Love and Desire [Complete] - 1

Love and Desire (1)

[Prologue]

Ouyang Xiucai held a copper-mouthed copper pot and a shiny jujube wood pipe in his right hand, sucking on it with relish, while puffing out long, grayish-white smoke from the other corner of his mouth. With his left arm behind his back, he strolled back and forth on the neatly paved herringbone-patterned blue brick ground, admiring the newly completed courtyard house that belonged only to him.

In early winter last year, not long after his mother passed away, he had the idea of buying land and building a house. When his parents were alive, the family lived in three rooms in the backyard of their workshop. Although the business was good, his parents were unwilling to build a decent house. Now that his parents had passed away, the twenty-four-year-old, still single, had pondered for more than a month, drawn countless sketches, calculated the silver left by his parents, consulted craftsmen, and finally finalized the design. He acquired a piece of land a mile away from the workshop and began construction before spring even arrived.

Over the next decade or so, many scholars from Pancheng built houses here, gradually forming a street about two miles long called "Scholars' Street."

This courtyard house had five main rooms and six rooms each in the east and west wings, with the main gate facing south, located between two rear rooms on each side. All the houses were constructed of uniform blue bricks and small tiles, the wall seams sealed with a mixture of glutinous rice juice, hemp fiber, lime, and pig's blood. Each room had a veranda more than a meter wide in front, supported by massive, purplish-red wooden pillars. The pillars rested on single-layered Sumeru pedestals carved from marble, with openwork carvings of flowers, birds, fish, and insects on the eaves. It was this veranda that set it apart; no other courtyard house in the area had one. But

this scholar, with his eccentric nature, insisted on creating something different. It turned out he had a particular fondness for listening to the sound of rain and appreciating its beauty. He reasoned that with this veranda, on rainy days he could pull up a stool, sit in the veranda, drink tea, smoke his pipe, and enjoy the rain. How wonderful that would be! Another unique feature is that the scholar had built a nine-foot-high, room-sized secret room at the corner between the main house and the east wing. The room was constructed entirely of blue bricks, with an arched ceiling made of blue bricks resembling a bridge, covered with a three-foot-thick layer of earth. The exit was hidden in the easternmost room of the main house.

The exit was small, allowing two people to pass through, and was secured by a wooden ladder covered with a plank. The plank was then covered with blue bricks, level with the floor throughout the room, making it impossible for an unsuspecting person to find. The

rest of the courtyard was largely the same as other courtyards in the area. On the two doors of the vermilion-lacquered gate were carved a couplet written by the scholar himself: "Honesty and kindness are the foundation of a lasting family; scholarship ensures a long-lasting legacy." Each door was inlaid with a pair of bronze lion-head door knockers. Above the lintel, in the center, were five large characters, each a foot in diameter, engraved in regular script, reading "Scholar Ouyang's Residence," written by the scholar himself. The surrounding blue bricks were carved with crane and floral patterns. On either side of the three-step gate, the stone drums supporting the door frame, threshold, and door panels are carved with a "lion playing with an embroidered ball" pattern, symbolizing "abundant offspring."

Ouyang, a scholar, had married before he was fifteen, but after three years, his wife had not given him a child. His parents, anxious, believed his wife was barren.

So they summoned the couple and forcibly arranged for him to take a concubine. The wife, though silent, was resentful, thinking that if the scholar took a concubine and had a child, she would be even more humiliated in the family. So she secretly went to the matchmaker entrusted to her by her in-laws and paid her several taels of silver to prevent her from arranging a marriage for the scholar. The matchmaker, who made a living by matchmaking, was happy to receive money without having to do any work or ask any questions.

For several days, the wife was menstruating and unable to have sex, weeping bitterly before the scholar every night. She said, "You, scholar, only father good-for-nothings. No wonder you have such fertile land like mine." Then she threatened him, "If you take a concubine, I'll cut off your penis. This thing of yours belongs to me alone; no other slut can take it." The scholar knew his wife had a fiery temper and believed she meant what she said. He had been completely obedient to her since their wedding night, but these words made his heart tremble.

A few days later, after his wife had cleaned herself, she stripped naked before going to bed and urged him to "plow the field."

The scholar was unaware of sexual matters on their wedding night, but his bride, three years his senior, was well aware of them. It turned out her father was a renowned veterinarian, and the family also raised horses, donkeys, pigs, and sheep, and did a breeding business. The woman often felt a frenzy watching the animals mating, knowing that procreation was no different. On their wedding night, she longed for her husband to initiate sex with her. To everyone's surprise, the young husband undressed and soon began snoring. The bride wanted to wake him but couldn't bring herself to do it. She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, and looking at the young man sleeping beside her, she couldn't resist reaching out to touch his penis. The scholar woke with a start, feeling his lower body harden. In the light of the ever-burning lamp, he looked blankly at his blushing wife, at a loss for what to do. The bride, having stayed up all night, could no longer suppress her burgeoning desire and, disregarding shame, pulled the scholar onto her. At first, the scholar hesitated, but his wife glared at him. The scholar, who had raised his only son with such fierce eyes, had never seen such a woman before and trembled with fear, obediently doing as his bride asked. After this, the scholar developed a deep desire for his wife.

Having never heard of such a thing since childhood, the scholar felt an extraordinary pleasure after penetration and asked what it was. The bride, enduring the pain of her first time, gasped and told him it was "plowing the field." Then she said, "How can seedlings grow without plowing? How can babies be dug out without plowing?" The scholar, panting heavily, said as he moved, "How can plowing produce babies? It can only grow crops. My mother said babies are all dug out of the sandy soil on the north bank of the river." The bride patted the scholar's bare bottom and said, "If we 'plow' like this, we can plow out babies.

" From then on, whenever the young couple made love

, they would say "plowing." This time, when the scholar reached the top, his wife would say fiercely from below, "I don't believe that such fertile land of mine can't grow a seedling. It's all your fault for being useless. Your parents are blaming me instead." After the scholar ejaculated, his wife pushed him off her and quickly took out a dried red date the size of a pigeon egg that she had prepared beforehand and inserted it into his body. The scholar asked in confusion, "What are you doing now?" His wife said, "Most of the seeds you sowed are shriveled seeds. A few of the plump ones even ran away. How can they grow seedlings?" "Let me use this red date to plug it up and see if it can escape!"

This woman, ever since hearing about her in-laws' plan to arrange a concubine for the scholar, had wondered why she couldn't have children, even though she was no different from other women. Three or four years had passed without any success, and she grew increasingly anxious. One day, while thinking about it, she suddenly remembered that after each sexual encounter, most of the scholar's semen would leak out. A thought flashed through her mind: could it be because of this that the seed hadn't been planted and hadn't sprouted? She blamed herself for being careless and began to ponder how to prevent the scholar's semen from leaking out. The next afternoon, a vendor selling dried red dates came to the street corner. The woman noticed the dates were quite large and suddenly thought, "Why not use these dried red dates to plug it up after each sexual encounter? That way, the scholar's seed won't leak out and be wasted." Thinking this, she was secretly delighted and bought a pound of extra-large dates.

The scholar, hearing his wife's suggestion, thought it made sense and praised her cleverness. His wife, however, ignored him, turned to one side, and went to sleep with her thighs pressed together.

The next morning, the wife woke up feeling uncomfortably swollen inside. She pulled out the jujube and saw it was swollen to the size of a small egg. Reluctant to throw it away, she thought to herself, "This jujube has been infused with the scholar's seed. If I eat it, it might work. As long as I can have a baby, who cares about the mess?" Without washing it, she stuffed it into her mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it. The scholar's wife thought, "This time, not a single drop of the scholar's seed has been wasted; it's guaranteed to sprout."

Several months passed, but her belly remained still. The wife grew anxious; could it be that she really couldn't lay a child?

Just then, her mother-in-law learned of her daughter-in-law's mischief from the matchmaker. When she told her husband, Old Ouyang, he was so angry he almost fainted. After finding the scholar and interrogating him, he learned that his wife had threatened to cut off his penis. He then summoned his wife and berated her, saying, "You are the most vicious woman in the world! You're not just preventing the scholar from taking a concubine, you're intentionally trying to cut off the Ouyang family line!" He then forced the scholar to divorce his wife. The scholar, left with no choice, wrote the divorce papers. Little did he know that his wife would drown herself in the city moat that very night.

The scholar hadn't wanted to divorce his wife; although she hadn't borne him any children, the couple had a deep affection for each other. After his divorced wife's death, the scholar grieved and blamed himself for months, and afterwards refused to remarry. No matter how much his parents pleaded with him, he remained unmoved. His parents even tried to force him to marry another woman, to which the scholar offered to become a monk in exchange.

Several months passed like this. The young man, in the prime of his life, could no longer suppress the intense desire burning within him. Every night, his manhood would involuntarily become erect, and he would recall the scenes of his union with his deceased wife. However, this self-respecting scholar would never seek solace in brothels. Several times, he almost agreed to his parents' proposal for him to remarry.

It was also time for him to settle his score with his parents. One day, the scholar went to drink at the home of Zhang, a scholar in the north of the city. On his way back that evening, he passed a general store and, thinking of buying some tobacco, went inside. Unexpectedly, the store owner was a beautiful woman in her twenties. Emboldened by alcohol, the scholar chatted with her, learning that her husband had died two years prior in the winter, leaving her with only her son and mother-in-law. That night, the mother-in-law was unwell and had already fallen asleep with her grandson. After a while, the two exchanged glances and showed mutual interest. The woman then closed the store and let the scholar stay the night. Their passion ignited, and they became deeply entangled. This woman was extremely skilled in sexual matters, driving the scholar to ecstasy and multiple orgasms. He felt that making love with her was a hundred times more pleasurable than with his deceased wife.

The scholar then had an affair with this widow for many years, until her mother-in-law also passed away. Knowing that the scholar wouldn't stay with her forever, the woman, six months after her mother-in-law's death, became involved with a widower in his thirties who had come to Pancheng to trade furs, and went with him to Cangnan in Shandong. The scholar then had no more women to satisfy his desires.

Ouyang Xiucai's father had begged his way from Qingxu, Shanxi, to Pancheng at the age of nineteen. That year, his hometown suffered a locust plague, resulting in a complete crop failure, starvation, and then cholera, wiping out his entire family except for his wife and son. After arriving in Pancheng, relying on his vinegar-making skills learned as an apprentice since childhood, he used the few taels of silver he had risked his life to build a shed by the old course of the Yellow River and began making vinegar. Originally starting out as a simple hawking business, Ouyang's vinegar unexpectedly became a huge success. His exceptional intelligence led him to add several ingredients to the original recipe and innovate the process, resulting in a clear, fragrant, and aromatic vinegar. Soon, it became famous far and wide; almost everyone in Pancheng and the surrounding villages knew of Ouyang's vinegar. While

business was booming, he feared attracting unwanted attention. After a few years, he only acquired a small plot of land nearby and built a small workshop, maintaining the status quo after a slight expansion. Despite its small size, the workshop was quite profitable.

Ouyang, the scholar, refused to remarry, leaving his father heartbroken. He had come from afar from Shanxi, and his wife had been unable to conceive after giving birth to him. He felt he had raised such an unfilial son and refused to remarry. Seeing the Ouyang family line about to end, he was filled with sorrow and lamentation. A few years later, he fell ill and died, his eyes wide open in death. The mother was a skilled businesswoman, and from then on, she supported her son and their small but thriving vinegar workshop.

A few years later, she fell ill and passed away. Before her death, she tearfully pleaded with the scholar to marry and have children, saying, "You are a learned and reasonable person; how could you not know that of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no descendants? If the Ouyang family line ends with you, how can we face our ancestors?" The scholar had only died because of his parents' anger, blaming them for forcing him to divorce his wife. Now, seeing his mother, who had raised him, leave him without seeing him remarry, he felt immense guilt. The scholar, whose beloved had also left him, had long harbored the idea of marrying. He thought to himself, "I must marry and have children; the Ouyang family line cannot end." So, with tears in his eyes, he agreed to his mother's request.

Besides fulfilling his mother's dying wish and his own needs, he had another reason: he had no interest in business and knew he was simply not cut out for it. He hoped that after marrying, he could manage the vinegar factory like his mother,

and build this courtyard house that would be the envy of relatives and neighbors. He was getting married, and since he had decided to remarry, he wanted to do it in style.

The scholar had passed the imperial examination at fourteen and married at fifteen, but no matter how hard he studied, he failed the provincial examinations several times, which inevitably made him somewhat disheartened. When his parents were alive, he spent his days discussing history and poetry with other scholars, and often frequented the government office. He had no interest in his parents' business. Now that his parents had passed away so young, he was forced to take over the workshop. Fortunately, most of the employees were old friends who had been treated well by his parents. With the workshop, they could support their families, so the employees were dedicated to it. Besides, the workshop was the foundation laid by his parents; it provided them with a source of income, so even if he had no interest in it, he would continue to run it.

Ouyang, the scholar, was admiring his new house with great satisfaction when he heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was probably friends and relatives coming to congratulate him, he felt a surge of joy. He was quite pleased with his design and hoped to hear some compliments. Looking up, he saw the matchmaker from South Street enter. It was this matchmaker who had entrusted him with the task of not arranging a concubine for him, and she had even told his mother, leading his parents to force him to write a divorce decree. Naturally, he harbored no goodwill towards her.

This matchmaker, in her forties, was eloquent and had helped countless couples find happiness. After Ouyang's first wife committed suicide, his parents had again asked this matchmaker to arrange another marriage for him, but he refused. Behind his back, the matchmaker had cursed him countless times, calling him a waste of his education and an unworthy son, and then never visited again. Ever since the scholar's mother passed away, and hearing that he was willing to remarry, the matchmaker, knowing the Ouyang family's wealth, had approached him even before he built his courtyard house. The scholar agreed, but only stated three conditions: first, she must be good at business, preferably from a merchant family; second, she must be beautiful, not to mention those of average appearance; third, she must be a virgin, older is fine, but not over twenty.

The scholar was already tall and handsome, so the matchmaker initially thought these requirements weren't too difficult. She searched the entire city, but while beauty and age weren't the problem, finding a woman good at business was truly difficult. In those days, who would allow a woman still unmarried to go out and do business? During the construction of the house, the matchmaker came several times, saying that beautiful girls and virgins were easy to find, but those good at business were hard to come by. She suggested he marry her first and learn gradually, saying that business was something that could be learned. The scholar took a puff of smoke and thought, "Who can teach me? Am I being forced into this situation?" Therefore, all three conditions were indispensable, with the first being the most important. She was also told that she would pay 30% of the money if the matchmaker could handle the matter well. Driven by this 30% offer, the matchmaker inquired further and finally found the Cheng family, who made pickled vegetables in the south of the city.

The Cheng family ran a small business selling pickled vegetables. The husband had passed away two years prior, leaving only the owner, Mr. Cheng, and his sixteen-year-old daughter, who was incredibly beautiful. Mr. Cheng had taught his daughter to read and write since she was young. The girl usually helped her father cook, prepare pickled vegetables, and embroider. They ran a shop on the street, but the father usually managed the business, and the daughter rarely came to the counter. Business wasn't great, but they managed to make ends meet. The matchmaker arrived late to propose marriage. Mr. Cheng was overjoyed to hear it was the Ouyang family; everyone in and around the city knew about the Ouyang family's vinegar. Recently, I heard that the scholar had built a rather grand courtyard house, and I was thinking of marrying my daughter to him. However, I was afraid the scholar wouldn't consider our family suitable, but unexpectedly, the matchmaker came to my door today. I was overjoyed!

No wonder the magpies had been chirping incessantly in the trees in my yard this morning; it seemed good news was on the horizon. But when the matchmaker mentioned wanting a girl who knew how to do business, my heart sank. The matchmaker, however, had another plan. She said, "Once your daughter is married off, it'll be meaningless for you to run this half-dead business alone. Why don't you go with your daughter and help her manage her vinegar workshop? Even a small profit from that would be more than your business."

Manager Cheng was thrilled, thinking that this would be ideal; he would have someone to rely on in his old age and could be with his daughter every day. But then my heart sank again. Would the scholar Ouyang agree? The matchmaker said, "I'll talk to the scholar later. Where can you find a daughter who knows how to do business after marriage these days?" Manager Cheng then said, "Then we'll have to rely on you. If you can arrange this marriage, you'll get your share of the benefits." So the matchmaker excitedly went to Ouyang Xiucai's new residence again.

