Love and Desire [Complete] - 2

Love and Desire (10)

Chapter 8

That night, Ouyang Yiming indeed did not see Liu Yan at the bus stop. He rushed to the dance troupe's auditorium near the city gate. When he was looking for a seat, he heard Liu Yan calling him. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw Liu Yan waving at him. Ouyang Yiming raised his hand to her and gestured for her to come over. Before sitting down, he said, "I thought you hadn't arrived yet." Liu Yan said, "How could I dare? I was afraid you would blame me for being late." She then chuckled. Ouyang Yiming smiled and looked around. The seats were almost full, and people were still entering through the ticket gate. Ouyang Yiming said, "Are there any of your hospital colleagues here?"

Liu Yan said, "I haven't seen any. This is a rehearsal for the dance troupe. They only gave some tickets to the leaders of the military region and the logistics department. They didn't give any tickets to our hospital at all. If anyone came, they might have gotten tickets by chance, just like us." Ouyang Yiming turned his head and looked around again. Liu Yan laughed and said, "Even if there are people from our hospital, you might not recognize them. Are you hoping to see one of our nurses?" Ouyang Yiming said shyly, "I only know a few people in your ward at your hospital." Liu Yan covered her mouth and giggled. She thought to herself, "This guy is actually worried about seeing acquaintances." She said, "Don't worry, no one from our department will come." She paused, then complained, "You, a grown man, I'm not afraid of you, but you're afraid of seeing acquaintances."

Ouyang Yiming's face instantly turned red. He said, "No, I didn't mean that." Liu Yan saw he didn't say anything and laughed again.

Ouyang Yiming and Liu Yan sat next to each other. Suddenly, he remembered the woman he met at the movie theater before being hospitalized. His heart pounded. He intentionally turned to the other side, but there was also a girl on the other side.

Sitting in this position made him feel awkward. So he sat up straight. Liu Yan found it amusing but didn't say anything, only thinking to herself, "What a shy bookworm."

After the performance began, Liu Yan would sometimes talk to him about the actors on stage, mentioning things like which one had visited their hospital. As Ouyang Yiming listened, he would unconsciously lean closer, his body naturally drawing near. When their shoulders and arms occasionally brushed against each other, Ouyang Yiming felt a strange tingling sensation, and his heart would pound. The

two-hour show ended, and they walked side-by-side to the bus stop. The autumn night was slightly chilly. A few thin clouds hung in the sky, and the moonlight wasn't particularly bright. There was no one under the bus sign, and after waiting for a while, no bus came. Liu Yan muttered softly, "Is there no bus?" She looked up at the bus sign and exclaimed, "Damn it, this bus only runs until nine o'clock!" Ouyang Yiming was startled and quickly looked too. Looking anxiously at Liu Yan, he asked, "What are we going to do if there's no bus?" Liu Yan said with a bitter face, "I don't know why this bus stopped running so early; I didn't expect it when we came." Ouyang Yiming smiled wryly and remained silent. Liu Yan stuck out her tongue at him and said, "Take the bus. There will be an overnight bus at Wuchaomen. Luckily, it's only four or five stops. Don't worry, we'll definitely get back to the hospital tonight." Ouyang Yiming shook his head helplessly and chuckled.

As they walked, Liu Yan asked with concern, "Are you feeling alright?" Ouyang Yiming said, "No problem, I'm all better. I'm just worried you might not be able to handle it." Liu Yan said, "I'm not delicate. I'm worried about your health. I'm afraid you won't be able to walk and I'll have to carry you. That would be too much for me." Ouyang Yiming blushed.

The streets outside the city gate were already sparsely populated, with only a few cars entering or leaving the city and couples riding bicycles side by side, chatting and laughing as they passed by. Scattered on the sidewalk were fallen plane tree leaves, rustling underfoot.

At this moment, the two walked silently without saying a word. They both seemed to suddenly not know what to say. Both wanted to break the awkward silence with a topic, yet each hoped the other would speak first. Remaining silent, they guessed each other's thoughts: what was he/she thinking? They furtively glanced at each other.

Their eyes finally met. Liu Yan spoke up: "What are you thinking about?" Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Nothing." Liu Yan smiled and asked, "Are you thinking about her?" Ouyang Yiming knew she was referring to Xu Hui, but deliberately asked, "Who?" Liu Yan said, "You're asking me? Of course it's that fairy! Are you shy?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Why would I be thinking about her right now?" Liu Yan said, "Only you know the truth. She really is beautiful." Ouyang Yiming blurted out, "You're quite beautiful too." Liu Yan paused for a moment, then smiled and said,

"Really? I like hearing that. It's an honor to hear you say I'm beautiful."

Ouyang Yiming realized that it was inappropriate to praise her beauty in front of them alone, but since he had already said it, he couldn't take it back, so he went along with it and said, "I'm telling the truth." Liu Yan didn't reply immediately, but tilted her head and looked at him for a moment, saying, "Then tell me, is she prettier or am I prettier?" Ouyang Yiming didn't know how to answer for a moment, then smiled and said, "You're both beautiful." Liu Yan said, "It's true that she's beautiful, but saying I'm beautiful is a bit hypocritical. But I have a good self-esteem; I'm not beautiful, but I'm not ugly either. I'm quite confident." Ouyang Yiming laughed.

Liu Yan turned to Ouyang Yiming and asked, "You really don't have that kind of relationship with her?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm really not lying to you, really not." Liu Yan seemed unconvinced and asked, "Do you like her?" Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment and said, "If I said I didn't, you'd think I was being hypocritical. Beautiful women are always attractive." Liu Yan nodded and said, "That's the truth. Does she like you?" Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "You'll have to ask her that. I haven't heard her tell me she likes me." Liu Yan laughed and said, "You're cunning." She paused and then said, "She does like you. I can tell. Women are very sensitive about that." He seemed to be talking to himself, "How many women wouldn't like a man like you?"

Liu Yan's heart was pounding. She desperately wanted to know if Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui had already started a relationship. She hoped Ouyang Yiming would tell her no, but when he said no, she didn't feel relieved. She didn't know if Ouyang Yiming was telling the truth, but she didn't know how to continue asking. She secretly hoped things would turn out as Ouyang Yiming had said.

These past few days, Liu Yan had been thinking about Ouyang Yiming almost constantly. She even dreamt of being with him. But twice, the dream ended with them separating.

She was confused upon waking. Although she had heard that dreams were the opposite of reality and tried to comfort herself with that notion, she still felt uneasy. After waking, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, Ouyang Yiming's image constantly flashing before her eyes.

That afternoon, Xu Hui's appearance filled her with an unprecedented sense of jealousy and unease. She worried that Ouyang Yiming had already given his love to Xu Hui. She was jealous of Xu Hui's beautiful appearance, even jealous that she was also a college student. For a moment, she even felt hostility towards Xu Hui, as if she were a rival in love. She even harbored resentment towards Ouyang Yiming; subconsciously, she already considered Ouyang Yiming hers and didn't want any other woman near him. So, that afternoon she went to see Ouyang Yiming, hoping to find out about his relationship with Xu Hui. Although she wasn't sure if Ouyang Yiming was telling the truth, hearing him say that he and Xu Hui hadn't developed feelings for each other calmed her down a bit.

After returning home and calming down, she pondered whether Ouyang Yiming would choose her over Xu Hui if he had to. She sensed that Ouyang Yiming liked her, but she wasn't sure if he reciprocated her feelings. Comparing herself to Xu Hui, she came to an unsettling conclusion: Xu Hui was superior to her, both in knowledge and appearance. At that moment, she felt disheartened and disappointed, even considering giving up.

But she quickly overcame her fear. She thought that men's aesthetic standards might differ from women's, and perhaps she was more attractive to Ouyang Yiming than Xu Hui.

She tried hard to recall every look and every word Ouyang had given her. She became certain that Ouyang Yiming liked her. She told herself that happiness is something to strive for, and love should be fought for too.

Now that such a charming and exciting man had appeared in her life, why not take the initiative? She carried the indomitable spirit of a military family, and she decided to seize what she considered the most important opportunity of her life.

When her cousin found her and handed her the two tickets, her first thought was to come to the show with Ouyang Yiming. She had come once before with her cousin, but that time her cousin had driven her from the hospital. This time, she hadn't considered the shuttle bus time at all; she was thinking about walking back to the hospital with him after the show. She wondered if Ouyang Yiming would misunderstand that she was doing it on purpose, but she didn't want to explain too much; she knew it was pointless. Then she thought, was walking back to the hospital with Ouyang Yiming not intentional, but rather a deliberate arrangement by fate? Fate is so unpredictable; was it destined that they would be together in this life?

Thinking this, she felt incredibly excited.

Of course, many men had pursued her; in her twenty-two years of life, she had met some outstanding men, but only Ouyang Yiming had truly moved her so deeply, made her so yearn for him.

However, how to express her feelings troubled her. She longed for Ouyang Yiming to share her feelings, to actively express his love for her. However, after observing him repeatedly, she was disappointed. Besides suspecting that Ouyang Yiming was already in a relationship with Xu Hui, she also concluded that such a bookish man, even if he liked a girl, wouldn't actively express his love. She had thought many times about finding the right opportunity and place to confess her feelings. And wasn't today a perfect opportunity provided by heaven? She felt her face flush and her heart pound; she was searching for the right words. But her shyness and reserve still made her hesitant.

She looked up at the crescent moon still veiled by thin clouds, as if seeking guidance from Chang'e (the Moon Goddess). The rustling sound of her footsteps on the fallen leaves was so clear. She heard Ouyang Yiming's footsteps, steady and heavy. She searched for Ouyang Yiming's face with her eyes and clearly saw that he seemed to be pondering a question. "Is he thinking of me?"

she wondered to herself.

When Ouyang Yiming felt Liu Yan staring at him, he turned to face her, and their eyes met again.

Liu Yan asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Ouyang Yiming replied, "Nothing." Liu Yan

smiled shyly, looking down.

"Are you tired?" Liu Yan asked.

"No, I'm fine," Ouyang Yiming said, looking at her.

Liu Yan looked up at him and said, "You've only just recovered, you're not really feeling well. Let's rest."

Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Rest? Where?"

Liu Yan said, "I'm a little tired. Let's go sit over there. I want to talk to you."

As she spoke, she pointed across the street.

Ouyang Yiming looked in the direction she was pointing and realized it was the "Meridian Gate" from the Ming Dynasty, the time when officials had to pass through it three times a day to attend court. Now it was an open park commonly known as the "Meridian Gate." The year Ouyang Yiming entered university, he had visited this place with his classmates and later researched it in the library.

This is precisely his admirable quality; whenever he sees historical sites, he always tries to understand their historical origins. What puzzled him was that when he consulted the "Cihai" dictionary, he couldn't find any

mention of "Wu Chao Men" (午朝门). However, the "Ming Huidian" (明会典) clearly records that in the tenth year of the Hongwu reign (1373), Zhu Yuanzhang renovated the imperial palace in Nanjing and decided to name the main gate of the palace "Zhengmen" (正门). "Zhengmen" is "Wu Men" (午门). In

the fifteenth year of the Yongle reign (1411), Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) built a palace in Beijing, modeled after the Nanjing palace, and the main gate was also called Wu Men, a name that remained until the end of the Qing Dynasty. Maps drawn during the Ming Dynasty, such as the "Hongwu Jingcheng Tuzhi" (洪武京城图志) and the "Da Ming Huidian" (大明会典), also clearly mark the main gate of the Ming imperial palace as "Wu Men." The term "Wu Chao

Men" (午朝门) is nowhere to be found. Therefore, he consulted a senior history professor at a university, who confirmed that "Wu Men" was correct. The term "Wu Chao Men" only appeared during the Republic of China era and was merely an informal, unofficial term, not officially recognized. The professor highly praised Ouyang Yiming's thirst for knowledge.

Under the moonlight, the Meridian Gate appeared exceptionally peaceful and tranquil, with tall pines and cypresses lining the park's perimeter. Crossing the road, Ouyang Yiming looked up and saw the large characters "Meridian Gate Park," and couldn't help but recall his discussion with the professor, shaking his head inwardly: He wondered if Zhu Yuanzhang, the venerable emperor, would have been pleased, angry, helpless, or tacitly approved of the name changed for the gate by later generations.

In the park, couples sat or stood among the trees, some chatting and laughing, some embracing, some kissing… each in a different pose. This was Ouyang Yiming's first time visiting such a place at night, and the sight made his heart pound. Liu Yan led him to sit down on a patch of grass, the two sitting very close together. Liu Yan asked, "Have you been here before?" Ouyang Yiming replied, "I came here when I first started university, but not since." Liu Yan laughed, "This is a great place for romance! Haven't you brought her here before?" Ouyang Yiming knew she was teasing him, so he said, "I'd like to bring her here, but she might not be willing." Liu Yan said, "That's because you haven't suggested it. I think she'd be very happy if you did." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'll ask her when I get back to school." He shook his head with a smile and said, "It's better not to ask. It would be awkward if she didn't want to." Liu Yan giggled. Ouyang Yiming asked, "So, who did you come here with?" Liu Yan paused for a moment, then laughed, "Yes, isn't it now? I was the one who suggested it." Ouyang Yiming said, "I don't believe you!" Liu Yan laughed and playfully punched Ouyang Yiming's shoulder, saying, "Don't believe me? Nobody likes me, why would anyone come here with me?" Ouyang Yiming laughed too, saying, "I don't really believe it, but I can't disbelieve it either. It's

a lie to say nobody likes you." Liu Yan said, "Who likes me? Is it you?"

Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat, and without answering, he chuckled twice. After a moment of silence, Ouyang Yiming asked, "Do you know what this place was used for in ancient times?" Liu Yan thought for a moment and said, "It was the place where ministers passed through on their way to court." Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, but this is also where Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the Imperial Guards to beat the buttocks of criminal officials with sticks." Liu Yan had never heard of this before and found it quite interesting, saying, "Really? Right here?" Ouyang Yiming said, "This was a method of punishing criminal ministers with court beatings invented by Zhu Yuanzhang in his later years. Later emperors of various dynasties also adopted this system. During the Zhengde and Jiajing reigns, the emperors ordered court beatings many times!" Liu Yan stared at Ouyang Yiming as he spoke. After Ouyang Yiming finished speaking, Liu Yan exclaimed, "No wonder you're a college student, you know so much." Ouyang Yiming said, "Actually, if you pay attention, you can find these things in history books." Then he told her about the "Meridian Gate" and the "Meridian Court Gate." As Liu Yan listened, she respected the man beside her even more and longed for his love even more.

After finishing their conversation, another silence fell. Ouyang Yiming kept glancing at the couple kissing tightly in the distance, his mind drifting back to the woman he'd met at the movie theater. A primal desire welled up within him. An impulse to pull Liu Yan into his arms made him blush and his heart race even more. He stole a glance at Liu Yan, feeling a pang of shame for his own thoughts, but the turmoil within him couldn't be calmed. He lowered his head deeply.

"Ouyang," he heard Liu Yan call him softly. Looking up, he saw Liu Yan sitting there motionless with her head down, and thinking he'd misheard, he lowered his head again. Then he heard Liu Yan say, "I've recently encountered a very annoying problem."

Ouyang Yiming said "Oh" and looked up.

Liu Yan, still with her head down, said, "I want to tell you."

Ouyang Yiming asked, "What problem?"

Liu Yan looked up at Ouyang Yiming, giving him a fiery gaze. Although Ouyang Yiming couldn't see clearly what she was looking at, he sensed something was about to happen, and his heart pounded even harder.

“It’s a relationship problem,” Liu Yan said in a trembling voice.

Ouyang Yiming said “Oh” again.

“I’ve fallen for someone,” Liu Yan said shyly in a soft voice.

Ouyang Yiming said, “Really?” His breathing was also rapid.

Liu Yan said, "This is the first time in my life I've cared so much about a man." She paused, then added, "I think I've fallen for him."

Ouyang Yiming stared intently at her, his heart pounding in his throat.

"But I don't know if he likes me. I want to know," Liu Yan said, meeting Ouyang Yiming's eyes.

Ouyang Yiming said, "He... he definitely likes you." His voice trembled.

Hearing this, Liu Yan's eyes lit up. "But there's a girl around him who's better than me, prettier than me. I don't know if he's developed feelings for her."

Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded. "No... no, they're just friends."

Liu Yan said, "Then do you know if he likes me?"

At this moment, Ouyang Yiming could no longer control his emotions. He reached out and pulled Liu Yan into his arms, saying excitedly, "Yes, he likes you."

The moment Ouyang pulled her into his arms, Liu Yan suddenly felt a surge of heat in her heart. Excitement, joy, happiness, a sense of relief... many emotions mingled together. A pang of sadness shot through her, and she began to sob softly. This surprised Ouyang Yiming; he didn't understand why Liu Yan was crying. For a moment, he felt a little scared and bewildered, and his arms around her loosened unconsciously. He asked softly, "What's wrong?" Liu Yan rolled over and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly, sobbing, "You're so mean! Why didn't you tell me you liked me? Why did you make me tell you?" A weight lifted from Ouyang Yiming's heart. He said, "I liked you from the first time I saw you, but I didn't know if you liked me back." Liu Yan raised her hand and punched his chest, saying, "You're so silly, can't you see? These past few days, you've been on my mind constantly, I always have you in my thoughts." Ouyang Yiming said, "Me too."

