After saying, “I need to sleep for a while,” Zhou Jinshan closed his eyes.
But he didn’t let go of her; his grip remained firm. Feng Mingshu struggled briefly but couldn’t free herself. Instead, she nearly toppled over as his body slumped against her, making her break out in a nervous sweat.
Uncle Yan glanced back and quickly said, “Shu girl, your sweetheart has passed out. Don’t fuss about getting off now—hold him tight and sit steady. I’ll pedal with all my might, and we’ll reach the hospital in no time.”
Left with no choice, Feng Mingshu complied, awkwardly wrapping her arms around Zhou Jinshan’s waist and leaning back against the seat.
“Hold on tight, Shu girl!” Uncle Yan called out, hunching over to pedal with all his strength. The rickshaw sped along swiftly.
Covering seven or eight li in just a quarter of an hour, they arrived at the entrance of Binjiang Hospital.
Without stopping, Uncle Yan swerved the rickshaw and charged straight into the courtyard. The seat tilted abruptly, causing Zhou Jinshan’s head to slump heavily onto Feng Mingshu’s shoulder.
At that moment, the scorching heat of his breath brushed against her cheek, seeping through the gaps of her scarf and down her neck. She shivered involuntarily, her face flushing with warmth.
Before she could straighten him up, a guard rushed over to stop them for registration. Simultaneously, someone dashed toward the rickshaw, shouting, “Lao Zhou, is that you? You rascal, you’ve done me in… Uh, carry on, I didn’t see anything!”
Under the bright hospital lights, Feng Mingshu recognized the person who had rushed over only to spin around abruptly—it was Zhou Jinshan’s roommate, Lu Xiangqian, whom she had met at the social dance two days prior.
Seeing such a scene again made Feng Mingshu feel as if she were on fire. As Lu Xiangqian turned to leave, she hastily pushed the man off her shoulder and urgently called out, “Comrade Lu, Comrade Zhou has a fever and has passed out. Please come help!”
Just as her words faded, Zhou Jinshan groaned and opened his eyes. Lu Xiangqian, who happened to turn back at that moment, chuckled and said, “Lao Zhou, are you faking illness to trick this young lady… Hey, don’t collapse on me—I can’t hold you up!”
Despite his protests, Lu Xiangqian deftly caught Zhou Jinshan as he suddenly slumped forward, hoisted him onto his back, and rushed into the inpatient ward, shouting for a doctor.
Standing beside the rickshaw, Feng Mingshu felt the lingering warmth of Zhou Jinshan’s breath on her cheek, momentarily lost and bewildered.
She knew Zhou Jinshan had been pretending—not about being ill, but about acting as if nothing was wrong when he met her. He had nonchalantly helped her resolve the troubles caused by Yu Xiuchun and the Zhang family, only to delay until his injury flared up, requiring emergency care.
This filled her heart with immense guilt, along with an indescribable emotion.
“Shu girl, why don’t you go in and stay with your sweetheart? I’ll head back and let your mother know,” Uncle Yan suggested cheerfully.
Snapping out of her daze, Feng Mingshu made a decision and nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Uncle Yan. I’ll return tomorrow morning. Please let my mother know. Here’s the fare—please take it.”
She handed him double the usual fare, but Uncle Yan pushed it back without even looking. “Shu girl, you’re being too formal. I won’t take your money, but you must invite me to your wedding banquet when the time comes.”
With a hearty laugh, Uncle Yan mounted his rickshaw and rode off.
After a moment’s pause, Feng Mingshu tucked the money back into her pocket and hurried into the inpatient ward.But she didn’t know which ward Zhou Jinshan was in. When she went to the nurse’s station to inquire, the nurse on duty immediately stumped her with a question.
“What’s your relationship with Zhou Jinshan?”
Seeing her hesitate, the nurse on duty grew impatient. “Not just anyone can enter here. If you can’t clarify your relationship with Comrade Zhou, I can’t disclose his ward information. You’d better leave.”
“Hey, Sister Huang, don’t chase her away. She’s Zhou Jinshan’s sweetheart. If you drive her off, Zhou Jinshan will be furious with you when he wakes up.” Lu Xiangqian hurried over, smiling as he spoke to the nurse on duty.
The nurse immediately beamed. “So you’re Comrade Zhou’s sweetheart! You should’ve said so earlier. I’ll register you right away. By the way, what’s your name? Or perhaps you’d like to write it yourself—right here.”
The nurse turned the registry book toward Feng Mingshu and pointed to the name field.
Feeling like a duck being driven onto a perch, Feng Mingshu muddle-headedly signed her name, thus accepting the identity of Zhou Jinshan’s sweetheart, and was then led by Lu Xiangqian to the outside of Zhou Jinshan’s ward.
The door was closed, but light seeped through the crack beneath it. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out to push it open, but Lu Xiangqian stopped her.
“Comrade Feng, don’t go in yet. The doctor is still treating Lao Zhou’s injuries. The scene might be a bit unpleasant—I don’t want you to be frightened.”
Feng Mingshu’s heart clenched. “Is it serious?”
Lu Xiangqian glanced at her and chuckled. “Serious or not, this is the second time. Anyway, he won’t die.”
Guilt washed over Feng Mingshu once more. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know…”
“Comrade Feng, I know you weren’t aware,” Lu Xiangqian interrupted, his expression turning serious. “But to be honest, you’re not suited for Lao Zhou. He’s from the countryside, never went to school, and often went hungry. At fifteen, he pestered a passing military unit on a bandit-suppression mission until they took him in. He started as a cook, then fought through gunfire and climbed out of piles of corpses before becoming a battalion commander and earning this training opportunity. You’re a city girl who grew up drinking milk, attended foreign schools, and are educated and cultured—and beautiful too. If you wanted, many men would compete to marry you. But if Zhou Jinshan marries you, his career will hit a dead end. He might even have to retire and return to his hometown. By then, the two of you might not even make it work.”
Feng Mingshu listened quietly, her face showing no emotion.
Seeing her like this, Lu Xiangqian felt a twinge of displeasure and his tone turned blunt. “I’ve tried reasoning with Lao Zhou using these arguments, but he wouldn’t listen. For you, he went out two nights in a row and nearly got himself killed. If you have any conscience, Comrade Feng, please don’t toy with him.”
After hearing him out, Feng Mingshu felt she should take his advice and grow a conscience. So she thanked him, then turned to leave.
Lu Xiangqian was dumbfounded. He had imagined many possible reactions from Feng Mingshu, but never expected her to simply walk away. How heartless!
He chased after her and demanded, “Comrade Feng, are you really leaving just like that?”
Feng Mingshu stopped and looked at Lu Xiangqian. “You’re right—I’m not suited for him. I’ll borrow paper and pen from the nurse’s station to write him a letter. Please give it to him when he wakes up.”Lu Xiangqian was truly anxious upon hearing this. He grabbed his hair and said, “Comrade Feng, the reason I said so much just now was to tell you that Lao Zhou has had a hard time. Lao Zhou is sincere about you, and I hope you can cherish his feelings. You two should get along well and not mess things up…”
Feng Mingshu interrupted calmly, “If Comrade Lu is unwilling to help me deliver the letter, I will leave it at the nurse’s station.”
“…Alright, I’ll help you deliver it, but I have one small request.” Lu Xiangqian raised a finger, looking nervous.
Feng Mingshu nodded, “Please go ahead.”
Lu Xiangqian said quickly, “Please don’t tell Lao Zhou that I was the one who ruined things between you two.”