Love and Desire in the Sea [Complete] - 22

Love and Desire (151)

Chapter 149 (

End) The wedding date of Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui was drawing closer. Early one morning in early August, Ouyang Yiming called Jiang Yuqi. After the call connected, Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "Mayor Jiang, it's so hard to find you. I've called several times and still can't reach you." Jiang Yuqi laughed on the other end and said, "Dean Ouyang, how come you have time to call a country bumpkin like me? What instructions do you have?"

Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "You country bumpkin are quite something, you have a big attitude. I've called several times and they all said you were on an inspection tour." Jiang Yuqi laughed and said, "I've been quite busy lately. We grassroots units can't handle everything all day, so we have to go down to the grassroots. How can we compare to you big leaders who sit comfortably in your offices? Haha, I've called several times, it can't be such a coincidence that I'm not available each time." Ouyang Yiming said, "I've called you three times, and you either said you were in a meeting or you went to the countryside. You're really busy."

Jiang Yuqi said, "There's no way around it, work has to be done, I can't not do it. Hey, why have you called me so many times, is there something wrong?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Of course there is something. Get the money ready, bring my sister-in-law along, I'm going to marry your sister-in-law." Jiang Yuqi said, "Really? This is a great joy, a huge joy. I've been waiting for this day." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "You're a very busy person now, I was afraid you wouldn't be able to find the time, so I'm letting you know in advance." Jiang Yuqi said, "Nothing is more important than marrying my sister-in-law, don't worry, I'll make time even if it's raining knives, I'll go even if it rains knives. Ouyang, when is it?" Ouyang Yiming said, "August 18th in the Gregorian calendar, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, come to my place a day early."

Jiang Yuqi laughed loudly after hearing this, saying, "You good-natured Ouyang, August 18th, Qixi Festival, haha, Ouyang, you and... " "Xu Hui is really romantic, choosing the day of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl's reunion to get married, that's interesting. But Shanghai isn't that far from Panzhou, it shouldn't be a yearly reunion, right?" Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "Originally, we thought the date was August 18th, which is Qixi Festival. Her mother said Qixi is the day the Cowherd and Weaver Girl meet, and it's not good for them to be separated like the Cowherd and Weaver Girl. Xu Hui said okay, she said getting married on Qixi is the best combination of sweetness and romance, and that every Qixi Festival from now on will be our wedding anniversary. Different interpretations. Haha, she has her own ideas, I think it's good too." Jiang Yuqi laughed and said, "Romantic, it's romantic enough, not bad!

I thought you meant living in two different cities, it's not that far!" Ouyang Yiming laughed a few times and said, "Shanghai isn't that far from Panzhou, but it's still farther than you and that little policeman." Jiang Yuqi then called out on the phone, "What little..." "Officer, that's your sister-in-law! Hey, I'll take her to the wedding, and you should call her 'sister-in-law.' That guy, every time I go back and call her 'wife,' she doesn't like it. Just call her 'sister-in-law' to her face and see if she responds!" Ouyang Yiming laughed again, saying, "You're so full of tricks, even with your wife!" Jiang Yuqi said, "Some strategies are necessary.

" Ouyang Yiming laughed loudly, saying, "Jiang Yuqi is always Jiang Yuqi." Jiang Yuqi smiled, "Of course, how could I change! Hey, have you notified them yet?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I haven't told them yet, I was just about to. I don't have Ge Guangcheng's phone number, do you have it?" Jiang Yuqi said, "I have it here, I'll just tell him." Ouyang Yiming said, "It's better if I tell him myself, it's not good if I don't say it personally." Jiang Yuqi said, "That's true. Wait a moment." After a moment, he gave Ge Guangcheng's phone number.

Ouyang Yiming said, "If you have time, come a couple of days early. Xu Hui is getting married here, so she'll come the day before the wedding. I thought we classmates could get together first." Jiang Yuqi said,

"Okay, I'll come a day early." Ouyang Yiming said, "Don't forget to bring my sister-in-law." Jiang Yuqi said, "I won't forget." Ouyang Yiming then asked Jiang Yuqi when he planned to get married.

Jiang Yuqi said, "I'll be transferred back to the county at the end of this year, so I'll definitely get married next year." The two chatted for a while longer before hanging up.

Ouyang Yiming then dialed Ge Guangcheng's number, told him the wedding date after he answered, and reminded him to bring his wife. Ge Guangcheng agreed. After hanging up, he dialed Li Xuan's number again and asked, "Li Xuan, are you alone again?" Li Xuan laughed a few times and said, "You, Ouyang, what secrets do you want to tell me? You're much bolder than before. Don't go astray now that you're a leader. Aren't you afraid I'll tell Xu Hui? Tell me, I'm alone."

Ouyang Yiming chuckled and said, "It's nothing much, just wanted to ask if you've found me a brother-in-law yet? I'm anxious." Li Xuan giggled and said, "Not yet. Nobody's interested in me, and I'm getting anxious too. Why don't you guys introduce me to someone? I'm about to become an old hag who can't get married." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "You can't just pick anyone. None of us want to either. If you want to find someone, there'll be a long line." Li Xuan giggled and said, "Do you think I'm a beautiful fairy like Xu Hui? With my looks, I'm lucky if any man wants me." Ouyang Yiming said, "To be honest, you can't be too picky. You should start looking. We're all..." "Everyone else is taken, and you're the only one still single. Are you trying to avoid being exposed?" Li Xuan said, "If I were, would I be hiding it from us? I really don't." Ouyang Yiming said, "If you really don't, you should hurry up. Don't be too picky. Xu Hui and I are worried about you." Li Xuan said, "Thank you, you two." Ouyang Yiming said, "Wu Yingying might get married next year too. She mentioned that when I called her last time." Li Xuan said, "Wu Yingying might get married in the second half of next year. She told me that a while ago too. Hey, when are you and Xu Hui getting married?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm officially informing you now. Xu Hui and I are getting married on August 18th, less than twenty days away. You'd better make sure you have time." Li Xuan said excitedly, "Really? Then I'll definitely arrange my work to go." Ouyang Yiming said, "I've already spoken to Ge Guangcheng. You should all come a day early. Xu Hui's wedding ceremony is here, so let's all get together first." Li Xuan agreed.

After hanging up the phone, Ouyang Yiming called Wu Yingying again, only to be told that she had gone to Zhejiang on a business trip and would return the day after tomorrow.

Li Xuan had been transferred from the district discipline inspection commission to the district urban construction bureau a year ago, and was now the head of the planning section. The planning section was in charge of the district's construction planning and building approvals, making it a lucrative department. Many people sought her help, and naturally, she received some benefits. Li Xuan, coming from a poor background, certainly needed these benefits, but she was always careful to maintain appropriate boundaries.

With her shrewdness and cautious approach, she would never give anyone a handle against her.

Of course, the insignificant benefits she received were more than enough to support her impoverished family. In recent years, she had renovated her old house and built several rooms for her elder brother. Last spring, she had her mother arrange a marriage for her brother, and he married her two months later. Now, they have a chubby nephew.

She brought her second brother to Nanjing, where he worked as a temporary worker at a demolition company. He has now found a fiancée, a girl from Sichuan who also came to Nanjing to work. Her older sister's family is slightly better off, but she has still helped her a lot. Earlier this year, she brought her parents to Nanjing for a while, taking them to many of the city's attractions and ensuring they received medical checkups and treatment. Unlike some colleagues and subordinates, Li Xuan is not vain. She doesn't care what people think of her rustic parents. In her heart, her parents are her parents, her closest relatives who raised her, and there's no need to hide it from others. She despises those hypocritical people who come to the city afraid people will know they're from the countryside, afraid their parents will bring shame upon them. Li Xuan's love and care for her parents has earned her excellent reputations from everyone.

For that elderly couple who had never left their mountain village, without a capable and filial daughter like Li Xuan, coming to such a big city to sightsee and eat at fancy restaurants—things they'd never tried before—was unimaginable. Back home, everyone they met spoke highly of Li Xuan's filial piety and abilities. The villagers clearly saw what Li Xuan had done for her family and considered her a capable person. As a result, Li Xuan's family held a special place in their hometown. Her parents' tone of voice gradually became much more assertive.

Li Xuan was well aware of her image in the eyes of her fellow villagers. Besides the unexpected turn of events, she also felt a pang of sadness. What did all her efforts amount to here? The cost of building a house couldn't even cover the expenses of a few meals someone would treat them to. How could people compare? But she firmly believed that she would become an enviable figure in this city.

She knew that to gain more, she needed greater power, which meant she had to work diligently now. Of course, while working diligently, she also needed to keep up with the times and have a stronger backing. Her

transfer from the Discipline Inspection Commission to this unit was entirely due to the influence of a deputy district head. Li Xuan had developed a relationship with this deputy district head in her second year of work. This time, it wasn't Li Xuan who deliberately seduced him; rather, it was the deputy district head who first harbored ill intentions towards her. That time, the deputy district head met Li Xuan at the Discipline Inspection Commission office. Li Xuan's shrewdness left a mark on him, and afterwards, he intentionally or unintentionally invited her to his office to discuss topics related to and unrelated to work. Li Xuan could see the deputy district head's true intentions from his eyes. She secretly thought he was a perfect person to be used, but pretended not to know. Finally, one day, while speaking to Li Xuan in his office, the deputy district head casually took her hand. Li Xuan feigned shyness and tried to get up, but the deputy district head pulled her into his arms. Although it was only for a moment before Li Xuan pulled away from the office, she and the deputy district head developed a relationship from then on.

Gradually, the deputy district head learned about Li Xuan's impoverished family background and suggested she transfer to the Urban Construction Commission, telling her that there were some benefits there, and that the businessmen she associated with would be willing to pay a high price for their own interests without any problems. Since arriving at the Urban Construction Commission and being appointed deputy head of the planning section, Li Xuan knew it would be easy to make money there, but she told herself that she could never be too greedy, as it would inevitably lead to trouble in the long run. Therefore, she only accepted small favors. She would never take risks for things she considered unreliable. In her heart, she wouldn't be content with the status quo; she would strive for a higher goal—greater power. She had secretly felt proud of her fate, even though some of her achievements were obtained through dishonest means, but she admired her own abilities. She had also been excited about her good fortune; when they graduated that year, they were directly assigned to government departments, a stroke of luck that subsequent university graduates hadn't had.

Her relationship with Yao Jianshe remained unchanged; Yao Jianshe was now the deputy director of the personnel bureau, and Li Xuan knew he would be useful in many places in the future. Sometimes, Li Xuan felt ashamed towards these two married men, both much older than her, and had to handle her relationship with them very carefully. Li Xuan, of course, had her own mind; with her shrewdness, she managed to navigate between the two men quite skillfully, ensuring neither of them suspected she had other men besides herself.

Now, after receiving the call from Ouyang Yiming about his marriage to Xu Hui, she thought about her own personal life. "It's time to find someone, time to settle down," she thought to herself. But the thought of the two men she was involved with filled her with bitterness. She couldn't get rid of them, nor did she want to. Therefore, if she wanted to get married, she needed to manage her relationships with these two men even better.

At this moment, she felt extremely tired of living. But she thought, even if it's tiring, she had to keep going! For herself and for her family!

Two days later, Ouyang Yiming called Wu Yingying and told her the specific wedding date. He also asked her to come a day early so that some good classmates could get together first. Wu Yingying said, "It's been years since we classmates got together. I really miss you all. It's so nice to see you all at your wedding with Xu Hui." Ouyang Yiming suggested that she bring her fiancé along, but Wu Yingying said, "He might not have time. The traffic department is conducting a major inspection right now. We'll see then. I'll try my best to get him to come." Ouyang Yiming said, "It would be best if he could squeeze in some time. Jiang Yuqi is bringing his fiancée. Ge Guangcheng also said he'd bring his wife. Li Xuan hasn't decided yet, so of course she can't bring her. Why don't you bring your husband so we can meet him? It'll be better if we feel awkward at your wedding." Wu Yingying giggled and said, "Okay, then he can forget about marrying me if he doesn't come." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "That's right, that's my good sister. Of course, you two have to come to your brother's wedding. And Xu Hui and I will definitely be there when you leave." Wu Yingying smiled and said:

"Of course, you and Xu Hui both need to be there. It's only right that you say so. Xu Hui isn't just yours; she's also my good sister." After chatting for a while, she hung up.

Wu Yingying's current boyfriend was introduced to her by a mutual acquaintance. He's from a rural area in Mengcheng County and was assigned to work at the Transportation Bureau after graduating from vocational school. His appearance is average; compared to Zhu Haitao, he's certainly not in the same league. However, he's honest and reliable, and that's precisely what Wu Yingying liked about him, which is why they started dating. When the introduction first came, Wu Yingying was unhappy to hear he was only a vocational school graduate. She only went to the first meeting to appease him. After a few more meetings, she found his honesty and reliability admirable, but not the kind she truly liked.

Thinking of Zhu Haitao made her feel intimidated. She thought to herself, "His job is pretty good. No matter how high his education is, as long as he's good to me, honest and reliable, and we can live a peaceful and loving life together, I'll be content." So she continued dating him. Then she discovered that this man and Zhu Haitao were completely different people; they had been in love for over a year, but he had never dared to touch her.

Wu Yingying didn't know whether to admire or resent this about him, but she felt reassured.

As a woman who had experienced sex, she longed for the man she was in a relationship with to make some intimate gestures towards her, but Wu Yingying didn't get that. Instead, this man often went to her house on his days off to help with chores, such as buying and making coal briquettes, buying rice and flour—hard labor. When Wu Yingying's younger siblings needed study materials, he would always give them his own money to buy them. Wu Yingying's family was quite satisfied with his behavior, and their relationship was considered settled. Wu Yingying had visited his home many times. The two planned to get married after Wu Yingying's younger brother entered university next year.

Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui's new house didn't need any further renovations. These past few days, Ouyang Yiming had someone do a simple tidying up of the apartment in the research institute and lay floor tiles. They bought a bed, a table, and a few chairs and placed them in the house, since Xu Hui was getting married from there, so they needed to keep a few things simple.

Regarding the wedding banquet, Ouyang Yiming, his grandfather, and his parents had discussed it. His grandfather thought it best to set up a kitchen in the old house and hire someone to cook, firstly to save money, and secondly to make it seem more lively. Ouyang Yiming said, "Hiring someone to cook at home is certainly cheaper. But the weather is so hot now, we can't go shopping for groceries ourselves. What if we buy some expired or spoiled cooked food? It wouldn't be good for our relatives and friends to eat it. It's more convenient to book a banquet at a restaurant, and it looks more presentable." His grandfather, Ouyang Anping, and Mao Yuqin respected Ouyang Yiming's opinion.

As for all the wedding arrangements, of course, a professional wedding officiant would handle these matters. Considering that other families might also hire officiants on the wedding day, the officiant was invited to a restaurant for a meal well in advance, with Ouyang Yiming, the old man, and Ouyang Anping in attendance, to discuss the wedding arrangements. The officiant's job was exactly that, so naturally, he would handle everything perfectly. During the meal, the old man inquired about the specific quality of the cigarettes and alcohol to be used, as well as the scale of the banquet. Ouyang Yiming said, "It certainly can't be shabby, but it shouldn't be too extravagant either. If it's too high-end, people will gossip. Mid-to-high quality is fine. But one thing is certain: we absolutely cannot let these relatives and friends gossip." The old man said, "Alright, then we'll proceed with the mid-to-high-end standard. If you have connections with the hotel, you can arrange it yourself." Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment and said, "I might as well entrust everything to you. You're familiar with these matters." The old man said, "Yiming is right. Since I've entrusted it to you, I'll see it through to the end. How could you not do your best for my family?" The old man laughed, "Your Ouyang family is highly regarded in Xiucai Street. No one in your family has ever spoken ill of you for generations. Don't worry, I'll treat your Ouyang family's affairs as my own, making sure they're done well while saving money." The men of the Ouyang family thanked him. They then discussed and finalized some specific matters, such as hiring a suona band and arranging the wedding procession.

A few days later, Ouyang Yiming invited Fan Xurui to his home again. During dinner, the topic of their high school classmates attending the wedding banquet came up. Ouyang Yiming said, "Xurui, you have a lot of influence among our classmates. You also know some of the customs here. Some people go too far on their wedding day, especially the 'teasing the newlyweds' which is practically unconventional. I understand everyone just wants to have fun, but you know Xu Hui's personality. If you tease her like others do, she'll definitely be very angry. You must handle this matter well. Besides having fun, they also want to get something from the teasing. Tell them that they can have cigarettes, alcohol, candy, etc., but you absolutely cannot let them tease Xu Hui."

Fan Xurui smiled and said, "If Xu Hui is teased by our classmates... " "Making a scene will definitely make them angry. Don't worry about this. A few of my high school classmates might cause trouble, but they won't dare disobey me. I'll handle it. Since those people at your research institute haven't caused trouble, none of our classmates will either." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm afraid none of the people in our unit would dare.