As Ouyang Yiming reached out and wiped away the tears from the corners of Liu Yan's eyes, a longing surged through her. She stretched out her arms and wrapped them around Ouyang Yiming's neck, her thin, warm lips pressing against his thick lips. In an instant, a current surged through their bodies. A passionate kiss, an awkward yet delightful kiss, a novel and tingling kiss—their shared first kiss, so sweet… A few thin clouds drifted by under the moon, obscuring the blissful couple… The moments of passionate love are always so fleeting. Liu Yan glanced at her watch; it was already past eleven. “We have to go back,” she said. “We need to check on the patients before midnight.” Ouyang Yiming said,

“Time flies.” Liu Yan kissed him on the cheek and said, “Silly girl, I don’t want to go back. I just want to sit here with you until dawn.” Ouyang Yiming said, “Me neither.” After another passionate kiss, they stood up, hand in hand, and walked out of the park.

That night, Ouyang Yiming and Liu Yan lay in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep. They were both savoring every happy detail. The joy of first love intoxicated them. That night, Ouyang Yiming drifted off to sleep with a sweet smile.

Liu Yan couldn't suppress her excitement. She wondered how she could have used such language to express herself to him back then. It was a way of expressing herself that she had never thought of before. How could it have just slipped out like that? It was as if someone was helping her out. Thinking about it, she chuckled to herself with pride.

She dreamed of Ouyang Yiming again, dreaming that he was holding her tightly and kissing her. He was holding her so tightly that she couldn't breathe. She smiled in her dream, a sweet smile... But then, for some reason, Ouyang Yiming pushed her away and turned to leave. She called out to him, but he seemed not to hear her at all and didn't even turn his head. She cried, cried very sadly... She heard someone calling her name, and she answered. She heard a sad cry, and it sounded like someone was pushing her. She suddenly woke up, sat up abruptly, and saw Jin Ling sitting beside her, crying sadly. Half-asleep, Liu Yan was startled and turned on the light. Looking at Jin Ling in a panic, she asked, "What's wrong with you?" Jin Ling cried out in despair, "Liu Yan, I... I'm in trouble." She then hugged Liu Yan tightly and began to sob.

In this

half

-asleep moment, Liu Yan was stunned by Jin Ling's sudden action and shrill cries. Startled awake a moment later, Liu Yan abruptly pushed Jinling, who was sobbing on her shoulder, and asked anxiously, "What's wrong? What happened

?" Jinling stared at Liu Yan with tear-filled, lifeless eyes, crying desperately, "Liu Yan, I... I'm finished. I'm so... so ashamed, so ashamed!" Liu Yan's heart pounded as she stared at her anxiously, asking, "What happened? Tell me!" Jinling, her face flushed with shame, stammered, "I... I did... I did... that... that thing with him, I..." Liu Yan was anxious, and seeing her like this only made her more worried. After a moment, she said, "Don't rush, tell me slowly." Jinling bent over, covered her face with her hands, and cried a few more times before finally speaking haltingly. After a while, Liu Yan understood what had happened and blushed.

Anxious, she rubbed her hands together, muttering in dismay, "What should I do? What am I going to do?"

Jinling had started dating a male medic in her ward a year ago. He was a soldier with three years of service, originally in their ward, but transferred to the VIP ward last year.

His name was Liang Chao; he was fair-skinned, with a refined, scholarly appearance, quite handsome, almost like a pretty boy. He was quiet and blushed when speaking to strangers. He was from Xiaoshan, Zhejiang, and both his parents were tax officials.

Tonight, Jinling was on the afternoon shift. Around 10 PM, Liang Chao came to her ward. They exchanged a few words, and Jinling, afraid of being seen, urged him to leave. As he left, Liang Chao told her, "Go to the garden after your shift; I'll wait for you there." After her shift, Jinling went to the garden, and after they met, they disappeared into a grove of holly bushes. After kissing and talking for a while, Liang Chao wanted to have sex. Jin Ling, who had done it countless times before, half-heartedly agreed. However, a patrol of the guard platoon passed by, heard noises in the bushes, and quietly went over. Turning on their flashlights, they saw Liang Chao doing it on Jin Ling.

The five patrolling soldiers were stunned by the scene. Liang Chao and Jin Ling were terrified, lying huddled together in silence. The patrol leader, realizing what was happening, quickly ordered the soldiers with flashlights to turn them off and then ordered everyone to leave. After everyone was outside, the leader called to Jin Ling and the others, "Hurry up and get dressed." Liang Chao finally came to his senses and got off Jin Ling. The two of them trembled as they dressed, too frightened to speak. A while later, the leader asked again if they were done, and Liang Chao reluctantly got up. The leader then told Jin Ling and Liang Chao to come out and go back to the duty room with them.

Liang Chao's lips trembled as she said, "I...I'll go with you...please don't...don't let her go, okay?" Before the squad leader could speak, a soldier said, "No, we'll all go together." The squad leader ignored the soldier and asked Liang Chao, "Where is she from?" A soldier said, "I know her, she's Jin Ling from the gastroenterology ward."

Jin Ling trembled all over. Hearing someone snickering, she felt a wave of dizziness, as if she had been slapped hard across the face. The squad leader asked Liang Chao if it was true. Liang Chao mumbled that it was. The squad leader then said to Jin Ling, who was squatting there, "Nurse Jin, you go back to the dormitory. We'll just take Liang Chao back." Jin Ling didn't say anything.

After Liang Chao left with the patrol, Jin Ling trembled all over, feeling a chill and a shiver run through her body. She squatted for a while but didn't cry. After a while, she seemed to realize something and stood up, running all the way back to the dormitory. This dormitory originally housed three people. One of them had recently married a cadre from the logistics department and only stayed there for half the night when she was on night shift. Now, only she and Liu Yan lived there.

After entering the dormitory, Jin Ling stood frozen in the room for a while, as if stunned, before weakly moving to the bed and plopping down. Her body trembled as she looked at the sleeping Liu Yan, overwhelmed by shame and sorrow. She cried softly for a while. Her mind went blank; what was she going to do? This shameful incident would spread throughout the hospital tomorrow. How could she stay here? She also thought about how the guard platoon was dealing with Liang Chao. No matter what, this was a huge disgrace. At that moment, she desperately wanted someone to help her, so she went over and woke Liu Yan.

Liu Yan looked up and complained, "You're so foolish! How could you do this with a soldier? You're an officer, how could you do this with a soldier..." Jin Ling said, "I like him. I really do." Liu Yan said, "I've never heard you say that before. I've seen him visit the ward a few times, but I never imagined you two would be dating." Jin Ling said, "We've been dating for over a year." Liu Yan sighed and said, "You're so foolish. But you two were too bold today, how could you do this in the hospital..." Jin Ling didn't speak. Liu Yan said, "Now things are really hard to handle. What can we do?" Jin Ling looked at Liu Yan pitifully and said, "This will be all over the hospital tomorrow, what am I going to do?" She started crying again. Liu Yan couldn't help but get angry and said, "What's the use of crying? This Liang Chao is really a scoundrel." Jin Ling continued to cry, but her voice was much softer. Liu Yan complained, "How could you agree to this?" Jin Ling said, "There's nothing to say now. It's already like this, and you still..."

Liu Yan sighed and thought, yes, what's the point of saying anything now? She secretly blamed herself for not being calm. "I was just too anxious," Liu Yan said. "This is so embarrassing. It's not a big deal that Liang Chao is a man. But you..." Jin Ling said tearfully, "I don't know what to do with Liang Chao." Liu Yan thought for a moment and said, "What else can you do? I think he'll definitely get a disciplinary action." Jin Ling said, "A disciplinary action would be fine, but I'm afraid it will get worse." Liu Yan said, "You don't need to worry about him now. What can you do to him? At most, he'll be discharged with a disciplinary action. But what about you? You have to stay in this hospital. How can you stay?" Jin Ling was stunned for a moment and said, "I can only transfer to civilian work. I can't face staying in this hospital anymore." She cried again.

Liu Yan stared at her blankly, her heart trembling. It had only been a few hours. She had been happy when she took over her shift in the afternoon, but now it had turned out like this. How could she stay in this hospital if she didn't leave? It really only takes a short time to change someone's fate. A woman makes a mistake and there's no going back. Even people's spittle could drown Jin Ling. Liu Yan

felt a heavy weight in her heart as she thought about it, feeling sorry for Jinling, but she couldn't think of any solutions.

She sighed and said, "It's already like this, crying won't help. We'll just have to see how things are handled tomorrow." Jinling said, "I'm just worried they won't know what to do with me." Liu Yan said:

“No matter what we do, we can’t punish you. You’re an officer, and Liang Chao is a soldier. Even though he might have broken discipline, I think at most you’ll get a disciplinary action. What else can we do?” After thinking for a moment, she continued, “I think it’s unlikely we can punish you. This kind of thing is voluntary. The rule against dating in the military only applies to soldiers. There’s no regulation that says officers aren’t allowed to date in the military. Liang Chao will definitely be punished, but I don’t think we’ll punish you.” Jin Ling said, “I don’t care how they handle it now. It’s just that I can’t stay in the hospital like this. I can’t accept being discharged. I don’t want to take off my uniform. I’ve only been in the army for a few years. I wanted to stay in the military for life.” Liu Yan sighed and said, “But even if the hospital doesn’t punish you, what will people say about you?” Jin Ling said, “I’m so stupid. How could I do this? How am I going to explain this to my parents if I have to be discharged now? If my dad finds out I’m being discharged because of this, he’ll beat me to death.”

Liu Yan’s heart trembled. She said, “I shouldn’t be blaming you now, but I still have to say it.” He said that his home is so far away from here and he can't stay here in the future. Even if nothing happens to you today, what will you do in the future? "Jin Ling said: "We have also thought about this issue. We want to wait until he is discharged from the army and has a job arranged, and then we can try to transfer him here after we get married in a few years. Who knew something like this would happen all of a sudden. Now if he is discharged from the army and returns home, it would be hard for me to change my job and let him go. There is no reason to change my job to him. Liu Yan said, "That's right. If you two get married, there would be a reason." It's really hard to handle now. "

Jin Ling thought for a while, then suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with hope, looked at Liu Yan and said, "Liu Yan, do you have to help me? Liu Yan was stunned for a moment and asked: "Me?" How can I help you? Jin Ling said: "Isn't your aunt in the military region cadre department? She can definitely help me." She can help me transfer to another military hospital. It is best to fish in Hangzhou. "Liu Yan's heart suddenly brightened, and she was about to say something, but she suddenly thought about whether her aunt would be disgusted with what Jin Ling had done, how could she tell her about it, and whether she would do it for Jin Ling. So she said, "I almost forgot. But I can't say for sure if Aunt can get this done. Let's see how things go tomorrow. If necessary, I'll go to Aunt." Jinling looked at Liu Yan and said in an almost pleading tone, "Liu Yan, only you can help me with this. Only your aunt can help me. I have no other way. We've been together for so many years, you have to help me. I'll be grateful to you for the rest of my life." Jinling now felt like a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood, finding hope.

Liu Yan said, "Why are we talking about this? As long as it can be done, I'll beg Aunt every day. You and I are like sisters, how could I not try my best?" Jinling said, "Given your aunt's status, she can definitely handle it. Just take care of the entertaining and gift-giving. As long as you can help me, you'll save me." Liu Yan had to voice her concern: "I'm afraid Aunt will be offended by this. I'm really a little hesitant to talk to her about this."

Jinling blushed and looked somewhat desperate. Liu Yan couldn't bear to watch any longer and said, "I'm just afraid my aunt will be offended. How about this, let's see how things go tomorrow. If there's no way, I'll go and ask my aunt for help. I have to get her to help me no matter what." Jin Ling felt a little relieved and said, "I won't thank you now. Whether you succeed or not, I'll remember your kindness for the rest of my life." Liu Yan said:

“Let’s not say anything more. I really hate to see you leave me. I’m thinking, maybe the hospital will consider transferring you out. Wouldn’t that be better?” Jinling thought for a moment and said, “Even if the hospital transfers me, wouldn’t it just be to that remote mountain village of our subordinate hospital? What will Liang Chao and I do then? If I can be transferred to Hangzhou, I can be with Liang Chao. That would be the best.” Liu Yan nodded and said, “That’s true. The department will definitely talk about this tomorrow. I’ll listen to what they say. They’ll definitely talk to you. You definitely won’t be able to go to work these days. I’ll see how things go and talk to my aunt. The best outcome would be a transfer to Hangzhou, like you said.”

The next day, Liu Yan didn’t hear anyone mention Jinling when she went to work, but she knew that soon many people would know about Jinling. A while later, the head nurse was called by the hospital’s health department. Liu Yan knew it was definitely about Jinling.

Liu Yan carried a tray to Ouyang Yiming’s bedside. Their eyes met, and both blushed. Liu Yan placed the tray on the bedside table, just as Ouyang Yiming whispered, "I barely slept last night." Liu Yan glanced at him and smiled, then hung the medicine bottle on the shelf. As she bent down to disinfect his skin, she whispered, "I barely slept at all last night." Ouyang Yiming stared at her. As Liu Yan inserted the needle into his vein and secured it, she said without looking at him, "Jinling is in trouble." Ouyang Yiming gasped in surprise. Liu Yan turned to look at him, then back, saying, "Don't let anyone see that expression." Ouyang Yiming composed himself and asked, "What happened?" Liu Yan said, "It's very bad. I can't explain it to you right now. If anyone mentions Jinling later, just listen and don't ask any questions. I'll tell you the details later." Ouyang Yiming hummed in agreement. After Liu Yan finished administering IV drips to two other patients, she left a while later. A soldier came to the ward and sat down in front of the soldier from the same hospital, who was one bed away from Ouyang Yiming. The two whispered for a while. Ouyang Yiming glanced at him, and saw the sick soldier look surprised for a moment, then the two laughed. The sick soldier said, "That Liang Chao kid is really something, I never would have guessed." It turned out that the soldier who came to see the sick soldier was one of the five soldiers who had patrolled the night before. He was embellishing the story a bit.

After a while, the soldier stood up and said, "Don't tell anyone." The sick soldier said, "Can this be kept secret?" The soldier said, "Just don't say anything now." After saying that, he left.

The sick soldier sat leaning against the headboard for a while, thinking, and then chuckled to himself twice. A local patient in his thirties asked, "What's so funny?" The soldier replied, "I can't tell you now. You'll probably find out this afternoon." The local patient said, "Why are you being so mysterious? Tell me!" The soldier thought for a moment but couldn't resist glancing at Ouyang Yiming, then leaned over and whispered something to the local patient. The two of them alternated between sighing and laughing. Ouyang Yiming closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep, but inwardly he was very puzzled.

After administering IV drips to several patients, Liu Yan returned to her office and saw the head nurse returning with a gloomy expression. The head nurse beckoned to Liu Yan from the office door. Liu Yan followed her into the pharmacy. The head nurse said, "You know about Jinling's situation, right?" Liu Yan replied, "She told me last night." The head nurse said, "How could Jinling do such a thing! What are we going to do now? The whole hospital will know soon." Liu Yan asked, "Was that why you went out earlier?" The head nurse nodded and said, "That's exactly why! I'm so angry."

She paused and then asked, "How is Jinling's mood now?" Liu Yan said, "I tried to talk to her, and she's okay." The head nurse said, "Keep trying to persuade her, don't let anything else happen." Liu Yan nodded and asked, "Have they discussed how to handle it?" The head nurse said, "The minister is very angry. Several leaders were here just now, and some opinions suggested that Jinling should be transferred to civilian work immediately. Some people said that the soldier should be punished. The current situation is that Liang Chao said Jinling's actions were voluntary, but some people suspect that Liang Chao forced her, and..." "Talk to Jinling. We can only make a decision after things are settled. I think Jinling might have to transfer to another job this time. I also spoke well of Jinling to the leaders and pleaded for her, but the leaders said the nature of this matter is too bad and the impact will be huge. Now we don't know how to handle it." Liu Yan asked, "What's wrong with Liang Chao now?" The head nurse said, "We can't deal with him so quickly. He's in solitary confinement. How could those two kids be so foolish?" Liu Yan said, "I talked to Jinling almost all night last night. She genuinely likes Liang Chao; he didn't force her." The head nurse said, "I usually think Jinling is very smart. How could she do something like this? Sigh, there's nothing we can do now. We'll wait for the people from the Ministry of Health to talk to Jinling before making any decisions."

Liu Yan thought she had to go to her aunt immediately, otherwise, once the hospital made a decision, it would be impossible to change it. After a while, she took some time to go back to the dormitory. When Jinling saw her, she anxiously asked if everyone in the ward was talking about her. Liu Yan said that no one had mentioned it yet. Jin Ling sighed and said she would talk about it soon. Liu Yan then asked Jin Ling if the people from the health department had come to see her. Jin Ling said that Officer Wang and Officer Tong had just left a while ago. Liu Yan then asked what they talked about. Jin Ling said they just asked about the situation at the time, and whether Liang Chao had forced her to go back. Jin Ling said, "I didn't dare to ask how Liang Chao is now." Liu Yan said, "I heard from the head nurse that Liang Chao is currently in solitary confinement. Don't think too much about it now. I think I'll go to my aunt's place now to let her know, otherwise it will be difficult if the hospital makes a decision." Jin Ling's eyes instantly welled up with tears of gratitude again, and she said, "This is all up to you." Liu Yan said, "I haven't asked the head nurse for leave yet. I can't tell the head nurse that I'm going to see my aunt now. I'll go see if anyone can cover my shift. Don't overthink it in your room, just face it." Jin Ling thanked her again. Liu Yan went out. Liu Yan went to another dormitory and found a colleague in the same ward who wasn't on duty. She told her she had an urgent matter to attend to and asked her to cover her shift. After returning to her ward and speaking with the head nurse, Liu Yan hurriedly went to the military region headquarters.

