They waited for four full hours.
Time seemed to blend with each breath, making the wait feel hazy and hollow.
When Ji Linqiu sat down, holding Peng Xingwang in his arms, it was as if Jiang Wang briefly shut down all consciousness.
All he could see were the nurses moving in and out, occasionally rushing out to request a signature.
Those people, including Chang Hua, discussed many things—the baby’s condition, the mother’s progress, the status of the emergency measures, and the possibility of any lasting effects.
Jiang Wang was her nominal distant cousin, so nobody paid much attention to him as he sat quietly in a corner.
Peng Xingwang gripped Ji Linqiu’s hand tightly, watching the adults hesitating back and forth before finally gathering the courage to rush up to them.
“I’m her son. I can give her my blood transfusion!”
The head nurse looked at him in surprise, gently patting his head. “No, sweetheart, direct relatives can’t give blood.”
“We… we’ll do our very best.”
Ji Linqiu went to a nearby station and poured some warm water, first giving it to the two elderly parents, then to Chang Hua and Peng Xingwang. After several trips, he kept the last cup for himself and Jiang Wang.
“Take a sip,” he said calmly. “Being anxious won’t help anything. We need to wait for news from the doctors.”
Jiang didn’t snap out of his thoughts for a long while and finally took a small sip, relieving his parched lips.
He knew there was nothing he could do.
Yet he suddenly realized he wasn’t as empty as he’d once thought.
He could feel fear, panic, even pain, actually experiencing what it was to live.
For so long, Jiang Wang’s world had been devoid of the word “need.”
He’d never sought help from any elder, had no desire for food, entertainment, or wealth. He was more like a flat silhouette, merely existing.
But now, sitting outside the emergency room, it felt as though a murky breath had finally choked up from his lungs, forcing him to break free of his icy indifference. He wanted to grasp onto everything he could.
He longed for his mother’s warm embrace, wished for the safety of every family member and friend he knew, and wanted to meet each day with no regrets, no pain.
He wanted to live fully, to hold onto everyone he loved.
And he realized he was in love with many people.
He placed his cup down, taking a deep breath, feeling as though he’d awakened from a dream, only to find himself mired in the depths of uncertainty and anxiety.
“Is the family of Du Wenjuan here?” A nurse came out, calling loudly, “Family of Du Wenjuan!”
“Here, here! Yes, we’re here!”
“Congratulations, it’s a baby girl. Due to neonatal hemolytic disease, she’ll go straight to the incubator. Family members, please fill out this form.”
A hint of color finally returned to Chang Hua’s pale face as he trembled, “And my wife — how is she?”
“They’re finishing the stitches now. It was close, but the blood transfusions arrived just in time, she almost died from heavy bleeding just now,” the nurse said, wiping her damp brow with the back of her hand. “It’s a blessing. Think about a name for the little girl, we’ll need it for the registration. And do you have baby supplies ready?”
The grandparents scrambled to their feet, busy checking the items they’d brought.
Peng Xingwang stood still, until Ji Linqiu patted his shoulder.
Before the boy could gather the courage to approach, Chang Hua, overjoyed and holding a stack of medical bills, rushed over to embrace him, planting a kiss on his forehead. “Xingxing! You have a sister now. You have a little sister!”
Peng Xingwang nodded in a daze, instinctively reaching to check if he’d brought his wallet, thinking he might use his New Year’s money to buy her something.
Ji Linqiu, quick to notice, pulled him back, congratulating Chang Hua and then leading both the dazed Jiang Wang and Peng Xingwang to a nearby baby shop to help with supplies.
“Your mother is still resting. She just had major surgery and can’t have visitors yet. Let’s get everything she’ll need ready.”
Ji Linqiu, remaining level-headed, managed to direct the errands, though the others were still in shock.
“A sister,” Jiang Wang murmured as they reached the hospital’s entrance, finally looking at Ji Linqiu. “I have a sister too?”
Ji Linqiu chuckled, and didn’t know whether to be amused or sad. “Wake up already.”
The nearby baby shops offered a variety of items, with toys filling five or six walls in bright colors. The prices of pacifiers, diapers, clothes, and cradles were steep.
The three quickly bought the essentials, then returned to the hospital to take shifts with Chang’s family.
Two or three days later, the doctors finally allowed a short visit with the mother.
When Peng Xingwang finally saw his mother again after days apart, he noticed how pale and haggard she looked. He didn’t say much, only gently stroked the back of her hand.
“Mom, does it hurt to get all those needles?” the little boy asked softly, “Your lips are so dry. Can I give you some water?”
Du Wenjuan looked at him with a faint smile and nodded slowly.
Jiang didn’t enter to see her, only watching from the doorway until Xingwang came out.
He finally realized that Xingxing had changed a lot.
At first, he’d cried at the slightest touch, timid and afraid, always imagining the worst. He sometimes even shed tears secretly at night.
But now, here he was, calm and composed, even in front of the pale, nearly lost figure of his mother.
It wasn’t until he gently closed the door to the hospital room that Peng Xingwang let out a long sigh, finally relaxing.
“She’s okay, she’s okay,” he repeated, like he was reporting to Jiang Wang, or maybe comforting himself, “Mom’s doing well. She should recover soon.”
Ji Linqiu knelt down and hugged him, while a nearby nurse pointed the way. “The nursery is in the building on the right. Just follow the corridor.”
Jiang Wang’s eyes followed her directions, quickly nodding.
On the other side of a sealed glass wall were rows of incubators. Fortunately, their baby’s incubator was close to the hallway, and they could even see her face.