Upon entering, the matchmaker first praised the grandeur of the mansion, a praise she had repeated countless times. Although Ouyang, the scholar, heard the same words every time, he was still pleased. Then the matchmaker mentioned Manager Cheng's daughter, naturally beginning with compliments on her beauty. Before she could finish, Ouyang asked if she knew how to do business. The matchmaker smiled and said, "That's exactly what I was going to tell you." She then recounted how Manager Cheng had said he wanted to close his business after his daughter's marriage and come to help the young couple run the vinegar workshop. She deliberately cautioned that finding someone who knew how to do business before leaving home was extremely difficult; perhaps only a wife who had suffered hardship would possess such skills. Ouyang

thought about it and agreed. Since his father-in-law was willing to come after their marriage, it didn't matter whether his wife knew how to do business now. With his father-in-law looking after her, she could learn gradually. Wasn't it precisely because he lacked the ability and interest to run the workshop that he demanded his daughter know how to do business? After marriage, his father-in-law was family; as long as the vinegar workshop operated normally, that was enough. Besides, the secret recipe for making vinegar wouldn't be passed on to them; it was her mother's dying wish. So she reluctantly agreed to the matchmaker's suggestion. The matchmaker was overjoyed, thinking the marriage was practically settled and she could expect to receive a substantial sum of money from both sides. However, the scholar Ouyang thought to himself that he had no other relatives and needed to meet the woman; he couldn't just listen to the matchmaker's word. He told the matchmaker he wanted to meet the woman.

The matchmaker was somewhat troubled, thinking it was the first time an unmarried woman had met her husband. But she also thought the scholar's words made sense; he had no parents or close relatives, and she couldn't marry him without letting him see what the girl looked like. So she said she would talk to Manager Cheng, adding with a smile that she hadn't eaten yet. The scholar reached into his pocket and pulled out a few copper coins, handing them to her.

The matchmaker immediately beamed, praising the scholar as a great philanthropist. The scholar remained silent, but was secretly pleased.

The matchmaker then told the scholar to wait for her reply that evening. Then, swaying her slender waist and tiptoeing, she went out with a smile.

Love and Desire (2)

[Prologue]

After the matchmaker left, Ouyang the scholar looked around the rooms for a while, and suddenly remembered that he should go and check on the vinegar shop. Since his mother passed away, the production of the vinegar shop had been mostly overseen by the old partner who had worked for his family for nearly twenty years, while he managed the accounts. The old partner was loyal, and the scholar trusted him, but he couldn't leave his own business unattended. He thought that the woman knew a few words, so he would teach her some after she married into the family, and hand over the accounts to his wife, with his father-in-law helping to run the business. He would no longer interfere with the trivial matters of the workshop.

Just as he was about to go out, he saw a monk in his fifties standing at the door with a string of prayer beads around his neck. The monk held prayer beads in one hand and a bowl in the other, looking into the doorway. As Ouyang, the scholar, approached, the monk chanted "Amitabha." Knowing the monk was there to solicit donations, the scholar explained that his new house was newly built and he hadn't even started cooking yet. He reached into his pocket and took a few copper coins, placing them in the monk's bowl. The monk asked if he could come into the courtyard to take a look. The scholar readily agreed. The monk entered and walked around for a while, offering no comment. Before leaving, he observed Ouyang for a moment and said, "Your family lacks yang energy; you will have few descendants. Plant two pomegranate trees in the courtyard." Seeing the monk's extraordinary demeanor, Ouyang wanted to inquire about his future and marriage. After asking, he heard the monk say, "Your family will not prosper; from your generation onward, there will be only one son for three generations."

The monk didn't mention Ouyang's future. Ouyang was displeased. While wandering through the rooms, he had imagined having many children after marriage, a large family living in the spacious courtyard—that would be lively! Now, the monk had said this.

But seeing that the monk was no ordinary person, he thought to himself, "So it was all predestined." He also felt sorry for his wife, whom he had divorced and who had died. After the monk finished speaking, he was about to leave when Ouyang Xiucai put two copper coins into the monk's bowl. He then asked the monk which temple he was from. The monk replied, "Maoshan Temple in the west of the city." After speaking, he left.

That evening, the matchmaker came to report that Manager Cheng said it was not advisable to let his daughter meet her future son-in-law directly, for fear of being ridiculed. He said that the day after tomorrow was the Panlong Mountain Temple Fair, and the matchmaker would lead the girl so that Ouyang Xiucai could secretly meet her. Ouyang Xiucai agreed. So they arranged to meet at the Buddha Temple.

The Panlong Mountain Temple Fair was packed with people, a lively and extraordinary scene. Various exquisitely crafted and vividly shaped folk handicrafts were the main attraction of the fair, with paper-cutting, dough figurines, wooden toys, clay toys, cloth crafts, and other trinkets everywhere. Besides, there were monkey trainers, street performers, hawkers of miracle cures, vendors of wild medicines, food and drinks, storytellers, kite sellers—you name it, they had it.

Scholar Ouyang, accompanied by a helper, first bought two pomegranate saplings and sent them home, instructing him to soak the roots in water afterward. He then arrived at the Buddhist temple at the appointed time. The temple was crowded with people offering incense. Scholar Ouyang waited a while before the matchmaker emerged from the main hall with a woman. This woman was as beautiful as a lotus flower, with peach-blossom cheeks, apricot-shaped face, bright eyes, white teeth, skin like jade, and a face as beautiful as a fairy… He thought to himself, “What a beautiful woman! She truly embodies Li Bai’s line, ‘Her beauty surpasses all ages, even lotus flowers are ashamed of her jade-like face.’” He was already deeply moved. He didn’t notice the matchmaker’s wink, his eyes fixed on the woman. After a while, he noticed the matchmaker’s wink, blushed, nodded to the matchmaker, and turned to leave.

He was overjoyed all the way there, never imagining the woman he was to marry would be so beautiful. He couldn't wait to bring her home. Back at the workshop, he had his apprentice take the two pomegranate saplings and asked his old apprentice for advice on what kind of furniture to place them so his future father-in-law could send some money to the dowry department to arrange the furniture according to his wishes. The old apprentice had watched Ouyang Xiucai grow up and considered him his own son. Seeing that Ouyang Xiucai was truly interested in getting married, he was genuinely happy. Ouyang Xiucai measured the distance and instructed his young apprentice to dig holes in the central paving stones in front of the east and west wing rooms to plant the saplings. Then he and his old apprentice went inside to discuss the furniture. After some discussion, the old apprentice said, "Leave these things to me; you don't need to worry about it." Ouyang Xiucai nodded in agreement. After the young apprentice planted the pomegranate trees, Ouyang Xiucai instructed him to remember to water them every day, to which the young apprentice agreed. Looking at the two pomegranate trees, the old shopkeeper said, "Planting these pomegranate trees is good; the pomegranates have many seeds, so you'll surely have many children and grandchildren in the future." He then asked Ouyang Xiucai how he came up with the idea. Ouyang Xiucai smiled but didn't answer. Although the old shopkeeper didn't hear Ouyang Xiucai's reply, he was happy for the old shopkeeper because of his

filial piety. A month later, all the formalities were completed, including the marriage ceremony, betrothal gifts, exchanging invitations, and the auspicious date being chosen. Ouyang Xiucai's wedding day was set for the sixth day of the fourth lunar month. On the wedding day, the bride was carried in an eight-bearer sedan chair with music and drums. Most of the scholars and officials from Pancheng came to congratulate him, and even the prefect sent gifts. People in Pancheng were quite particular about weddings, with many elaborate rituals, which will not be detailed here.

However, the fact that Ouyang Xiucai used an eight-bearer sedan chair and the grand scale of the wedding banquet for his second wife caused quite a stir.

The following spring, Ouyang Xiucai was blessed with a son. As the monk had predicted, she did not conceive again. Scholar Ouyang sighed, lamenting that it was all fate, and that heaven could not be defied. His wife, intelligent and virtuous, after learning from her father for a while, managed the workshop impeccably, and business flourished.

Scholar Ouyang wholeheartedly wanted to raise his son to become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, perhaps even a top scholar, to fulfill his own unfulfilled wish. However, to his dismay, the imperial court abolished the examination system when his son was seven years old, leaving Scholar Ouyang utterly disappointed. He then discussed this blasphemous reform with other scholars, saying that the reform wouldn't last long and would soon be reversed. But over a year passed, and new schools were being built everywhere, forcing him to accept reality. He then thought that no matter the era, only education was truly valuable, so he sent his son to school.

However, his son clearly had no interest in studying, but rather a passion for business. By the time his son graduated from the government-run middle school, he had turned eighteen. So, Scholar Ouyang arranged a marriage for him with a wealthy man named Kang from outside the city. His daughter-in-law was Kang's third daughter, who was also exceptionally beautiful. Two years after their marriage, their son gave birth to a grandson. Scholar Ouyang and his wife then handed over the workshop to their son and daughter-in-law. Their son was a natural businessman; within a few years, he had expanded the workshop several times over. The "Ouyang Family" vinegar produced was sold not only locally but also as far away as Anhui, Henan, and Shandong provinces.

The only mistake this old scholar made was not passing on the vinegar-making secret to his son sooner. Even after handing the workshop over to his son and daughter-in-law, he kept control of the ingredients. He was worried about his hot-blooded young son, fearing he might accidentally leak the secret. Unexpectedly, in the spring of his sixty-fifth year, the scholar suddenly died of a heart attack, leaving no words behind. Only after arranging his son's funeral did he realize his father hadn't passed on the secret. The whole family searched everywhere, inside and outside the house, even the basement, but couldn't find it.

It turned out that the scholar had not only written down the secret recipe but also meticulously recorded the entire vinegar-making process, remembering it clearly. He originally intended to pass it on to his son at an appropriate time, or after he fell ill, just as his mother had passed it on to him. However, unexpectedly, after drinking more than two ounces of wine and eating two bowls of rice at noon, he suddenly passed away in the afternoon. This was truly the biggest mistake of the scholar's life. From then on, the secret recipe for "Ouyang Family" vinegar disappeared. Afterwards, no matter how skilled Ouyang Xiucai's son was, he couldn't replicate the vinegar from before. Thus, the long-established "Ouyang Family" vinegar brand, which had existed in Pancheng for decades, gradually declined.

By 1937, when Ouyang Xiucai's grandson married at eighteen, the workshop was essentially closed, with only Ouyang Xiucai's son and two employees barely managing to keep it afloat. The year after his marriage, Ouyang Xiucai's grandson had a son named Ouyang Anping. That autumn, Ouyang Xiucai's son passed away, and Ouyang Anping's father sold the workshop. The once-celebrated "Ouyang Family" vinegar workshop, a source of pride for the people of Pancheng, vanished.

Those years coincided with war, and Ouyang Anping's father, having never run a business, relied on the sale of the workshop and the savings inherited from their ancestors to survive. As the saying goes, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, and they were still considered a wealthy family by their neighbors. Ouyang Anping's father, idle and restless, was initially inclined to join the army. Standing nearly 1.8 meters tall and imposing, he considered it but abandoned the idea for the sake of his wife, son, and especially his elderly mother. Fortunately, after finishing middle school, he found a clerical job in the municipal government. However, being upright by nature, he despised the servile and spineless people after the Japanese invaded Pancheng and resigned in anger. Two years later, his childhood friend mentioned wanting to go to Lanling, Shandong to sell wine, but lacked capital.

The Ouyang family was nearly depleted, and Ouyang Anping's father wanted to use their remaining savings to start a business. The two quickly agreed, with Ouyang Anping's father providing the funds to buy a horse-drawn cart and begin their wine-selling business.

In those days, the people of Pancheng coveted Lanling sorghum liquor. During times of chaos, most dared not venture out to do this business. Ouyang Anping's father and his childhood friend were both tall and imposing, with naturally fearless personalities. This unique trade naturally flourished. Truckloads and jars of liquor were always sold out instantly. The liquor trade involved mostly taking back roads, making it incredibly arduous.

But in those war-torn years, every trip was fraught with danger. Although he secretly acquired two pistols, enough to deal with ordinary bandits, he dared not confront the Japanese soldiers, and they sometimes robbed him. Even so, the money he earned was enough to support his family. Once, when he went to the distillery to pick up liquor, the head distiller told him that the liquor he had brewed that time was the most authentic, and if it could be buried underground for decades before being drunk, it would be divine nectar. So, he decided to store two jars in the basement every time he brought back liquor, hoping to sell them for a good price after several years, accumulating forty jars before stopping.

After the Huaihai Campaign, the General Front Committee of the Crossing-the-Yangtze Campaign established a logistics office in the Ouyang family's old residence. Because Ouyang Anping's father was educated, he worked at the office and soon joined the Communist Party. After the liberation of the country, Ouyang Anping's father, unwilling to remain in his government position, requested a transfer and was assigned to work as a sales clerk at a grain station. His mother was assigned to work in a towel factory. In the following years, almost all the residences belonging to scholars on Xiucai Street were relocated by the government to house homeless poor people. Because the Ouyang family's old residence had served as a logistics office for the Crossing-the-Yangtze Campaign, it was the only one not relocated to the poor, and for several years became a patriotic education memorial site. It wasn't until 1980, when Xiucai Street was designated a key cultural relic protection street by the Panzhou Municipal Government, that all the old houses on Xiucai Street were returned to their original owners, and Xiucai Street truly became a place for the descendants of scholars to live.

In 1958, Ouyang Anping graduated from university and was assigned to teach at the city's No. 1 Middle School. Two years later, he married Mao Yuqin, a colleague who had also graduated from the same school. Three years into their marriage, she hadn't conceived, which greatly worried Ouyang Anping's parents. His mother secretly went to Panlong Mountain to burn incense and pray, and also prepared many folk remedies for her daughter-in-law to take. Finally, in the spring of 1964, Ouyang Anping's wife learned she was pregnant. The family was overjoyed, and his parents hoped their daughter-in-law would give them a grandson.

One Sunday in early autumn that year, Ouyang Anping's mother got up early to cook and was astonished to find that the two pomegranate trees in her yard were covered in fiery red pomegranate blossoms. She was instantly surprised, then panicked. Pomegranate blossoms are supposed to bloom in May; pomegranate trees blooming in autumn was unheard of. She called for her husband, who was still in bed, and Ouyang Anping and his wife. The whole family got up and gathered around the trees, becoming increasingly astonished. This strange phenomenon quickly spread throughout Pancheng that morning, and crowds flocked to Ouyang Anping's old residence to see what was happening. By the afternoon, it had even attracted the attention of the radio and newspapers, with people coming and going like at a temple fair. Talk was rife with speculation; some, seeing the heavily pregnant woman, said the child about to be born was no ordinary person, and that the Ouyang family was about to experience great joy.

The very next evening, Ouyang Anping's wife, Mao Yuqin, experienced sharp abdominal pains, and labor was imminent. Ouyang Anping and his mother took Mao Yuqin to the municipal hospital at midnight, and she successfully gave birth to a baby boy at 2:00 AM. Ouyang Anping, recalling the strange pomegranate blossoms in his home bringing his first son, and the widespread discussion in the city, considered it

a remarkable event, discussed it with his parents and Mao Yuqin. They named their son Ouyang Yiming. Then, the following year in Suzhou, Jiangnan, during the height of summer, an even stranger thing happened. That day, Xu Zhenming and his wife Yang Ping, who was about to give birth, had just finished lunch. Suddenly, a strong wind blew up, and looking through the window, it seemed like it was snowing. Opening the window for a closer look, they were stunned. "My God, it's really snowing!" Xu Zhenming exclaimed. The snowflakes were blown almost horizontally by the wind, hitting the glass and walls. The snowflakes weren't hexagonal, but conical or rhomboid, each about the size of an adult's little fingernail. The snowflakes were sparse. The Xu couple were dumbfounded; how could it snow in such a hot summer? The snow lasted less than ten minutes before turning into rain, which continued to drizzle for nearly twenty minutes before stopping. The scorching sun returned to the sky; in just half an hour, they had experienced the transition from summer to winter. This phenomenon made the Xu couple feel vaguely uneasy.

