Chapter 26
Jin Zijin replied almost immediately, concise and to the point: “Of course.”
A moment later, she sent another message, this one more specific: “Can you tell me the general situation on both sides? Especially the insurance part.”
Wen Yan gathered her thoughts and briefly but clearly summarized Zhang Yue’s background, the accident-causing driver’s family difficulties, and the stalemate in compensation caused by the lack of insurance coverage.
She typed faster than usual, as if she were drafting a case summary for an important matter.
The message was marked “read.”
The other side went quiet for a moment, as if digesting the information or checking on something.
A few minutes later, Jin Zijin’s reply came back, orderly and clear: “I understand the general situation. The key points now are the driver’s insurance and the follow-up care resources.”
“I can have the group’s legal department step in as public-interest legal aid to help the driver with the insurance dispute and the determination of liability in the accident. At the same time, we can apply for the basic road-traffic accident social relief fund.”
“Also, the group has a cooperative charitable foundation. We can coordinate experienced medical volunteers to temporarily take over from the driver’s mother and provide the patient with more professional postoperative care and rehabilitation companionship...”
“I suggest we handle it this way. What do you think?”
She didn’t give a direct order, and she didn’t show the slightest hint of a “leave it to me” attitude. Instead, she laid out a thorough plan and ended with a question, asking for Wen Yan’s opinion.
The fact that she respected Wen Yan and included her in the decision made Wen Yan’s heart feel warm.
And a little sore.
Her fingertips moved slightly as she replied, “Okay. That arrangement is very thorough.”
After a pause, she looked at the screen and carefully typed another line: “Zijin, thank you.”
Almost immediately, Jin Zijin’s reply popped up, carrying a hint of indulgent helplessness: “You’re at it again... Didn’t I say you don’t have to keep thanking me?”
Then came the next message: “If you really want to thank me, how about using another method?”
Wen Yan looked at the line, the tips of her ears heating up, but she still followed along and asked, “What do you want?”
The “the other party is typing...” prompt at the top of the chat window stayed there longer than usual.
In the end, a voice message came through.
Wen Yan tapped it open and brought the receiver to her ear.
Jin Zijin’s voice was a little low. Carried through the signal, it held an unabashed, lazy teasing quality that lightly scratched at her eardrum: “I want your hand~”
Just five short words, yet they seemed to spark with tiny arcs of electricity.
Wen Yan’s face burned at once, the heat spreading quickly to her neck.
She slapped the phone screen against her chest, as if that could smother the chain reaction caused by the voice.
Her heartbeat turned a little erratic.
This person... seriously!
She covered her forehead, close to breaking down.
Ah, so annoying.
How could she flirt with her at every possible moment?
——————
Jin Zijin’s efficiency had always been astonishing.
That afternoon, when Wen Yan returned to the ward, she saw a young woman wearing a volunteer vest. Neat and brisk in manner, she was speaking softly to Zhang Yue while skillfully adjusting the drip rate of the IV in her hand.
The old grandmother nearby had been a little uneasy at first, standing to the side and rubbing her hands together.
But seeing how professional and patient the young woman was, and how respectful her attitude remained, she gradually relaxed too, muttering over and over, “Good, so good... society really is better now. Things are improving fast; even the government sends such kind-hearted girls to help...”
The wrinkles on the old woman’s face smoothed as she smiled, relieved and grateful.
Wen Yan stood at the ward door and didn’t go in right away.
Watching this ordinary yet moving scene, the slight heaviness that had pressed on her heart for days because of this matter finally settled back into place.
The corners of her lips lifted gently.
——————
This time, Jin Zijin’s business trip lasted a full week.
On Friday evening, since she wasn’t on duty, Wen Yan drove back to the old residence to have dinner with Grandma Jin and Jin Shuangye.
The dining room was warmly lit; the dishes were homestyle, and the grandparents and granddaughter chatted through the meal about little everyday things.
After dinner, Wen Yan, as usual, massaged her grandmother’s legs.
The old lady’s legs were a little uncomfortable, and Wen Yan’s strength was even and steady as she kneaded patiently.
“Yan Yan, was work busy this week? Tired?” Grandma Jin asked casually with her eyes closed, letting out a contented sigh.
“It was okay, about the same as usual,” Wen Yan answered mildly.
“I watched a medical documentary a while ago, about orthopedics,” Grandma Jin said, reaching out to take Wen Yan’s hand and holding it in her palm, her eyes full of concern. “You stand for hours at a time and don’t even have time to drink water. It’s too hard on you.”
“Yan Yan, do you often do such big surgeries too?”
“I do.”
Wen Yan turned her hand and gently held the old lady’s weathered hand back, her tone relaxed. “But don’t worry, Grandma. I have good stamina; I can handle it. It’s nothing.”
Grandma Jin patted the back of her hand, her smile kind and proud. “Yes, our Yan Yan is obviously a steady, capable child.”