I'll talk to a few more people later." Fan Xurui said, "That's good." Turning to look at the old man and Ouyang Anping, he said, "Grandpa, Uncle, don't worry, Yiming and I can handle these things." The old man said, "With you two brothers handling things, we old folks are much more relaxed. You've gone to a lot of trouble." "I understand," Fan Xurui said. "Let's not talk about these things, it's our own family.

Grandpa, Yiming and I grew up together, we're like brothers. I also consider you all my family. Just the other day I was telling my girlfriend that I have a grandfather who's over seventy this year, and we should invite him over to discuss things when we get married."

The old man laughed and said, "Even if you don't invite me, I'll still go. Your grandmother and I have never treated you and Yiming differently. Of course I'll go to my own grandson's wedding."

Fan Xurui said, "There are some old-fashioned principles that you should uphold." Zi said, "These days, everything is done in a new way, and old customs aren't so important anymore. But I will definitely discuss your wedding with your parents." Ouyang Anping asked, "Xurui, when do you plan to get married?" Fan Xurui said, "We plan to get married next spring, but we haven't set a specific date yet. The company housing isn't finished yet, but it should be ready by the end of this year. We're talking about housing when we get married. Of course, we can live at home, but it's far from work. We've discussed waiting until the company housing is finished, renovating it, and then getting married, which will save us trouble. Let's

talk about it after the New Year." Fan Xurui's fiancée is also a doctor, a college graduate, and quite beautiful. They met on their own. The second year Fan Xurui started working at the Fourth Hospital, his fiancée was assigned to the hospital's orthopedics department. They fell in love shortly after meeting, and soon after, they had sex. For them, it didn't matter whether they got married early or late; for a long time, they often lived together at Fan Xurui's house. It was as if they were already married even though they weren't.

Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui's wedding preparations were basically complete, and the wedding day was getting closer and closer.

Since returning from Xu Hui's place, Ouyang Yiming had been busy with wedding preparations and work, and hadn't been to Shanghai. He frequently called Xu Hui to inquire about her health. Xu Hui said she was much better than before and everything was normal. Ouyang Yiming was still a little worried and mentioned visiting her in Shanghai a few times. Xu Hui teased him, saying, "You're getting married soon, so you should focus on the wedding. I don't have much to do here. It would take you two days to go back and forth, and I'm worried about you driving around before the wedding."

Ouyang Yiming said he missed her. Xu Hui replied, "I'm about to enter your Ouyang family; we'll be together every day for a while then." So Ouyang Yiming didn't insist. But each time, he reminded her to take care of herself and eat more nourishing foods.

On the morning of August 5th, Mayor Tang arrived at Ouyang Yiming's office and said upon entering, "Yiming, great news!" Ouyang Yiming hurriedly stood up and asked, "What good news?" Mayor Tang took out an approval document from his briefcase and said, "The approval for our research institute to be renamed the Provincial High-tech Research Institute has been issued!"

The matter of renaming the research institute had originally been mentioned by Vice President Wang to Vice Mayor Tang and Ouyang Yiming after a work meeting in early July. At that time, Vice President Wang said, "These days, the bigger the organization's name, the more business connections it will have; you could say a strong name. If our research institute can be upgraded to the Provincial High-tech Research Institute, its influence will be even greater." Vice Mayor Tang and Ouyang Yiming were very interested after hearing this. Ouyang Yiming said, "If we can really upgrade, there will certainly be many benefits, but I don't know how easy it will be to handle." Vice Mayor Tang thought for a moment and said, "That's a good idea. I'll handle this; if it works, that would be best." Vice Dean Wang said, "If you handle it, there's hope, but it might cost some money." Ouyang Yiming said, "That's just how things are now; spending a little money is good as long as it gets things done."

Vice Mayor Tang nodded and said, "Yes, sometimes necessary communication is unavoidable. I'll give it a try. As long as it's beneficial to the development of the research institute, we'll do our best. It's better to spend as little money as possible; if it costs too much, we'll give up." Vice Dean Wang said, "In my opinion, it will cost at least tens of thousands of yuan." Ouyang Yiming said, "If it really costs tens of thousands of yuan, it's not a big deal if we fail."

Vice Mayor Tang said, "How about we set the standard below 50,000 yuan? Of course, it would be best if we could do it without spending a penny." Vice Dean Wang said, "Let's just set it below 100,000 yuan; that amount of money won't hurt our research institute." So the matter was settled. To Ouyang Yiming's surprise, the matter was handled so quickly and smoothly.

Overjoyed, Ouyang Yiming took the approval document from Mayor Tang and said, "I didn't expect it to be so fast. Mayor Tang, without your connections, it probably wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

Mayor Tang laughed heartily and said, "Some things certainly require powerful connections. It didn't cost much, just over thirty thousand yuan." He turned and sat down on the sofa. Ouyang Yiming walked over from behind the table, poured a glass of water, placed it in front of Mayor Tang, and sat down himself, smiling, saying, "This will greatly enhance the reputation of our research institute." Mayor Tang said, "Yes, with the provincial designation, it will be more advantageous for technology transfer abroad. Yiming, I have an idea. I went to Dean Wang's office earlier, but he wasn't there, so I'll tell you first. Now that our research institute has the provincial designation, I'm thinking of acquiring some land in the provincial capital and building a very respectable research institute. This will make our research institute even more renowned, and it will be very beneficial for domestic and international business contacts."

Ouyang Yiming was even more excited and said, "That's a good idea." Mayor Tang said, "We'll use this place as our production base. As you can see, our research institute's main profits come from technology transfer, so continuing to promote the institute's brand will be more beneficial for its development. I have some other ideas. Currently, the institute has a certain number of talented researchers, and our research results are quite impressive. If we move the institute to the provincial capital, with our preferential policies and geographical advantages, we'll attract more researchers. What our institute needs, of course, is talented people, not just recent graduates, but also established researchers. A larger research team will lead to more achievements. I think moving the institute to the provincial capital, an ancient capital of six dynasties, will be very beneficial in terms of both reputation and attracting talent."

Ouyang Yiming said, "That would certainly be very beneficial. I wonder if the municipal party committee will agree." Mayor Tang said, "I think there shouldn't be much of a problem. The research institute will move to the provincial capital, but the production base will remain here. Our research institute is basically self-reliant now, and the municipal party committee and government will only offer their opinions." "I'll handle these problems; I'm sure there won't be any issues."

Ouyang Yiming nodded, then thought of Li Xuan and said, "I have a college classmate who works in the planning department of the Jinling Urban Construction Bureau. I'll contact her, and she can help with the specific site selection for the research institute." Mayor Tang said, "That's great! I meant it would be even better if it were near the train station or long-distance bus station; convenient transportation would be more beneficial for our technology transfer." Ouyang Yiming said, "My classmate works in the district near the train station. I'll call her right away." Mayor Tang said, "Call her; with this..." "It's great to have someone help out like this, so they have a sense of what's going on."

Ouyang Yiming returned to his desk and dialed Li Xuan's number. After a few pleasantries, they got down to business. Li Xuan was excited and said, "Really? That's wonderful! We'll have so many more opportunities to meet now. Hello, is your research institute planning to build some labs or something?" Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Of course, the research institute needs to build labs." Li Xuan smiled too and said, "I wanted to ask you about the approximate area you need." Ouyang Yiming glanced at Mayor Tang and said into the receiver, "Li Xuan, please wait a moment." Li Xuan agreed.

Ouyang Yiming covered the microphone and asked Mayor Tang, "How much area do we plan to use?" Mayor Tang replied, "We don't need a very large area. I think building a laboratory building that also serves as offices, and some auxiliary facilities if necessary, should be enough." Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment and said, "I think about twenty acres, which is about ten thousand square meters, should be about right." Mayor Tang said, "That should be about right." Ouyang Yiming said, "Let's just discuss the plan of over ten thousand square meters with her first." Mayor Tang nodded. Ouyang Yiming then spoke to Li Xuan.

Li Xuan said, "What I meant by asking you earlier was to understand the area and specific purpose you need. Here's the thing: in my jurisdiction, there's a thermos flask factory of about 16,000 square meters that's been out of production for almost two years. It belongs to the street office, and they're preparing to sell the land. There's a six-story office building and some factory buildings. The developer thinks the space is too small; this area would be perfect for office space. I'm wondering if this would be suitable for your research institute." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Is it on the street?" Li Xuan said, "Yes, it's on the street, right next to the highway to Shanghai. This single..." "This place hasn't been established for many years, maybe six or so. The office building is in the front yard, facing the road and getting plenty of sunshine,"

Ouyang Yiming said. "It's alright for our unit, the area is a bit large, but it depends on the price." Li Xuan said, "The other day the office revealed to me that everything is around four million. The price is quite reasonable." Ouyang Yiming said, "Okay, then you can help us get in touch first, and we'll discuss it further." Li Xuan said, "Alright, I'll let them know first. If you think it's suitable, come and take a look." Ouyang Yiming said, "Okay." He chuckled twice. He said, "Li Xuan, I'm counting on you for this. Please consider the price; our unit is still developing and doesn't have a very strong financial foundation."

Li Xuan laughed and said, "Dean Ouyang, don't try to play the poor card in front of me. I've heard about how well-off your unit is. But don't worry, even if you are, I won't let you spend too much.

What kind of relationship do we have? I know our differences! Don't worry, I'll try my best to lower the price for you. Just don't forget to treat me to a meal later." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "A meal is no problem! Xu Hui and I will..." "I'll invite you first when I get married." Li Xuan laughed and said, "Your wedding? That's nothing! I have to say, you're quite stingy as the director of this research institute." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'm not stingy with you, Section Chief Li. You can choose any restaurant in Jinling."

Li Xuan laughed heartily and said, "I'm just kidding. Don't tell your colleagues what I said, or they won't know what they'll think of me." Ouyang Yiming said, "I can make the arrangements. We won't use the company's money; I can afford to invite you personally." After a few more polite words, he hung up the phone.

Ouyang Yiming then told Mayor Tang what Li Xuan had said. Mayor Tang said, "This location is quite suitable for us. We can use that office building as our office space, and build another laboratory building; 16,000 square meters is more than enough." Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, the terrain is also good, right next to the highway." Vice Mayor Tang nodded and said, "I wonder if Dean Wang has returned yet? Let's go to his office and see." The two went out and headed to Vice Dean Wang's office.

Vice Dean Wang had already returned, and Vice Mayor Tang told him about the matter. Vice Dean Wang strongly agreed, and the matter was basically settled. Ouyang Yiming returned to his office and called Li Xuan again, asking her to handle it as soon as possible. Li Xuan said, "I just contacted them; they need to study it further. There shouldn't be any major problems. I'll let you know as soon as I have any news." Ouyang Yiming thanked her again. Li Xuan said, "Don't thank me anymore, it's nothing. Don't rush this, or you won't be able to get the price down. If it really doesn't work out, I'll consider other options for you." Ouyang Yiming said, "We're counting on you for this." Li Xuan said, "Don't be so polite. It might have to wait until after your wedding to implement this in detail. Let's discuss it further when I get there. I'll call you as soon as possible."

On the morning of August 9th, Ouyang Yiming suddenly received a call from Yang Ping, asking him to come to Suzhou. Hearing Yang Ping's anxious tone on the phone, Ouyang Yiming quickly asked if something was wrong. Yang Ping said it was nothing, she just wanted him to come and discuss his wedding with his uncle. Although Ouyang Yiming felt uneasy, he didn't want to associate anything that made him anxious with Xu Hui. But he couldn't help but try to pull his thoughts away from Xu Hui. After greeting Vice Dean Wang, Ouyang Yiming drove to the school and found Mao Yuqin, who was teaching an intensive summer course for graduating students. He mentioned his trip to Suzhou.

Mao Yuqin seemed puzzled and asked somewhat anxiously if something was wrong. Ouyang Yiming frowned and said, "Xu Hui's mother said she was discussing some things with Xu Hui's uncle." Mao Yuqin lowered her head and pondered for a moment, muttering to herself, "Why can't they talk about it over the phone? Why do they have to go there?" She felt very uneasy, as if something bad was about to happen. After thinking for a moment, she comforted Ouyang Yiming, saying,

"It's probably just about Xu Hui's marriage. Don't worry, just drive carefully." Ouyang Yiming nodded.

Mao Yuqin thought for a moment and said, "How about this, you should take the driver with you. I'm worried about you driving alone." Ouyang Yiming said, "It's okay." Mao Yuqin said, "Don't be stubborn. You absolutely can't drive alone. Go home and bring Meizi, and then bring the driver too. You have to be good; the wedding day is coming up soon, understand?" Ouyang Yiming nodded in agreement. Mao Yuqin said, "When you get there, see what happens and call me immediately." Ouyang Yiming said, "Nothing will happen. I think it's just some specific details about Xu Hui's wedding, so don't worry." Mao Yuqin nodded and said, "Go ahead, go home and bring Meizi."

Ouyang Yiming returned home, where Ouyang Mei had already prepared everything and was waiting. Ouyang Mei said, "You just left school and Mom called. What's the rush to go to Suzhou?"

Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "It's nothing." Ouyang Mei said, "Mom told you to bring a driver from work and not to drive yourself." Ouyang Yiming nodded, picked up the phone and asked for the company's fleet. When he arrived at work, the driver was already waiting. Ouyang Yiming then went to the finance department and withdrew five thousand yuan. Around noon, he went to Suzhou.

In fact, Ouyang Yiming, Mao Yuqin, and Ouyang Mei were all thinking that something might have happened to Xu Hui, but none of them wanted to say it out loud, as they didn't want the other to worry. But they were all very anxious.

On the way to Suzhou, they had a simple meal, and Ouyang Yiming and Ouyang Mei both found it hard to swallow. They arrived in Suzhou around five o'clock in

the

afternoon. The car stopped downstairs at Xu Hui's building, and Ouyang Yiming and his sister and the driver hurriedly went upstairs. The moment Yang Ping's eyes met Ouyang Yiming's when he entered the room, tears streamed down her face, and she choked up, unable to speak. At that moment, Ouyang Yiming's mind went blank, all his nerves tensed, his mind went blank for a moment, and his heart seemed to stop beating. Just then, his seemingly stopped heart began to pound wildly, his face flushed red, and his whole body began to tremble. He stared at Yang Ping in terror, speechless.

After a moment of shock, Ouyang Mei looked anxiously at Yang Ping and asked, "Auntie, what's wrong? What happened?" Yang Ping hugged Ouyang Mei tightly and cried,

"Xu Hui... Xu Hui is sick. Your sister..." Ouyang Yiming stared blankly at Yang Ping, who was crying while holding Ouyang Mei. At that moment, his suspicions, which he had been harboring ever since hearing Yang Ping's phone call that morning, were confirmed. He felt a chill run down his spine and asked, his lips trembling, "Mom, what's wrong with Xu Hui? What happened? What exactly happened?" Yang Ping looked up at Ouyang Yiming through her tears, and the driver hurriedly said, "Auntie, please sit down and tell me slowly." Only then did Ouyang Yiming and Ouyang Mei suddenly realize what was happening and quickly helped Yang Ping to sit down on the sofa.

Ouyang Mei looked at Yang Ping anxiously and said, "Auntie, don't worry, what's wrong with my sister? How is she now?" Yang Ping said with tears in her eyes, "It's the same illness as last time. She hasn't been able to eat anything these past few days. She fainted in the lab the day before yesterday afternoon and was taken to the hospital. Xu Hui's workplace notified your uncle, and your uncle called her father." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Where is Xu Hui now? Has anything been found out?" Yang Ping shook her head and said, "She's had all the tests done,

and they all say she's normal, that she's not sick. Xu Hui is currently at Ruijin Hospital; your father and your uncle are there." Ouyang Yiming asked, "How is Xu Hui now?" Yang Ping said, "They can't see anything wrong, and they can't find anything wrong, but she just doesn't want to eat and can't eat anything. Yesterday I forced her to eat a few bites, and she vomited it all up. If only they could find out what's wrong with her, but what are we going to do now..." She started sobbing again.

Ouyang Yiming's mind was blank, or perhaps too chaotic, and for a moment he didn't know what else to ask. Ouyang Mei asked, "Is her condition similar to last time?"

Yang Ping said, "She looks normal. She's had her stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas—everything's been checked, and the results are all normal. Now the hospital doesn't know what medicine to give her. IV fluids aren't working either; the doctor tried several different kinds, but she felt unwell after starting them, trembling all over. Now the hospital is afraid to give her any medicine; Xu Hui only drinks water." After a while, Ouyang Yiming gathered his thoughts and said anxiously, "Mom, stop talking, let's go to Shanghai now." Yang Ping looked up at him and nodded. Ouyang Yiming knew, of course, that if a person couldn't eat and couldn't receive medication, it meant death. He didn't dare think about it anymore. His heart was filled with extreme terror.

