#DeepLove #MissedConnections #HE #ModernEra #Romance
Su He's cold had persisted for a week without showing any signs of improvement.
Her editor called several times a day to urge her to finish her manuscript, but Su He avoided answering the phone each time.
The cold medicine made her drowsy, leaving her with no energy to write.
Su He was curled up under the blanket, sneezing and sniffling.
"Ding," a new message came in.
She fumbled for her phone under the pillow and, still half-asleep, glanced at the screen. Suddenly, she sat up in shock.
"Your card ending in 0596 has been charged 3500 RMB."
"Your card ending in 0596 has been charged 1000 RMB."
...
After reading several similar messages, Su He couldn't bear to look any further.
Su Miao, it was Su Miao again.
Gritting her teeth, Su He angrily dialed Su Miao's number, but the phone rang and rang without being answered.
Su He opened her mobile banking app and stared at the balance, which had now dropped below four digits. Her heart sank.
As if things couldn't get any worse, just as she was trying to calm herself, the editor, Xiaomi, called again.
You can dodge it for a while, but not forever.
Su He took a deep breath and answered the call.
"Su He, how's this month's manuscript coming along?"
"Uh… well… I'm working on it…"
"'Working on it'?! You said the same thing half a month ago."
"Su He, you need to put in more effort. These days, young writers are not only talented but also attractive. If you don't keep up, you might lose your spot as a small-time, barely-known author."
"I… I know..."
Su He suddenly felt deflated. After hanging up the phone, a deep sense of helplessness washed over her.
For a moment, she felt like her life was a complete mess.
An hour later, Su He, bundled up in a thick down jacket, sat in the waiting area of the hospital, waiting for her number to be called.
The girl across from her seemed to also have a cold. Her boyfriend was offering her tissues and water, and the sight made Su He sigh.
As an older single woman, with an unsuccessful career and an empty love life, Su He wondered if her life could possibly get any worse.
"Number 138, Su He, please go to Consultation Room 3."
Su He glanced at the screen, then pushed open the door to the consultation room.
The doctor, wearing a mask, was focused on the computer screen and asked without looking up, "What are your symptoms?"
"A cold and a cough."
"How long has it been?"
"About a week."
The doctor suddenly paused and looked up at her.
The moment their eyes met, Su He was stunned. Those amber eyes were just like someone else's.
"Unbutton your shirt."
"What… What are you going to do?"
Su He blurted out reflexively, but then saw the stethoscope in the doctor's hand and blushed instantly.
The doctor hesitated for a moment, pretended not to hear her, and turned his head away.
The cold stethoscope moved across Su He's chest a few times, and as she looked down, she noticed his hands.
His fingers were long and slender, with clearly defined joints. Even through her clothes, she could feel a faint warmth.
For some reason, Su He's heart suddenly began to race.
The person across the desk put down the stethoscope, glanced at Su He, and said in a deep voice, "You have bronchitis. Take the medication for a few days, and if it doesn't improve, come back to the hospital for an injection."
"Huh? Oh, th-thank you, Doctor."
Su He was a bit out of sorts. She felt flustered, a little chaotic inside.
After all these years, it seemed she hadn't changed at all. Whenever anything reminded her of that person, she would become like this.
Su He smiled and shook her head. As she got up, she suddenly noticed the name on the doctor's badge—Ji Anyan.
It was like a spell. Her scalp tingled, her blood froze, and her hand trembled slightly as she held the medical record.
Could it really be this much of a coincidence? Ji Anyan, was it really him?
Su He instinctively used the medical record to cover her face, turned around slowly, then suddenly sped up and rushed out of the consultation room as if fleeing.
Su He followed the doctor's advice and took the medication for three days. Her runny nose had stopped, and the coughing had eased as well.
But that rascal Su Miao seemed to be deliberately avoiding her—he wouldn't answer her calls or reply to her messages.
She had planned to buckle down and focus on her writing, but all she could think about was the encounter with Ji Anyan.