Due to her neonatal hemolytic disease, the baby lay in an incubator, receiving phototherapy, her tiny eyes covered, sleeping under the soft blue light. She was small and fragile, with only a hint of hair on her head.
With her eyes shielded, her features were hard to distinguish, yet Peng Xingwang leaned against the glass, watching her intently, as though he had one more precious person to protect.
Jiang Wang stood by his side in quiet companionship, subconsciously holding his own breath.
He didn’t like children, including the younger version of himself.
The crying, innocence, and helplessness that children often exhibited—these traits hadn’t appealed to him.
But ever since he had saved Peng Xingwang, it felt as though a barrier within him had finally loosened, allowing him to glimpse the bright, vibrant world through the eyes of an eight year-old.
He stood by the glass wall, his gaze settling on the newborn, bathed in the gentle, ethereal glow of the blue light.
Blood ties, like the buds and thorns of a rose vine, spread and intertwined, binding him to his parents and to the person he’d been twenty years ago.
“For a long time… I didn’t care much about what ‘family’ meant,” Jiang Wang said after a moment, his voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t care, so I always felt free.”
“But now, here I am, with two kids who might watch me grow old day by day.” He looked at Ji Linqiu, pausing before a faint smile crept across his face. “Maybe one day they’ll even leave a bouquet on my grave.”
It sounded… nice.
Really nice.
Ji Linqiu leaned in, watching the baby for a long while too, and when Jiang finished, he said calmly, “In that case, make sure my grave is close to yours.”
“Long-distance calls are too expensive.”
Jiang Wang laughed with genuine relief.
Before they left Cizhou, they arranged a long-term nanny for Du Wenjuan, as well as a confinement nanny to help care for the newborn. One would stay for at least three years, and the other for three months. (a special nanny to care for a newborn, because in China (and Korea too, I believe), a new mother is traditionally “confined” for 1 month to help her recover from childbirth.)
The little girl was named Chang Si’an, with the child nickname of Yinyin.
Jiang Wang never spoke much to Du Wenjuan, only offering a few parting words to remind her to take care of her health.
After a week of recovery, Du Wenjuan was feeling much better. Holding her daughter in her arms, she smiled at Jiang Wang and said, “Hold her once before you go.”
Jiang Wang took a hesitant step back. “I… I don’t know how to hold a baby.”
But Du Wenjuan just smiled, waiting. Resigned, Jiang Wang stepped closer, awkwardly mimicking the way others held her. Just then, Yinyin reached out, her soft little hand brushing his cheek.
In that instant, Jiang Wang was struck with a profound realization.
‘My sister is the best sister in the world!’
Everyone bursted into laughter.
Before the Lantern Festival, all the schools began the new semester. Ji Linqiu only stayed in Cizhou for two days before returning to handle an endless workload, while Jiang Wang and Peng Xingwang stayed an extra week before finally heading back to face their own responsibilities.
The first big task was officially relocating to Yuhan.
The small villa would be left behind to appreciate in value, but the company’s employees and connections all needed to move to the provincial capital.
Jiang Wang casually threw a “I’m moving to Yuhan, deal with it” at Fang Quanyou, then dove into recruitment, leaving Fang to his own devices for days.
When they finally crossed paths again, Fang Quanyou was beaming. “Boss, I’ve transferred to the provincial capital too! I’ll help you scout offices and new housing!”
Jiang Wang laughed and handed him a pack of cigarettes.
More important, however, was moving Ji Linqiu over to manage the tutoring center.
Jiang Wang’s casual remark over the holiday had sparked a firm plan to merge the tutoring center with the bookstore, creating a mutually beneficial business.
Now, with the spring term beginning, it was the perfect time to hand over responsibilities and let Ji Linqiu take the reins.
Ji Linqiu, without hesitation, submitted his resignation to Hongshan Elementary according to protocol. The news was a bombshell among the staff and several parent groups.
“What? Teacher Ji is quitting? That can’t be true!”
“My son was just about to start his class—how can they do this?”
“Is the school’s pay that bad? He’s such a patient, skilled teacher. It’s such a pity.”
“But teaching is a stable job. He’s crazy! How’s he going to make a living without it?”
The resignation process required the principal’s approval, followed by the education bureau’s HR department.
Ji Linqiu looked like a gentle and peaceful person. He was so calm and resolute when he submitted his resignation that even the principal found it unsettling.
Teacher Ji was well-regarded in the school, with the administration even considering him for promotions. Why would he decide to leave so abruptly?
“Did another teacher give you trouble?”
“If it’s a pay issue, we can discuss it. Little Ji, you’re in your prime…”
After several rounds of this, the application finally made its way up the chain, and with each stamped approval, his departure became more definite.
After teaching his final semester, he regained his freedom.
Most teachers only whispered about it behind Ji Linqiu’s back. Since they couldn’t ask anything directly, they just smiled and left without saying much.
Only the old Mrs. Xu stopped him.
“Linqiu, is it true that you’re resigning?”
Xu Rong was old, and her sharp, metallic voice commanded attention. Even teachers in their thirties and forties showed deference.
Ji Linqiu was just about to go home after getting off work when he heard Xu Rong’s call. He turned around to face her.
“Yes,” he smiled gently, ready to repeat his usual response.
“You should have left long ago.” Her expression softened, and she took a step closer. “Go far, to where you truly belong.”
“Linqiu,” she said, her eyes intent, “it’s time for you to fly higher.”
