Chapter Seventy Blessings for Tong Chen

  I thought appendicitis surgery was nothing, but after the anesthesia wore off, I realized that everything before was just a little sunlight before the dark night. The pain from the incision and the inexplicable bloating in my abdomen made me toss and turn on the bed, and every time I turned over, Qin Ke Yi would get up to help me, which meant she didn't sleep much all night either... seeing this, apart from feeling warm in my heart, I also felt a pang of heartache...

  As the sky was about to brighten, with the air that entered my abdomen during the operation being expelled, the pain began to subside a bit. Because Qin Ke and I had been tossing and turning all night, we were both exhausted, so we gradually fell asleep. I don't know how long it took, but when I opened my eyes again in a daze, I found that my older sister was sitting on the edge of the bed looking at me.

  "Sister...! When did you come?" I asked in surprise.

  "I went to Zhuhai on a business trip a few days ago. When Ke Yi sent me a text message yesterday, I was on the train back. As soon as I got off the train this morning, I arrived. How are you now? Are you still in pain?"

  "I felt really bad last night, but I'm much better now..."

  "That's good, I was worried all night on the train yesterday!"

  "Sister... are you looking for something from me?" Hearing my older sister's words, I suddenly felt that something was off and cautiously asked her.

  "No... what's wrong? What did I ask of you?" My sister was left bewildered by my one sentence.

  "So you want to borrow money?"

  "Lend you a head!! What exactly do you want to say?"

  "Really? Elder sister, you're so concerned about me!? There must be something you want from me! Spit it out! How much do you need this time?" I said with a smile to my sister.

  "Hey!! You little rascal! Can't you speak with a conscience?! I've taken care of you since we were kids, haven't I?! Have you forgotten or what?! Every time you got bullied in elementary school, wasn't it me who helped you out?! Don't you have any conscience?!" The older sister said, somewhat indignantly.

  "Haha! I knew you'd be concerned about me, sis. I was just joking, but you actually believed it! Geez? What's wrong?" I hurriedly explained to my sister with a smile.

  "Oh, I saw her looking too tired when I came, so I let her go back, she happened to want to go back and get some things, and will come over again this afternoon."

  "She was struggling with it all night and didn't fall asleep until dawn."

  "Great! She's a good girl, I said it last time, can feel that she also cares about you, you must grasp it, don't be like you and... " My sister's words were swallowed back before she finished speaking, but I knew the unsaid words included the name "Tong Chen".

  "I know! I will!"

  "I... when I was in Zhuhai... saw Tong Chen... she's married..." My older sister said suddenly after sitting there in silence for a while. After hearing the news, I looked at my sister silently, but appeared very calm, so calm that even I myself felt surprised, as if I had long expected this day to come and was already prepared, just quietly waiting for my sister to continue speaking while lying half-reclined on the bed.

  "I was sitting in a taxi with my colleague when we passed by the entrance of a hotel, and I just happened to see her wearing a wedding dress taking photos with the groom and some other people at the hotel entrance. Although the car drove past quickly, I'm sure it was her..." After my sister finished speaking, we fell into silence again. At this time, I started imagining Tong Chen's wedding scene in my mind... A red carpet, a white wedding dress, the happy smile on her face when the groom put the ring on her finger... Actually, these scenes had been painted many times in my mind long ago, only at that time, the groom was me...

  "Does the groom have a handsome son?" I suddenly smiled faintly and asked my older sister.

  "Haha! No way! My little brother is the most handsome!" My older sister also smiled and said to me, then we both continued to be silent.

  "Kang Jian... Ah! Sister!? You're here! Long time no see!" At this moment, Zhao Lijia carried a basket of fruit and pushed the door to come in. She saw her older sister and excitedly greeted her. Her older sister was also very happy to see Zhao Lijia come in, and she quickly invited Zhao Lijia to sit down and started chatting with her about women's topics, while I could only be a bystander. Not long after, her older sister said she had to go back to work, there were some things she needed to attend to, so she bid farewell to me and Zhao Lijia and left in a hurry.

  "Come out with me for a walk, I've been lying in bed for so long." I said to Zhao Lijia shortly after my older sister left.

  With Zhao Lijia's help, I clumsily got out of bed and slowly walked towards the outside of the room with her support.

  "It's great to see the sunshine again!" I said with a hint of emotion as Zhao Lijia and I sat down on the long bench in the courtyard, looking up at the sky.

  "You look like you've just gone through a life-and-death separation!" Zhao Lijia said with a smile.

  "Tong Chen... got married, you should know, right..." I suddenly threw out this question to Zhao Lijia without any warning, after hesitating for a long time, I finally couldn't help but ask.

  "I knew... actually, this time I went traveling with Song Wei and took the opportunity to visit her... she got married when I didn't take leave to attend... Kang Jian, sorry..." Zhao Lijia looked very surprised at my sudden question, but quickly regained her composure.

  "It's okay, I know you didn't tell me because it was for my own good, I'm not blaming you, really!"

  "How... did you know she got married?" Zhao Lijia asked with some curiosity.

  "My sister saw her wedding when she went on a business trip to Zhuhai a few days ago..."

  "What a coincidence!" Zhao Lijia said with some disbelief.

  "Yes! It's really a coincidence! …… I don't know why, but when my older sister told me the news, I remained very calm, as if I had expected this day to come all along…"

  "It's actually quite tough for her too..." Zhao Lijia said thoughtfully.

  "It's all over now! I hope she'll be happy from now on..." I sighed and said.

  "Do you hate her? I've never dared to ask you before..." Zhao Lijia suddenly asked me out of the blue, as if she was retaliating against me.

