“I have no objections.”
That night, Lan Yan did not fall asleep until after two in the morning.
It seemed like she had not slept for long when she was startled awake by a slightly hurried set of footsteps. She opened her eyes. Outside the window, the sky was dimly lit—it was probably a little past five, but not yet six.
She pricked up her ears and heard someone knocking on Liang Jingchuan’s door diagonally across from hers.
Soon after, the door opened, and the sound of muffled conversation drifted over.
Lan Yan could not make out the words clearly, but a vague sense of unease stirred in her heart. She turned on the light, got out of bed, walked to her door, and opened it.
Liang Xiaoxia stood at the door to Liang Jingchuan’s room, her expression anxious. Hearing the door open, she turned her head to look over.
Lan Yan asked, “Did something happen, Auntie?”
Liang Xiaoxia glanced at Liang Jingchuan, hesitating for a moment.
Liang Jingchuan spoke up directly. “Uncle isn’t feeling well. We might need to take him to the hospital.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Lan Yan asked hurriedly.
Liang Xiaoxia said, “He started having stomach pains shortly after lying down. We thought it was gastroenteritis, so he took some medicine, but it didn’t help. Now the pain is getting worse. He’s thrown up twice and started running a fever. We just took his temperature—it’s already at 38 degrees.”
Lan Yan’s expression grew grave. She said she wanted to take a look. The three of them crossed the living room and headed to the master bedroom.
Lan Junwen lay on the bed, curled up on his right side, his face pale and his forehead covered in cold sweat.
Liang Jingchuan went to the bedside, placed a hand on Lan Junwen’s shoulder to help him sit up, and supported him as he got off the bed. He wanted to see if Lan Junwen could still walk on his own.
But Lan Junwen was in severe pain. Even the slightest movement brought forth beads of cold sweat.
They tried carrying him on Liang Jingchuan’s back, but as soon as they lifted him, it pressed on his abdomen, causing even more unbearable pain.
If they could not carry him that way, they would have to lift him between two people. With no elevator in the building, it would not be easy.
Liang Jingchuan made a snap decision. “Let’s just call an ambulance.”
He dialed the emergency number. Once connected, he handed the phone to Liang Xiaoxia so she could briefly describe the symptoms and medical history. The dispatcher took the information and said they would arrive shortly.
While waiting for the ambulance, Liang Jingchuan had Liang Xiaoxia prepare necessary documents like ID cards and medical insurance cards. He also gathered the medicine Lan Junwen had just taken.
Lan Junwen remained lying on the bed in his side-curled position. The dispatcher had specifically instructed them not to move the patient on their own. Besides changing his clothes, there was nothing else they could do but wait for the ambulance.
Liang Xiaoxia sat at the bedside, wiping Lan Junwen’s sweat while softly comforting him.
Liang Jingchuan looked toward Lan Yan.
She stood under the white light, looking somewhat dazed and bewildered.
Liang Jingchuan stepped to her side, let his arm drop, found her hand, gripped it firmly for a moment, then immediately let go.
Her fingers were cold, and her palms were slick with cold sweat.
Lan Yan lifted her head in a daze. Liang Jingchuan looked at her and said softly, “Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.”
Ten minutes or so later, the ambulance arrived with a great commotion, waking the neighbors on both sides.
Several medical staff entered and examined Lan Junwen. Based on his symptoms and history of gallstones, they preliminarily diagnosed acute cholecystitis.
They carried him downstairs on a stretcher and loaded him into the ambulance. Liang Xiaoxia took the documents and rode along, while Liang Jingchuan drove Lan Yan to the hospital separately.
The drive was silent. Lan Yan repeatedly searched her phone for information on acute cholecystitis.
After parking, Lan Yan and Liang Jingchuan hurried to the emergency center. Lan Junwen, who had arrived first, was already in the ultrasound room.
The results came back quickly: the gallbladder was significantly enlarged, the gallbladder wall was edematous and thickened, a stone was lodged in the gallbladder neck, and there was bile stasis within the gallbladder.
The condition was very dangerous. Delaying could lead to perforation, so the doctor recommended immediate surgery.
Even though it was a holiday, on-duty medical staff were standing by. All preparations proceeded simultaneously. Liang Jingchuan handled the admission procedures, the doctor performed anesthesia evaluation and emergency blood matching for preoperative prep, and Liang Xiaoxia and Lan Yan had the preoperative discussion.
Once done, the doctor handed over the informed consent forms for the surgery and anesthesia. “Which family member will sign?”
Liang Xiaoxia instinctively took them and picked up a pen, but then paused and handed them to Lan Yan.
Lan Yan was stunned for a moment.
She took the documents to a nearby cabinet, filled in the relevant information, and signed her own name.