It was also during the snowfall that the monks of Xiashan Temple witnessed this extraordinary sight. The abbot, Xuanhui, was the first to emerge from the hall, gazing up at the sky. He vaguely saw a snow-white swan descending from the heavens. The abbot wondered which deity could create such a spectacle. He clasped his hands in prayer, and the other disciples quickly knelt in worship. This strange phenomenon still alarmed radio stations, newspapers, and some media outlets, but for some reason, no further reports were published.

A short time after the rain stopped, Xu Zhenming's wife began experiencing severe abdominal pain. While Xu Zhenming went downstairs to find a car to take his wife to the hospital, Yang Ping had already given birth to a baby girl in their own bed. Strangely, the baby girl did not cry after birth; instead, she closed her eyes and smiled, which frightened Xu Zhenming's wife. Xu Zhenming went upstairs and saw that his wife had already given birth, the umbilical cord still attached to her body. He was terrified and at a loss. Yang Ping called for him to quickly go to the factory clinic to call a doctor. Xu Zhenming then realized what was happening, rushed downstairs, pushed his bicycle and went straight to the clinic to fetch the female doctor. The doctor went into the room, cut the umbilical cord and cleaned the baby. The baby girl started crying loudly, but she cried for a whole day and night and never slept. The baby girl only returned to normal on the third day. Two months later, Xu Zhenming named his daughter Xu Hui.

Love and Desire (3)

Chapter 1

"Jiangnan is a beautiful place, Jinling is an imperial city". In this city, which was already extremely prosperous in the Six Dynasties period, noble families gathered, literati gathered, wealthy merchants gathered, and brothels and palaces were lined up. It has left behind a rich history and ancient culture, witnessed the vicissitudes and great pains of ancient and modern times; it has performed the decadent and extravagant love stories; and the stories of beauties have been passed down for thousands of years. In the early 1980s, Ouyang Yiming was admitted to a prestigious university in this city.

Three years later, in the early autumn, Ouyang Yiming never dreamed that he would encounter such a thing.

On Sunday afternoon, he went to the medical school where his childhood friend Fan Xurui studied. After discussing it, the two decided to see the newly released movie, *The Empress Dowager*. Arriving at the People's Cinema in Xinjiekou, the movie was about to start. When they went to buy tickets at the window, the ticket seller bluntly told them there were no seats next to them. Ouyang Yiming turned to ask Fan Xurui. Seeing Fan Xurui nod

, he bought the tickets. Fan Xurui took the tickets, looked at Ouyang Yiming's, and kept one while giving the other back. Ouyang Yiming laughed after looking at it, saying, "I've never been as shrewd as you. I didn't even think to keep the one for downstairs." Fan Xurui laughed and said, "You can only see clearly from above. Taking care of you would only make you feel bad." Ouyang Yiming shook his head and smiled, saying, "Thank you, thank you for your consideration."

Ouyang Yiming went up to the second floor, and just as he sat down in the last row, on the far right, a petite woman in her thirties approached. She had a slender waist, a slim figure, and was dressed like an intellectual woman. She wore a light red short-sleeved blouse and a wide, dark purple long skirt that reached past her knees. She glanced at her ticket, smiled at him, and walked over to sit in the empty seat next to him.

The woman's eyes lingered on Ouyang Yiming's face for a few seconds before she gave him a sweet smile and turned away. When Ouyang Yiming met her gaze, he noticed that the woman wore glasses, had fair skin, and a pretty face. Ouyang Yiming didn't pay much attention. The lights in the theater dimmed, and the movie began. Ouyang Yiming then noticed that the woman kept glancing at him. Feeling uncomfortable, he turned to look at her. When their eyes met, the woman smiled sweetly, and Ouyang Yiming smiled back. The woman whispered, "Are you here to watch the movie alone?" Ouyang Yiming felt inexplicably flustered and said, "Yes, there's someone else, but we're not sitting together." The woman asked, "Where do you work?" For some reason, Ouyang Yiming became wary of this stranger. He thought for a moment that he couldn't tell her the truth, so he said,

"Oh, I work at... I work at... a company." He blushed involuntarily as he lied. The woman nodded, smiled slightly, and said, "You haven't been working long, have you? You look like you're in a tech field."

Ouyang Yiming said, "Oh, um, I guess so." His heart pounded as he spoke.

About half an hour into the movie, Ouyang Yiming, already immersed in the plot, suddenly felt a hand on his thigh. Startled, he looked down and saw it was the woman. He nervously looked up at her, only to see her smile at him before turning away. Ouyang Yiming asked in a trembling voice, "What...what are you doing?" He hurriedly moved the woman's hand away, leaning to the side, his heart pounding, his eyes fixed on the screen. A moment later, he suddenly felt the woman's hand on his groin. Wearing only a thin shirt, Ouyang Yiming felt the hand grasp his penis, and his head throbbed with dizziness. He snapped out of it, his face flushed, and looked at the woman, grabbing her hand to pull it away, when he heard the woman say something only he could hear: "Don't move, or I...I'll make you touch me." Ouyang Yiming froze, his hand still on the woman's, before he quickly pulled it away, a feeling of humiliation rising within him. The woman leaned closer to him, her voice trembling as she whispered, "Don't be afraid, I just like you." Ouyang Yiming opened his mouth but didn't speak, yet at the same time he felt a tingling, electric-like sensation throughout his body, and his body leaned forward, slumping against the back of the chair in front of him, his eyes fixed on the screen. The woman's hand caressed Ouyang Yiming's crotch for a while, then she fumbled for his zipper, pulling out his already erect penis. Her slender, soft hand then grasped his penis and slid it up and down.

Ouyang Yiming felt a surge of pleasure amidst his panic and fear. Suddenly, he remembered the dream he had last night. In the dream, he was embracing a naked woman he had never met, a strange feeling. When he woke up, he found his underwear wet and sticky, knowing that it was the substance that had flowed from his body in the dream. He naturally understood that it was nocturnal emission. But he never expected that today, his manhood would be fondled by this seemingly refined woman. After a while, the woman released his penis, and Ouyang Yiming felt his penis, which had been fondled, lose its pleasure. He quickly regained his senses, blushing, and tried to reach inside his pants to shove his penis back in. The woman grabbed his hand, pulling it under her loose skirt to her crotch. Ouyang Yiming tried to pull away but was powerless; his trembling hand pressed against her underwear.

The woman held Ouyang Yiming's penis, looking down at it occasionally, gently sliding her hand up and down his burning erection. Ouyang Yiming's hand involuntarily slipped inside her pants, inserting his middle finger into her wet, lubricated body. During their mutual masturbation, Ouyang Yiming felt a contraction within the woman's body, and then felt her hand gripping his penis tightly, sliding rapidly. A moment later, a strange and incomparable pleasure surged through his body, and streams of fluid shot out, making him feel as if he were floating on clouds. Only when his penis began to soften did the woman finally remove her hand, softly asking, "Was it comfortable?" Ouyang Yiming's face flushed crimson, his heart pounding. He hurriedly shoved his penis inside his clothes, zipped up, and gasped for breath, unable to speak.

The woman quietly straightened her skirt and leaned down to ask him, "Have you ever been with a woman?" Ouyang Yiming stammered, "No, no." The woman looked at him and said, "If you had come alone, I really wanted to take you home." Ouyang Yiming didn't speak, but his mind was filled with thoughts of what it would be like to be in bed with her. The woman said, "Don't think of me as a bad woman. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. My husband is a sailor, and he's been at sea for over half a year. I... I just couldn't resist..." Ouyang Yiming was somewhat bewildered. The woman, head bowed, suddenly said sadly,

"You wouldn't understand if you've never done this with a woman. Sigh, life isn't just about eating and dressing; this can be incredibly torturous." She paused, glanced at Ouyang Yiming, and said, "If you're truly a virgin, never been with a woman, I feel a little sorry for you now. Thank you." She looked up at Ouyang Yiming a few more times, smiled shyly, and got up to leave. Ouyang Yiming watched her departing figure, and after a long while, he wondered if he was dreaming.

Turning back, his eyes looked ahead, and the phrase "an old ox eating young grass" suddenly came to mind, filling him with a silent shame. He couldn't understand the woman's actions. He had always thought only men would be so vulgar; he never imagined a woman would do such a thing to a stranger. He wouldn't have believed it if someone else hadn't told him.

Ouyang Yiming was the fourth-generation eldest grandson of Ouyang Xiucai, the eldest son of Ouyang Anping and Mao Yuqin. He has two siblings, a younger sister named Ouyang Mei and a younger brother named Ouyang Dongdong. The Ouyang family has had only one son per generation for three generations since Ouyang Xiucai, yet each generation boasts handsome men and beautiful women. Ouyang Yiming is naturally tall and handsome.

He is 1.78 meters tall, with a typical square face, a broad forehead, and thick, dark eyebrows. His eyes are naturally very bright, but unfortunately, a pair of glasses on his high, straight nose slightly obscures the brilliance of his expressive eyes, though it adds a touch of scholarly elegance. His full lips convey a sense of composure and honesty. His beautiful and virtuous mother, Mao Yuqin, inherited his good looks and fair complexion; his tall and imposing father inherited his robust physique. At twenty-one, Ouyang Yiming has already distinguished himself as a refined and mature man, exuding the air of a scholar.

Fan Xurui's parents are also teachers. His mother, like Ouyang Yiming's parents, teaches geography at the city's No. 1 Middle School. His father teaches mathematics at the Railway Middle School. Fan Xurui's family originally lived in the dormitory of the No. 1 Middle School, just like Ouyang Yiming's family, both living in single-story houses. The two families were separated only by a wall and got along like family. They grew up together and were no different from brothers.

It wasn't until shortly after they were admitted to two different universities in the same city that their father's school allocated them a three-bedroom dormitory apartment, and they moved out of the No. 1 Middle School. Fan Xurui's mother suffered from congenital heart disease and dared not have any more children after giving birth to Fan Xurui. Therefore, Fan Xurui, their only son, was cherished and raised with great care. After Ouyang Yiming and Fan Xurui came to this city to study, they would get together every now and then.

Fan Xurui and Ouyang Yiming were the same age, around 1.7 meters tall, and slightly chubby. His face resembled his mother's, round and plump. His eyes weren't large; when he smiled, the pupils were almost invisible, but thankfully he wore thick glasses, which masked their small size. He had a broad forehead, a straight nose, and a relatively small mouth. His fair complexion also gave him a scholarly air. His personality resembled his mother's—eloquent, cheerful, and with strong social skills. He joined the Party in his sophomore year and was elected a student union officer that same year.

Ouyang Yiming barely registered the movie. After the screening, he met Fan Xurui at the theater entrance.

Wandering aimlessly along the street, Ouyang Yiming was still thinking about the woman, his heart pounding, his body tingling, and his face flushing red, but he remained silent. Seeing his strange expression, Fan Xurui asked, "What are you thinking about?" Ouyang Yiming paused, then stammered, "Nothing, nothing, nothing at all." Fan Xurui shook his head and smiled, saying, "I don't believe you." Ouyang Yiming knew he couldn't possibly say something so embarrassing, so he composed himself and said, "I just wasn't thinking about anything." Fan Xurui laughed and said, "Did some scenes in the movie just now trigger you, reminding you of the flings you've had with women?" Ouyang Yiming quickly said, "What women! I haven't had any, unlike you who's a womanizer."

Fan Xurui chuckled twice and said, "You wouldn't dare have flirted with anyone at school. To be honest, you really haven't been intimate with any women?" Ouyang Yiming shook his head, his mind flashing back to the woman he had with. Fan Xurui asked, "Are you in love?" Ouyang Yiming replied impatiently, "No, oh dear, if I were really in love, I wouldn't need to lie to you." Fan Xurui stared at him for a moment and asked, "Then why are you blushing?" Ouyang Yiming felt a pang of guilt and said, "Who's blushing? It's just that your eyesight is bad." Fan Xurui laughed and shook his head, saying, "My eyesight is bad, but yours is good. Hey, you bookworm. Surely someone likes you, right?"

When Fan Xurui asked this question, Xu Hui's image flashed into Ouyang Yiming's mind.

Xu Hui was the only daughter of Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping in Suzhou, born in the middle of summer when snow fell, smiled upon landing, cried for a day and a night after her umbilical cord was cut.

Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui first spoke to each other after lunch on their first day of university. That day, he ate lunch with his roommate Jiang Yuqi in the cafeteria. As they walked out, he ran into Zhu Haitao from Hangzhou. After exchanging a few words, Zhu Haitao's eyes kept glancing to the side, a strange light gleaming in them. Ouyang Yiming couldn't help but follow his gaze and saw three girls walking and chatting a short distance away. Zhu Haitao muttered to himself, "That girl is really pretty." Jiang Yuqi chimed in, "Yes, she's like a fairy." Zhu Haitao said, "She's definitely one of the most beautiful girls in our class, even in the whole school." Jiang Yuqi said, "You probably can't find another like her in Nanjing." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Are these girls all from our class?" Jiang Yuqi stared at him, saying, "Really? You didn't even notice they were from our class all morning?" Ouyang Yiming smiled and shook his head. He genuinely hadn't noticed these girls were from his class. Having never looked directly at girls before, Ouyang Yiming naturally wouldn't pay attention to them on his first day at school.

Jiang Yuqi said, "Come on, let's go get to know them." Ouyang Yiming looked at him. Zhu Haitao seemed very excited and said, "Come on, we're all in the same class anyway, we'll get to know each other sooner or later."

He then pulled Ouyang Yiming. Ouyang Yiming blushed and said, "You, you go ahead, I..." Jiang Yuqi grabbed him and said, "Look at you, so big, why are you acting like a girl? What's there to be afraid of saying a few words?" Ouyang Yiming was embarrassed by his words, so he braced himself and followed.

When they got there, several girls looked at them. Jiang Yuqi smiled and said, "Hey classmates, let's get to know each other. We're all in the same class." A slightly shorter, slender girl glanced at the three of them, then smiled brightly and said, "Yes, yes, I knew this morning. Where are you from?" Jiang Yuqi said, "I'm from Yancheng in northern Jiangsu. My name is Jiang Yuqi." Zhu Haitao said, "I'm Zhu Haitao from Hangzhou." The girl said enviously, "Oh, from Hangzhou! I've heard that West Lake in Hangzhou is really fun, but I've never been there." She paused

and said, "My name is Wu Yingying. I'm from Mengcheng in Anhui. Hehe, a small place." Then she looked at Ouyang Yiming, who was looking down, and asked, "Hey, why don't you introduce yourself?" Ouyang Yiming looked up at her, blushing, and said, "I, my name is Ouyang Yiming. I'm from Panzhou in northern Jiangsu." Wu Yingying looked surprised and said, "Ouyang Yiming? A compound surname?" Ouyang Yiming nodded. Wu Yingying said, "It's a bit of a hassle to call you. Uh, calling you Yiming is a bit... a bit... hehe..." Ouyang Yiming blushed and said, "Just call me Ouyang." As he spoke, his eyes glanced at the other two girls, and seeing them staring at him, he quickly looked away.

At this moment, another girl with a simple face blushed and timidly said, "My name is Li Xuan, from Sichuan." She added, "My family is from the countryside, and our place is even smaller." Jiang Yuqi laughed twice and said, "We're the same, from the countryside." He turned to look at the girl they had finally come to see and asked, "Hey, where are you from?" The pretty girl had a gentle and noble smile on her face and said generously, "My name is Xu Hui, from Suzhou. It's nice to meet you." After speaking, she glanced at the three of them, and when her eyes met Zhu Haitao's, she seemed a little timid and quickly turned back to look at Ouyang Yiming with a smile.

Just now, when Ouyang Yiming and the other two walked over, these three girls had also noticed them. Xu Hui looked at Ouyang Yiming's face, her heart trembling slightly. It wasn't because Ouyang Yiming was indeed tall and handsome; she vaguely felt she had seen him somewhere before and couldn't help but glance at him a few more times. But it wasn't appropriate for a girl to stare at a boy on their first meeting. When Ouyang Yiming saw Xu Hui smiling at him, he met her gaze. At that moment, Ouyang Yiming's heart also trembled, and he thought to himself, "Such a beautiful girl, exuding such an incomparably noble air, is truly rare." His heart pounded and his face flushed as he thought this, yet he couldn't help but steal glances at her.

