomorrow. I'll handle the purchasing. It will be done on Saturday night."

Love and Desire (72)

Chapter Seventy

On Sunday morning, Xu Hui and Wu Yingying got up early, washed up, and saw Li Xuan downstairs when they went out. The three of them waited for a while at the bus stop at the school gate before Ouyang Yiming and Jiang Yuqi rushed over. Li Xuan called out to them from afar, "You guys are so lazy! Two buses have already passed." Ouyang Yiming said, "I called him several times before he got up." Jiang Yuqi, carrying a large bag of food, laughed and said, "I didn't sleep well last night." Li Xuan asked, "Who were you thinking about? They're so charming." Jiang Yuqi chuckled and said, "I was so excited! I couldn't sleep thinking about going out with three beautiful girls today." He repeated, "I was so excited I couldn't sleep. Hehe!"

The others laughed. Li Xuan laughed and said, "Kids in their teens are all like that, it's understandable. But we three are all your older sisters, how come you're so mature for such a young age?"

The others laughed again. Jiang Yuqi looked at her and shook his head, saying, "I can't argue with you. You're small but talk big. I just don't understand why I'm so unlucky with you." Li Xuan laughed, "Who's small? Everyone here calls me 'sister,' how dare you call me small?" Jiang Yuqi said, "I'm talking about your head. You could be short and a bit chubby, but I'm afraid when we get to Qixia Mountain, a gust of wind will blow you away."

Wu Yingying suddenly opened her mouth and laughed, "Then you can tie her to your waistband with a rope." Everyone was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. Wu Yingying herself felt strange after saying that. She hadn't felt this way in many days. She couldn't help but blush and lower her head. Xu Hui whispered in her ear, "It's better to get together more often, that way you'll feel better."

Wu Yingying nodded and said, "I really don't know how to thank you." Wu Yingying knew that most of them had come on this trip today to cheer her up. Thinking of Xu Hui and the others' painstaking efforts to help him escape his current predicament, he felt deeply grateful.

Qixia Temple is located on the western slope of the central peak of Qixia Mountain. It was first built in the seventh year of the Yongming era of the Southern Qi Dynasty, and has a history of over 1600 years. During the Liu Song Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, the recluse Ming Sengshao lived in seclusion on Sheshan Mountain, donating his residence to become a temple, named "Qixia Hermitage." Emperor Gaozong of Tang renamed "Qixia Hermitage" to "Gongde Temple" and added forty-nine palaces and temples. At that time, it was known as one of the "Four Great Buddhist Temples in the World," along with Lingyan Temple in Changqing, Shandong; Yuquan Temple in Jingshan, Hubei; and Guoqing Temple in Tiantai, Zhejiang. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times. The current temple was rebuilt in the thirty-fourth year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. Its main buildings include the mountain gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Vairocana Hall, the Shecui Tower, and the Sutra Repository. Although small in scale, it retains its original appearance and is the largest Buddhist temple in Jinling. While the five of them were changing buses, Jiang Yuqi saw a street food stall and suggested they eat. Xu Hui frowned as she looked at the men and women hurriedly eating at the stall. Ouyang Yiming, observing closely, said, "Let's walk a little further; there are too many people here." Jiang Yuqi, eyeing the beef soup in front of a shop, said with longing, "Li's beef soup is amazing. I had it once on Phoenix Street, and wow, it was so fragrant and mouthwatering!" Xu Hui pouted and said, "How can you feel comfortable drinking such spicy soup so early in the morning?" Jiang Yuqi said, "You haven't tried it; it's not spicy at all. Li's beef soup uses carefully selected ingredients and is stewed until tender; the taste is truly delicious. Let's try it!" As he spoke, he stopped, but no one stopped, and they followed him. Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "It's a pity this isn't the Li family's. These ladies don't like the food either. I'll go to Phoenix Street with you another day."

Xu Hui, hearing this, asked Ouyang Yiming, "Do you want a drink? Otherwise, we can eat here." Li Xuan giggled and said, "Your change of heart is too fast! Just now, Jiang Yuqi wanted to eat, but you refused. Now, Ouyang has barely uttered a word, and you're already saying we can eat here. You're too affectionate! Where does that leave Jiang Yuqi's face?" Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui blushed. Xu Hui said, "You're so cunning. I was just asking you." Jiang Yuqi waved her hand and said, "Alright, alright, I won't say anything more. I'll eat whatever you take me to. I don't have any status here." Everyone laughed.

Ouyang Yiming blushed and said, "I don't like drinking this morning either. I was saying I'd try it in a few nights." Jiang Yuqi said, "Hey, that's a good idea. His shop has a special snack called 'Niu Ba' that's really flavorful." Li Xuan asked, "What's Niu Ba?" Jiang Yuqi said, "It's beef brisket. It's incredibly fragrant. Last time, Zhu Haitao and I..." He stopped abruptly, glancing furtively at Wu Yingying. Seeing her head down, he blushed and stuck his tongue out at Ouyang Yiming.

Actually, everyone had been listening carefully. Wu Yingying was listening to Jiang Yuqi's boasting when she suddenly heard the name Zhu Haitao. Her heart sank, her face changed instantly, and she lowered her head. Seeing this, Xu Hui took Wu Yingying's arm. Wu Yingying smiled gratefully at her and whispered, "It's okay." Li Xuan glared at Jiang Yuqi.

Ouyang Yiming saw a shop sign outside an alleyway at the next intersection that read "Breakfast Tofu Pudding," and stopped to say, "Let's eat here. They have tofu pudding here, do you like it?" Everyone agreed. So they went over, and the shop was clean and tidy, unlike the messy street stalls they had seen earlier. Xu Hui said, "This is a proper place to eat."

They found a table and sat down. Ouyang Yiming asked for their opinions and ordered two baskets of steamed buns and three bowls of tofu pudding. Xu Hui and Wu Yingying ordered two bowls of soy milk, and Jiang Yuqi wanted to eat fried dough sticks wrapped in crepes.

So the five of them ate. Li Xuan finished eating, got up, and patted Jiang Yuqi, saying, "If you're not full, have another roll." Jiang Yuqi looked up at her and said, "Do you think I'm a glutton?" Her voice was a little loud. The other diners turned to look. Some of the ladies covered their mouths and giggled, while the men chuckled a couple of times before turning back to continue eating. The people at Ouyang Yiming's table blushed. No one said anything, and they quickly got up and left after finishing their meal.

As soon as they stepped outside, Li Xuan couldn't help but laugh. Ouyang Yiming looked at Jiang Yuqi and said, "Why are you shouting so loudly?" Jiang Yuqi said embarrassedly, "I forgot for a moment." Li Xuan laughed and said,

"It's a good thing I didn't let him drink the beef soup, otherwise I would have scared everyone away from eating." Jiang Yuqi asked, "What does this have to do with drinking beef soup?" Li Xuan laughed and said, "You're such a little kid,

you won't admit it. Think about it, how strong is an ox? Wouldn't you have shouted even louder?" Everyone laughed again. After laughing, Jiang Yuqi said to Li Xuan, "Isn't this all your fault?" Li Xuan glared at him and said, "You're biting the hand that feeds you.

I'm just concerned about you." Jiang Yuqi waved his hands repeatedly and said, "Okay, okay, I didn't understand." Then he laughed. Everyone laughed.

When the group arrived by car, the temple had just opened. The two bronze elephants in front of the ancient temple were quite unique: they had a treasure vase on their backs (a metaphor for protection) and a ruyi scepter curled around their trunks, which immediately evoked a sense of joy. Three ladies stood in front of the bronze statue and posed for a group photo with Jiang Yuqi. They then asked tourists to take photos with the five of them before heading towards the mountain gate.

As Ouyang Yiming followed the group through the gate, he quietly pulled Xu Hui aside and whispered in her ear, "I won't be able to properly bow in front of them later." Xu Hui glanced at him and nodded. After taking a few steps, she added:

“I'll see what they do. If they want to worship, I'll worship too,” Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, “Then you can do as they please. I can't.” He smiled at her and added, “I'm part of the organization now, so I should be an atheist.” Xu Hui frowned and whispered, “If you don't want to worship, fine, but don't talk nonsense here.” Seeing her serious expression, Ouyang Yiming didn't say anything, but he was still impressed by Xu Hui's piety towards Buddhism.

Entering the Amitabha Hall, they saw the Amitabha Buddha seated about ten meters tall, with a seat about two meters high. The temple hall was brightly lit with candles, filled with the smoke of incense. Many devout men and women were burning incense and worshipping Buddha. Xu Hui didn't worship after hearing Ouyang Yiming's words. Wu Yingying, on the other hand, lit incense and knelt down with a devout expression. Then Li Xuan followed suit. Jiang Yuqi watched them, smiled, and shook her head at Ouyang Yiming, feeling a little embarrassed by their behavior. After Li Xuan finished worshiping, Xu Hui glanced at Ouyang Yiming and then lit incense and knelt down to worship as well. Ouyang Yiming pulled Jiang Yuqi along, and they passed through the temple halls and out the back door.

After waiting a while by the door, three ladies came out. The five of them stood at the stupa. The stupa was not large; it was an octagonal, five-eaved white jade stupa, about fifteen meters high. It was built on a Sumeru pedestal, surrounded by railings, with lotus petals, a Sumeru pedestal, and an upturned lotus supporting the stupa. Above the pedestal was an upturned lotus-shaped flat platform. Each eave was carved from a single piece of stone, with deep eaves and raised rounded moldings under the eaves. There were no carved brackets, and the carvings on the columns and beams were simple and restrained. The sturdy finial was very well-proportioned. Although it largely imitated the shape of wooden structures, it did not lose the naturalness of the stone and the graceful style that a small stupa should have. The stone surface of the stupa was covered with reliefs. On each side of the waist of the Sumeru pedestal were the eight phases of Shakyamuni's enlightenment, depicting the story of Shakyamuni's renunciation and practice of Buddhism: conception, birth, travel, asceticism, meditation, preaching, subduing Mara, and Nirvana. The first level of the pagoda is relatively tall, adorned with carvings of the Four Heavenly Kings and images of Manjushri and Samantabhadra. Each side of each subsequent level is carved with small Buddha statues. The lotus-shaped stone spire was added in modern times.

Originally built in the Sui Dynasty, this stone stupa, despite enduring over a thousand years of wind and rain, remains intact.

People took photos in front of the pagoda. Climbing the steps, we arrived at Thousand Buddha Ridge. Although not large, Thousand Buddha Ridge contains 515 stone Buddhas of varying sizes, arranged in groups of five or six per niche or seven or eight per chamber. The statues range in size from several meters tall to just a foot tall, each with a unique and lifelike form. These grotto Buddha statues are over a thousand years old. Legend has it that the stonemason who carved the Buddhas, to demonstrate his unwavering devotion to Buddhism, worked tirelessly day and night, meticulously carving his 515th statue of himself before passing away, leaving behind an enduring legacy. So much so that when later generations came to Thousand Buddha Ridge and saw the stone Buddhas of various shapes, they not only praised his will but also marveled at his craftsmanship.