Liu Yan's aunt was a deputy director of the military region's cadre department. She had joined the army with Liu Yan's father during the Liberation War and was now a deputy division-level officer. Liu Yan's uncle was also in the military region, already a deputy army-level commander. Liu Yan thought that as long as her aunt was willing to help, there shouldn't be any problems with Jin Ling's situation. However, she worried that her traditionally conservative aunt might be disgusted by Jin Ling's situation and refuse to get involved. But no matter what, she had to make this trip; she had to swallow her pride and ask for help because of their six-year-long comradeship. Otherwise, she might ruin Jin Ling's life.

After finding her aunt, Liu Yan explained Jin Ling's situation in detail. Her aunt was clearly furious, saying, "For something like this to happen in the barracks is an insult to the army." She then asked Liu Yan, "What do you mean by coming to me about this?" Liu Yan felt a little timid, but had to force a smile and said, "Aunt, Jinling just made a mistake! We're like sisters. I'm here to ask you to help her." Her aunt frowned and asked, "How can I help her? Your hospital is under logistics; how can I help? She brought this on herself." Liu Yan said, "Aunt, look at you, why are you so angry?" Her aunt pointed at her and said, "This is a mirror of yourself. If you do something so shameful, don't say I'm your aunt, and don't mention your parents either. It's embarrassing."

Liu Yan blushed and said, "Aunt, I won't. Don't you trust your niece?" Her aunt said, "I'm not entirely at ease with you and your sister either. Girls are just more worrisome than boys." Liu Yan didn't speak, feeling uneasy about whether her aunt would help. Her aunt lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Tell me, how do you plan to help her?" Liu Yan, hearing her aunt's tone soften considerably, explained her thoughts. She concluded, "Jinling truly loves him and wants to marry him. If we can transfer her to Liang Chao's unit, they can be together. Otherwise, if the hospital makes a decision, it will be difficult. If Jinling transfers back home, people will gossip. Besides, Jinling really doesn't want to leave the army. I'm begging you to help her."

Her aunt frowned and said, "Your hospital is under the logistics department, so I can't speak directly to them." After thinking for a while, she said, "How about this, I'll talk to your Dean Xi, but it's hard to say whether he'll listen to me. If they give me face, I'll coordinate with the logistics department to find a way to transfer her to Hangzhou." Liu Yan smiled broadly and said, "..." " Auntie, with you here, everything will be fine."

Auntie said, "You girls are the ones who worry the elders the most when you're all alone out there. Listen to me, our family can't afford to lose face like this." Liu Yan said coquettishly, "Oh, Auntie, you don't trust me? Even if you gave me the guts, I wouldn't dare. I'm your good niece." Auntie smiled and said, "Good girl. Go back now, I'll try to handle it." Liu Yan said, "You have to treat this as an important matter." Auntie said, "I know. As long as you listen to me." After seeing her off, Auntie gave her several more instructions, and Liu Yan smiled and agreed. Then she told Auntie to tell the hospital director quickly, otherwise it would be difficult to handle once the hospital made a decision. Auntie said she would call the director right away.

By the time Liu Yan returned to the hospital, it was already lunchtime in the cafeteria. Liu Yan first went back to her dormitory and told Jin Ling about her trip to Auntie's place. After saying some words of gratitude, Jinling cried again, saying,

"I've really caused you all trouble. I will remember your and your aunt's great kindness to me for the rest of my life." Liu Yan said, "Don't say that. I'll call and ask your aunt this afternoon."

When she got up to go to the cafeteria for lunch, she said, "I'll bring you some food later, so you don't need to go to the cafeteria." Jinling said, "I'm not hungry, I don't want to eat." Liu Yan complained, "Isn't it the same even if you don't eat? Even if you starve to death, it's still the same. Think positively." Jinling cried again.

Love and Desire (12)

Chapter 10

The people in the cafeteria had already started talking about Jinling's matter. When getting food, the colleague behind Liu Yan quietly asked her about it. Liu Yan thought to herself that she and Jinling lived in the same room, and if she said she didn't know anything, no one would believe her, so she said that she didn't know the specific details, but had heard a little bit. The colleague said, "You two live in the same room, how could Jinling not tell you?" Liu Yan said, "People wouldn't tell me such things in detail." The colleague then asked where Jinling was now? Liu Yan said she was in the dormitory. Her colleague said, "This is incredibly shameful. I can't believe Jin Ling could do something so shameless." Liu Yan felt disgusted and didn't respond.

During lunch, several colleagues asked her about it, which annoyed Liu Yan. She gave a few perfunctory replies and ate her food, while some colleagues talked animatedly. They said the patrol officers saw them doing it, but they were too engrossed to notice. The patrol officers called several times before they heard them and then chuckled. They also said that several people had seen Jin Ling and Liang Chao's naked bodies, even Jin Ling's private parts. Others said they had both been taken to the duty room last night, and Jin Ling had been put in solitary confinement. Still others whispered that the hospital was planning to discharge them both from the military. Various versions and rumors had become the main topic of conversation in the canteen. Liu Yan felt a chill and a sense of awe; even this kind of gossip could drown Jin Ling.

After finishing her meal, Liu Yan bought Jinling another meal and returned to her dormitory. On the way, she ran into the head nurse. The head nurse asked if she had brought the food for Jinling, and Liu Yan said yes. The head nurse said, "Pay close attention to her emotions and try to comfort and care for her. She can't work for the next few days; the other nurses will have to take turns covering for her. There's no other way, but fortunately, there are a few intern nurses who aren't too busy. I'll go see her this afternoon." Liu Yan agreed. Back in the dormitory, Liu Yan put the food on the table and urged Jinling to eat. Jinling looked at her and said, "I really can't eat." Liu Yan said, "Eat a little, even if it's just a little." Jinling didn't move and asked if people in the cafeteria were talking about her. Liu Yan didn't want to hide it from her and said, "There are rumors, which is to be expected. Why think so much? Let them talk; you can't stop them from talking." Jinling then asked what they were saying. Liu Yan said, "People don't really know what happened; they're just guessing. Eat." Jinling paused for a moment, covered her face, and started sobbing again. After a while, she stopped crying, looked up blankly ahead for a moment, and said, "Let them say what they want, anyway, I want to marry him." She stood up, walked to the table, sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and started eating. Liu Yan said, "That's right, you two are truly in love, not just messing around. Let them say what they want." She also told her about the head nurse telling her not to go to work for the next two days and that the head nurse

would be coming in the afternoon. Ouyang Yiming had roughly learned about Jin Ling's situation from the discussions in the ward, but he was preoccupied with what Liu Yan had told him and hadn't listened carefully. After taking a nap at noon, he went back to that room to study. However, he was still thinking about what happened last night. Thinking about it made him feel very happy and sweet. Suddenly, he thought of Fan Xurui's mention of "eating fish," and felt amused, savoring the indescribable wonderful taste, and chuckled twice. Then he thought of Jin Ling again. From what he had heard intermittently, he seemed to know that Jin Ling was dating someone last night, and it seemed that they were seen embracing and kissing by the patrol officers. He wondered to himself, "Does the military forbid them from dating?" He really wanted to see Liu Yan and ask her. But he hadn't seen her since she finished her IV drip and left that morning; the nurse who removed the needle was an intern. Ouyang Yiming began to speculate about what Liu Yan might be doing. He decided to go out and see if Liu Yan had come to work that afternoon, so he grabbed his water bottle and went out.

Passing the medical office, he glanced over and, sure enough, saw Liu Yan talking to the head nurse. Liu Yan caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye, turned, and they smiled at each other. Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded as he hurried away.

After returning with his water, he glanced at the medical office again but didn't see Liu Yan. He went inside, poured himself a glass of water, and thought that Liu Yan must have something urgent to do today; otherwise, he wouldn't have missed her all morning. He had a feeling that what Liu Yan was doing was related to Jin Ling. He picked up his book but couldn't concentrate. He wondered again, "Does the military really forbid dating?" He thought again that Jinling and that man might have been seen hugging and kissing, which was probably not allowed in the military barracks and would be considered a mistake. He thought to himself, "I really need to be more careful in the future." But then he remembered that he and Liu Yan would never do anything like that in the hospital.

After thinking for a while, Liu Yan pushed open the door and entered the room. She smiled at him and said, "I went to the military headquarters this morning and didn't have time to say hello to you." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Military headquarters? Official business?" Liu Yan sighed and shook her head. Ouyang Yiming asked, "Is it about Jinling?" Liu Yan was a little surprised, and after thinking for a moment, asked, "Do you know about Jinling?"

Ouyang Yiming said, "I heard a little bit. Did someone see Jinling dating someone?" Liu Yan looked at him and asked, "You only know this much?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I didn't listen carefully when people were talking about it. Didn't you tell me not to ask? I took a nap at noon and came here. Is it because your unit doesn't allow you to date?" Liu Yan laughed and said, "You're really obedient.

How could the unit not allow dating? Wouldn't everyone be single? But soldiers aren't allowed, but officers are." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Isn't Jinling like you? Isn't she an officer?" Liu Yan said, "Jinling is an officer, but that guy is a soldier." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Then can we be together?" Liu Yan blushed and said, "Of course we can. If we're open about our relationship, no one can stop us." Ouyang Yiming breathed a sigh of relief and asked again, "Is it because Jinling and that guy were in this hospital, and... you mean, kissing isn't allowed?" Ouyang Yiming blushed as he spoke. Liu Yan blushed and said, "Of course, it's not good to be in this hospital. But things aren't as simple as you think. It's...it's much more serious than that."

Ouyang Yiming was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized that Jin Ling might have been doing *that* with that man. He gasped softly, his mouth agape. Liu Yan, her face flushed, said:

"That's right, that's exactly what happened. They were caught by the patrol." Ouyang Yiming was stunned and speechless for a long time . After calming down, he said, "How could it be such a coincidence? This is so embarrassing! Where is it?"

Liu Yan said, "It's in the bushes over in the garden. Those two are too bold. Soldiers dating is already against regulations, and they dared to do that in the barracks." Ouyang Yiming asked with a pounding heart, "Then, what should we do? How should we deal with them?" Liu Yan said, "We don't know yet. We might have to deal with the soldier more severely, but Jinling is already embarrassed enough this time. I went to the headquarters this morning to see my aunt and see if she could help her with her transfer. It's not good for her to stay in this hospital like this; people will talk behind her back." "Ah. Otherwise, she'd have to transfer to civilian life. You don't understand us soldiers. We joined in our teens, we have a deep affection for the military, and we don't want to leave." Ouyang Yiming asked doubtfully, "Your aunt? Can your aunt help her with this? What does your aunt do?" Liu Yan looked at his expression and said, "Look at you, asking so many questions at once. My aunt is an officer in the military region headquarters, in charge of officers. You wouldn't understand even if I told you. I estimate she can manage it. Right now, only Jinling and I know about this, and it's hard to say whether it can be absolutely done. You can't tell anyone." Ouyang Yiming said, "Who would I tell?"

Liu Yan said, "If it can be done, Jinling will be relieved; otherwise, she'll be devastated this time." As she spoke, she stood up and said, "I have to go, I'm at work right now." She blushed slightly and said,

"I couldn't help but miss you, and I had to come see you. Something's been bothering me." She leaned down and quickly kissed Ouyang Yiming on the cheek before turning and walking out the door.

Ouyang Yiming blushed, his heart pounded, and he felt a tingling sensation. He thought of Liu Yan's aunt; it turned out her aunt was a high-ranking officer in the military. He figured her aunt, who managed personnel, could definitely help Jinling with her transfer. For a girl and a boy to be caught doing such a thing by their own unit, even if they were married and it wasn't a disciplinary violation, was shameful enough. He imagined how Jinling must have felt when she was caught; it would be embarrassing for any man, let alone a woman. He blushed and felt guilty for a while. Then, thinking about what Jinling had done with the man, he suddenly recalled what he had done with that woman in the movie theater, and his heart pounded again, feeling a tingling sensation. He became aroused. After a moment, he composed himself and picked up his textbook.

At that moment, the door opened, and Liu Yan entered with Fan Xurui. Fan Xurui thanked Liu Yan, who smiled at Ouyang Yiming and left. Fan Xurui said, "I've come here all by myself.

It's quiet and peaceful, a perfect place for lovers." He then sat down. Ouyang Yiming said, "Get lost! Where have you been these past few days?" Fan Xurui said, "I've been incredibly busy these past few days, always dealing with student council matters."

Ouyang Yiming asked, "How come you're free today?" Fan Xurui said, "I missed you. I snuck out during self-study." He paused and asked, "Hey, wasn't that nurse the other day the one with the dimpled face that was talking about?" Ouyang Yiming knew he was referring to Jin Ling, but pretended not to know and asked, "What dimpled face?" Fan Xurui said, "The one with two dimples when she smiles."

Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "I know. That's the nurse she was talking about." Fan Xurui said, "Wow, she's really beautiful. I didn't dare say a word to her; I was completely stunned when I saw her. Her eyes are beautiful. Did you notice the eye sockets? They curve downwards at the top and are slightly flat at the bottom; even when she's not smiling, it looks like she is. Her breasts aren't very big, but they're beautifully perky..."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Yiming's expression changed. He said, "Alright, alright, do you ever have a serious moment? You joke with everyone. Be careful, she's not like Jinling you can joke with. Be careful if you joke with her, or she'll embarrass you." Fan Xurui said, "I was just telling you, I didn't say it in front of her. It seems you're quite protective of her. Do you like her? I think you two are a good match." Ouyang Yiming blushed slightly and said, "What nonsense! I just feel your mouth is getting more and more outrageous. I'm still scared from the last time you joked with Jinling. What if she had scolded you then? Where would you have put your face then!" Fan Xurui made two "oh oh" sounds and said, "I think you're jealous. If you really like her..." "I can't joke about this nurse, she's my sister-in-law, after all. Good luck." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "What success? You're so cunning." Fan Xurui laughed and said, "They're a perfect match, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, maybe they'll fall in love at first sight. To be honest, do you have any thoughts?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Come on." Fan Xurui looked at him and said, "I understand, we're still in the early stages, it's obvious I like her.

You mean Jinling, the dimpled nurse?" Ouyang Yiming said, "That's her." Fan Xurui said, "That nurse is also very charming, I really do have feelings for her. Hey, why haven't I seen her?" Ouyang Yiming's heart sank, but he didn't want to talk about Jinling with Fan Xurui. He said, "She's off duty." Fan Xurui said, "What a pity, I'll come another day." Ouyang Yiming didn't say anything.

Fan Xurui suddenly perked up and said, "You probably don't know what happened at this hospital a couple of years ago, it caused a sensation throughout the city." He paused, staring intently at Ouyang Yiming's face, and asked, "Do you remember?"

Ouyang Yiming shook his head and said, "What happened? I don't know." Fan Xurui thought for a moment, then slapped his forehead and said, "You probably don't know, I only heard about it. We hadn't come here to study yet, but it caused quite a stir later." Ouyang Yiming thought intently for a moment and shook his head, saying, "I can't remember." Fan Xurui said, "Wasn't there a military parade at Gulou the year before last? Do you remember?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Just tell me, it's hard for me to think about." Fan Xurui said, "This hospital has a nursing school, and the female contingent in that year's parade was composed of students from that nursing school. During training before the parade that year, a guy sneaked into the female soldiers' dormitory at night and went into each of their mosquito nets to look inside. I heard he even raped them." "He raped two women, and was later beaten to death by soldiers in this hospital. The victims' families went to the central government, claiming the guy had a mental illness..." Ouyang Yiming suddenly realized and said, "I've heard about it. So that's where it happened. I only heard it was a military nursing school, how could I have remembered that nursing school was in this hospital?" Fan Xurui said, "That nursing school is in this hospital. Haven't you heard? Last time I went back to school, as soon as I mentioned this hospital, a classmate told me about it. Haven't you heard about it since you came here?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I haven't heard anyone mention it. I don't chat with people randomly. Look, I'm always reading here." Fan Xurui said, "Ask her when you have time. Jin Ling definitely knows. Maybe she even participated in that year's military parade." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'll ask her when I have the chance."

The two chatted for a while longer, and then Fan Xurui went back.

Just after seeing Fan Xurui off and returning to the house, Liu Yan pushed open the door and said, "I saw your classmate has left." Ouyang Yiming said, "He's gone." After sitting down, Liu Yan said, "I just called my aunt, and she said she's already spoken to Dean Xi, so she thinks Jinling's matter can be resolved." Ouyang Yiming said excitedly, "That's great! I was just thinking what would happen if Jinling couldn't be resolved. She's unwilling to transfer to civilian work, and she can't stay here. It's a blessing that it can be resolved." Liu Yan pouted at him and said, "It's like Jinling has something to do with you. Look how happy you are. Be careful Liang Chao beats you up." Then she giggled. Ouyang Yiming blushed slightly and said, "Jinling is really in a difficult situation right now. If you can help her with the transfer and get through this difficult time, she'll be grateful to you for the rest of her life." Liu Yan said, "I don't want her to be grateful for anything. We went to nursing school together, were assigned to the same department, and lived in the same dormitory for so many years—how could I not help her?" Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "Yes. That's the bond between comrades."

After a moment, he looked up at her and asked, "Hey, speaking of nursing school, I have a question for you. Is your nursing school located in this hospital?" Liu Yan "Yes, in the backyard. Do you know anyone?" Liu Yan asked

. Ouyang Yiming replied, "I don't know anyone. My classmate just told me something. Were the students from this nursing school involved in the military parade the year before last?" Liu Yan said, "Yes, Jinling and I both participated." She suddenly realized, "Oh, you want to ask about the incident where someone was killed?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, was he really killed?" Liu Yan said, "I thought you knew someone. It wasn't like what you heard. He wasn't killed that night. The cooks..." After the soldiers beat the man, they locked him in a room, intending to deal with it the next morning before work. No one expected that when they opened the door the following day, the man was dead. Several of the cooks, including the cookmaster and the squad leader, were sentenced by a military court. The hospital hired the best lawyers for all of them on the day of the trial. The cookmaster was the most resentful; he wasn't there when the man was caught that night. After the man was caught, they reported it to him, but he only went to check and ordered him locked up before leaving. He didn't know that the soldiers would beat the man after he left—it was a leadership responsibility. "I heard that man had considerable connections?" Ouyang Yiming said. Liu Yan said, "This man has a relative in some central government department who helped a lot with this matter. But even without connections, beating someone to death is wrong. The soldiers didn't expect to kill him." Ouyang Yiming asked, "How come the cooks caught him? Shouldn't the patrols handle this?"