Wu Yingying looked at Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui, giggled a few times, and said, "Look, Ouyang is so handsome, and Xu Hui is so beautiful. Our class definitely has the most handsome boy and the most beautiful girl in the whole school, don't you think?" The others were stunned for a moment, then laughed. Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui both blushed, inwardly sighing at Wu Yingying's naivety and recklessness. Li Xuan quickly tugged at Wu Yingying, but this action was seen by everyone.

For the next three years, Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui rarely spoke alone, instead often talking to Xu Hui with classmates like Jiang Yuqi, Wu Yingying, and Li Xuan. These friends became acquainted soon after meeting. For some reason, both Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui had a strange feeling; they unconsciously cared for each other.

They naturally never discussed love, but they both knew that the other held a very important place in their hearts. Even so, Ouyang Yiming was still unsure what his feelings for Xu Hui truly were. He liked her, cared about her, but also felt that Xu Hui was like family. He also had a vague feeling that judging their relationship through the lens of worldly romantic love would be a desecration of his feelings for Xu Hui.

Ouyang Yiming, who had never been in love, sometimes wondered to himself, is this what it means for a boy to be infatuated with a girl? Is this what it feels like for a boy to fall in love with a girl

? Is this what love between a man and a woman is like? But why doesn't he feel the same heart-fluttering feeling he reads in novels when a boy is in love with a girl? Sometimes he felt very confused... Meanwhile, his classmates had already been gossiping behind his back that the two of them were definitely a couple. They all silently accepted that this perfectly matched couple was a perfect match. Ouyang Yiming was also very clear in his heart that Xu Hui's feelings for him were probably the kind of love between a man and a woman. The way Xu Hui often looked at him, the tone of her voice that was definitely not the kind of care she showed to other boys, and the special expression she had when she was alone with Ouyang Yiming—any boy would understand. Ouyang Yiming had thought more than once that he and Xu Hui would definitely develop into a real romantic relationship someday.

Ouyang Yiming smiled at Fan Xurui, but said, "I don't feel like anyone likes me." Ouyang Yiming was unwilling to include Xu Hui in the kind of love that Fan Xurui mentioned. He even thought that what Fan Xurui meant was a desecration of Xu Hui. Fan Xurui looked at him and said, "You're not being honest." Ouyang Yiming said, "Believe it or not." Seeing his serious expression, and considering that he hadn't talked to girls much since childhood, Fan Xurui was somewhat inclined to believe him and said, "It's really a pity about your physique." Ouyang Yiming laughed and punched him, saying, "Your mind is always filled with women, I don't know how you became a student council member."

Fan Xurui laughed and said, "Having women in your mind is called balancing your nerves and work-life balance. Men have no motivation without women. It's useless to tell you this, you're still in the hazy stage when it comes to relationships between men and women, you'll slowly understand in a few years." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "I envy you, you matured early." Fan Xurui said, "That's true. I can't tell you what I've been through, I'm afraid you can't handle it. In front of me, you're just an immature little kid."

The image of that woman reappeared in Ouyang Yiming's mind, and he thought to himself, who would experience what I went through today? Thinking about it, he felt a wave of shame again. His face turned red again.

Ouyang Yiming regained his composure and said, "You're only three months older than me, what are you talking about?" Fan Xurui laughed and said, "It's not about age, it's about maturity." He paused, then laughed again, whispering mysteriously, "Let me ask you, have you ever eaten fish? Have you ever eaten tofu? Hehe..." Ouyang Yiming couldn't help but burst out laughing, saying,

"Only you haven't eaten fish or tofu. It's not like they're high-class things." Fan Xurui chuckled and whispered, "Silly boy, you haven't eaten fish or tofu.

Let me teach you, when I say 'eating fish,' I mean kissing, and 'eating tofu' means touching breasts. Have you ever eaten them?" Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat, and he laughed, asking, "Where did you hear all these technical terms?" Fan Xurui didn't answer, but said again, "Then you can't imagine the pleasure of doing 'that' with a woman." Ouyang Yiming was startled, then remembered what he had just done with the woman. Staring at him, Ouyang Yiming asked, "Have you done it?" Fan Xurui smiled mysteriously and said, "I can't tell you something like that." He paused, chuckled twice, and said, "I'll tell you, men think about this, but women think about it even more."

Ouyang Yiming didn't speak, wondering to himself, "Is that really true? Otherwise, why would that woman act like that?" He immediately dismissed the idea; women like that were extremely rare. He said aloud, "I don't believe it." Fan Xurui said, "Let me tell you a true story. Last year in our class, during anatomy class, the specimen was a man, and his thing was huge. The next day, a few girls were walking together, and guess what they were talking about?" Ouyang Yiming said, "You're just making this up. What a coincidence! You overheard what they were talking about?" He said this, but secretly he wanted to hear it. Fan Xurui said,

"Hey, what a coincidence. Hey, do you want to hear it? If you don't, I won't tell you." Ouyang Yiming deliberately said, "It doesn't matter whether you hear my story or not." Fan Xurui stared at him and said:

"You idiot, why would I make this up? It's true." He paused, then continued, "That day, a classmate and I were chatting by the holly bushes in the flowerbed when we overheard a few girls sitting nearby whispering about the specimen's genitals. Girls, don't let their shyness in front of us men fool you; when they're together, they'll say anything. I heard them say that the specimen's thing was huge, and how could anyone stand it inside? The girls kept saying, 'You should try it,' and 'You should try it.' Damn, they were all leering." He smacked his lips and chuckled twice, looking at Ouyang Yiming, "Damn it, I actually had the thought of trying it with them back then."

He leered. Two voices continued, "Later, I heard one of them say that if all the male students in our school took off their clothes and walked around campus with their 'things' erect, what a beautiful sight it would be! Then a girl chimed in, saying that as they walked, their swaying would be like a pendulum, and it would be a contest of whose was the biggest. Another girl added, 'What do you mean, like a pendulum? A man's thing is always erect; it should be swaying back and forth.'" As he spoke, Fan Xurui chuckled to himself, looking at Ouyang Yiming and saying, "Never heard of that, have you? You've said a lot more. I'm not telling you anymore; you won't believe it unless you hear it with your own ears." Ouyang Yiming felt a tickle in his heart and a surge of heat throughout his body. He said aloud, "Of course I don't believe it; you've made it all up." Fan Xurui said, "I really didn't make this up; I'm not lying to you."

Ouyang Yiming thought to himself, could Fan Xurui's words really be true? Otherwise, why would that woman have been so promiscuous? He said, "Only someone from your medical university would have such broad knowledge." Fan Xurui shook his head and said, "Not entirely. Have you heard? During the crackdown a while ago, three girls came to this cinema to watch a movie. Before the movie started, they were buying sunflower seeds at the cinema entrance. The old man selling sunflower seeds saw the three girls squatting there without any underwear, and in his panic, he knocked over his basket. After the girls went into the cinema, two patrol officers came, and the old man reported what happened. Seven or eight police officers from the police station came, drove all the men out of the cinema, and several female police officers lifted the skirts of the women watching the movie one by one and arrested the three girls. This is a true story." Ouyang Yiming was shocked and said, "This is really happening." I heard Jiang Yuqi say it and thought he was making it up. "Fan Xurui said: "It is absolutely true that these three girls were all junior high school classmates of a female classmate in our class. All three girls were later sentenced to five years. "After a pause, he said: "I feel a little aggrieved for them. You said they didn't do anything bad. They just didn't wear pants. As for sentencing them to five years? Ouyang Yiming said: "I heard that there are targets for severe crackdowns." "Fan Xurui coughed, looked back and forth, lowered his voice and said, "Don't say that. "

Ouyang Yiming couldn't help but shuddered as he thought about what the woman had done with him in the theater just now. Chapter 2 of

Sea of Love and Desire (4) They walked into the department store while talking. The two of them walked around for a while without buying anything and then went to the food cabinet. Ouyang Yiming said to buy a bottle of pickles. Fan Xurui said, "Buy one bottle and it's mine. Buy two bottles and we'll have one each. Ouyang Yiming said with a smile: "I can never rely on you." "So I spent my own money to buy two bottles of gherkin pickles. Fan Xurui had already moved to the canned goods counter and saw a row of beautifully decorated tin cans with foreign writing on them. He asked the young female sales clerk what was inside. The clerk said it was imported African pheasant nuggets, and Fan Xurui asked how much a can cost. The clerk said fifteen yuan. Upon hearing this, Fan Xurui stuck out his tongue and said, "These foreign pheasant nuggets are about the same price as dragon meat in our country." The sales clerk giggled. As Fan Xurui laughed along with her, his eyes lingered on her breasts, which trembled with her laughter. Just then, Ouyang Yiming came over with the pickled cucumbers he had bought and overheard the conversation. He said, "There's a reason why they're expensive. They're imported, after all. Want to buy a jar and try some?" Fan Xurui looked at him and asked, "You're buying some?" Ouyang Yiming said, "It's only polite to reciprocate. I've already bought you pickles, and you're not going to buy me anything?" Fan Xurui said, "Even if you bought ten more bottles, it wouldn't be enough to buy this one." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "That's too vulgar. Why should we care about price?" Fan Xurui shook his head, took out fifteen yuan, and bought a jar. Ouyang Yiming said, "One jar is mine, two jars are fine, one for each of us." Fan Xurui chuckled and said, "Get lost. Let's try some together when we eat later. This stuff is so expensive it'll break your heart." The saleswoman was amused by their conversation and covered her mouth, laughing. Leaving the counter, Fan Xurui chuckled and said, "Wow, that saleswoman's tofu is really big, I really felt the urge to touch it." Ouyang Yiming turned his head and glanced at it, saying, "Your lustful eyes are always looking at that area." Fan Xurui smiled and shook his head, saying, "It's an occupational hazard, we're medical students, you know. We always pay attention to good specimens." The two laughed. After leaving the building, they strolled around for a while and then went into a small restaurant, ordering a plate of cucumber salad, a plate of stir-fried pork liver with scallions, a serving of water chestnuts with shredded pork, a bowl of seaweed and egg soup, and a half-jin bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

After ordering, Fan Xurui picked up the can of food and went into the back room. A moment later, he brought over a plate of pheasant pieces. Ouyang Yiming reached out to grab some, but Fan Xurui slapped his hand away, saying, "Be civilized, okay? We'll divide it when the plates and chopsticks arrive, half for each of us." He then counted the chicken pieces on the plate—twelve in total. Fan Xurui said, "Six pieces each." The waiter brought chopsticks, and Ouyang Yiming, while dividing the chicken pieces, said, "Six pieces each." After dividing, he pointed to the plate with his chopsticks and said, "This side is mine, and that side is yours." Fan Xurui was opening a bottle of wine when he glanced down and saw that Ouyang Yiming had given him only small pieces. He chuckled inwardly but didn't say anything. After pouring his wine, he put down the bottle, picked up his chopsticks, and reached over to grab the large piece of chicken that Ouyang Yiming had given him, putting it in his mouth. Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "Why are you being so stingy? We split it into six pieces each." Fan Xurui said while eating, "Your piece is worth six of mine."

Then he added, "Try it, this chicken tastes different." Ouyang Yiming picked up a piece and put it in his mouth, and indeed, it tasted exceptionally delicious.

The two finished their drinks and ate all the food, and returned to school satisfied.

That night, Ouyang Yiming felt extremely nauseous. He went to the toilet seven or eight times that night, and the next morning he couldn't get out of bed due to unbearable abdominal pain. His roommate Jiang Yuqi and two other classmates took him to the school hospital, where the doctor diagnosed him with expired food poisoning. They asked Ouyang Yiming to tell them what he had eaten. Ouyang Yiming then recounted what he and Fan Xurui had eaten at the small restaurant. The doctor asserted that the problem was with the meat at the restaurant. He said that the canned food was strictly sterilized, and the inspections for imported goods were even more stringent, so it couldn't be a problem with the cans. So, he took the medication as usual, but after two days there was no improvement whatsoever; in fact, his condition seemed to worsen. That night, Ouyang Yiming developed a fever of nearly 40 degrees Celsius and even passed blood-tinged stool. The attending physician then suspected the canned food again. But after careful consideration, even if the canned food had spoiled, the medication regimen was still correct.

The next day at noon, Jiang Yuqi came to see him, and Ouyang Yiming asked him to check if Fan Xurui at the medical university was sick. Jiang Yuqi rushed to the medical university but found Fan Xurui perfectly normal. Fan Xurui came with Jiang Yuqi, and the doctor asked him in detail about the food he and Ouyang Yiming had eaten that day. He also asked where the pheasant canned food came from. Fan Xurui said it came from Africa. The doctor said Africa was a large country, and asked which specific country. Fan Xurui scratched his head and said he hadn't really paid attention. In the end, the doctor still determined that the cause of the illness was not related to the canned food.

On the morning of the third day, Xu Hui inquired about Ouyang Yiming's condition from Jiang Yuqi. Jiang Yuqi told her that there was no sign of improvement. Xu Hui was alarmed, so after lunch she went to see him with Li Xuan and Wu Yingying. What she saw shocked her; in just three days, Ouyang Yiming seemed like a completely different person. His eyes were sunken, his face was sallow, his lips were cracked, and he looked terminally ill. Xu Hui was terrified, then overwhelmed with sorrow, and tears welled up in her eyes without her noticing. She bent down to ask Ouyang Yiming how he was feeling. Ouyang Yiming weakly said he was fine, but managed a weak smile.

Xu Hui peeled an orange she had brought and offered it to him, but Ouyang Yiming shook his head, saying he didn't want to eat it, tears streaming down his face. Xu Hui took out a handkerchief to wipe his tears, comforting him that he would be better in a couple of days. Ouyang Yiming nodded.

Xu Hui stood by the bed, looking at him, unsure what to say, feeling extremely agitated. She turned and left the ward for the doctor's office, immediately asking the doctor why Ouyang Yiming's condition wasn't improving. The doctor said that illness comes on suddenly and goes slowly, and recovery takes time. Xu Hui then said, "This can't go on like this. Three days have passed, and the condition is getting worse. Why don't you consider transferring to another hospital?" The doctor, annoyed, asked Xu Hui what she did for a living. Xu Hui said, "I'm his classmate." The doctor said rudely, "This has nothing to do with you. We doctors have our own treatment plan." Xu Hui retorted, "If you can't handle it, don't try to be something you're not." The doctor angrily told her to leave. Li Xuan and Wu Yingying, who had come with Xu Hui, had never seen her so distraught in three years. As soon as she left, they tried to comfort her, saying that offending the doctor wouldn't be good for Ouyang Yiming's treatment. Xu Hui said, "If anything happens to Ouyang Yiming, the first thing I'll do is sue this doctor."

Xu Hui stormed out of the doctor's office, returned to Ouyang Yiming's bedside, looked at him with teary eyes for a while, and then hurriedly left the school hospital without saying anything. Instead of returning to the dormitory with Li Xuan and Wu Yingying, Xu Hui headed towards the main gate. Li Xuan asked her where she was going, but Xu Hui didn't say. She only told Li Xuan and Wu Yingying that she was going out to run some errands and that if she couldn't make it back to class in the afternoon, they should ask for leave for her. Li Xuan and Wu Yingying exchanged glances and agreed.

Twenty-year-old Xu Hui was simply a natural beauty, exceptionally beautiful. Her skin was as white as snow, and her figure was slender. Her round face was delicately adorned with the sweet, gentle charm of

a woman from Jiangnan. She possessed captivating double eyelids, and pearly eyes were set in sockets beneath long eyelashes. Her rose-red lips exuded sensuality. Her long neck stood out against her beautiful shoulders, and her 1.65-meter frame gave her the air of a ballet dancer. She didn't speak much, and her intelligent, virtuous, fairy-like demeanor radiated a sanctity that made her seem somewhat unapproachable. Among her many suitors, she appeared so proud.

Xu Hui was born unusual, and her appearance was different from other children. She could walk at eight months, talk at ten months, and by her early twenties, she could recite Tang and Song dynasty poems that Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping had only taught her once. She could also memorize other knowledge after just one reading. However, she was extremely playful and would never read a book without her parents' insistence. At six, in kindergarten, she cried and insisted on going to primary school. Xu Zhenming reluctantly sent her, but the school said she was too young and asked him to wait a year before enrolling her. Six-year-old Xu Hui was particularly stubborn; she snorted, glared at the teacher, and turned away, causing the teacher and other parents to burst into laughter.