“But this job is just too exhausting. How could a family bear to let you do this line of work?”
Wen Yan was silent for a moment, then spoke very softly, but clearly: “Zijin’s work is just as hard.”
“She flies around every day, with meeting after meeting, and she has to keep herself tightly wound at the negotiation table for long stretches. Actually, she’s pretty tired too.”
When Grandma Jin heard this, she froze for a moment. Then the fine wrinkles around her eyes gathered more deeply, and a bit of moisture rose in her gaze.
She let out a long sigh. “Yes, yes... you’re right.”
“Girls are still more thoughtful; they know how to care about people.”
She held on to Wen Yan’s hand and refused to let go, her tone turning into gentle complaint about her granddaughter: “It’s just that that Zijin girl is far too ambitious.”
“It’s barely been half a month since the wedding, and she’s already left you home alone to run off and look at some factory...”
“Is that factory so irreplaceable that she has to go herself?”
“She’s neglecting our Yan Yan. When she comes back, I’m going to give her a proper talking-to.”
Wen Yan couldn’t help laughing and hurriedly said, “Grandma, don’t say that.”
“She’s managing such a huge group and is responsible for so many people’s livelihoods; being careful is only right.”
“If I were one of her employees, I’d like a boss like that too.”
Grandma Jin looked at how quickly she moved to defend her and couldn’t help laughing. The moisture in her eyes turned playful: “You’re protecting her already?”
Wen Yan immediately fell silent, heat quietly climbing to her ears. She looked away and didn’t answer.
“Protecting her is good; protecting her is good,” Grandma Jin said with a hearty smile, lightly patting the back of her hand. “Seeing the two of you understand and care about each other like this, Grandma feels more at ease than anything.”
Wen Yan lowered her eyes and smiled, not continuing the subject; but her massage strokes became even gentler.
——————
After staying with Grandma Jin until ten at night, Wen Yan finally returned to the villa she shared with Jin Zijin.
The huge house was empty and quiet; only the smart system sensed her return and silently lit a few corridor lamps.
After showering, she lay down in her pajamas on the wide bed in the master bedroom, and an unfamiliar sense of emptiness quietly crept over her.
She hadn’t slept in this bed many nights, and every time, Jin Zijin’s warmth and scent had been beside her.
Right now, there still seemed to be the faintest trace of cool citrus lingering in the bedding.
As long as she closed her eyes, certain images and sensory memories surged up without permission.
Hot breaths in her ear, the feel of skin pressed together, restrained panting and a heartbeat spinning out of control in the dark...
A strange restlessness and fluster rose in fine, dense threads, disturbing her so much that she couldn’t sleep at all.
What was this feeling?
She tried to analyze it rationally.
Was it discomfort from having a habit suddenly broken?
Was it an attachment like a fledgling’s dependence, formed after briefly living together?
Or...
She even took out her phone, opened an AI chat program she didn’t use often, and with the rigor of writing a medical chart summary, entered a long self-observation:
“Subject: myself.”
“Brief description: married my partner half a month ago; we were strangers before the marriage. Our post-marital relationship is harmonious; we’ve adapted well to each other. My partner has been away on a business trip for one week, and we have kept in daily contact throughout.”
“Problem: when alone and idle, I still frequently think of the other party, accompanied by slight restlessness and anticipation.”
“Inquiry: is this phenomenon more likely due to ‘separation anxiety caused by the interruption of habitual attachment,’ or ‘the development of feelings of liking or admiration beyond responsibility and habit’?”
The cursor blinked after the question, like her tangled thoughts at that moment.
Just as she stared at the screen, waiting for the AI to give what might be some kind of “standard answer,” her phone suddenly vibrated.
Jin Zijin’s call request popped up.
Wen Yan hurriedly exited the AI interface. Taking a deep breath, she pressed answer.
“Wen Yan...” Jin Zijin’s voice came through the receiver with a faint trace of wind, carrying a hint of weary hoarseness. “Are you home?”
“Mm, I’m home. Just finished showering; I’m in bed.” Wen Yan tried to keep her voice steady. “What about you? Have you gotten back to the hotel?”
“Just arrived; I’m opening the door.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Wen Yan clearly heard the beep of a card swipe, followed by the movement of a door hinge and the faint sound of high heels being kicked off.
“Are you hungry? Do you want to take a bath and relax first?” Wen Yan asked instinctively, her tone carrying a familiarity and concern she herself hadn’t even noticed.
Jin Zijin chuckled softly on the other end, her voice lifting a little. “What, you want to keep me company in the bath?”
Wen Yan: “......”
“Don’t want to keep me company?” Jin Zijin pressed, amusement in her voice.
“...I do.” Wen Yan heard herself answer honestly, and the tips of her ears started to heat up again.
“I knew it.” Jin Zijin sounded satisfied, then asked, “What did you and Grandma talk about tonight?”
