“Sheng Sheng, do you believe there exists a man in this world who could fall for a woman he's never met, purely because of her voice, and keep that love for her for a full seven years?”
“Of course I don't!” Yu Sheng answered with utmost certainty. “How could that be possible, in this age of instant gratification??”
“Right, I didn't believe it either before,” Mei Ran murmured softly. “But I... seem to have encountered one.”
“What did you just say? I didn't hear clearly.” Yu Sheng suddenly let out a low “Ah,” “Honey, I've run into that annoying man again. Can't talk now, I'm going to deal with him.”
Mei Ran faintly heard her friend’s coquettish voice on the other end, “Hey, Ye Qihan, why are you always hovering around me…” Then the call abruptly ended with a busy tone.
Tian Tian, seeing Mei Ran had hung up, immediately moved closer to ask, “Senior Sister, did you watch last night’s 'The Chinese Great Vocalist'?”
The little assistant had passionately recommended this show many times before, but Mei Ran had hardly ever watched it. She shook her head somewhat apologetically, “Not yet. Who won the championship last night?”
“Of course, it was my goddess MR!” Tian Tian broke into a wide smile, even the previous annoyance swept away. “She secured first place again this time! If this momentum keeps up, she might even end up the overall champion...”
Listening, Mei Ran became thoughtful. If she remembered correctly, hadn't Yu Sheng mentioned once placing a bet with a man, saying if she didn't win the championship in the end, she'd have to unconditionally agree to something for that person?
“Ah…” The little assistant let out a long sigh, her thoughts jumping rapidly. “Last time Mr. Fu came and went in a rush. I originally wanted to ask who that 'Think It Over Carefully' person was.”
“But would I really dare to ask?” She began a rigorous self-reflection. “I probably wouldn't, right? Every time I see him, I have this urge to immediately bow down on the spot. Besides, even if I asked, he wouldn't necessarily tell me!”
“How wonderful it would be if ‘Think It Over Carefully’ was my goddess's alternate account! Male god and goddess, a perfect match in the world, truly enviable to mortals like us!” She muttered softly again. “But, 'Think It Over Carefully' and all… my goddess probably wouldn't pick such a strange name, right? I wonder if this lucky woman saved the solar system in her previous life…”
Hearing this, Mei Ran smiled, a soft radiance on her lips, her beautiful black eyes seeming to ripple with a clear spring. She nodded appreciatively. “Yes, more than that. She would've had to save at least the entire Milky Way galaxy.”
If not for all the normal names being registered already, she wouldn't have chosen such a peculiar one either—'Think It Over Carefully' clearly looked hastily thought up at a glance.
Xiangxiang was her childhood nickname.
During the peak of Mei Hongyuan's career, he was busy every day beyond measure, and the couple unavoidably lived apart in different cities. Murong stayed home to take care of their daughter. It was just the sweetest, most affectionate time, and they had to speak on the phone once a day.
“Hongyuan, I miss you so much. Do you miss me and the baby?”
“Miss, of course! I miss you every single moment…”
“Husband, I truly miss you so much. Last night I dreamt you came back.”
“Wife, I miss you too…”
At that time, Mei Ran was babbling as she learned to speak. Hearing her parents go back and forth like this ‘thinking about you’ every day, being immersed in it, the first word she learned wasn’t ‘Dad’ nor ‘Mom,’ but ‘think.'
“Husband, the baby can speak!”
“My darling girl! Call daddy…”
“…Think… think!”
“Good, good! My daughter misses her daddy?”
**
Even though she had won the championship in the third session of 'The Chinese Great Vocalist', Mei Mengran’s face showed not the slightest trace of joy.
Her agent was also somewhat worried. “Though this result is also good, the current situation isn't very favorable for you. After all, we're clear on how many votes actually went to MR. Continuing long-term like this isn’t a good plan. Mengran, is there still no progress between you and that Mr. Fu?”
