"Zhu...
Ye Yansheng didn't stay long at Song Guanyu's place. He was temporarily assigned by the hospital to go to the United States for an academic conference. Actually, it wasn't entirely temporary—the hospital had informed him about it some time ago, and it just came earlier than expected. He would be in the U.S. for about a week. During that time, he worried about how Song Guanyu would handle meals, but she said he treated her like a child and that she had taken good care of herself for years, so there was no need to worry.
Ye Yansheng thought to himself, aren't you just a child?
Before leaving, he asked Song Guanyu if she felt the same way about him, but she didn't give him a direct answer.
She avoided his gaze, stammering as she sat in his arms, saying only one thing.
"Dr. Ye, I don't know what kind of feelings I have for you right now. I'm not really sure what 'liking' means either."
The little radish head in his arms suddenly looked up at him with the sunlight, her eyes shy. She reached out and touched his Adam's apple, her fingers brushing over it, making him tremble slightly. Then she said something uniquely romantic in Song Guanyu's way.
"Dr. Ye, if liking means having all my pulse points and heart keep beating for you, then... I think this might count as liking."
In that moment, Ye Yansheng's heart, which had held little hope, surged with emotion.
Song Guanyu always surprised him. Her train of thought was so jumpy that he often felt unable to keep up with her pace, probably because their age gap was too large.
For example, one second they were bickering, and the next she was telling him what she wanted to eat next time. Or when she heard that infuriating childhood name, even though she would puff up with anger, a gentle call from him would make her stop and listen quietly.
And when he asked about her feelings for him now, she honestly expressed her thoughts.
Marriage often involved daily trivialities and occasional squabbles: she would fuss, and he would laugh; he would be serious, and she would quietly wait for him to speak. They respected each other. Life like that didn't have big waves, but it filled Ye Yansheng with immense satisfaction.
He seemed to finally understand why his parents had wanted him to get married—it was a precious kind of happiness.
Before leaving, Ye Yansheng kissed her left cheek. "I'm going now. Wait for me at home obediently." She smiled and nodded, then offered her right cheek. He understood immediately and kissed that cheek too, making sure both sides were covered.
As he turned to leave, she tugged at his sleeve. He looked back, and Song Guanyu grabbed his collar and pulled him down. He bent over, and she kissed him on the lips for the first time of her own accord. Ye Yansheng's heart felt like butterfly wings fluttering.
She was like a little kitten tentatively testing her owner's actions. They shared a silent kiss at the front door in the morning—a kiss without any desire. The only things left in Ye Yansheng's heart were reluctance and longing.
Once a person becomes greedy, many things tie them down. For example, he absolutely didn't want to go to the U.S. now, and he absolutely didn't want to be apart from Song Guanyu.
After she kissed him, Song Guanyu said, "Dr. Ye, this is my lucky kiss for you. Please travel safely, and remember to check in with me."
The morning light slanted across one side of Ye Yansheng's face, his expression full of happiness.
She cupped his face in both hands, leaned in to touch the tip of his nose, then took off his glasses and pecked the fine lines at the corner of his eye before stepping back.
She put his glasses back on and pretended to be fierce. "Don't do anything bad behind my back."
She said this because Song Guanyu had begun to realize that the first time she saw Ye Yansheng at the coffee shop, she had been so dazed because of his face. She loved all beautiful things, including Ye Yansheng.
The man let out a soft laugh, mimicking her earlier line and holding up three fingers. "Yes, Miss Song. I guarantee I'll complete the mission."
At the airport terminal, the crowd was bustling, and the airport broadcast reminded them that boarding could begin. Accompanying Ye Yansheng were Song Huaizhi from Cardiac Surgery and Zhou Shanli from Neurosurgery. All three were extremely outstanding men, with remarkable looks and builds, drawing many glances.
But Ye Yansheng paid no attention.
Until his phone suddenly rang. The ringtone was Song Guanyu's newly released song that she had just put online.
He was stunned for a moment when he heard it, suddenly remembering that Song Guanyu had used his phone for a while in the morning, fiddling with it. So that was why—she had set her new song as his ringtone. The song had a light, soothing R&B element, and Song Guanyu's lazy, gentle voice came through. Song Huaizhi, standing nearby, was startled.
When did Ye Yansheng start listening to this type of music? Could an old fogey like him even appreciate it?
He smiled and leaned over to see who was calling, but Ye Yansheng turned away and walked aside to answer the phone.
Zhou Shanli, who had been resting with his eyes closed, heard him get snubbed and let out a snicker. "Still so gossipy. If you put that nosy energy into your skills, you might even improve a bit."
Song Huaizhi shot him a glare. "I'm very confident in my skills." He had a bit of a rivalry with Zhou Shanli, and it just so happened that Zhou Shanli was part of this trip.
Song Huaizhi vaguely heard Ye Yansheng say, "Make sure you eat well and don't eat too much junk food."
It was probably Ye Yansheng's new wife. How long had they been apart? Getting a check-in call already.
Ye Yansheng had really changed. Could marriage be that magical? It had turned a man who had been ascetic for years into this. Song Huaizhi could see from Ye Yansheng's face a touch of longing for family.
Ye Yansheng waited for Song Guanyu to hang up on her end before turning back. The broadcast reminded them again, and the three of them headed to the boarding gate together.
Song Huaizhi walked beside him, raising an eyebrow and teasing, "Wife's already checking up on you?" Ye Yansheng ignored him.
Zhou Shanli snickered from the side.
Song Huaizhi glanced at him.
Not one to give up, he squinted and asked again, "When did you start being a fan?" This female singer was one Song Huaizhi really liked. The song Ye Yansheng had just played was recently released and had shot to number one on the weekly new song chart just days after its release.
After they settled into their seats, Ye Yansheng finally favored him with a smile. "You like her?"
"Of course I do. She's my idol. I like every song she's ever written. Even my younger cousins at home are her loyal fans—myself included." He asked the flight attendant for a bottle of water, twisted it open, and took a few gulps. "It's normal that you don't know about this. Your head is probably only full of a fervor for all kinds of difficult and complicated cases and nothing but beautiful human bones."
Ye Yansheng narrowed his eyes, a smile curling at the corner of his lips as he listened.
Zhou Shanli shot Song Huaizhi a glance and shook his head. Such low emotional intelligence. He really wondered how Song Huaizhi had become a doctor in the first place.
Song Huaizhi, oblivious to the atmosphere, continued talking about his idol, as if he were filling Ye Yansheng in on all of Song Guanyu's achievements since her debut.
Song Guanyu, twenty-three years old, was the universally recognized genius girl in the entertainment industry. She had a sweet appearance, an impeccable figure, was an all-around female singer skilled in both singing and dancing, and was proficient in a variety of musical instruments. So far, there wasn't an instrument she couldn't play. She had shown a talent for music since elementary school, possessed perfect pitch, and was fully capable of both writing lyrics and composing. She was currently the best-selling female singer in the mainland for music albums, holding a grand slam of awards.
Best Producer, Best Album, Best Singer, and Best Arrangement. At the age of eighteen, she had won a national-level music award, catapulting her to fame and instantly making her a top-tier, highly popular female singer.
In short, she was a phenomenon that debuted at the peak.
Song Huaizhi finished.
Ye Yansheng listened seriously, then looked at Song Huaizhi and said, "Thank you for your admiration." He put on his sleep mask and went to sleep.