Life is truly ironic. The man who had occupied her entire youth didn't even recognize her anymore.
The Ji Anyan she remembered always had that cool and distant personality. Forgetting people must come easily to him.
Since she was 16, she had spent so many years chasing after him, yet when they met again, they were nothing but strangers.
If it hadn't been for that fire, she might still be hopelessly obsessed even now.
In the end, it had always been her one-sided madness.
At noon, there was a sudden power outage in her neighborhood.
Su He glanced at her computer, which had shut down abruptly, and felt like her luck had hit rock bottom.
She knew that if she couldn't write anything soon, she might really be out of luck next month.
After much thought, she decided to go to a quiet café to seek inspiration.
Su He lived in an old residential area. The building was a bit dated, but the location was excellent.
Within ten minutes of leaving the neighborhood, you could reach the central hospital, a shopping center, and several quaint cafés.
She chose a quiet shop, picked a window seat, and ordered a pot of floral tea with unlimited refills—enough to keep her there until nightfall.
Su He opened her notebook, but every time she wrote a sentence, she deleted it, unable to form anything coherent.
She suddenly felt a bit discouraged. It seemed like she couldn't function properly whenever Ji Anyan was involved.
Even though he never liked her, even though he left without hesitation when she needed him the most, why did his mere presence throw her world into chaos again?
As her thoughts drifted, she heard someone calling, "Anyan, over here."
Su He looked up and, startled by the sight at the door, quickly ducked her head, using her notebook to hide her face.
After a few minutes, she sneaked a glance and saw Ji Anyan sitting diagonally across from her, next to a woman so beautiful she turned heads.
Su He frowned slightly. The woman said something to him, and he actually smiled.
That smile… He must like that woman.
Su He suddenly felt a sharp pang in her heart. So his coldness wasn't for everyone.
She hurriedly got up, wanting to escape, but as she reached the door, the owner called out, "Miss, you haven't paid yet!"
Su He froze, feeling utterly embarrassed as she fumbled through her pockets.
Uh… In her rush to leave, she seemed to have forgotten her wallet.
"Uh, I… forgot to bring money. How about I leave my laptop here as collateral and come back later to pay?"
The owner frowned, about to say something when someone handed her the money.
"Put it all together."
Su He looked up at the sound of the voice, and when she saw Ji Anyan standing in front of her, she wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
"Is your cough better?"
Su He clutched her laptop, turning to stone.
Uh, so he did recognize her that day.
Remembering how disheveled she had looked that day, Su He felt even more awkward.
"Anyan, who is this…" The woman from earlier approached, naturally linking her arm with Ji Anyan's.
"Su He… a classmate."
Four words, simple and concise—this was the final label Ji Anyan had given her.
Su He smiled awkwardly, mumbled a few excuses, and fled.
When Su He got home, she was surprised to find Su Miao there.
"Hey, sis, you're back?"
Su He was furious at his nonchalant attitude. She rushed over in a few strides and twisted Su Miao's ear. "Spill it! What did you spend all that money on?!"
"Ow, ow, ow, that hurts!" Su Miao broke free from her grip, rubbing his ear as he explained, "I was thinking your birthday is coming up, so I wanted to give you a surprise… but I didn't have enough money, so I borrowed a bit…"
"Not enough money, or no money at all?! How old are you now, and you're still pulling stunts like this!"
Seeing that his sister was really angry, Su Miao quickly assured her, "Alright, alright, consider it a loan. I'll pay you back once I get my scholarship next semester."
Su He sighed, wondering when her brother would ever grow up.
She had lectured him countless times, but it always seemed to end up like this.
Noticing that his sister's anger had somewhat subsided, Su Miao said mysteriously, "Sis, guess who I ran into at the mall a couple of days ago?"
Su He gave him an impatient look. "A pretty girl? Your first love?"
"What are you talking about, sis? Your brother has such high standards; I wouldn't fall in love so easily. But you're half right—it was your first love, Ji Anyan."
