“Aren’t you always familiar with me?”
I sat up straight and asked seriously, “Is Ye Zhengchen your real name?”
“Yes, but all my files before college graduation were under a different name.”
“Are you twenty-nine?”
“Thirty. I trained at the Command Academy for over a year after graduating college.” His age was also fake.
“What are your hobbies? Surely not racing and picking up girls?”
“Can saving lives be considered a hobby?”
“Hypocrite!” I didn’t believe he was that noble.
He thought carefully. “Shooting.”
“You can shoot?” I suddenly became excited.
“Shooting is simple. I’ll teach you when we have time.”
“Great!”
“Any more questions?”
I couldn’t resist. “What was your first love like?”
“I’m a bit tired.” He pressed his wound, lay back, and closed his eyes.
“You haven’t answered me…”
He turned away, silent. The more he avoided, the more curious I became. “Tell me, I won’t mind. I just want to know you better.”
He opened his eyes, unfocused. “Do you believe in fate? I do! One dawn, I came out of the lab and saw her in a white coat, sitting in front of a microscope, deep in thought. Her hair was tied up, with a strand falling beside her face. I wanted to ask her: What are you thinking? Why marry a soldier? Why study medicine? Why come to Japan? Why join Fujii’s research team? Isn’t everything predestined?”
I was shocked and speechless. “Senior, I’m not your first woman, am I?”
“I seem to have a slight fever. Get me some medicine from the drawer.”
I went to pour hot water and found medicine to feed him. Whether I was his first woman didn’t matter. What mattered was that I believed in fate, that destiny would arrange the right person for us, destined to meet, to fall in love, for a lifetime.
The old man looked at me again, scanning me with a sharp gaze that seemed to penetrate the ways of the world.
“Previously, I transferred and came to Nanzhou,” Ye Zhengchen said.
The elevator arrived, and everyone got on, leaving only the couple behind, who waited quietly for me to enter first. Feeling embarrassed, I bowed slightly and said, “Sorry, I’ll take the stairs.”
I turned towards the staircase and continued my phone call. “Why did he come to Nanzhou?”
“How would I know? Maybe because there are many beautiful women in Nanzhou.”
“You don’t know?!” I couldn’t believe it. “Just wait, I’ll deal with you when I get upstairs!”
“I’ve already broken three ribs; I can’t withstand harsh interrogation.”
Alas! Knowing he was using a sympathy ploy, I felt sorry for him.
After hanging up, I ran up the stairs and burst into his hospital room. “If you don’t confess right now, I’ll break your remaining ribs…”
My words got stuck in my throat.
In the room, besides Ye Zhengchen, there were two other people: the distinguished old man and the gentle woman. Hearing me speak, he turned to look at me.
In a flash, I guessed who the couple was, wishing I could hit myself in the head with the porridge I was holding.
Before doing that, I recalled what I said at the elevator door.
It seemed there was nothing particularly inappropriate, except for “Just wait, I’ll deal with you when I get upstairs!”
In this situation, I thought to look surprised and say, “Sorry, I entered the wrong room.” Then, flee.
Before I could speak, Ye Zhengchen cleared his throat and introduced, “Dad, Mom, she is Bao Bing, my girlfriend.” He then turned to me, “Kiddo, these are my parents.”
“Uncle, Aunt, hello,” I said, steeling myself and bowing.
Ye Zhengchen’s father nodded indifferently, his hard face showing no emotion. Just a glance from him made me struggle to breathe. I carefully put down the breakfast and poured two cups of warm water. “Uncle, Aunt, please have some water.”
“Thank you,” Ye Zhengchen’s mother smiled and accepted the water. His father just glanced at the cup in my hand and didn’t take it.
As I felt awkward, Ye Zhengchen spoke. “Dad, you came to Nanzhou early this morning and must be tired. Sit down, have some tea to soothe your throat… and then continue our argument.” His father’s face immediately darkened, showing that arguments between father and son were commonplace. His mother tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to be patient. “Zhengchen, where exactly are you injured? How did you get hurt?”
“Just a minor external injury,” Ye Zhengchen said, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a scrape at his elbow. “It’s almost healed.”
His father leaned forward, frowning at the dark red scab. “With such a wound, why didn’t the doctor bandage it? What if it gets infected?” He gently pulled Ye Zhengchen’s sleeve down. “Come back to Beijing with us. We’ve arranged everything at the main hospital for your recovery.”
“No need to trouble yourselves. I’m fine here.”
Ignoring him, his father spoke to someone outside. “Xiao Chen, I’ll go find the doctor to arrange the hospital transfer.”
A respectful voice responded, “Yes!”
I noticed a young man standing outside, looking sharp. Although he had agreed, he hadn’t left.
“The doctor said my injury prevents me from being transferred.”
His father glanced at me, then coldly snorted. “From what I see, you’re reluctant to leave Nanzhou.”
“That’s right. I don’t want to leave.”
“You!” Ye Zhengchen’s father struggled to contain his anger. “Don’t forget you’re a soldier. Stop thinking about nothing but women…”
Ye Zhengchen retorted. “I’ve never forgotten, Commander Ye!”
The commander’s anger escalated. “Fine. Let’s process the discharge papers and return to the military.”
“Fine, I’ll be discharged,” Ye Zhengchen replied, getting out of bed.
But moving too quickly, his face suddenly turned pale.
“What’s wrong?” I rushed to support him. “Is the wound bleeding again?”
“I’m fine…” He pressed his chest painfully, his voice trembling.
His parents were shocked, especially his mother, whose eyes reddened with anxiety. “What exactly are you injured? Why won’t you tell the truth?”
I had never seen him in such pain and began to panic. “Hold on, I’ll call Dr. Lin right away.”
Ye Zhengchen grabbed my hand. “No need.”
“Senior, you should go back to Beijing with Uncle and Aunt. Nanzhou is a small place with limited medical conditions, not comparable to Beijing…”
He looked at me and suddenly smiled. “Will you come with me?”
“Me?”
Ye Zhengchen held my hand, looking earnest. “If you don’t come with me, I won’t go to Beijing.”
I was at a loss for how to respond.
As I was conflicted, Ye Zhengchen’s mother spoke again. “Miss Bao, if it’s convenient, please come to Beijing with us. His grandparents want to meet you.”
I glanced at his father, who remained expressionless, and turned to Xiao Chen outside. “Xiao Chen, arrange the hospital transfer.”
“Yes.”
I looked back at Ye Zhengchen, who winked at me, a smile playing on his lips.
Later, when chatting with Ye Zhengchen’s mother, she expressed confusion over why Ye Zhengchen was so determined to be with me, frequently arguing with his father and even refusing to return home.
That day, seeing Ye Zhengchen grab my hand and plead with me, I realized he had truly fallen in love with me.
I had an epiphany: he was intentional!
In November in Osaka, deep autumn added a hint of coolness. A dazzling Porsche stood before a young man dressed in a thin red shirt and dark gray jeans, his bleached blonde hair sticking up.
“This is this year’s new model, just arrived a few days ago. I specially reserved it for you,” he said in Japanese.
Ye Zhengchen looked over the young man’s shirt and the new Porsche, laughing lightly. “Nice color, but not red.”
“What do you mean? Are you looking down on my taste?” the young man puffed out his cheeks and glared.
“Don’t misunderstand. My taste isn’t up to your level. I only appreciate off-road vehicles.”