  "I don't hate... I want to hate but can't seem to... " I thought for a moment and shook my head, saying to Zhao Lijia.

  "So... do you still love her?" Zhao Lijia asked a question that I had anticipated would come next. As for this question, which had been asked by others before, I still hadn't figured out the exact answer until now.

  "I don't know... maybe in the past, I couldn't forget her because I was seeking an answer, but now I remember her more because of the pain she left me with... Fortunately, because of Ke Yi, I can face all this calmly and live happily like I am now..." I said somewhat lightly.

  "What if there wasn't a second chance? Would you have recovered so quickly back then? Would you still be as calm as you are now?"

  "I don't know... maybe not..."

  "What if Tong Chen left you for some other reason? Would you accept her? And would you still be with Ke Yi?"

  "Hehe......, I think the problem we're discussing now is meaningless! In life, there's no 'if', nor can you 'assume'. Besides, she's already married... and I have Xiaoyi too..." I reminded Zhao Lijia with a smile.

  "Haha, yeah, now that you mention it, I suddenly feel like my question was pretty silly... Although I haven't known Ke Yi for a long time, I feel like we're close sisters, she's really great! Take care of yourself and cherish what you have, cherish Ke Yi..." Zhao Lijia said with deep feeling.

  "I will. Thank you... From high school to now, I only have three friends of the opposite sex, and among them, only with you can I talk freely, I'm glad to be friends with you, seeing you and Song Wei together and so happy makes me even happier for both of you..." I said sincerely to Zhao Lijia.

  "Are you... did the doctor accidentally cut a piece of your brain when you were having surgery or something?! Why are you suddenly taking such a corny and cheesy route?! I'm getting goosebumps all over just listening to this!!" Zhao Lijia said with an exaggerated tone, laughing.

  "What are you talking about? I thought I just heard my name?" Qin Ke suddenly appeared behind me and Zhao Lijia, saying to us.

  "Ah! You... came! Scared me to death! Next time, please give me some warning!" Zhao Lijia was clearly startled by Qin Keyi's sudden appearance.

  "Hmm...? I was just complaining to Zhao Lijia! Tell her about the unforgivable crimes you've committed against me!" I said with a smile, having calmed down after being startled.

  "Go die! If anyone is going to complain, it should be me and Jiajia! Your heinous crimes against me could fill a museum if they were all documented!"

  "Haha! Alright! One day when I have the chance, I'll listen to each of your grievances and then make a final summary to see who's more guilty! That's all! I won't stay here to be a light bulb shining on you guys anymore, I'm leaving!" Zhao Lijia said as she stood up, ready to leave.

  "You're leaving now? Why didn't Li Songwei come with you?" Qin Ke asked Zhao Lijia.

  "He helped Kang Jian deliver the things he made to his friend! We're leaving tomorrow, so I have to go back and pack up my stuff. Kang Jian, you rest well, we'll treat you to dinner when we get back!"

  "Great! Wishing you a smooth journey and have fun! Don't forget to bring me back some gifts!"

  "Alright! Unforgettable! Goodbye! Bye!"

  After Zhao Lijia left, Qin Keyi and I sat outside for a while. Considering that it was almost time to take the drip, Qin Keyi helped me back to the ward.

  "Kang Jian! You must be starving! You haven't eaten anything since yesterday, and the doctor said you can eat now! I cooked porridge for you at home! Come try some!" Qin Ke Yi said as she pulled out a thermos lunch box from the plastic bag in her hand. As she opened the lunch box, a hot and savory aroma wafted up, stimulating my appetite while also surprising me. With her current cooking skills, it's impossible for her to make such delicious porridge unless she had some kind of magical encounter during the few hours she was away from me, like being taught by a culinary master or fed some kind of miraculous medicine.

  "Really? Did you do this?" I asked, hardly daring to believe it.

  "Of course! What's difficult about it, I just cooked it according to the cookbook you bought, maybe that's just a woman's nature! Come on, let me feed you!"

  "No need! I'm not a kid! I have hands and feet! I'll do it myself!"

  "You're getting more and more fierce! I'm going to feed you today!! Open your mouth!" Qin Ke Yi once again displayed her stubborn style, blew on the spoon at the edge of my mouth, and handed it over to me. Although judging from the aroma emitted by the porridge, it wasn't cooked badly, but considering the two times before when I ate things made by Qin Ke Yi, I still carefully took a bite.

  "Could it be... did you really do this?" After taking a bite, I found that the texture and flavor matched what was emitted, making me even more incredulous, so I asked again in a doubting tone.

  "Ah……! Kang Jian! Although the truth is sometimes hard to accept, it's also often hard to change! You have to be mentally prepared…… Having a girlfriend like me who is virtuous, gentle, and elegant, you can only blame your good deeds in your past life for this blessing." Qin Ke sighed with a helpless expression. At this time, a middle-aged man wearing a white apron around his neck stood at the door of the ward, looking inside.

  "Is anything wrong?" I curiously asked him.

  "Ah! Girl! I've finally found you! When are you going to give me the porridge money?" The middle-aged man didn't respond to my words, but instead excitedly spoke to Qin Ke Yi after seeing her. His one sentence also cleared up all my doubts from earlier, and I smiled as I looked at Qin Ke Yi. She avoided my gaze, blushing and awkwardly stood up, walking to the door and softly saying to the middle-aged man, "Didn't I say I'd send it over once I broke open the money? Why did you still come looking for me?"

  "Hey girl! We're closing up shop soon! So my wife told me to come and get the money from you!" The middle-aged man said with a hint of urgency. I suppressed the urge to burst out laughing and calmly told Qin Keyi that it seemed like I still had some loose change in my wallet...