Since that brief video call, the two of them gradually started to contact each other more often. Occasionally, Rong Xu would even send a few photos.
But after that, in every video call, the hospital ward from that night never appeared again.
Rong Xu always wore his own clothes, either basking in the sunlight or sitting in the hospital garden.
Both of them tacitly agreed not to speak about it.
However, Chi Han understood that Rong Xu was afraid he would see him wearing the patient gown. That was when he looked most vulnerable.
The numbers on the classroom blackboard grew smaller and smaller, until finally, as the summer heat arrived, they reached zero.
On the day of the college entrance exam, almost everyone had their parents to pick them up and take them to the venue, except Chi Han, who stood at the entrance holding his pencil case, waiting to enter.
Chi Han’s father and mother had not appeared since that night, which conveniently saved him the trouble. With the exam so close, he really had no energy to deal with those two.
During those two days of the exam, it was the only time that Rong Xu didn’t persist with his rehabilitation training. He stayed by his phone, counting the time, just waiting for Chi Han to call.
That was the only way he could accompany Chi Han through the college entrance exam and into the next stage of life.
Fortunately, Chi Han’s mindset was steady. After finishing the last subject, he roughly had a sense of how he did.
On the day the results were released, Chi Han unsurprisingly became the top scorer in the entire province. For a moment, his phone was flooded with calls.
He skipped all the calls and dialed that number carved deep into his bones.
As soon as the call connected, the familiar chill came from the other side.
Rong Xu said, “Congratulations, Chi Han. Three years of hard work have finally paid off. May your future be bright and full of promise.”
Chi Han couldn’t help but let out a small laugh while covering his eyes with his hand as he said, “Who taught you to speak so formally like that?”
Rong Xu chuckled softly, “I just looked it up just now. They all say you’re supposed to say words of blessing after the exam.”
He paused, his voice seeming to carry countless feelings, directly hitting Chi Han’s ears.
He said, “Chi Han, the next sentence is what I want to say. No matter what road lies ahead, I’ll be there with you.”
…
In the end, Chi Han chose a university in his home province, very close to City A, just an hour by bus to come back.
He chose clinical medicine—not because of any grand dream, but simply hoping to learn more about medical knowledge, so he wouldn’t be at a loss when facing Rong Xu in the future.
When Rong Xu found out, he was silent for a long time. Although he didn’t show it on the surface, Chi Han could feel his inner unrest.
Rong Xu’s return was indeed delayed. Because he needed an additional surgery midway, his rehabilitation training was postponed by several months. Even after Chi Han had been at university for a few months, the two still hadn’t met.
Clinical courses were intensive, but not more than high school classes. Studying mostly depended on self-discipline.
After leaving the library, it was already dark outside. The hot summer had passed, and the autumn wind carried fallen leaves, giving an inexplicable feeling of desolation.
He clutched his books tightly, stamping his feet, vaguely thinking that it had already been a full year since they parted…
Two or three classmates laughing and chatting walked by nearby. Chi Han shook his head and came back to himself.
Well, even the longest journey has an end. Rong Xu would be back in at most three months.
That little time didn’t matter.
Back in the dorm, after showering, his roommates gradually returned one by one.
Their dorm was a four-person room. Aside from one who was a study fanatic, the other two had already adapted well to the university rhythm.
After studying, holding hands with a girlfriend and strolling around the track was practically heaven.
“Hey, Top Scorer Chi,” Yin Hao called out to Chi Han with a smile as he straddled a chair.
At first, when Yin Hao and the others found out they were assigned to the same dorm as the provincial top scorer, they all addressed him with formal titles, almost wanting to put Chi Han on a pedestal and study how someone’s brain could be so different from theirs.
Later, after getting to know him and realizing Chi Han was good-looking and had a good temper, they started calling him teasingly.
Yin Hao, half-joking, half-serious, said, “With your looks and status, how come no girls have their eyes on you when you’re out? Want me to set you up with someone?”
“Hey, you don’t know—there’s a goddess at the school next door who’s been wanting to meet you for a long time! Just say the word, and I can tie that red string for you right away!”
“Get lost.”
Chi Han didn’t even turn his head; he tossed a snack pack backward.
Yin Hao caught it perfectly. “Alright, thanks for the treat, Your Honor!”
Looks like the next-door goddess’s hopes were dashed. This brother was clearly not interested.
But every night without fail, Chi Han would video call for half an hour. It didn’t look like it was with a girlfriend, but rather someone closer.
Yin Hao rubbed his chin, thinking that from what he knew, Chi Han’s family relationship seemed pretty cold…
The phone on the desk lit up. Chi Han glanced at it, then stood up and headed out, saying, “I’m going out to pick up a delivery. If you need anything, remember to send it to me.”
After closing the door, Chi Han could still faintly hear Yin Hao’s loud voice:
“Someone’s sending you another package again…”
Chi Han curled the corner of his lips, put on his earphones, and walked downstairs from the dormitory building.
The call connected quickly, but compared to usual, there was some unclear background noise, like someone walking back and forth, and occasionally the sound of wheels rolling by.
“The things you bought have arrived. I’m going downstairs to get them now.”
The voice on the other end seemed to be in a good mood, carrying Rong Xu’s unique coolness: “Did you finish the snacks I bought you last time?”
Chi Han pressed the elevator button, not daring to say that some of them had been shared with his roommates, or else the person on the other side would definitely seem calm on the surface but secretly have an earthquake level eight.
“Yeah, all finished. My roommates were just asking why there are always packages coming, and who was sending them.”
There was an obvious pause on the other side, then a deliberately casual question: “What did you say?”
Chi Han raised his eyebrows mischievously, leaned closer to the microphone on the earphones, and said deliberately, “I just told them… it was from my family.”
For a long time, no sound came from the earphones. Chi Han put away his smile, frowned, and called out twice, “Rong Xu? Can you hear me? Strange, the signal’s pretty good…”
“Family?”
At that moment, the elevator doors opened, and because the signal got bad, Chi Han didn’t catch the rest of what was said.
“What did you just say? I got into the elevator and didn’t hear.” Chi Han strode out of the dorm building; a cold wind blew straight at him. He hurriedly zipped up his jacket.
“Nothing,” Rong Xu chuckled softly, raising his eyes to look at the flight information on the big screen. He paused for a few seconds, as if holding something back, then finally whispered, “Chi Han, tomorrow is your birthday.”
Chi Han’s steps faltered slightly. The hand in his pocket instinctively clenched tighter.
This time last year was the day they last saw each other.
It was also a scene that kept repeating in his dreams.
Chi Han slowly exhaled, his voice returning to its earlier lightness. Half-joking, he said, “What, are you going to give me a birthday gift again? I haven’t even finished using last year’s! How about when we talk on the phone, you tie a bow on yourself, and I ‘unwrap’ the gift?”
Rong Xu’s hand curled slightly into a fist. He stood up and slowly walked toward the boarding gate.
The young figure was tall and slender, his brows and eyes like a painting.
“All right, once the gift is given, no returns or exchanges.”