Su He covered her face with her hands and sighed. Was Mercury in retrograde or something? Why did she keep hearing that name wherever she went?
"I saw him shopping with a girl. I couldn't see clearly from a distance, but she seemed pretty."
Su He thought of the woman she had seen earlier at the café and sighed. Matters of the heart truly couldn't be forced.
Seeing the look on his sister's face, Su Miao suddenly realized he might have said the wrong thing.
He scratched his head and tried to comfort Su He. "Sis, even though that girl might be prettier than you, there's a saying: 'A dime a dozen beauties can't compare to a one-of-a-kind soul.' Your inner qualities are one in a million."
Su He glared at him fiercely, too annoyed to respond. What kind of compliment was that? Did she look that bad?
Seeing that things were going south, Su Miao quickly found an excuse to return to school.
He understood now that anytime the name Ji Anyan came up, his sister would always get upset.
Su He sat in the living room, her mind growing increasingly chaotic. Those years played out like a movie, scene by scene, flashing through her mind.
She could never forget the joy she felt when she first saw Ji Anyan at school.
The boy, dazzling in the sunlight, had reappeared in her life like something lost and found. It was the first time she felt the urge to hold onto something tightly.
So she began chasing him without hesitation, around the school, along the path home… wherever Ji Anyan might appear, you could always find the small figure trailing behind.
His strides were too fast, and every time Su He fell behind, she would call out to him, once, twice, three times… until he stopped and turned to look at her.
She loved being by his side, chattering away about all sorts of trivial things.
Ji Anyan never responded, rarely speaking at all. It seemed their relationship always followed this pattern—one noisy, the other silent.
Su He remembered one time when she failed a math test. She walked home in silence.
That day, Ji Anyan, surprisingly, slowed his pace to match hers.
"Are you upset?" After a long silence, the boy beside her spoke softly.
It was the first time Ji Anyan had initiated a conversation with her. The sudden joy overwhelmed her disappointment, and she foolishly pulled out the test paper hidden in her pocket to show him.
He glanced at the paper and shook his head. "Su He, you really are dumb."
"You remembered my name!"
Su He completely ignored the real meaning of his words, jumping up in excitement.
The boy beside her stood still, quietly watching the girl who was cheering in the sunlight, a slight smile playing on his lips.
It was that small response that kept her going again and again.
But in the end, she was never the right person for him.
She eventually came to understand that love isn't something that can be forced.
Su He stayed up for two consecutive nights, sending the manuscript to Xiaomi.
Just as she lay down, her phone rang again.
"Baby, did you miss me?"
"What are you up to now? I'm trying to sleep. Don't bother me if it's not important."
"Don't be like that. I'm back. Want to pick me up at the airport?"
"No."
"How about dinner together then?"
"I'll think about it."
"Don't be so smug. I'll call you when I'm close."
Su He hung up the phone and got up to freshen up.
Nan Jiang was her university classmate, now a well-known lyricist in the industry.
The two of them had been single and heartbroken, bickering all the way until they became close friends, sharing their ups and downs.
But it never developed into anything romantic.
Nan Jiang had made it clear that he wasn't attracted to Su He's petite figure, and Su He scoffed at his habit of falling for someone new every time he met a pretty face.
In short, despite their differing views on love, they were kindred spirits.
That evening, they were meeting for dinner at Yue Zhen Xuan, a Cantonese restaurant known for its light flavors.
Nan Jiang ordered a table full of dishes and made sure Su He finished a large bowl of seafood porridge.
"After dinner, want to catch a movie?"
"No."
"It's a new Makoto Shinkai film. You sure you don't want to go?"
"I'll watch it at home when it's online."
"Su Miao said you have a psychological scar. Seems like he was right."
Su He suddenly put down her chopsticks and looked at Nan Jiang. "Seriously, how did I get out of the fire back then?"
Nan Jiang frowned at her. "Why are you bringing that up now? It was so long ago. How would I know? I saw you at the hospital with Su Miao. The firefighters must have rescued you."