An hour later, Lan Junwen was wheeled into the emergency operating room.
By now, daylight had fully broken. The three of them waited outside the operating room in silence. Liang Xiaoxia and Lan Yan wore identical grave expressions, even though this was a routine surgery with a near-100% success rate.
The stainless steel chairs were cold and hard. Liang Jingchuan told Liang Xiaoxia and Lan Yan to go back to the ward and wait. He would stay here and call them when the surgery ended.
They refused, saying they would wait right there.
Liang Jingchuan did not insist. He went out alone to buy breakfast.
It was warm porridge in cups. Liang Jingchuan inserted straws and handed one to each of them.
The warmth seeped from her fingertips, and only then did Lan Yan realize her hands and feet were ice-cold.
Even without much appetite, they still drank some. The hot food in their stomachs eased their tense mood a little.
Two hours later, the surgery was successfully completed.
Lan Junwen was wheeled back to the ward, hooked up to monitors for vital signs, and given an IV drip.
Liang Xiaoxia asked several times if his stomach still hurt, if the incision hurt. Though somewhat weak, Lan Junwen smiled and reassured her repeatedly that he was fine now and it did not hurt.
Lan Yan told Liang Xiaoxia to go home and rest first. “Auntie, you haven’t slept all night. I’ll stay with him for a while. Go back and get some sleep before coming over.”
“I’m fine, I…”
“Don’t worry, I have plenty of experience taking care of patients. Go rest. It won’t be good if you collapse from exhaustion.”
That last sentence made Liang Jingchuan and Liang Xiaoxia both pause.
Liang Xiaoxia said, “Alright, I’ll go back first and come swap with you at noon.”
Lan Yan looked at Liang Jingchuan. “You send Auntie back…”
“Let Jingchuan stay. If he needs help turning over, his strength will come in handy. And it’s more convenient since they’re both men.”
Lan Yan thought for a moment and nodded.
Liang Xiaoxia left the hospital, and Lan Junwen fell asleep.
Lan Yan straightened the blanket so it covered Lan Junwen’s hands without touching the IV needle.
It was a double room. Lan Junwen occupied the bed by the window; the other was empty and unoccupied.
Lan Yan pulled up the bed curtain on the window side to block the light, making it easier for Lan Junwen to rest.
She leaned back against the glass window, her head bowed, still somewhat dazed and lost in thought.
Liang Jingchuan walked up to her, stopped, looked down at her for a moment, then reached out and pulled her into his arms.
He raised his hand, patted her back lightly in reassurance, and said softly, “He’s fine now. Don’t be afraid. No matter what happens, we’ll always be with you.”
A wave of sourness suddenly filled Lan Yan’s chest.
She wondered if it was inappropriate to think of such things at a moment like this: last night had truly been like strawberry-flavored bubble gum, a dream blown into existence.
Only by maintaining their sibling relationship would his promise of “always” hold true forever.
Blood ties were an unbreakable bond.
At noon, Liang Xiaoxia came to take over. She had eaten and brought daily necessities for the hospitalization and bedside care.
Lan Junwen was awake and felt very apologetic. “You’ve all had your New Year ruined.”
Liang Xiaoxia said, “I’m not mad about that. I’m mad that the checkup found the stones and you kept putting off treatment.”
Lan Yan chimed in, “Exactly.”
Lan Junwen could only smile and say, “I was wrong. It won’t happen again.”
Liang Xiaoxia turned to Liang Jingchuan and Lan Yan, pointing at them. “You two, make an appointment for checkups right away.”
Lan Yan obediently agreed.
Liang Xiaoxia told Lan Yan and Liang Jingchuan to go home first, eat, and rest, then come back later in the evening.
After handing over the nurse’s instructions, Lan Yan and Liang Jingchuan left the ward.
As they walked toward the entrance, Lan Yan overheard Liang Xiaoxia saying softly to Lan Junwen, “I rushed over without even putting on makeup.”
Lan Junwen replied, “You look good with or without it.”
“Still good-looking? Look at the wrinkles around my eyes… Sigh, I’m really getting old.”
“I’m older than you, so I’m even older.”
…
The tone was so natural, familiar, everyday, yet affectionate—like a true portrayal of an old married couple.
For the first time, Lan Yan did not taste the bitterness of resentment for the deceased from her complicated emotions.
That evening, Liang Xiaoxia stayed at the bedside. The next day, when Lan Yan came to swap, she said it was unnecessary—otherwise, she would have to bring another set of toiletries, which was a hassle.
During the hospitalization, the hospital meals were basic. Except for the first day when Lan Junwen needed to fast, Liang Jingchuan prepared and delivered simple steamed dishes for the following days—light, healthy, and easy to digest.
