Chen Yi's face abruptly darkened. He flicked the ash from his cigarette, let out a long sigh, and his deep eyes were veiled by his eyelids as he spoke in an indifferent tone: "She was only back for a vacation anyway. How could she stay long in Tengcheng?"
She had returned to repay a debt, stirred up trouble until he felt suffocated, gave him two hundred thousand, slashed him a few times, took the initiative to sleep with him, and made it clear during their years apart that she hadn’t shown any reaction... Now, watching her prepare to leave without a care, Chen Yi gritted his teeth in resentment, a sour feeling churning inside him. Fine, let her go. Who was she to stand in the way of his good life? But if she really left... he couldn’t help but swallow hard, his stomach turning with acid. Who asked her to come back? Wasn’t it better for her to live her own life? Did he even care about her two hundred thousand?
Miao Jing sought Zhou Kang'an’s help once more. After hearing her explanation, Zhou Kang'an was somewhat taken aback, lost in thought for a long while before nodding blankly. Miao Jing then left Tengcheng to handle some matters and, through Cen Ye’s referral, transferred to a new company. After meeting with the person in charge of the new project, she smoothly secured the job.
Once her tasks were completed, she promptly returned to Tengcheng and went straight to the hospital to see Chen Yi.
After a few days apart, he seemed much more despondent. When he saw her appear at the doorway of the hospital room, dressed in a well-tailored professional suit and looking travel-worn, his intense gaze flickered briefly. He assumed a careless posture by the window, lit a cigarette, and lowered his head.
Miao Jing noticed the surveillance camera at the entrance of the room and softly asked about his condition over the past few days, showing exceptional warmth and consideration. Chen Yi smoked in silence, indifferent to her words. Unfazed, she continued talking to herself, urging him to smoke less—especially since he had already inhaled too much toxic gas from the fire, and smoking was bad for his health. Seeing Chen Yi hang his head and completely ignore her, Miao Jing didn’t press further. She sat on a chair and began peeling an apple for him. Glancing up, she noticed his arm—the bandages had been removed, and several burn wounds were slowly scabbing over, red and strikingly noticeable. The doctor had previously mentioned that such skin injuries would leave scars.
"If the scars can’t be removed, consider getting a tattoo," she said softly. "It’ll still look cool and handsome."
"What does it matter?" Chen Yi curled his lip disdainfully. "Even if my whole body were covered in scars, I’d still be handsome."
She smiled tenderly, her eyes filled with affection. "Yes, you’re the handsomest in the whole world."
Her words were soft and ambiguous. Chen Yi shot her a puzzled look, flicked his lighter against the windowsill, and asked nonchalantly, "Did you just get back?"
"Mm." The apple peel spiraled down from the knife—she was still using that silver blade. Miao Jing’s tone was light and cheerful: "I’ve decided to leave Tengcheng in a few days. I’ve already resigned from my job here, and Lu Zhengsi and I have broken up. I’ll stay at home for now, ship my luggage ahead, and tidy up the place. It looks so messy."
"Suit yourself." He lowered his gaze and asked casually, "Going back to your old company?"
"Something like that. But the position is a bit different. Cen Ye recommended me for a new job at a subsidiary under another business line of the group, working on New Energy passenger vehicles. It’s a newly developed market, though, so the future direction isn’t certain yet. If I go, the initial stages might be a bit challenging."She elaborated extensively on the challenges and difficulties of her new job, but Chen Yi remained unmoved, merely nodding: "That's good."
The investigation on Zhou Kang'an's end had made no progress, and the border police had detected no movement from Zhai Fengmao. Perhaps the fire was truly an accident, or perhaps it was a meticulously planned scheme long in the making. Setting these thoughts aside for now, Chen Yi intended to complete the full set of examinations before being discharged from the hospital. During his final days in the hospital, he enjoyed Miao Jing's attentive care. The two of them got along exceptionally well, with a remarkable harmony and understanding between them. Miao Jing was unbelievably gentle and considerate—attending to his every need, whether it was clothing or meals. He had never seen her exhibit such flawless meticulousness and patience.
There was a folding camp bed in the ward for family members accompanying patients, with only a single blanket. Although the ward wasn't cold, her slender and delicate frame seemed to disappear into the folding bed, as if she had no presence at all. At midnight, Miao Jing would quietly slip into his hospital bed and under his covers. Chen Yi would abruptly open his bright, gleaming eyes, feeling her cool, soft skin pressed tightly against his body.
The moonlight outside the window was cold and desolate, casting a faint glow over the sterile, antiseptic-scented ward. The two of them remained silent, with no conversation in the quiet room—only the sound of rustling movements rising like steam. She coiled around him like a snake, carefully avoiding his injuries, her graceful body tracing alluring curves.
The day Chen Yi was discharged from the hospital happened to be the day Miao Jing was set to leave Tengcheng.
His mood seemed off, but he restrained himself from lashing out. His expression was grim, and he seemed on the verge of saying something but ultimately held back. He had mentioned letting Miao Jing take the bank card—the one he had tossed into a drawer at home—but she evaded the topic. She had sworn to repay him that money and would never take it back.
On the last day, Bo Zai stayed with Chen Yi in the hospital while Miao Jing went home to pack. Around 11 p.m., Miao Jing called Bo Zai, saying she wouldn’t be coming to the hospital that day and asking him to stay overnight to accompany Chen Yi during his discharge the next morning.
Miao Jing bid Bo Zai farewell in a soft voice, giving him many instructions before finally saying goodbye and wishing him happiness and success in life.
The call felt strange and lasted an unusually long time—so long that Chen Yi grew restless. After hanging up, Bo Zai scratched his head, seemingly struggling to process the information from the call. He turned to Chen Yi and said, "Miao Jing said she’s taking the 1 a.m. train and will head straight to the station later. She left the house keys in the mailbox downstairs and asked me to let you know."
Chen Yi’s body stiffened. He responded in a hoarse voice, his eyes lowered and dark, devoid of emotion.
Knowing that Miao Jing was leaving had made his last few days in the hospital agonizing and disorienting. He felt constrained, unsure of how to act. What could he do? He was used to a reckless, wandering life—a lone wolf with no education or background, a good-for-nothing slacker. What could he say or do? And then what? What would happen after?
"Why is she suddenly going abroad? She never mentioned it before. The flight takes over thirty hours. Yi Ge, isn’t Colombia in America? Why does a flight to the U.S. have to detour through France?" Bo Zai also seemed dazed, still trying to absorb Miao Jing’s final words. "People who’ve studied are different. Going abroad is as casual as stepping out the door for them—they just go whenever they feel like it."
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