Liu Yan said, "Men aren't allowed in the school, and there are no patrols on campus. It's like this, that year during the military parade, Jinling and I were both third-year students... " We were doing our departmental internships, but we still had to participate in the military parade. Our grade was the oldest in the school; most students started nursing school at fifteen or sixteen, so we were only eighteen or nineteen that year. Some students were sent there right after elementary school graduation; they were only twelve or thirteen when they arrived. Training before the parade was tough. We trained all day, and as soon as lights out sounded at night, we could fall asleep instantly. One night, a student was groped by a man and screamed in fright, and the man ran away. Two days later, the man came again and crawled into another student's mosquito net in a different room, waking that student up, and then he ran away again. The logistics company also kept watch at the school for several days, but strangely, the man seemed to know what was going on and never came. The school thought he wouldn't come back, and the logistics company withdrew its guards. But on the very night the guards were withdrawn, the man came again, groped another student, and then ran away again. The school leaders began to suspect the cooks. So they investigated the cookhouse, but found nothing.

The cooks were furious, and the administrator said to the squad leader… They were asked to take turns on duty at night to catch the man. After squatting for two days, they finally got there. The man climbed in through the back wall. Several soldiers held him down, and the first trial revealed that he was the one who did it. Later, he was beaten and locked up in that room. Never thought he would die.

Ouyang Yiming asked: "I heard that this person raped two students?" Liu Yan blushed and said, "Nothing, just touching." This kind of thing becomes more and more popular. Something happened to Jin Ling now, and it happened in their dormitory one night. This is just like what happened to Jin Ling now. There are many theories, and the more rumors spread, the more outrageous they become. He raised his wrist and looked at his watch and said, "I have to leave. I will be taking over my shift in a moment." I won't come over later. I'm staying with Jin Ling in the dormitory. I originally wanted to go out with you tonight when I came back last night. Who knew that he would run into Jin Ling again. When I left, she was the only one in the dormitory, so I was afraid that something would happen to her. Today happens to be Saturday, and I think some classmates may come to see you. Let's go out tomorrow. Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "Okay, just tomorrow." "He reached out and took Liu Yan's hand. Their hands clasped tightly, and they gazed at each other deeply for a few moments. Liu Yan reluctantly let go and left.

Love and Desire (13)

Chapter Eleven

After dinner, Jiang Yuqi, Zhu Haitao, Ge Guangcheng, and two other female classmates, Li Xuan and Wu Yingying, came to see him. Ouyang Yiming felt a little disappointed not to see Xu Hui. Thinking it inappropriate for so many people to talk in the ward, he led them to the lawn in the garden. Wu Yingying walked up to Ouyang Yiming, tugged at him, and whispered, "Xu Hui isn't feeling well."

Ouyang Yiming was startled and stopped to ask, "What's wrong with her?" Wu Yingying smiled at his somewhat anxious expression and whispered, "They're so loving! Don't worry, she's fine. She was perfectly fine this afternoon. I guess it's because she thought there were too many people coming, which is why she didn't want to come with everyone. Before coming, she asked me who was coming, and I told her. She said that with so many people going, the hospital would be overwhelmed, and she also said she wasn't feeling well. Do you think she just didn't want too many people to come?"

Ouyang Yiming thought about it and agreed. He suddenly remembered Xu Hui's words about disliking Zhu Haitao and thought that it was possible that Xu Hui didn't want to be with Zhu Haitao. He turned to look at Wu Yingying more closely and saw that she seemed no different than before. He thought that it was just a small disagreement with Zhu Haitao, nothing as serious as Xu Hui said, and it was impossible for Zhu Haitao to have done anything to harm Wu Yingying.

At this moment, he felt that Xu Hui was being a bit paranoid and exaggerating.

Everyone sat in a circle on the lawn, chatting about all sorts of things. Caught up in the moment, Jiang Yuqi said, "Let me tell you a joke." Everyone applauded. Zhu Haitao, sitting next to him, whispered in his ear, "Is it vegetarian or meat-based?"

Jiang Yuqi smiled but ignored him. He cleared his throat, chuckled, and said, "It's about our village. It's a true story!" He continued, "In our village, there was an elderly couple. The old man was seventy-nine, and the old woman was seventy-eight. One day, the old man was sick, and the old woman, feeling sorry for him, made him three poached eggs. The old man ate one and said he didn't want any more, then went to bed. The old woman complained to him, 'Old man, where did your energy go? You were so healthy, never tired, and could eat a whole pot of cornbread in one meal. Now you don't even want to eat eggs? What do you want to eat?' The old man said, 'I want to eat chicken. Are you willing to kill it for me?' The old woman said, 'Old man, if you eat chicken, will you lay the eggs?'" The old man said, "If I had that ability, I could lay a basket of eggs a day, and you could just watch

over them. It wouldn't be like how people treat eggs like treasures these days." The old woman laughed and said, "If you could lay a basket of eggs a day, our family would be rich. Then I'd offer you sacrifices on the altar every day." The old man smiled and ignored her. The old woman thought for a while and suddenly laughed, asking, "Do you want to do something?" The old man said, "What can I do in this state? I don't want anything." The old woman laughed and asked, "Do

n't want anything? Do you want to do anything?" The old man chuckled twice and moved his lips. Guess what he said? Everyone shook their heads. Jiang Yuqi couldn't help but laugh. Holding back his laughter, he continued, "The old man said, 'Help me up, and I'll try to see if it works.'"

No one understood, and after thinking for a while, no one laughed. Ge Guangcheng said, "What kind of joke is that? What's so funny?" Jiang Yuqi said, "You guys are so stupid." Li Xuan complained to him,

"You call her stupid! You didn't even explain clearly, what did the old lady want the old man to do?" At this question, Zhu Haitao burst into laughter. Everyone looked at him in confusion. Zhu Haitao suppressed his laughter and said, "You guys, think about it, what is it? It's that thing." Ge Guangcheng raised his hand and slapped his forehead, saying, "See how stupid you are, what thing? Haha, so that's what it is. Who would have thought that old men and women could do that?" He then laughed.

Everyone suddenly realized and burst into laughter. Li Xuan and two other female classmates, including Wu Yingying, lowered their heads and giggled shyly. Ouyang Yiming pointed at Jiang Yuqi while laughing and said, "You, you don't even know when to stop." Jiang Yuqi pretended to be serious and said, "It's true, if you don't believe me, I'll take you to our village and ask around, everyone in our village knows." Everyone burst into laughter again.

Zhu Haitao then spoke up, "Let me tell you one too."

Li Xuan blushed and laughed, "You're not spouting anything good either."

Zhu Haitao laughed and said, "Mine is short."

Jiang Yuqi chimed in, "That's right, short means it goes out quickly, 'bang,' it's over in a flash."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Zhu Haitao laughed and said, "Yours is long, that's why it goes out slowly, like diarrhea, leaving a little bit for people to guess."

Ge Guangcheng shouted, "Jiang Yuqi, stop with the diarrhea. Listen to Zhu Haitao!"

Everyone laughed again.

Zhu Haitao chuckled twice and began, "The story I'm about to tell is from abroad, it doesn't exist in our country."

Jiang Yuqi exclaimed twice, "Wow, that's amazing, 'bang,' it's been sent abroad."

Zhu Haitao laughed and said, "Don't interrupt. In a certain city abroad, an old lady in her eighties saw many young and beautiful women queuing on the street. The old lady was curious, so she went up to one of the girls and asked, 'What are you waiting for here?'" The girl looked at her and said irritably, "Wait for the candy." The old lady asked, "What's a candy?" The girl said, "It's delicious candy. If you want some, line up." Hearing that it was delicious, the old lady lined up. After waiting for a while, she didn't get any delicious candy, but instead, police came to arrest prostitutes. The women in line scattered. The young people ran fast, but the old lady couldn't run and was arrested by the police. The police looked at the old lady and asked in confusion, "You don't have any teeth, how can you do anything?" The old lady opened her toothless mouth and said, "You're so stupid. If you don't have teeth, you can lick them."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Wu Yingying didn't laugh. After a moment, she suddenly looked up and angrily shouted at Zhu Haitao, "Are you even human?! How could you say such a thing?!"

Everyone froze, and for a moment, only breathing could be heard. The atmosphere was awkward. Ouyang Yiming didn't know what to say either.

Li Xuan broke the deadlock and said, "It's getting late, let's go back to school." Everyone stood up and silently walked away with their heads down. Li Xuan pulled Wu Yingying aside and whispered, "What are you doing? How can he save face with so many people around?" Wu Yingying retorted fiercely, "Serves him right!"

Ouyang Yiming then pulled Jiang Yuqi aside and asked, "What's wrong with Wu Yingying?" Jiang Yuqi smiled and said, "It's just the two of them." As she spoke, she raised both fists and pointed her two thumbs at each other a few times. She then shook her head and smiled, saying, "I didn't expect Wu Yingying to be so fierce in public today. I wonder why." Ouyang Yiming was also wondering to himself, but he didn't say anything.

Wu Yingying was from Mengcheng County, Anhui Province. She was about 1.56 meters tall, petite and delicate. Her round, baby-faced features were perfectly suited to her petite figure. She had fair skin, large, bright, and clear eyes, a round but delicate nose, and small, slightly thick, upturned lips. Her voice was soft and sweet. She loved being around people and was always chattering away. She would burst into laughter at anything funny, even covering her mouth when she felt she was being inappropriate. Sometimes she would laugh so hard she bent over or squatted down, her eyes squinting into slits.

Her parents were ordinary workers at the county machine tool factory. Her father was honest and quiet. Wu Yingying inherited her mother's somewhat extroverted personality. The machine tool factory wasn't doing very well; for the past two years, wages had been delayed by several months. Although both parents worked, the family still struggled financially.

Wu Yingying had two siblings; she was the eldest, with a younger brother and sister, and all three were excellent students. Her parents' greatest wish was for all three children to go to university, graduate, leave their underdeveloped county, and work in larger cities, eventually establishing themselves and starting families there. So, her mother often talked about this to Wu Yingying whenever they went home.

She and Zhu Haitao started dating this spring. Wu Yingying was particularly fond of Zhu Haitao. Coming from a small county, she admired the refined air he possessed, cultivated in a big city. She genuinely loved him, having given him her heart. She longed for a big city like Hangzhou. Although she grew up in a small county, she always felt envious when Zhu Haitao talked about his city, experiencing the wonder of a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, and yearning to see it for herself. She hoped to one day live with Zhu Haitao in this city, hailed as paradise on earth. They became intimate shortly after they started dating.

This summer, when her mother asked if she had a boyfriend, Wu Yingying considered revealing her relationship with Zhu Haitao several times. After much deliberation, she thought that they had only been dating for a few months, and whether they could commit was still uncertain, so she ultimately didn't say anything. However, by then, Wu Yingying and Zhu Haitao had already had sex many times. Wu Yingying feared that her mother would find out about her relationship and nag her incessantly about it.

In high school, a boy in her class had a crush on her, but they never had a romantic relationship. Her mother, having somehow heard about this, interrogated her late one night, even asking if she had slept with that boy. Wu Yingying was overwhelmed with shame and tearfully promised that she had nothing to do with him, which made her mother somewhat suspicious. But she still told her, "A girl shouldn't have sex with a man until her wedding day, no matter how much he wants her. Once a woman loses her virginity, she's worthless, and men will look down on her. If

the relationship doesn't work out and she marries someone else, and he doesn't bleed from her first time, he won't accept her. Men care about that the most. Even if he still wants you, he won't treat you like a human being."

Although Wu Yingying didn't like hearing this, she still internalized the idea that virginity is a girl's most precious treasure. However, after starting a relationship with Zhu Haitao, she had sex with him on their third date.

Her virginity was lost under Zhu Haitao's coercion. Wu Yingying was terrified; she was almost in shock and fear, enduring the stinging pain as Zhu Haitao roughly penetrated her. She bled heavily that day, and it didn't stop until several days later. That day, she deliberately took out a piece of toilet paper to wipe herself so Zhu Haitao could see. She was trying to prove herself. After that, she couldn't recall any other sensations she felt when Zhu Haitao entered her; only the pain that made her tremble at the thought.

That day, after Zhu Haitao's release, she cried sadly for a long time, thinking of her mother's instructions and feeling very worried. Zhu Haitao held her in his arms, constantly comforting her, saying that he had also lost control and hurt her. He said that all women experience pain the first time, and that afterwards, there would only be pleasure. At that moment, Wu Yingying's heart wasn't just troubled by the pain in her lower body; she was worried that if she gave her body to Zhu Haitao so early and things didn't work out, and she married another man, as her mother had said, if she didn't bleed, the man wouldn't treat her like a human being. So, with tears in her eyes, she asked Zhu Haitao, "Will you truly marry me in the future?" Zhu Haitao genuinely loved Wu Yingying and swore an oath to the heavens that if he, Zhu Haitao, didn't marry her, Wu Yingying, he would die a horrible death and be struck by lightning. Wu Yingying was deeply moved by this. She never regretted her relationship with Zhu Haitao afterward, believing that since they were in love, they would live together, and her body would eventually belong to him. Therefore, they almost always had sex on their dates.

However, these past few days, Wu Yingying had been genuinely angry with Zhu Haitao, feeling unhappy and not even looking at him properly.

The reason for her sullen mood was that a few days ago, Wu Yingying had her period and couldn't have sex. Zhu Haitao, unable to resist, asked Wu Yingying to masturbate him. On a whim, he even asked her to perform oral sex. Wu Yingying had never heard of such a thing and felt disgusted. She said, "How can you do something so dirty with your mouth?" Zhu Haitao replied, "That's also a way of making love." So he forcibly grabbed Wu Yingying's head and smeared the substance on her lips. Wu Yingying kept her mouth tightly shut and shook her head, but the sticky stuff from Zhu Haitao still got on her lips and face. Wu Yingying felt that Zhu Haitao was going too far and was insulting her. She cursed a few times, broke free, and turned against him. It wasn't until the last two days that she felt a little better, but then she heard Zhu Haitao tell such a joke again. Naturally, she thought about what happened that night and wondered if Zhu Haitao was thinking about what they did that night, which was why he told such a joke. She couldn't help but feel a surge of anger, which is why she said what she just said.

After saying goodbye to Ouyang Yiming, everyone walked out of the hospital. Wu Yingying and Li Xuan walked behind the group, arm in arm. Li Xuan asked softly, "Did you and Zhu Haitao have a fight?"

Wu Yingying was still angry and said, "That guy is a pervert." Li Xuan said, "He just told a joke, why are you so angry?" Wu Yingying didn't want to bring up what happened that night, so she said, "Do you think this is reasonable? Saying such vulgar things about an old lady." Li Xuan laughed and said, "It was just a joke. Jiang Yuqi said something similar too." Wu Yingying said, "Jiang Yuqi was more subtle, but listen to what he said, 'You can lick her,' is that something a human would say? It's just perverted." Li Xuan chuckled twice, her mind racing, and she felt a little embarrassed, saying, "I can't believe Zhu Haitao, who isn't usually very talkative, has such a story in his head." Wu Yingying said, "His head..." "There's a lot of messy stuff in there. Just thinking about it makes me angry." Li Xuan laughed and said, "Don't be angry. Aren't all men the same? Didn't you see how happy those guys were after hearing their story?"

Wu Yingying said, "Why isn't Ouyang like them? Or are they out of their minds?" Li Xuan said, "How can you say that Ouyang doesn't think about such things? He's a man too. But Ouyang is really reserved and cultured, I admire him." Wu Yingying said, "He has a high standing among both male and female classmates. I think only Xu Hui is good enough for him. Even if others have feelings for him, they wouldn't dare to think about anything with him." Li Xuan laughed and said, "So you had feelings for him too!" Wu Yingying blushed and said:

"You never had feelings for him? I dare say many of my female classmates did, but they just felt unworthy." Li Xuan nodded and said, "Yes, what you said is true. Only Xu Hui could be so confident." She paused and asked, "You and Xu Hui live in the same dormitory. Have you heard her say whether she and Ouyang have developed a romantic relationship?" Wu Yingying said:

“I’ve never heard of it. I’ve never seen Xu Hui go out alone either. It seems they’re not in a passionate relationship yet,” Li Xuan said. “These two are so unpredictable. I think even if they were, they wouldn’t let anyone notice. Didn’t you see how anxious Xu Hui was for Ouyang at the school hospital that day? Only someone deeply in love would act like that.” Wu Yingying nodded and said, “Even if they don’t date often now, I think they’re definitely in a relationship. They’re just both very good at controlling themselves.” Li Xuan said, “Yes. Ouyang is a bookworm; he’s probably afraid of neglecting his studies.” Suddenly remembering something, she asked, “Do you know where Xu Hui went alone after leaving the school hospital that day?” Wu Yingying said, “I asked her when she came back, but she wouldn’t say. She looked very tired, so I couldn’t figure out where she went.” Li Xuan shook her head and said, “Xu Hui is quite puzzling sometimes.”