"But now that you mention it, you're pretty lucky. That fire was huge, and you only had mild poisoning—nothing else."
"What do you mean by that? You think I should've been burned beyond recognition or spent a year recovering in the hospital?"
Nan Jiang cleared his throat and grinned. "No, I just think you're blessed by Buddha, not an ordinary person."
Su He shot him a glare, put down her chopsticks, and answered her phone.
Nan Jiang didn't even get a bite of fish before Su He urgently shouted, "Quick! We need to get to Central Hospital. Su Miao's been in an accident!"
By the time Su He arrived at the hospital, Su Miao was lying in the emergency room with an oxygen tube, his face pale and eyes closed.
She hurriedly grabbed the nearest nurse, stammering as she pointed to Su Miao. "That… that patient over there, I'm his family. How is he?"
The nurse glanced in the direction Su He was pointing. "There was a multi-car accident, and many patients were brought in. It's complicated. You'll need to ask the doctor for specifics."
Suddenly, Su He felt cold all over, her body trembling uncontrollably. She was reminded of that night years ago when she waited outside the emergency room and heard the news of her grandfather's death.
"Dr. Ji, the patient's family is here."
Su He heard the nurse's voice and turned around in a panic, only to meet a pair of amber eyes.
Ji Anyan glanced at the report in his hand and said in a deep voice, "The patient is currently unconscious. He has fractures in his nasal bone, ribs, and left leg. The ECG and X-rays are normal, and his vital signs are stable."
Su He stood there, stunned, unsure of what to do.
Ji Anyan looked up at her and sighed. "It's not too serious. The leg fracture will need surgery. Given his condition, you should handle the hospital admission procedures while we schedule the surgery."
Su He finally felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. Just as she was about to thank him, Ji Anyan had already turned to attend to another patient.
When Nan Jiang rushed in from the parking lot, Su He was standing by the hospital bed. The room was bustling with people, and the sight of her small, slender figure made his heart ache inexplicably.
He walked over, wrapped an arm around Su He's shoulder, and gave her a gentle pat.
Ji Anyan gave a few instructions to the nurse, then glanced instinctively toward Su He. His gaze darkened suddenly before he turned and left the room.
The hospital admission was quickly completed, but the orthopedics department was overflowing with patients, with even the hallways filled with beds.
In the middle of the night, Nan Jiang made a series of phone calls, but all the responses were the same: someone would be contacted in the morning.
Su Miao was put on an IV drip, but there were still no signs of him waking up.
Su He wanted to find a doctor to ask about Su Miao's condition, but just as she reached the door, the office door suddenly opened from the inside. Ji Anyan walked out, completely ignoring her as he passed by and left.
Su He watched his retreating figure, her heart filled with emotions she couldn't even begin to understand.
He was the person she knew, but he also acted like a stranger. She could never figure out what was going on in this man's mind.
Maybe it was good luck, but the next morning, Su Miao was transferred to a room.
After a night of chaos, Su Miao's fever had subsided, and he was awake. Other than the pain from his fractures, there didn't seem to be any major issues.
At that moment, Su Miao, grateful to be alive, was vividly recounting the thrilling details of the accident to Nan Jiang.
Su He shook her head helplessly and left to fetch some hot water.
"I heard that the patient who was just admitted last night has already been transferred to a room this morning. Your family member's been here almost a week, right? Why hasn't anything happened yet?"
"Ah, we don't have any connections. What can we do?"
The two people suddenly noticed someone standing behind them, exchanged glances, and quickly left with their water containers.
Su He recalled seeing Ji Anyan in the doctor's office yesterday. He wasn't an orthopedist, so why was he here? Could it be because of her?
Lost in thought, Su He didn't realize that the water had already reached the brim. The tap was turned on full blast, and water splashed everywhere before she could react, drenching her in hot water.
In her panic, a hand reached over from the side, calmly turning off the tap.
Crisis averted, Su He let out a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to say thank you, she turned around and froze.
"You… why are you here?"