Mei Mengran was already upset and said irritably, “I can’t keep offering my warmth only to get his cold shoulder…” She grabbed her hair in frustration. “Anyway, this path probably leads nowhere!”
She had privately sent him countless private messages, but they all vanished like stones sinking into the sea without a trace. Even if he was Ansel, Mei Mengran had her own self-respect too!
“Don’t say such discouraging things,” Her agent, of course, knew her real thoughts. “Try contacting Mr. Fu again. Things might take a turn for the better.”
Mei Mengran was somewhat persuaded by her agent’s words. Those angry words she’d just spoken were just venting frustration. Giving up so easily—if she did that, she wouldn’t be Mei Mengran.
“I’m thinking…” Her assistant Xiao Xia suddenly had an idea. “Isn’t the most critical person right now that 'Think It Over Carefully'? Could there be a way…”
Mei Mengran's newly changed phone suddenly made a ‘ding’ sound. She swiped the screen open, and her face immediately changed. “I need to go out to make a call.”
“Xiao Xia, you continue,” said the agent.
“Our ultimate goal isn’t just to get Mr. Fu’s Weibo to follow Ran-jie, right?” Xiao Xia reasoned logically. “However, Mr. Fu only follows one person. Why can’t we just make that person Ran-jie? After all, it’s just for publicity needs, not really…”
The agent suddenly clapped her hands hard to interrupt. “Normally you look like a silly goose, but you're sharp at critical moments! What you say makes sense. We just need to buy the ‘Think It Over Carefully’ account, then announce publicly that it's Mengran’s alternate account. Wouldn't that solve everything? Mr. Fu is so busy; where would he notice such things?”
“Hehe,” Xiao Xia laughed insincerely. “Just glad to be of help.”
In the corridor, Mei Mengran hid in a patch of shadow, grinding her teeth and snarling into the phone, “What exactly do you want?”
“Ran Ran, you must have seen the photos I just sent, right? Well, seeing yourself as a child, did you feel very nostalgic?” That side emitted another series of eerie, sinister chuckles. “No, how could you possibly feel nostalgic? You should feel horrified instead. Don’t you recognize the person in the photo anymore? That is your true appearance…”
“Enough!” Pain throbbed in Mei Mengran’s temples. “Speak. What do you want from me this time?”
“Now that’s my obedient girl! Old account, wire me one million!”
“Didn’t you say only three hundred thousand last time?”
“Hehe,” Wu Yuwan sneered coldly. “That was last time, this is this time.”
A man’s vulgar laughter mixed in from that end, and Wu Yuwan cried out flirtatiously, “You beast!”
“In short, if I don’t see the money appearing in my account on time, just wait for those photos to be exposed. I believe many people would be quite interested in them.”
After hanging up the phone, Mei Mengran trembled with anger, and tears of helplessness welled up in her eyes.
Why? Why did she have to get stuck with a mother like this?!
Someone who never fulfilled a mother's duty, who even secretly abandoned her in an orphanage, having done practically every heartless, evil deed possible to her, and now clung to her like a leech, forever unsatisfied.
She hated this so much!
***
Noon arrived quickly. Mei Ran went to the hospital cafeteria for a meal, then on the way stopped by the security post to retrieve her thermal container.
“Sorry about this, Dr. Mei,” the old security guard apologized, rubbing his hands together with an apologetic smile. “I might not be able to return the lunchbox to you.”
He pointed at the desk. “The little fellow just won’t eat anything, its eyes keep fixed on that lunchbox. When I dumped the food inside—hey! It was willing to open its mouth then. Look, it’s eating quite happily now!”
Mei Ran then saw a grey cat lying on the desk, sticking out a pink tongue, gently licking the grains of rice. When she walked over, it even looked up at her, its round, liquid eyes seeming veiled in a layer of mist.
“What’s wrong with its leg?”