She paused and said, “But I admire both of them.” Wu Yingying said, “I admire them too. They’re truly a wonderful couple.” She turned to look at Li Xuan and said:

"I just hope you can find your ideal partner. Honestly, is there such a person?"

Li Xuan's face suddenly fell, and she sighed heavily as if burdened by a heavy thought, saying, "I don't dare to hope for an ideal man. I'm content with being with you and Zhu Haitao.

Sigh, I don't know what my fate is. I grew up in a poor mountain village, and it's good enough if I can get a decent job after graduation. I don't even think about romantic love anymore. I'll leave it to fate."

Wu Yingying said, "Look at you, why are you so pessimistic? Aren't you just like all the other students in our school? With your eloquence and ability, I think you'll achieve something great in the future."

Li Xuan smiled and said, "Thank you for your encouragement. Your words give me confidence." She added, "I'm not bragging to you, and I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me. To be honest, I do have some ambition. If I could get a platform in the future, I think I would do very well." Although Wu Yingying felt a little disgusted by her words, she still said, "I believe you." Wu Yingying was quite impressed with Li Xuan's ability and eloquence. She laughed and said, "With your abilities, you're not afraid of not finding a good man in the future." Li Xuan replied, "I may wish for it, but such a platform isn't something you can just wish for. You need opportunities and someone to support you. Where am I going to find such opportunities and benefactors? I'd be content if I could just have a man who cherishes me. I'll leave it to fate."

Wu Yingying smiled, then suddenly said, "I think Jiang Yuqi seems quite interested in you." Li Xuan was taken aback, looking at her questioningly, "How could you have such a thought? Why did you suddenly think of Jiang Yuqi?" Wu Yingying said, "I'm telling the truth. I can tell from his eyes." Li Xuan thought for a moment and said, "That's strange, why don't I feel anything?" Wu Yingying said, "That's because you haven't noticed. I can tell, at least he has feelings for you." Li Xuan suddenly laughed and said, "Impossible. Besides, I don't have any feelings for him at all. We just get along quite well. Being good friends is fine, but developing a romantic relationship is absolutely impossible. I think you're being too sensitive." She paused, then sighed and said, "It's simply impossible for us."

Her eyes reddened as she finished speaking, and she quickly turned her head away. Wu Yingying didn't notice and said, "Anything is possible. What if he proposes to you?" Li Xuan said, "Even so, it's impossible for us." Wu Yingying asked, "Is it because you don't like him?" Li Xuan said, "That's not the reason. Anyway, I just think it's impossible. Actually, Jiang Yuqi is a good person." Wu Yingying looked at Li Xuan and shook her head in confusion.

The

next

morning, Ouyang Yiming didn't get treatment and went to that room to study after breakfast. Liu Yan came in a while later and smiled as soon as she entered. Ouyang Yiming saw her and asked, "What's the good news?"

Liu Yan sat down and looked at him sweetly and said, "Isn't it a good thing that I found you?" Ouyang Yiming chuckled foolishly.

Liu Yan chuckled shyly a few times, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and said, "Your classmates must have had a really fun time last night." Ouyang Yiming was taken aback and asked, "You saw them yesterday? Weren't you in the dorm with Jinling?"

Liu Yan said, "Of course I saw them. I even listened for a while. I couldn't just stay out of the dorm with Jinling." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Why didn't I see you?" Liu Yan said, "Your attention was all on your female classmates, you wouldn't have noticed me!"

Ouyang Yiming laughed, thought for a moment, and said, "No way, if you went, wouldn't I know? You're just kidding. Where was I last night?"

Liu Yan giggled and said, "Weren't you sitting with your back to the corridor yesterday? You were sitting with two male classmates. There were eight of you, four men and four women. Hehe, I was even thinking there would be four couples." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "You really went? Why didn't I see you?" Liu Yan said, "I sat in the corridor for a while, and you were sitting with your back to the corridor..." "How could I see anything?

It looks like you classmates are having a great time together." Ouyang Yiming said, "Yeah, you're all quite the chatterboxes." Liu Yan said, "I heard you talk less." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm not as good at chatting as they are."

Then she asked, "What did you hear?" Liu Yan said, "I just heard you talking and laughing for a while, but I didn't hear what you were saying clearly. The moonlight was very bright last night, so I could see each of you clearly. Hey, why didn't she come?"

Ouyang Yiming knew she was referring to Xu Hui, but pretended not to understand and asked, "Who didn't come?" Liu Yan glanced at him and said, "On purpose. It's your little beauty. She insisted that I say it." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "How would I know why she didn't come?" Liu Yan said, "Then why didn't you think about it? Didn't you ask anyone else?" Ouyang Yiming blushed, thinking about the momentary disappointment he felt when he didn't see Xu Hui yesterday, his heart pounded, and he looked at Liu Yan and said, "Look at you, why am I asking these questions!" Liu Yan then laughed.

Last night, Liu Yan spoke with Jin Ling in the dormitory, and two other colleagues also went to comfort Jin Ling. They mostly offered words of comfort. Jin Ling didn't dare to look up while they were talking. After they left, Jinling said to Liu Yan, "I know they came with good intentions, but I really don't want to see anyone."

Liu Yan said, "I understand how you feel. You don't want to see anyone right now, but how can you not let them in? They're all just concerned about you. To be honest, they don't know what to do either. They met two of our nursing school classmates at dinner, and they said they really couldn't let go of you if they didn't come to see you. They were worried that you, with your good relationship, wouldn't even come to check on you if something happened.

Now that they've come, it's hard to say anything, and they don't know how to advise you. They know you definitely don't want to see anyone right now. So I told them not to come, because coming would only make you feel worse. I can't just tell everyone I meet not to come. Try to think more positively; they came with good intentions, just face it."

Jinling said, "I know. But I'm really afraid to see people." Liu Yan said, "Tomorrow, when I see a few nice people, I'll tell them not to come." Jinling thought for a moment and said:

"Fine, let whoever comes, come. If someone tells you not to come, just tell them. I have to see people now, even if I'm ashamed." She finished speaking and tears welled up again.

Liu Yan sighed, her heart heavy, feeling suffocated sitting in this room with Jin Ling. She thought of Ouyang Yiming, then suddenly realized his classmates might come tonight, and then she knew Xu Hui would definitely come. A sudden unease gripped her. She stood up and said to Jin Ling, "I'm going to the ward. Don't open the door if you don't want to see anyone in your room."

Jin Ling agreed.

Liu Yan felt an intense urge to go to the ward to see if Xu Hui had come; she felt as if Xu Hui was coming to take Ouyang Yiming away. Her heart pounding, she went to the ward, glancing past Ouyang Yiming's room. She saw only one patient reading a magazine and walked towards the room without asking. Her anxiety intensified; she wondered if Xu Hui had come alone again. Her mind even raced with thoughts of what the two of them might be doing in that room. Could they be hugging and kissing?

She hurried to the door, but the light was off, and her heart pounded even harder. She wondered if they had turned off the lights and were doing something inside. She thought of Jin Ling. She knocked on the door, but there was no response. She stood there for a while, listening intently, but there was still no sound, so she turned back. She went to Ouyang Yiming's room and asked the patient, "Do you know where Ouyang Yiming went?" The patient said, "He went to the lawn, there are seven or eight of them." Liu Yan's heart suddenly relaxed.

After leaving the room, she secretly laughed at her earlier thoughts, blushing and shaking her head as she walked out of the ward towards the lawn. In the distance, she saw a group of people sitting in a circle, talking and laughing. She deliberately walked quietly behind Ouyang Yiming, searching the group for the woman who made her uneasy. After a careful look, she didn't see Xu Hui, and the weight lifted from her heart.

After walking a few steps, she sat down on a bench in the pavilion, watching Ouyang Yiming's retreating figure. She thought to herself, "It seems Ouyang Yiming was right when he said he hadn't had any relationship with Xu Hui; otherwise, Xu Hui wouldn't have refused to come." Looking at her classmates laughing and chatting happily, she thought, "Ouyang Yiming is really popular among his classmates. Many classmates have come to visit him during his hospital stay, including female classmates, but she only feels that concern for Xu Hui." She thought it might be because Xu Hui is pretty and because she was the only one who came to see Ouyang Yiming that day.

Lost in thought for a while, she recalled the scene of embracing and kissing Ouyang Yiming that night, and felt a tingling sensation in her heart. Just then, two female colleagues from the hospital walked by. Seeing Liu Yan sitting alone in the pavilion, they joked, "Are you waiting for your sweetheart here all by yourself?"

Liu Yan snapped out of her thoughts, blushed slightly, and said, "I don't know where my sweetheart is yet. I'm just waiting to see if he comes." She laughed and invited them to sit down. Liu Yan said, "It's so stuffy in the room, I came out for some fresh air." Her colleague said, "Yeah, it's just you and Jinling in the room, and thinking about her makes me feel uneasy. What do you think she'll do now?" Another colleague said, "We were just talking about whether to go see her, but we're afraid Jinling will feel awkward." Liu Yan said, "Don't go. Going will only make her feel worse." Her colleague said, "Yeah, it's a dilemma whether to go or not. Who would have thought something like this would happen?"

Liu Yan chatted with them until Ouyang Yiming and the others laughed and left. She and her colleagues stayed a while longer before returning to the dormitory.

Lying in bed, she blushed at her earlier feelings and was also excited that Xu Hui hadn't come to see Ouyang Yiming. So, when Liu Yan saw Ouyang Yiming today, she smiled.

Liu Yan asked, "What do you all talk about that makes you so happy?" Ouyang Yiming, thinking about the jokes Jiang Yuqi and Zhu Haitao had told last night, felt embarrassed to tell Liu Yan those things, so he said, "Just joking around. We tell jokes when we're happy." Liu Yan said, "You guys seem really happy together. We weren't like this when we were in nursing school." Ouyang Yiming said, "Your school is military, so it's probably stricter." Liu Yan said, "We were younger when we were in school, and the discipline was strict. I really envy you guys." Ouyang Yiming said, "Actually, we weren't always sitting outside like this at school. It was just a few classmates chatting occasionally." Liu Yan nodded and said, "At school, we might have had some reservations, but once we're out of school, we feel free." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Yes." He remembered the jokes Jiang Yuqi and Zhu Haitao had told; it was impossible to sit with female classmates and tell those kinds of jokes at school.

Liu Yan asked, "Do you really want to go back to school?" Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment and said, "To be honest, I both want to go back and don't want to. I want to go back for studying, but I don't want to go back because I can't bear to leave you." Liu Yan blushed and said, "Are you doing this on purpose? I think you just want to go back, not for me, but because you miss that little fairy in your heart."

Ouyang Yiming blushed and said, "Look at you, I don't mean that. I'm being serious with you. The courses right now are very important. Just reading books here isn't enough; there are some things I don't understand, and I'm afraid my grades will drop. To be honest, I'm usually in the top one or two every semester, mostly first, but only second once. I felt bad for a few days after that. I'm really anxious now that I've fallen behind in so much class. But the thought of leaving you makes me feel bad. I can see you every day here. If I go back to school, I won't be able to see you for at least several days. I don't know if I can bear it." Liu Yan said, "You have to bear it, even if you can't. After all, your studies are important." "I'll feel bad if my grades drop. Anyway, we're in the same city, so seeing each other every few days is fine. I think I'll also feel uneasy when you leave. But you'll get used to it gradually. You must control yourself and make sure your grades don't fall. Otherwise, I'll be angry with you." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'll work overtime when I get back. I think I can catch up." Liu Yan said, "I believe you're the best. Here's what you should

do: ask the military doctor tomorrow if you can be discharged. If you can be discharged, do it as soon as possible." Ouyang Yiming asked, "I haven't seen the specialist these past few days. Is something wrong?" Liu Yan said, "Your kind of illness has appeared in Beijing, Shanghai, and several other big cities. It's all because of that canned food. Our director tackled this problem, and the Ministry of Health sent him to Beijing. He should be back soon. Ask the military doctor tomorrow." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "That canned food is really harmful." Liu Yan laughed and said, "You should indulge a few more times in the future. Maybe you'll develop resistance." Ouyang Yiming said, "I won't dare to do that again." Then they both laughed.

Liu Yan said, "I'm going back to the office. It's just me and two intern nurses today." She stood up as she spoke. Ouyang Yiming also stood up and said, "Go back." Liu Yan said, "Stay here and read quietly. Don't think about anything." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "I know. Would I dare disobey you?" Liu Yan smiled happily.

Ouyang Yiming and Liu Yan locked eyes, their gazes filled with affection. Suddenly, a surge of emotion rose within him, and he reached out and pulled Liu Yan into his arms. Liu Yan was startled, her face instantly turning red. She quickly glanced at the door, then turned back and said, "Oh no! Someone will see us!" She quickly pulled away, her face still red, and said, "You've got some nerve now." Ouyang Yiming chuckled sheepishly, his face flushed. Liu Yan playfully punched him, saying, "All you do is laugh like an idiot. Coming to Wuchaomen at seven o'clock tonight?" Ouyang Yiming nodded. Liu Yan said, "I'll be there at seven, don't make it seven. I'll go to my aunt's house after work at four this afternoon, have dinner there, and then go straight to Wuchaomen."

Ouyang Yiming agreed. He asked, "Are you going to your aunt's house because of Jinling?" Liu Yan said, "Tomorrow is Monday, and I think I'll definitely have to deal with Jinling and Liang Chao's matter next week.

I should urge my aunt to ask her again. Sigh, Jinling's situation is getting harder and harder now, I just hope she can get a transfer soon." Ouyang Yiming said, "That's true, the sooner it's done, the better she can get out of her current predicament." Liu Yan said, "Yes. I'm leaving." Ouyang Yiming nodded.

Liu Yan smiled at him, turned back to look at the door, then turned back quickly to kiss him on the cheek before leaving. Ouyang Yiming watched Liu Yan leave with a sheepish smile.

After dinner, Ouyang Yiming read for a while, and when he checked his watch, it was almost 6:30 when he left the hospital. He arrived at the park before seven. After looking around for a while, I saw couples walking arm in arm into the park. I thought back to my kiss with Liu Yan last time, and a sweet feeling welled up inside me. Suddenly, I saw a couple disappear under a tall tree. Curious, I glanced at them every now and then, but they didn't come out. I thought there might be a secluded spot under the tree. I thought to myself, "That's a really secluded place; no one would see us doing anything there." Then I remembered what Jin Ling had done, and I blushed. I thought to myself, "I could never do that with Liu Yan." But I felt a tingling sensation in my heart.

Just then, I heard the sound of a bus braking as it pulled into the station. I looked up and saw Liu Yan getting off the bus. I rushed to greet her. They held hands when they met. Liu Yan asked with a smile, "How long have you been here?" Ouyang Yiming replied, "I've been here for a while." Liu Yan asked, "Were you getting impatient?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I was impatient, really impatient!" Liu Yan glanced at her watch and laughed, "It's not even seven o'clock yet! What time did you arrive?" Ouyang Yiming chuckled and said, "I took the company shuttle bus, so I arrived earlier than you." Liu Yan smiled and glanced at him, saying, "I thought you had arrived earlier. I

was worried you'd be anxious at my aunt's house, so I ate dinner and chatted with my sister for a bit before rushing over." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Is Jinling's situation almost settled?" Liu Yan said, "There's basically no problem. My aunt spoke with our hospital director. Let me tell you, the hospital originally intended to let Jinling transfer to civilian work, but if it weren't for my aunt and uncle's influence, there wouldn't have been any room for negotiation. The main issue is that this incident has had a very negative impact." Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, a place like the military definitely wouldn't allow such a thing. Even in civilian units, leaders would be very opposed to it. How was that soldier dealt with?" "Liu Yan said, 'The hospital will decide how to handle it. He's a soldier, and he's the one who violated the regulations, so I don't think he'll get away with it easily. He'll at least get a disciplinary action and be discharged.'

As they spoke, they came to a tree. Ouyang Yiming listened carefully but heard no sound. He then pulled Liu Yan's hand and squeezed through a gap in the tree. After they stopped, they both looked around and saw that the space under the tree was indeed quite large. It was tall enough to stand and wide enough to lie down. It was completely hidden by the dense foliage, making it a wonderfully secluded place. Liu Yan asked in surprise, 'How do you know about a place like this? Have you been here before?' Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, 'I've been here before. I saw a couple go under the tree and not come out while I was waiting for you. I was wondering what it was. So this is what it is.'

Liu Yan said, 'You're not lying to me, are you? Did you come to a place like this with some woman?' Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, 'Yes, I have. I've been here before!'" "After speaking, he embraced Liu Yan and pressed his lips to hers. Instantly, Liu Yan's arms wrapped around Ouyang Yiming's neck, their hot lips met, their tongues swirling, and saliva sprayed between their lips... For a long, long time, the couple kissed tenderly and passionately, intoxicated by each other's desire, unwilling to part. They savored the sweetness of each other's saliva.

Finally, they had to separate. Their faces flushed, they gazed deeply at each other. Liu Yan asked, "Is this your first kiss?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes." Liu Yan said, "I don't quite believe it." Ouyang Yiming said, "It really was my first time with you last time." Liu Yan said, "I felt you were very skilled." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "Really? I felt the same way. I didn't even know how to kiss last time." Liu Yan laughed and punched him, saying, "You're so smart, you figured this out so quickly." Ouyang Yiming chuckled and said, "I feel the same way." Liu Yan laughed and said, "Silly girl, the more you talk, the smuger you get." Ouyang Yiming laughed again, and then said, "Is this your first time with me?" Liu Yan thought for a moment and said, "I've had many, since I was very young."