Xu Zhenming then sent her back to kindergarten for another year. At seven, she started primary school, but she was always distracted in class, constantly playing with pencils, pencil cases, and toys. She always seemed absent-minded, yet strangely, she always completed her homework perfectly, consistently ranking at the top of her class in midterms and finals. The teachers simply said the child was naturally intelligent and stopped paying attention to her behavior in class. In those years, most schools had art troupes, and Xu Hui, beautiful and lovely, was naturally a member. She was exceptionally active in singing and dancing.

However, when Xu Hui was ten years old, she fell seriously ill, unable to eat or defecate, and remained ill for over half a month. Xu Zhenming and his wife took her to hospitals large and small in Suzhou and several major hospitals in Shanghai, but her condition did not improve. Later, the doctors concluded that Xu Hui's condition was strange, incurable, and certain to die. But what puzzled everyone was that although Xu Hui could not eat, she did not lose weight, and her beautiful face still had a rosy glow, making her even more beautiful.

Xu Hui's maternal grandmother was a devout Buddhist and went to various temples to pray to the gods. On the afternoon when Xu Hui was on the verge of death, a torrential rain suddenly began. The grandmother braved the rain to go to Xiashan Zen Temple, knelt at the temple gate, and at midnight, the abbot came out of the temple to give her a packet of crushed herbs, telling her not to tell anyone outside the family, and then sighed and left. Grandma was overjoyed and practically ran home on tiptoe. Upon arriving home, she and Xu Zhenming and his wife immediately fed Xu Hui

the medicine. Exhausted, Grandma collapsed to the ground. Seeing the old woman soaked to the bone, Xu Zhenming and his wife were moved to tears, embracing her and weeping. The old woman, regaining her composure, smiled and looked at her son and daughter-in-law with relief, saying, "Xiao Hui is truly saved now; Buddha has given us medicine." Xu Zhenming, with tears in his eyes, went to the clinic to fetch a doctor. Yang Ping had already changed her mother's clothes. The doctor gave the old woman an injection and some medicine, then instructed Xu Zhenming and his wife to quickly make some ginger soup for her. The old woman slept soundly and was completely recovered. The next morning, Xu Hui woke up and even said she wanted to eat, much to the family's delight. Two days later, Xu Hui was able to get out of bed and walk, and five days later she was fully recovered. Two days after that, she went back to school. Everyone who knew about Xu Hui's condition was astonished. When asked which master had saved Xu Hui, Xu Zhenming, Yang Ping, and the old man, the family remained silent.

After recovering from her serious illness, Xu Hui seemed like a different person. She was no longer the lively and mischievous girl she once was, unwilling to participate in any school activities. Despite her young age, she enjoyed reading novels and other extracurricular books. She also appeared unusually quiet and well-mannered. In middle school, she particularly enjoyed reading "Dream of the Red Chamber" and Buddhist books. Every day, she would devoutly burn incense and kowtow to the Buddha statue in her home with her grandmother. However, her study methods remained unchanged; she often read books unrelated to her studies during class. Every midterm and final exam, Xu Zhenming and his wife would watch Xu Hui study diligently for several days, and Xu Hui consistently ranked among the top students in her grade. Her teachers and Xu Zhenming and his wife knew that if they pushed Xu Hui like a whip, she would definitely achieve outstanding results.

Before the college entrance examination, Xu Hui's mother, Yang Ping, accompanied her to study until late at night every day. She achieved ideal results in the college entrance examination and was successfully admitted to the university.

After leaving the school hospital, Xu Hui thought of going to a temple to pray for Ouyang Yiming's well-being. That afternoon, Xu Hui ran to almost every temple in Jinling City to burn incense and pray for Ouyang Yiming, and did not return to school until after dinner.

By the next morning, Ouyang Yiming's condition had not improved and showed signs of worsening. The attending physician was anxious and called his mentor from his advanced studies. His mentor was an intestinal disease expert at a military general hospital in the city. After hearing the attending physician's account, he was shocked and ordered that the patient be sent to his military hospital for treatment as soon as possible.

The school hospital immediately consulted the school leaders and then sent Ouyang Yiming to the intestinal ward of the military hospital by car. Chapter 3

Ouyang Yiming was sent to the special care ward and was cared for by two nurses on duty. The expert quickly arranged a series of tests, including blood and urine samples. After the blood test results came out, the expert had determined the cause of the disease. To his surprise and astonishment, Ouyang Yiming had contracted this terrible virus. Three months ago, this expert was invited by an international medical organization to participate in the treatment of a rare intestinal disease ravaging an African country. His superb medical skills and unique insights quickly led to a corresponding treatment plan, rapidly bringing this epidemic, hailed as a rare disease by the international medical community, under control. For this, he received considerable praise in the international medical community. Many newspapers and magazines both domestically and internationally published his story. Subsequent analysis confirmed that the virus originated from wild and farmed animals in a mountainous region of Africa, and local residents contracted the disease by consuming meat carrying the virus from these animals. This virus is quite stubborn; it can only be killed by steam at temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius under high pressure. Normal canning processes only reach around 100 degrees Celsius. However, this virus is also airborne, and infection can only occur through the consumption of infected bacteria. After the diagnosis, the expert was naturally adept at treating the disease. He quickly formulated a treatment plan and began treatment. In fact, this disease is easily cured with medication, and recovery is rapid. What alarmed and worried the experts was that the bacteria had been introduced from abroad. They quickly reported this to the hospital's medical affairs department and administration department. The hospital took it very seriously, immediately ordering the experts to find the source of the virus and assigning two staff members to assist. By the afternoon, Ouyang Yiming had regained consciousness, his high fever had subsided, and he felt much better. The experts then inquired about the origin of the can of pheasant nuggets. Ouyang Yiming said he bought it from the food counter of a department store, and that Fan Xurui from the medical university had eaten with him. The experts then instructed the two staff members sent by the hospital to bring a hospital certificate; one would go to find Fan Xurui to come to the hospital for relevant examinations, and the other would go to the department store. The staff member who went to the department store indeed saw the canned food still on the shelf and inquired about its sales volume. The person in charge of the food counter explained that this type of canned food had low sales volume due to its high price. The staff member then approached the department store manager, explaining that the canned food might carry a terrible intestinal bacteria that had recently been prevalent in its country of origin, and requested a temporary halt to its sale. After confirming the official's identity, the building management cooperated fully and immediately notified the food counter to suspend the sale of that type of canned food while awaiting results. The official then hurriedly returned to the hospital with several cans of food. Experts examined the cans and recognized the country of origin as the one where he had previously treated the disease abroad. They quickly ordered the cans to be sent for testing, which confirmed the presence of the same intestinal bacteria he had researched and successfully treated several months prior. The hospital promptly notified relevant national departments, requesting the immediate removal of this type of canned food from shelves nationwide. Fan Xurui underwent a comprehensive examination at the hospital but no symptoms were found. Experts explained that this was because he had antibodies against the bacteria. Similar cases had occurred during his treatment abroad, where members of his family ate the same food without becoming infected. Before returning to school, Fan Xurui visited the ward. Ouyang Yiming smiled wryly and said, "You're lucky. I almost died this time." Fan Xurui was quite pleased with himself, chuckling, "If you don't die, you'll have good fortune later." Then, with a sly smile, he leaned down and whispered in Ouyang Yiming's ear, "You haven't even had your fill of 'tofu' yet, how can you leave?" Ouyang Yiming blushed instantly, glancing at the nurse on the other side of the bed, and muttered sarcastically, "Be careful she doesn't hear." Fan Xurui chuckled and said, "I'll do it later." The nurse glared at him and said, "Still doing it! This time you almost ate your way to your death." Fan Xurui smiled and said, "Our handsome man here just loves to eat." Ouyang Yiming's face turned red as he said, "You'd better leave, seeing you annoys me." Fan Xurui chuckled and said, "Eating makes you forget your annoyance, it tastes delicious." Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded, afraid the nurse would overhear his true meaning. He closed his eyes and ignored him. The nurse laughed, "It tastes delicious, you're just being greedy. This time the price you paid was relatively small. Our director said that if you had come two days later, your life would have been in danger." Fan Xurui said, "Really? Yiming really didn't have the luck to eat it, what a pity." The nurse said, "What a pity, you won't regret it if you don't eat it. You're lucky to have antibodies against this kind of germ. But it's still better not to eat it." Fan Xurui smiled maliciously, "You don't understand, you've never eaten it. The taste is indescribable. I can't not eat it, I can't control myself." Ouyang Yiming was terrified and said sternly, "Xurui, you should leave now. You talk too much." Fan Xurui was stunned for a moment, smiled awkwardly, and said, "Okay, okay, I won't say anymore." He stuck out his tongue at the nurse and said, "He's jealous of me." The nurse smiled, and when she smiled, her dimples deepened. Fan Xurui looked closely, his heart stirred, and he couldn't help but say, "You look so beautiful when you smile." The nurse blushed suddenly. Ouyang Yiming frowned at him. Fan Xurui didn't notice and continued, "There are so many beautiful women in your hospital." The nurse blushed and said, "Of course, you haven't seen the real beauties yet. They'll steal your soul." Fan Xurui chuckled and said, "I'll see when I see you. You're very pretty." The nurse blushed again and said, "You're so good with words. But it's quite pleasing to the ear. Let me tell you, there really is one in our department who's exceptionally beautiful. Compared to her, I'm like an ugly duckling or Cinderella." Fan Xurui suddenly became interested and asked, "Really? Where is she?" The nurse giggled and said, "Want to see her? But you're not so lucky. She's gone home to visit family and won't be back for about ten days. I'm afraid neither of you will get to see her." Fan Xurui seemed a little disappointed and said, "Aren't you just teasing me?" The nurse giggled. Fan Xurui laughed and asked, "Beautiful nurse, could you tell me your name?" The nurse tilted her head and looked at him, asking, "What do you want?" Fan Xurui said, "Let's get to know each other. I'm also studying medicine; who knows, we might keep in touch in the future." The nurse shook her head and said, "No need. You look like the kind of boy who's not entirely honest." Fan Xurui blushed slightly and said, "Your eyesight is bad; I'm an honest man." The nurse laughed and said, "Your eyesight is good. Are you wearing those four biscuits? An honest man, huh? You're the kind of honest man who's been kicked out of the crowd." She then covered her mouth and giggled. Just then, someone called for the nurse. She responded and said to Fan Xurui, "You can't stay here too long; the head nurse will scold you if she sees you." With that, she left. After the nurse left, Ouyang Yiming sternly looked at Fan Xurui and said, "Look at your mouth, talking nonsense like this the moment we met." Fan Xurui said, "Just kidding. Hey, that nurse's got quite a bit of skin, you've got a chance to take advantage of her now." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Hurry up and go back, nothing good will happen to you here." Fan Xurui chuckled and said, "Have some fun, otherwise it'll be so boring."

"Believe it or not, I can get rid of her after a few more visits." Ouyang Yiming said irritably, "Believe it? What doubt do I have about your abilities? Come on, I want to sleep for a while." Fan Xurui laughed and said, "Okay, I'm leaving. I'm just keeping you busy. I'll come see you in a couple of days." Ouyang Yiming glanced at him and said, "It's best not to come." Fan Xurui laughed twice and left.

When the nurse returned, she asked Ouyang Yiming, "He's gone?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I told him to get lost." The nurse laughed and said, "Your classmate is really funny." Ouyang Yiming said, "That's just how he is, he loves to joke around, don't mind him." The nurse said, "No, it's quite pleasant talking to him." Ouyang Yiming smiled and thought, "Pleasant? If you knew what he really meant, you wouldn't be happy." The nurse

shook her head and smiled to herself, "He's really good with words, it's rare to see someone like that. Hehe, saying I'm pretty, what a lie!" "He hasn't seen Liu Yan from our department. If he had, he'd say she's prettier than a fairy!" Ouyang Yiming said. "Really? I thought you were kidding him." The nurse said, "It's true. Liu Yan is number one in our hospital. The number one beauty.

You probably won't have a chance to see her. By the time she comes back, you'll probably be discharged."

Ouyang Yiming smiled but didn't say anything, thinking to himself, "That's because you haven't seen Xu Hui. I don't believe she's prettier than Xu Hui."

After that, Ouyang Yiming learned that this nurse's name was Jin Ling, and she was the same age as him.

In the afternoon, the department head, class teacher, instructor, and Professor Cheng came to the hospital to visit Ouyang Yiming. They were very pleased to see that he was in much better condition. Their caring words touched Ouyang Yiming deeply. Ouyang Yiming said, "My hospitalization will cause me to miss a lot of classes." Professor Cheng smiled and said, "It's okay, you can catch up after you're discharged." Turning to the department head, he said, "Ouyang is one of our most admired students. He's smart, hardworking, and has excellent grades." The department head nodded and smiled at Ouyang Yiming, saying, "Focus on your recovery and don't worry about these things while you're hospitalized." Ouyang Yiming nodded.

The class teacher and counselor also offered Ouyang Yiming some words of comfort. The department head said they would go to the specialist to inquire about his condition, and the group left the ward.

After dinner, Xu Hui, Li Xuan, and Wu Yingying went to the hospital and bought some nutritional supplements like malted milk powder. When they inquired about Ouyang Yiming's ward in the nurses' office, the nurse on duty said, "They're visiting him again. He's quite popular. Two groups came this afternoon, and our director criticized us. He's very weak right now, so it's best not to disturb him." Li Xuan said with a smile, "Look, we've come all this way, you can't just not let us see him. Just for a little while, a few words, and then we'll leave." The nurse on duty frowned and said, "Aren't you making me make a mistake? He's probably asleep now." Li Xuan said, "Even if he's asleep, we won't wake him, we'll just check on him." "You look older than us, so let me call you 'sister' and ask for your help." The nurse on duty smiled and said, "You can only watch him for a short while. Don't disturb him if he doesn't wake up. This is for the patient's own good." Li Xuan nodded hurriedly and said, "Thank you so much, you've been a great help." The nurse on duty shook her head and stood up. As she was leaving, Xu Hui asked the nurse, "How is his condition now?" The nurse on duty said, "Very good, it's under control. With our nationally renowned director here, how could we not cure him? This disease was originally researched and conquered by our director." She spoke with pride, as if she were boasting. Xu Hui felt much relieved.

The nurse on duty gently pushed open the door and saw Ouyang Yiming asleep with his eyes closed. She whispered, "Don't wake him." The group nodded and tiptoed to the bedside, only to see Ouyang Yiming open his eyes.

The nurse on duty smiled and said, "It's telepathy! He woke up knowing it was your female classmates." Ouyang Yiming smiled and tried to sit up, but Li Xuan quickly said, "Just lie there. It's not like a leader is visiting." The nurse smiled and said, "You can chat for a while, just a little while." The group agreed. The nurse left.

Xu Hui looked at the much thinner Ouyang Yiming and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Her eyes reddened, and she just stared at him without saying a word. Ouyang Yiming also felt a pang of sadness when he saw her expression. He turned to Li Xuan and Wu Yingying and said, "Why did you bring all this stuff?" Wu Yingying said, "Xu Hui bought it all for you. We just helped carry it."

Ouyang Yiming glanced at Xu Hui but didn't say anything. Li Xuan said, "Your illness almost scared Xu Hui to death. You don't know, yesterday Xu Hui was at the school hospital with the doctor..." Xu Hui blushed and called out to Li Xuan. Li Xuan stopped and laughed, saying, "I won't say anymore. Anyway, someone is almost going crazy for you." Xu Hui glanced at Li Xuan, blushing, and said irritably, "Can you say less?" Li Xuan made a face at Ouyang Yiming. Xu Hui asked Ouyang Yiming, "How are you feeling now?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm fine, the fever is all gone." Xu Hui unconsciously reached out and touched his forehead. Li Xuan and Wu Yingying laughed, and Ouyang Yiming blushed. Xu Hui quickly withdrew her hand, blushing with embarrassment, and said to Li Xuan and Wu Yingying, "What are you laughing at?" Then they all laughed.

