Back Then

Most of the afternoon was taken up by a joint consultation. They went over several difficult recent cases, and by the time the meeting broke up, it was already four o’clock.

“Dr. Hua, the genetic test report you wanted is back,” Yang Cha said, coming in with a stack of parcels. “And there’s a letter from Capital Second Hospital.”

Hua Yu stood up and took the report and the letter. “Thank you.”

Yang Cha was busy; after handing out the packages, she hurried after Liu Cong. “Dr. Liu, Zhao Qi’s condition isn’t looking good... ”

Liu Cong hurried off with her. The others were all busy with their own work.

The department’s hectic pace lasted until six in the evening. Hua Yu came back from the cafeteria with dinner in hand and finally found time to open the report.

It was Wei Yin’s genetic test report, the one she had submitted earlier. The report had identified six variants with clear or possible clinical significance; one was a gland WIRF mutation with a relatively high mutation frequency of 34.76 percent. There was also an auxiliary sensitizing mutation, suggesting possible sensitivity to WIRF-O medication and the need to combine more clinical symptoms to design a personalized treatment plan.

Choose the most suitable targeted drug.

That was right; Wei Yin’s illness had come from the womb. In traditional terms, it was congenital deficiency. During Wei Yin’s hospitalization, Hua Yu had arranged for her to receive a great deal of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and massage therapy, but the only thing that could truly cure Wei Yin’s glands was gene-targeted treatment.

Wei Yin had hope of recovery, but it would be difficult. Hua Yu was not primarily focused on gene therapy; to break through Wei Yin’s genetic defects, she would have to relearn and research a vast amount of knowledge.

Hua Yu took off her glasses and closed her eyes for ten minutes, then went back to the report. It wasn’t until the 8:40 alarm rang that she gathered up the materials and went home.

On the way, a call came in from Xu Ya Qing, reminding her that there was a gathering tomorrow and asking whether her schedule had changed.

“The day before yesterday I saw Yu Tiantian,” Xu Ya Qing said. “She looks exactly the same as when she was a kid. After going abroad she didn’t pick up a trace of British elegance; instead, she came back with this total American mean-girl vibe. Her nostrils were practically in the sky.”

Hua Yu turned the steering wheel into the residential complex, her voice calm. “You’ve never liked her.”

“Not true at all. She’s always the one showing off in front of me, and she keeps asking whether you’re coming. I said I was still waiting for your confirmation, and the smile she gave me was so fake it was exhausting.”

Hua Yu parked and looked up at the lights on the seventh floor.

Someone was living there now. Someone she could see when she came home.

Someone waiting for her at home.

Hua Yu said, “I’ll be there on time tomorrow.”

Xu Ya Qing said, “Then I’ll call you when I get there tomorrow.”

“Mm.”

The elevator chimed; with a ding, Hua Yu stepped out.

The doormat at the doorway had shifted a few inches, and there was still a dusty footprint on it.

Hua Yu kicked the mat back into place, went inside, changed into slippers, and took off her coat.

The temperature in the house was fairly high. The windows were closed, and the air held a stale warmth.

A small floor lamp was left on in the living room. Wei Yin was lying on the long sofa, asleep.

Hua Yu walked over quietly. Wei Yin must have fallen asleep sitting up; one leg was on the floor, the other folded on the sofa, her head wedged against the back cushion, her whole body tilted to one side. She was so relaxed that Hua Yu coming home hadn’t woken her. She must have been sleeping very deeply.

Wei Yin was wearing green pajamas printed with little bears. The pants were loose, and her careless sleeping posture left the root of her thigh exposed.

There was nothing seductive about it. Hua Yu only thought she was too thin; even her thighs barely had any flesh on them.

In the lamplight, Wei Yin’s face looked very peaceful. With her big eyes closed, the liveliest part of her face disappeared, and the frailty and faintness that belonged to Wei Yin came out one by one.

She had an oval face. In Hua Yu’s memory, Wei Yin’s cheeks had carried a bit of baby fat, and when she smiled, she was cute and bright. Paired with those round black eyes, she looked just like a carefully bred pedigree cat.

Mm, a pedigree cat that had traded intelligence for looks; the cuteness was backed by a touch of silliness.

Back then, Hua Yu always liked teasing her, calling her a little fool. Every time, Wei Yin wouldn’t get angry; instead, she would praise Hua Yu for being smart in return.