Ouyang Mei quickly helped Yang Ping up. At that moment, Ouyang Yiming almost didn't have the strength to get up.

Before leaving the house, Yang Ping stopped and said, "Xu Hui hasn't told anyone about her illness; none of the neighbors know. I've been in Shanghai these past two days. Yesterday, I said I wanted to tell you about Xu Hui's hospitalization, but Xu Hui initially refused, saying she was fine. Later, your father and I insisted, and Xu Hui finally said not to tell you about the hospitalization, afraid you'd worry, and also afraid you'd drive to Shanghai alone. So I went back to Suzhou to wait for you. Xu Hui was just afraid you'd worry!" Ouyang Mei said, "Auntie, don't be sad. Medical technology is very advanced now; there won't be any problems." Yang Ping sighed and said,

"You don't know..." She stopped and then said, "Let's go." Ouyang Yiming opened the door and closed it, then he and Ouyang Mei helped Yang Ping downstairs.

Ouyang Yiming sat in the front seat, and as the car drove out of Suzhou, he didn't ask Yang Ping anything more. His only thought was to fly to Xu Hui's side immediately and see how she was doing.

Ouyang Mei sat with Yang Ping in the back row. They only started talking quietly after they left the city. Yang Ping said, "Xiao Mei, you don't know, I was afraid to call your brother. I didn't dare tell him, but I couldn't keep quiet. Although your brother and sister didn't have a wedding ceremony, they got their marriage certificate a long time ago. They are a legal couple. There are some things that Xu Hui's father and I can't decide. Now, there are some things that your brother has to decide. Xu Hui is your brother's woman. Xu Hui doesn't want us to tell your brother, but we can't be ignorant, otherwise, your brother will blame us." Ouyang Mei said:

“Auntie, you’re right. This should be discussed with my brother. They’re husband and wife! Don’t worry, if she’s sick, it can be diagnosed, and if it can be diagnosed, it can be cured. There are so many doctors across the country, surely they can cure my sister’s illness! It’s alright, Auntie, please don’t worry.”

Yang Ping said softly, tears streaming down her face, “Xiao Mei, I’ve already told you, I’m just afraid your sister Hui won’t be able to find out what’s wrong. When your sister was ten, she had a serious illness, and your uncle took her to many hospitals in Suzhou and Shanghai, but they couldn’t find anything wrong. Later, seeing that things were getting worse, Xu Hui’s maternal grandmother went to Tan Temple in Xiashan to pray to Buddha, and she received a miraculous medicine that cured your sister’s illness. This morning I called your brother and went to Tan Temple in Xiashan to find the abbot and beg him for medicine, but he said he had no medicine to give, and then he completely ignored me, only focusing on chanting his sutras. I’m afraid her illness now is the same as hers back then.” "I couldn't get the medicine again. Later, I was worried you wouldn't be able to get in the house, so I came back. Now I'm going to the hospital with you two, and I have to come back tomorrow to get the medicine."

Ouyang Mei had heard Xu Hui mention this incident when Xu Hui visited their home. Although she was surprised at the time, she didn't think too much about it. Now that Yang Ping brought it up again, she asked, "Auntie, what kind of medicine did Grandma get for my sister?" Yang Ping said, "That day, your grandma didn't get home until late at night. It was raining, and your grandma was soaked to the bone. The monk gave her a packet of medicine wrapped in several layers of paper in a plastic bag, which your grandma carried all the way home. When she got home, your grandma said it was a miracle drug. I saw it was just a small packet of crushed stuff, like incense ash. But your sister Hui got better after drinking it for two days. But now we just can't get it. Can you believe how anxious we are!" As she spoke, she choked up and shed tears again.

Ouyang Mei said, "Auntie, don't worry, I'll go to the temple with you tomorrow to ask for medicine. Auntie, do you think my sister's condition is the same as it was back then?" Yang Ping said, "Back then, your sister also couldn't eat anything, so when you and your brother came last time and I saw her not eating, I was scared, afraid she'd get the same illness as when she was little. I didn't dare say anything in front of you and your brother.

That night, I talked to your uncle about it, and he was terrified too. He was only relieved the next day when he saw your sister could eat. Back then, your sister also didn't want to eat, and your uncle and I forced her to eat, but she would vomit and have diarrhea. Now, your sister vomits after eating a little, but she doesn't have diarrhea. It's such a small difference, but I think she looks somewhat similar to her back then." Ouyang Mei thought for a moment and thought to herself, perhaps there's something in the medicine that Xu Hui's grandmother asked for that specifically addresses Xu Hui's symptoms, or it might not necessarily be the work of some deity.

Modern medicine is far more advanced than it was when Xu Hui was ten. Perhaps the medicine her grandmother sought back then contained ingredients that could cure Xu Hui's illness, or perhaps it has already been made into a medicine.

But this is just a hypothesis, and who knows if it has actually been made into a medicine? What if the disease cannot be cured, and the medicine cannot be obtained from the temple? They all believe it is the work of the gods; could it really be?

Now, for her brother, these elders, and herself, any treatment that offers hope for Xu Hui's illness, even if it is only spiritual, must be believed.

So he said, “Auntie, let’s do this for now. We’ll stay at the hospital and see some specialists and renowned doctors. The medical skills at our university’s affiliated hospital are excellent. After we get to Shanghai, I’ll go to the university and ask my professor to find some connections at the hospital for a consultation. Then you and I will come to the temple to seek medicine and receive comprehensive treatment. Don’t worry, my sister will be fine.” Yang Ping said, “That’s how it is. We can’t put all our eggs in one basket. We must also believe in the gods.” Ouyang Mei said, “We have to believe in everything now, as long as my sister’s illness can be cured.” Yang Ping nodded.

It was already dark when they arrived at Ruijin Hospital. Ouyang Yiming and Ouyang Mei helped Yang Ping to the ward door, one on each side. Ouyang Yiming let go of Yang Ping and hurried into the ward. He saw Xu Hui sitting on a stool by the bed, holding a copy of “Dream of the Red Chamber” and reading. Ouyang Yiming stopped beside Xu Hui and stared at her. Xu Hui looked up sharply and saw Ouyang Yiming with a surprised expression. Then she asked,

“You, how did you get here?” As she spoke, she stood up. Ouyang Yiming looked at her through teary eyes, then stretched out his arms and tightly embraced Xu Hui. He didn't say a word, but his tears wouldn't stop.

Xu Hui and Ouyang Yiming held each other tightly, Xu Hui burying her head in his chest and crying for a while. After a moment, she quietly wiped away her tears, looked up at Ouyang Yiming, and smiled, saying, "Why are you crying?

I'm perfectly fine." She then reached out and wiped away Ouyang Yiming's tears. Ouyang Yiming carefully looked at Xu Hui's face and found that her complexion was normal, with a slight blush. He felt a little relieved and asked, "Are you feeling better now?" Xu Hui smiled and said, "I'm fine, look at you. I'm okay." As she spoke, she turned and saw Ouyang Mei and Yang Ping. She blushed slightly, pushed Ouyang Yiming aside, and greeted Ouyang Mei, "Meizi's here too."

Ouyang Mei went over and took Xu Hui's hand, asking, "Sister, are you feeling unwell?" Her eyes were also red as she spoke. Xu Hui said, "I'm fine, I don't feel uncomfortable at all."

Turning to Yang Ping, she said, "Look at you, I'm perfectly fine, why did you call them here?" Yang Ping looked at her without speaking, tears welling up in her eyes, and quickly lowered her head. Xu Hui then gestured for Ouyang Mei and Ouyang Yiming to sit down. Ouyang Mei pulled Yang Ping to sit on the edge of the bed with her other hand, while Ouyang Yiming glanced at the two patients in the same ward, nodded to them, and sat down on the stool in front of the bed.

Yang Ping asked, "Where's your father?" Xu Hui said, "He was here with my uncle just now, he's probably gone out now." Yang Ping nodded. Ouyang Yiming looked at Xu Hui and asked, "Have any results been found yet?" Xu Hui said, "I'm not sick at all, look at me, I'm perfectly fine!" Ouyang Yiming said, "But you, but you can't eat, how can you not eat?

Why can't you eat? Don't you want to eat?" Xu Hui said, "It's just the weather, it's nothing." Xu Hui hoped that was true, but knew it wouldn't be.

Ouyang Yiming asked, "Mom said you fainted in the lab, but you didn't want to tell me. Why didn't you tell me?" Xu Hui said, "I felt fine, but I didn't tell you because you were so far away. Actually, I just need a few days of rest. Look, I've had all my tests done these past two days, and everything is normal. I'm not sick at all, don't worry, I'm fine."

Xu Hui was trying to comfort Ouyang Yiming, who knew perfectly well. He felt very flustered looking at Xu Hui, but he knew he couldn't say anything more. He thought to himself, "If she can't eat, even if she looks normal, she's not really normal." He then asked, "Did you take any supplements?" Yang Ping replied, "She didn't take many of those supplements, and she can't eat anything now."

Xu Hui smiled and said, "Of course you did, you did." Ouyang Yiming looked at Xu Hui but didn't say anything.

At this moment, Xu Zhenming and Xu Hui's uncle entered the ward. Ouyang Yiming and Ouyang Mei got up to greet them. After exchanging a few words, Ouyang Yiming quietly pulled Xu Zhenming aside and winked at Xu Hui's uncle. The three of them then left the ward. After stopping, Ouyang Yiming hurriedly asked, "Dad, is there any result regarding Xu Hui's illness?" Xu Zhenming, with a gloomy face, shook his head and said, "No, everything is normal." Ouyang Yiming frowned and said, "How can Xu Hui be normal if she can't eat? Dad, is this hospital's medical expertise any good?" Xu Hui's uncle said, "There's no doubt about this hospital's medical expertise. The problem now is that all of Xu Hui's test reports are normal, making it impossible for them to determine the condition." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Are these tests wrong?" Xu Zhenming shook his head and said, "That's unlikely."

Ouyang Yiming couldn't help but feel anxious and said, "But how can this be? Xu Hui still can't eat, and now she can't receive any treatment. Are we just going to let this drag on? I'll go find a doctor." Xu Zhenming said, "Yiming, don't worry. Your uncle and I just went to the doctor's office to discuss this matter. The hospital has already invited experts from several major hospitals in Shanghai and Beijing for a consultation, and they will arrive tomorrow." Ouyang Yiming nodded. Xu Hui's uncle said, "To be honest, I'm both looking forward to tomorrow's consultation and terrified of it. All the experts coming tomorrow are nationally renowned. If we still don't get a diagnosis after the consultation, we really don't know what to do." Xu Zhenming was in a state of panic and said, "Let's see the results of the consultation tomorrow."

Ouyang Yiming said, "Dad, Uncle, I've been thinking about this on my way from Suzhou. There are some difficult and complicated diseases that our country probably can't cure. Let's see what the results of tomorrow's consultation are. If there really are no results, we'll inquire about hospitals abroad. If Xu Hui's company doesn't reimburse, we'll pay for it ourselves. I have some money now; as long as it can cure Xu Hui's illness, I'll borrow more if needed, I'll definitely do my best to cure her."

At this moment, Ouyang Yiming not only thought of his company's commissions but also of the jar of gleaming gold bars in the basement. He thought that even with that, it would be enough to take Xu Hui to see doctors all over the world. He also believed that his family would support him in using those gold bars to save Xu Hui's life. Having lost Liu Yan, he couldn't afford to lose Xu Hui as well. He couldn't bear to lose either of the two women he deeply loved in his life. Surely God wouldn't be so cruel as to let him lose them both!

Xu Hui's uncle nodded and said, "Yiming, we all understand your feelings. As long as Xu Hui's illness can be cured, all of us will do our utmost." Xu Zhenming sighed and said:

“The problem now is that even though we have money, we can’t spend it. Xu Hui’s supervisor came this morning, and when we talked about this, they said that Xu Hui is also a talent in their research institute, and as long as she can get better, all her medical expenses will be reimbursed no matter which hospital she goes to. It’s just that we can’t find the cause of her illness, which is really worrying.” Ouyang Yiming said, “I don’t believe that if she’s sick, she can’t find the cause. If domestic hospitals can’t find the cause, we’ll go abroad to find it.” Xu Zhenming said with tears in his eyes, “I’m really very confused right now.” Ouyang Yiming looked at Xu Zhenming’s pained expression, his heart trembling, and comforted him, “Dad, don’t worry, nothing will happen.” Xu Zhenming said with tears in his eyes, “Yiming, we know how much you love Xu Hui, but we can’t wait. Xu Hui can’t eat, can’t be sustained by IV fluids, can’t be treated with medication, and where can we go for treatment?” He sobbed as he spoke.

Ouyang Yiming was horrified, thinking to himself, “That’s exactly it!” As he thought this, tears streamed down his face.

Seeing Ouyang Yiming's expression, Xu Hui's uncle quietly tugged at Xu Zhenming and said to Ouyang Yiming, "Don't think too much about it now, and don't be sad. Xu Hui's condition might have a treatment result after the specialist consultation tomorrow. Thinking about it now won't help." He secretly blamed himself for saying some worrying things earlier.

Although Ouyang Yiming was anxious, he knew that being anxious now was useless, and silently prayed for Xu Hui.

At this time, Ouyang Mei was also in the ward talking to Xu Hui, saying, "Sister, I'll go to the university tomorrow. Our university's affiliated hospital is very well-known nationwide. I want to ask my teacher to help you contact a specialist, and we can go there for a checkup." Xu Hui felt a pang of sadness, but pretended to be calm and said, "There's no need. I'm not sick at all, and you can see my condition now. I want to be discharged and go home tomorrow."

Xu Hui felt somewhat lost about her illness. These past two days, she seemed to have vaguely realized something; her heart was filled with panic and helplessness. She was well aware of the consequences of continuing like this, but what good was staying in the hospital without receiving any treatment? She was terrified. However, she tried her best to remain calm on the surface.

Yang Ping looked at Xu Hui and said, "You always say you're not sick, but isn't not being able to eat a sign of illness? What kind of body can survive without food?" Xu Hui said, "I just have no appetite right now, it might get better after a while." Ouyang Mei said, "Sister, don't say anymore. We can't bring up going to the hospital now. If you're sick, you can get a diagnosis and receive treatment. Sister, you're a highly educated person, do you think it's normal for someone not to eat?" Xu Hui said, "It's probably just a temporary phenomenon." Ouyang Mei said, "You've already fainted once, and you still say it's temporary. Don't be so stubborn."

Xu Hui stopped talking. She knew in her heart that not being able to eat wasn't normal. But she was also suspicious. Apart from feeling a little weak, she didn't feel any discomfort. These past few days, she had felt a vague unease, even a vague fear. She couldn't understand why she was in this state, as if something bad was about to happen to her.

But she didn't want anyone to worry about her. She even thought that this physical condition might disappear after a while, and everything would return to normal.

At this moment, Yang Ping was even more flustered, thinking about how her trip to the temple to seek medicine had yielded no results, but she dared not mention it to Xu Hui.

Ouyang Yiming, Xu Zhenming, and Xu Hui's uncle entered the ward. Xu Zhenming said, "I just went to the doctor's office. The hospital has contacted experts in Beijing, who can come here tomorrow morning for a consultation with Xu Hui." Xu Hui looked at Xu Zhenming but didn't speak. Yang Ping seemed a little excited and said, "That's great, that's wonderful! It's good that they can find out the cause of the illness." Xu Hui's uncle said, "Don't worry, I think it's still a problem with Xu Hui's stomach. I think the consultation tomorrow will yield results." Xu Zhenming raised his wrist to check his watch and said, "It's getting dark now, let's go out for some food. Let's also arrange accommodation." Although none of them had much of an appetite, no one said anything. Xu Hui stood up, took Ouyang Yiming's arm, and followed the others out of the ward.

Xu Zhenming had been staying at a hotel near the hospital for the past few days. After leaving the ward, Xu Zhenming told Xu Hui to take Ouyang Yiming and Ouyang Mei to the hotel first, register them there, and then he, Yang Ping, and Xu Hui's uncle would walk there together. Xu Hui agreed. Xu Zhenming then went to the medical staff office and greeted the nurses.

After Yang Ping went downstairs, she walked along the road saying, "I went to Tan Temple in Xiashan yesterday, but I couldn't get the medicine." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke. Xu Zhenming asked, "What did the monks at the temple say?" Yang Ping sobbed softly, "I went to the abbot, and he said the temple had no medicine to give to benefactors." Xu Zhenming's heart sank instantly, and he felt breathless. He turned to Xu Hui's uncle and said, "Xu Hui's illness this time is similar to when she was ten years old. She went to many places that time, but they couldn't find the cause. That time, our mother begged a monk at Tan Temple in Xiashan for medicine, and she recovered."

