All his hard work finally paid off. In the dim light, Xue An finally found the metallic U - disk. A victorious smile finally spread across his face. "General Manager Xiao, I've found it!"
However, his smile didn't last long.
There seemed to be either alcohol or juice in the trash can. The U - disk had been soaked in the liquid for too long and was damaged. The computer couldn't recognize the files copied inside at all.
Xue An looked back at Xiao Yanzhi longingly. All he got in return was a sentence: "If you can't repair the files inside, your bonus for next month will be zeroed out."
... There was no one more unfortunate than him.
Moving didn't take too long. On the first day, he packed up his things and had the courier company send them to Huacheng. On the morning of the second day, he signed a termination agreement with the landlord, and everything was taken care of.
After handling all the matters related to the house, Jiang Li first booked a flight for the next day. Then she called Qiao Jinrun to ask if he was free in the afternoon. She wanted to go and see him.
"See me? Do you want an injection or an IV?" Qiao Jinrun's voice was very gentle. It came through the receiver with a rare hint of casualness.
Hearing this, Jiang Li couldn't help but laugh and blame him. "You really know just what to say. You know what I'm afraid of, but you still have to mention it."
Qiao Jinrun gave a faint chuckle on the other end. "Finally willing to come back to Beicheng?"
"Yeah, the rent here has expired. I'm here to move my things." As she said this, her eyes dimmed a bit. "I... may not come back here again in the future."
Qiao Jinrun took a moment to react.
So this meeting was actually to say goodbye to him.
...
At three o'clock in the afternoon, when it wasn't too hot, Jiang Li met Qiao Jinrun at the hospital. The two took a stroll in the recuperation area near the inpatient department.
They walked forward leisurely. One had a light and cheerful step, while the other had a steady and solid one. They walked side by side.
There were some patients sitting in wheelchairs, enjoying the sun, and some old people exercising in front of the fitness equipment. Some of them knew Qiao Jinrun and waved to greet him actively.
"Doctor Qiao is really popular." Jiang Li said with a beaming smile. "You'll surely become a famous doctor who saves lives in the future. Can I get a discount when I come to you for treatment?"
"It depends on the severity." A faint smile appeared on his lips. "But I hope you'll always be healthy so that I don't have to worry about treating you."
"Then I'll take your good word for it, Doctor Qiao." Jiang Li blinked.
The two chatted aimlessly about many things, but neither of them mentioned that Jiang Li was leaving.
It seemed to have become an unspoken understanding between them.
However, the sun would eventually set, and there was no road that had no end.
When the atmosphere fell silent again, Qiao Jinrun's steps gradually slowed down until he stopped in his tracks.
"Jiang Li, what are your plans for the future?" he asked her. His tone was the same as before, still gentle.
Jiang Li smiled and replied along with him. "I haven't decided yet. I may need to take a break first and then consider my future development."
"Not considering staying in Beicheng?"
Jiang Li shook her head without hesitation. "Beicheng isn't suitable for me."
The climate here was something she had never been able to adapt to in the past two decades. There were too many sad memories, and there were hearts that she could never warm up.
She had no more nostalgia for this place.
Qiao Jinrun looked down at her with long eyelashes. There was unfathomable gentleness and calmness in his eyes.
He could tell that she had made her final decision.
"Come and visit me in Huacheng if you have the chance." Jiang Li's smile was still sweet. "I'll treat you then."
Qiao Jinrun stared at her. His hand in his white coat pocket was taken out and put back several times. Finally, he took out what was in his pocket.
"What's all this secrecy about?" Jiang Li leaned over and smiled at him carelessly. "Don't tell me you've prepared a farewell gift for me?"
"You've really guessed right." Qiao Jinrun hooked his lips into a smile. As if he was helpless with her, he held out his hand in front of her.
The moment he opened his palm, there was an extremely delicate wooden - carved rose inside. When you got closer, you could smell the nice woody fragrance.
Jiang Li let out a "wow" sound. Her eyes sparkled. She raised her finger to touch it and couldn't help but murmur, "Such a beautiful rose."
She had never seen a rose carved so realistically out of wood. Even the wrinkles on each petal were vivid, as if it was blooming vibrantly.
"I thought you probably weren't short of roses, but this one will never wither and can be treasured for a long time." He said it very calmly, but there was a smile on his lips.
Jiang Li hesitated for a few seconds and asked him uncertainly, "Did you carve this when you were bored during your night shift?"
"No, it was specially for you."
When he said this, his tone was extremely calm, and his eyes were also very steady. It seemed like the most natural statement, yet also like a very solemn confession.
Jiang Li was stunned.
Suddenly, she felt that the rose in her palm was a bit hot. She held her breath slightly. "Doctor Qiao..."
"Don't take it too seriously." Qiao Jinrun glanced at her and said slowly. "If I wasn't worried that I would never have another chance to say it, I wouldn't have said it and made you feel embarrassed."
Jiang Li took a deep breath.
This confession really came out of the blue. For a moment, she lost the ability to speak and just stood there stupidly.
Qiao Jinrun looked at her for a while and then sighed with a helpless smile. "Coward. If I had known you would be so scared, I wouldn't have said it."
Jiang Li didn't know how to respond for a moment.
The two walked a few more steps forward and sat down on a bench.
The weather in Beicheng was dry, but the sky was bluer and cleaner. The clouds looked like they were created for a scenery.
The setting sun had started to gradually dye the edge of the sky red, as if there was a flaming border on the blue canvas.
"Do you still remember what I told you before? If you can't live for yourself, you should live for others, for those who love you, and don't let them be sad."
Qiao Jinrun turned his head to look at her. There was a faint smile on his lips. "Jiang Li, if, I mean if—"
"If one day you're in a desperate situation and want to give up, I hope my feelings for you can be the last rope to pull you back."
Tears welled up in Jiang Li's eyes. They were clear and bright, and soon covered her face.
When she left, the corners of Jiang Li's eyes were still red. She tried hard to squeeze out a smile and waved her hand very exaggeratedly to say goodbye to Qiao Jinrun.
"Come to Huacheng some other day. I'll definitely treat you to a meal."
"Okay, see you next time."
But when was "some other day"? And when was "next time"?
No one knew when the promise would be fulfilled. But everyone also clearly knew that the politeness during farewells was just a beautiful lie.
...
Running into Bai He and Yu Wan at the hospital entrance was purely accidental.
Jiang Li was hailing a taxi by the roadside, planning to return to the hotel she had temporarily booked. As a result, Bai He, who had just accompanied Yu Wan out of the hospital, recognized her at a glance.
"Jiang Li, what are you doing here?"