Ouyang Yiming was stunned and said, "Really?" Liu Yan said, "I'm not lying to you, I remember when I was breastfeeding, my mother often kissed me." Ouyang Yiming laughed heartily after hearing this, and Liu Yan couldn't help but laugh too. Ouyang Yiming said, "You really thought of that." Liu Yan giggled and said, "You wanted to know, didn't you?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Looks like you're really smart." Liu Yan said, "My intelligence hasn't been used in my studies. But I'm quite smart in other areas besides academics. My work isn't bad either." Ouyang Yiming chuckled.

The two sat down, and Ouyang Yiming put his arm around her and said, "Your aunt is so capable, what exactly is her position?" Liu Yan said, "What's so capable about her? In the military compound,

she's more like a division-level officer. But to be honest, for a woman like my aunt to reach that level is quite impressive." Ouyang Yiming said, "It's quite impressive, simply remarkable. In the local government, she'd be a municipal-level cadre." Liu Yan said, "Yes, I really admire my aunt. But if we're talking about my uncle, you'd probably say he's even more remarkable." Ouyang Yiming said, "His rank is definitely higher than your aunt's. Is he also in the military?" Liu Yan said, "Of course, my uncle is a deputy army-level officer, which would be a provincial-level cadre in the local government." "

Ouyang Yiming exclaimed in surprise, "Yes, that must be it." He paused and asked, "Did they bring you here to join the army?" Liu Yan said, "Not entirely. My aunt and my parents were worried about me going elsewhere, so my aunt brought me here to be with her. The army has internal recruitment quotas, and I'm one of those internal recruits. There are also special recruits, for those with special talents, like those in the song and dance troupe; some of them are recruited into the army at a very young age. Those of us who came to the nursing school at twelve or thirteen were also internal recruits." Ouyang Yiming asked, "So how exactly is internal recruitment conducted?" Liu Yan said, "Children of military officers can be internally recruited. Of course, I am one." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Is your niece also considered a child of military officers?"

Liu Yan pondered for a moment, looked at him, and said, "I'll tell you everything now; you'll know sooner or later. My whole family is in the military. My aunt's family is, my whole family is, even my sister-in-law is." Ouyang Yiming was startled and asked, "Then, so your parents are also high-ranking officers?" Liu Yan nodded and said, "Our family situation is basically the same as my aunt's, except my mother is a deputy division-level cadre." Ouyang Yiming's heart began to pound. He asked, "Your father is also a deputy army-level cadre?" Liu Yan nodded and said, "Yes. My brother is now a battalion commander." Ouyang Yiming let out a soft "Ah," his mouth slightly agape as he froze, his arm around Liu Yan unconsciously slipping down. His mind went blank for a moment, his heart pounding wildly.

Liu Yan turned to look at him and asked, "What's wrong with you?" Ouyang Yiming composed himself, looked at Liu Yan blankly, and shook his head, saying, "I didn't expect it, I really didn't expect it." Liu Yan became a little anxious and said, "What are you doing? What's wrong now? What didn't you expect?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I... I never asked you. I... I never thought you would be the child of a high-ranking cadre." Liu Yan said,

"So what if you're the child of a high-ranking cadre? Did I scare you?" "Ouyang Yiming said, 'If I had known you were the child of a high-ranking official, how...how could I have dared...' Liu Yan said, 'That's strange. Are you saying that children of high-ranking officials don't have the right to love?'

Ouyang Yiming sighed and said, 'No, no, in my opinion, a family like yours wouldn't be with us...' Liu Yan was somewhat angry and said, 'What kind of thinking is that? I don't even have such thoughts, but you do. Marrying someone of equal social standing, is that it? You're a college graduate, and you still have such old-fashioned ideas.' Ouyang Yiming said, 'I'm just really a little scared.' Liu Yan asked,

'Scared about what? Does being the child of a high-ranking official mean you can be eaten alive?' Ouyang Yiming said, 'No, I'm afraid your family wouldn't agree either.' Liu Yan said, 'It's because I like you, it's because I want to marry you, not them.' Ouyang Yiming said, 'That's true, but...' Liu Yan suddenly stood up and said, 'Okay, no more buts, just tell me if you truly like me.' Ouyang Yiming looked extremely embarrassed, looked up at her and said, 'This, is this even a question?'"

Hearing his timid tone, Liu Yan softened her heart, took a breath, and said softly, "That's fine!" She squatted down and looked at him, saying, "As long as we truly love each other, why should we care about our families?" Ouyang Yiming said, "But you haven't asked my parents." Liu Yan said, "I'll find out sooner or later. Why should I ask them? So what if they're just farmers from the mountains? I love you, I love you as a person, do you understand? Now that you mention it, I really want to know what your parents do." Ouyang

Yiming said, "My parents are both middle school teachers. No one in my family has ever been involved in politics." Liu Yan said, "I'm quite envious of you, born into an intellectual family. No wonder you love learning so much." Ouyang Yiming said, "To be honest, my family doesn't want people in politics. Years ago, my father was nominated to be a vice principal, but he refused. My parents don't want me to go into politics either; they only hope I can be a scholar and pursue knowledge." Liu Yan said, "Everyone has different ideas." "Your family hopes you'll become a scientist. My family hopes I can serve in the military for life; it's a matter of perspective. Of course, I also hope to serve in the military for life, and you hope you can achieve academic success. But that doesn't affect our love. Don't you think so?"

Ouyang Yiming nodded, then said after a moment, "I want to tell you what's on my mind. In my heart, you children of high-ranking officials are very noble. When I was in middle school, there were children of municipal leaders in our school. In our eyes, they were different from us; they displayed their prestige in every way. To children from families like ours, on the one hand, we felt they were unapproachable, and on the other hand, we felt disgusted by them. But since I met you, I haven't felt any trace of the characteristics of a child of a high-ranking official in you. You are very kind to everyone. To be honest, if I had known you were a child of a high-ranking official, even if I liked you a lot, I wouldn't have dared to date you. To me, you're like an insurmountable mountain."

Liu Yan suddenly laughed and said, "Don't talk about climbing or not climbing. Aren't we dating now?" "I'm actually glad I didn't tell you about my family situation sooner, otherwise we wouldn't be where we are today. Alright, don't think about it anymore, it's too late for you to regret it now. Anyway, I've fallen for you, and you can't escape me in this lifetime." As she spoke, she shifted and sat on Ouyang Yiming's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his. They kissed again… After a while, they separated, and Liu Yan said, "Don't mention our families anymore. I was worried your family wouldn't accept me. Your family are all intellectuals; they probably wouldn't look down on a woman like me who only has a vocational school diploma." Ouyang Yiming's heart sank again. He thought, "My parents really don't like the children of school cadres; they prefer diligent students. In their hearts, there's only knowledge, and they only hope their students will be learned and accomplished." As for whether they would like a cadre's daughter like Liu Yan as their daughter-in-law, his parents hadn't discussed that with him. But he figured they definitely wanted him to find a wife who was also a university graduate.

Ouyang Yiming said, "My parents probably feel your family is too high up for them." Liu Yan said, "Don't worry, my parents are very open-minded. I left home at fifteen, and I don't really understand the privileges of our family. I feel like I'm just like any other nurse, nothing special. You shouldn't think that way either. As for whether they'll have any opinions, don't worry, I'll handle their concerns. As long as your family—and most importantly, you can accept me, and you genuinely like me—that's enough. Don't worry about anything else." Ouyang Yiming said, "Of course I'm sincere towards you. Sigh, never mind, it would be perfect if you hadn't grown up in that family." Liu Yan laughed and said, "Silly girl, if I hadn't been born into that kind of family, I wouldn't have been able to join the army and come here, and I might even have met you! For that alone, I should be grateful to my parents."

Ouyang Yiming chuckled twice and said, "That's right, this marriage might really be arranged by heaven, otherwise how could we have met and fallen in love?" Liu Yan nodded and said, "It was destined in our past lives. In this life, you are meant to be yours, and I am meant to enter your Ouyang family." Ouyang Yiming said, "It seems like it was destined in the dark."

He thought of Xu Hui and wondered, "I've been with her for three years, and although we both know we're interested in each other, why haven't we ever talked about this? Why haven't I ever felt the same emotions I had when I first saw Liu Yan?"

Liu Yan said, "I can never leave you in this life, and you can't get rid of me either. I'll stick to you even if I have to." She laughed after saying that. Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat, and their lips met again... During this passionate kiss, Ouyang Yiming thought of what he had done with that woman in the movie theater, then of what Jin Ling and Liang Chao had done, and then of what Fan Xurui had said. A tremor ran through him. Holding and kissing such a beautiful woman, feeling Liu Yan's full breasts pressed tightly against his chest, a different kind of alluring excitement rose within him. He had the urge to reach out and touch those tempting soft bodies pressed against his own, but ultimately he lacked the courage. So he held Liu Yan's body tightly, wanting to press those breasts even closer to his chest, hoping to satisfy his unfulfilled desires.

Liu Yan felt breathless and struggled, saying, "Just strangle me!" Ouyang Yiming didn't speak, his fiery eyes fixed on Liu Yan for a moment before he pressed his lips to hers, quickly taking her tongue into his mouth.

Liu Yan sensed Ouyang Yiming's unusual behavior and also felt a hard object pressing against her groin.

Liu Yan shuddered instantly, realizing what the hard object was. Panicked, she quickly pulled away from Ouyang Yiming's mouth, loosened her arms from his neck, and stood up, blushing. Calming herself, she said, "Let's go for a walk." Ouyang Yiming looked at her reluctantly. Liu Yan said, "Get up." She bent down and reached out to pull him up, saying,

"I'm tired after sitting for a while. I need to go back after a short walk. Jinling is alone in the room, and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to go back late. She'll definitely be anxiously waiting for the message I brought from my aunt." Ouyang Yiming nodded.

The two helped each other tidy up their clothes and went out hand in hand. After taking only two steps, Liu Yan felt that her crotch was wet.

Love and Desire (15)

Chapter Thirteen

After Liu Yan returned to the dormitory, she saw that Jinling was still awake. She poured a glass of water and drank it, looking at Jinling and asking, "Did Xiao Zhao bring you dinner? I told her this afternoon." Jinling nodded. When Liu Yan sat down on the edge of the bed, she felt that her underwear was still wet and very uncomfortable. She wanted to change it quickly but was afraid that Jinling would become suspicious. Then she heard Jinling ask, "Did your aunt say there was any difficulty?"

Liu Yan stood up with her teacup and told Jinling what she had said at her aunt's house that afternoon. With tears in her eyes, Jinling said, "Liu Yan, you and your aunt are the greatest benefactors of my life. This is from the bottom of my heart. Otherwise, if the hospital had decided to transfer me back home, I really wouldn't have been able to face my family. If I transferred so hastily, not only would my family have suspected me, but I wouldn't have had time to find a better job. Besides, I've already told my parents I don't want to go back to my hometown. I originally planned to stay here for the rest of my life, but now that's impossible. To be honest, I really can't bear to leave this hospital and this city. I came here when I was a teenager, and I have a deep affection for it."

Liu Yan said, "Yes, how could you not have feelings for it? But it's great that you were able to transfer to Hangzhou this time." Jinling said, "I wouldn't even dare to think about it if it weren't for you. It's all because you saved me." Liu Yan said, "Don't say such things. It's fate that we met when we were teenagers. I estimate your career will be almost settled this week. I told my aunt that it will be soon." "Just a little bit, a little bit faster. Your aunt understands your situation and says she'll start working on it for you as soon as she gets to work tomorrow." Jinling said with tears of gratitude in her eyes, "I feel like every day is a year." Liu Yan said, "I can't tell."

Jinling lowered her head and thought for a moment, then said, "I don't know how the hospital will handle Liang Chao." Liu Yan said, "You don't need to worry about him. He's a soldier, and it's time for him to retire this year. He'll retire sooner or later. Besides, he's a man, what else can he do? His case should be resolved in the next couple of days."

As she spoke, she put down her teacup, still feeling uncomfortable about the dampness in her crotch. Blushing, she went over and picked up the basin, saying, "I'm going to wash a couple of clothes." As she spoke, she took off her clothes, her face flushing again, and said, "I might as well wash my underwear and bra too." After saying that, she took clean underwear and bra from the inside of the bed, took off her bra and underwear and threw them into the basin, changed, picked up the basin, and went out.

While doing the laundry, the thought of Ouyang Yiming's hard penis when he held her tightly made her heart pound again. She picked up her underwear and examined it closely, finding it wet. She wondered why so much fluid was leaking from her genitals. She thought to herself, "It's really strange how men and women are together. Didn't I feel out of control then too? How much more so for a man like Ouyang Yiming?" She was thankful she had managed to control herself in time, otherwise, something might have happened if she had relaxed even slightly. Thinking about how she already had this kind of reaction so early in her relationship, it was no wonder Jin Ling had done what she did after dating Liang Chao for so long. She wondered what it must feel like to do *that* if kissing was such a wonderful feeling. Her heart pounded even harder. She blushed for a moment, then finished washing the clothes and went back to the room to air them. Sitting on the bed, she looked at the dazed Jin Ling and said, "Let's go to sleep." Jin Ling nodded. The two undressed and got into bed, and Liu Yan reached out and turned off the light.

Lying in bed, Liu Yan couldn't shake the unsettling images of her time with Ouyang Yiming, the lingering feeling of his hard member pressed against her crotch.

She thought, "So hard." Her face flushed, and she thought of Jin Ling and Liang Chao.

Before this incident, they would occasionally discuss this topic. Once, when they were talking about men, Liu Yan casually said, "Seeing how much pain women go through during childbirth and abortions in the OB-GYN, I can't imagine what it feels like when men and women do 'that'." Jin Ling blurted out, "It's an indescribably wonderful thing." Liu Yan was startled and asked, "Have you done it?" Jin Ling hesitated for a moment, then blushed and said, "No. I think it must be like that, otherwise, why would there be the saying, 'Joyful pregnancy, painful childbirth'? I guess it's like that too." Liu Yan said, "You must have done it." Jin Ling insisted she hadn't.

Thinking back now, Jinling said she and Liang Chao had been dating for over a year. They were only talking about this a few months ago, so Jinling must have already slept with Liang Chao back then. A tingling sensation ran through her, and she felt an urge to reach down to her genitals. She had touched that area before, and it always gave her a strange, tingling feeling. Just as her hand reached down, she heard Jinling sigh softly and turn over. Liu Yan was startled and pulled her hand back, her face burning, her heart pounding as she turned to look at Jinling.

The moonlight and streetlights streamed into the five-story building through the window, and after her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see clearly. Seeing Jinling lying on her side facing inwards, she knew she wasn't asleep. As she watched her with her eyes open, a question suddenly struck her: "What if I get pregnant? Aren't Jinling and Liang Chao afraid of getting pregnant?" She blurted out,

"Can't you sleep?" Jinling hummed in response, turning to face her and saying, "I can't sleep. You're not asleep either." Liu Yan said, "I've been thinking about something. Aren't you and Liang Chao afraid of getting pregnant?"

Jinling hadn't expected Liu Yan to ask that question, and blushed slightly. She thought to herself, given Liu Yan's attitude towards her now, what could she possibly hide from her? Liu Yan said, "No, it's not." She asked,

"Did Liang Chao use a condom?" Jin Ling replied, "He doesn't like wearing those. He used to, but he said it was uncomfortable. Later, he bought a contraceptive film from a pharmacy, and he's been using that ever since." Liu Yan became interested and asked, "How do you use it?" Jin Ling said, "It's a very thin film. You crumple it up and stuff it inside; it dissolves in a bit." Liu Yan's heart pounded as she asked, "Is it safe?" Jin Ling said, "It's safe. We've always used it."

Liu Yan suddenly found her earlier worry about Jin Ling getting pregnant amusing. With so many contraceptive methods available now, didn't they think of that? She was surprised to learn they had such a thing.

She said, "That's really good." She immediately regretted her words, blushing slightly. Then she heard Jin Ling say, "Actually, if it's not during ovulation, not using any methods won't cause any problems, but it's not entirely foolproof."

Liu Yan vaguely knew about this issue; she seemed to have read about it in some book. She asked, "When did you and Liang Chao start having these kinds of things?" Jin Ling said, "It happened not long after we started dating. Don't let Liang Chao's usual refined demeanor fool you; the first time, he was like a madman. Later, I couldn't control myself either. You know, men and women have these kinds of thoughts when they're hugging; it's involuntary. After the first time, the desire only intensifies."

Liu Yan thought to herself, "Of course, it's the thought that comes with hugging; men's reactions are faster and stronger."

Jin Ling continued, “These things are uncontrollable. Before, we were always in the woods outside the city wall near Taiping Gate. This was the only time we met at the hospital, and I never expected to be caught. I was worried about being seen at the hospital. After my shift ended, I saw him and we talked for a bit, and Liang Chao said no one would be around, so I agreed. Who would have thought there would be patrols? Sigh, I've been thinking about it repeatedly these past two days. It's all fate; you can't escape what's destined.”

Liu Yan sighed, “Yes, if it's meant to be this way, you can't avoid it.” She then asked, “Jin Ling, you're a cadre, are you really willing to marry a soldier?” Jin Ling said, “What kind of cadres are we? She's just a nurse in uniform. What's the big deal? I've considered it. The key is that I genuinely like Liang Chao. His parents are both tax officials, and Liang Chao will be assigned to the tax department after his discharge. In terms of family background, my father is just an armed forces cadre, and my mother is just a cultural bureau cadre—basically the same. In terms of appearance…” "Liang Chao is quite good-looking, and I feel he's a good match for me. We've never thought about who should go to whose hometown; we just wanted to wait until we got married and then find a way to get Liang Chao transferred here. I don't want to leave our hospital, but now there's no way around it; I have to leave my job. It's all thanks to you. I've been thinking about this these past two days, and it seems like it was all destined. It's my destiny to have you, my benefactor, helping me. Otherwise, how could we have gone to school together since we were teenagers, worked in the same department, and lived in the same dormitory for so many years? I think it's all been arranged by fate. I should leave this hospital, and I should marry Liang Chao. If I was worried before that it wouldn't be easy for Liang Chao to transfer here, then transferring him from Xiaoshan to Hangzhou shouldn't be a problem. Xiaoshan is under Hangzhou's jurisdiction, and it's very close. With his parents' connections, it shouldn't be an issue. Isn't this fate?" Liu Yan said, "Yes, it really seems like everything was arranged."