Wu Yingying looked around the ward and said, "This hospital is really big, and the facilities are really good." Li Xuan said, "This hospital is very well-known throughout the country." Wu Yingying said, "Do you know what my dream has been since I was little? It's to be a soldier. There's a military communications station not far from my home, and I always see those female soldiers in their uniforms looking so smart, and I want to be a soldier when I grow up." Li Xuan said,

"It seems you have no hope in this life. You should find a soldier in the future." Xu Hui said, "I don't see what's so good about being a soldier." Wu Yingying glanced at Xu Hui without saying a word. Li Xuan smiled and said,

"That's right, it's good to do academic research." She then winked at Ouyang Yiming. Ouyang Yiming blushed. Xu Hui, blushing, pushed Li Xuan away and said, "You talk too much." Li Xuan laughed, quietly tugging at Wu Yingying, and the two went over and opened the balcony door, entering the balcony.

Xu Hui watched them leave, then smiled shyly at Ouyang Yiming and sat down on the stool in front of the bed. She tucked the blanket around Ouyang Yiming's legs, then gazed at him for a while with deep, loving, tearful eyes, saying, "You've lost a lot of weight these past few days." Ouyang Yiming didn't dare meet her gaze and said, "I didn't expect to get so sick all of a sudden." Xu Hui scolded, "You should eat out less often in the future." Ouyang Yiming said, "Who knew I'd find canned food like this?" Xu Hui said, "How much of what's on the street is clean? What kind of people don't eat in those restaurants?" "You just don't pay attention." Ouyang Yiming chuckled. Xu Hui said, "You've really worried me to death." Ouyang Yiming blushed again. Suddenly remembering what Li Xuan hadn't finished saying, he asked, "What did Li Xuan say you were doing at the school hospital?" Xu Hui shook her head shyly and said, "Yesterday, seeing how anxious you were, I yelled at the doctor." Ouyang Yiming felt a surge of warmth in his heart, but still scolded, "Look at you, why did you yell at him?" Xu Hui smiled and said, "I feel bad now too, I just couldn't help it then, I won't say it."

Ouyang Yiming was filled with gratitude.

Suddenly remembering that the department head and others had come to see him that afternoon, he said, "These classes are very important these days, and I've missed them too. When you go back, ask Jiang Yuqi to bring my books when he has time, and it would be best if he could also bring my lecture notes." Xu Hui said, "You can still study now, wait a few days." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm fine. I'm bored lying here after waking up." Xu Hui nodded and said,

"I'll tell Jiang Yuqi when I get back that you can use my lecture notes." She pointed to the bag of food and said, "I brought you two magazines in there. You can't read all the time; you need to rest more." Ouyang Yiming agreed.

Just then, the nurse on duty pushed open the door and, seeing only the two of them, exclaimed, "Where are the other two?" Li Xuan and Wu Yingying came in from the balcony. The nurse on duty said, "You can't stay here any longer.

Otherwise, I'll get scolded when the head nurse comes." "The group agreed, and then said goodbye to Ouyang Yiming and left with the nurse.

Love and Desire (6)

Chapter

4 On the third day, Ouyang Yiming was transferred to a regular ward. There were three beds in the ward, and Ouyang Yiming was in the bed on the innermost side near the balcony.

That evening, his two roommates went to the ward canteen for dinner. Ouyang Yiming was still a seriously ill patient, and the hospital provided him with liquid food. So he was still sitting on the bed, waiting for the nurse to bring it over.

After a while, a nurse walked into the ward with a tray and a smile. Ouyang Yiming felt unfamiliar and looked closely.

The nurse was about 1.68 meters tall, with a pretty, sweet oval face, a high nose, light red lips, and a long, slender neck. A crisp white coat looked very appropriate on her graceful figure, and the neat pair of red collar badges were quite eye-catching. Her slender waist and shapely legs moved with delicate steps, her gait so light and graceful. She practically floated into the ward.

She had large eyes and thin, curved eyebrows. Her eyelashes, though not very long, were thick and black. Her slightly elongated eye sockets had a downward curve at the upper rim and a flatter lower rim, making her eyes seem to be smiling.

A pair of black pearl-like pupils sparkled, as bright as the autumn sky and as clear as a mountain spring. In those eyes, innocence and passion swirled, and gentleness and kindness shone through.

Her ethereal demeanor and radiant eyes, brimming with a delicate beauty, gentleness, solemnity, and nobility, stirred in Ouyang Yiming a strange and overwhelming feeling—the first time he had ever encountered a stranger like her. This feeling was unlike anything he had ever experienced before; his heart pounded, his body felt hot, and he trembled slightly.

She was Liu Yan, the girl Jin Ling, Fan Xurui, and Ouyang Yiming had mentioned.

Liu Yan, too, was momentarily stunned when she first saw Ouyang Yiming's resolute yet handsome face. She thought, "So familiar." It felt like she had seen him somewhere before, like he was a close relative, like he had once been a part of her life… She felt surprised, a little excited, her expression somewhat unnatural, her heart pounding, her breathing rapid… She didn't understand why she felt this way.

The two strangers, a man and a woman, silently gazed at each other for a moment during their first meeting.

Was this what they called love at first sight?

After a while, both blushed and lowered their heads, their hearts pounding.

After a moment of confusion and excitement, Liu Yan calmed herself down. Her face flushed, she approached Ouyang Yiming's bedside, placed the tray on the bedside table, and nervously looked at Ouyang Yiming, whose head was bowed. She greeted him with a forced smile, "Hello."

Ouyang Yiming hurriedly replied, "Hello."

Liu Yan smiled and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

Ouyang Yiming noticed her eyes narrowed slightly when she smiled, resembling an inverted crescent moon.

Feeling a little flustered, Ouyang Yiming quickly nodded and said, "Much better."

Liu Yan, still smiling, said, "Let's get acquainted. My name is Liu Yan, a nurse in this ward. I just returned from visiting home. Your name is Ouyang Yiming; it's a bit of a mouthful."

Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat. So she was Liu Yan! No wonder Jin Ling said she was the most beautiful woman in the hospital. He said, "Just call me Ouyang. Jin Ling has mentioned you."

Liu Yan frowned slightly and asked, "Jin Ling mentioned me to you?" She was surprised.

Thinking back to Jin Ling and Fan Xurui's conversation that day, Ouyang Yiming inwardly scolded himself for being too talkative. He said, "I was just mentioning it casually. Didn't you say you wouldn't be back for a few more days?"

Liu Yan smiled and said, "I came back a few days early."

Ouyang Yiming said, "Oh, I'll have to trouble you again."

Liu Yan said, "It's no trouble at all, it's my job." After saying that, she scooped the liquid from the thermos on the plate into a small bowl, sat down on the edge of the bed, scooped a spoonful

, and looked at him, saying, "Here, eat." Ouyang Yiming knew that Liu Yan was going to feed him; for the past few days, Jin Ling and another nurse had been taking turns feeding him like this. But today he wasn't on an IV drip, and his hands were free, so he quickly said,

"I can do it myself." He raised his hands as if to prove that he could.

Liu Yan smiled again and said, "Okay then, be careful." She carefully handed him the bowl and spoon, then sat down on the stool by the bed and stared blankly at Ouyang Yiming, a strange feeling welling up inside her.

After Ouyang Yiming scooped up a spoonful of liquid and put it in his mouth, he glanced at Liu Yan and saw her looking at him. He suddenly felt uncomfortable and his hand holding the spoon trembled slightly. He took another sip, glancing at Liu Yan who was still watching him, and felt even more flustered. He turned to Liu Yan with a smile and said, "Go ahead and do what you need to do. I can manage on my own. I'll bring

it to you when I'm done." Liu Yan then realized her lapse in composure; watching a man eat like

that was unnatural. She quickly stood up, smiled sheepishly, and said, "Eat up. I'm fine. I'll wait for you." She reached for her university textbooks on the bedside table and flipped through them, saying, "University students are quite enviable." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "You guys are good; you're already military officers at such a young age." Liu Yan burst out laughing: "What officer? I'm just a nurse! Let me tell you, I only joined the army and went to nursing school because my grades were too bad. How can I compare to you university students?" Ouyang Yiming said, "University students will still have to work in the future." Liu Yan said, "University students are several levels above vocational school graduates." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said,

"Actually, many of my classmates and I envy you soldiers." He thought of Wu Yingying's envy of soldiers.

Liu Yan looked surprised, her eyes widening slightly as she looked at him and said, "Really? Even a prodigy like you says so. It seems our nursing profession is pretty good." Ouyang Yiming looked up at her and smiled, "Yes, angels in white. We're all envious of your military uniforms."

Liu Yan giggled, her face radiant, her eyes crinkling into slits as she smiled.

Liu Yan smiled and said, "Let's envy each other then."

Liu Yan continued flipping through a few more pages of her book and asked, "Are you twenty-one this year?" She had seen his age on the medical record but didn't know why she was asking this question now. Ouyang Yiming replied,

"Yes." Liu Yan blushed and said, "You seem quite mature and composed. I thought..." She wanted to say that she thought he was older than her, but she didn't say it. Suddenly, Liu Yan tilted her head, looking at him mischievously, and asked, "How old do you think I am?" Ouyang Yiming sized up Liu Yan and said, "We're about the same age." He paused, then added, "You're definitely not as old as me." Liu Yan laughed, "Wrong, I'm a year older than you. I've been in the army for over six years, I'm a veteran. You should call me 'sister'." Ouyang Yiming blushed slightly and said, "You're lying, aren't you? You don't look any older than me." Liu Yan said, "I'm not lying to you, you can ask Jin Ming if you don't believe me."

Ouyang Yiming smiled at her serious expression and said, "You look younger than me. I believe you now." Liu Yan smiled happily and said, "Now that you believe me, you have to call me 'sister'. I don't have a younger brother, only an older brother. Today I've gotten a little brother out of the blue." Ouyang Yiming blushed, looked at Liu Yan, chuckled twice, and lowered his head without saying a word. Liu Yan, with her hands behind her back, leaned forward and deliberately said, "What, you don't want to acknowledge me as your nurse sister? You college students still don't think much of us nurses. What envy? I really want to acknowledge you as my college student brother!" Ouyang Yiming was a little embarrassed and said, "Not at all." Liu Yan saw his flushed face, his childlike shyness and adorable awkwardness, and her heart fluttered again. She smiled and said, "A grown man blushing like a girl." Ouyang Yiming chuckled. Liu Yan was amused by his expression and laughed, "Just kidding, eat up. I'm just trying to make you happy; a good mood will help you recover faster, right?" Ouyang Yiming suppressed a laugh and quickly drank his liquid.

Liu Yan cleared away the dishes, smiled at Ouyang Yiming, and as she took a step, she suddenly turned back and playfully said, "From now on, you really have to call me sister, okay? I really want to treat you like a brother!"

With that, she floated out the door with a burst of laughter.

Ouyang Yiming stared blankly at Liu Yan as she left with a laugh, his heart pounding. He couldn't explain why. This was the first woman he'd ever truly felt was different—lively, cheerful, and lovely, yet possessing an unpretentious and noble air. He was captivated.

This encounter left a strange mark on Ouyang Yiming's heart.

Ouyang Yiming was still somewhat weak and tired. After going to the bathroom, he went to sleep.

That evening, Liu Yan checked his temperature and blood pressure. Ouyang Yiming vaguely knew this, but didn't wake up from his sleep. Liu Yan, however, carefully observed him. This man stirred a strange womanly impulse within her; for a moment, she even wanted to touch his sharply defined yet smooth face.

Back in the nurses' office, she deliberately looked through Ouyang Yiming's medical records, his image constantly appearing in her mind.

That night, after finishing her shift and returning to her dormitory, Liu Yan lay in bed for a long time, unable to sleep, Ouyang Yiming's face constantly lingering in her mind. His smile kept appearing before her eyes, which even confused her. She silently asked herself: Why do I have such unusual feelings for this stranger? Why do I feel so familiar upon first meeting him? Where have I seen him before? She desperately searched her memory, and suddenly it seemed she realized—wasn't this the man she had held hands with in her dreams so many times? She suddenly became excited. Yes, she seemed to have met him in many of her dreams. He was the man she had always longed for and hoped for. Thinking of this, she was extremely excited, and at this moment, she felt a strange feeling. Her body became hot.

She suddenly remembered that although there were still a few days left in her vacation, she always felt restless during the days she was at home. She always felt that something was holding her back and she was in a hurry to come back. This was something that had never happened before. Could it be because of this man? Thinking of this, she felt that all of this was so wonderful. She

was secretly overjoyed: Could it be that there was a god helping me in the dark? Did the heavens really send him to me?

Love and Desire (7)

Chapter 5

The next morning, Ouyang Yiming was much more energetic after a good night's sleep. While waiting for treatment in the ward, he had an unprecedented expectation. He looked forward to Liu Yan's appearance, longing to see her beautiful smile and hear her charming voice.

However, after the doctor's rounds, it was Jin Ling who walked into the ward with a tray in her hand.

Jin Ling approached his bedside with a smile and placed the tray on the bedside table. Ouyang Yiming asked, "I didn't see you yesterday, were you resting?" Jin Ling replied, "Yes, I can't always work, I need to rest sometimes." As she bent down to wipe Ouyang Yiming's skin with a sterile cotton swab, she glanced at him and smiled, asking in a sweet voice, "Did you see a beautiful woman yesterday?" Ouyang Yiming smiled. Jin Ling turned her head and asked, "Was she especially pretty?" Ouyang Yiming nodded. Jin Ling asked, "Yesterday you told Liu Yan that I mentioned her to you?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I just mentioned it casually." Jin Ling said, "She asked me about it before I even got up this morning. I thought she was going to blame me. I told her I told you, and she just smiled and went back to sleep. I don't know what she meant." Ouyang Yiming said, "You two live in the same dorm." Jin Ling said, "Yes. You're lucky to have her. She came a week early this time for some reason. Otherwise, you really wouldn't have seen her." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Why did she come early?" Jin Ling shook her head and said, "I don't understand. She said it's boring at home." Xiaoxiao said again, "I wonder if she knows you're here?" Ouyang Yiming blushed and said:

“She really has eyes that can see a thousand miles,” Jinling said. “It’s telepathy, you know.”

Jinling straightened up, hung up the IV drip, inserted the needle into the vein, and while pulling tape from her sleeve to secure the needle, asked, “What did you feel when you saw the beautiful woman?” Ouyang Yiming said, “She was pretty.” Jinling looked at him and asked, “Didn’t you feel anything else?” Ouyang Yiming said, “What else could I feel?” Jinling looked at him and said, “You’re not being honest. You wouldn’t have any thoughts when you see such a beautiful woman?” Ouyang Yiming chuckled, blushed, and said, “What else could I have thoughts?” Jinling laughed and whispered, “Not having any thoughts might be a problem.” Ouyang Yiming didn’t understand what she meant and looked at her suspiciously. Jinling looked at him and asked, “Are you really not understanding or just pretending?” Ouyang Yiming shook his head. Jinling smiled and said, “Not having any thoughts when you see a beautiful woman means you’re not mature yet. Hehe, just keep pretending. She’s still working the afternoon shift, you can see her this afternoon.” She straightened up, picked up the tray, smiled at Ouyang Yiming, and left.

Lying in his hospital bed, Ouyang Yiming stared at the IV drip, his mind preoccupied with the woman he had never forgotten since their first meeting. Jin Ling's assessment of her beauty was undeniable, but something else seemed to attract him even more. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about Liu Yan seemed to hold a powerful, irresistible allure. At that moment, the image of Xu Hui flickered in his mind, and he began to compare the two women. After a while, he concluded, "Xu Hui is prettier in appearance."

Yet, he still felt that something about Liu Yan was more captivating. What exactly it was, however vague, remained elusive. He searched his memory for Liu Yan's image, but couldn't quite grasp it.

He spent the entire morning lost in these incoherent thoughts. Several times, he felt bewildered by his own thoughts, quietly asking himself: Why am I so concerned about Liu Yan, whom I've just met?

After his afternoon nap, Ouyang Yiming sat down on the stool by his bed, picked up his textbook, and prepared to study. The patient in the ward was a soldier from the same hospital. Several comrades came to visit, their chatter and laughter disturbing his thoughts, which annoyed him. He quietly crumpled up two wads of tissue paper and stuffed them into his ears.

Suddenly, he felt someone gently tap his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Liu Yan and his heart skipped a beat. Ouyang Yiming quickly stood up, his face inexplicably flushed, and asked, "I didn't notice. When did you get here?"

