My girlfriend was reborn.

Chapter 151 Is it only tonight?
"Okay."

Cheng Shuangjiang did not refuse. She gently hugged Zhou Heming's neck from behind, and then exerted a little force with her remaining movable leg.

At the same time, Zhou Heming wrapped his arms around Cheng Shuangjiang's knees. With the girl's entire weight pressing down on him, Zhou Heming truly felt how light and petite she was.

Picking up Cheng Shuangjiang's shoe, stuffing the sock inside, Zhou Heming strode quickly toward the health station.

Cheng Shuangjiang's head rested on his shoulder, emanating a faint fragrance of her hair, reminding Zhou Heming of those long-gone winters.

The clinic was small, with an outpatient clinic outside and wards inside, but apart from the female doctor who was on duty and looking at her phone, there were no other doctors or patients.

When Zhou Heming walked into the health station, the woman immediately put away her phone and pretended to be looking at the report on the table.

"Doctor, she sprained her ankle, could you please take a look?"

Zhou Heming said.

"Okay, bring her in."

The doctor seemed to speak fluent Mandarin. She glanced at the foreign man carrying the camera, a little suspicious, but still let them into the consultation room.

Zhou Heming sat Cheng Shuangjiang on the hospital bed and glanced at the time.

6:45.

The shuttle bus departs at 7:00 AM; if you go now, you should be able to barely make it.

"Does it hurt here?"

The doctor, wearing gloves, touched Cheng Shuangjiang's swollen ankle.

"pain."

Cheng Shuangjiang frowned and took a light breath.

She also knew that acting tough at this time would not be good for anyone.

"What about here?"

While the doctor was examining him, Zhou Heming glanced at the time on his phone again.

"Brother Yang, the bus is about to leave. Why don't you take a ride first, and I'll ask around after the doctor finishes his appointment to see if anyone is going back to Hanhai Township and can hitch a ride with them?"

He said.

"How can that be? How can I, an adult, leave two children here?"

Yang Ge immediately refused.

"Her ankle needs to be iced and sprayed with medicine. It needs to rest for at least a week, and she shouldn't move around too much tonight."

The doctor then interjected.

The implication was that Cheng Shuangjiang shouldn't go back tonight, otherwise it might worsen her injuries.

"Yang-ge, we'll go back tomorrow, so don't worry. It wouldn't be good if we delayed tomorrow's filming schedule."

Cheng Shuangjiang forced a smile and said.

Yang hesitated for a moment.

He did have plans for tomorrow, and looking at the two of them, he suddenly had a feeling.

I stayed behind by myself, as if I were a third wheel.

"Okay, you should also tell the director that if possible, he can send a car to pick you up tomorrow."

The production team was short on funds, so they rented a bus and a pickup truck when they arrived. If they wanted to drive, they would probably have to borrow a car from the village.

After Yang finished speaking, he packed up his equipment and ran to catch the bus, leaving Zhou Heming and Cheng Shuangjiang behind.

"Are you TV actors?"

The doctor brought an ice pack, had Cheng Shuangjiang lie down first, then placed the ice pack on the swollen area of ​​her ankle and gestured for Zhou Heming to take over.

"I guess so, it's for filming a TV show."

Zhou Heming held the ice pack down with one hand and used the other hand to lift Cheng Shuangjiang's foot so that the ice pack could fit snugly against her ankle.

"That's pretty impressive. Hey, if you have time later, could you sign my autograph? Who knows, it might be worth something someday."

The doctor joked, glancing at Cheng Shuangjiang again.

“All the accommodations in town are full. If you don’t mind, you can stay in this ward tonight. There are no other patients around. I’m on duty next door, so although there are no security cameras, it’s still relatively safe.”

"Okay, thank you, doctor."

Zhou Heming responded.

Cheng Shuangjiang was clearly still in pain; when Zhou Heming touched her foot, he could feel the girl trembling slightly.

"Don't worry, it's just a minor ligament strain. The treatment was timely enough. Apply ice for 20 minutes, then remove it. Apply ice again every two, um, three hours, for two days. After that, switch to heat therapy. Avoid strenuous exercise. If possible, use crutches or something to keep your foot off the ground."