The old guard sighed. “Probably got crushed by a passing vehicle. What a tough little thing, it dragged itself in here. Its foot was covered in blood. I took pity and carried it to the nurse's station to have it bandaged. So, after having some leftover lunch at noon, I gave it to him.”
Stray cats and dogs often wandered into the hospital, and injured ones weren't rare either. But for some reason, this cat tugged at people's heartstrings more than others.
“Probably a stray from nearby. Look, its fur isn't pure either. Even though one ear is folded, it’s not a genuine Scottish Fold, likely a hybrid.” The old guard used chopsticks to pick out the vegetables, holding them close to its mouth. The cat “meowed” once, then continued eating plain rice.
Hearing this, Mei Ran's heart softened. “Then what do you plan to do with it?”
“Can’t just keep it forever, can I?” The old guard helplessly spread his hands with a bitter smile. “After this meal, I’ll find a place to release it, let it fend for itself.”
In this city, who didn't have their difficulties? Who wasn't struggling to survive? For someone who could barely feed himself, how could he dare to easily bear the weight of another life?
Mei Ran pondered and pondered, seeming to come to a decision. “How about you give it to me?”
The old guard was surprised. “Dr. Mei, you want to keep it yourself? You're usually so busy with work, how will you manage? I think it's better to release it. Little guy, survived a great calamity, so it’s bound to have good fortune afterward.”
“It’s fine,” Mei Ran said. “A friend of mine should be able to keep it.”
“That’s great then!” The old guard beamed with joy, stroking the cat’s back again and again. “Little guy, you hear that? You're going to have a home. Are you happy?”
Taking advantage of the remaining break time, Mei Ran carried the cat to a pet hospital to have its wound redressed, got it dewormed internally and externally, and bought some cat food and litter.
Even though she’d said “a friend can keep it,” while calling, she still felt somewhat uncertain. Yet there was also a strange touch of something urging her on.
Mei Ran had thought it through: if this didn't work out, she’d send it back to her hometown for Old Aunt Zhou to keep. She would definitely love this cat.
“Fu… Fu Shijin, are you allergic to cat fur?” Although not the first time calling him by name, for some reason she felt a little nervous.
“No,” the man’s voice on the phone was deep, seemingly carrying a trace of a light laugh. “What’s up?”
“I have a cat. Do you want to keep it?”
There was a pause on the other end, then his clear, mellow voice came again, “A token of betrothal?”
Mei Ran’s face instantly flushed red.
At the same time, in an operating room at People’s Hospital, the vivid red sign “SURGERY IN PROGRESS” shone glaringly. Below it hung a large placard with the words: Infectious Surgery Underway.
Zhou Yimiao stood calmly before the operating table, methodically beginning a cardiac surgery on an AIDS patient. Before surgery, he had worn three layers of protective clothing and two pairs of latex gloves, his protective measures flawless.
Even though the patient’s family member had caused trouble at the hospital yesterday, his condition could not be delayed any longer and required immediate surgery. Naturally, Zhou Yimiao performed the operation.
The gleaming scalpel was stained with a layer of crimson. The nurse repeatedly wiped the dense sweat from his forehead. After three hours, the surgery proceeded smoothly into the final stage. Zhou Yimiao let out a sigh of relief, preparing to begin suturing the wound—when an unexpected accident occurred right at this moment!
The back of his hand was accidentally pricked by a needle, and blood immediately welled up through the latex glove.
“Dr. Zhou!” A female doctor beside him widened her eyes, her voice already trembling with tears.
Zhou Yimiao glanced calmly at his hand, instructing his assistant, “You continue the suturing. Be careful.”
He immediately removed his gloves, washed the wound, and sterilized it with chlorhexidine. The whole person appeared frighteningly calm and silent.
Yet cold sweat had long ago soaked through his back.
Only Zhou Yimiao himself knew, at the moment his hand was pricked, he felt the world around him turn into a vast expanse of pure white.
A kind of white that was both cold and hollow.