The group of five took turns viewing and taking photos, speaking very little. As Ouyang Yiming was carefully observing, Jiang Yuqi pulled him aside and gestured towards Wu Yingying, who was not far away. Ouyang Yiming glanced over and saw Wu Yingying weeping in front of a Buddha statue. Just as he was about to go over, he saw Li Xuan walk over, put her arm around Wu Yingying's shoulder, and say a few words. The two didn't leave. A moment later, he looked again and saw Li Xuan also weeping. He then approached Xu Hui, who was standing with her eyes closed and hands clasped in front of a Buddha statue, and pulled her aside, saying, "Go and tell Wu Yingying and Li Xuan.

Many people are watching them cry." Xu Hui turned around, surprised, and quickly walked over, saying a few words. The three ladies

then left. Moving uphill from the stone Buddhas, they reached Sha Mao Peak and arrived at Changguan Pavilion. Although Changguan Pavilion wasn't particularly special, it lived up to its name. The view of Qixia Mountain from Changguan Pavilion is quite unique, with rolling hills and dense forests in the distance. Maple trees cluster in the valleys. Looking back at the Thousand Buddha Temple, a historical site from the Six Dynasties period, its red walls and black tiles are nestled among the lush greenery. Looking down at Qianfu Ridge from Changguan Pavilion, one sees even more bizarre rocks, one after another, with crisscrossing crevices, resembling a stampede of horses; crevices connected to crevices, like a babbling brook.

Leaving Changguan Pavilion and heading north down the mountain, one reaches Huashan Pavilion. Huashan Pavilion is quaint and elegant, with a gently flowing stream beside it and a forest of maple trees all around. Viewing the maple leaves from Huashan Pavilion is a truly special experience.

Rows of tall triangular maples stand tall; clusters of purple-leaf plums surround the trees. A gentle breeze causes the maple branches to sway leisurely. It's a pity that it's summer, and we can't see the beautiful scenery of the mountains ablaze with red maple leaves. Ouyang Yiming thought that he would definitely come back again in the autumn before graduation.

It was noon, and after resting for a while, Jiang Yuqi suggested lunch. So they went into the woods, found a secluded shady spot, used a slightly flat, protruding rock as a table, spread a white plastic sheet on it, and laid out the food Jiang Yuqi and Ouyang Yiming had bought the night before. They squatted down and began to eat. While eating, Jiang Yuqi said, "I, Old Jiang, have to say I've worked the hardest today. This bag of stuff has exhausted me. I want to thank everyone." Li Xuan glanced at him and said, "Just say thank you directly! This roundabout way sounds awkward." Jiang Yuqi said, "No, it's me who should thank you. You've all evenly distributed the weight on my back into your own stomachs, lightening my burden. Shouldn't I thank you?" Everyone laughed.

Wu Yingying said, "Jiang Yuqi really worked hard today." Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuqi slapped his thigh and said, "See? I love hearing my little sister Yingying say that. The hardship goes without saying, but with your words, I'd love to carry it all afternoon. Too bad." Everyone laughed again. Xu Hui said, "Just as Li Xuan said, my little brother can make anyone laugh after just a few words." Jiang Yuqi laughed and said, "Anyone here can call me little brother except you." Xu Hui asked, "Why?" Jiang Yuqi said, "Who's older between you and Ouyang? You don't need to say, you're a year younger than me. But Ouyang is more than two months younger than me. If Ouyang were older than me, it would be right for me to call you 'sister.'" Xu Hui blushed. Ouyang Yiming glared at Jiang Yuqi and said, "You talk too much."

He ate and laughed. Suddenly, Wu Yingying burst into tears and said, "I'm really happy today. Thank you all, my good classmates. I know you all came here today for me.

I won't say anything more, I'll just toast you all with this drink." She picked up the bottle and stood up. The other four, hearing her sorrowful words, also felt a pang of sadness and stood up, grabbing their bottles as well. Li Xuan, tears welling in her eyes, said, "Although we still have a year before graduation, the thought of parting with you all still hurts." Jiang Yuqi, his face grave, said, "Yes, I really wish we could live together forever. It's fate that we, these good brothers and sisters, met in this university. I hope the five of us will always remember this day. I have a suggestion: after graduation, no matter how far apart we are, we must never lose touch.

No matter who gets married or has children, we must all get together." Everyone nodded. Jiang Yuqi extended his right hand, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Let Qixia Mountain bear witness that our hearts will forever be connected." The five of them clasped hands tightly. Each took a sip of their drink, tears still in their eyes.

After sitting down, everyone still felt heavy-hearted. They remained silent for a while, finishing their meal in silence. After sitting for a while, Li Xuan pulled Jiang Yuqi aside and led him to a tree not far away. Li Xuan blushed and said, "Yuqi, I don't know if you're upset with me." Jiang Yuqi knew Li Xuan was referring to his rejection of her advances, and his face flushed instantly. He said, "No, I really haven't upset you."

Li Xuan said, "Actually, I don't want to explain anything. I hope you can understand my feelings. We're good friends, lifelong friends. But as husband and wife, I feel we're not very suitable. To say something you might find confusing, I feel I'm not good enough for you." Jiang Yuqi quickly waved his hands and said, "No, no, please don't say that. I can't understand what you're saying..." Li Xuan said, "You probably don't understand."

"Sigh, don't ask anymore. We're just good friends. I'm older than you, so if you want, you can treat me like an older sister." Jiang Yuqi nodded, still puzzled. Li Xuan would never tell anyone what she had done, so she said to Zhu Haitao, "First of all, I considered that I'm older than you. Secondly, our homes are too far apart, and our lifestyles are different in many ways. If we were to get married, would you want to go to my place or would I want to go to yours? Also, I can see that despite your usual carefree attitude, you and I are both very ambitious people. We're different from Ouyang and Xu Hui. They're people who are indifferent to worldly affairs and don't want to get involved in power, or rather, they're the kind of people who focus on scholarship. We're the opposite. Right now, we don't have a platform to demonstrate our power. Once we have such a platform, neither of us is the type to be content with solitude. I see that very clearly. Scholars can become very loving and harmonious couples, like Ouyang and Xu Hui. But people with our personalities can't be husband and wife. Even if we got married, we wouldn't have a happy life." I was also quite emotional after receiving your letter, but I thought about it a lot. I didn't explain it to you then; I figured if I did, you'd just ask me more questions, so I waited until you calmed down before telling you. Actually, I'd wanted to tell you for a while but never had the chance. During that time, I saw you were downcast, and it hurt me too. But I saw you quickly recover from your depression, so I stopped contacting you. But I want to explain to you that this day would come eventually. I hope you can think things through. I also hope you can find a gentle and beautiful woman to be your wife. Knowing your personality, I think you definitely wouldn't choose someone like me who seems easygoing but is actually strong-willed. And like you, I can only find a gentle man to be my husband. Only in this way can we build a perfect family. Jiang

Yuqi listened quietly to Li Xuan's words, and he couldn't help but admire the insightful analysis and perspectives of the seemingly frail Li Xuan. He hadn't really considered these things much.

However, after Ouyang Yiming's advice, he hadn't thought about them much. Now, after listening to Li Xuan, he nodded and said, "What you said makes a lot of sense. Now that I think about it, I do have the kind of personality you described. Yes, people with these two personalities can't have a happy family. To be honest, Li Xuan, I really admire your analytical and self-control abilities; I'm truly ashamed of myself in that regard.

Your future potential is limitless." Li Xuan smiled and said, "Actually, you'll understand if you think about it more. I'm probably just more experienced and older than you. As for ability, I don't want to be hypocritical in front of you. I feel I'm no worse than you men. You won't laugh at me for saying this, will you?" Jiang Yuqi said, "How could I laugh at you? I admire you so much." Li Xuan smiled and said, "That's a bit of a compliment." "I hope we can both have a platform to showcase our abilities in the future." Jiang Yuqi smiled and said, "Okay, may our careers be smooth sailing from now on." Li Xuan smiled and extended her hand, saying, "Come on, shake hands. Let's wish each other well." The two shook hands and smiled. Li Xuan said, "Don't let them hear us, or they'll say we're a pair of lunatics."

The two turned to look at them and saw Wu Yingying saying something. Li Xuan sighed and said, "I just hope Wu Yingying can get out of this shadow as soon as possible."

After Jiang Yuqi and Li Xuan left, the three were silent for a while. Wu Yingying said, "Actually, I came here not long after I started university." Xu Hui looked at her and said, "I've never heard you mention it." Wu Yingying said, "I came here that time because of my grandfather." Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui looked at her suspiciously. Wu Yingying said, "Actually, a little-known event happened here, which my grandfather personally experienced. He only told me about it before I came here to study, and he told me I must come and pay my respects." Xu Hui asked, "Is your grandfather connected to this place?" Wu Yingying replied, "My grandfather was an officer in the Kuomintang army before liberation. After liberation, because he had served in the Kuomintang army, he was persecuted many times, so he never came here to express his gratitude. I'm only telling you two now because, to be honest, our country is still opposed to the Kuomintang, so there are some things I won't disclose. Don't say anything after you hear this."

Wu Yingying continued, "This goes back to the year of the Nanjing Massacre. When the Japanese entered Nanjing, they began to kill people, and the people in the city fled everywhere. During the Battle of Nanjing, Kuomintang soldiers who couldn't retreat in time, led by high-ranking general Liao Yaoxiang, also hid in Qixia Temple. Accompanying them were five officers of regimental rank or above and more than thirty soldiers. My grandfather was one of those five officers of regimental rank or above." "

According to my grandfather, tens of thousands of people came here to take refuge in just a few days. The first few days were peaceful, but after a few days, a Japanese army came. " At that time, there was a monk named Yueji at the temple who had studied in Japan in his youth. He spoke fluent Tokyo dialect. After the Japanese arrived, he and the abbot, Master Jiran, negotiated with the Japanese, managing to prevent the Japanese commander from massacring the refugees. They escaped this calamity. However, the number of refugees seeking refuge at Qixia Temple increased, and feeding and caring for the sick became the biggest difficulties for these tens of thousands of people. Monk Yueji risked his life to lead his disciples into the city to beg for alms, searching for food and medicine. Their meals also decreased from three meals a day at the beginning to two meals a day, and even one meal a day. A few days later, this group of Japanese soldiers left, but another group arrived. This time, Monk Yueji could not stop the Japanese soldiers from committing atrocities. On the 9th, a Japanese soldier broke into the temple and openly defiled a seventeen-year-old girl in the temple hall. The enraged refugees rushed forward and killed the Japanese soldier. That day was January 14th; my grandfather remembers it very clearly. A truck full of Japanese soldiers arrived at Qixia Temple. They took nine oxen from outside the temple and forced the refugees inside to slaughter them. While the Chinese were butchering the oxen, the Japanese soldiers set fire to nearby houses to pass the time. On the 15th, a group of Japanese soldiers swarmed in and seized ten young women from among the refugees in the temple, subjecting them to all sorts of abuse in the temple hall. One drunken Japanese soldier, unable to find any girls, went berserk and opened fire, killing two boys on the spot.

