Blooming Roses

Shao Tingyu lowered his gaze. Chen Zhe’s eyes flashed with surprise: “Are you overthinking? Anyone can see how much Mengmeng likes you.” Shao Tingyu’s voice deepened: “She’s been bringing up divorce recently.” He recounted the morning’s events. Chen Zhe quickly understood: “Dr. Shao, is this your first time in love?” Shao Tingyu was taken aback, then responded: “No, it’s my second time.” What did that have to do with his question? He didn’t understand. “I didn’t expect you to have a second time and still not understand Mengmeng’s intentions. Was your first love in vain?” Chen Zhe couldn’t resist mocking him. Shao Tingyu’s deep gaze flickered with surprise. Reflecting back to university, when he first experienced love, he didn’t quite understand what it meant either. His relationship with Dai Xinyan partly stemmed from their families being well-acquainted, and they shared many academic interests. Although Dai Xinyan graduated from medical school, she didn’t pursue medicine, instead taking over the family business as a corporate manager. The breakup was also due to the fact that after they started working, the couple had fewer topics to discuss, and the purpose of their interactions had faded. “What’s the point of a first love?” Chen Zhe shrugged. “There’s no point; it’s just for gaining experience. I didn’t expect you learned nothing about how to take care of a girlfriend’s emotions.” Shao Tingyu seemed somewhat confused. Chen Zhe’s lips curved into a slight smile, looking at Shao Tingyu with a hint of amusement. “Do you know that during the process of dating, if someone of the opposite sex approaches you with ill intentions, your wife will get jealous?” Shao Tingyu furrowed his brows. “I have no feelings for Dai Xinyan.” “But how can you be sure she doesn’t have ulterior motives for you?” Shao Tingyu was stunned. It was Dai Xinyan who initiated the breakup, and it was also her who came back to find him; he hadn’t thought much about it. Chen Zhe continued, “People aren’t made of iron, why wouldn’t they have extra emotions? Have you ever considered how you’d feel if Mengmeng was with another man?” Shao Tingyu pondered for a moment. “Mengmeng is very discreet; I’ve never seen her interact with other men.” “…” Suddenly, Chen Zhe didn’t feel like continuing the conversation. He reminded him with some impatience, “Think back to when we were on disaster relief, how you felt when you saw Mengmeng and me alone in the tent.” With that, Shao Tingyu recalled the situation at that time. He would inexplicably feel irritated. “Shao Tingyu, you’re so clueless about relationships, yet you have such a devoted wife by your side. You’re really lucky,” Chen Zhe sighed deeply, patting Shao Tingyu’s shoulder. “Believe me, if you and Lin Mengmeng ever get divorced, you’ll regret it. I’ve been there.” Shao Tingyu gave Chen Zhe, who was acting wise beyond his years, a silent look. “You’re just a year older than me.” Chen Zhe laughed dismissively, “But I have much more experience in love. Next time you’re confused, you can ask me, so you don’t upset your wife first.” Shao Tingyu: “…” After a brief chat, Shao Tingyu said goodbye to Chen Zhe and returned to Lin Mengmeng’s hospital room. At seven in the evening, Lin Mengmeng always watched a children’s program, a habit she retained from her time as a pediatrician. Back then, Lin Mengmeng had just entered society, still having a childlike disposition, and knew nothing about children. So, she found a program on child psychology and watched it religiously every night. At that time, she had already married Shao Tingyu, and they lived together. Initially, they were quite close; Shao Tingyu often watched the program with her. Now, Lin Mengmeng was absorbed in the program, habitually taking notes. Chapter Eighteen: I’ll Accompany You However, her hand started to feel numb after writing just a few words. Seeing Shao Tingyu approach, Lin Mengmeng felt both wronged and embarrassed. As his gaze drifted towards her notebook, she instinctively closed it and changed the subject, “Aren’t you on duty today?” “I’m off today.” Shao Tingyu, not giving up, answered while still looking at her with a scrutinizing expression. Lin Mengmeng was most afraid of that look from Shao Tingyu, and after only a few seconds of eye contact, she gave in, allowing him to take her notebook. “I remember you always carried this with you during the disaster relief.” “Yeah, it’s convenient for taking notes.” “You can use your phone for notes.” Lin Mengmeng felt awkward, “I’m not used to it.” Shao Tingyu glanced at her lightly, picked up the pen he always carried in his pocket, and started taking notes on the program’s content like Lin Mengmeng had. Even though neither spoke, the atmosphere wasn’t awkward. Lin Mengmeng watched in amazement