"Zhan Bei Jue! Zhan Bei Jue!"
"Don't sleep! Get up! Wake up!"
"I'm Jiang Nan Fang. You're about to become a one-legged cripple. I've come to see you make a fool of yourself. Wake up!"
Zhan Bei Jue's thoughts were slowly pulled back.
He heavily lifted his eyelids, and the first thing he saw was Jiang Nan Fang's face in his dream.
"If you don't have the surgery, you'll have to amputate a leg. Are you sure you want to give yourself such a big gift on your thirtieth birthday?"
"Let me tell you, even if you lose a leg, I won't pity you. I'll refund your money and even laugh at you. I'll drag Ke Teng and Zhou Jin Xiu along and laugh at you for the rest of my life!"
"You've finally been outdone by them. From now on, you'll be a cripple stuck in a wheelchair forever. Do you want to see Ke Teng and Zhou Jin Xiu laugh at you?"
No, I don't.
Zhan Bei Jue had never been so grateful that Jiang Nan Fang was still by his side.
He regretted his past disingenuousness, his past stubborn pride that led to suffering.
If he had been more honest, perhaps Jiang Nan Fang wouldn't have left him time and time again.
His body ached, his arm hurt so much he could barely lift it, but to grasp Jiang Nan Fang, he still tried his best to lift it.
Fortunately, Jiang Nan Fang held his hand in time.
"You, you're not allowed to leave."
"Promise me you won't leave, and I, I'll have the surgery."
Although his words were absurd, as if the surgery was for his own sake,
Jiang Nan Fang agreed with a rush of emotion.
"I won't leave. Be good and go for the surgery. I won't leave."
Finally, Zhan Bei Jue was wheeled into the operating room.
Although it was just a minor surgery to remove necrotic tissue, due to Zhan Bei Jue's persistent high fever for three days and severe lung infection, he was transferred to the intensive care unit after the operation.
He lay there quietly and unconsciously, while Jiang Nan Fang spoke with A Zhong outside.
Jiang Nan Fang asked A Zhong, "We've known each other for so long, and I still don't know where your family is from."
A Zhong replied, "West City. It's not far from here, which is why I applied to South University."
"How far is not far? How many hours by highway?"
"About two hundred kilometers. By highway, it's a little over two hours if there's no traffic. If there is traffic, it's uncertain."
"It's this late already, and everyone is preparing for the New Year. There shouldn't be much traffic."
A Zhong said, "There shouldn't be. If you're still rushing home at this hour, you must be very busy."
"How many people are in your family?"
"Two. Just my dad and me."
"So you haven't seen him all year?"
A Zhong said, "Half a year. The last time I passed through West City on a business trip, I went back once."
"Is your dad in good health?"
"He's alright. He loves to work, so he treats it as exercise. His body is quite strong."
"How old are you this year?"
A Zhong scratched his nose, "I'm a year older than you. I'll be 29 after the New Year."
"Doesn't your dad urge you to get married?"
A Zhong sighed, "Of course he does. I was planning to get married at the end of this year, but alas, fate wasn't on our side."
Jiang Nan Fang turned to him, "I didn't like your previous girlfriend. It's good that you broke up."
"...You only met her once, how could you..."
"Some people wear their thoughts and desires all over their faces. Men can't understand it, but only women can."
It was similar to what Zhou Jin Bei had said.
A Zhong couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
It seemed his own judgment was too poor; things that others could see at a glance had taken him years to understand.
Jiang Nan Fang seemed to know what he was thinking and smiled faintly.
"You don't need to blame yourself for thinking your judgment is poor. Love adds a filter to a person; it's normal not to see clearly."
"It's like looking at men in reverse. Some people are utter scumbags, obvious to everyone, but their girlfriends are devoted to them."
A Zhong also smiled, "Miss Jiang is very good at comforting people."
"I'm also very good at taking care of people."
Jiang Nan Fang turned and patted him, "Alright, your boss should be out of danger soon. Go back and spend the New Year with your dad. I'll take care of things here."
"...Jiang..."
"No need to be polite, no need for pleasantries. I know what you want to say."
"Anyway, I have no relatives or friends. I'd be alone if I went back. It's better to stay here and do a good deed."
"Then I..."
"You don't need to stay. If one more person is here, I'll have to say more and consider your feelings. It's exhausting."
"Think of it as me getting some rest. You go. If the surname Zhan dares to criticize you for this later, tell me, and I'll deal with him for you."
A Zhong smiled.
Zhan Bei Jue wouldn't punish him for this.
He could clearly see how happy their boss was whenever he was with Miss Jiang.
He liked being alone with her, so his staying was indeed redundant.
It was just that he was afraid Zhan Bei Jue wouldn't wake up.
"But..."
"If such a minor illness could take his life, then Zhan Bei Jue's life would be too worthless."
"Don't worry, good people don't live long, and villains live for centuries. Your boss is so wicked, he won't die that early."
"..." A Zhong could only leave.
"Then, please, send me a WeChat message the moment Mr. Zhan wakes up."
"Understood. Be careful on the road, don't rush, drive slowly. Say hello to your dad for me."
"Okay." A Zhong nodded, "Then Miss Jiang, Happy New Year in advance."
The new year had arrived again.
Jiang Nan Fang nodded sincerely, "Happy New Year."
"I hope next year we will all be healthy and our dreams will come true."
"Okay. I also hope you'll have a blooming romance next year, and I'll attend your wedding."
They bid farewell amidst forced cheerfulness.
A Zhong left. The hospital corridor on New Year's Eve was long and cold, leaving Jiang Nan Fang alone.
She felt like a duckweed floating in the wind. Without the wind, she lost her momentum and didn't know what to do standing still.
She could only repeatedly look through the glass of the intensive care unit, eagerly awaiting Zhan Bei Jue's awakening.
Perhaps once he woke up and continued to spar with her, she would find some motivation to float.
Two hours later, the doctor came for rounds and, moments later, notified Jiang Nan Fang to come in.
"Mr. Zhan is awake and wants to say something to you. You have one minute, hurry up."
Jiang Nan Fang put on a protective gown and gently walked in.
On the hospital bed, the once distinguished and commanding Zhan Bei Jue was now covered in tubes.
His voice was too weak, so Jiang Nan Fang had to lean her ear closer. "What did you say?"
A smile flickered on Zhan Bei Jue's lips, "You, you said you weren't coming?"
How wonderful. To spar with her as soon as he opened his eyes meant he wouldn't die.
Jiang Nan Fang glared at him, "You wanted to give me a leg as a consolation prize. Why wouldn't I come to see such a good thing?"
Zhan Bei Jue continued to smile, "Then are you disappointed? You didn't receive the gift."
"I didn't get a leg, but I got a few pounds of flesh. What's there to be disappointed about?"
Jiang Nan Fang retorted, "The doctor cut off a lot of bad flesh from your left leg. This leg will be too ashamed to be seen by anyone again."
"That's good." Zhan Bei Jue still smiled, "Anyway, besides you, I don't want anyone else to see it. As long as you don't mind."