To deal with the Japanese devils rushing into the temple at any time, Master Jiran had more than thirty Kuomintang soldiers shave their heads and dress as monks. They not only had to outwit and outmaneuver the Japanese soldiers on the ground, but also had to guard against Japanese planes in the air. The old monks of Qixia Temple came up with a solution: they imitated the international refugee zone and raised a flag above the temple that read "Qixia Temple Refugee Camp," thus avoiding Japanese air raids. From December 13, 1937, to March 1938, the last batch of refugees were transferred to the international safety zone. There were over 24,000 refugees who sought refuge at Qixia Temple. After that, my grandfather retreated with the army. For many years, he wanted to come here to thank the temple for saving his life, but he never managed to do so. Therefore, he instructed me to come here to express his gratitude after I came to study here. In recent years, due to political reasons, there has been no news about my grandfather and other Kuomintang generals who protected the people.”

After listening, Xu Hui sighed and said, “I never thought that such a terrifying thing would happen in this quiet Buddhist place. However, Kuomintang soldiers like your grandfather are very admirable.”

Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, “Don’t talk about this with anyone now. No matter what, the current situation is what it is. I think the truth will come out in the future. It’s better to keep quiet for now.” Xu Hui and Wu Yingying nodded.

At this moment, Jiang Yuqi and Li Xuan walked over. Wu Yingying was now as cheerful as before and asked with a smile, “Are you done whispering?” Li Xuan laughed and said, “Yes, I had a little romance with my little brother.

Hehe, a relationship between an older woman and a younger man is quite fun. ” Everyone laughed. Xu Hui pointed at her and said, "Look at your mouth, you can say anything."

After laughing for a while, Wu Yingying was about to clean up the leftovers when Jiang Yuqi said, "Don't rush, let's leave a memento here so that we can remember our words clearly in the future." So Jiang Yuqi picked up his camera, found a stone not far away, put the camera on it, set it to automatic, and took two group photos behind the stone table where the five of them were eating.

They left the woods and climbed along the main road toward their final destination, Wangjiang Pavilion. Wangjiang Pavilion is located on the highest peak of Qixia Mountain, where you can see the mighty Yangtze River. Climbing up to Wangjiang Pavilion, you can see the river like a ribbon, with rolling white waves winding from west to east. What a magnificent and awe-inspiring scene.

Love and Desire (73)

Chapter Seventy-One

Two days before leaving school for summer vacation, Ouyang Yiming called Liu Yan. Liu Yan asked if he could come to Jianghan City, saying she missed him terribly. After a moment's thought, Ouyang Yiming still didn't agree, saying his younger sister was taking the college entrance exam in a few days and he needed to go back to be with her. Ouyang Yiming was indeed very worried about his sister, especially with the college entrance exam in July, which seemed to determine her fate

. But his reasons for refusing Liu Yan weren't just that. Although he longed to see Liu Yan immediately, the thought of her family made him shudder. This involuntary fear and aversion to high-ranking families stopped him. He even wondered if he would have the courage to meet her parents even if they approved of their relationship. He knew he would have to bite the bullet and go anyway. What would Liu Yan's parents think of him? Would they see him as a parasite, someone who wanted to rely on them for everything? He couldn't tolerate that. He also imagined how awkward he would be when he met them. The thought of that day filled him with unease.

Liu Yan seemed somewhat angry at Ouyang Yiming's refusal. When she heard him say he was afraid to meet her parents, she said, "You didn't come here just to see my parents; I just wanted to see you. You can stay in a hotel; I didn't say you had to come to my house. I haven't told my parents about this yet; I wanted to wait until closer to your graduation to tell them." To be honest, Liu Yan was also worried that her parents would object if she revealed her relationship with Ouyang Yiming. She was also somewhat afraid. If her parents objected, how would she explain it to Ouyang Yiming? Letting him know would definitely affect his mood and studies. She thought to herself that when her parents saw Ouyang Yiming's photo, they would definitely demand to see him in person. Since Ouyang Yiming was studying, he might not be willing to meet them, and wouldn't she be in a very awkward situation? She was worried about both her parents and Ouyang Yiming. When Ouyang Yiming insisted on waiting until just before graduation, saying he would definitely go after she and her parents publicly announced their relationship, Liu Yan thought for a moment and didn't say anything more, just told him that he would have time after he went home and to call her every few days. Ouyang Yiming agreed.

The day before leaving school, Xu Hui also took the opportunity to tell Ouyang Yiming that after Ouyang Mei finished her exams, the three of them should go to Suzhou for a few days. Ouyang Yiming also knew that if he went to Suzhou, he would have to visit Xu Hui's home. Although he had met Xu Hui's mother, he still didn't want to go to her house. This was partly because he felt guilty towards Xu Hui about his relationship with Liu Yan, and partly because he thought that if he went to her house and met her family, they would definitely assume he was Xu Hui's fiancé. Knowing that there was no future with Xu Hui, how could he face such acceptance? But he didn't know how to refuse Xu Hui, so he said he would go back and see what Ouyang Mei said; if she was willing, they could go together.

Xu Hui was very excited to hear this. It's said that Ouyang Mei would definitely be willing to go. Xu Hui wanted Ouyang Yiming to visit her home for two reasons: firstly, she herself was eager for him to go; secondly, after her mother met Ouyang Yiming, she naturally mentioned it to Xu Hui's father, Xu Zhenming, upon returning home. Xu Zhenming was very satisfied after hearing it and was also eager to meet this future son-in-law, whom Xu Hui and her mother praised like a precious gem.

Xu Hui went to Ouyang Yiming's home during winter vacation. Xu Zhenming didn't think too much about it. He knew that with Ouyang Yiming's family, they would definitely be very careful about their children's words and actions, so he wasn't worried that Xu Hui and Ouyang Yiming would do anything. However, Xu Hui's grandmother complained several times, blaming the couple for being immature. She said it was unseemly for a young girl to visit her future son-in-law's home like that, and she wasn't afraid of being laughed at. Xu Zhenming and his wife just let her say what she wanted. When Xu Hui returned, her grandmother naturally gave her another scolding, then quietly asked if she had slept with the boy there and if she had let him touch her.

Xu Hui knew what the old woman was thinking, so she explained gently. Then she took out the pastries that Ouyang Yiming's grandmother had brought her, saying that there was also an elderly woman in Ouyang Yiming's family, about her age, who was also a Buddhist. Only then did her grandmother smile and say that a Buddhist wouldn't let their child do bad things. Then she said that she also wanted to meet the boy. Xu Hui said that she would wait until summer vacation, and he might come then.

So now, hearing Ouyang Yiming say that Ouyang Mei was definitely okay, and since Ouyang Yiming said so today, he would definitely go this summer vacation.

July was already midsummer. Waking up in the morning, one could feel being surrounded by waves of heat. As soon as the sun rose, it was as if it had set the ground on fire, the relentless heat devouring the earth and

scorching everything . A few gray-white clouds drifted lazily across the azure sky, doing nothing to lessen the heat of the fireball. A gentle breeze, carrying the heat, caressed the listless branches; the leaves drooped in the scorching sun, some already withered and fallen. The dry air was suffocating; every breath was hot and stifling, like being in a brick kiln.

Facing the college entrance exam in such weather was indeed a source of worry and anxiety for many parents.

When Ouyang Yiming returned home for the holidays, he saw that Ouyang Mei was in excellent spirits. When he asked her if she was confident, she replied, "Don't worry, I've prepared myself mentally. If nothing unexpected happens, I'm confident I can get into a top university." Although Ouyang Yiming didn't entirely agree with his sister's words—exam questions are unpredictable, how could one be so sure?

—he still admired her optimism and ease before the exam. He asked her, "What kind of accidents are you referring to?" Ouyang Mei said, "The accidents I'm talking about are physical. If I catch a cold or something, it might affect my performance." Ouyang Yiming said, "I pray to God that you won't get even the slightest discomfort. You've been in great spirits and condition these past few days, and our whole family will protect you like we would a giant panda."

Tomorrow is the exam day. Yesterday, there was a sudden afternoon downpour, and the temperature cooled down a bit. This was undoubtedly a happy thing for parents and students taking the college entrance exam. At breakfast this morning, Ouyang Yiming suggested to his parents that they shouldn't let Ouyang Mei stay home studying today. He wanted to take her to Panlong Lake to play, go boating, or something, so that Ouyang Mei could completely relax. Her parents readily agreed. So the three siblings happily played at Panlong Lake for almost a whole day. When they returned home in the evening, they found their mother alone and their father not there. None of the three siblings thought anything of it. Ouyang Mei and Ouyang Dongdong felt tired and went to their rooms to rest.

Mao Yuqin, her face grim, pulled Ouyang Yiming into his room. Before she could speak, tears streamed down her face. Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded in shock, and he asked what had happened. Mao Yuqin said, "Your grandmother went to Panlong Mountain after lunch to tie a red ribbon on Xiao Mei's head. She accidentally fell down the mountain and is staying at the Fourth Hospital now. Your grandfather and father are there too."

Ouyang Yiming was so shocked he couldn't speak and took a step to leave. Mao Yuqin pulled her son aside and said, "Your father and I are worried about you, that's why we're waiting at home. Meizi has her exam tomorrow, you absolutely can't let her know. That's what your father, your grandfather, and I are worried about. If Meizi finds out, it will definitely affect her performance on the exam. Your grandfather is overthinking things; he didn't even dare to call the school from the hospital, afraid that someone would find out and it would reach Meizi's ears. When the doctor treated your grandmother, he told the doctor he went home to get money and took a taxi to our house, and no one knows yet. You absolutely must stay calm and not show any expression that your sister might notice. All these years of schooling are coming to an end in these three days. Your grandfather told me not to tell even you, and I'm also thinking of you..." "She's grown up now, I can't keep this from you." Ouyang Yiming nodded anxiously and asked, "How is Grandma now?" Mao Yuqin said tearfully, "When I saw her at the hospital, she was still unconscious. You know, I've been going crazy at home, worried about your grandma, and also afraid you'd come back and your dad and I wouldn't be home and would suspect something. You need to go to the hospital quickly, and remember to come back and tell me as soon as your grandma gets a little better. When you get home, don't show anything to your sister and brother. Dongdong is still young and doesn't understand, so we can't let him know either. Even if something really happens to your grandma, you have to control yourself when you get home, I think we should all control ourselves." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke. She also told him which ward her grandma was in. Ouyang Yiming nodded tearfully and left.

Ouyang Yiming took a taxi to the hospital and saw his grandfather standing blankly at the entrance of the emergency room, his eyes constantly peering into the door covered by white gauze. His grandfather only noticed him when Ouyang Yiming approached. Ouyang Yiming's eyes widened in fear, and he asked anxiously in a trembling voice, "How is Grandma?" The old man said, "Why are you here? She just woke up. The doctor won't let her in. Your father asked the doctor, and he said it's not a big problem. Your father is in the doctor's office." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Is there any bone damage?" The old man said, "We don't know yet. They can only take X-rays tomorrow."

He paused, frowned, and said, "I told your mother not to tell you, but she insisted. You and your father are both here, how can Xiaomei not be suspicious? You stay with Meizi for the next couple of days; your father and I can manage here." Ouyang Yiming said, "How can I not know about something this big? Don't worry about Xiaomei, Mom will handle it." The old man said, "How can that be? You go home in a bit." Just then, Ouyang Anping came over, and Ouyang Yiming went up to him and asked, "What did the doctor say?"