The doctor chattered away, probably because it was a common injury, so she was very familiar with it.

"You should be fine in about a week, but you still need to be careful for the next month. I'll have to trouble your boyfriend to take good care of you."

Zhou Heming hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Cheng Shuangjiang had no time to tease him now, so she just closed her eyes slightly and her breathing became a little rapid.

"If you're in a lot of pain, I can prescribe some ibuprofen for you, it should help relieve some of the pain."

The doctor said upon seeing this.

"Thank you doctor."

Cheng Shuangjiang nodded.

The doctor brought the medicine and a glass of water.

Cheng Shuangjiang sat up slightly, took the medicine, and instead of lying back down, leaned against the pillow.

"Ah He, are you tired?"

She watched Zhou Heming maintain the posture while applying ice to her.

"It's okay, just a bit cold."

Zhou Heming smiled.

The clock outside struck seven.

Zhou Heming's phone vibrated. He pulled his hand away from Cheng Shuangjiang's foot and looked at his phone.

"Yang Ge caught the bus."

"Then I'll send a message to the director."

Cheng Shuangjiang also took out her phone, typed a few words, and then looked up at Zhou Heming.

"You should also send a message to Ah Bai to let him know you're safe."

"Ah."

Zhou Heming sent a message to Lu Bai, and this time he received a reply immediately.

[Lu Bai]: What?!
[Lu Bai]: Are you alright?

[Lu Bai]: Is Cheng Shuangjiang seriously injured? Can the doctor treat her?

Zhou Heming hesitated for a moment.

[Zhou Heming]: Can I give you a video call?
The next second, Lu Bai sent a video call invitation.

"I'll video call Lu Bai; she's quite worried about you."

Zhou Heming looked at Cheng Shuangjiang, and she nodded.

Connect to video.

As you can see, Lu Bai should have already returned to school, with the familiar classroom background behind him.

"how's it going?"

She glanced around but didn't see Cheng Shuangjiang.

"There were a lot of people, and I got jostled, which caused me to sprain my ankle. The doctor said it wasn't a serious problem, but I need to apply cold compresses for the next couple of days."

Zhou Heming said something and then handed the phone to Cheng Shuangjiang.

"I'm sorry, Ah Bai, I've delayed your trip."

Cheng Shuangjiang said somewhat dejectedly.

"I'm glad you're alright. We can postpone the filming a little later."

Lu Bai said it was no big deal.

"You can order Heming around as you please. Tell him anything. I'll see if the director can borrow a car tonight to pick you up tomorrow. If not, I'll take the shuttle bus tomorrow morning."

"No need, I'll definitely feel much better tomorrow and can take the shuttle bus home."

Cheng Shuangjiang told Lu Bai not to worry.

The two chatted for a few more minutes. Lu Bai rambled on and briefly recounted what he had told Zhou Heming to Cheng Shuangjiang, and talked about his experiences at the market, seemingly trying to comfort Cheng Shuangjiang.

About ten minutes later, the doctor told Zhou Heming that he could remove the ice pack. He picked up the ice pack and saw that Cheng Shuangjiang's ankle was still a little swollen, and his heart tightened slightly.

"Ah He, Lu Bai said he'd give you his phone."

Cheng Shuangjiang then handed over her phone.

Zhou Heming picked up his phone and looked at Lu Bai on the screen.

"Are you spending the night at the hospital?"

"Yes, there's nowhere to stay outside, but the doctor said we can stay here for the night."

"Have you eaten dinner yet? Be careful not to give her anything too spicy. I looked it up beforehand, and there are a few good shops at the town market. You can buy her something mild."

Lu Bai, still not entirely at ease, gave many more instructions, including some hidden delicacies in the market.

It's clear she did a lot of research, and probably hoped to have the opportunity to come with Zhou Heming.

As Zhou Heming listened, he got up, put the ice pack on the table, and then walked out of the ward to the empty clinic of the health station, looking at the still-sunny sun and the bustling crowd.

"Ah Qian, I will definitely go back tomorrow."