It's amazing she even made it this far, with things like this happening while fetching water.
"This is a hospital. I'm a doctor. Why do you think I'm here?" Ji Anyan flicked a few drops of water off his clothes and walked out of the boiling water room.
Su He watched his retreating figure, momentarily speechless. Somehow, the silent and reserved Ji Anyan seemed more endearing.
She walked out of the boiling water room with the thermos in hand and immediately saw Nan Jiang standing outside.
"Why are you out here? Is Su Miao alone in the room?"
"He's asleep. I noticed you were taking a long time to get water, so I came to check on you."
"Oh, nothing's wrong. By the way, you stayed up so late last night. You should go home and rest early today. No need to keep coming to the hospital."
"Is it him?"
Nan Jiang's sudden question made Su He's expression freeze instantly. After a moment, she forced a smile and nodded.
"Oh, he's not that impressive. I still think I'm better looking."
Su He couldn't help but laugh at his tone and responded, "Yes, yes, you're the most handsome in the world!"
Nan Jiang suddenly leaned down, looking at Su He, and said softly, "Has anyone ever told you not to smile at men like that so easily?"
Su He's face instantly turned red. She tried to step back, but Nan Jiang wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into an embrace. Just as she was about to struggle, Nan Jiang whispered in her ear, "Don't move. Just play along."
Instinctively, Su He glanced back and caught a glimpse of a white figure flashing by.
Almost at the same time, Nan Jiang released her, teasing with a smile, "I just sacrificed myself to help you."
"You…"
"No need to thank me. Just treat me to dinner later."
Su He suddenly felt overwhelmed. Wasn't her life already complicated enough?
Su Miao's surgery went smoothly. Being young, he recovered quickly as well.
After a few days of observation without any issues, the doctor arranged for his discharge.
On the day of discharge, Su He made a special trip to find Doctor Sun. Over the past few days, Su Miao had caused quite a bit of trouble.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Su He began to express her thanks, Doctor Sun waved her off.
"An Yan and I were classmates in medical school in the United States. This was just a small favor."
"To be honest, I've known him for so many years, and this is the first time I've seen him take such an interest in someone else's matters."
"Oh, Ji An Yan and I have been… classmates for many years." As soon as she said it, Su He realized how it sounded like she was trying to cover something up.
"Is that so? I've known him for years, but last time when I went to him for treatment, he told me not to bother him."
Su He gave an awkward smile. If she had known Doctor Sun had this kind of personality, she wouldn't have come to trouble him.
"Um, Doctor Sun, I'll let you get back to work. I should go check on Su Miao."
Before Doctor Sun could respond, Su He had already dashed out of the office.
Doctor Sun's words left her feeling unsettled.
Back then, almost everyone at school knew that the girl named Su He had a crush on the cold and distant Ji An Yan.
But she had never dared to confess to him directly. She was afraid Ji An Yan would reject her, and even more afraid of his indifferent reaction.
From beginning to end, it was always her forcing herself into his world.
Maybe Ji An Yan didn't even remember that the first time she saw him wasn't at school.
She and Su Miao were half-siblings, and as the "tag-along," she had lived with her grandfather since childhood.
To her, wherever her grandfather was, that was home.
When she was 16, her grandfather passed away unexpectedly.
On that night of torrential rain, she couldn't accept the reality of his death. She ran out into the rain, chasing after the hearse carrying her grandfather, crying hysterically.
Rain pelted her face and body, soaking her clothes. She shivered uncontrollably but remained rooted to the spot. With her grandfather gone, she suddenly didn't know where to go.
At some point, the rain stopped suddenly.
She looked up to see an umbrella held over her head and under the umbrella, a pair of amber eyes.
The boy didn't say a word, just stood quietly beside her, holding the umbrella.
Time passed by, and the rain grew heavier, but he continued to stand there silently, showing no sign of leaving.
It wasn't until much later that someone seemed to call him from behind. Only then did he slowly turn around, hand her the umbrella, and walk off into the rain.