He felt strangely that his voice was very soft. Liu Yan smiled and said, "I've been here for a while. I saw you studying hard, so I didn't dare to make a sound." Ouyang Yiming saw her mouth moving but couldn't hear what she said. Suddenly remembering his ears, he quickly reached out and took the tissue paper out of his ears, smiling sheepishly. Liu Yan laughed and said, "No wonder you didn't react when I asked you earlier. I thought you were so engrossed in your studies that you had to use soundproofing." Ouyang Yiming smiled and whispered, "Too noisy."

Liu Yan turned to look at the several soldiers who were boasting and looking quite pleased with themselves, and said, "This is a ward. Please be quiet." The soldiers looked at her and then fell silent. The sick soldier said he had to leave, and the group went out. As they were leaving, someone remarked, "Small rank, lots of responsibilities." Liu Yan smiled and looked at Ouyang Yiming, saying, "It's like the patients in this hospital have special privileges."

She shook her head slightly and said, "I doubt you could concentrate in this ward environment." Ouyang Yiming said, "I can manage with my ears plugged in." Liu Yan nodded and said, "You're really hardworking." Ouyang Yiming said, "There's no other way. I've missed a lot of classes. I'll take a look at my classmates' notes first, otherwise I'll fall behind." Liu Yan hummed in agreement but remained silent, seemingly deep in thought.

Seeing Liu Yan dressed in military uniform but not wearing a white coat, Ouyang Yiming asked, "Aren't you going to work?" Liu Yan replied, "I'm on the afternoon shift. It'll be time soon. I didn't have much to do in the dormitory, so I came half an hour early." After a pause, she playfully whispered, "It makes me seem more proactive, doesn't it?" Ouyang Yiming smiled. He felt so relaxed and comfortable talking to her, and even felt a touch of intangible excitement.

After returning home, Liu Yan was still thinking about Ouyang Yiming reading, and suddenly remembered the storage room in the ward. So she quietly pulled the head nurse aside and said, "Head Nurse, I need to talk to you about something." The head nurse asked, "What is it?" Liu Yan said somewhat shyly, "When I came in earlier, I saw that college student studying in the ward with tissues stuffed in his ears. The ward is too noisy, and even the visitors are studying there. I was wondering if we could let him use our storage room for a bit." The head nurse looked at her and smiled, asking, "Is it out of kindness or intentional?" Liu Yan blushed and said, "Oh, Head Nurse, I just saw that the student was very diligent. If it's not possible, then forget it." The head nurse said, "You've already said it, how can it not be possible? The storage room doesn't have much stuff anyway, and some of the odds and ends are in the cabinets. Here's what we'll do: I'll give you the key, and after dinner, you can have him tidy up and put everything in the cabinets. There's also a table and two chairs in that room." Liu Yan was excited and thanked the head nurse. The head nurse teased, "It's like it's your own business. You haven't fallen for that young man, have you?" Liu Yan blushed again and said, "Head nurse, look at you. I just think he's very hardworking." The head nurse chuckled twice, went back to her office, got the keys, and handed them to Liu Yan.

After dinner, Liu Yan went to check on Ouyang Yiming's room. She saw him sitting on the bed with his back to the door, reading, but didn't call out to him. Instead, she went to the storage room to tidy up. The room wasn't very messy, just a little dusty on the table and chair. Liu Yan took a cloth and carefully wiped them clean. She then took a thermos from the storeroom, filled it with hot water, and placed it on the table. Satisfied, she went to call Ouyang Yiming.

"Ouyang, come to the office for a moment," Liu Yan called from the room door.

Ouyang Yiming hurriedly got up and walked to Liu Yan, asking, "Is something wrong, Nurse Liu?"

Liu Yan smiled and said, "You'll find out when you get here." Then, with a mysterious look, she added, "Good news."

Ouyang Yiming looked at her suspiciously. Liu Yan didn't say anything, just smiled and walked on.

Ouyang Yiming followed Liu Yan to the end of the ward corridor and stopped in front of a door. Liu Yan took out a key from her pocket, opened the door, and the two went inside. Ouyang Yiming noticed the room wasn't large. One wall had a row of light green cabinets, and near the window was a table with two chairs and a thermos on it. The table and chairs were spotless, and the floor looked freshly swept.

"Studying here is much better than in the hospital room, isn't it?" Liu Yan said somewhat proudly.

Ouyang Yiming was extremely surprised, staring at her intently and asking, "You mean I can study here?" Liu Yan smiled and nodded. Ouyang Yiming opened his eyes wide and asked, "You tidied this up especially for me?"

Liu Yan blushed and smiled, saying, "Why are you staring so wide? Are you not satisfied? I don't have anywhere else for you to study, my college student brother." Ouyang Yiming hurriedly waved his hands and said, "No, no, I, I, I'm just... I'm quite surprised. Thank you, thank you so much!"

Liu Yan saw his bewildered and embarrassed state and burst out laughing, saying, "What are you thanking me for? I'm your sister. I saw you couldn't concentrate on your book in the ward, so I thought of this place.

I asked the head nurse and just tidied it up a bit." Ouyang Yiming was truly filled with gratitude at this moment and didn't know what to say. He just kept looking at her. Liu Yan blushed and her heart raced under his gaze. She lowered her head and said, "I really admire you university students. I'm just not cut out for studying." She looked up at him, her eyes smiling, and said, "You are the pillars of the nation's future. As soldiers of the people, loving the people is fundamental. And most importantly, you've recognized me as your older sister, so it's only right that I take care of you, isn't it?" Ouyang Yiming just smiled foolishly.

Liu Yan said, "Speaking of which, you still can't study too hard right now. You've only just recovered a little; you need to rest more."

Liu Yan's eyes were full of concern, and Ouyang Yiming felt a surge of familial love in that instant. His eyes welled up with tears.

Seeing his expression, Liu Yan's heart stirred, and she blushed, saying, "Go get your textbooks." She then took a key from her pocket and handed it to him, saying, "This is the key to this room. If anyone asks, just say the head nurse sent you here. I'm going to my office."

For the next few days, Ouyang Yiming spent almost all his time studying here, except for his treatment sessions. Liu Yan would also come over from time to time, say a few words, and then leave. Sometimes she would come over on her days off, quietly sitting on another chair and flipping through some magazines she had brought. Sometimes she would jokingly say to Ouyang Yiming, "Reading with you here makes me feel like a cultured person." Then she would say to herself,

"But I'm only reading some leisure books. However, it's quite nice to feel the atmosphere of studying hard with you." Ouyang Yiming would just smile foolishly.

Love and Desire (8)

Chapter Six

Ouyang Yiming had just woken up from his afternoon nap when he saw Xu Hui carrying two boxes of longan powder to the hospital. He glanced at his roommate without saying a word, took the box, and put it in the bedside table. Seeing that Xu Hui had pulled over a stool to sit down, he reached out and pulled her to indicate that she should leave. Xu Hui understood, and the two of them went out.

After Ouyang Yiming left, he said, "Why are you spending money again? I haven't finished the one you bought me last time." Xu Hui said, "Drink more, you've been feeling quite weak lately." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll treat it like food." Xu Hui smiled happily. Seeing Ouyang Yiming leading her into the ward corridor, she asked, "Where are we going?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Just follow me."

Ouyang Yiming led Xu Hui to the storage room. After entering the room, Xu Hui looked around and said, "You're really something, how come you get this special treatment?" Ouyang Yiming said,

"They saw me studying in the ward and said it was too noisy, so they sent me here. I didn't expect them to value college students so much. Everyone here is very nice." Xu Hui laughed and said, "It's because you're popular, everyone finds you pleasing to the eye. A dashing young man indeed!" She paused, then tilted her head and looked straight at him, asking, "Could it be that some female soldier here has a crush on you?!" Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "I'm not a flower that easily attracts butterflies." As he spoke, Liu Yan came to mind. Xu Hui laughed and said, "Handsome guys have a high chance of having a romantic encounter." Ouyang Yiming teased, "You're right, isn't that what I'm doing now? A beautiful woman came to talk to me, isn't that a stroke of luck?" Xu Hui blushed, glanced at Ouyang, and scolded, "You've become much more talkative in just two days. Who taught you that?" Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "Who needs to teach me that?"

Suddenly, he felt that he was a little too excited today. He had never joked with Xu Hui like this before. He blushed and asked, "Why did you come alone?" Xu Hui stared at him and asked, "Who else did you want to come?" Ouyang Yiming looked at her and said, "Who else could I want to come? I was just asking casually." Xu Hui said, "I thought you were thinking about someone else again." She laughed after saying that.

Ouyang Yiming blushed, feeling surprised. Xu Hui had never joked with him like this before. He lowered his head and chuckled twice without saying anything.

Xu Hui said, "I originally wanted to come with Wu Yingying or Li Xuan, but Wu Yingying seemed preoccupied, so I didn't invite her. I went to Li Xuan's dorm but didn't see her, so I came alone."

Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "What could Wu Yingying be preoccupied with? She's always so cheerful and talkative; I've never seen her with anything on her mind." Xu Hui said, "These past few days, she really seems preoccupied. Hey, have you ever heard anything about Wu Yingying and Zhu Haitao being together?" Ouyang Yiming said, "No, I haven't. Are they dating?" Xu Hui said, "I heard Li Xuan say that yesterday. It might be true. I just don't know why Wu Yingying has been unhappy these past two days. If she and Zhu Haitao are dating, it must be related to Zhu Haitao." Ouyang Yiming said, "Maybe they had a falling out. But I think Wu Yingying and Zhu Haitao are quite a good match." Xu Hui asked, "What do you mean?" Ouyang Yiming said, "They look like a married couple." Xu Hui laughed and said, "You're getting more and more capable now, you can even spot a married couple's resemblance." Ouyang Yiming laughed.

Xu Hui frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "To be honest, I don't like Zhu Haitao. I always feel like he's not genuine, and there's something... I can't quite put my finger on it." Ouyang Yiming looked at her suspiciously and said, "Why would you feel that way? Zhu Haitao isn't usually very talkative, and he seems quite refined. I haven't noticed anything unusual about him." Xu Hui frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "I can't explain why, but I've had this feeling since the first time I saw him. I've never really talked to him much, and I even feel a bit of aversion when I see him. I don't know why myself."

Ouyang Yiming found it strange and asked, "He hasn't said anything he shouldn't have to you, has he?" Xu Hui shook her head and said, "No. He seems afraid to say anything to me, that's all. To

be honest, once we made eye contact, and I was startled." I jumped, and for some reason, I felt his gaze was strange and frightening. From then on, I never dared to look him in the eye again.” Ouyang Yiming was even more surprised and asked, “Really? I often talk to him and look into his eyes, but he doesn’t seem any different from anyone else. Besides, he wears glasses. How can you see anything in his eyes?” Xu Hui shook her head and said, “I don’t know. I’m also very confused. That’s just how I feel.” Ouyang Yiming asked, “Have you ever felt that way about anyone else?” Xu Hui said, “No, only him.” Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment and shook his head, saying, “I really don’t understand.” Xu Hui said, “I don’t understand either. Yesterday, I heard Li Xuan say that Wu Yingying and he got together. I don’t know why, but my heart keeps racing. I worry about Wu Yingying, and I always feel like he’s going to ruin her.”

Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat, and he felt inexplicably nervous. He said, "Your feeling is really strange. I haven't sensed anything different about him compared to others. Jiang Yuqi and he seem to get along quite well. Do you feel anything unusual about Jiang Yuqi?" Xu Hui shook her head and said, "No, not anyone else, except Zhu Haitao. Let's not talk about him anymore; I feel a little uncomfortable just thinking about him." Ouyang Yiming shook his head again, then looked at her and said, "Don't say these things in front of Wu Yingying. Since they're together, anything you say in front of Wu Yingying will reach Zhu Haitao's ears. There's no need to offend anyone." Xu Hui said, "Oh dear, do you think I'm a gossip? I only said it in front of you; I haven't mentioned it to anyone else. But to be honest, I'm really worried about Wu Yingying. I have a feeling that he'll harm her." Ouyang Yiming felt flustered and lowered his head, remaining silent for a while.

The two talked about their studies for a while. Ouyang Yiming took the study notes she had given him a few days ago and asked about some things he didn't understand. Xu Hui explained them to him one by one. Wei Liao said, "I didn't expect I'd come here today to be your teacher." She glanced at her watch and said she had to go back. Ouyang Yiming said, "Leaving so soon?" Xu Hui said, "It's already past three. Today is Sunday, and Jiang Yuqi and the others might come to see you later. I don't want them to know I came here alone." Ouyang Yiming nodded and got up to see her off.

In the corridor, Xu Hui asked as they walked, "How long did the doctor say I'd have to stay before being discharged?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I asked the doctor the day before yesterday, and they said I'd need to be observed for a while longer, but they didn't say when I could be discharged. It's so stifling here." Xu Hui laughed and whispered, "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? With so many beautiful women with you, you're probably reluctant to leave." Ouyang Yiming smiled and shook his head. Xu Hui said, "Seriously, you should stay a few more days until you're fully recovered." Ouyang Yiming said, "I feel pretty good now."

As they spoke, they reached the corridor door and ran into Liu Yan. Ouyang Yiming froze, and Xu Hui stopped as well. Instantly, Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded.

Liu Yan also paused for a moment, quickly glanced at Xu Hui, and then smiled at Ouyang Yiming, asking, "Going out?" Ouyang Yiming blushed and hurriedly said, "No, my classmate came to see me off." Xu Hui and Liu Yan exchanged greetings. Liu Yan looked Xu Hui up and down and said, "You two go ahead, I'm about to take over my shift." She smiled and nodded goodbye to Xu Hui before entering the ward.

The two walked side by side for a few steps, then Xu Hui turned to Ouyang Yiming and asked, "Is she a doctor or a nurse?" Ouyang Yiming said, "A nurse. A very warm person." Xu Hui lowered her head and silently took a couple of steps, saying, "This person seems very special." Ouyang Yiming was startled, unsure of what Xu Hui meant, and said, "Really? I didn't feel that."

Xu Hui didn't reply, but thought for a moment and said, "I feel like there's something different about this person, something...something noble about her." She paused and then said definitively, "Yes, very noble. This kind of temperament is innate." "Ouyang Yiming was surprised that the beautiful Xu Hui could have such feelings for another woman, but he didn't want to admit that he felt the same way, so he deliberately said, 'Really? How come you have so many feelings? I never noticed.' Xu Hui said seriously, 'Some people's temperament is cultivated, but cultivated temperament cannot compare to innate temperament. She is one of those who are born with it. When you first meet someone like her, you will feel a captivating power that makes you feel awe and your heart race.' Ouyang Yiming secretly sighed that what Xu Hui said made sense. He thought of his first meeting with Liu Yan. After

seeing Xu Hui off, he returned to the storage room, made a cup of malted milk, and drank it. He opened a book and read for a while when he heard someone knocking on the door. He opened the door, and Liu Yan walked in." Sitting down in the chair, Liu Yan looked at Ouyang Yiming and said, "Your classmate is so beautiful, like a fairy descended from heaven." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Yes, she's quite pretty. She's the school's beauty queen." Liu Yan said, "No wonder. People say there are no beauties in college, but today I've seen it all. She's an absolute beauty." She paused, then stared directly into Ouyang Yiming's eyes for a moment before asking, "Tell the truth, is she your girlfriend?"

Ouyang Yiming felt flustered under her gaze and blushed instantly, but pretended not to understand and asked, "Who is she?" Liu Yan laughed, "You're just pretending. Do I have to be blunt? She's my future sister-in-law." Ouyang Yiming quickly said, "That's really not true. We're just classmates, nothing more. Very, very ordinary."
Liu Yan continued to stare at him expressionlessly, as if trying to read the truth from his face. That gaze made Ouyang Yiming feel extremely uncomfortable. He smiled awkwardly and said, "What are you doing, looking at me like that?" Liu Yan remained expressionless and said, word by word, "To see if you're being genuine or fake." Ouyang Yiming was taken aback, unsure how to respond. Liu Yan said, "I just don't believe it. Why would she come to see you alone if there's nothing going on?" Ouyang Yiming hesitated for a moment, then quickly lied, "She was running some errands nearby and came by on the way." Liu Yan said, "You college students are quite good at making up stories."