as Shao Tingyu took notes for her, feeling a touch of emotion. He watched intently, his hand moving smoothly, his handwriting much neater than most doctors’ scribbles in the hospital. As the program ended, Shao Tingyu finished writing. He habitually capped the pen, returned it to his pocket, and handed the completed notebook back to Lin Mengmeng. “I’ve arranged for your discharge tomorrow. I’ll take you home.” Lin Mengmeng paused, taking the notebook. “Home to where?” Shao Tingyu looked at her with interest. “Which home do we have?” Lin Mengmeng’s expression froze; she had almost forgotten she was now alone. The only place she could go was the Hongqiao villa. She knew returning to work was out of the question, but being cared for by Shao Tingyu at home wasn’t the life she wanted. She said glumly, “What’s the difference between being at home for treatment and staying in the hospital?” Shao Tingyu understood her meaning; if she were to stay home indefinitely, not just Lin Mengmeng, even he wouldn’t want that. “Do you have anywhere you’d like to go?” “What?” Lin Mengmeng looked at Shao Tingyu with confusion. He continued, “If you have a place you want to go, we’ll book tickets tomorrow.” Lin Mengmeng was moved; regardless of Shao Tingyu’s feelings towards her now, she had to admit, she wanted to spend her remaining time with him. Holding back tears, Lin Mengmeng gently covered Shao Tingyu’s hand. “Tingyu, I want to go to Tokyo to see the cherry blossoms.” At that moment, it seemed as if both had set aside their barriers. Shao Tingyu’s gaze softened, “Okay, I’ll take a leave tomorrow. I’ll go with you.” Neither mentioned her illness, but both understood the situation. With no cure available, they could only do everything they wanted in the time left. So, the next day, Shao Tingyu applied for a leave of absence. The hospital director understood Lin Mengmeng’s situation and didn’t try to persuade him otherwise. Back at home, Lin Mengmeng relaxed on the sofa, smiling at Shao Tingyu, “I’m home, no more looking at the stark white walls or smelling the pungent disinfectant.” Hearing this, Shao Tingyu sniffed his own clothes, which still carried the scent of disinfectant from his work. “Then I’ll go change.” As he turned to leave, Lin Mengmeng grabbed his sleeve. Turning back, he saw her shy expression. “I mean, the hospital disinfectant smells bad, but yours… it smells nice.” After five years, she was used to it; his scent brought her comfort. Sometimes, when Shao Tingyu didn’t come home often, she would miss his smell. Chapter Nineteen: Let You Fall in Love with Me Shao Tingyu’s eyes flashed with a complex emotion as he bent down to lift Lin Mengmeng onto the sofa. “Then you watch TV for a while, I’ll go tidy up.” “Okay,” Lin Mengmeng responded with a smile, watching Shao Tingyu’s figure enter the bedroom, her breathing suddenly becoming rapid. Lin Mengmeng took a deep breath, struggling to pull out the medicine from her pocket, swallowing a few pills. Despite having undergone numerous treatments, the pain was still hard for her to bear. If Shao Tingyu had walked a bit slower, he would have seen her in such a disheveled state. By the time Shao Tingyu came out after tidying up, Lin Mengmeng had already recovered to her normal state. She casually turned on a romance channel and leaned lazily on the sofa. Seeing Shao Tingyu approach, she playfully asked, “Shao Tingyu, do you still consider yourself my husband?” Without hesitation, Shao Tingyu replied, “Yes.” Lin Mengmeng’s face immediately lit up with a smile: “Then could you come over and give me a massage?” Shao Tingyu hesitated, as he had never given a massage to anyone else, but now he found himself unable to refuse Lin Mengmeng’s request. “Okay.” He walked over and sat beside Lin Mengmeng, gently pressing on her. “Feeling better?” “Mm.” After taking the medicine, Lin Mengmeng felt completely drained, even lifting her eyes was difficult. The atmosphere was just turning cozy when a loud noise came from the TV. Lin Mengmeng glanced over to see a scene where a couple was arguing over a third party, the plot as melodramatic as it could get. With no work to do recently, Lin Mengmeng had become engrossed in watching such melodramas. It seemed that only watching TV could bring some comfort to her heart. Shao Tingyu followed her gaze, “You’ve been into these lately?” Lin Mengmeng smiled gently, “Is that not okay?” Shao Tingyu frowned uncomfortably, shifting his gaze back to Lin Mengmeng’s face, “You’ve changed a lot from before.” Lin Mengmeng’s eyes lowered slightly, “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying life while we can.” “Look at this drama, the heroine is about to die, but she arranges for the hero and the second female lead to be together, leaving quietly. There’s