Suddenly, she thought about where she and Ouyang Yiming would live in the future. Her heart tightened, wondering if Ouyang Yiming would be assigned to work in this city. If Jinling hadn't brought up her and Liang Chao's situation today, she wouldn't have even considered this question. So she planned to ask Ouyang Yiming if it was possible for him to be assigned to this city. But then she realized she was overthinking it. Even if Ouyang Yiming wasn't assigned here, with her parents' and aunt's/uncle's connections, transferring him here would be a piece of cake!

She thought it would be best if Ouyang Yiming could be assigned here, though of course, her aunt would have to pull some strings. Even if the school didn't initially assign him here, her aunt and uncle's connections could find a way to keep him. She felt excited, feeling much better off than Jinling, at least she didn't have to rely on connections outside her family. But this excitement vanished quickly. She thought about the difference in social standing between her family and Ouyang Yiming's. Would her parents and aunt accept Ouyang Yiming? If not, would her aunt still help her with Ouyang Yiming's situation? This made her feel a little guilty. But she quickly regained her confidence. Ouyang Yiming was such an outstanding person; how could he be unworthy of her, in terms of looks or academics? Once they met Ouyang Yiming and learned about his situation, they would definitely agree. She became excited again.

The two were silent for a moment, then Jinling spoke up again: "Liu Yan, have you really not found anyone you like?" Liu Yan said, "It's not that I don't like anyone, it's just that I haven't met the right person." Jinling said, "You're right. A family like yours won't easily settle for just anyone. I think you and your family would also hope that you can find someone of equal social standing."

Liu Yan was a little alarmed. Had Jinling also been considering this issue while she was just thinking about it? Liu Yan said, "I don't care about social status. My wish is to live with whoever I like. The concept of social status doesn't seem to have crossed my mind." Jin Ling asked, "If you found a partner from an ordinary family, would your family agree?" Liu Yan said, "I'm looking for a partner because I want to spend my life with him, not because my family wants to spend their lives with him. What reason do they have to disagree? Besides, I've been away from home for so many years, and I haven't enjoyed any of the privileges of being the child of a high-ranking official. I'm just an ordinary nurse like you." Jin Ling said, "That's true. As long as you like someone and love them, you shouldn't care about others." She paused and said, "I think that patient Ouyang in the ward might be interested in you."

Liu Yan was startled again and asked, "Really? How did you figure that out?" Jin Ling "You can tell from their eyes and expressions," Jin Ling said. Liu Yan asked, "Are people in the ward saying that?"

Jin Ling replied, "Some people have, but it was just a joke. They also said you seem to have feelings for Ouyang. To be honest, I can tell you do too." Liu Yan asked, "How did you figure that out? Did you see me often going to the place where he reads?" Jin Ling said, "Exactly. But I think you two are a really good match. Ouyang Yiming is a rare talent; his looks, height, and temperament are all excellent. He studies very hard and seems like a very ambitious person. If you don't consider your family background, you two are a perfect match. But I don't know what his parents do. If they are also high-ranking officials, then you two are truly a match made in heaven."

Liu Yan didn't want to talk about her relationship with Ouyang Yiming right now. She smiled and said, "Who knows what his parents do? I haven't sensed any interest in him. But to be honest, I really do like him. He's good-looking, has a great demeanor, and most importantly, I admire his studies. If we're meant to be, I'll wait for him to express his feelings." Jinling said, "If you're interested in him, why don't you tell him?" Liu Yan said, "That would be too embarrassing." She felt a little embarrassed at that moment, since she was the one who had expressed her feelings. Jin Ling said, "You're so confident. That's a unique trait of you high-ranking officials' children."

Liu Yan laughed and said, "Aren't we all the same even if we're not high-ranking officials' children? Did you confess to Liang Chao?" Jin Ling said, "No, it was Liang Chao who confessed to me." Liu Yan said, "That makes sense. These things are usually confessed to by men." Jin Ling said, "If I were you, I would confess to Ouyang. Sometimes you can miss your chance. If he's discharged from the hospital in a couple of days, you won't have a chance to confess." Liu Yan smiled and asked, "So you're saying I have to confess my feelings to him tomorrow? Otherwise, I'll regret it, right?" Jin Ling said, "If you really don't care about him, then it's hard to say. If you really care, then confess quickly." Liu Yan chuckled twice and said, "I'll wait. If he cares about me, he'll come back to confess even if he goes back to school." After saying that, she thought to herself, "I'm saying this now, but I haven't been patient enough."

"Go to sleep," Liu Yan said. "If we're truly destined to be together, we'll be together." Jin Ling said, "I feel you two are already quite destined. If he didn't have this illness, he wouldn't have been hospitalized in our ward. If you only came back during your vacation, you would have missed the chance to meet him. Even if you had a full vacation and could only see Ouyang Yiming for two days, you wouldn't have had so many days to get to know him. I think you two are especially destined." Liu Yan smiled and said, "I won't say anymore. If we're truly destined, it's fate. Go to sleep." She was secretly overjoyed; she had thought about all these things.

That night, Liu Yan had a dream. In the dream, Ouyang Yiming and she were lying naked on a bed, embracing and kissing. Ouyang Yiming's erection was pressed tightly against her body.

She heard Ouyang Yiming say he was going to do *that*, and she was afraid. She said that someone would see them, and she would be as shameful as Jin Ling. Ouyang Yiming said, "How could that be? Jin Ling and the others are outside, we're inside, no one will see." Liu Yan was very scared, but she just didn't want to. Ouyang Yiming panicked and reached out to touch her genitals. She refused. Suddenly, the room transformed into the tree beneath her.

She jumped up and said, "Didn't you say we were inside? How come we're under the tree?" Ouyang Yiming replied, "This is inside." He then tried to pull Liu Yan down to lie down again, wanting to do "that" again, but she refused. Ouyang Yiming's hand touched her genitals, and he inserted a finger, feeling an unusual pleasure, causing her to groan involuntarily. She suddenly thought of Jin Ling, her face flushed with embarrassment, panting heavily as she tried to grab Ouyang Yiming's hand, but she couldn't pull it away. Ouyang Yiming suddenly stood up, looking very angry, and asked her why she wouldn't let him. She said she was afraid. Ouyang Yiming didn't speak and turned to leave. Liu Yan called out to him, but Ouyang Yiming didn't turn around and disappeared in an instant. She sat there, tears streaming down her face, calling out to him loudly… Liu Yan woke up. Opening her eyes, she stared blankly at the ceiling, her mind still filled with fear of Ouyang Yiming's departure. Suddenly, she felt a finger touching her lower body. Startled, she realized that her lower body was already wet. She thought to herself: Damn it, how could this happen? She had just changed her underwear before going to bed. She wanted to change again, but then she thought about what Jinling would think if she washed these underwear and Jinling saw them. She reached for the toilet paper on the bedside table, tore off some, and secretly folded it to put under her. Thinking about the scene in her dream, her heart pounded wildly. It turned out that she had seen her own hand on her lower body in her dream

. Suddenly, she remembered that in several of her dreams, Ouyang Yiming turned away and walked away. When she went to call him, he would not turn his head back. Her heart trembled and sank. What did this dream mean? The next morning, during rounds, Ouyang Yiming saw the expert leading a group of military doctors and nurses into the ward. The expert was over fifty years old, fair-skinned and plump. After entering the room, he looked at Ouyang Yiming with a smile. Ouyang Yiming hurriedly sat up from his stool and said, "Director, I haven't seen you for several days." The expert said, "I just got back last night. Please sit down." Ouyang Yiming was too embarrassed to sit down and stood in front of the expert, towering over him. The expert had no choice but to look up at him and asked with a smile, "How are you feeling, young man?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm all better now." The expert smiled and said, "Whether you're better or not is up to us to decide." Ouyang Yiming scratched his head sheepishly. The expert said, "I went to Beijing for a few days specifically for your kind of illness. Currently, there are five other cases in this city, and more than thirty cases have been found nationwide. You're the first one." As he spoke, he raised his hand and extended a chubby finger, continuing, "It's all because of that canned food. Now, governments at all levels are paying close attention." The attending military doctor said, "It's fortunate that you met our director. You're also lucky; you're sure to have good fortune in the future." Everyone laughed. The expert smiled and said, "You're quite lucky too, the first case. The Ministry of Health has even recorded the name Ouyang Yiming." Everyone laughed again. Ouyang Yiming blushed and lowered his head, grinning foolishly. The specialist took the medical record from the attending medic, glanced at it, and instructed, "He's recovering well. Give him another comprehensive examination." The medic agreed. Ouyang Yiming asked, "Director, when can I be discharged?" The specialist said, "If the examination shows no problems, you can be discharged." He patted Ouyang Yiming's shoulder and asked, "Are you in a hurry?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I feel great." The head nurse smiled and said to the specialist, "This child is thinking about his studies. He spends all his time reading except for treatment." Ouyang Yiming blushed and whispered, "I've missed a lot of classes." The specialist laughed and said, "Good, I admire diligent students like you the most. It's a pity you're not studying medicine. If you were, I really would like to take you as my student." Ouyang Yiming said thank you shyly. The expert said, "Don't rush. Because your illness is special, we all need to be cautious. Let's check it out and see what happens. If there are no problems, you can be discharged." Ouyang Yiming said, "Thank you, Director. I'll listen to you." The expert smiled and said, "At school, you listen to your teachers. Here, you must listen to me." Ouyang Yiming underwent many tests that morning. Thinking about being discharged and leaving Liu Yan soon, he felt a heavy weight in his heart. He especially wanted to see Liu Yan. Last night, Liu Yan told him she was working the middle shift today and wouldn't be able to relieve him until 4 PM. Ouyang Yiming felt anxious and uneasy. He hadn't slept well after returning home last night. He recalled his date with Liu Yan and felt excited for a while, but then he remembered that Liu Yan was the child of a high-ranking official, and his heart became uneasy again. He hadn't expected Liu Yan to be the child of a high-ranking official. He had been shocked when he first heard that her aunt was a high-ranking military officer, but then he realized that she was her aunt, and he hadn't expected that Liu Yan's parents were also high-ranking military officers. He hadn't seen a trace of the arrogance often associated with children of high-ranking officials in Liu Yan. He had assumed her parents were just intellectuals or ordinary cadres. For days, Liu Yan hadn't asked about his family, and he felt awkward in inquiring about hers. Besides, this was only their second date; he hadn't felt comfortable asking such questions during their first expression of affection. If Liu Yan hadn't mentioned being a recruit from within the military, he wouldn't have even considered asking about his parents. The thought of his family trying to claim kinship with someone from a high-ranking cadre's family made him uneasy. Would her family accept him? Although Liu Yan said some things, he took them as comforting words. He didn't want anything from their family. He was ambitious; he wanted to become a highly successful scientist in the chemical industry. He didn't want to rely on external connections. For someone aspiring to scholarship, there was no need to depend on a family like Liu Yan's; he would rely on his own efforts. He had never considered a political career, which was related to his parents. His parents had no interest in politics, and he had never thought about it. He admired learned scientists, not politicians. He knew that parents from a family like Liu Yan's wouldn't disregard social status. Perhaps some parents were more open-minded, but who could know if Liu Yan's parents were like that? What would the final outcome be? He was now genuinely worried about Liu Yan's family. He tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep well. In the afternoon, Liu Yan came to the room where he was reading. As soon as they met, Ouyang Yiming told her about the expert's words and the examination results from that morning. Liu Yan also seemed a little uneasy, a vague sense of unease settling in her heart. She said, "I was hoping you'd be discharged soon and return to school. But knowing you're leaving so soon still leaves a bad taste in my mouth." She shook her head and said, "I've gotten used to being together so many days." After thinking for a moment, she looked up and smiled at Ouyang Yiming, saying, "You'll be discharged sooner or later. That's good, you can't let your studies be delayed any longer." Ouyang Yiming said, "Actually, sometimes I'm really anxious, I just want to get back to school as soon as possible. But the thought of leaving you makes me feel bad." Liu Yan smiled and said, "It's not like we're that far apart, we're in the same city." Ouyang Yiming nodded. Liu Yan said, "Some of the test results from today won't be available until tomorrow, so if you're discharged, it'll be at least the day after tomorrow. We can still spend two more days together." Ouyang Yiming gave a wry smile. Liu Yan said, "I went to my aunt's again this morning. Jinling's matter is settled; my aunt has started processing her transfer." Ouyang Yiming said, "Starting now will make it quick." Liu Yan said, "Some procedures have to be completed one by one, and it takes time. I told my aunt this morning to try to speed things up. Jinling is really suffering these days; she doesn't even dare to leave her room. I estimate it will be completed in the next few days." Ouyang Yiming said, "That's good. I can imagine how she feels. I don't really want to comfort her. Jinling is a good person, I..." Liu Yan said, "Why would you comfort her? If you go to see her, she'll be even more embarrassed. You can't really come into our nurses' building." Ouyang Yiming said, "I didn't intend to see her. I meant for you to pass on a message or something." Liu Yan said, "I'm not going to pass on a message for you. If I pass on a message, Jinling won't even know what our relationship is." After thinking for a moment, she smiled and asked, "Guess what Jinling said last night?" Ouyang Yiming shook his head. Liu Yan laughed and said, "She said she could tell you were interested in me."

Liu Yan laughed and said, "Aren't all children of high-ranking officials the same? Did you confess to Liang Chao?" Jin Ling said, "No, it was Liang Chao who confessed to me." Liu Yan said, "That makes sense. These things are usually confessed to by men." Jin Ling said, "If I were you, I would confess to Ouyang. Sometimes you can miss your chance. If he's discharged from the hospital in a couple of days, you won't have a chance to confess." Liu Yan smiled and asked, "So you're saying I have to confess my feelings to him tomorrow? Otherwise, I'll regret it, right?" Jin Ling said, "If you really don't care about him, then it's hard to say. But if you really care, then confess quickly." Liu Yan chuckled twice and said, "I'll wait. If he cares about me, he'll come back to confess even if he goes back to school." After saying that, she thought to herself, "I'm saying this now, but I haven't been patient enough."

"Go to sleep," Liu Yan said. "If we're truly destined to be together, we'll be together." Jin Ling said, "I feel you two are already quite destined. If he didn't have this illness, he wouldn't have been hospitalized in our ward. If you only came back during your vacation, you would have missed the chance to meet him. Even if you had a full vacation and could only see Ouyang Yiming for two days, you wouldn't have had so many days to get to know him. I think you two are especially destined." Liu Yan smiled and said, "I won't say anymore. If we're truly destined, it's fate. Go to sleep." She was secretly overjoyed; she had thought about all these things.

That night, Liu Yan had a dream. In the dream, Ouyang Yiming and she were lying naked on a bed, embracing and kissing. Ouyang Yiming's erection was pressed tightly against her body.

She heard Ouyang Yiming say he was going to do *that*, and she was afraid. She said that someone would see them, and she would be as shameful as Jin Ling. Ouyang Yiming said, "How could that be? Jin Ling and the others are outside, we're inside, no one will see." Liu Yan was very scared, but she just didn't want to. Ouyang Yiming grew impatient and reached for her genitals. She resisted. Suddenly, the room transformed into the tree.

She jumped up, exclaiming, "Didn't you say we were inside? How come we're under the tree?" Ouyang Yiming replied, "This is the room." He then tried to pull Liu Yan down, intending to do "that" again, but she refused. Ouyang Yiming's hand reached her genitals, inserting a finger, and she felt an unusual pleasure, involuntarily moaning. She suddenly thought of Jin Ling, blushing and panting, trying to grab Ouyang Yiming's hand, but couldn't pull it away. Ouyang Yiming suddenly stood up, looking angry, and asked her why she wouldn't let him. She said she was afraid. Ouyang Yiming didn't speak, turned, and left. Liu Yan called after him, but Ouyang Yiming didn't turn around and vanished in an instant. She sat there, weeping, calling out to him loudly… Liu Yan woke up. She opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling, still terrified by Ouyang Yiming's departure. Suddenly, she felt a finger touching her lower body, and her heart skipped a beat. She realized that her lower body was already wet. She thought to herself: Damn it, how could this happen? She had just changed her underwear before going to bed. She wanted to change again, but then she thought about what Jinling would think if she washed these underwear and Jinling saw them. She reached for the toilet paper on the bedside table, tore off some, and secretly folded it to put under her.

Thinking about the scene in her dream, her heart pounded wildly. It turned out that she had seen her own hand on her lower body in her dream. Suddenly, she remembered that in several of her dreams, Ouyang Yiming turned away and walked away. When she went to call him, he would not turn his head back. Her heart trembled and sank. What did this dream mean?

The

next

morning, during rounds, Ouyang Yiming saw the experts leading a group of military doctors and nurses into the ward. The expert, a plump man in his fifties, entered the room and greeted Ouyang Yiming with a smile. Ouyang Yiming hurriedly sat up, saying, "Director, I haven't seen you for days." The expert replied, "I just got back last night. Please sit down." Ouyang Yiming felt awkward sitting and stood in front of the expert, towering over him. The expert had no choice but to look up at him, smiling as he asked, "How are you feeling, young man?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm all better now." The expert laughed and said,

"Whether you're better or not is up to us to decide." Ouyang Yiming scratched his head sheepishly.