Xu Hui's uncle said, "I know about that." He turned to Yang Ping and asked, "The abbot of that temple said he had no medicine to give?" Yang Ping said tearfully, "He said no, he said no."

Xu Hui's uncle thought for a moment and said, "I heard that the abbot of Tan Temple in Xiashan had already passed away." "The abbot of that temple was a highly accomplished monk who understood some pharmacology. The abbot of Tan Temple in Xiashan has changed several times since then, and it's possible the current abbot doesn't understand pharmacology at all, which is why he said there's no medicine to offer. Xu Hui's illness is definitely very rare, perhaps uncommon in the medical field. But since the monks could cure Xu Hui with those herbs, I think that if a diagnosis can be made, current medical technology should be able to cure Xu Hui's illness."

Yang Ping said, "But how can we treat it if we can't find the cause?" Xu Hui's uncle said, "Don't worry, let's see the consultation results tomorrow." Yang Ping said, "I still want to go back to the temple to ask for medicine again." Xu Zhenming said, "You can go and ask again." "..." Xu Hui's uncle thought for a moment, then suddenly looked at Yang Ping and asked, "Did you tell the abbot about Xu Hui's childhood experience of seeking medicine at that temple?" Yang Ping said, "I did." Xu Hui's uncle said, "I heard that the current abbot of Tan Temple in Xiashan is very young, supposedly a top graduate from a Buddhist academy, transferred from another temple. He probably doesn't even know about our mother's time seeking medicine. How old do you think the current abbot is?" Yang Ping said, "He looks to be in his thirties or forties."

Xu Hui's uncle said strangely, "You're right, how could someone his age know about Xu Hui's time? You should ask some older monks; maybe they know about our mother's time seeking medicine at the temple." "Maybe those old monks will know what kind of herbs the abbot used to treat Xu Hui's illness back then."

Yang Ping suddenly realized and hurriedly said, "Look at me, I was so anxious I was confused, really, really. Then I'll have Yiming's car take me there tonight to ask some of the older monks." Xu Zhenming said, "Go tomorrow, the temple is closed at this hour. Go after the consultation results tomorrow." Yang Ping said, "Didn't Mom get the medicine in the middle of the night back then?" Xu Zhenming said, "Mom went after lunch, she couldn't get into the temple if she went after dark. Tomorrow." Yang Ping nodded, and hope rose in her heart again.

Xu Hui's uncle asked, "Did you tell Ouyang Yiming about these things?" Yang Ping said, "I didn't tell him, I was afraid he'd worry. I did quietly tell his sister on the way here." Xu Hui's uncle said, "Don't talk about it today, talk about it tomorrow. He might not believe these things even if you tell a highly educated person like him. If you're going to tell him tomorrow, just say that the abbot who cured Xu Hui's illness was someone who understood pharmacology, don't talk about anything supernatural." Yang Ping nodded.

Ouyang Yiming, Xu Hui, and Ouyang Mei arrived at the hotel. As they walked towards the lobby after getting out of the car, Xu Hui said, "Yiming, I don't want to stay in the hospital. Please give me, Mom, and Mei a room, we can stay here and talk to each other at night." Ouyang Yiming looked at her and said, "Isn't that inappropriate? Will the hospital agree to that?" Xu Hui's eyes reddened, and she said with tears in her eyes, "I don't care, I don't want to go back to the hospital, I really don't want to go back to the ward." Ouyang Yiming looked at her, his heart ached, and he felt like crying. Nodding, she said, "Okay, then we won't go back to the hospital. I'll go to the hospital later and tell the doctors and nurses that you're staying at the hotel with us." Xu Hui didn't say anything, but tears streamed down her face.

After checking into the room, the group sat on chairs in the lobby waiting for Xu Zhenming and the others. Xu Hui hugged Ouyang Yiming's arm and leaned on his shoulder. Ouyang Mei sat next to Xu Hui and asked,

"Sister, do you really not feel any discomfort?" Xu Hui said, "I don't feel any discomfort, but I feel like I don't have much energy. I think, I think I'll get better slowly."

Ouyang Yiming asked, "You can't even eat those supplements?" Xu Hui said, "I can't eat anything, I can only drink some water. Yiming, I don't feel hungry either. I know I need to eat even if I'm not hungry, but I just can't eat. Yesterday, Mom forced me to eat a little milk and a small piece of cake, but it felt bad in my stomach, and I kept wanting to vomit. I couldn't do anything about it. Yiming, don't worry, I'll get better." She spoke while tears streamed down her face. Although Xu Hui was terrified, she didn't want Ouyang Yiming to worry too much.

Ouyang Yiming felt a heavy weight in his heart; his eyes were red and his heart trembled. He forced back his tears and said, "Xu Hui, don't think too much. We'll have the results and a treatment plan after the consultation tomorrow. Don't be afraid. I think... I think it's probably just a stomach issue." Xu Hui said, "I think so too, but it doesn't seem like it."

At that moment, Xu Hui thought about her illness when she was ten years old and wanted to talk to Ouyang Yiming about it. She knew her mother might have gone to the temple to seek medicine on her trip back to Suzhou, but her mother hadn't mentioned it, so Xu Hui didn't know if her mother hadn't gone or hadn't obtained the medicine. She hesitated but didn't say anything, afraid that Ouyang Yiming would worry. At that moment, Xu Zhenming, Yang Ping, and Xu Hui's uncle entered the hotel. Upon

meeting them, Xu Hui told him that she had asked Ouyang Yiming to register a room for her there as well. Yang Ping said, "I don't know if the hospital allows you to stay out overnight." Xu Zhenming looked at Xu Hui and said, "I'll go to the hospital to talk to them after dinner. It's okay."

Except for the driver who went into the room he shared with Ouyang Yiming, everyone else went into the room that Xu Hui, Yang Ping, and Ouyang Mei had just registered for. After everyone sat down, Xu Hui said, "If they can't find anything after tomorrow's consultation, I want to be discharged." Ouyang Yiming turned to look at her. Xu Hui's uncle said, "Don't worry, we'll talk about it after tomorrow's consultation." Ouyang Yiming said, "They'll find something. If they really can't find anything, we'll go to another hospital." Xu Hui said, "I really don't want to go through all that trouble." Everyone was silent for a moment, not wanting to say anything more to Xu Hui, but their hearts were heavy.

After a while, Xu Zhenming said, "Let's go get something to eat." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm not hungry." Xu Hui's uncle gave Ouyang Yiming a wink. Yang Ping looked at Xu Hui and asked, "Do you want to eat anything right now?" Xu Hui looked at Ouyang Yiming and said, "Let's go, even if I don't eat, you all still need to eat." So everyone got up.

After walking around outside the hotel for a while, Xu Zhenming said to Xu Hui's uncle, "Let's eat at the place we had yesterday." Xu Hui's uncle nodded. Ouyang Yiming turned to look at Xu Hui and said,

"Could you try to eat less?" Xu Hui looked hesitant. Ouyang Yiming felt a chill run down his spine. After walking a few steps, he looked up and suddenly saw a pie and porridge shop across the street. He asked Xu Hui, "Shall we go get some porridge?" Xu Hui said, "Don't worry about me, you guys eat here." Ouyang Yiming said, "You might be able to drink some porridge." He then called out to Xu Zhenming, "Dad, you guys eat here, I'll take Xu Hui across the street to get some porridge." The group looked across the street. Yang Ping said, "I'll go with you too." Then Ouyang Mei also said she would.

Everyone agreed to go, and they all walked across the street.

After sitting down in the shop, Ouyang Yiming looked at the menu and quietly asked Xu Hui, "Would it be okay to have some millet porridge?" Xu Hui thought for a moment and nodded. Ouyang Yiming was overjoyed when he saw Xu Hui nod.

He handed the menu to Xu Hui's uncle and said, "Dad, you can decide what to order. Xu Hui will have some porridge." Everyone's faces lit up with delight. So Xu Hui's uncle quickly ordered millet porridge, red bean porridge, preserved egg and lean pork porridge, some snacks, potstickers, and meat-filled flatbread.

After a while, the porridge was served, and Ouyang Yiming asked Xu Hui, "Which kind of porridge would you like?" Xu Hui looked at Ouyang Yiming and said, "I'll just have some millet porridge." Ouyang Yiming quickly placed it in front of her. Seeing everyone looking at her, Xu Hui blushed and said, "You all eat." Everyone turned back. Xu Hui's uncle called the driver to eat. Xu Hui whispered to Ouyang Yiming,

"I really don't want to eat." Ouyang Yiming said, "Eat a little." Xu Hui looked at him and nodded, then said, "But how can I eat such a big bowl?" Ouyang Yiming said, "It's okay, eat as much as you can, and give me the rest." Xu Hui's eyes reddened. She took a spoonful and put it in her mouth, seemingly swallowing with great difficulty. She held it in her mouth for a moment before finally swallowing. She looked up at Ouyang Yiming and smiled. Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded. He looked at her and said, "Eat more." Xu Hui nodded. Actually, everyone present, though eating, was secretly watching Xu Hui.

After a few bites, Xu Hui frowned, looked at Ouyang Yiming, and whispered, "I really can't eat anymore." Ouyang Yiming looked at her but didn't say anything. Yang Ping said, "Alright, it's good that you can eat a little. You haven't eaten for days, you can't eat too much." Ouyang Yiming nodded, took the remaining bowl of porridge from Xu Hui, and turned to ask her, "Do you feel better after eating this?" Xu Hui smiled and said, "I don't feel uncomfortable." Upon hearing this, Yang Ping's tears streamed down her face. She quickly turned away, thinking to herself, "It's rare to see Ouyang Yiming so caring towards Xu Hui. What a perfect, loving couple they are!" But if Xu Hui's illness couldn't be cured... she dared not think further, her heart filled with fear. She kept looking at Xu Hui, very worried that Xu Hui would vomit again like yesterday.

Ouyang Yiming felt very relieved, no matter what, Xu Hui still ate some things, and now Xu Hui didn't feel uncomfortable. Perhaps Xu Hui would recover in a few days, just like last time. But it was always like this, she thought to herself, after the consultation tomorrow and the diagnosis, she would definitely treat her well no matter the cost.

After dinner, back at the hotel, Xu Hui and Ouyang Mei went to the bathroom together. Xu Hui, who had been feeling uncomfortable but had been holding back after eating a few mouthfuls of porridge, secretly vomited in the toilet stall behind Ouyang Mei's back.

Love and Desire (153)

Chapter 151

Xu Hui and Ouyang Mei returned to the room, Xu Hui smiled and sat down next to Ouyang Yiming, everyone was relieved to see that Xu Hui's expression was normal. Yang Ping quietly asked Ouyang Mei, "Did your sister vomit?" Ouyang Mei shook her head and said, "No." Xu Hui said to her uncle, "Uncle, go home. Let Yiming's car take you." Xu Zhenming said, "Yes, you should hurry home. You haven't been back to work or home since early this morning. We'll talk about the specialist consultation tomorrow." Xu Hui's uncle said, "Okay, I'll come over tomorrow morning." Xu Hui said, "I'm fine. You can come after you've finished your work. Yiming and the others are here." Yang Ping said, "Brother, don't worry. Xu Hui was able to eat a little something just now, so I think she's fine. When you get back, tell my sister-in-law she's okay and don't let her worry." Xu Hui's uncle nodded and said, "I'll tell them when I get back." Ouyang Yiming said, "Uncle, Mom and Dad are here. Don't rush to come tomorrow. The specialist consultation might not have results until noon." Xu Hui's uncle nodded.

After seeing Xu Hui's uncle off, Ouyang Yiming and Xu Zhenming returned to their room and chatted for a while. Xu Zhenming said, "I'll go to the hospital and talk to them about Xu Hui staying here." Ouyang Yiming said,

"I'll go instead." Xu Zhenming replied, "They don't know you well anyway." He then turned and left.

After Xu Zhenming left, Xu Hui asked Yang Ping, "Mom, is Dad staying in a single room?" Yang Ping nodded and said, "Yes, your dad and I shared a couple's room a few days ago. I forgot to tell Yiming earlier that it's fine if he doesn't book my room." Xu Hui said, "Yiming and I will go to Dad's room to talk for a bit. When Dad comes over, you can let him stay with the driver, and Yiming can stay in Dad's room." Ouyang Yiming blushed upon hearing this and didn't say anything. Yang Ping glanced at Xu Hui and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll take you there." She then stood up with Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui.

Xu Hui said to Ouyang Mei, "Meizi, get some rest." Ouyang Mei smiled and agreed.

Yang Ping led Xu Hui and Ouyang Yiming down two floors, called over a waiter to open Xu Zhenming's room, went inside, took Xu Zhenming's toiletries, and said to Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui,

"You two talk. I'll tell your father to go directly to Yiming's room to rest later." She turned around, took a few steps, then turned back and asked, "Yiming, did you bring any toiletries?" Ouyang Yiming said, "We were in a rush, and neither Meizi nor I brought any. Have Meizi go down and buy some." Yang Ping agreed and was about to leave when Ouyang Yiming said, "Mom, I have a few thousand yuan in my purse. You can take the money from there." Yang Ping said, "I have change." Xu Hui said, "Mom, please keep Yiming's purse safe." Yang Ping agreed, saying, "I'll have Meizi bring you the toiletries after I buy them." Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui responded.

Yang Ping closed the door behind her. After Yang Ping left, Xu Hui poured herself a glass of water and took a sip. She rinsed her mouth with the food in her mouth and went into the bathroom. She felt extremely uncomfortable in her mouth after spitting out the food. When she came out, she saw Ouyang Yiming sitting on the edge of the bed, so she rushed over and sat on his lap, hooking her arms around his neck. She said, "Yiming, I missed you so much. I've wanted to see you these past two days, but I was afraid you'd worry if you saw me, so I didn't let Mom tell you. But she still told you." Ouyang Yiming said, "Are you silly? How could you not tell me about your situation? We're husband and wife now, and I have a responsibility towards you." Xu Hui said, "I know, but I was just afraid you'd worry if you saw me. I didn't want you to worry about me." Ouyang Yiming hugged her tightly and said, "That's not the right way to think. You should have told me first." Xu Hui looked up and said, "Don't blame me." Ouyang Yiming smiled at her and said, "I don't blame you."

Their eyes met, and Xu Hui's lips moved to Ouyang Yiming's. After a few kisses, Xu Hui said, "Yiming, I'll stay with you tonight." Ouyang Yiming was taken aback, and the thought of sex flashed through his mind. His heart pounded, and he said, "Mom and Dad are here today, we two..." He then thought to himself, "How can you do this for the first time in your current state?" Seeing Xu Hui blush and remain silent, he continued, "Xu Hui, I know you're worried about me. Our wedding day is almost here, we... we should wait until that day..." As he said this, he couldn't contain his surging emotions and felt his whole body burning.

He knew Xu Hui always cared so much about their wedding night, and her words tonight must be related to her current illness, which made him even more uneasy. He said, "Xu Hui, don't think too much. You'll get better soon. Didn't you just eat some porridge? That means you're getting better. We'll have the results after the consultation tomorrow, and I believe you can be cured before the wedding." Xu Hui buried her head in his chest and nodded.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Xu Hui left Ouyang Yiming's embrace and sat on the sofa. Ouyang Yiming called out, "Is that Meizi? Come in." Ouyang Mei pushed open the door and came in, saying,

"I bought toothbrushes for both of you." As she spoke, she placed the toothbrushes and toothpaste on the coffee table and added, "You two talk, I'm leaving." Xu Hui reached out and took Ouyang Mei's hand, saying,

"Meizi, sit for a while and talk." Ouyang Mei looked at her and sat down on another sofa.

Xu Hui smiled at Ouyang Mei and said, "Meizi, don't worry about your sister." Ouyang Mei looked at her and said, "Sister, I'm not worried. You look fine. There's nothing seriously wrong. It's probably just related to the weather, like you said." She turned to look at her brother, then back and said, "Sister, don't overthink it." Xu Hui said, "I don't want to. I feel fine."

Ouyang Mei said, "That's right, there's nothing seriously wrong. But we still need to see a doctor since you can't eat. After the consultation tomorrow, I think you'll be fine after a few days in the hospital and taking some medicine." Xu Hui smiled and said, "Actually, I really don't want to stay in this hospital. If I hadn't fainted in the lab that day and been sent to the hospital, I wouldn't want to come to that awful place."

Ouyang Mei asked, "Sister, did you feel anything before you fainted?" Xu Hui said, "I didn't feel anything wrong. I don't know why, but that day it was like I was walking in a fog, and I didn't know anything." In fact, I had something to eat for lunch that day, but I didn’t want to eat at all when I was admitted to the hospital. I think I'd better be discharged from the hospital. I can suppress my illness even if I'm not sick here. Ouyang Yiming said: "Since we have been admitted to the hospital, we will wait until we have a consultation tomorrow." Xu Hui nodded and said, "That's for sure, otherwise you wouldn't agree." I haven't been in a hospital for so many years, and I really don't feel comfortable here. Ouyang Mei said: "Everyone is worried when you fainted. Now that you have moved in, we'd better find out what happened."