nothing wrong with such an ending.” “Don’t say that.” Shao Tingyu felt a sudden pang in his heart and turned off the TV. “You’ll live a better life than they do.” Lin Mengmeng’s breathing became heavier, and she turned to meet his deep gaze: “Will you always be by my side?” “I will,” Shao Tingyu answered firmly. Lin Mengmeng suddenly smiled, though it was a bitter smile, and after regaining some strength, she couldn’t help but embrace Shao Tingyu. “I also believe I’ll live a better life than them.” Shao Tingyu’s dark eyes deepened, unsure of what to say, but he did not push her away. That night, for the first time, they slept in the same bed. Outside, the wind and snow howled, large snowflakes sticking to the walls only to melt quickly. Lin Mengmeng watched, lost in thought, not feeling sleepy. Shao Tingyu, beside her, couldn’t help but pull the blanket more towards her. “Don’t catch a cold.” Lin Mengmeng, however, turned back, snuggling into Shao Tingyu’s embrace: “It’s not cold if you’re close to me.” Shao Tingyu looked surprised for a moment, his movements stiffening, and after a long hesitation, he placed his hand on Lin Mengmeng’s back. The silence continued. Lin Mengmeng couldn’t resist asking, “Do you think we are husband and wife now?” Shao Tingyu’s eyes darkened slightly, “Yes.” “Then can I ask you a question?” “What?” Lin Mengmeng took a breath, lowering her voice, “Shao Tingyu, why did you like Dai Xinyan before?” Shao Tingyu hadn’t expected Lin Mengmeng to bring up Dai Xinyan at this moment, his voice hoarse, “Why do you ask about her?” Lin Mengmeng tightened her grip on his chest, “I’m just curious about your past.” “We’ve been together for so long, I’ve never asked you. During this time, I hope we can become true spouses.” Shao Tingyu’s brows furrowed slightly, “I don’t know.” Chapter 20: Being Selfish Once Actually, he wanted to say that he couldn’t remember why he was with Dai Xinyan back then. It was such a long time ago. “Then let me change the question.” Lin Mengmeng’s eyes suddenly brightened, looking up at Shao Tingyu’s face, “How can I make you fall in love with me?” Meeting her eyes, bright like stars, Shao Tingyu was puzzled, “What are you talking about?” “Shao Tingyu, I don’t want us to be together because of my illness, putting a burden on your heart. If you want us to become a real couple, you should like me.” Shao Tingyu was taken aback, momentarily at a loss for words. “Tell me honestly, are you doing this because you’ve developed feelings for me?” she asked, word by word, with utmost seriousness. Shao Tingyu couldn’t answer this question. He didn’t know what kind of feelings he had for Lin Mengmeng, but when he found out about her illness, his guilt overwhelmed all other emotions. Guilt, remorse, and fear filled his heart, making it hard to distinguish whether it was love or just the responsibility of a husband. He knew this wasn’t the answer Lin Mengmeng wanted, and he couldn’t lie, so he remained silent. Lin Mengmeng’s eyes dimmed, and she spoke softly, “I know you, always holding yourself to such high standards, once you’ve decided to take responsibility, you won’t give up.” So, she understood that Shao Tingyu no longer had feelings for her. “Let’s sleep, don’t think too much,” Shao Tingyu didn’t want to continue the conversation, unsure if it was avoidance or impatience. Lin Mengmeng’s throat tightened, and she said, “Shao Tingyu, you might not believe it, but I’ve loved you for five years.” “Ever since you decided on our business marriage, I’ve liked you. Maybe you won’t believe it, but I hope in the future, we can be together truly because of love.” She finally revealed her heart after all these years. She loved Shao Tingyu, but she didn’t want to use any means to bind him. Doing so would only make her a pitiful figure. After saying this, Lin Mengmeng withdrew from Shao Tingyu’s warm embrace, turned over, and swallowed back the tears. Shao Tingyu’s brows knitted with worry, but he didn’t respond, pretending to be asleep in the darkness. Watching Lin Mengmeng’s silhouette turn away, her words left him sleepless all night. Early the next morning, Shao Tingyu got up to prepare breakfast for Lin Mengmeng. During her illness, Shao Tingyu had learned to cook exceptionally well. The breakfast was lavish, leaving Lin Mengmeng with no room for criticism. She watched Shao Tingyu in the kitchen, wearing an apron and cooking porridge, and her nose suddenly felt a bit sour. For five years, she had never once seen Shao Tingyu cook porridge or meals for her. Now, just as she was about to lose the chance, it seemed like all the gentleness Shao Tingyu had missed out on over those five years was being made up for all at once. Shao Tingyu turned around and said, “Have a seat first; the porridge needs a bit more time.”