Ouyang Anping glanced at the old man, then turned to Ouyang Yiming and said, "There's nothing seriously wrong. We can do a full check-up once your grandmother is a little more stable." He then asked Ouyang Yiming:

"Did your younger siblings know you came?" Ouyang Yiming said, "No, they were all tired when they got home and were resting in their rooms." Ouyang Anping said, "Your grandma fell down the mountain because of Meizi's college entrance exam. You absolutely can't let Meizi know, and Dongdong can't let a word out. Don't tell anyone." Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "Mom told me all that. How did Grandma fall down the mountain?" The old man said, "Your grandma went with your grandma Liu from the east courtyard. Yesterday it rained, and after the two old women tied red ribbons there, your grandma said she was going to the south mountain to collect 'earth skin' (Note: Earth skin is a brown fungus that grows on decaying grass in hilly areas, visible after rain, about the size of a thumbnail. It shrinks into a ball after being exposed to the sun and is not easily seen. It is especially delicious when used to make soup), saying that Meizi likes to drink 'earth skin' soup, and she has collected quite a lot." When the two old women came back, your grandma saw a large piece of land and went to pick it up. She tripped over a stone and fell, tumbling down the mountain more than twenty meters. She was stopped by a tree; it was very deep down there. Otherwise, she would have died. Your grandma Liu hurriedly called for help, and several students came and carried her down, bringing her here. Alas, it was destined that she would suffer this fate. Your grandma Liu saw that the doctor was trying to save your grandma, and those students hadn't left yet, so she took a taxi home and told me. When your grandma Liu and I arrived, those students were still there. When I went to your house, they had all left without even a chance to say thank you.”

Xu Hui went to Ouyang Yiming's house during winter vacation. Xu Zhenming didn't think too much about it; he knew that a family like Ouyang Yiming's would be very careful about their children's words and actions, so he wasn't worried that Xu Hui would do anything with Ouyang Yiming. However, Xu Hui's maternal grandmother had mentioned it several times, blaming the couple for being immature. "What kind of behavior is it for a young girl who hasn't even left home to go to her son-in-law's door like this? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" Xu Zhenming and his wife let her say what she wanted. When Xu Hui returned, her grandmother naturally scolded her again, and then quietly asked her if she had slept with the boy there, and whether she had let the boy touch her, etc.

Xu Hui knew what the old woman was thinking, so she explained kindly. Then she took out the pastries that Ouyang Yiming's grandmother had brought her, and said that there was also an elderly woman of about her age in Ouyang Yiming's family who was also a Buddhist. Only then did her grandmother smile and say that a Buddhist wouldn't let his child do bad things. Then she said that she also wanted to meet the boy. Xu Hui said that she would wait until summer vacation, and he might come then.

So now, hearing Ouyang Yiming say that Ouyang Mei was definitely okay, and since Ouyang Yiming said so today, he would definitely go this summer vacation.

July was already midsummer. When you woke up in the morning, you could feel the sweltering heat surrounding you. The moment the sun rose, it ignited the ground like a blazing fire, the relentless heat engulfing the earth and

scorching everything. A few gray-white clouds drifted lazily across the azure sky, doing nothing to lessen the heat of the fiery orb. A gentle breeze, carrying the heat, caressed the listless branches; the leaves drooped in the scorching sun, some already withered and fallen. The dryness of the air made it hard to breathe; every breath was scorching hot, like being in a brick kiln.

Facing the college entrance exam in such weather was indeed a source of worry and anxiety for many parents.

When Ouyang Yiming returned home for the holidays, he saw that Ouyang Mei was in excellent spirits. When he asked her if she was confident, she replied, "Don't worry, I've prepared myself mentally. If nothing unexpected happens, I'm confident I can get into a top university." Ouyang Yiming didn't entirely agree with his sister's words; exam questions were unpredictable, how could one be so sure?

But deep down, he still admired his younger sister's optimism and relaxed attitude before the exam. He asked her, "What kind of unexpected events are you referring to?" Ouyang Mei said, "I'm talking about physical issues. If I catch a cold or something, it might affect my performance." Ouyang Yiming said, "I pray to God that you won't feel unwell at all. You've been in great spirits and condition these past few days, and our whole family will protect you like we would a giant panda."

Tomorrow was the exam day, and yesterday there was a sudden afternoon downpour, making the temperature cooler. This was undoubtedly a cause for celebration for both parents and the students taking the college entrance exam. At breakfast that morning, Ouyang Yiming suggested to his parents that they shouldn't let Ouyang Mei stay home studying today. He wanted to take her to Panlong Lake for some fun, like boating, to help her relax completely. His parents readily agreed. So the three siblings happily played at Panlong Lake for almost the entire day. When they returned home in the evening, they found their mother alone and their father not there. None of the three siblings thought anything of it. Ouyang Mei and Ouyang Dongdong, feeling exhausted, went back to their rooms to rest.

Mao Yuqin, her face grim, pulled Ouyang Yiming into his room, tears welling up in her eyes before she could even speak. Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded in shock, and he asked what had happened. Mao Yuqin said, "Your grandmother went to Panlong Mountain after lunch to tie a red ribbon on Xiao Mei's head, but she accidentally fell down the mountain. She's staying at the Fourth Hospital now; your grandfather and father are there too."

Ouyang Yiming was speechless with shock and took a step to leave. Mao Yuqin pulled her son aside and said, "Your father and I are worried about you, that's why we're waiting at home. Meizi has her exam tomorrow, you absolutely can't let her know. That's what your father, your grandfather, and I are worried about. If Meizi finds out, it will definitely affect her performance on the exam. Your grandfather is overthinking things; he didn't even dare to call the school from the hospital, afraid that someone would find out and it would reach Meizi's ears. When the doctor treated your grandmother, he told the doctor he went home to get money and took a taxi to our house, and no one knows yet. You absolutely must stay calm and not show any expression that your sister might notice. All these years of schooling are coming to an end in these three days. Your grandfather told me not to tell even you, and I'm also thinking of you..." "You're so old, I can't keep this from you." Ouyang Yiming nodded anxiously and asked, "How is Grandma now?" Mao Yuqin said tearfully, "When I saw her at the hospital, she was still unconscious. You know, I've been going crazy at home, worried about your grandma, and afraid you'd come back and find your dad and me not home and suspect something. Go to the hospital quickly, and remember to come back and tell me as soon as your grandma gets a little better. When you get home, don't show anything to your sister and brother. Dongdong is still young and doesn't understand, so don't let him know either. Even if something really happens to your grandma, you must control yourself when you get home. I think we should all control ourselves." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke. She also told him which ward her grandma was in. Ouyang Yiming nodded tearfully and left.

Ouyang Yiming took a taxi to the hospital and saw his grandfather standing blankly at the entrance of the emergency room, his eyes constantly peeking into the door covered with white gauze. His grandfather only noticed him when Ouyang Yiming approached. Ouyang Yiming's eyes widened in fear, and he asked anxiously in a trembling voice, "How is Grandma?" The old man said, "Why are you here? She just woke up. The doctor won't let her in. Your father asked the doctor earlier and he said it's not a big problem. Your father is in the doctor's office." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Is there any bone damage?" The old man said, "We don't know yet. They can only take X-rays tomorrow."

He paused, raised an eyebrow, and said, "I told your mother not to tell you, but she insisted. You and your father are both here, how can Xiao Mei not be suspicious? You stay with Mei for the next couple of days; your father and I will manage here." Ouyang Yiming said, "How could I not know about something this big? Don't worry about Xiao Mei, Mom will handle it." The old man said, "That won't do. You go home in a bit." Just then, Ouyang Anping came over, and Ouyang Yiming went up to him and asked, "What did the doctor say?"

Ouyang Anping glanced at the old man, then turned to Ouyang Yiming and said, "There's nothing seriously wrong. We can do a full check-up once your grandmother is a little more stable." He then asked Ouyang Yiming:

"Did your younger siblings know you came?" Ouyang Yiming said, "No, they were all tired when they got home and were resting in their rooms." Ouyang Anping said, "Your grandma fell down the mountain because of Meizi's college entrance exam. You absolutely can't let Meizi know, and Dongdong can't let a word out. Don't tell anyone." Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "Mom told me all that. How did Grandma fall down the mountain?" The old man said, "Your grandma went with your grandma Liu from the east courtyard. Yesterday it rained, and after the two old women tied red ribbons there, your grandma said she was going to the south mountain to collect 'earth skin' (Note: Earth skin is a brown fungus that grows on decaying grass in hilly areas, visible after rain, about the size of a thumbnail. It shrinks into a ball after being exposed to the sun and is not easily seen. It is especially delicious when used to make soup), saying that Meizi likes to drink it." "We've collected quite a few pieces of 'earth' soup. When the two old women came back, your grandmother saw a large piece and went to pick it up. She tripped over a stone and fell, tumbling down the mountain for more than twenty meters. She was caught by a tree, but it was very deep down there. Otherwise, she would have died on the spot. Your grandmother Liu hurriedly called for help, and several students came and carried her down and brought her here. Alas, it was destined that she would suffer this fate. Your grandmother Liu saw that the doctor was trying to save your grandmother, and those students hadn't left yet, so she took a taxi home and told me. When your grandmother Liu and I arrived here, those students were still there. When I went to your house, I don't know when they left, and we didn't even have a chance to say thank you."

Ouyang Yiming frowned and said strangely, "You know, I don't know where they heard about tying red ribbons, if you tie red ribbons..." Ouyang Anping quickly stopped his son with his eyes. The old man said, "Isn't it because your Grandma Liu told you? Didn't she come to tie you up the year you took the exam?" Ouyang Anping chimed in, "This is also your grandma's way of showing her love and care for you all." Ouyang Yiming looked at his father, who was giving him a meaningful look, and said to the old man, "Grandpa, don't worry. The doctor said it's nothing serious, she just needs to stay in the hospital for a few days." The old man said,

"I just feel sorry for your grandma suffering like this. She's never had any serious illnesses in her life, and now look what's happened." Ouyang Yiming felt a pang of sadness, and tears streamed down his face. Ouyang Anping helped the old man up, saying, "It's nothing serious. What are we going to do now? Sit down and rest." Ouyang Yiming also reached out to help his grandfather sit down on the bench by the wall.

Grandpa Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm not afraid of anything. Your grandma and I are almost seventy years old, what are we afraid of? We just hope you're all doing well. Go back and tell your mother that nothing's wrong.

Don't come over tonight either. Your father and I are fine here. If you're not home, Xiaomei will get suspicious. You absolutely mustn't let Xiaomei know. Xiaomei loves your grandma so much, she'll be worried sick if she finds out. After the exams in a couple of days, Xiaomei will know and everything will be fine. Listen to your grandpa, your grandma is already like this anyway, what can you all do if you come? You must listen to your grandpa on this matter. Tell your mother that none of you should come." Ouyang Yiming looked up at his father. Ouyang Anping said to his son, "Listen to your grandfather's opinion on this matter. Your grandmother did this for Xiaomei's sake; we can't let her down." Ouyang Yiming nodded and asked, "Can't I see Grandma now?" Ouyang Anping said, "The doctor won't let us in. How about this, listen to your grandmother and go home quickly." Ouyang Yiming stood up and said to his grandfather, "Grandpa, you must think positively. You should eat dinner tonight." The old man nodded and said, "I'm fine. Go home without worry."