But in her heart, Hua Yu had never thought Wei Yin was stupid. She knew Wei Yin was physically frail, and there were many ordinary things Wei Yin would habitually skip. For example, most people arranged their entire day around efficiency, but Wei Yin would only take care of the most important few things so she wouldn’t run out of energy.

If trouble came on the road, if someone bumped into her, if she was overcharged in a store, if someone cut in line, Wei Yin would default to giving way. Arguing took too much effort, and it also made it easy for her to get hurt.

Knowing all this, Hua Yu only wanted to treat her a little better, then even better; ideally, she wanted Wei Yin to stay by her side forever, so she would never suffer any harm.

Once, she had wanted to give Wei Yin her whole life.

Later, she learned that Wei Yin had her own choices. Hua Yu chose to respect them and let Wei Yin do as she pleased.

But the Wei Yin lying before her now looked like a person riddled with holes.

The baby fat was gone; there was no flesh on her thighs. The places where fat most easily gathered had disappeared, which meant her weight was seriously below a healthy range. Her breathing was shallow, the rise and fall of her chest almost nonexistent, which meant her lung capacity was insufficient. Her fingertips were faintly blue, her face pale, her qi and blood poor...

Tomorrow she would go to the gathering and see Yu Tiantian. Hua Yu crouched down and lightly touched the ends of Wei Yin’s hair.

Wei Yin, what exactly have you been through?

“Why did you follow me home?” Hua Yu’s voice was barely audible.

Wei Yin’s arm moved; she turned over, shifting from lying flat on her back to lying on her side.

Hua Yu held her breath. After turning over, Wei Yin didn’t move again; she was still sleeping soundly.

“Wei Yin, wake up,” Hua Yu said, sliding her fingers through Wei Yin’s hair and rubbing gently. “Go sleep in the room.”

Wei Yin made a soft whimpering sound, burrowed her face a little deeper, and lifted a hand to cover Hua Yu’s mouth.

Hua Yu raised a brow: ?

Not about to spoil her, Hua Yu grabbed Wei Yin’s wrist and used a little force. “If you sleep with the windows open, you’ll catch a chill. Go sleep in the room.”

Wei Yin was snoring softly in her sleep.

Just how sleep-deprived was she?

Hua Yu called her twice and couldn’t wake her. She tried a third time and still couldn’t get her up.

Probably because the medicine she’d been taking had a sedative component, and the house looked like it had been thoroughly cleaned. She must have been exhausted today.

With a sigh, Hua Yu stood, slid one arm under Wei Yin’s knees, looped Wei Yin’s arm around the back of her neck, and supported her back with the other hand before lifting her up.

Wei Yin softened in Hua Yu’s arms like a cat. Someone unconscious was much heavier than someone awake; Hua Yu strained a little, but she still managed to carry her.

The second bedroom had been tidied up very neatly by Wei Yin. Hua Yu laid her down on the bed, rubbed her wrist, then went to the foot of the bed to take off Wei Yin’s socks and set them aside before switching on the night-light.

She then walked back to the side of Wei Yin’s pillow, took out the thin blanket, shook it open, and covered her.

“Mm... ?” Wei Yin half-opened her eyes in a daze. “Hua Yu?”

Hua Yu pulled the blanket up to Wei Yin’s chest and gave a faint “Mm.” She thought, So when you’re asleep, you’re bold enough to call me by my full name. Earlier you were still calling me Dr. Hua.

Wei Yin’s eyes opened a little wider, though they were still unfocused. She stared at Hua Yu and called again, “Hua Yu.”

Hua Yu simply sat down by the bed and said quietly, “What is it?”

Wei Yin moved her arm, reached out from under the blanket, and took Hua Yu’s hand. Her eyes held a bit of confusion, but even more of the sleep she couldn’t fight off.

“You have to come to my graduation ceremony.”

Hua Yu froze. “What did you say?”

“I have something I want to tell you, so you have to come,” Wei Yin mumbled, then curved her lips into a smile and closed her eyes as she drifted back to sleep. “...You have to come.”

Hua Yu stared at Wei Yin’s sleeping face, and a tremendous wave surged up in her heart.

Like a strong wind sweeping across fields of ripening wheat; like a hot, swelling scene that instantly pulled her back to that summer four years ago.