"I will absolutely never make the same mistake you did. If I don't like him, I don't like him, and I won't marry him."
"It's better than being tormented by longing for someone you love later."
Chen Jiaojiao, on the other hand, was lighthearted and even offered her own experiences.
Her carefree demeanor was somewhat similar to how she was before she fell in love.
Zhou Jinbei glared at her.
"How is Lu Mingzhe not good enough for you? You like him so much, yet you don't like him."
"Then tell him clearly. I can't stand women who string men along."
"I'm not stringing him along," Chen Jiaojiao said, feigning innocence.
"I've told him many times, both directly and indirectly. He's a psychologist, he understands everything."
"I can't wake someone who's pretending to sleep. He can be as he wishes."
Zhou Jinbei sighed.
"I'm truly impressed by you, Chen Jiaojiao. You're so carefree. Back in the day, I was as unburdened as you..."
"Ah," Chen Jiaojiao said, happily taking a sip of her drink.
"I envy you all. Everyone has someone they dream about. I hope the person who torments me appears soon too."
"Let me taste the bitterness of love as well."
"..."
"By the way, who was that guy just now? What does he do? I've never heard you mention him before. How long have you liked him?"
Zhou Jinbei didn't want to answer these questions, so she pretended not to hear and buried her head in her food.
After a few bites, she suddenly remembered her prenatal check-up tomorrow.
"Do you have class tomorrow? If not, can you accompany me to the hospital?"
"Why are we going to the hospital?"
"Hey, with your attitude, do you think you can be a godmother?"
"Oh, I remember now. To see our baby."
Chen Jiaojiao clapped her hands. "I'm free, I must be free. I'll accompany you even if I have to skip class. The baby is important."
"Tch, you just called it a burden and told me not to keep it."
"Hey, I'm just worried about you."
Ah Zhong booked a room at the hotel, freshened up, and lay down, but he couldn't fall asleep.
He hadn't seen his father in a long time. Although he called home often, it wasn't the same.
Since he couldn't sleep, he decided to go home and see him.
He borrowed a car from a former colleague and drove back that night. Since he hadn't informed his father beforehand, his father was very surprised to see him.
Spring had just arrived, the time of year when cattle and sheep begin to gain weight. His father was so busy that he hadn't rested yet.
Ah Zhong parked the car outside and went in. When he saw his father, whose hair was half white, cleaning manure in the pen with his left leg limping, it was the first time since he became an adult that he shed tears in front of his father.
"Dad!"
He stood behind his father for a long time, watching him. Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer, walked over, and snatched the shovel from his hand.
"Stop working. Our family isn't so short of money that you have to work yourself to death. Why do you have to be so tired every day?"
Surprised to see his son return, his father looked both delighted and embarrassed.
He was stunned for a moment before smiling and saying, "I'm not tired. Why did you come back so late?"
"Didn't you go abroad? Are you not busy anymore? Are you very tired? You've lost weight again. Have you eaten?"
Ah Zhong didn't answer him. Instead, he asked, "Have you eaten?"
"Yes, yes, I have."
Ah Zhong knew he was lying. His mouth was dry, and he was sweating profusely. He didn't know how long he had been working.
"You probably ate lunch. Come on, stop working, let's go back."
He pulled his father along, walking briskly towards home. His father stumbled, unable to keep up.
"I really ate. Why would I lie to you? Don't walk so fast."
Ah Zhong had initially thought his father was limping because his leg was numb, but now he saw...
"What's wrong with your leg?"
"My leg? It's fine."
His father tried hard to appear normal, but his discomfort was evident and couldn't be hidden.
"No, something must have happened. Is something wrong with you that you're hiding from me?"
His father opened his mouth to deny it, but at that moment, a voice came from outside the door.
"Old Zhong? Are you there? I know you haven't eaten yet, so I brought you some dumplings. My wife just made them tonight... Oh, Xiao Zhong is back?"
They sat down and chatted for a while. Ah Zhong watched his father eat a plate of dumplings.
On the way to send Uncle Zhang back, Ah Zhong finally heard some truth.
"You know, you really should come back more often. Your dad works too hard."
"He always says you're not married yet and will have to support a wife and children in the future, so the pressure is immense. He wants to save more money for you. He doesn't care about his own health."
"The sheep pen collapsed halfway last time, and his leg was crushed. If your aunt hadn't seen it and called me in time..."
"See, it's been over a month, and he's still limping. He won't go to the hospital. You really need to talk to him properly."
Ah Zhong felt an overwhelming sense of sadness.
His father had never had a good day in his life for his sake.
After seeing Uncle Zhang off, he returned home and, without a word, began packing his clothes.
His father watched him stuff his clothes into a suitcase, looking confused.
"It's late at night, and you're not sleeping. Why are you taking my clothes?"
"You're coming with me to the hospital tomorrow."
"To the hospital?"
"If your leg isn't treated promptly, you'll be crippled. Do you want to be a cripple for the rest of your life?"
"..."
"After your leg is healed, you'll come abroad with me. We'll sell everything here, and we won't come back."
"Ah?"
He looked his father in the eye. "Dad, I need help abroad, and I can't trust anyone else. Just consider it supporting my career. Will you come and help me?"
The next morning, Ah Zhong took his father to the First People's Hospital in Nancheng.
He handled all the procedures, paid the fees, and took his father for examinations, only stopping around noon.
He went downstairs to buy food for his father. Unexpectedly, as soon as he appeared in the lobby, a delicate hand grabbed him.
"You look just like him, I didn't expect it to really be you."
It turned out to be Chen Jiaojiao.
She was holding Zhou Jinbei's recently completed examination results and was about to drive to the outpatient building to pick her up.
"Why are you at the hospital too? Are you sick? Where do you feel unwell?"
Ah Zhong had only met her once, and they hadn't spoken much. He really couldn't get close to her.
After she spoke, he instinctively glanced at her hand.
The report read: Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Examination Report.
Prenatal check-up?
Is Lu Mingzhe also about to have good news?
"It's nothing, I just came to see a friend."
"Oh," Chen Jiaojiao nodded. She was about to use this opportunity to gossip with him about Zhou Jinbei's situation and stir things up.
Zhou Jinbei emerged from the restroom.
Zhou Jinbei didn't want her to interfere in her affairs, and she dared not act presumptuously.
She quickly distanced herself from him.
"It's nothing. You can go first when you're done. I just thought you looked familiar and wanted to say hello."
"I heard you're Beibei's friend. I feel bad about living in your house for so long. Come back sometime, and we'll treat you to a meal."
Ah Zhong knew she was just being polite. He nodded and left without saying anything.
Chen Jiaojiao pretended nothing was wrong and ran over to help Zhou Jinbei, who had low progesterone levels, out of the building.
A phone call came in, and Ah Zhong paused at the side entrance of the lobby.
Then, a moment later, by chance, he saw the true owner of the examination slip.