That was the first time Su He met Ji An Yan—quiet and reserved, but giving her a warmth she would never forget.
Later, at school, she saw that boy again. She asked around until she finally learned his name was Ji An Yan.
It was then that Su He decided she would find a way into his world.
She was just that kind of person, willing to chase after that small bit of warmth, even if it meant rushing headlong into it like a moth to a flame.
As soon as Su Miao's leg had mostly healed, he couldn't wait to go out.
Su He couldn't control him, so she just let him be.
In the afternoon, for some unknown reason, Su Miao called Su He insisting on treating her to a meal, saying it was to thank her for taking such good care of him during this time.
There was traffic on the way, so Su He arrived a bit late. The moment she pushed open the door to the private room, her mind buzzed as if it was hit by a shockwave.
Besides Su Miao, there were two other people in the room: Nan Jiang and Ji An Yan.
She stood at the door, unsure whether to enter or retreat.
"Big Sis, we've been waiting for you. Why are you so late?"
Su He shot him a sharp look, gave an awkward smile, and braced herself to walk in.
Su Miao didn't seem to be affected at all by his sister's glare. He stood up with his wine glass and expressed his thanks: "This time, I owe it to my big sister and Brother Nan. Of course, I'm also very grateful to Mr. Ji for lending a hand in my time of need. This toast is a small token of my appreciation."
With just a few words, the distinction between closeness and distance was clear, and even Su He could hear the underlying meaning.
All evening, Nan Jiang and Su Miao seemed to be in perfect harmony, like a well-rehearsed act.
Su He had no idea what these two were up to. She stole a glance at Ji An Yan across from her. He seemed completely oblivious to their conversation, focused solely on his meal.
Su He found it amusing—she had been worried that Ji An Yan might feel uncomfortable hearing their banter, but it turned out he didn't care at all. She could never find her way into his world.
Su Miao, perhaps because he had drunk too much, suddenly slapped Nan Jiang on the shoulder and said, "Brother Nan, I've relied on you for years. I'm relieved to leave my sister in your hands."
Su He almost spit out her orange juice. She looked up in shock, only to see Ji An Yan pick up his glass and down its contents in one gulp.
Given the circumstances, Su He couldn't cause a scene, so she awkwardly endured the evening until the end.
Su Miao and Nan Jiang were both completely drunk by the time they left the elevator. Nan Jiang's manager, Xiao Li, was already waiting downstairs.
Despite Su He's best efforts to persuade them, she couldn't separate Su Miao from Nan Jiang, so the manager had no choice but to bundle them both into the car.
"Miss Su…"
"I'll take her home. You all be careful on the way."
Ji An Yan waved at Xiao Li, who looked at the two of them and smiled knowingly.
The black Mercedes quickly disappeared into the night, leaving Su He with a blank mind.
"Let's go."
"Okay."
Ji An Yan's car was parked in the plaza across the street. The roadside was littered with fallen leaves that crunched underfoot.
Ji An Yan walked slowly, so Su He no longer had to jog to keep up with him as she used to.
"You were doing well abroad. Why did you suddenly come back?"
"It wasn't sudden. I'd been thinking about it for a long time."
"Oh, I see. Was it for your girlfriend? I saw her at the café the other day… She's very pretty."
Ji An Yan paused for a moment and looked at Su He. "Your boyfriend's not bad either. It's obvious Su Miao really likes him."
They both fell silent, and the atmosphere grew oddly tense.
After a long while, Ji An Yan suddenly asked, "Do you… remember calling me once?"
"How could I? You were abroad, and I didn't have your number." Su He shook her head, looking puzzled.
"Then… maybe I'm mistaken."
Ji An Yan looked at the shadow on the ground and smiled. A year ago, when he heard the tearful, drunken sobs on the other end of the phone, he had dropped everything and returned. But what was the point of coming back?
"Su He, back then…"
"What's past is past. Why bring it up?"
