Lin Wan felt a chill in her heart—he left? But then she remembered that the corridor above was covered in vines, with no roof... As this thought crossed her mind, she immediately turned around, grabbed her keys, changed her shoes, and went downstairs.
When she stepped outside, she realized it wasn't raining at all. She sighed at her inability to distinguish between the dream and reality and started walking in that direction. The night offered cover, hiding the delicacies and courage that daytime had taken away.
As she walked, she smelled the faint scent of smoke, and then a familiar voice called out, "Wanwan?"
After Lin Wan's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she finally saw the person in front of her—it turned out, he hadn't left.
Before she could speak, she sneezed. She was wearing a sleeveless nightgown, and even on the summer's night, it was a bit chilly. Chen Jin stepped forward and draped his jacket over her shoulders. Instantly, she was surrounded by his scent, familiar and unsettling. Lin Wan instinctively tried to pull away, but he pulled her into a tight embrace.
Still so domineering, she sighed inwardly.
Chen Jin buried his head in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply the fresh scent of her body wash. He greedily breathed in, letting out a soft sigh, "So good."
Lin Wan struggled, softly reprimanding, "Let go."
He ignored her, tightening his arms around her and whispering in her ear, "Wanwan, are you angry because I came too late?"
Lin Wan froze at his words, halting her movements. He continued, "You were waiting for me."
His firm tone felt like a dull knife stabbing into her heart. At first, it was a muffled pain, and she couldn't find the words to rebut. Then, the anger came—her teeth clenched in frustration. She hated him, but she hated herself more. And then, the thousands of feelings built up over the years flooded her, culminating in a sob filled with grievance.
Chen Jin immediately apologized, "I'm sorry, Wanwan."
It would have been fine if he hadn't said anything, but the moment he did, it only made Lin Wan feel more aggrieved. She couldn't stop crying. Chen Jin, heart aching, ran his hand up and down her back, continuing to apologize, "Wanwan, I'm sorry, I didn't expect it to turn out like that. I thought it would only take a few months, maybe a year at most, to recover." He paused for a moment, then added, "I didn't expect the surgery to fail…"
The sobbing in his arms faltered, her breathing lightened. Chen Jin gazed at the lights twinkling from the opposite building and slowly said, "A few months later, I underwent a second surgery, but I had missed the best window, so the results weren't ideal. After that, I had to rely on medications, acupuncture, and endless rehabilitation training until half a month ago…"
"You think I didn't want to see you two sooner? I dreamt about reuniting with you, but... should I be pushed to you in a wheelchair? Or stand on crutches and say to my son, 'Look, this cripple is your dad...'" He laughed bitterly, speaking quietly, "I couldn't do that."
"I know it hasn't been easy for you and Xiao Bao, but as a useless person, all I could do was cause more trouble, so I chose not to appear. The only thing I could do was focus on my treatment, work on rehabilitation, and try to come to you sooner…"
Lin Wan wanted to say something, but after thinking it over, she decided against it. Everyone has their own stubbornness. As he spoke, his tone unexpectedly became lighter, "Since I found your Weibo, my biggest joy every day is looking at photos of my son and the little snippets of daily life. It felt like I was closer to you." He reached out and gently touched her hair, sincerely saying, "Wanwan, thank you."
There was no response, so he continued, "But after looking at the photos, I missed you more. It hurt, like a sharp pang." He hesitated before adding, "One time, I couldn't help it. So I came."
Lin Wan looked up in surprise, and in the darkness, she saw the gleam of tears in his eyes.
Chen Jin's voice was calm as he said, "We have been at the entrance of the neighborhood all morning, waiting to see you. When I saw you carrying Xiao Bao out, I had the driver follow you." Reflecting on that day, his expression softened, and his speech slowed as he reminisced, "The sunlight was really nice that day. You went to the park, spread a blanket on the grass, and Xiao Bao was crawling all over it. A group of college students came over and played with him, calling him cute…"
Chen Jin glanced at Lin Wan, who was already crying. He smiled and said, "I was so proud. That's my son."
Lin Wan could no longer hold it in. With a sniffle, she asked, "Where were you? Why didn't you come out?"
He simply looked at her gently, saying nothing.
Lin Wan raised her hand and slapped his chest hard, scolding, "Idiot, you're such an idiot."
Chen Jin didn't move, allowing her to hit him, each blow light but firm. He thought, this is what real life is—sweet and bitter, with tears and pain. He had waited for this day for four years.
There is a kind of feeling that fades with time.
And there's another, that time turns into conge, thickening more and more.
His feelings for her began with desire, but ended in obsession. Even if the world hated him, he didn't care, he had walked this path for so long and would continue to walk it just the same.
And her reaction at this moment was the best reward he could ask for.
The person in his arms finally quieted down. He took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. Lin Wan grabbed it, blowing her nose, then murmured, "What time is it?"
Chen Jin glanced at his watch and replied, "It's two-thirty."
"Oh, then you should go back. You can still sleep for a few hours."
Chen Jin didn't respond.
She sighed and said, "Tomorrow's Saturday. I'll be at the hospital in the morning, taking over for my dad. If you have time, you can take Xiao Bao."
Still, Chen Jin didn't reply.
Lin Wan looked up in surprise, seeing his dazed expression, as if he hadn't heard her, or perhaps was struggling with something. She had to confirm again, "Do you have time tomorrow?"
Chen Jin's smile slowly spread across his face as he said seriously, "I do, of course. Not just tomorrow. I have half my life to give."