Ouyang Yiming left with tears in his eyes. Just as he was about to go downstairs, Ouyang Anping called him back. When he reached Ouyang Yiming, he said, "Have your mother come over after dinner. There are some things I need to discuss with her."

Ouyang Yiming nodded and asked, "Did the doctor really say there's nothing seriously wrong?" Ouyang Anping said, "That's what the doctor said, but she still needs to be observed. Don't worry about that. Your task now is to take good care of your sister's college entrance exam. Even though we're worried about your grandmother's condition, we have to listen to the doctor. Don't show anything in front of your sister. You're all grown up now; I believe you can handle it. No matter how upset you are, you have to endure it. This is your responsibility as an older brother, understand?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I know what to do. Don't worry about Meizi."

Ouyang Anping nodded and said, "Go back now."

After Ouyang Yiming left, Ouyang Anping silently walked to his father and said, "Don't worry too much." The old man nodded and said, "I'm fine." Ouyang Anping said, "I'm going to the restroom."

He then walked towards the restroom.

Actually, Ouyang Anping was the one who was feeling the most distressed right now. The doctor just told him that his mother is likely suffering a severe concussion and may have blood in her abdomen. Further observation and a comprehensive examination tomorrow will determine the exact situation. His mother hasn't woken up from her coma yet, so he lied to his father to comfort him. They're not allowed into the emergency room, so his father won't know.

The doctor said that if internal organs are damaged, causing blood in the abdomen, open surgery will be necessary. The doctor is worried that surgery at her age would be very dangerous, so he told Ouyang Anping this first. Ouyang Anping asked how likely the surgery would be, and the doctor said not much; she might not survive the operation.

He can't let his father or son know this now. He knows his father wouldn't be able to accept it, and his son would likely lose control, potentially showing something in front of his daughter, which would be extremely detrimental to her college entrance exams. This is also something his mother wouldn't want; wouldn't that go against her wishes and backfire? At this moment, he was also overwhelmed by a great sadness, but he had to hold it in. He knew that at this time, the only one who could control the situation was himself. He came out of the toilet, lit a cigarette, and stood at the corner of the corridor, smoking heavily, tears streaming down his face. After a while, he calmed down a bit and went back to his father's side.

Love and Desire (74)

Chapter Seventy-Two

When Ouyang Yiming returned home, he saw that his younger sister and brother had already gotten up. Ouyang Mei smiled and asked him where he had been. Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "I went to a classmate's house in front of the house to play for a while."

She then asked Ouyang Mei if she was very tired. Ouyang Mei said, "I feel much better after resting for a while. I haven't gone out to play for a long time. I feel very relaxed after playing all day today." Ouyang Yiming said, "Go to bed early after dinner tonight. You need to be well-rested so you can do well on the exam tomorrow." Ouyang Mei nodded in agreement.

Ouyang Yiming took a moment to tell his mother, "Grandma has woken up. Dad said there's nothing seriously wrong, but he wants you to come over after you've eaten." Mao Yuqin murmured "Amitabha" and said, "It's good that she's awake. I'll come over after I eat. You stay home and take good care of your sister. Don't let a word of it slip." Ouyang Yiming nodded in agreement.

While eating, Mao Yuqin felt sad thinking about her mother-in-law lying in the hospital because of Meizi. She found it hard to swallow her bowl of porridge, so she said to Ouyang Mei, "I have to go out for a bit later.

It's about proctoring tomorrow's exam. If you want to study after you eat, study for a while, but don't stay up too late. If you don't want to study, go to sleep." Ouyang Mei nodded in agreement. Ouyang Dongdong asked, "Why isn't Dad home for dinner?" Mao Yuqin replied, "Your dad has been very busy these past few days. He's helping out at the city's examination office, so he probably won't have time to come home." She then turned to Ouyang Mei and said, "We've been very busy with your exams these past few days. Mom and Dad haven't had time to go with you, but your brother can go with you." Ouyang Mei said, "I think you're more nervous than I am. What's there to be nervous about?

You guys are busy, I'm doing fine." Mao Yuqin said, "That's good. You need to relax, especially during exams." Ouyang Dongdong said, "I'll go with my sister too." Mao Yuqin smiled and said, "Okay, you can go with your brother." After saying that, she stood up and said to Ouyang Yiming, "Don't go anywhere else, I'll be back in a bit." Ouyang Yiming nodded, put down his bowl, and went out with his mother.

As Ouyang Yiming helped his mother push her bicycle out the door, he said, "Mom, don't worry, Dad said it's not a big problem." Mao Yuqin said, "I know, I just feel sorry for your grandma suffering like this. Go back now, remember, don't let a word of this to your sister and brother. I don't know when I'll be back, so if you're late, you can go to sleep. I have the key with me. I'll definitely be back tonight; I have to proctor exams at No. 8 Middle School tomorrow. I'm leaving this family and your siblings in your care; you're the older brother, you should be able to handle it." Ouyang Yiming said, "Don't worry about things at home. Don't come back too late. Be careful on the road." Mao Yuqin hurriedly got on her bicycle.

Ouyang Yiming closed the door and entered the dining room. He sat down and said, "Dongdong, you're not allowed to go out to play after dinner. Your sister has her exams these two days, so you'd better stay home." Ouyang Dongdong looked at her brother, puzzled, and asked, "It's not my sister's exam, why are you restricting me?" Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Don't you care about your sister's exams? I'm afraid you'll cause trouble outside and affect her mood." Ouyang Dongdong glared at her brother and asked, "When have you ever seen me cause trouble outside?" Ouyang Mei laughed and said, "You even got into a fight with Xiao Liang a while ago." Ouyang Dongdong blushed with embarrassment and said, "That was him who started it." Ouyang Yiming said, "It's not good for anyone to cause trouble, no matter whose fault it is. Be good, stay home these two days. You'll come with me to keep your sister company during her exams.

After the exams, I'll take you guys out to play." Ouyang Mei said, "Brother, I really want to go to Sister Hui's place after my exams." Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat when he heard this, and he remembered what Xu Hui had told them to go out and play before the holidays. Before she could even speak, Ouyang Dongdong said with a beaming smile, "I want to go too!" Ouyang Yiming said, "Let's talk about it after the exams." Ouyang Mei said, "Sister Hui mentioned it in her last letter; she said all three of us should go." Ouyang Yiming said, "You're so generous. Okay, let's contact her after the exams. Don't think about it now, just focus on the exams."

Hearing this, Ouyang Dongdong clapped excitedly, shouting, "We're going to Suzhou!" Ouyang Mei raised her hand and slapped him, saying, "Don't shout." Turning to her brother, she said, "Don't worry about my exams; I'm confident. After all, I'm a top student at the top high school..." "A top student, one of the best." Ouyang Yiming laughed, "It's good that you have this mindset."

After dinner, Ouyang Yiming went to Ouyang Mei's room and said, "Check your admission ticket, pen, etc. again. I didn't go with you and your classmates to check the exam venue yesterday, so you remember it well, right?" Ouyang Mei laughed and said, "Look at you, you're just like an old woman. You'll be as nagging as Grandma tomorrow." Hearing the word "Grandma," Ouyang Yiming's heart sank again, but he still smiled and said, "I was just worried about you. Okay, if you want to study, study for a while." Ouyang Mei said, "Then I'll study a little longer." Ouyang Yiming got up and went out.

Mao Yuqin rushed to the hospital and anxiously asked her husband and mother-in-law about their condition. Before Ouyang Anping could speak, the old man complained, "I told Xiaoming not to come, but you two coming like this, how can Xiaomei not be suspicious?" Mao Yuqin said, "I've arranged everything. How can I be at ease at home?" Ouyang Anping glanced at his father and turned to his wife, saying, "Mom's fine." Mao Yuqin then asked her father-in-law if he had eaten. The old man said, "Not hungry." Mao Yuqin said, "How can that be? If you collapse, the sky will fall!" She urged the two of them to eat, saying she would be here to keep tabs. The old man said, "I don't want to eat either, you and Anping go eat first." Mao Yuqin said she had already eaten at home. Ouyang Anping said to his wife,

"Come downstairs with me and buy some things for Dad." Mao Yuqin agreed. The old man said, "Even if you buy it, I can't eat it." Ouyang Anping said, "Buy a bottle of milk, this can't go on." The old man didn't say anything more.

Ouyang Anping and his wife went downstairs.

With a somber face and tears welling in her eyes, Ouyang Anping said to Mao Yuqin, "Mom's fall was very serious. I don't know if she'll make it." Mao Yuqin was startled and asked, "Didn't Yiming say he woke up?" Ouyang Anping said, "There are some things I can't tell Yiming right now. Xiaomei is counting on him, and I haven't told him the truth. I wanted to put his mind at ease, otherwise I was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself in front of Xiaomei." Mao Yuqin asked anxiously, "So Mom hasn't woken up yet?" Ouyang Anping shook his head and said, "No. The doctor said it might be a severe concussion, possibly with abdominal pain." "There's blood in her abdomen too." Mao Yuqin asked in alarm, "What should we do? What did the doctor say about treatment?" Ouyang Anping said, "The main thing now is to save Mom. The doctor said that a full examination can only be done after Mom wakes up. The blood in her abdomen is just an estimate. If there really is blood in her abdomen, she'll need surgery. But surgery is very dangerous for Mom at her age. I don't dare tell Dad now, I'm afraid he can't handle it."

Mao Yuqin was terrified and thought for a moment, staring at her husband's face, and asked, "So Mom doesn't know what's going on yet..." As she spoke, her heart ached and tears welled up in her eyes. Ouyang Anping sighed heavily and said, "I asked Xiaoming to bring you here so we could discuss it. If, as the doctor said, there's blood in her abdomen, do we need to operate on Mom?" Mao Yuqin shook her head fearfully, tears streaming down her face, and said, "It's not confirmed yet. How confident is the doctor in the success rate of the surgery?" Ouyang Anping said in a trembling voice, "No confidence, the doctor said no confidence." As

he spoke, tears streamed down his face. Mao Yuqin looked at her husband with teary eyes, sobbing, "If you say that, and it's confirmed there's blood in the abdominal cavity, then Mom..." Ouyang Anping nodded, crying, "That's...that's it." Hearing this, Mao Yuqin seemed to have her bones ripped out, and she squatted down, sobbing softly, "Oh God, what are we going to do..." Ouyang Anping also squatted down, burying his face in his hands and sobbing. After

the couple cried for a while, Mao Yuqin said, "Let's see what happens tomorrow after the checkup. If it's really like this, we have to let Dad know. He's the one who decides on the surgery." Ouyang Anping stopped crying and nodded, saying, "That's the only way. I was also thinking about whether to tell Uncle. If, in case, Uncle doesn't see Mom, he'll blame us terribly." Mao Yuqin thought for a moment and said, "Let's decide tomorrow. Uncle's health isn't good either; it's not good to tell him so late. If Mom's condition really isn't good tomorrow, then we'll inform him." Ouyang Anping nodded. Mao Yuqin sighed and said, "I have to proctor the exam tomorrow. How can I be at ease if I'm not here?" Ouyang Anping thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you go back to the principal's house later and ask him to tell the proctoring office to change the proctor? We have no other choice." Mao Yuqin said, "I thought about it when I came, but I'm afraid that if word gets out at school, Meizi will find out. Sigh, I really don't know what to do." Ouyang Anping said, "Just tell the principal the truth and ask him to keep it a secret. I don't think he'll tell anyone." Mao Yuqin nodded and said, "Then I'll go to the principal's house later."