Su He forced a calm smile. She didn't want to hear the words "I'm sorry," and even less did she want to falsely reassure him with "It's okay."
Ji An Yan hesitated, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
That short path seemed to stretch on forever, with only the sound of leaves crunching underfoot breaking the silence.
Some people are destined to miss each other, just like her and Ji An Yan.
Four years ago, she had waited all night at the cinema, only to be met with the nightmare of a raging fire.
After surviving that disaster, she seemed to understand that some things couldn't be forced.
It was as if all her courage had been consumed in that fire.
Now, she was afraid of getting hurt, careful about gains and losses. She no longer wanted, nor could she bear, another one-sided pursuit.
Su He didn't know if this could be considered a stroke of luck after a bout of misfortune.
Her novel, which had been serialized online, was receiving a lot of attention. Early in the morning, Xiaomi called her to say that a publishing house had reached out, wanting to discuss the possibility of publishing the novel.
The meeting was set at the publishing house, and even as Su He sat in the conference room, it all felt like a dream.
Mr. Wu, the head of book publishing, and a few editors were in charge of the negotiations. It was Su He's first time experiencing something like this, and despite Xiaomi's repeated pep talks before the meeting, she couldn't help feeling a bit anxious as she sat there.
"Ms. Su, we've read your online serialized novel *Qing Qing Love Song* and we really like it. It's currently very popular online, and we want to strike while the iron is hot and discuss the book's publication."
"We're really grateful, Mr. Wu. Although Su He is a newcomer, she's always worked very hard. We're fortunate that everyone recognized her talent, and we hope to work together to make this book a success."
Su He breathed a sigh of relief, secretly thankful that Xiaomi was there.
"It's like this: the novel's plot and character development are quite good. Overall, it meets our standards for book publication. There's just one thing—considering mainstream opinions online and the book's future sales potential, we hope Ms. Su can adjust the ending between the male and female protagonists."
"That's not a problem. I'll discuss specific revisions with Su He when we get back."
"I won't change the ending."
As soon as Su He spoke, everyone present was a bit surprised.
No matter how much Xiaomi signaled to her, Su He ignored it.
"This…" The people across the table looked troubled.
Mr. Wu suddenly stood up and made a phone call. When he returned, he said to Su He, "Ms. Su, our Director Ji would like to discuss this with you personally."
Su He nodded in agreement.
This story was her tribute to the past—a reminder of the love and pain she had experienced. She had thought of many reasons, but none could justify altering it. How could a one-sided love ever reach a happy ending?
On the seventh floor, Director Ji's office.
Su He knocked and entered. The person behind the desk looked up, and the moment their eyes met, a hint of surprise flashed in Su He's eyes.
"It's you?"
The woman stood up, walked around the desk, approached Su He, and extended her hand. "Let's get to know each other again. I'm Ji Anran, An Yan's older sister."
Su He shook Ji Anran's hand, her mind going blank. She's Ji… Ji An Yan's sister?
"Ms. Su, I'll be straightforward. I asked you here to discuss a personal matter."
"A personal matter?"
Ji Anran gestured for her to sit down, then took a booklet out of her desk drawer and handed it to Su He.
Su He opened it with some hesitation, flipping through the pages.
She could hardly believe it—the entire album was filled with sketches of her. Whether she was happy, frustrated, or in a daze, each moment was captured in detail.
"Ms. Su, the first time I saw you wasn't actually at the café; it was in my brother's sketchbook. He's never told anyone about his feelings for you, but I knew. I read your novel, and I know it's about you and An Yan."
Su He looked up in shock. "How is that possible…? He never even…"
Ji Anran sighed. "There's something you might not know. An Yan… has had autism since he was a child. Although his treatment was timely, he still couldn't interact with others like a normal child. Until one day, he began asking to see a doctor, actively cooperating with treatment. We thought it was a miracle, but later I realized it was because of you."
A memory of that quiet, silent boy flashed through Su He's mind—how he had waited for her to walk home together for the first time, how he had smiled at her for the first time, and how he had accidentally called her name for the first time.