Xu Hui sighed and said, "I really don't want to stay here." The day for your brother and I to get married is coming soon, but I live here, and my family will be very worried. Ouyang Yiming said hurriedly: "Meizi, I almost forgot. Please call our family quickly and tell them that Xu Hui is fine. Don't let them worry. We will go back after a few days here." "Ouyang Mei agreed and stood up. Xu Hui said: "You must tell them that I am fine. Just say that it was caused by the hot weather and heat stroke. Don't tell them that I can't eat. Just say that I am fine now. "Ouyang Mei nodded in agreement

. Ouyang Yiming then took some money out of his pocket and gave it to Ouyang Mei.

After Ouyang Mei left, Xu Hui stood up, walked over to Ouyang Yiming, smiled, and then sat in his lap, saying, "I just want you to hold me like this." Ouyang Yiming smiled and held Xu Hui without saying a word. Xu Hui said, "I want to stay in your arms like this forever." Ouyang Yiming said, "Me too." Xu Hui buried her head in his chest and said, "I want to lie with you tonight. I want to... I want to be with you." Ouyang Yiming's heart began to pound again. Xu Hui could hear his pounding heartbeat and felt a little flustered. After a moment, she said, "I just want to be with you, nothing else."

Ouyang Yiming understood what she meant. Xu Hui meant she wanted to lie with him but not have sex. He thought to himself, how could I possibly bear lying together like this for one night? With your body like this, I really couldn't control myself from doing such a thing, and I would feel uncomfortable afterwards. So he said, "I understand what you mean, but let's forget it, Xu Hui. We're getting married soon, and your parents and Meizi are all living here. Everyone's in a bad mood. If we stay together tonight, people will have something to say. Let's not let them talk. Besides, you're very weak right now. Let's wait a few days... I really want to. But I... but I'm really afraid I won't be able to control myself." Xu Hui trembled slightly after hearing Ouyang Yiming's words, nodded, and remained silent.

Ouyang Yiming, thinking about his upcoming marriage to Xu Hui and their impending sexual encounter, felt a tingling sensation in his heart. Composing himself, he changed the subject, saying, "I've already informed Jiang Yuqi and the others about our wedding date." Xu Hui looked up at him and asked, "Really? You've contacted them all?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, I have. They're all very happy and said they'll definitely come." Xu Hui said, "I really miss them too." Ouyang Yiming said, "They miss us too. I told them to come a day or two early so we can all get together. You'll be getting married in our area, and they'll escort you to my house and pick you up. Not many brides would be so fortunate to have so many friends like that." "Your classmates are so kind, picking you up and dropping you off like this, aren't you very satisfied?"

Xu Hui laughed twice and said, "Of course I'm satisfied. They've been taking me to and from your house, they're like my family now, and I'll definitely ask them to make decisions for me in the future." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "What could possibly happen?" Xu Hui smiled and said, "I'm afraid you'll bully me in the future." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "I wouldn't! I'm already too busy taking care of you to bully you! If I bullied you, even my family wouldn't approve, let alone us good friends." Xu Hui laughed. After laughing, she felt inexplicably uneasy.

Ouyang Yiming wasn't at ease while laughing and talking with Xu Hui. He felt heavy-hearted thinking about what Xu Hui's uncle was worried about regarding the results of tomorrow's consultation. But then he remembered that Xu Hui had eaten a few bites of food tonight, and he felt that nothing serious was wrong. So he asked, "Xu Hui, did you feel unwell after eating a little food?" Xu Hui panicked for a moment, but then thought better of it and said, "I don't feel unwell." Ouyang Yiming felt a little relieved and said, "You'll get better slowly. You still need to take those supplements so your body can recover faster."

Xu Hui thought to herself, how could she possibly eat that much? But she didn't want to say anything more now; it would only worry Ouyang Yiming. Of course, she also hoped to be able to eat something as soon as possible, but her stomach just wouldn't hold anything. She knew that this wouldn't end well, and she hoped that the specialist consultation tomorrow would give her a diagnosis and cure her illness as soon as possible. The fact that the consultation tomorrow still wouldn't yield any results was something that terrified her. She feared that her body would weaken day by day. She couldn't understand why she had developed this illness; it seemed to have come without any warning. After her grandmother passed away, she had only experienced a decrease in appetite for a while, but now she couldn't eat even when she wanted to. After Ouyang Yiming took her to see a doctor at the hospital in Suzhou, she felt normal for many days. When she started losing her appetite again, she bought the same appetite stimulants she had taken before, but she didn't feel the same improvement as before. She also gradually lost her appetite for the supplements she had bought. After that, she was very scared, but she tried to keep it a secret from Ouyang Yiming and everyone else. It wasn't until she fainted in the lab that she realized she couldn't hide it for long.

During her hospitalization, waves of fear would occasionally surge through her, but her expressions and words betrayed her inner turmoil; she didn't want her family and Ouyang Yiming to see what was really going on inside her.

With her wedding date fast approaching, she pinned her hopes on tomorrow's consultation. She also considered the terrible outcome if the consultation yielded no results… Of course, she also thought about the strange illness she had as a child, wondering if it had recurred. But she knew her current symptoms were different. She remembered it from her childhood, and her grandmother had told her that she used to vomit and have diarrhea. Now, she didn't feel any abnormal bowel movements, but the food she ate made her feel very uncomfortable and nauseous, forcing her to vomit.

She didn't want to be separated from Ouyang Yiming for even a quarter of an hour, which was why she said she wanted to sleep with him tonight, but she didn't intend to give herself to him. She knew that in her current state, Ouyang Yiming wouldn't be willing to have that kind of relationship with her. But as Ouyang Yiming said, how could she possibly control herself while lying together for a night like that? So, she decided to go back to her mother and Ouyang Mei's room later. But she didn't want to leave Ouyang Yiming.

Although Xu Hui didn't want Ouyang Yiming to worry about her, she couldn't suppress her fear. She said, "Yiming, to be honest, I'm still a little worried about tomorrow's consultation. What if the consultation still doesn't yield results..." Ouyang Yiming felt a pang in his heart and said, "If they really can't diagnose the illness, or if you still can't eat normally, then I'll take you to the best hospital in the world. Xu Hui, you know we have over a million yuan in the research institute now. Even if that's not enough, I have the ability to get money for your treatment. In my opinion, if you eat something tonight, you'll be fine. Don't think too much about it."

Xu Hui was deeply moved by Ouyang Yiming's words and said, "Yiming, I think I'll be fine too. I haven't thought too much about it. To be honest, I'm really touched that you think of me like this and have such a heart to treat my illness." As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. "Yiming, don't be angry when I tell you, it's true that my illness is incurable. I don't want you to make pointless sacrifices; it's meaningless." Ouyang Yiming felt his heart tremble and said, "You said you wouldn't be angry? You're wrong to think like that! What do you mean by pointless sacrifices? What's more important than health?" Xu Hui said, "I understand your heart, I'm so touched. Don't say anything, I'm fine, I'll get better." Ouyang Yiming said, "Don't say anything about being touched; it's my duty. Besides, your medical expenses are reimbursable now. I said we should use the money we have at the research institute, because we have to use it when we need to pay for medical expenses ourselves. Your task now is to cooperate with the treatment; you don't need to worry about anything else." Xu Hui nodded and said, "Okay, I won't say anything." As she spoke, she nestled against Ouyang Yiming's chest, tears streaming down her face, afraid that Ouyang Yiming would see.

After a while, both of them still felt heavy-hearted and had lost the desire to kiss. Thinking about the specialist consultation tomorrow, Ouyang Yiming said, "Xu Hui, let me take you home to rest. There might be some tests during tomorrow's consultation, so make sure you get a good rest tonight." Xu Hui nodded. As they stood up, Xu Hui turned around and suddenly hugged Ouyang Yiming, looking at his face with tears in her eyes, saying, "Yiming, I love you." Ouyang Yiming's heart was instantly stirred, and he hugged her back, their faces pressed together with tears... After returning from the hospital, Xu Zhenming went to talk to Yang Ping and the others in their room. Yang Ping told him about Ouyang Yiming switching rooms with him. Xu Zhenming nodded, then sighed and said:

“I’m really worried about tomorrow’s consultation,” Yang Ping said. “There’s no use worrying about anything now.” Ouyang Mei said, “Don’t worry, I think everything will be fine. You saw that my sister ate a little something at dinner, although not much, but I think she’ll get better slowly. We’ll see what they say after the consultation tomorrow.” Yang Ping said, “My biggest worry is that Xu Hui can’t be treated with medication. If she can be treated with medication, then she’ll be fine.” Xu Zhenming said, “Medication is not as good as her being able to eat.” Yang Ping said, “That’s right, if she can eat normally, then she should be normal.”

Xu Zhenming said, “No matter what the consultation results are tomorrow, you and Meizi should hurry to the temple to see if you can get some medicine. Although Xu Hui’s symptoms are not exactly the same as when she was a child, they are still somewhat similar.” Yang Ping said, “I know, I was just talking to Meizi about this.” "Yes." Xu Zhenming nodded and said, "I just went to the ward and spoke with the doctor on duty. I told him about Xu Hui eating a few bites of food last night. The doctor said it's a good start. He said some illnesses are strange; they can't be diagnosed and may even heal on their own. He said Xu Hui shouldn't eat anything tomorrow morning, as they might need to do some tests." Yang Ping said, "Tell Xu Hui tomorrow morning, and you should go and get some rest too." Xu Zhenming nodded, stood up, and said, "You should all get some rest too."

After Xu Zhenming left, Yang Ping said to Ouyang Mei, "Meizi, I feel the same way as your uncle. I'm really worried about tomorrow's consultation." Ouyang Mei said, "We have to face this no matter what, Auntie. Don't think too much." Yang Ping said, "How can I not think about it? I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight." Ouyang Mei was just as anxious as they were about tomorrow's consultation results. Hearing Yang Ping's words, she didn't know how to comfort her anymore. Yang Ping didn't say anything more, and the two sat silently.

After a while, Ouyang Mei asked, "Auntie, do you really think my sister didn't receive any medication when she was little? Was she cured solely by medicine obtained from the temple?" Yang Ping said, "She was the same then as she is now; she couldn't take medicine, and she felt uncomfortable after injections. They had to give her injections and IV drips, but the diarrhea wouldn't stop. Later, when there was no more stool, she had watery diarrhea. Now, she's better than before." Ouyang Mei asked, "Did my sister's appearance change back then?" Yang Ping said, "Your sister didn't change much back then. Thinking about it now, it's strange. She hadn't eaten for so many days; she should have been very thin, but I can't tell how much weight she lost. She was just very weak." Ouyang Mei said, "My sister hasn't changed at all now. If you didn't know..." She said she was sick, but everyone who saw her thought she was normal. Yang Ping nodded and said, "Yes, there are many similarities to that time." Her body must also be very weak. Ouyang Mei said: "If there is nothing in the stomach, the body will definitely be very weak. I am just surprised that she has been eating very little or even nothing for so many days, and there is no change in her appearance." Yang Ping said: "These are just difficult to explain." Ouyang Mei said: "Anyway, after tomorrow's consultation, we will go to the temple to ask for medicine as my uncle said." Maybe those herbs can help. Yang Ping nodded and said, "Ever since your sister was cured of her childhood illness, I have always believed in Buddha." I think as long as we are sincere, we can get your sister some medicine. "

At this time, Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui opened the door and came in. Yang Ping and Ouyang Mei were stunned when they saw them coming in. They were both wondering why they were here again, but no one had any questions. Xu Hui smiled and asked: "You haven't rested yet? "Ouyang Mei said: "We were talking about taking a rest. "As he spoke, he quickly stood up and helped Xu Hui. Xu Hui said, "I'm fine." She walked over and sat down on the bed, looking up at Ouyang Yiming. "Why don't you sit for a while?" Ouyang Yiming nodded and sat down on the sofa. He turned to look at Yang Ping, whose eyes were red-rimmed, and said, "Mom, don't worry, Xu Hui is fine."

Yang Ping nodded, forcing a smile. "I know. What did you two want to talk about when you came over?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I wanted Xu Hui to rest early. Tomorrow's consultation might involve some tests. Don't let Xu Hui eat anything tomorrow morning; let her hear what the doctor says when she gets to the ward." Yang Ping said, "Your father mentioned this when he came back from the hospital." Xu Hui said:

“I couldn’t eat anything this morning either. Yiming, you should go back and rest too.” Ouyang Yiming nodded and stood up, then asked Ouyang Mei, “Did you call Mom and Dad?” Ouyang Mei said, “Yes, I did. Mom said she wanted to come over, but I told her that Sister Hui is doing well now, so I didn’t ask her to come. She said to let her know as soon as possible if anything happens.”

Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, “Okay.” He turned to Yang Ping and said, “Mom, you should rest early too. You’ve been so busy these past few days.” Yang Ping said, “I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Ouyang Yiming agreed. Xu Hui and Yang Ping saw Ouyang Yiming off.

Love and Desire (154)

Chapter 152

The next morning, Ouyang Yiming got up at the crack of dawn. He had barely slept all night. At times, his heart pounded wildly as if it would leap out of his throat; at others, he felt intensely fearful and agitated; at still others, he felt a profound dread… He had thought a great deal throughout the night. He considered all the possible outcomes, both anticipating and terrified of the consultation's results. He had also considered that if no treatment was found after today's consultation, Xu Hui might leave him someday. These thoughts filled him with dread and worry, and several times he wept with sorrow; several times he got out of bed and paced restlessly around the room… After washing up, he went downstairs for a walk in the hotel garden. Thinking about the unknown results of today's expert consultation, he felt an unusual tightness in his chest, and it became difficult to breathe.

"Heaven can't be so unfair to Xu Hui and me, can it?" Ouyang Yiming thought to himself, looking up at the sky and silently pleading, "Gods and spirits, please bless Xu Hui so that her illness can be diagnosed today. Please bless the pure and kind Xu Hui so that she can recover quickly and live a long and healthy life."

At eight o'clock in the morning, the expert consultation began, and Xu Hui underwent some necessary examinations. Two leaders from Xu Hui's workplace also came to visit. Hearing that Xu Hui was undergoing expert consultation, they spoke briefly and said they would come in the afternoon to see the results.

However, amidst the family's anxious wait, after consultation with several nationally renowned experts, the cause of the illness remained undetermined. Based on some experts' suggestions, Xu Hui underwent some trial medication treatments, but after these drugs were injected into her body, she began to experience severe adverse reactions. The medication treatment had to be discontinued. After that, the experts were at a loss. Around

noon, the experts from another hospital who had come for the consultation left, and the ward director asked a nurse to notify Xu Hui's family to come to his office. Xu Zhenming, Ouyang Yiming, and Xu Hui's uncle went together.

The ward director gestured for them to sit down, then frowned and said, "I have to tell you, we still can't diagnose the patient's cause after the consultation. This case is very rare worldwide. We are powerless to help." The three were stunned upon hearing the director's conclusion. Ouyang Yiming, in particular, sat there trembling as if his entire body had gone limp.

Xu Hui's uncle, stunned, looked at the ward director and said, "You mean...you mean Xu Hui's illness is incurable?" The ward director shook his head slightly and said, "Currently, we really have no way to treat this illness. No expert has ever seen this kind of case before; it's a very special type of anorexia. It's special because the patient can't eat, can't receive intravenous nutrition, and can't be treated with any medication. It's a very difficult problem." Xu Zhenming's lips trembled as he said, "Xu Hui...Xu Hui ate a little food last night." The ward director shook his head and said, "She did eat a few bites last night, but she vomited them up. We already understood these details during the consultation. If she could really eat, she wouldn't be sick."

Ouyang Yiming then realized what was happening, anxiously leaning forward, his eyes wide as he looked at the ward director and asked, "What did you say? You mean you can't cure Xu Hui's illness?"

The ward director nodded. Ouyang Yiming followed up, "You mean Xu Hui's illness is incurable?" The ward director nodded again. Ouyang Yiming stared at the ward director and asked, "Then tell me, where can Xu Hui's illness be treated?" The ward director, seeing the fear in Ouyang Yiming's eyes, forced himself to remain calm and said, "Young man, I understand your feelings. We've already invited several nationally renowned experts, but none of them can diagnose the illness. The key is that the patient cannot be treated with medication. Currently, I don't think there are any hospitals nationwide that can diagnose this condition."

Ouyang Yiming stared wide-eyed and asked, "What about abroad? Where can hospitals abroad diagnose Xu Hui's illness? Where can hospitals abroad treat Xu Hui's illness?" The ward director shook his head and said,

"Currently, we have no information about this illness from any sources. Whether hospitals abroad can treat it, or which hospitals can treat it, we really don't know."