Ouyang Anping raised his wrist to check his watch and said, "Go quickly and buy Dad something to eat. Don't let him be upstairs alone." Mao Yuqin nodded and looked at her husband, asking, "How will you eat?"

Ouyang Anping said, "How can I eat anything?" Mao Yuqin said, "Have some milk too. Everything is on your shoulders now. You can't collapse." Ouyang Anping nodded.

Mao Yuqin bought four bottles of milk and two bags of bread at a shop near the hospital entrance and went upstairs with her husband. The old man saw them and said excitedly, "The doctor just came out and said your mother spoke." Mao Yuqin and Ouyang Anping were instantly excited. Mao Yuqin hurriedly asked, "What did she say?" The old man said, "She said she called for Meizi." Upon hearing this, Mao Yuqin burst into tears, saying, "Mom did all this for Xiaomei..." Ouyang Anping glanced at his wife and said, "I'll go ask the doctor."

After Ouyang Anping left, Mao Yuqin looked at the old man and said, "Dad, you see, right now Mom misses Xiaomei the most, but we can't let Xiaomei know..." The old man said, "You absolutely can't let the children know. Even big things have to wait until Xiaomei finishes her exams." Mao Yuqin nodded tearfully and handed the milk and bread to the old man, saying, "Dad, Mom is gradually getting better now, don't worry, have something to eat."

The old man took it. Mao Yuqin said, "I'll go see the doctor too."

Mao Yuqin went to the doctor's office and saw the doctor talking to Ouyang Anping. She nodded to the doctor and stood there listening. The doctor said, "The old woman did say a few words earlier, but now we can only say she's slightly better. She's still thinking about your daughter. Some of the words she said were unconscious. Tonight's critical period isn't over yet; observe her overnight. We'll do a full check-up tomorrow." Ouyang Anping and his wife thanked the doctor and left.

Sitting down next to the old man, Mao Yuqin said, "Dad, how can you stay here all night? Why don't you go home? You can't help here." The old man shook his head and said, "I'll feel at ease if I go home. Anping and I will wait here." Mao Yuqin thought for a moment and said, "Dad, if you're tired, lie down on this chair for a while." The old man nodded. Ouyang Anping said to his wife, "You should go back quickly, don't let the principal rest." The old man then asked what he wanted to see the principal about. Ouyang Anping explained. The old man said, "Make sure you tell the principal not to tell anyone."

Mao Yuqin nodded and said she understood.

The next morning, Ouyang Yiming got up early to prepare breakfast with his mother. Mao Yuqin instructed her son, "You and Dongdong wait for your sister outside the school. Don't let Dongdong run around, and remember not to show anything in front of your sister. I won't be proctoring the exam today; the school has given me a replacement. I'll be at the hospital this morning and will be back at noon. Ask Meizi what she wants to eat, and buy some groceries at the market over there while she's taking her exam; I don't have time to go there." Ouyang Yiming agreed.

Mao Yuqin rushed to the hospital but didn't see her husband or father-in-law in the emergency room. She went to the doctor's office and was told that her mother-in-law had been transferred to the intensive care unit in internal medicine. Mao Yuqin rushed to the internal medicine department and saw her husband and father-in-law sitting on a bench outside the special care ward. She approached and asked, "Was Mom transferred here last night?" Ouyang Anping replied, "She was transferred here around four o'clock." Mao Yuqin glanced at the old man, pulled Ouyang Anping aside, and whispered, "How is she?" Ouyang Anping said, "Mom is really awake this time. She called for me last night, but then her mind became unclear."

Mao Yuqin asked, "What did the doctor say?" Ouyang Anping said, "He just said they'd do a full check-up later..." She didn't say anything more. Mao Yuqin looked at the special care ward and asked, "Can't we go into this ward either?" Ouyang Anping shook his head and said, "No, we can't." Mao Yuqin said, "I really want to go in and see her." Ouyang Anping said, "Last night, when we were transferred to this ward, my father and I saw my mother. I'll feel more at ease if she recognizes me..." At this moment, Mao Yuqin heard someone calling her. When she turned around, she saw a female doctor in her late twenties smiling at them. For a moment, she didn't recognize her. Mao Yuqin and Ouyang Anping exchanged glances with her. The female doctor said, "Teacher Mao, Teacher Ouyang, I'm Chen Hong, a graduate of your No. 1 Middle School. Teacher Mao, you were my homeroom teacher back then."

Mao Yuqin couldn't quite place her, so she smiled and said, "Really? Look at me..." Chen Hong smiled and said, "With so many students, how could you possibly remember? It's been almost ten years now, but I still recognize you and Teacher Ouyang." Mao Yuqin said, "That's right, look how many years it's been." Chen Hong said, "When I was sent to the countryside, I was recommended to university. I've only been back for a few months now, and I've been wanting to go back to school to see..." "I see you haven't had any free time." Ouyang Anping looked straight at her and asked, "Are you Chen Hong, the one who played the erhu in the propaganda team?" Chen Hong immediately became excited and said, "Yes, yes, I'm Chen Hong." Mao Yuqin also remembered in an instant and said, "Oh, I remember now, it's that little Chen Hong." She looked her over for a while and said, "You've changed, changed a lot.

But if you look closely, you still look the same as before." Chen Hong smiled and said, "You and Teacher Ouyang don't look old at all, I recognized you right away." She paused and then asked, "Did you come to see someone?"

The faces of Mao Yuqin and her husband quickly darkened. Mao Yuqin pointed to the special care ward and said, "Your teacher Ouyang's mother is hospitalized here." Chen Hong looked surprised and said, "Your elderly relative is in here?" Ouyang Anping asked, "Are you in this ward?" Chen Hong said, "I am in this ward. I just started my shift this morning, and Director Zhang is seeing this patient." Mao Yuqin said, "Then you might not know my mother-in-law's condition." Chen Hong said, "How about this, I'll ask Director Zhang later and then tell you." Mao Yuqin said, "That would be best." She then whispered in his ear, "Tell us quietly if anything happens. My father-in-law is getting old..." Chen Hong said, "I understand. Why don't you come to my office for a while?" Mao Yuqin said, "You go ahead and do your work, we'll just wait here."

After Chen Hong left, Mao Yuqin said to her husband, "That's good, now Chen Hong can tell us about any special situations in time." Ouyang Anping nodded. Mao Yuqin thought for a moment and sat down next to the old man, saying, "Dad, that doctor was our student. She's in this ward, and there are some things she doesn't know yet. Let's talk about it later, don't worry." The old man said, "What a coincidence, that's good. She's very attentive to our treatment." Mao Yuqin said, "Yes. There's something else I wanted to talk to you about. Do you think Mom should tell my uncle about this?"

The old man said, "Of course, who has been free since last night?" Ouyang Anping said, "How about I go over there later?" The old man thought for a moment and said, "Here's what you'll do: when you go, just tell your uncle. Don't let him tell anyone else. I'm afraid if too many people know about this, it will reach Xiao Mei's ears." Ouyang Anping nodded in agreement. Mao Yuqin said, "Let's wait a bit longer and see what Chen Hong has to say."

A while later, Chen Hong arrived, and Ouyang Anping and his wife stood up to greet her. Chen Hong said, "We need to do a biopsy immediately. We need to determine if it's hemoperitoneum. If it is, it could be a ruptured liver or spleen. The specific situation will require an ultrasound or X-ray." "I'll participate in the fluoroscopy later." After the couple thanked her, Mao Yuqin asked, "If it's a ruptured liver or spleen, will it be very serious?" Chen Hong looked troubled and said, "Let's wait for the results after the examination." Mao Yuqin said, "Chen Hong, it's okay if you tell us whatever you think." Chen Hong turned to look at the old man, then turned back to Mao Yuqin and said softly, "We can't draw a conclusion without the results of the examination. Director Zhang diagnosed it as a ruptured liver and spleen. If it's bleeding from the liver and spleen, surgery will be necessary. Professor Ouyang, Professor Mao, I can't hide it from you either. If it's confirmed to be splenic bleeding, it will have to be removed if it's serious, because spleen tissue is very fragile and difficult to stop bleeding. In addition, the old man may also have fractured ribs, and the EEG shows a severe concussion. Overall, the situation is not very optimistic. These things should be considered before the examination is completed." I can't tell you this, but you are my teachers, so I think I'd better let you know. Ouyang Anping said: "It's better to let us know. Now that this is the case, we must also be mentally prepared." Chen Hong nodded and said, "Okay, just wait patiently for a while, I'll go." Mao Yuqin

looked at her husband and said, "I think you should hurry up and notify our uncle. According to Chen Hong..." Ouyang Anping nodded and said, "I'll go right away." Mao Yuqin said: "We can't talk to dad about these situations now. We will see the results later and it will be like this. If necessary, we have to talk to dad." You go quickly, we can discuss it later when our uncle comes. Ouyang Anping walked up to the old man and said, "Dad, I'm going to my uncle's house." The old man said, "Speak to your uncle alone when you get there." Come over here with him. "Ouyang Anping agreed.

Sea of Love (75)

Chapter 73

After Ouyang Anping left, Mao Yuqin said to the old man: "Chen Hong said to do a comprehensive examination immediately and see the results later. "The old man nodded without saying a word. He picked up his pipe, filled it with tobacco, and walked to the window at the end of the corridor to smoke.

The old man was deeply troubled; he seemed to see a hint of unease on his son and daughter-in-law's faces. He wanted to ask more questions, but he was afraid of hearing something that would frighten him. Nearly seventy years old, he had experienced too much in his life. He knew his son and daughter-in-law were hiding things from him, unwilling to show their emotions in front of him. And wasn't he the same? His suspicion and anxiety were arguably no less than theirs, but he knew he couldn't show it. If he were to lose his composure, it would inevitably affect his son and daughter-in-law's mood. They had already endured so much, worrying about the old woman while also worrying about him. On the other hand, they had to try their best to hide their feelings from their children. At this moment, the old man only hoped that his wife could recover.

His wife had come into his life at seventeen, and although she had only given him one son, their love had been incredibly deep over the past sixty years. He couldn't recall ever arguing or getting angry with his wife, though he himself sometimes lost his temper with her. Then he thought of his granddaughter, the only girl in three generations of the Ouyang family. He and his wife loved her even more than Ouyang Anping and his wife. They cherished Ouyang Mei like a precious treasure. Now, the old man hoped even more that his granddaughter would pass the three-day exam smoothly and get into one of the best universities in the country. He didn't want anyone's emotions to affect his granddaughter's mood.