So the cold and distant Ji An Yan, the one who had brought warmth to her life, was actually the one who needed warmth the most.
"But when I needed him the most, he left without even saying goodbye." Su He forced a bitter smile, her eyes shimmering with tears.
Ji Anran hesitated for a moment, then continued, "If you're talking about four years ago when he went to the U.S., I think you might have misunderstood him. Four years ago, he had an argument with our mother because he didn't want to go abroad. He seemed fine when he left, but then we got a call saying he had been severely burned in a fire and was in critical condition at the hospital."
"After his condition stabilized, my mother took him to the U.S. for further treatment, so he wasn't able to contact you. During those years in the U.S., he lived like a robot, focused only on his studies. But last year, he suddenly rejected an offer to stay at the medical school in the U.S. and chose to return to China. I don't know what happened, but I believe it had something to do with you."
Su He stood frozen in place. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
So that dream she could never wake up from was real. The person who saved her from the fire, the one who shielded her from the flames, was truly him. Su He, what have you done?
"Su He, as his sister, you can understand how I feel. I want An Yan to be happy, and I hope neither of you will have any regrets."
Su He looked at Ji Anran, then nodded. "No, I won't let him leave again."
Ji Anyan opened the door and was surprised to see the person standing outside.
"What are you doing here?"
Ignoring his expression, Su He pushed past him into the room and casually replied, "I went to the hospital to find you, and Dr. Sun gave me your address. I'm here to tell you that I'm getting married."
Ji Anyan froze, standing with his back to Su He. After a long pause, he quietly said, "Congratulations to you both."
"Four years ago, what was your answer?"
Ji Anyan let out a cold laugh, turned to look at Su He, and said, "Does it even matter now?"
Suddenly, Su He rushed forward, stood on her tiptoes, and unexpectedly kissed him.
Ji Anyan was momentarily stunned. He quickly pushed Su He away and asked sharply, "Do you even know what you're doing?!"
Su He smiled but didn't answer. She stood on her tiptoes again, leaning in for another kiss.
The next moment, she felt a tight grip around her waist. The familiar yet distant scent enveloped her as his lips softly claimed hers, the kiss deepening with a tender intensity.
Her hands moved to his shoulders, slowly unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his firm chest. Her fingers traced his skin, trembling slightly as they moved across his back.
A flash of panic crossed Ji Anyan's eyes. He paused, grabbing the hand that was caressing his back, and whispered softly, "Su He…"
Su He's eyes were red as she stared at him. "Ji Anyan, how could you be so foolish? Why didn't you tell me something this important? Why did you let me blame you, resent you? Don't you know that if I missed out on you, I'd never be happy in this life?"
Ji Anyan released Su He and gently wiped away her tears.
"If I knew it would make you this sad, I would rather you never find out anything. I just want you to be happy, even if that person isn't me. I went back to the school to find you later. I saw you with Nan Jiang… you were smiling so happily. I thought maybe he was the right person for you."
"But without you, how could I possibly be happy? Ji Anyan, let's be together."
"Huh? Didn't you just say…"
"I was joking."
Su He finally heard the words she had longed for, a sly grin spreading across her face as her plan succeeded.
Realizing he had been tricked, Ji Anyan's expression darkened. Suddenly, he scooped Su He up in his arms and headed straight for the bedroom.
"Ji Anyan, what are you doing? Put me down!"
"Didn't your teachers ever tell you to finish what you start?"
Panicking, Su He stammered, "I-I was wrong, okay? You let me misunderstand for so long. I was just joking—how can you be so petty?"
Ji Anyan set her down, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "How am I being petty? I'm just proving how much I care."
Su He blushed furiously. "Y-you… stop talking…"
The next second, Ji Anyan suddenly wrapped his long arm around her, pulling her close. He whispered softly, "Do you know how scared I was just now? Su He, thank you for never leaving my world."
Su He's nose tingled, and tears began to fall again. It was the most beautiful confession she had ever heard.