The expert said, "I went to Beijing for a few days specifically for your condition. Currently, there are five other cases in this city, and more than thirty cases have been found nationwide. You're the first."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and extended a plump finger, continuing, "It's all because of that canned food. Now, governments at all levels are taking it very seriously." The attending military doctor said, "It's fortunate you met our director. You're lucky; you're sure to have good fortune in the future." Everyone laughed. The expert chuckled, "You're quite lucky, the first case. The Ministry of Health has even recorded Ouyang Yiming's name." Everyone laughed again. Ouyang Yiming blushed, lowered his head, and grinned sheepishly.

The expert took the medical record from the attending physician, glanced at it, and instructed, "He's recovering well. Give him another comprehensive examination." The attending physician agreed. Ouyang Yiming asked, "Director, when can I be discharged?" The expert said, "If the examination shows no problems, you can be discharged." He patted Ouyang Yiming's shoulder and asked, "Are you in a hurry?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I feel great." The head nurse smiled and said to the expert, "This child is thinking about his studies. He spends all his time reading except for treatment." Ouyang Yiming blushed and whispered, "I've missed a lot of classes."

The expert laughed heartily and said, "Good, I admire diligent students like you the most. It's a pity you're not studying medicine; if you were, I really would like to take you as a student." Ouyang Yiming said thank you shyly. The expert said, "Don't rush. Because your illness is special, we all need to be cautious. Let's check it out and see what happens. If there are no problems, you can be discharged."

Ouyang Yiming said, "Thank you, Director. I'll listen to you." The expert smiled and said, "At school, you listen to your teachers. Here, you must listen to me."

Ouyang Yiming underwent many tests that morning. Thinking about being discharged and leaving Liu Yan soon, he felt a heavy weight in his heart. He especially wanted to see Liu Yan. Last night, Liu Yan told him she was working the middle shift today and wouldn't be able to relieve him until 4 PM. Ouyang Yiming felt anxious and uneasy.

He hadn't slept well after returning home last night. He recalled his date with Liu Yan and felt excited for a while, but then he remembered that Liu Yan was the child of a high-ranking official, and his heart became uneasy again. He hadn't expected Liu Yan to be the child of a high-ranking official. He had been shocked when he first heard that her aunt was a high-ranking military officer, but then he realized that she was her aunt, and he hadn't expected that Liu Yan's parents were also high-ranking military officers. He hadn't seen a trace of the arrogance often associated with children of high-ranking officials in Liu Yan. He had assumed her parents were just intellectuals or ordinary cadres.

For days, Liu Yan hadn't asked about his family, and he felt awkward in inquiring about hers. Besides, this was only their second date; he hadn't felt comfortable asking such questions during their first expression of affection. If Liu Yan hadn't mentioned being a recruit from within the military, he wouldn't have even considered asking about his parents. The thought of his family trying to claim kinship with someone from a high-ranking cadre's family made him uneasy. Would her family accept him? Although Liu Yan said some things, he took them as comforting words.

He didn't want anything from their family. He was ambitious; he wanted to become a highly successful scientist in the chemical industry. He didn't want to rely on external connections. For someone aspiring to scholarship, there was no need to depend on a family like Liu Yan's; he would rely on his own efforts. He had never considered a political career, which was related to his parents. His parents had no interest in politics, and he had never thought about it. He admired learned scientists, not politicians. He knew that parents from families like Liu Yan's wouldn't disregard social status. Perhaps some parents were more open-minded, but who could know if Liu Yan's parents were like that? What would the final outcome be? He was genuinely worried about Liu Yan's family. He tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. That

afternoon, Liu Yan came to his room where he was reading. As soon as they met, Ouyang Yiming told her about the expert's words and the examination results from that morning. Liu Yan also seemed uneasy, feeling a vague tightness in her chest. She said, "I was hoping you'd be discharged soon and return to school. Knowing you're leaving so soon still makes me feel uneasy." She shook her head and said, "I've gotten used to being together so many days."

After thinking for a moment, she looked up and smiled at Ouyang Yiming, saying, "You'll be discharged sooner or later. That's good, we can't let this delay your studies any longer." Ouyang Yiming said, "Actually, sometimes I'm really anxious, I just want to get back to school as soon as possible. But the thought of leaving you makes me feel bad." Liu Yan smiled and said, "It's not like we're that far apart, we're in the same city." Ouyang Yiming nodded. Liu Yan said,

"Some of the test results from today won't be available until tomorrow, so if you're discharged, it'll be at least the day after tomorrow. We can still spend two more days together." Ouyang Yiming smiled wryly.

Liu Yan said, "I went to my aunt's again this morning. Jinling's matter is settled; my aunt has started processing her transfer." Ouyang Yiming said, "Starting now will make it quick." Liu Yan said, "Some procedures have to be completed one by one, and it takes time. I told my aunt this morning to try to speed things up. Jinling is really suffering these days; she doesn't even dare to leave her room. I estimate it will be completed in the next few days." Ouyang Yiming said, "That's good. I can imagine how she feels. I don't really want to comfort her. Jinling is a good person, I..." Liu Yan said, "Why would you comfort her? If you go to see her, she'll be even more embarrassed. You can't really come into our nurses' building." Ouyang Yiming said, "I didn't intend to see her. I meant for you to pass on a message or something." Liu Yan said, "I'm not going to pass on a message for you. If I pass on a message, Jinling won't even know what our relationship is." After thinking for a moment, she smiled and asked,

"Guess what Jinling said last night?" Ouyang Yiming shook his head. Liu Yan laughed and said, "She said she could tell you're interested in me."

Ouyang Yiming's eyes widened. "Really? I didn't show anything to her." Liu Yan laughed and said, "You probably already had a plan for me, otherwise how would she have figured it out? I'm just stupid, I didn't see it, otherwise I wouldn't have told you." Ouyang Yiming chuckled. Liu Yan looked at him and scolded, "You silly boy, look how smug you are." Ouyang Yiming laughed again when she called him silly.

Liu Yan couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Jinling even said I'm too pretty, and you're not good enough for me." Ouyang Yiming laughed and said, "She noticed that too? But she wasn't sure. It's this pretty nurse who really likes me! She said I'm not good enough for her, but she's the one who proposed to me!" Liu Yan blushed, raised her hand and slapped him, saying, "You rascal! Who proposed to you? Nobody can prove I told you that day. You're the one who proposed. I'll say that everywhere I go, and I'll say it again in the future." Ouyang Yiming chuckled and said, "Whatever. Proposing isn't shameful for a man." He stopped laughing and asked, "Did you tell Jinling about our relationship?" Liu Yan shook her head and said, "No, I won't tell anyone right now." She

paused, glanced at him, and said, "To be honest, Jinling also said I'm interested in you, probably because I come here often."

Ouyang Yiming... He chuckled and said, "Jinling was spot on this time." Liu Yan laughed and said, "You're getting more and more smug. But I think it's not just Jinling who might notice something; the other nurses probably will too. Who cares? I'm doing this openly and honestly. I'm not afraid of what people will say, and it's not shameful. Maybe they're even envious of me." Ouyang Yiming said, "I love hearing that. They'll definitely envy you. What a dashing young man I am!" Liu Yan giggled and stood up, saying, "Alright, dashing, everyone likes you. If you keep staying like this, all the girls in our ward will get lovesick. I'm not talking to you anymore. Be smug here. I'm going to work." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "Go ahead and do your job well." Liu Yan pointed at his forehead and said, "You're getting more and more cheeky." Then she laughed and went out the door.

After Liu Yan left, Ouyang Yiming felt a surge of excitement, thinking how happy he always was with her. But then the thought of leaving her soon and being discharged from the hospital weighed heavily on his mind.

After dinner, Ouyang Yiming continued reading in the same room. A while later, Liu Yan came over and said, "There's not much to do now. Not many patients are being treated. I'll have Xiao Zhao keep an eye on things. Since you're about to be discharged, I'll spend more time talking to you. Don't you mind if I interrupt your studies?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I wouldn't mind with others, but not with you." Liu Yan laughed and said, "You wouldn't mind either." They both laughed.

Liu Yan sat down and said, "We'll decide whether you need to be discharged tomorrow based on the results. Judging from your current condition, there shouldn't be any problems. You have a good constitution; you're recovering quite quickly." Ouyang Yiming said, "It's also related to my mood. I remember the first time I met you, you said that a good mood helps you recover faster. Being with you makes me happy, how could I not recover quickly?" Liu Yan said, "I love hearing that. Your rapid recovery has a lot to do with me. The power of love is boundless, isn't it?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, that's so true. I guess the first person to say that must have said it sincerely after receiving love."

Liu Yan said, "Just now at dinner, I heard that Liang Chao's case seems to have a result. I don't know if it's true. I didn't dare tell Jinling when I brought her lunch." Ouyang Yiming asked:

"What will they do?" Liu Yan said, "I heard they'll be discharged from the military and sent home." Ouyang Yiming's heart skipped a beat. "Sent home? Is that a serious punishment?" Liu Yan said, "It's quite severe. Of course, it's not a big deal for a soldier, but it will be recorded in his file; it's a stain. But then again, Jinling and Liang Chao are in love, and besides, with Jinling transferred to Hangzhou, they can openly be together. Liang Chao won't lose face too much. It might have a slight impact when he's assigned a job back home. But from what Jinling said..." "They say Liang Chao's parents are both tax bureau officials, so it shouldn't be a big problem for him to go back

to their hometown," Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "That makes sense." Liu Yan said, "I heard they're going to be sent away in a couple of days, but I don't know if it's true, and I don't want to find out. Jin Ling just asked if there's any news about Liang Chao, but I didn't say anything. I can't really find out too much about it, and I can't ask my aunt for any help. Of course, a soldier should be dealt with more severely. Never mind, let's not talk about them. Everyone will know if they're really going to be sent away in a couple of days." Ouyang Yiming nodded. Liu

Yan suddenly thought of her dream last night, lowered her head, blushed for a moment, and frowned, saying, "I didn't sleep well at all last night." Ouyang Yiming said, "Were you thinking about me?" He then laughed. Liu Yan didn't laugh. She said, "It's true I miss you, but I keep having the same dream, and it's really bothering me." Seeing her serious expression, Ouyang Yiming's heart sank. He asked, "What kind of dream?" Liu Yan said, "I've had this dream several times. First, I dream that we're together and I'm very happy, but then you always get angry or leave me for some reason. I call you, but you don't answer and ignore me. I always wake up at this point." Ouyang Yiming felt strange and muttered to himself, "How could this be?" Liu Yan said, "I want to know why too, but I just can't figure it out. It seems to foreshadow something. I think people say dreams are the opposite of reality, but I still can't feel happy."

Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, dreams are the opposite of reality. I've heard people say that too. It means I'll always be with you and we'll never be apart. I think that's the meaning." She finished speaking with some excitement. Liu Yan said, "If only that were true. But I always have a feeling you're going to dump me." Ouyang Yiming retorted, "Look at you, it's just a dream. If this dream is the opposite of reality, then you should be the one dumping me."

As he finished speaking, a thought sank in his heart. Yes, he hadn't thought of that earlier; those words just slipped out. If dreams really are the opposite of reality, then this is exactly what it sounds like. Could this situation arise in the future because of social status? At that moment, his heart skipped a beat, and his face darkened.

Liu Yan said, "It's impossible for me to dump you. Absolutely impossible! Since I've fallen in love, I'll love you for life. To be honest, I don't want to hide it from you. I'm just worried that you'll get together with that campus beauty as soon as you go back to school. I know she's better than me; at least she's a college student. Don't people say that only those with equal education can have common ground? Besides, she really is very beautiful. I feel uneasy whenever I think about her." Ouyang Yiming said, "Don't worry about that. Now that we've entered into this relationship, I will never have a romantic relationship with anyone else. It's a matter of character; I don't think I would be so despicable." Liu Yan said, "But I always feel that she likes you." Ouyang Yiming said, "Even so, I'm dating you now; I wouldn't be two-timing you, would I?"

Liu Yan thought for a moment and said, "I believe you, but I can't help but worry. This kind of worry is hard to shake off." Ouyang Yiming said, "You don't need to worry about this. Do you think I can't handle my own affairs? Let me tell you about my worries too." Liu Yan said, "You'll definitely bring up my family again." Ouyang Yiming said, "That's it. I thought about it half the night after I got back, and to be honest, I'm really uneasy."

Liu Yan said, "I already told you about this last night, and I don't want to talk about it again. But I want you to believe me: don't have any more concerns about my family. I'll handle everything. It's not a problem at all. We love each other, why should we worry about my family? My affairs aren't my parents' business. Even if they have different opinions, I still have to make my own decisions. This isn't the era of arranged marriages; who can stop two people from loving each other? Besides, worrying about this is just asking for trouble. Think about it, you're not incompetent; you don't need everything from my family." "Whatever you do, you have your own abilities, and you rely on yourself. You're excellent in every way, so what reason do my parents have not to accept you?

I've told you before, my parents are very open-minded, so you don't need to worry about whether they'll agree or not."

Ouyang Yiming said, "I know what you mean, that even if they don't accept me, you'll still be with me. But then what about your relationship with your family..." Liu Yan interrupted, "They'll definitely agree. Don't say anymore, it's making me upset too. I've been thinking about what they can do for you in the future, and with you saying this, what can I say?" Ouyang Yiming frowned at her and asked, "What do I need their help with?" Liu Yan said, "Last night, I was chatting with Jin Ling, and we talked about Liang Chao's future job. She said she'd use Liang Chao's parents' connections to get him transferred to Hangzhou so they could live together. I thought about the two of us, do you think you could be assigned here?"

Ouyang Yiming was startled, realizing he hadn't really thought about this, but it was a real issue. So he told the truth, "I really hadn't thought about that." Liu Yan said, "It would be best if you could be assigned here. Last night, I initially thought that if you weren't assigned here, I would try to get my aunt and uncle to help transfer you here. But then I thought, wouldn't it be even better if you could be assigned here directly upon graduation? So I thought I'd have my aunt or uncle pull some strings to keep you here after you graduate." Ouyang Yiming said, "So you still have to rely on them? I'm afraid they'll look down on me even more." Liu Yan said somewhat angrily, "Isn't this all for my sake! If we were to marry and live apart, how could my life be any better?"

Hearing this, Ouyang Yiming suddenly remembered the woman he had met at the movie theater. Wasn't she the one who did that because her husband was away from home for so long? A chill ran down his spine at the thought. But he still didn't want Liu Yan's family to do anything for him.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "This is also a practical issue. Let's wait until graduation since we're not publicly acknowledging our relationship yet. There's still over a year until graduation. If we can really get assigned here, we won't have to beg anyone, and that would make me feel more at peace." Liu Yan said, "Of course, it would be best if we could get assigned here. I don't want them to do anything for you." Ouyang Yiming said, "The current university graduate placement system is being reformed. Tsinghua University and several other universities are already piloting it. Future university graduate placements may be coordinated with employers, which would give us the opportunity to apply for jobs in a particular city. Of course, it's still..." "I wonder if things will be like this when we graduate. If they are, and a company here accepts us, we can stay here."

Liu Yan said excitedly, "That would be wonderful!" Ouyang Yiming said, "But I'm also worried. What if, after this happens, someone else uses connections to stay here?"

Liu Yan thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, we'll have to use my aunt and uncle's connections. I don't want you to leave me. You're about to be discharged from the hospital, and we're still in the same city. I already feel bad. What if you're far away from me in the future? How can I live?" Her eyes reddened as she spoke. Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment and said, "We'll talk about it later. If necessary, we'll do it the way you suggested."

Liu Yan became excited and laughed, saying, "I knew you wouldn't disregard my feelings. Even if it's unfair to you, it's all for me, which shows that I'm important to you." Ouyang Yiming shook his head helplessly and said, "Isn't it all for the two of us? It seems that even the most aloof person needs connections for certain practical things."

Liu Yan said, "You're already enlightened that you can think of these things. You don't know until you've entered society. Take Jin Ling for example, without connections, she might have been ruined." "A lifetime. With a connection like my aunt's, things will take a turn for the better. In today's society, connections are everywhere. You'll understand this once you enter society."

Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "Actually, I understand these principles, but I just don't want your family to do anything for me. I'm afraid they'll look down on me. I've always had this worry." Liu Yan said, "I understand. But you also have to think about how this is for both of us. Ultimately, whatever my family does for you is for me. They wouldn't do anything for you without considering you; they'd only do it for me. Don't you think so?" Ouyang Yiming nodded.

Liu Yan looked at the ground and pondered for a moment before saying, "I have another idea." She looked up at him and asked, "Let me ask you first, what kind of organization do you want to work for in the future?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Of course, I most want to work for a research institution. I still hope to achieve something in scientific research in the future; that's my wish." Liu Yan asked, "Is there one here?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Of course." Liu Yan said, "If that's the case, I think it would be helpful to use my aunt and uncle's connections. I don't think it would be too difficult for them. This would also be very helpful for your career. Sometimes, if you want to achieve your goals, relying solely on yourself is often..." "It's impossible. We need someone to lend a hand."

Ouyang Yiming pondered for a moment and said, "Let's talk about it later. Don't reveal our relationship to your family right now. I'm still in school, and I don't want the school to know I'm in a relationship. Schools are still quite averse to student relationships. I have a good reputation at school, and I don't want them to say anything about me." Liu Yan laughed and said, "Do you think I dare disobey you? If you don't tell me now, I'll tell you when you ask me to. Do you think I'd dare say anything boastful in front of you? I'm definitely going to be stuck with you for life." As she spoke, she stood up and said, "I need to go to the ward to check on things."

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