"I will never make the same mistake you did. If I don't like someone, I don't like them, and I won't marry him."
"So you don't end up longing for someone you love."
Chen Jiaojiao, lighthearted and carefree, was even offering advice.
Her carefree demeanor was much like how she was before she fell in love.
Zhou Jinbei glared at her.
"How is Lu Mingzhe not good enough for you? He likes you so much, and you don't even like him."
"Then just tell him directly. I can't stand women who string men along."
"I'm not stringing him along," Chen Jiaojiao said, looking wronged.
"I've told him many times, hinting and hinting. He's a psychologist, what doesn't he understand?"
"I can't wake up someone who's pretending to sleep. Let him be if he wants to be like this."
Zhou Jinbei sighed.
"I'm truly impressed with you, Chen Jiaojiao. So heartless. Back in the day, I was as free-spirited as you..."
"Ah," Chen Jiaojiao said, taking a sip of her drink with delight.
"I envy you all. Everyone has someone they're captivated by. I hope the one who torments me appears soon too."
"Let me taste the bitterness of love."
"..."
"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 the next day.
"Do you have class tomorrow? If not, will you accompany me to the hospital?"
"Why go to the hospital?"
"Hey, with you like this, do you still want to be a godmother?"
"Oh, I remember, we're going 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."
A Zhong booked a hotel room, cleaned up, and lay down, but he couldn't sleep.
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.
He borrowed a car from a former colleague and drove back overnight. Since he hadn't informed his father beforehand, his father was very surprised when he arrived.
Spring had just arrived, and it was the season when cattle and sheep started to gain weight. His father was so busy that he hadn't rested yet.
A Zhong parked the car outside, went inside, and when he saw his father, whose hair was half white, cleaning manure in the pen with a limp in his left leg, it was the first time he cried in front of his father since he became an adult.
"Dad!"
He stood behind him for a long time, then couldn't bear it any longer. He walked over and took the shovel from him.
"Stop working. Our family isn't so desperate for 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's face showed both joy and embarrassment.
He froze for a moment before smiling and saying, "I'm not tired. Why are you back so late?"
"Didn't you go abroad? Are you less busy now? Are you very tired? You've lost weight again. Have you eaten?"
A Zhong didn't answer him. Instead, he asked, "Have you eaten?"
"Yes, yes, I have."
A Zhong knew he was lying. His lips were dry, and he was covered in sweat. He didn't know how long he had been working.
"You probably ate lunch. Come on, stop working, let's go back."
He grabbed his father and walked briskly towards home. His father stumbled, unable to keep up.
"I really ate, why would I lie to you? Don't walk so fast."
A Zhong had thought he was limping because his leg had gone numb, but now he saw...
"What's wrong with your leg?"
"My leg? It's fine."
His father tried hard to appear normal, but the discomfort was evident.
"No, something must have happened. Are you hiding something from me about your health?"
His father opened his mouth to deny it, but at that moment, a voice came from outside the door.
"Old Zhong? Are you home? I know you haven't eaten yet, so I brought you some dumplings. My wife just made them tonight... Oh, Little Zhong is back?"
They sat down and chatted for a while. A Zhong watched his father eat a plate of dumplings.
On the way to send Uncle Zhang back, A Zhong finally heard some truth.
"You know, you really should come back and see him more often. Your dad works too hard."
"He always says you're not married yet, and you'll have to get married and have children, so you have a lot of pressure. He wants to save more money for you and 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."
A Zhong felt an overwhelming sadness.
His father had never had a good day in his life for his sake.
After sending Uncle Zhang away, he returned home and started packing his clothes without a word.
Seeing his son stuffing his clothes into his suitcase, his father looked confused.
"Why are you taking my clothes when it's late and you should be sleeping?"
"You're coming with me to the hospital tomorrow."
"To the hospital?"
"If your leg isn't treated properly, you'll be crippled. Do you want to be a cripple forever?"
"..."
"After your leg is healed, you'll come abroad with me. We'll sell everything here and never come back."
"Huh?"
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, come and help me, okay?"
The next morning, A Zhong took his father to the First People's Hospital in Nancheng.
He handled various procedures, paid the fees, and took his father for check-ups, only stopping at noon.
He went downstairs to buy his father some food. As he appeared in the lobby, a delicate hand tugged at him.
"You look just like him, I didn't expect it to be you."
It turned out to be Chen Jiaojiao.
She was holding Zhou Jinbei's latest check-up results and was about to drive her car to the outpatient building to pick her up.
"Why are you here at the hospital too? Are you sick? What's wrong?"
A Zhong had only met her once and hadn't spoken to her, so he didn't feel familiar with her at all.
After she spoke, he instinctively glanced at her hand.
The report read: Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Report.
Prenatal check-up?
Is Lu Mingzhe about to become a father too?
"It's nothing, I'm just here to see a friend."
"Oh," Chen Jiaojiao nodded, intending to use this opportunity to gossip with him about Zhou Jinbei's matters and stir things up.
Zhou Jinbei came out of the restroom.
Zhou Jinbei didn't want her to interfere in her affairs, and she didn't dare to act on her own initiative publicly.
She quickly distanced herself from him.
"It's fine. You're busy, you go ahead. I just thought you looked familiar and wanted to say hello."
"I heard you're Bei Bei's friend. I've been living in your house, so I feel a bit embarrassed. Please come over when you have time, we'll treat you to a meal."
A Zhong knew she was just being polite. He nodded and left without a word.
Chen Jiaojiao pretended nothing was wrong and ran over to help Zhou Jinbei, who had low progesterone levels, out the door.
A phone call came in, and A Zhong stopped at the side entrance of the lobby.
Then, by accident, he saw the true owner of the examination report.