With that, she stood up, tossed out the words, "I don't believe you," and turned to leave.

Ouyang Yiming sat there stunned for a long time. He seemed to understand, yet remained unclear about Liu Yan's behavior and words. He wondered, was this just her naturally carefree personality? Or was it a deliberate and instinctive reaction of jealousy towards him? After thinking for a while, he couldn't come to a conclusion. He shook his head, picked up a book, but couldn't concentrate. Images of Xu Hui and Liu Yan flashed alternately in his mind.

After a while, Liu Yan barged in without knocking, startling Ouyang Yiming, who was deep in thought. His heart skipped a beat. He stared at Liu Yan with questioning, somewhat fearful eyes, remaining seated and motionless. Liu Yan chuckled and said, "What's wrong? Your eyes and expression are quite frightening." Ouyang Yiming composed himself, then chuckled sheepishly and said, "You burst in so suddenly, I thought something terrible had happened. Even the most timid would be scared to death." Liu Yan giggled.

Liu Yan sat down in the chair, reached into the pocket of her white coat, took out two tickets, waved them in front of Ouyang Yiming, and placed them on the table, saying, "I'm inviting you to the show tonight. You won't refuse, will you?" Ouyang Yiming looked at her in surprise and asked, "You're inviting me?" Liu Yan said, "Why not? Why don't you invite me? I'd love to." Ouyang Yiming took the tickets and saw they were invitations to the military region's song and dance troupe's auditorium. He asked, "Your military region's song and dance performance invited you?" Liu Yan said, "What invitation?" "The song and dance troupe is going to perform in North Korea in the next few days. Today is their last rehearsal before leaving the country, a report to the military region and logistics leaders. My cousin works in the military region and got two invitation tickets, but she didn't have time to go. She brought them to me while visiting her comrade in the hospital." Ouyang Yiming said, "The performance abroad must be wonderful." Liu Yan said, "Probably good." Ouyang Yiming looked at Liu Yan and suddenly blurted out, "Why did you think of inviting me?" Liu Yan's face flushed red, and she couldn't speak for a moment.

Ouyang Yiming regretted saying that, blaming himself for being abrupt. His face also turned red, and he smiled awkwardly, stammering, "I...I didn't...I didn't mean anything by it." Liu Yan seemed a little embarrassed and slightly angry, and didn't say anything. Ouyang Yiming then explained, "I mean, it wasn't easy for you to get this ticket, so why did you think of me?" He immediately realized his words weren't quite right, and for a moment couldn't find the right words. His face flushed red, and he stammered, "I, I, oh, I meant you're so good to me." After saying that, he realized it was even more inappropriate, so he simply lowered his head and chuckled sheepishly.

Liu Yan, however, was amused by his words and demeanor, and felt relieved, knowing that Ouyang Yiming hadn't meant it. She blushed and said, "Silly little brother, I like you, that's why I thought of you."

She then realized that her words might have gone a bit too far, so she giggled.

The two looked up at each other and laughed a few times, then both lowered their heads again. They both felt a little ashamed and a little sweet inside. After a while, Liu Yan spoke first: "Ouyang, do you have something to do tonight?" Ouyang Yiming said, "No." Liu Yan said, "I thought you were going on a date with your little beauty tonight." Ouyang Yiming looked at her embarrassedly and said, "Look at you, she and I are just classmates, nothing like that." Liu Yan's smile faded, and she stared at Ouyang Yiming, asking, "Really nothing?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Really nothing, just ordinary classmates."

Liu Yan thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Hey little brother, don't be silly from reading books. It's rare to see a girl as beautiful as a fairy. Aren't you tempted? If I were a man, I would have started making my move long ago." Ouyang Yiming chuckled. Liu Yan stood up and said, "The show starts at 7:30 in the evening. We'll take the bus there at 7." Then she explained the bus route.

She turned to leave, then turned back, as if she remembered something. She took the tickets from the table, tore off one and put it in her pocket, and handed the other to Ouyang Yiming. She said, "How about this, you go to the bus stop before 7. If you don't see me there, take the bus first. We'll meet at the theater."

Ouyang Yiming understood what she meant. He also didn't want to wait for the bus with Liu Yan. The bus stop was right next to the hospital gate, and he didn't want to be seen by the doctors, nurses, or other patients in the ward.

Love and Desire (9)

Chapter Seven

After Liu Yan left for a while, Ouyang Yiming went to the bathroom. When he came out, he saw Jiang Yuqi and Zhu Haitao standing at the door of his ward, talking to the people in the ward. Hurriedly, he went over and asked, "When did you two arrive?" The two turned to look at Ouyang Yiming and smiled. Jiang Yuqi said, "Just arrived. We were just asking you, weren't you saying you were studying there?" Ouyang Yiming said, "The leaders here found me a place to study. I'm in there." Zhu Haitao exclaimed in surprise, "Really? You're quite popular wherever you go. If you hadn't come out, we would have been asking you for a while." Jiang Yuqi glared at him and said, "What are you standing there for? Take us there." Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment and said, "There aren't any benches there. Besides, that place is for me to study. It wouldn't be good if people saw me bragging. Come on, let's go sit in the corridor over by the garden. The air is fresher there." Jiang Yuqi said, "I really don't want to smell this ward."

So the three of them left the ward and walked towards the garden where patients could rest.

The three of them sat down in the pavilion. Jiang Yuqi said, "It's so damn boring at school without you. You seem to be having a good time, joking around with these female soldiers every day. How's it going, are you in a good mood?" Ouyang Yiming pushed him and said, "Who's joking around with them? I'm so bored living here, I just want to go back to school." Zhu Haitao said, "Back at school, you'll have beautiful girls with you. So you miss Xu Hui, don't you?" Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "You're good at making things up." Jiang Yuqi said, "Zhu Haitao is telling the truth. But Xu Hui definitely misses you too."

Ouyang Yiming was annoyed by their jokes about Xu Hui, but he didn't show it, so he changed the subject and said, "Did you guys come all this way tonight to invite me to dinner?" Jiang Yuqi opened his eyes and said, "Are you kidding me! It's not that we want to invite you to dinner!" "I invited you here so you could treat us," Ouyang Yiming said with a smile. "If you want me to treat you, wait a few more days. The discipline here is stricter than at school."

Zhu Haitao said, "Of course, the military is definitely stricter than school." Jiang Yuqi asked, "Are they this strict with patients too?" Ouyang Yiming said, "They're being responsible to their patients. If something happens while they're out eating, who's responsible?" Jiang Yuqi nodded and said, "That's true, it's a big hospital after all. Then I'll just have to have a few drinks with Haitao later." Ouyang Yiming said, "I knew you two were going drinking tonight." Zhu Haitao said, "I'm not a good drinker either, but I have to go with Old Jiang because he likes it." Jiang Yuqi said, "In your minds, I've become a drunkard now." Ouyang Yiming said, "Pretty much. You don't think you are!" Jiang Yuqi laughed.

Ouyang Yiming and Zhu Haitao looked at each other and laughed a few times. Suddenly, they remembered what Xu Hui had said about Zhu Haitao's eyes. They looked at them carefully but didn't find anything unusual. They wondered to themselves, how could Xu Hui say his eyes were scary?

Zhu Haitao was from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. He was 1.72 meters tall, slightly overweight, with a round, fair face, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He had a parted hairstyle, small but very bright eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips that resembled a woman's small, round mouth. He looked very refined and gentle, with a distinctive air about him, typical of people from big cities. While not exactly handsome, he possessed a certain intellectual air.

Zhu Haitao's appearance contrasted sharply with Jiang Yuqi's bold and rugged personality. Yet, these two men were best friends.

Ouyang Yiming thought to himself that Wu Yingying was lively and cheerful, and that she and Zhu Haitao, a seemingly steady and refined man, would complement each other perfectly. Moreover, they were a good match in terms of appearance. He couldn't understand why Xu Hui would say she felt Zhu Haitao would harm Wu Yingying. He found Xu Hui's thinking incomprehensible, yet also thought it might be a matter of individual perception, finding it somewhat amusing.

Jiang Yuqi said, "I don't know who invented this wine, damn it, once you get a taste, you're addicted. You get anxious if you don't drink it for two days." He chuckled and looked at Zhu Haitao, saying, "It's just like Zhu Haitao doing 'that' with a woman, addictive!" Zhu Haitao blushed, glanced at Ouyang Yiming, and said to Jiang Yuqi, "Your mouth is really rotten. Like doing 'that' with whom? Who did it?" Jiang Yuqi saw Zhu Haitao winking at him and laughed, saying, "A metaphor, do you understand what a metaphor is? You learned it in elementary school and still don't understand what a metaphor is." Ouyang Yiming chuckled. Zhu Haitao said, "Then why don't you use yourself as an analogy?" Jiang Yuqi said, "Okay, I'll use myself as an analogy then." He pointed to a young nurse passing by not far away and said, "Just like when I do 'that' with her, I get restless if I don't do it for two days." Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat, and he complained in a low voice, "You're talking and pointing at her, what if she sees you and scolds you?" Jiang Yuqi stuck out his tongue and said embarrassedly, "I got excited and lost my composure." Zhu Haitao said, "He'd love to be scolded by a woman." Jiang Yuqi glared at him and said, "Shut your stinking mouth, you're the one who'd love to be scolded by a woman." Ouyang Yiming and Zhu Haitao laughed.

After laughing, Zhu Haitao said, "It would be quite enjoyable to have a little female soldier to play with." He then laughed to himself. Jiang Yuqi also laughed. Ouyang Yiming was startled, turned his head and looked at Zhu Haitao suspiciously, suddenly remembering Xu Hui's words, but he didn't say anything.

Ouyang Yiming said, "Yuqi, you should drink less. You're already like this without even drinking; what will you be like if you did?" Jiang Yuqi said, "I get more sober the more I drink." Zhu Haitao scoffed, "Come on, more sober the more you drink? Last semester, you drank too much and peed on a tree in the street. I was terrified! What if someone yelled at you? I was desperately trying to shield you, and you kept saying how comfortable it felt." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "Really?" Jiang Yuqi blushed and looked at Zhu Haitao, saying, "How come I didn't know? You're just ruining my reputation." Zhu Haitao said, "Do I need to ruin your reputation? If you had known, you wouldn't have peed there." Ouyang Yiming said, "Yuqi, you really should drink less in the future." "I know you're a dorm mate, right? I've seen you completely drunk a few times. But the good thing about Jiang Yuqi is that he doesn't talk nonsense when he's drunk." Jiang Yuqi smiled sheepishly and said, "That's because I'm perfectly sober, which is why I get more clear-headed the more I drink." Ouyang Yiming punched him and said, "Come on, you." Jiang Yuqi shook his head and said, "Yeah, I really need to control my drinking from now on. Haitao, from now on, we'll only drink half a jin (250ml) each time, no more." Zhu Haitao laughed and said, "As long as you can control yourself, I don't care, I'm just afraid you'll keep wanting to drink." Ouyang Yiming said, "We can't let him drink either. We're still students, it's not right for us to do that."

Jiang Yuqi came from a rural area in Yancheng City, northern Jiangsu Province. His father worked in the township government, and his mother farmed at home. He was the second of four siblings. In the countryside, having a government employee with a salary was quite enviable, and his family was much better off than others in the village. He was about 1.7 meters tall, with a long face, bright eyes, large ears, and a wide mouth. He was outgoing, eloquent, and loved to joke.

According to Jiang Yuqi himself, his father was a heavy drinker, but couldn't drink much; a little too much and he would become incoherent. Jiang Yuqi said that it was precisely this flaw of his father's that affected his career; otherwise, with his father's abilities, he would at least have a position in the county, and their whole family would have moved to the city with his father and received government-subsidized grain rations. He had complained about his father about this in many casual conversations with Ouyang Yiming.

However, he himself inherited his father's fondness for alcohol, the difference being that Jiang Yuqi rarely spoke when drunk. Having developed a drinking habit, he would often sneak out of the school to have a few drinks at small restaurants.

Zhu Haitao frowned and said, "Actually, I still get chills thinking about that time Jiang Yuqi peed by the tree. Have you heard? During the crackdown a while ago, a young man got drunk and peed on the roadside. He was seen by a patrol officer and was later convicted of 'hooliganism' and sent to a labor camp in Xinjiang. It's a true story." Jiang Yuqi trembled in shock, staring at him with wide eyes and asking, "Really? Just a pee, and a pee when he was drunk, and he was sent to Xinjiang?"

Zhu Haitao said, "Why would I lie to you? It's true." Ouyang Yiming said, "The crackdown must have been really strict back then, otherwise, why would it be called a crackdown?" Hai Tao said, "The key is that he peed in the wrong place and at the wrong time. If you had been caught by the patrol that day, you'd be on vacation in Xinjiang right now." Jiang Yuqi slapped his forehead and said, "My goodness, I'm really scared now. Okay, I won't drink tonight, and I won't drink anymore, I'll quit drinking!" Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "I'm afraid you don't have that kind of determination." Zhu Haitao said, "I can drink, just don't drink too much. Once you start drinking, no one can stop you." Jiang Yuqi said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely control myself in the future. It's a matter of perseverance. I think it's better than going to such a dry place as Xinjiang." Ouyang Yiming and Zhu Haitao laughed heartily.

Jiang Yuqi frowned and said, "The more I think about it, the weirder it seems. It's just a pee." Zhu Haitao said, "There are things that are even more serious than that." Jiang Yuqi asked, "How do you know so much?"

Zhu Haitao said, "I won't lie to you. I have a high school classmate who's studying at a sports academy, right? His brother works for the Public Security Bureau. I heard all this from him. He said he'd seen the internal reports.

There's a lot more that you wouldn't believe, but there's something even more unexpected." Jiang Yuqi and Ouyang Yiming stared at him wide-eyed. Zhu Haitao said, "This happened in a county in Guangdong. One day, a thief broke into a house. Guess what? He saw a woman in her thirties having sex with a dog. The woman didn't even know the thief had entered her house. Isn't that awful? You're just trying to steal something, why are you meddling in other people's business? He even went to the police station. But when the police went to the woman's house, they found a large male dog, and its penis was still erect. Under interrogation, the woman confessed. The thief wasn't so lucky either. When the police asked him what he was doing there, the thief initially..." They said it was theft, but claimed they went to the wrong door. The police station threatened the thief, and he admitted to stealing, but insisted he hadn't stolen anything. Even if he hadn't stolen anything, that wasn't enough; it was attempted theft, and the thief was sentenced to three years. Serves him right, why did you meddle in these things! The poor woman, can you imagine how to deal with her?” Jiang Yuqi asked, “How? She didn't rape anyone? You can't rape a woman, you can't just sentence that dog.” Zhu Haitao said, “The police station sentenced that dog to death. The woman was sentenced to death by the court for ‘hooliganism,’ and the sentence is to be carried out immediately.”

“Ah!” Ouyang Yiming and Jiang Yuqi exclaimed simultaneously, stunned. After a short while, Jiang Yuqi said, "You're just making this up. It's too far-fetched. It's even more bizarre than taking a piss!" Zhu Haitao said, "It's absolutely true. There are notices posted in Guangzhou." Jiang Yuqi said, "I still don't believe it. How can a dog do *that* with a person?" Zhu Haitao said, "The world is full of wonders. This dog is trained." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Isn't there anyone else in this woman's house? Isn't her husband home? Doesn't her family know?" Zhu Haitao said,

"This woman's husband is a seaman. He comes here once every year or two. She doesn't live with her family, and she doesn't have children. Seamen have very high salaries; they live in seamen's apartments. She's alone all day. Do you think this woman isn't lonely?" When

Ouyang Yiming heard the word "seaman," his mind went blank, his face flushed red, and his heart started pounding. He suddenly remembered the woman he met at the movie theater before being hospitalized; she also said her husband was a seaman.

Seeing Ouyang Yiming's flushed face, Jiang Yuqi assumed he was blushing from hearing such a thing, and laughed, "It's not like you did that with a dog, why are you so shy?" Ouyang Yiming composed himself and said, "I just find it unbelievable." Suddenly realizing what Jiang Yuqi meant, he pointed at him and said, "Only you would do that with a dog!" Jiang Yuqi and Zhu Haitao burst into laughter.

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