Ouyang Yiming's lips trembled as he stared at the ward director. At this moment, he was unusually agitated due to despair, a fire rising within him, and he seemed about to lose his mind. His face was flushed, and he pointed at the ward director, his lips and nostrils twitching. His voice was not loud but very stern as he said, "You, you can't even find the cause? What... what are you doctors for?" The ward director was stunned and looked at Ouyang Yiming in panic, unable to speak. Xu Hui's uncle hurriedly pulled Ouyang Yiming aside, saying, "Yiming, we must calm down now." Turning back to the ward director, he apologized, "I'm sorry, his feelings..." The ward director smiled bitterly, shook his head, and said, "I understand, I understand. As a doctor, I also feel guilty for not being able to treat my patient, but there's nothing we can do. Who are you to the patient?" Xu Zhenming said, "This is my son-in-law."

The ward director nodded, looking at Ouyang Yiming, and said, "I completely understand your feelings, young man, we need to face reality. The patient cannot take medication, and we can't solve this problem. As for the foreign hospitals you asked about, we indeed don't have data on such cases, so of course we don't know which country's hospitals can treat this. There's another issue you need to consider: the patient's body is getting weaker and weaker. Even if you wanted to take the patient to various parts of the world for treatment, could the patient's body withstand it?

To be honest, we also have doubts about the patient's still having a good mental state after not eating for such a period of time." He was puzzled. However, according to the laws of nature, if someone is unable to eat, receive intravenous nutrition, or obtain medication for an extended period, any body will quickly collapse. "You seem to be a highly educated intellectual," he said, "we must be pragmatic. We are currently inquiring, and it turns out that some foreign experts have treatments for this disease. We plan to bring this expert to our hospital as soon as possible to treat the patient. We don't want the patient to endure such a grueling journey; the patient cannot withstand such a hardship." Ouyang Yiming asked, "When will you contact us?" The ward director replied, "Our hospital's relevant departments have already sent a letter to the World Health Organization. As a medical institution, we are very eager to understand and treat such a special case. However, we do not know whether we will receive a response." Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded. At that moment, he saw a glimmer of hope and looked at the ward director with some guilt, saying, "I'm sorry, Director." Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. The ward director said, "We doctors are the ones who should apologize. Seeing a patient admitted to the hospital but unable to receive treatment is heartbreaking for us doctors. We don't want to give up on any patient, but we really have no other choice." He paused, then said, "You can discharge the patient in the next day or two." Ouyang Yiming was startled, frowning at him in surprise, "Discharge? You mean you've declared Xu Hui's illness incurable? You're trying to push the patient out?" The ward director seemed somewhat fearful, looking at Ouyang Yiming, and said, "If there's hope for treatment, we won't push the patient out. We don't want to do this either, but we..." Ouyang Yiming wanted to say something more, but Xu Hui's uncle quickly pulled him back.

Xu Zhenming then said, "Director, I have something to tell you, please consider it." Everyone looked at him. Xu Zhenming then recounted the illness Xu Hui had when she was ten years old, and how she had sought medicine at the temple and been cured.

Ouyang Yiming had never had the chance to hear about this before. Since arriving, Yang Ping had only told Ouyang Mei about Xu Hui's childhood illness in the car. Ouyang Mei had heard Xu Hui mention it during their first visit to her home, but assumed it was just Xu Hui's devout Buddhist faith and didn't think much of it, nor did she mention it to Ouyang Yiming. In the years she'd spent with Ouyang Yiming, Xu Hui, whether intentionally or unintentionally, had never brought it up either. Now, upon hearing this, Ouyang Yiming felt a surge of hope and hurriedly said, "Then I'll go to the temple to get the medicine right now." He stood up as he spoke. Xu Zhenming looked at him and said, "Wait a moment."

The ward director was surprised upon hearing this and said, "Some illnesses are truly strange. I think the medicine given by that temple must have a special effect on this disease. Sometimes traditional Chinese medicine can cure diseases that Western medicine cannot. You should try it." Xu Hui's uncle said, "Okay, please find out for us which hospitals can cure Xu Hui's illness, anywhere in the world is fine. Don't worry about the cost; we will spare no expense to treat Xu Hui's illness." The ward director said, "Don't worry, we will do our best." Xu Hui's uncle said, "We won't process the discharge for now; there's a risk..." "It's good that you can contact us anytime." The director said, "Actually, there's no point in the patient staying here anymore. Leave your contact information here so we can get in touch promptly if anything happens." Ouyang Yiming said, "Let's not discharge her for now, let's talk about it in a few days." The ward director thought for a moment and said, "How about this, let's wait and see."

Xu Zhenming and Xu Hui's uncle were somewhat prepared for the news that Xu Hui's illness couldn't be diagnosed. Although they were also full of hope for this consultation, they didn't show the same despair as Ouyang Yiming when they received the news that it was incurable.

More than ten years ago, Xu Zhenming also brought Xu Hui to this hospital for treatment. At that time, the doctor told Xu Zhenming after the examination that it was incurable and told him to take Xu Hui to other hospitals. After leaving that hospital, Xu Zhenming took Xu Hui to many hospitals in Shanghai, and received the same answer each time. In despair, he took the barely alive Xu Hui back home. Xu Zhenming had anticipated this outcome when Xu Hui was hospitalized, but he was also filled with hope for the advancements in medicine and the consultation with renowned experts a decade or so later. Although the result was disappointing, he knew he couldn't blame the doctors; Xu Hui's illness was simply too strange. Xu Zhenming also fully understood Ouyang Yiming's behavior earlier. He himself had cried and begged doctors more than a decade ago, and had even argued with them. The feeling of watching a loved one become incurable was complex and capable of driving one to madness; how much more so for Ouyang Yiming, who was about to marry Xu Hui? At this moment, he placed all his hopes on seeking medicine at the temple.

At this moment, Ouyang Yiming was extremely anxious. As soon as he left the director's office, he hurriedly said, "Dad, Uncle, we'll go to the temple to beg for medicine right now. We must get medicine for Xu Hui; we must cure her illness!" Xu Zhenming said, "Yiming, don't rush. Let's discuss this first." Ouyang Yiming looked at him and said, "What's there to discuss now? Let's hurry!" Xu Hui's uncle said, "Sit down and talk." Ouyang Yiming looked at the two of them, then followed them a few steps to sit on a chair in the corridor.

After the ward director gestured for them to sit down, he frowned and said, "I have to tell you, we still cannot diagnose the patient's illness after the consultation. This case is very rare even worldwide. We are powerless." The three of them were stunned upon hearing the director's conclusion. Ouyang Yiming, in particular, sat there trembling as if his entire body had gone limp.

Xu Hui's uncle, stunned, looked at the ward director and said, "You mean...you mean Xu Hui's illness is incurable?" The ward director shook his head slightly and said, "Currently, we really have no way to treat this illness. No expert has ever seen this kind of case before; it's a very special type of anorexia. It's special because the patient can't eat, can't receive intravenous nutrition, and can't be treated with any medication. It's a very difficult problem." Xu Zhenming's lips trembled as he said, "Xu Hui...Xu Hui ate a little food last night." The ward director shook his head and said, "She did eat a few bites last night, but she vomited them up. We already understood these details during the consultation. If she could really eat, she wouldn't be sick."

Ouyang Yiming then realized what was happening, anxiously leaning forward, his eyes wide as he looked at the ward director and asked, "What did you say? You mean you can't cure Xu Hui's illness?"

The ward director nodded. Ouyang Yiming followed up, "You mean Xu Hui's illness is incurable?" The ward director nodded again. Ouyang Yiming stared at the ward director and asked, "Then tell me, where can Xu Hui's illness be treated?" The ward director, seeing the fear in Ouyang Yiming's eyes, forced himself to remain calm and said, "Young man, I understand your feelings. We've already invited several nationally renowned experts, but none of them can diagnose the illness. The key is that the patient cannot be treated with medication. Currently, I don't think there are any hospitals nationwide that can diagnose this condition."

Ouyang Yiming stared wide-eyed and asked, "What about abroad? Where can hospitals abroad diagnose Xu Hui's illness? Where can hospitals abroad treat Xu Hui's illness?" The ward director shook his head and said,

"Currently, we have no information about this illness from any sources. Whether hospitals abroad can treat it, or which hospitals can treat it, we really don't know."

Ouyang Yiming's lips trembled as he stared at the ward director. At this moment, he was unusually agitated due to despair, a fire rising within him, and he seemed about to lose his mind. His face was flushed, and he pointed at the ward director, his lips and nostrils twitching. His voice was not loud but very stern as he said, "You, you can't even find the cause? What... what are you doctors for?" The ward director was stunned and looked at Ouyang Yiming in panic, unable to speak. Xu Hui's uncle hurriedly pulled Ouyang Yiming aside, saying, "Yiming, we must calm down now." Turning back to the ward director, he apologized, "I'm sorry, his feelings..." The ward director smiled bitterly, shook his head, and said, "I understand, I understand. As a doctor, I also feel guilty for not being able to treat my patient, but there's nothing we can do. Who are you to the patient?" Xu Zhenming said, "This is my son-in-law."

The ward director nodded, looking at Ouyang Yiming, and said, "I completely understand your feelings, young man, we need to face reality. The patient cannot take medication, and we can't solve this problem. As for the foreign hospitals you asked about, we indeed don't have data on such cases, so of course we don't know which country's hospitals can treat this. There's another issue you need to consider: the patient's body is getting weaker and weaker. Even if you wanted to take the patient to various parts of the world for treatment, could the patient's body withstand it?

To be honest, we also have doubts about the patient's still having a good mental state after not eating for such a period of time." He was puzzled. However, according to the laws of nature, if someone is unable to eat, receive intravenous nutrition, or obtain medication for an extended period, any body will quickly collapse. "You seem to be a highly educated intellectual," he said, "we must be pragmatic. We are currently inquiring, and it turns out that some foreign experts have treatments for this disease. We plan to bring this expert to our hospital as soon as possible to treat the patient. We don't want the patient to endure such a grueling journey; the patient cannot withstand such a hardship." Ouyang Yiming asked, "When will you contact us?" The ward director replied, "Our hospital's relevant departments have already sent a letter to the World Health Organization. As a medical institution, we are very eager to understand and treat such a special case. However, we do not know whether we will receive a response." Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded. At that moment, he saw a glimmer of hope and looked at the ward director with some guilt, saying, "I'm sorry, Director." Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. The ward director said, "We doctors are the ones who should apologize. Seeing a patient admitted to the hospital but unable to receive treatment is heartbreaking for us doctors. We don't want to give up on any patient, but we really have no other choice." He paused, then said, "You can discharge the patient in the next day or two." Ouyang Yiming was startled, frowning at him in surprise, "Discharge? You mean you've declared Xu Hui's illness incurable? You're trying to push the patient out?" The ward director seemed somewhat fearful, looking at Ouyang Yiming, and said, "If there's hope for treatment, we won't push the patient out. We don't want to do this either, but we..." Ouyang Yiming wanted to say something more, but Xu Hui's uncle quickly pulled him back.

Xu Zhenming then said, "Director, I have something to tell you, please consider it." Everyone looked at him. Xu Zhenming then recounted Xu Hui's illness when she was ten years old, and how she was cured by seeking medicine at the temple.

Ouyang Yiming had never had a chance to hear about this before. After arriving, Yang Ping only mentioned Xu Hui's childhood illness to Ouyang Mei in the car. Ouyang Mei had also heard Xu Hui mention it during a casual chat the first time Xu Hui visited her home, but assumed it was just Xu Hui's devout Buddhist faith and didn't think much of it, never mentioning it to Ouyang Yiming. In the years she'd spent with Ouyang Yiming, Xu Hui, whether intentionally or unintentionally, had never brought it up. Upon hearing this, a surge of hope ignited in Ouyang Yiming's heart, and he hurriedly said, "Then I'll go to the temple to ask for medicine right now." He stood up as he spoke. Xu Zhenming looked at him and said, "Wait a moment."

The ward director was surprised and said, "Some illnesses are really strange. I think the medicine given by that temple must have a special effect on this disease. Sometimes traditional Chinese medicine can cure diseases that Western medicine cannot. You should try it quickly." Xu Hui's uncle said, "Okay, please find out for us which hospitals can cure Xu Hui's disease, anywhere in the world is fine. Don't worry about the cost, as long as Xu Hui's disease can be treated, we will spare no expense." The ward director said, "Don't worry, we will do our best." Xu Hui's uncle said, "We also need to find out for now..." "Don't process the discharge; you can contact us anytime if there's any news," the head doctor said. "Actually, there's no point in the patient staying here anymore. Leave your contact information here so we can get in touch promptly if anything happens." Ouyang Yiming said, "Let's not process the discharge for now; we'll talk about it in a few days." The ward head thought for a moment and said, "How about this, let's wait and see."

Xu Zhenming and Xu Hui's uncle were somewhat prepared for the news that Xu Hui's illness couldn't be diagnosed. Although they were also full of hope for this consultation, they didn't show the same despair as Ouyang Yiming when they received the news that it was incurable.

More than ten years ago, Xu Zhenming also brought Xu Hui to this hospital for treatment. At that time, the doctor told Xu Zhenming after the examination that it was incurable and told him to take Xu Hui to other hospitals. After leaving that hospital, Xu Zhenming took Xu Hui to many hospitals in Shanghai, but received the same answer each time. In despair, he took the barely alive Xu Hui home. Xu Zhenming had anticipated this outcome when Xu Hui was hospitalized, but he was also filled with hope for the advancements in medicine and the consultation with renowned experts a decade or so later. Although the result was disappointing, he knew he couldn't blame the doctors; Xu Hui's illness was simply too strange. Xu Zhenming also fully understood Ouyang Yiming's behavior earlier. He himself had cried and begged doctors more than a decade ago, and had even argued with them. The feeling of watching a loved one become incurable was complex and capable of driving one to madness; how much more so for Ouyang Yiming, who was about to marry Xu Hui? At this moment, he placed all his hopes on seeking medicine at the temple.

At this moment, Ouyang Yiming was extremely anxious. As soon as he left the director's office, he hurriedly said, "Dad, Uncle, we'll go to the temple right now to beg for medicine. We must get medicine for Xu Hui; we must cure her illness!" Xu Zhenming said, "Yiming, don't rush. Let's discuss this first." Ouyang Yiming looked at him and said, "What's there to discuss now? Let's hurry!" Xu Hui's uncle said, "Sit down and talk." Ouyang Yiming looked at the two of them, then followed them a few steps and sat down on a chair in the corridor.

Xu Zhenming's hands trembled as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, put it in his mouth, lit it, and silently took two puffs. Turning to look at Xu Hui's uncle, he realized he hadn't offered him a cigarette, so he poured one out and handed it to him. Turning to Ouyang Yiming, he said, "Yiming, your mother went to the temple yesterday, but she didn't get the medicine." Ouyang Yiming's heart tightened, and he flinched, asking, "Why?"

Xu Hui's uncle replied, "The abbot your mother saw yesterday was only in his thirties, and he had just been transferred a few years ago. We told your mother yesterday that after seeing the consultation results today, we'll go to the temple again to ask some older monks." Ouyang Yiming said, "Let's not talk about it here; let's talk on the way." He stood up as he spoke.

Xu Zhenming said, "Yiming, sit down. What I mean is, we need to think about this. I think it's best not to let Xu Hui know the consultation results right now, otherwise, she might not be able to handle it. Things aren't like they were a decade or two ago; Xu Hui might have a mental breakdown after hearing this news. Don't tell your mother or Meizi right now." Xu Hui's uncle said, "Yes, it's not good to tell them now. Just say the consultation results aren't out yet, they're still studying it." Xu Zhenming said, "I just thought about it, and there's not much point in us staying here. I want Xu Hui to go home. Brother, don't go to Suzhou for now. Stay here and keep in touch with the hospital. We can't get medicine from the temple yet, and even if we do, will it work?" "No problem. The original abbot passed away many years ago, and we don't even know if the monks nowadays understand pharmacology. As soon as we find a place here that can treat Xu Hui's illness, we'll go there immediately. Let's have another way to handle this." Xu Hui's uncle said, "That's good too. I'm also inquiring about places that can treat this kind of illness. Contact me promptly if anything happens, and I'll be in Suzhou soon."

Xu Zhenming said, "Could we tell the hospital that we'll take Xu Hui back to Suzhou first and not leave her in the hospital? That way, the hospital will know we have this patient and will be more willing to help us contact hospitals at home and abroad that can treat Xu Hui's illness." Xu Hui's uncle said, "I'll go and talk to them again. Let's see how they plan to do it." After saying that, he walked towards the director's office.