Ouyang Anping's uncle was the old lady's only brother, more than ten years younger than Ouyang Anping's father, and now almost sixty years old. He had retired from the sanitation department a few years ago. When Ouyang Anping arrived at his house, he was just about to leave. After retiring, he often spent his free time playing cards and chatting with a group of elderly people in the nearby park. Seeing his nephew at the door, he felt a pang of unease.

Although his nephew and niece-in-law often visited him, it was usually in the evenings or on their days off. They must have something urgent to do since they had just finished breakfast.

Seeing that only his uncle was home, Ouyang Anping asked where his aunt had gone. His uncle replied that his aunt had gone to the market to buy groceries. He then asked Ouyang Anping if he had come for something. Ouyang Anping tried to appear calm and said, "My mother is sick and has been hospitalized. I came to take you to see her." His uncle panicked upon hearing this and hurriedly asked what was wrong. Ouyang Anping said it wasn't anything serious. Uncle didn't believe her, saying, "You came all this way in such a hurry, how could you be alright?" Ouyang Anping said, "Let's talk on the way. Let's hurry, my dad and Yuqin are both at the hospital." Uncle followed Ouyang Anping out the door, locked the gate, and hailed a taxi at the street corner.

In the car, Ouyang Anping said, "My mom went to Panlong Mountain yesterday afternoon to tie a red ribbon to Meizi, and then went to the south mountain to collect 'soil' before falling down the mountain." Uncle was shocked and his body trembled. He said, "My mother, falling from the mountain... how badly? Did she break any bones?" Ouyang Anping said, "Uncle, don't be so scared. They're getting checked out now. We only found out yesterday afternoon, almost at night. We wanted to tell you last night, but Yuqin said you weren't feeling well, so we didn't. We don't know Mom's condition yet. When you see my dad later, don't say anything."

Uncle nodded, tears streaming down his face, choking back sobs. “My sister, you’re going to suffer so much this time. Why did you have to go and pick up that ‘land’?” Ouyang Anping reached out and grasped his uncle’s hand, tears welling up in his eyes. “Uncle, don’t be so upset. It’s too late to say anything now. We’ll probably have a result when we get to the hospital. You and Dad can’t be too sad. I’m just worried about you two old folks.” His uncle wiped away his tears and said, “I felt like something was wrong all night. I couldn’t sleep at all. I never thought your mother would…”

When they arrived at the hospital, Ouyang Anping helped his uncle upstairs. Mao Yuqin rushed over and helped him sit down in front of the old man. Uncle asked, "Has your mother's checkup been completed?" Mao Yuqin replied, "Not yet. She should be fine soon." The old man turned to his brother-in-law and said, "No matter what the result is, you must control yourself and not cry here. I didn't want Anping to tell you, afraid your blood pressure and heart wouldn't be able to handle it. Did you bring your medicine?" Uncle said, "Yes, I carry it with me every day." Ouyang Anping's father said, "Take it later." He then turned to Ouyang Anping and said, "Go buy your uncle a bottle of water." Ouyang Anping agreed and went downstairs.

The old man said to his brother-in-law, "Don't tell anyone about your sister's situation. Xiao Mei is taking her exams these days, so you absolutely can't let her hear about it. Even if something bad happens to your sister, you can't tell your family right now. Understand?" The brother-in-law nodded and said, "I know, don't worry. Nothing can affect the child's exams." The old man said, "We're all so old now, and your sister loves this girl the most. If you let it slip and it affects Mei's exams, she'll be angry with you." The brother-in-law said, "Brother-in-law, how could I not understand? The child's exams are only a few days away, even if something terrible happens, we have to keep it a secret. I won't tell anyone about my sister's situation these days, just me." The old man nodded.

Ouyang Anping bought a few bottles of water and handed them to his uncle and father. His uncle took out his blood pressure medication and took it. Chen Hong and Director Zhang came out of the ward. Chen Hong stopped, and Ouyang Anping and his wife went to greet them.

The uncle got up to go, but the old man stopped him, saying, "Let's not go. Those are Anping and Yuqin's students. There are some things they shouldn't say if we're around."

Chen Hong approached Ouyang Anping and his wife and said, "It's very serious." Ouyang Anping and Mao Yuqin's hearts clenched, and their four eyes looked at her in fear. Chen Hong thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to the office and let Director Zhang talk to you." She then took a step forward. Ouyang Anping and his wife followed Chen Hong into Director Zhang's office.

Director Zhang was in his fifties and a renowned expert in internal medicine at the hospital. After inviting Ouyang Anping and his wife to sit down, he said, "The old lady's condition is quite serious. The current tests are not optimistic." Mao Yuqin's tears streamed down her face as she pleaded, "Director Zhang, I beg you, please think of a way

to save my mother." Ouyang Anping pulled his wife aside and said, "Listen to Director Zhang." Director Zhang said, "I understand your feelings. Currently, the old lady has blood in her abdominal cavity, caused by a ruptured liver and spleen. The EEG shows a moderate concussion, and there are rib fractures. We'll have to wait for..." "We need X-rays to confirm how many ligaments are damaged. The limbs don't seem to be seriously injured, just some superficial wounds. The most dangerous thing now is the ruptured liver and spleen; surgery is necessary immediately, otherwise the bleeding will only increase."

Ouyang Anping asked, "Will it get better after surgery?" Director Zhang said, "That's exactly what we need to discuss with you. The current diagnosis is that the liver and spleen are severely damaged, but this can only be confirmed after the surgery. If the damage is severe, a spleen removal is necessary. Chen Hong knows this; she's your student. A ruptured spleen is very difficult to stop bleeding from. In mild cases, a capsular suture can be used, but in severe cases, removal is the only option. We have a concern now; your mother is almost seventy, and such surgery is very risky. You need to consider this, and we must explain it to you clearly."

Ouyang Anping was anxious and asked nervously, "Then what are the chances of the surgery being successful?" Director Zhang looked at Chen Hong and said, "Dr. Chen also knows that the risk is too high for your mother's age. In my estimation, the success rate is no more than twenty percent." Ouyang Anping and his wife's minds went blank. Chen Hong said, "Teacher Ouyang, Teacher Mao, the director and I can't hide this from you. There's something we must tell you both; there's a possibility I won't be able to have the surgery." Ouyang Anping was so shocked he couldn't speak. Mao Yuqin, with tears streaming down her face, asked in a sobbing voice,

"Is there no other way? Can't we just not remove the spleen?" Director Zhang shook his head and said, "There's no other way. Surgery is the only hope. You must make a decision as soon as possible. If you're willing to have surgery, you should do it as soon as possible, otherwise there's always a risk." Mao Yuqin said, "But you said surgery is also..." Director Zhang said, "Yes, that's why you have to make a decision. Surgery offers some hope. But without surgery, there's no hope at all." Chen Hong said, "I think you should discuss this with Grandpa and the others, and clarify these things."

Ouyang Anping nodded blankly. Chen Hong said, "Teachers, don't be too sad. Now is not the time to be sad. You should discuss it with Grandpa and the others as soon as possible." Ouyang Yiming stood up and said, "Thank you. We'll go and discuss it with them and decide later." Director Zhang stood up and nodded, "Be quick."

Ouyang Anping and his wife came out, and the two elderly people stared at them as they approached. For a moment, neither of them asked anything, just held their breath and watched them. Mao Yuqin felt a pang of sadness and turned away to shed tears. Ouyang Anping sat down next to his father and said, "Dad, Uncle, I can't hide it from you anymore. Mom's condition is very serious. They say she needs surgery. There's blood in her abdomen, and her liver and spleen are damaged."

The old man stared at him with wide eyes, his mouth agape, breathing heavily through his nose. The uncle said, "Then let's do it quickly." Ouyang Anping said, "But Director Zhang said that at Mom's age, surgery is very dangerous." The old man asked, "How confident is the doctor in the success of the surgery?" Tears streamed down Ouyang Anping's face as he said, "Director Zhang said there's only a 20% chance."

The uncle hurriedly asked, "So that means there's no chance at all?" Ouyang Anping nodded, unable to hold back his sobs, and said, "That's right, there's basically no chance. She might not survive the surgery."

Mao Yuqin turned around and cried, "Even if there's only a 1% chance, we must try for Mom." The old man looked at his daughter-in-law and turned to his son, asking, "Isn't there any other treatment?"

Ouyang Anping shook his head, tears streaming down his face, and said, "No." The uncle trembled, staring intently at his nephew, and suddenly slid off the chair, crying, "My mother, what are we going to do?"

Ouyang Anping and his wife quickly helped the old man back to his chair. The old man looked at his brother-in-law and complained, "Don't panic, I'm afraid you'll panic."

His brother-in-law stopped crying and looked at him through his tears. The old man muttered to himself, "Let me think, let me think." As he spoke, he stood up, his hands trembling as he put on a pipe, lit it, and took a deep drag. After a while, he turned back to his son and asked, "The doctor said there's only a 20% chance?" Ouyang Anping nodded. The old man said, "That means there's not much hope." After thinking for a moment, he said, "I think we shouldn't do the surgery." All eyes turned to him. The old man's eyes reddened as he said, "Why make your mother suffer like this when there's little hope?!" Tears welled in his eyes as he spoke. He continued, "Your mother has never had any serious illnesses in her life, and we can't let her suffer like this in her final moments. My opinion is not to have the surgery. If she doesn't make it off the operating table, it's better to let her live a few more days."

Mao Yuqin said, "But there's always some hope if we have the surgery." The old man said, "I understand. Having the surgery is

the same as letting your mother die immediately." He leaned down and asked his wife's younger brother, "What do you think?" His brother shook his head and said, "I don't know what to do either. Brother-in-law, if we don't have the surgery, isn't that the same as watching my sister die?" The old man said, "I understand all that, but think about it, having this surgery is the same as letting your sister die immediately. She'll have to be disemboweled before she dies." His brother nodded and said, "That's exactly it. What can we do?" He then began to sob. The old man said to Ouyang Anping, "Go and ask your student again, find out exactly how much of a chance there is. If there's really no hope, then don't do it." Ouyang Anping agreed and left.

Ouyang Anping entered Chen Hong's office. Chen Hong hurriedly got up, glanced at the doctor sitting opposite her, gave Ouyang Anping a meaningful look, and then came out with him. Chen Hong asked, "What's wrong?" Ouyang Anping said, "Chen Hong, to be honest, I'm really at a loss right now. Just tell me honestly, is there any point in doing this surgery?"

Chen Hong looked at Ouyang Anping with difficulty and said, "Professor Ouyang, I don't know how to say this either. Normally, as a doctor, I shouldn't say no to the surgery. If there's even a glimmer of hope, we doctors would want to save the patient. But, this surgery is just too dangerous for the elderly." Ouyang Anping asked, "If the surgery is successful, how long can my mother live?