Lan Junwen joked for once, saying that even if he had a biological son, he probably would not be this considerate.
Four days later, Lan Junwen was discharged and went home to recuperate.
Liang Xiaoxia took a discharge photo of him and posted it to her Moments, commemorating their unique “Spring Festival Hospital Five-Day Tour.”
Lan Junwen disliked ostentation. Only after Liang Xiaoxia’s post did his friends and coworkers learn of his illness and come to visit.
The Spring Festival holiday ended, and Lan Junwen continued recuperating. His old leader approved a month’s leave for him to recover fully before returning to work.
Lan Yan had the longest holiday and would not resume work until the tenth day of the first lunar month.
From the seventh to the ninth, she and Lan Junwen were alone at home. He directed her in cooking, often sighing that her hands could bring the dead back to life at anything else, but when it came to cooking, they lost their magic.
There was still no deep conversation, but Lan Yan knew that after so many years, the distance between her and her father had finally closed a little.
On the tenth, Lan Yan returned to Mend Orchid Studio.
On the first day back, no one was in the mood for much work. Chu Lansun had a big project coming up that needed Lan Yan’s help, so he did not assign her any tasks yet.
Lan Yan stayed in the office, continuing to sort through those letters.
Chu Lansun was there too. The speaker on the desk played Peking opera excerpts at low volume.
Lan Yan glanced over. With no one else in the office, she could not help saying, “Master, I’ve always had a question for you, but it might be a bit rude.”
“At my age, few questions can offend me. Go ahead.” Chu Lansun smiled.
“In these years since Master’s wife passed away, have you ever thought of finding another?”
“…Are you trying to play matchmaker for me?”
“No!” Lan Yan laughed helplessly.
Chu Lansun did not stop his work. “Over these years, people have kept introducing matches to me one after another. They meant well and thought highly of me. The ladies they introduced each had their own merits. To not disappoint the matchmakers, I met some of them and had one or two meals. But when it comes to getting serious, I’ve truly never had the inclination.”
“…Why not?”
“Though I only had a dozen years of marriage with your master’s wife, those years were so fulfilling every single day. Recalling just one thing each day would fill a lifetime.”
“Won’t it make you sad that she’s no longer by your side…”
Chu Lansun smiled. “As long as she’s in my heart, that’s enough.”
Lan Yan could not help but feel profoundly moved.
It also seemed to shake her understanding of “eternity.”
Mayflies live and die from dawn to dusk, but for them, isn’t that brief life their own eternity?
After work these days, Lan Yan always went home to check on Lan Junwen, though she did not stay overnight.
Usually, Liang Jingchuan drove to pick her up, and they went back together.
Today was the Lantern Festival, and Lan Junwen had booked a table at a restaurant outside.
Liang Jingchuan had something to attend to and would be a bit late, so Lan Yan headed there on her own.
Lately, the two of them had tacitly set aside the matter of their feelings. She had no mood to consider it in the short term, and Liang Jingchuan clearly understood that. Living under the same roof, he was extremely proper, never crossing any lines.
Without overthinking it, they were no different from cordial siblings.
When Lan Yan arrived, the place looked familiar. She then remembered it was the restaurant where she had first met Liang Xiaoxia and Liang Jingchuan.
The private room was the same one: Kirin Pavilion.
Lan Yan arrived early, and Lan Junwen was the only one in the room.
“Auntie hasn’t arrived yet?”
“She went downstairs to pick out seafood.”
Lan Yan took the menu Lan Junwen handed her and asked, “You still can’t eat greasy food, right?”
“I’ve ordered something light. Don’t worry, just order what you want.”
Lan Yan sipped her hot tea while flipping through the menu.
“Yanyan.”
Lan Yan looked up at Lan Junwen and noticed the rare seriousness in his expression.
“It’s just the two of us right now. There’s something I want to ask your opinion on.”
Lan Yan had always possessed a keen premonition for impending trouble. At that moment, she clearly heard her heart skip a beat.
“…Please go ahead.”
“You know, Liang Auntie and I have never officially registered our marriage, for various reasons… Of course, to put it bluntly, it’s all my own fault. This time I fell ill, and she tended to me day and night without rest. Just thinking about signing the papers when she doesn’t even have legal family status makes my heart ache. I want to pick a nice day and get our marriage certificate properly.” Lan Junwen looked at her, his gaze carrying a cautious sincerity. “…I’d like to hear your opinion, Yanyan.”
It matched her premonition exactly.
Lan Yan swallowed a mouthful of hot tea, yet her heart plummeted straight into the coldest abyss.
“…Liang Auntie is wonderful. This is only right. I have no objections.”