Ouyang Yiming watched Xu Hui's uncle enter the director's office, then turned to Xu Zhenming and asked, "Dad, was it the medicine Xu Hui drank at that temple that cured her illness?"

Xu Zhenming replied, "When Xu Hui was ten, I took her to many hospitals, but they all said it was incurable. In despair, I brought her home. On the day Xu Hui was near death, your grandmother braved the heavy rain to seek medicine at several temples, eventually obtaining it from Tan Temple in Xiashan. That day, after we gave it to Xu Hui, your mother and I didn't have much hope, but unexpectedly, it cured her." Ouyang Yiming was deeply moved. Li was excited and said, "It's possible that, as this director said, those herbs contain a specific medicine to treat Xu Hui's illness. I'm very anxious now."

Xu Zhenming said, "After your uncle talks to the doctor, we'll take Xu Hui back to Suzhou. It's hard to say whether the hospital will allow Xu Hui to continue staying here. The hospital also has its considerations; they probably won't keep patients they can't treat. If we insist on keeping Xu Hui here, I mean if Xu Hui is still their patient, they will actively help us contact hospitals that can cure Xu Hui's illness. If they really don't want to, we'll have no choice but to discharge Xu Hui." Ouyang Yiming "I understand what you mean," Xu Zhenming said with a sigh. "Let's wait until your uncle comes back."

A while later, Xu Hui's uncle came over and said, "The director still wants us to be discharged. I talked to him for a bit, and he consulted with the hospital leadership. Now it's decided that we can not be discharged, but we need to sign an agreement that the hospital will not be responsible for anything that happens while Xu Hui is not in the hospital, or if the hospital does not have a treatment plan. I agreed."

Xu Zhenming said, "Then I'll go sign it." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'll go." Xu Hui's uncle said, "Anyone can sign it." "The hospital hasn't drafted the agreement yet, so we'll have to wait.

They've told us about your condition and your discharge. Whatever happens later, we can't blame the hospital. Yiming, you're Xu Hui's legal husband now, so these things are your decision. If you agree, I can sign it too. The hospital is still drafting the agreement; signing will be this afternoon or tomorrow." Ouyang Yiming said, "Uncle, Dad and I have no objections. If we can only sign this afternoon or tomorrow, then please sign it. We're all Xu Hui's family." Xu Hui's uncle said:

"That's good." He paused for a moment and said, "I overheard the director's phone call with the hospital earlier. He meant that Xu Hui's illness is special, and he really wants to understand the cause.

Otherwise, they wouldn't keep her in the hospital if she had a condition they couldn't treat. It's understandable that they want us to sign an agreement." Ouyang Yiming nodded and said,

"Then let's do it this way, Uncle. We'll take Xu Hui back to Suzhou now. I'll leave things here to you." Xu Hui's uncle nodded in agreement.

Ouyang Yiming now pinned all his hopes on the medicine he sought at the temple. As they walked towards the ward, Xu Hui's uncle said, "When we see Xu Hui, we must remain calm and not appear too flustered. Yiming, you must be careful." Ouyang Yiming nodded. Xu Hui's uncle said, "Okay, I'll speak when we get to the ward; you all stay quiet."

Treatment was scheduled for the morning, and family members were not allowed in the ward. Yang Ping and Ouyang Mei had been waiting in the hospital courtyard. It was almost lunchtime, and they had just entered the ward a short while ago, sitting by Xu Hui's bedside, talking to her. When

Ouyang Yiming and his two companions entered, Yang Ping and Ouyang Mei quickly stood up, looking at them nervously. Yang Ping hurriedly asked, "Have the results come out yet? What did they say?" Xu Hui's uncle said, "It's alright, the results aren't out yet. The head doctor just said it's nothing, nothing serious." Yang Ping asked, "When will the results be available?" Xu Hui's uncle said, "The experts will have to study it before they can say anything. We just told the head doctor that Xu Hui is feeling stifled here, and he agreed that she can stay home for the next couple of days since there's not much treatment available right now. The bed will be reserved. She can come back for treatment once the results are out." Yang Ping looked at her brother suspiciously. Xu Hui's uncle whispered in her ear, "Let's go to the temple first." Yang Ping understood and nodded, saying,

"That's perfect, let's go back to Suzhou for a couple of days." Xu Hui had already gotten out of bed and said, "Let's go now." She then went to pack her things. Ouyang Mei quickly said, "Sister, let me pack." Xu Hui said, "There's not much." The other patients in the ward asked if she was being discharged. Xu Hui's uncle said, "It's not a discharge; go home first and come back in a couple of days."

He quickly packed his things and left. Xu Hui said, "I still need to tell my workplace before I go home." Her uncle said, "Don't worry about work; I'll handle these things."

Yang Ping said, "Your uncle's here; let's check out of the hotel and go home." At this moment, everyone was filled with anxiety. Xu Hui also knew very well that the diagnosis might be as she imagined—that there was no cure. A wave of panic washed over her, and she tightly clung to Ouyang Yiming's arm as they went downstairs.

Ouyang Yiming's car was parked at the hotel. Xu Hui's uncle had driven directly to the hospital that morning. Once inside the hospital grounds, everyone stood by the car. Xu Hui's uncle said, "The car can't fit everyone. I'll take Yiming and Xu Hui to the hotel first; the rest of you can walk. I'll go back once we get there; call me when you get home." Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping nodded in agreement.

After Xu Hui and Ouyang Yiming got into the car and left, Yang Ping took a few steps, stopped, and asked Xu Zhenming, "What were the results of the consultation?" Xu Zhenming could no longer hold back his tears and choked out, "No, there were no results." Yang Ping and Ouyang Mei, who had already anticipated the outcome, still felt a sudden pang in their hearts and couldn't control their emotions, tears streaming down their faces. Ouyang Mei cried out as she shed tears, saying, "How could they not find anything? How could they not find anything?!" Yang Ping said sorrowfully, "Then...then the doctors didn't say anything more?" Xu Zhenming said, "The doctors said Xu Hui's illness is extremely rare, even worldwide. They've never heard of such a case before."

Yang Ping suddenly felt dizzy and swayed. Xu Zhenming quickly helped her squat down. Ouyang Mei also squatted down beside Yang Ping, weeping. Xu Zhenming said, "We all need to stay calm. If Xu Hui sees us like this, it will affect her mood. Let's go back and quickly go to the temple to see if we can get some medicine. Perhaps only medicine from the temple can cure Xu Hui's illness." Yang Ping stood up abruptly upon hearing this and said, "Then let's go quickly." After walking a few steps, Xu Zhenming said, "The hospital said they have reported Xu Hui's illness to the World Health Organization. If any doctor from any country has treated Xu Hui's illness before, they can contact the hospital, and the hospital will invite them to treat Xu Hui. This is also why we haven't discharged her yet." Yang Ping nodded. The three of them fell silent. They all knew that their greatest hope had been lost, and their next hope lay in getting medicine from the temple and finding a doctor who had treated Xu Hui's illness before. But they also knew that both hopes were somewhat slim.

Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui arrived at the hotel in Xu Hui's uncle's car. After getting out of the car in the courtyard, Xu Hui's uncle looked at her and said, "Xiao Hui, don't think too much. The results aren't out yet, and the hospital is still contacting world-renowned doctors. You'll be fine. We all need to believe that modern medicine is very advanced and can completely cure your illness. We also told the head doctor at the hospital that your childhood illness was cured with medicine obtained from a temple. The head doctor said that those medicines might contain a special drug that can cure your illness, and you will get better. You must keep a calm mind; it will greatly benefit your treatment." Xu Hui said, "Don't worry, Uncle, I won't overthink things. I'll be fine, and you don't need to worry either." Xu Hui's uncle nodded and said, "You go in. I won't go back to Suzhou. This afternoon, I'll go to your research institute and talk to your leaders. Don't worry about these things anymore." Xu Hui agreed. After saying goodbye to Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui and getting into the car, tears streamed down Xu Hui's face.

Xu Hui tightly hugged Ouyang Yiming's arm as they walked towards the lobby. Xu Hui said, "Yiming, don't worry, I'll be fine." Ouyang Yiming said, "I know, I believe you'll be fine. Your serious illness from when you were little was cured, so your condition is definitely much better now." Xu Hui said, "I've never told you about that time. I remember it; it was very serious. Now I'm much better." Ouyang Yiming said, "When we get to Suzhou, I'll go to the temple to get medicine for you. Sometimes, Western medicine can't cure illnesses, but traditional Chinese medicine can easily cure them." Xu Hui said, "I still have to believe in the gods. It was the Buddha who gave me the medicine that cured my illness back then." Ouyang Yiming said, "I believe it; it was the Buddha who gave me the medicine." But in his heart, he thought that those medicines contained ingredients that treated Xu Hui's illness. However, he dared not think that it wasn't the Buddha's doing. As long as Xu Hui's illness could be cured, he would believe anything.

The two sat down on chairs in the hall. Xu Hui, oblivious to their surroundings, clung to Ouyang Yiming's arm, rested her head on his shoulder, and whispered, "Yiming, I've really missed home these past few days, and I really want to see our new house. I also really look forward to our wedding day; I'm really looking forward to it." Ouyang Yiming said, "The wedding day is coming soon." Xu Hui said, "I know, but I just want to go to your house right away; this feeling is very strong." Ouyang Yiming said, "I want to too. Even though you're getting married in our area, you should still go there a day or two before the wedding." Xu Hui nodded and said, "I know, but when I saw you this time, I didn't want to leave you. I just wanted to be with you." Ouyang Yiming's heart trembled. He vaguely sensed a hint of fear in Xu Hui's words, and his heart began to pound.

Xu Hui said, "I'm worried that I won't recover before the wedding, which will affect your and your family's emotions." Ouyang Yiming said, "You'll get better, you definitely will." He felt uneasy saying this, as he was also worried that Xu Hui wouldn't recover before the wedding, and even worried that something might happen... But now he had formed a belief in his heart that the medicine he got from the temple would definitely cure Xu Hui's illness. Although she might not be fully recovered by the wedding day, she would recover very well.

Love and Desire (155)

Chapter 153

After meeting with Tan Qihao several times, Liu Yan felt satisfied. This man had some of the Confucian air of Ouyang Yiming, and some of the temperament that Ouyang Yiming possessed. It was the Confucian air that this man showed, and the temperament that Liu Yan felt this man possessed that Ouyang Yiming showed, that made Liu Yan feel that she could accept this man. Although this man would never make her admire, intoxicate, or fall in love with him like Ouyang Yiming.

Liu Yan thought in her heart that this man was still quite excellent and still satisfied with her. But she didn't feel much desire to see this man, nor did she feel much attachment to him when they were together or apart. Liu Yan simply couldn't develop the same soul-stirring feelings for him as she did for Ouyang Yiming. Sometimes she wondered if it had something to do with her getting older.

Was it because she was past the age where men and women easily became emotionally agitated upon seeing each other? Or was it related to her previous marriage and divorce? Or perhaps it was because she was already a mother…? Liu Yan knew that finding a husband to spend her life with wasn't just about herself; more importantly, it was about finding a father figure for Ru Han who could cherish, love, educate, and provide him with paternal love.

Liu Yan also knew that this would be much more difficult than simply finding a husband. Although she was very clear that this man was also very satisfied with her and liked her very much, she also knew that she could never easily accept any man. Her marriage to Zhang Lei was a hasty one, and that marriage had left her with lifelong regret. After her divorce, Liu Yan was naturally even more cautious about this remarriage. Moreover, she knew that this remarriage also carried a great responsibility for Ru Han.

The appearance of this man did nothing to diminish Liu Yan's memories of Ouyang Yiming. Although she knew from Jin Ling that Ouyang Yiming might have forgotten her, his image would still flash through her mind whenever she ate or chatted with this man. She wanted to forget; she tried her best to erase Ouyang Yiming's image from her sight when she was with this man, but she couldn't. When Jin Ling first mentioned seeing Ouyang Yiming, she resented him for a while. She resented him for forgetting her, but she couldn't truly resent him from the bottom of her heart. After a while, she stopped resenting Ouyang Yiming. She told herself that it wasn't his fault; she had hurt him too deeply, she had wronged him. The heartbreak Ouyang Yiming showed when they broke up still caused Liu Yan immense pain. Who could remain constantly thinking about a woman they deeply loved after she suddenly announced her marriage to another man? She could only imagine the blow. Sometimes she felt fortunate that Ouyang Yiming had recovered from such a blow. Now she knew he was doing well, had a woman who loved him, and was living a happy life—that was something to be happy about.

She couldn't forget him, and even after finding a satisfactory man and getting married, she wouldn't be able to forget him! Despite her inability to forget, she knew she and Ouyang Yiming were destined to be apart. She had to find another man to live with; she had to find another father for Xiao Ruhan, and she had to give Ruhan a father's love. But she also knew that no matter what, she needed to have a very deep understanding of the man before accepting him; she didn't want to get divorced again!

One evening in mid-July, after taking a shower at her mother's house and going upstairs, Director Qin entered her room and asked, "Liu Yan, have you and Xiao Tan gone out recently?"

Liu Yan replied, "We went out to eat a few times. He's on vacation back in Xi'an now." Liu Yan thought to herself, even when they ate together, she had paid for several meals. Thinking about it now, it's a little funny. It seems like I've paid for the meals more often, and I don't owe him anything in this regard. Director Qin asked, "After this period of contact, do you feel it's alright?" Liu Yan looked at her, frowning, and said, "I've only met him a few times, how much can I really know? How can I say whether it's alright now?" Liu Yan is now somewhat neurotically sensitive to her mother's comments about her marriage. Director Qin said, "What I mean is, if you feel it's alright, then get to know him more. Later, you can have him come to our house so we can meet him."

Since Liu Yan and Tan Qihao started dating, Director Qin had only heard about Tan Qihao's appearance from the matchmaker; she hadn't actually met him. Her colleague and the matchmaker had suggested that Director Qin meet Tan Qihao first, but at that time, thinking about her involvement in Liu Yan and Zhang Lei's failed marriage, she felt guilty and didn't want to get involved in Liu Yan's remarriage. She was satisfied as long as Liu Yan was willing to remarry, and as long as Liu Yan was willing to accept it, she didn't want to give any more opinions. She couldn't bear to see her beloved daughter suffer the pain of another marriage. She believed Liu Yan had her own thoughts.

When Director Qin told her that Liu Yan should make her own decision and not interfere, her colleagues and the matchmaker praised Director Qin as a good mother, a magnanimous and unconcerned mother who didn't care about social status. Director Qin felt a momentary sense of pride, then blushed, thinking that if she hadn't been so insistent on Liu Yan marrying into a family of equal social standing, Liu Yan wouldn't be in this situation. She felt a deep sense of guilt and heaviness.

After Liu Yan and Tan Qihao had dated a few times, her maternal instincts kicked in. Although she had told Liu Yan she wouldn't interfere with her remarriage, she secretly wanted to meet Tan Qihao and consider the situation. However, she didn't want to bring up meeting the boy to the matchmaker after Liu Yan had already met him, and she hadn't been able to tell Liu Yan she wanted to meet him beforehand. Sometimes she regretted not meeting him first when he introduced them to her. Liu Yan's father, of course, had never met Tan Qihao either. But she knew that Liu Yan must be somewhat satisfied with Tan Qihao for the time being.

At this moment, Liu Yan recalled the time she had dinner with this man, when he mentioned that he had told his parents about their relationship and that they wanted to meet her. He asked if Liu Yan could take a few days off to go to Xi'an with him this summer. At the time, Liu Yan found it amusing, thinking to herself, "We don't even know what's going on between us yet, and you want me to go to your house to meet your parents? That's too hasty!" She also secretly mocked the man's naiveté. "Even if it's remarriage, you can't be this impatient. It's only been a little over a month since we first met! How much do I know about you? Let alone going so far to your home to meet your family, even living in the same city is impossible," Liu Yan thought.

For some reason, in that instant, she thought of the time Ouyang Yiming had asked her to come to his house. She thought, "If I had met Ouyang Yiming's family that time, and then married Zhang Lei, who knows what they would think of me?" She

also thought of when Ouyang Yiming's grandmother passed away. If he had informed her and asked her to come, then that incident with Zhang Lei wouldn't have happened. Then she thought, "Even if Ouyang Yiming had informed me then, would I have gone?" Suddenly, she thought, "If Ouyang Yiming had informed me about his grandmother's death, I might have gone." Then she thought, "If I had gone to Ouyang Yiming's house then, I would have missed the opportunity to do that with Zhang Lei. Since Zhang Lei was so determined to do that, there was no way to escape it." She sighed inwardly, "What is destined to happen cannot be avoided." That day,

Liu Yan politely declined Tan Qihao's offer, saying, "I've been very busy with work lately, and the child is in such hot weather... " The weather wasn't suitable for going out either. Then she asked him, "Do you go home every year during your holidays?" The man said, "I go home every holiday. Both my wife and I are from Xi'an, and every time I go back, I spend a few days at both sets of parents' homes." Liu Yan knew that the "she" the man was referring to was his ex-wife, and asked, "Are you going to her house again this time?" The man thought for a moment and said, "Of course I'll go. Her parents treat me like their son." Liu Yan nodded, strangely feeling no jealousy at all, but rather admiring the man's deep affection. After dinner, Liu Yan chatted with him for a while, learning that he would be coming to school before the start of the semester. After that, it seemed like they didn't have much to talk about; thinking about Ru Han, she hurried home.