“Nothing special; just some things about the hospital.” Lying on her side, Wen Yan listened to the voice on the other end of the line that made her restless and distracted, and answered in a low voice.
“Oh...” Jin Zijin drew out the syllable and didn’t press further.
Like every night over the past week, the two of them began talking about the scattered pieces of their respective days.
The conversation flowed steadily, easing some of the chill in the room.
As they chatted, Wen Yan’s sharp hearing caught a trace of something unusual.
It was an extremely soft sound of footsteps, coming from downstairs in the living room and moving step by step up the stairs toward the master bedroom door.
Wen Yan immediately tensed; all drowsiness and the ease of idle conversation vanished at once.
She lowered her voice into the phone. “Zijin, wait a second.”
“Hm?” Jin Zijin sounded puzzled. “What is it?”
“Nothing.”
As she answered, Wen Yan quietly threw back the covers and got out of bed, barefoot on the cold floor. Holding her phone, she held her breath and moved slowly toward the bedroom door.
Her pulse quickened a little with tension, but the calm drilled into her by years of medical training kept her movements steady.
She gently turned the doorknob and yanked the door open.
Wen Yan raised her head; her gaze collided with a figure, and her pupils trembled violently.
Under the soft light of the corridor wall lamp, a figure she knew all too well was standing not far outside the door.
Jin Zijin still held the phone by her ear with one hand; in the other, she hung a beige long coat. She was covered in the dust of travel, but smiling brightly.
She clearly hadn’t expected the door to open all of a sudden; a flash of childish surprise crossed her face, then melted into an even deeper smile.
Holding the phone, she blinked at the stunned Wen Yan inside the door and greeted her as if playing a prank: “Hi, good evening.”
Wen Yan stared at her for several seconds.
All the tension, all the guesswork, even the muddled restlessness from before were, at this moment, shattered to pieces by the person in front of her.
A powerful rush of warmth surged through her heart, washing away the surprise and leaving only a deep, aching softness.
Only after a while did Wen Yan find her voice again, laughing helplessly: “You came back and snuck around like that? You didn’t even tell me; I thought...”
“You thought there was a thief in the house?” Jin Zijin picked up the thread and made an innocent face. “Sorry. I was originally trying to give you a surprise. I didn’t expect it to backfire and turn into a scare.”
Wen Yan looked at her pretending-to-be-pitiful expression and could no longer hold back; she lowered her head and laughed.
Jin Zijin watched her smile, the tiredness in her eyes replaced by a tender light.
She set down the phone and naturally opened her arms toward Wen Yan, looking at her softly. “Aren’t you going to hug me? Wen Yan.”
Without any hesitation.
Wen Yan strode forward and pulled the woman into her arms.
With one hand, she held Jin Zijin’s waist tightly; with the other, she cradled the back of her head and pressed her fully into her embrace, breathing shakily.
“Welcome home, Zijin.”
Jin Zijin sank completely into her arms, resting her head in the crook of Wen Yan’s shoulder and greedily inhaling the familiar fragrance of wax apple on her body.
She rubbed her cheek against Wen Yan’s shoulder in comfort and let out a sigh: “I missed you so much, Wen Yan.”
Really... so, so much.
————————
I can’t finish it, I really can’t finish it.
LOL, Wen Yan always thinks her wife is respectful; she clearly hasn’t seen her wife in a meeting, tearing people apart so viciously that they’re left with dog-stained faces [cracked]
Everyone, if you still feel like you haven’t had enough, you can go read Da Ying’s newly completed novel, Love Crossing the Mired River.
This is my personal favorite girls’ love novel of 2025; highly recommended! It’s really good, I’m not lying!! Really, I’ve recommended it so many times. Synopsis below:
Miu Zhu’s parents are skilled schemers; ever since she was little, she’s been a tool for their climb up the social ladder.
The Mu family is prestigious, and Mu Shanyi is even more untouchable. Miu Zhu’s parents don’t dare to dream too big; they focus on currying favor with Mu Shanyi’s stepmother, hoping to arrange a marriage between Miu Zhu and Sheng Xingran, Mu Shanyi’s younger half-sister.
That day, at a gathering between the Sheng and Miu families, the elders clinked glasses in the dining room and eagerly looked forward to the future of Miu Zhu and Sheng Xingran, while upstairs in Mu Shanyi’s bedroom, Miu Zhu asked to borrow a cigarette and said, “I want to be with you~”
The boldest thing Miu Zhu ever did was secretly become Mu Shanyi’s lover, behind everyone’s backs.
Same-sex marriage setting; forbidden love; older top; eight-year age gap.
Beautiful bad woman. Principal cellist. Bottom vs. emotionally stable. Wealthy magnate. Top.
Theme: strive hard to live a life that belongs to yourself.
Tags: modern, mutual affection, destined match, melodrama, other
TL Note:
dog-stained faces [cracked] (狗血淋头) means being harshly scolded or torn apart verbally; here it’s a joking exaggeration.