I mean, with her liver and spleen removed like this, how long does she have any hope of survival?" Chen Hong said, "I understand what you mean. The problem now is that the elderly woman's problem isn't just about her liver and spleen. Let's not even talk about the liver and spleen removal surgery..." The chances of her survival are slim, and the elderly woman's concussion is quite severe. Professor Zhang suspects a possible brain hemorrhage. Our hospital's CT scanner isn't installed yet, so we can't be completely certain. If, as Professor Zhang says, there's a brain hemorrhage and she needs craniotomy, the elderly woman simply cannot withstand it. There are some things I shouldn't say, but you are my teacher…” Ouyang Anping said, “Chen Hong, I understand what you mean. According to this, my mother's chances of survival are very small.” Chen Hong said, “Professor Ouyang, these are decisions you must make. I can only tell you the actual situation.” Ouyang Anping said, “Chen Hong, I understand. You're also thinking of us. Now we can only accept this reality. I also wanted to ask, if my mother doesn't have surgery…” "How long can she survive if she has surgery?" Chen Hong said, "It's hard to say. Her life could be in danger at any moment. She might survive for three or five days, or maybe longer.

I also talked to Director Zhang about this after you left. To be honest, Director Zhang also doesn't advocate surgery; it's pointless." Ouyang Anping asked, "So, if my mother has surgery, she might not survive, but if she doesn't, she has a chance of survival for three or five days?" Chen Hong nodded and said, "That should be the case. However, it's still up to you to decide whether to have the surgery."

Ouyang Anping thought for a moment and looked at Chen Hong, saying, "Chen Hong, can surgery be performed if there's no hope? My father also thinks so; if there's really no hope, then we won't do it. It's just that we, as her younger relatives, feel bad about it." "Dad means that since Mom doesn't have much hope, he doesn't want her to suffer before she passes away." Chen Hong nodded and said, "Yes, Grandpa's thinking makes a lot of sense. As the younger generation, of course we all want to do everything we can; that's the feeling we all have." Ouyang Anping said, "Chen Hong, Teacher Mao and I were both your teachers. We're entrusting my mother's matter to you. Since the surgery is confirmed to be canceled, I just hope you can provide her with some good medicine during her final days so she won't suffer." Chen Hong said, "Teacher Ouyang, I will definitely do that, don't worry." Ouyang Anping said, "As long as the elderly can pass away peacefully, that's enough for us to fulfill our filial duty. I'm just afraid she'll suffer." As he spoke, large tears streamed down his face, and he choked up, unable to speak further.

Chen Hong felt a pang of sadness and tears welled up in her eyes. She said, "Teacher Ouyang, you have to think positively. You're the pillar of this family now; the elderly and children are all looking to you." Ouyang Anping nodded and said, "Chen Hong, I have another favor to ask. You know, the college entrance exams are happening these days, and my daughter is taking them. If you see anyone from our school, please don't mention my mother's situation. We're all afraid it will reach her ears and affect her mood. She doesn't know her grandmother is hospitalized yet." Chen Hong said, "Really? I was just thinking how few of you came. Don't worry about it; I won't tell anyone." Ouyang Anping said, "It'll be fine once the exams are over in a few days. My father is most afraid of my daughter finding out." Chen Hong said, "Teacher Ouyang, don't worry." Ouyang Anping said, "I'll go tell my parents that the surgery is canceled." Chen Hong said:

“Alright, I’ll talk to Director Zhang too. For now, we’ll just stick to conservative treatment. I’ll do my best to minimize the old woman’s suffering with the medication.” Ouyang Anping thanked Chen Hong and walked over to the old man and the others.

Once there, he told them what Chen Hong had said. Mao Yuqin and her uncle were sobbing. The old man said with a grim face, “That’s it then.” He turned and tugged at his brother-in-law, saying, “Look, now, we have no choice.” His brother-in-law nodded, still sobbing. The old man looked at Ouyang Anping and asked, “Since that’s the case, can we stay with your mother?” Ouyang Anping said, “I forgot to ask. I’ll go ask again.” The old man said, “Wait a bit. Look at us now, can we control ourselves when we’re in front of your mother?”

Ouyang Anping went to his wife and whispered, “Don’t cry like that. Look at our uncle, if he cries any more…” Mao Yuqin turned and took her uncle’s arm to comfort him. The old man sighed heavily and said, "It's all fate." He paused, then said to Ouyang Anping, "Try to go to your mother's workplace when you have time. You need to talk to her supervisor about the medical and hospitalization expenses." Ouyang Anping said,

"I thought of that yesterday.

I'll go this afternoon." The old man nodded, packed a cigarette, and walked to the end of the corridor.

Chen Hong and some nurses were going in and out of the old lady's ward. After a while, Mao Yuqin saw that they weren't too busy, so she went over and greeted Chen Hong when she came out of the ward, asking, "Chen Hong, when can we go in to see my mother?" Chen Hong said, "We've given her some painkillers and sedatives, so it's not convenient for her to see us right now. How about we observe her for a while and see if it's okay this afternoon?" Mao Yuqin nodded and said, "You understand, she's at this stage, we just want to be by her side." Chen Hong said, "I understand, but it's not appropriate right now. You're all very emotional right now, and she's still somewhat conscious; otherwise, it will affect her emotions. Let's observe her this morning and see how she reacts to the medication; I estimate it'll be fine by the afternoon."

Mao Yuqin nodded in agreement. Chen Hong said, "Teacher Mao, you can't be too upset. Teacher Ouyang said your child is still taking exams. You'll bring your emotions onto her. Is it Xiao Mei who's taking the exams?" Mao Yuqin nodded and said, "That's her." Chen Hong said, "Time flies. When I was in school, she was only eight or nine years old, and now she's taking the college entrance exams. Teacher Mao, I think you should go home first. Teacher Ouyang is here, so you should go home and take care of your child. Otherwise, there won't be anyone to cook for her when she goes home for lunch." Mao Yuqin said, "Her brother is home. I'll go back later and come over this afternoon."

Mao Yuqin returned to Ouyang Anping's side and said, "Chen Hong's suggestion is to see if we can go in to see our mother this afternoon, because she's worried we'll get too emotional." Ouyang Anping said, "Chen Hong is just trying to help us." Mao Yuqin said, "I want to go back now. Mei will finish her exams soon. I'll go back and cook first, and let her rest for lunch. You can buy some food for lunch." Ouyang Anping nodded and said, "You should go back quickly." Mao Yuqin said goodbye to her father-in-law and uncle and went downstairs to go home.

Ouyang Anping thought for a moment, then looked at Chen Hong and said, "Chen Hong, can we still do the surgery if there's no hope? My father also thinks so; if there's really no hope, we won't do it. It's just that we, as the younger generation, feel bad about it. My father's idea is that since Mom doesn't have much hope, he doesn't want her to suffer before she passes away." Chen Hong nodded and said, "Yes, Grandpa's thinking makes a lot of sense. Of course, we, as the younger generation, want to do everything we can; that's the same feeling we all have." Ouyang Anping said, "Chen Hong, Teacher Mao and I were both your teachers. We're entrusting my mother's matter to you. Now that the surgery is confirmed to be canceled, I just hope you can provide her with some good medicine during her final days so she won't suffer." Chen Hong said, "Teacher Ouyang, I will definitely do that; don't worry." Ouyang Anping said, "As long as the elderly can pass away peacefully, that's enough for us to fulfill our filial duty. I'm just afraid she'll suffer." As he spoke, large tears streamed down his face, and he choked up, unable to speak further.

Chen Hong felt a pang of sadness and tears welled up in her eyes. She said, "Teacher Ouyang, you have to think positively. You're the pillar of this family now; the elderly and children are all looking to you." Ouyang Anping nodded and said, "Chen Hong, I have another favor to ask. You know, the college entrance exams are happening these days, and my daughter is taking them. If you see anyone from our school, please don't mention my mother's situation. We're all afraid it will reach her ears and affect her mood. She doesn't know her grandmother is hospitalized yet." Chen Hong said, "Really? I was just thinking how few of you came. Don't worry about it; I won't tell anyone." Ouyang Anping said, "It'll be fine once the exams are over in a few days. My father is most afraid of my daughter finding out." Chen Hong said, "Teacher Ouyang, don't worry." Ouyang Anping said, "I'll go tell my parents that the surgery is canceled." Chen Hong said:

“Alright, I’ll talk to Director Zhang too. For now, we’ll just stick to conservative treatment. I’ll do my best to minimize the old woman’s suffering with the medication.” Ouyang Anping thanked Chen Hong and walked over to the old man and the others.

Once there, he told them what Chen Hong had said. Mao Yuqin and her uncle were sobbing. The old man said with a grim face, “That’s it then.” He turned and tugged at his brother-in-law, saying, “Look, now, we have no choice.” His brother-in-law nodded, still sobbing. The old man looked at Ouyang Anping and asked, “Since that’s the case, can we stay with your mother?” Ouyang Anping said, “I forgot to ask. I’ll go ask again.” The old man said, “Wait a bit. Look at us now, can we control ourselves when we’re in front of your mother?”

Ouyang Anping went to his wife and whispered, “Don’t cry like that. Look at our uncle, if he cries any more…” Mao Yuqin turned and took her uncle’s arm to comfort him. The old man sighed heavily and said, "It's all fate." He paused, then said to Ouyang Anping, "Try to go to your mother's workplace when you have time. You need to talk to her supervisor about the medical and hospitalization expenses." Ouyang Anping said,

"I thought of that yesterday.

I'll go this afternoon." The old man nodded, packed a cigarette, and walked to the end of the corridor.

Chen Hong and some nurses were going in and out of the old lady's ward. After a while, Mao Yuqin saw that they weren't too busy, so she went over and greeted Chen Hong when she came out of the ward, asking, "Chen Hong, when can we go in to see my mother?" Chen Hong said, "We've given her some painkillers and sedatives, so it's not convenient for her to see us right now. How about we observe her for a while and see if it's okay this afternoon?" Mao Yuqin nodded and said, "You understand, she's at this stage, we just want to be by her side." Chen Hong said, "I understand, but it's not appropriate right now. You're all very emotional right now, and she's still somewhat conscious; otherwise, it will affect her emotions. Let's observe her this morning and see how she reacts to the medication; I estimate it'll be fine by the afternoon."

Mao Yuqin nodded in agreement. Chen Hong said, "Teacher Mao, you can't be too upset. Teacher Ouyang said your child is still taking exams. You'll bring your emotions onto her. Is it Xiao Mei who's taking the exams?" Mao Yuqin nodded and said, "That's her." Chen Hong said, "Time flies. When I was in school, she was only eight or nine years old, and now she's taking the college entrance exams. Teacher Mao, I think you should go home first. Teacher Ouyang is here, so you should go home and take care of your child. Otherwise, there won't be anyone to cook for her when she goes home for lunch." Mao Yuqin said, "Her brother is home. I'll go back later and come over this afternoon."

Mao Yuqin returned to Ouyang Anping's side and said, "Chen Hong's suggestion is to see if we can go in to see our mother this afternoon, because she's worried we'll get too emotional." Ouyang Anping said, "Chen Hong is just trying to help us." Mao Yuqin said, "I want to go back now. Mei will finish her exams soon. I'll go back and cook first, and let her rest for lunch. You can buy some food for lunch." Ouyang Anping nodded and said, "You should go back quickly." Mao Yuqin said goodbye to her father-in-law and uncle and went downstairs to go home.

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