At this moment, Liu Yan looked at Director Qin and said, "Let's talk about it later. He's going back to his hometown and won't be able to come until the start of the semester. You definitely can't have him come anytime soon, even if you wanted him to. Besides, I don't think it's the right time for him to come and meet you. Let's wait until I'm ready to accept him." Liu Yan didn't want to talk about the man's plan to visit her former mother-in-law after returning to Xi'an.

She wondered how her mother would react if she said these things. It was better not to say anything, otherwise, there might be some discussion about it.

Director Qin said, "Being a university teacher isn't bad; you're respected, and the working hours aren't too long, but the pay isn't great." Liu Yan asked, "What do you mean?" Director Qin said, "University professors' salaries aren't very high these days." Liu Yan said, "Of course, it won't compare to those nouveau riche. I haven't thought about that much." Director Qin quickly said, "Yes, we don't care about that. As long as he's a good person, knows how to care for you, and you two can be happy, that's all that matters." Liu Yan thought to herself that, based on what she'd learned so far, she could live a respectful life with this man. She admired his loyalty in relationships and felt that he would treat her the same way after marriage.

Director Qin suddenly said, "Liu Yan, I was just asking casually, don't take it to heart. Here's what I'm thinking: if you're satisfied with this boy, after getting to know him better—I mean, after getting to know him better—I think it's best not to drag it out indefinitely. You're not young anymore, and Ru Han is..." Liu Yan was very annoyed by this and interrupted her mother, saying, "Even if I'm satisfied with him now, I won't rush into it. Wasn't marrying Zhang Lei enough for me to remember for a lifetime? No matter how good this man is, if I can't develop feelings for him, I can't be with him. I think it takes a year or two of getting to know someone thoroughly, and I probably won't develop feelings for him so quickly." As Liu Yan finished speaking, she thought to herself, "Yes, the most important thing is feelings. Although I feel this man is good, there's still a long way to go before we can talk about feelings."

Director Qin blushed slightly and said, "I was just saying. You're right, of course you can't be together without feelings." Liu Yan thought to herself, "But when you were persuading me to marry Zhang Lei, you also said that feelings could develop slowly after marriage." Not wanting to say such things in front of her mother, she added, "Having been divorced once, I'll be more sensitive. If I can't develop feelings for him after spending time together, then I'll leave him too." She paused and said, "Of course, even if we can develop feelings, he also has to accept Ru Han and treat her like his own child." Director Qin sighed inwardly; Liu Yan was now much more picky about settling down.

Director Qin said, "Liu Yan, do you think you've developed any feelings for him yet?" Liu Yan said, "I can't say, maybe it's not the right time yet." She thought to herself, how could she have felt such strong, uncontrollable emotions the first time she met Ouyang Yiming?

Director Qin nodded and said, "You're right. It's impossible to develop deep feelings without much contact. But if you have feelings for him, they will develop over time."

Liu Yan thought that perhaps it could be like that. This remarriage was completely different from her marriage to Zhang Lei. That time it was out of necessity, or perhaps forced. This time it was different; she had to be able to accept it in her heart.

Director Qin looked at Liu Yan and said, "Alright then, whenever you feel you can accept this boy, bring him home so your father and I can meet him. We won't have any objections. As long as you're satisfied, your father and I will be satisfied."

At this moment, Liu Yan felt a deep sadness. She completely understood her mother's thoughts at this time. She understood that her mother felt guilty about facilitating Zhang Lei's marriage. But strangely, at this moment, she had a desire for her parents to care about her situation and give her their advice. These thoughts were in her mind, but she didn't want to say them aloud.

Liu Yan remained silent. Director Qin continued, "Liu Yan, of course I hope you're satisfied with the person I've introduced you to and that you can find a suitable husband. If you and Xiao Tan really can't develop feelings for each other, I think with your qualifications, you can definitely find someone yourself, as long as you're willing to look. If you meet someone on your own, you'll develop feelings for each other much faster."

Liu Yan thought to herself that her mother was clearly atoning for her past mistakes. Now her mother was trying to make up for her past errors in every way. Liu Yan felt a little uneasy; after all, it was her mother, and there was no need for her to always express these things intentionally or unintentionally in front of her daughter. So she said, "Mom, let's talk about this later. Who knows if I'll meet someone? I don't know how things will develop between Tan Qihao and me. Maybe I'll accept him after a while." Director Qin nodded, thinking to herself that Liu Yan probably didn't want to talk to her about this anymore. She had told herself not to ask Liu Yan too much about this, but she just couldn't help herself. She said, "You should make your own decisions. We trust your judgment." After saying that, she stood up and left Liu Yan's room.

After Director Qin left, Liu Yan lay on the bed, pondering Tan Qihao. This man had many things she liked about him, but there was absolutely no spark of intense love between them. Perhaps this was just another way of marriage—perhaps they would never experience a passionate love, but they could live a loving life together. To have the kind of love she had with Ouyang Yiming, she feared that this was the only time in her life she would ever experience it again. Think about it, how many marriages in this world aren't like this? Not to mention others, weren't her own parents like this? Didn't they live a life of mutual respect and care? Could you say they weren't happy? Perhaps in their contented marriage, they believed that was love, the kind of love that was enviable, and who could say otherwise? Now, she probably had to continue her parents' way of loving each other; perhaps this was the right way, the destination of her marriage, or rather, her love. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind: if she were to meet another man, as her mother had said, who made her heart flutter and evoked the same feelings she had for Ouyang Yiming, would she love him the same way she loved him? She quickly told herself that if she were to meet another man who moved her like Ouyang Yiming, she would definitely love him the same way she loved him.

But then she thought again, how could she possibly meet such a man? Perhaps, a man like Ouyang Yiming, who evoked such intense love at first sight, would only ever be one in her life.

Thinking of Ouyang Yiming, his image flickered before her eyes. She wondered what he was doing now. Was he lying with Xu Hui, or were they taking a walk?

Or perhaps they were enjoying the cool evening air with their child somewhere? As she thought this, images of Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui laughing and playing with their child flashed before her eyes. At that moment, she felt incredibly lonely, like someone abandoned on a deserted island, as if betrayed by the one they loved most. I felt incredibly sorry for him. Thinking of Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui's child, he must be so happy, laughing and giggling amidst their playful antics, and naturally, I thought of Ru Han. He was also Ouyang Yiming's child. Although I loved him and considered Ru Han my own life, and he was also the apple of my parents' eye, he couldn't enjoy the same happiness of being with his biological parents, playing and laughing with them. Even if I found Ru Han a stepfather who loved him, he still wouldn't be his biological son, and it could never compare to the love his biological father would give him. So, in this life, Ru Han would never experience the familial love that Ouyang Yiming offered.

Thinking about this, my heart ached again. I wondered if my decision to have a child with Ouyang Yiming was right or wrong. If I hadn't acted impulsively and given birth to Zhang Lei's child, perhaps I wouldn't have divorced Zhang Lei for the sake of our child. So, continuing a marriage like Zhang Lei's, just for the sake of his child, would be incredibly painful. But now, having Ouyang Yiming's child yet depriving the child of Ouyang Yiming's fatherly love—isn't that tragic? Was giving birth to Ouyang Yiming's child a right or wrong decision? For a moment, she even began to doubt whether having Ouyang Yiming's child was the right or wrong thing to do. She quickly realized that regardless of right or wrong, it was all a fact now. The question was, since she couldn't change the established facts, she could only hope that Ru Han's stepfather could provide Ru Han with fatherly love. But then she wondered, could this Tan Qihao truly provide the fatherly love that Ru Han was missing?

Thinking of Tan Qihao, she realized that this man, it seemed, couldn't forget his ex-wife either. From their recent interactions, she could see that he still harbored deep feelings for her. Of course, she wasn't jealous; she had never been jealous of the emotions he felt for his ex-wife. But she also knew that it was impossible for him to care for and love her like Ouyang Yiming had back then. Nor could she possibly feel the same way about him as she had for Ouyang Yiming. After all, they had both truly loved each other, or rather, genuinely loved each other. Neither could be erased from their hearts.

At this moment, she felt a pang of sorrow. Why couldn't those who deeply loved each other live together forever? Tan Qihao and his wife had been in love for ten years, yet she still left him. And she and Ouyang Yiming, so deeply in love, were separated because of Zhang Lei. Was this how fate arranged for lovers in the world? If so, why arrange for them to meet and fall in love? Wasn't this intentionally creating suffering for lovers in the world? Everyone says that Heaven is most compassionate towards all living beings, so what is the purpose of all this?

"Has my brilliant love story already come to an end? Is marriage all I can think about now?" Liu Yan wondered to herself.

She pondered for a long time, her heart heavy with a tangled mess of thoughts. Gradually, she began to miss Ouyang Yiming. Although she also thought of the ruthlessness Jin Ling had shown her, she couldn't help but get out of bed, pull out her suitcase, and look at the photo of her and Ouyang Yiming. Looking at it reminded her of their intimate moments, of the tree, and of the sex they had shared. Gradually, an intense, burning desire arose within her. After a while, unable to control herself, she reached down and masturbated for a long time, imagining making love with Ouyang Yiming and inserting her fingers; as Liu Yan unconsciously called out Ouyang Yiming's name and murmured; covered in fragrant sweat and panting heavily, Liu Yan finally reached a climax of ecstasy... A few days later, Jin Ling called from Hangzhou, talking about the wedding of their classmate from the nursing school at the hospital. She said that classmate would be getting married on August 8th, and had called Jin Ling the day before yesterday to inform her. Jin Ling asked Liu Yan if she was going. Liu Yan said, "They didn't notify me, how could I go?" Jin Ling said, "They called and asked about you. She said that among our classmates from the nursing school, only a few of us were assigned to the main hospital, and now that you and I have been transferred, we've lost contact. We really miss each other. They even said that you, as the child of a high-ranking official, look down on people like us. I told her then and there that you, Liu Yan, aren't that kind of person. Liu Yan, I understand your feelings, but others don't understand you. If they could understand why I lost contact with them, they might think of my relationship with Liang Chao, but no one can understand you, no one would think you're unhappy. Of course, I know your thoughts best, but I can't tell them about your current situation." "The situation."

Liu Yan trembled upon hearing this, and after thinking for a moment, said, "Jinling, only you understand me now. To be honest, I really miss them and want to get together with them. We all said back in school that we hoped to be best friends forever. But I never imagined so much would happen in just a few short years, and things would change so much. Thinking about it, it feels like a dream, a dream I could never have imagined. Jinling, to be honest, I feel very inferior. This inferiority doesn't show on my face, but it's indelible in my heart. I know what people will think of me because of my family, but I still don't want anyone to know my situation. So I'm afraid to see them, but I miss them terribly." Although our specific situations are different, I think our thoughts are probably similar. You should say your situation is much better than mine right now; at least you're with the person you love, and nobody has anything to say. But I'm different. What am I now? What will people think of me now that I'm a divorced woman with a child? Who can I explain this to? I know I'm avoiding them; I don't want to appear in front of them, and I don't want anyone to talk about me. It seems I've become a woman who wants to shut herself off. Jinling, you and I are different. You can go, go and contact them more. You're not far from there, and it's very convenient for you to go back and forth. We went to school there since we were little; you're in Hangzhou and I'm here... "I don't have any classmates or close friends here. The bond with my classmates is very deep, and although I miss them, I still don't want to go."

Liu Yan said this while tears streamed down her face. She wiped her tears and said, "Jinling, I'm thinking of this: send some money to congratulate her. After you go, just say you spoke to me on the phone, that I'm very busy with work, and that transportation from here to there isn't very convenient, so I won't be coming. Okay?"

Jinling, who had also been crying while listening to Liu Yan, said, "Liu Yan, I understand you. That's fine. I'll go to their wedding." Liu Yan said, "After you go, you'll stay a few more days. I can't really go. I don't feel comfortable leaving Ruhan at home, and it's even more inconvenient to take Ruhan with me. Is she still in the orthopedics department?" Jinling said yes. Liu Yan asked, "Did she find someone on her own, or was she introduced to him?" Jin Ling said, "She said she found someone on her own. Her boyfriend is a traffic policeman. She said she met him when he was hospitalized in their ward. Her family wasn't too supportive at first, saying he was a jerk and stuff..." Suddenly realizing this was somewhat similar to Liu Yan and Ouyang Yiming's relationship, she quickly stopped and said, "If you don't want to go, that's fine. I'll tell them you wanted to come, but it's a long way and you're busy with work. I think they'll understand."

Liu Yan said, "Then I'll leave it to you." Then she asked about the amount of money to give as a wedding gift. Jin Ling said, "I think 100 yuan should be enough. We usually wouldn't give that much, but we're classmates. Besides, they don't really want us to give a lot; they just want to see us at the wedding." She then felt this was inappropriate and stopped again, saying:

“I went and told them it’s okay if you don’t come. But it’s a promise, you absolutely have to come when I give birth,” Liu Yan said. “I’ll definitely go when you give birth. Hey, when are you planning to have a baby?” Jin Ling said, “Liu Yan, I really don’t want to have a baby so soon, but Liang Chao’s parents act like I’m going to have a baby for them after I married into their family. But I have to think about it now, let’s talk about it later.”

Liu Yan said, “Old people always have this kind of thinking. Don’t just say Liang Chao’s parents, even our own parents are like that, right? They also want us to have a baby soon after we get married. I guess all old people have this feeling.” Jin Ling said, “You’re absolutely right. Every time I call my mom, she asks me if there’s any news yet. That time I said, even Liang Chao’s family isn’t as anxious as you are. My mom said the baby isn’t just for Liang’s family, it’s also for our Jin family. Hehe, thinking about these old people…” "That's interesting." She paused and said, "By the way, Liu Yan, I haven't spoken to you on the phone lately. Have you decided to consider your personal life yet?" Liu Yan thought for a moment and said, "Jinling, I'm already thinking about it."

Jinling seemed very excited and said, "Liu Yan, it's good that you have this kind of thinking. With your angelic beauty, if you're willing to find someone, you'll still have a line of suitors following you around like before." Liu Yan smiled and said, "How can things be compared to then? Jinling, I won't hide it from you. My mother asked someone to introduce me to a university professor, and we've been seeing each other for a month or two.

His ex-wife died in a car accident, and after a few meetings, I feel things are going well." Jinling became even more excited upon hearing this and said, "Liu Yan, I'm really happy. I didn't expect you to actually open your mind and put it into practice. If it feels good, you should seize the opportunity." She paused and then asked, "Liu Yan, you said that university professor is a widow?" Liu Yan said yes. Jinling said, "I feel it's a bit of a pity for you. With your qualities, it would be easy for you to find a virgin. But then again, as long as the person is good, that

's all that matters." Liu Yan said, "Jinling, let me tell you my true feelings. This time, I plan to get married, not only for myself, but most importantly for Ruhan. I hope this child can receive a good education."

"As for what you said about finding someone who isn't married, I don't think that's very suitable," Jinling said. "You're right. As long as he's good to you and the child, that's fine. A university professor is something you're interested in, isn't it? You just want to find someone knowledgeable, right? Get to know him and see. Liu Yan, tell me the truth, putting the child aside, how do you feel about this person?" Liu Yan said, "I really can't say. He's a good person, and he's good-looking too. I'm somewhat satisfied. But Jinling, I just can't find that feeling of attachment to him, of caring for him. Why is that?"

Jinling thought for a moment and said, "Liu Yan, you know how Liang Chao and I got together. I really can't imagine what you're saying, but I think if you like him, you should be able to live with him. I really don't understand that feeling you're talking about." Actually, Jinling knew in her heart that Liu Yan still had feelings for Ouyang Yiming, but she didn't want to mention Ouyang Yiming in front of Liu Yan at this moment.

Liu Yan said, "I really hope to have that feeling I'm talking about, but I just can't find it. Sometimes I even wonder if we're not destined to be husband and wife." But I do admire this person; some things are just hard to explain.” Jinling said, “Why don’t you spend some time with him and see? I said, if you really meet a man you like and love, you can always move on, right? I still feel it’s better that I found someone myself.” Liu Yan sighed and said, “I’m afraid I won’t meet someone like that.” Jinling said, “Given your qualities, I think it will be easy for you.”

That night, Liu Yan didn’t fall asleep for a long time…

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