He said solemnly.

"Yeah, I'll wait for you."

Lu Bai smiled.

She urged Zhou Heming to buy something for Cheng Shuangjiang to eat, and only hung up the video call hastily when Ji Yan called her.

Zhou Heming saw the message the director sent in the group chat, saying that the two of them didn't need to worry, as some villagers would be returning from town the next afternoon and they could hitch a ride with them. The director also gave him their contact information.

After finishing these tasks, he went back and saw Cheng Shuangjiang sitting on the hospital bed, leaning against the pillows. Her injured right foot had been elevated by the doctor to prevent blood from pooling and to relieve swelling and pain.

"Lu Bai recommended a few restaurants. What do you want to eat? I'll buy it for you."

"Then I want to eat this."

She pointed to a noodle shop.

"it is good."

When Zhou Heming went out, he asked the doctor if he could bring her a copy as well.

They returned with three bowls of takeout noodles, and the three of them chatted and ate as they ate.

This doctor also came from elsewhere. He said that he initially worked in a large, frontline hospital, but found it too tiring. He came here because he saw the beautiful scenery, and ended up staying for several years.

After dinner, the doctor went outside to watch videos, while Zhou Heming and Cheng Shuangjiang stayed in the ward.

"Ah He, where will you sleep tonight?"

"There are beds all over here, I'll sleep in the next room."

He patted the bed next to his. "Well, now only my left foot is uninjured."

Cheng Shuangjiang said with a grin.

Zhou Heming looked at her hands.

It was a self-deprecating joke, a bit like a hellish joke, and he couldn't really laugh at it.

"It'll be about two hours. I'll get you an ice pack."

Zhou Heming got up, asked the doctor for an ice pack, moved a chair to sit by the bed, placed the ice pack on her ankle, and gently grabbed her calf from the other side with his other hand to prevent it from shifting.

The pale pink toenails reflected the light in the ward, making her already slender and slightly thin bare feet appear even smaller in comparison to Zhou Heming's hands.

Seemingly embarrassed by being stared at by Zhou Heming, Cheng Shuangjiang's big toe trembled slightly.

"Ah He, stop staring at people's feet."

The girl said coquettishly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just checking if the swelling had gone down."

Zhou Heming spoke the truth.

"Well, it's actually okay to show it to Ahe."

Cheng Shuangjiang said softly.

"?"

Zhou Heming always felt that she might have misunderstood something.

"Because Ah-He's scripts always emphasize similar shots, I thought Ah-He liked them."

Cheng Shuangjiang explained it very frankly.

"???"

It has nothing to do with me.

Zhou Heming subconsciously let go, but the ice pack quickly fell down, so he could only press Cheng Shuangjiang's foot down again.

"Okay, okay, I'm not kidding anymore. I'm very happy that Ahe is with me."

She said sincerely.

"After all, we are..."

Zhou Heming blurted out the words subconsciously, but hesitated halfway through. After a long while, he finally managed to utter the rest of the words.

"We are duty partners."

"We're partners."

Cheng Shuangjiang repeated it with a smile.

"Yes, partner."

Zhou Heming said with certainty.

The sky outside was beginning to darken, and at this time, in Ningjiang or Jiangcheng, it would have been long into the night.

Zhou Heming was curious: if they continued north, until the scorching daylight stretched on indefinitely and the sun never set, would people's perception of time also change, like the villagers in "One Hundred Years of Solitude" who lost their sleep, losing their dreams, yet seemingly never waking up from them?

Suddenly, Cheng Shuangjiang stirred, seemingly preparing to get out of bed.

"what happened?"

He asked immediately.

"I'm going to the restroom, Ah He, don't follow me."

"Wait a minute, I'll go get a cane from the doctor."

Zhou Heming borrowed a cane from the doctor who was watching a short drama. The doctor was experienced and brought Cheng Shuangjiang a special chair and took her to the restroom.

It's still very inconvenient.

Zhou Heming wondered if he should prepare the same things at the school.

After Lu Bai finished packing, she sent him a message. Zhou Heming got up, made a video call to her, and even went outside.

They didn't let Cheng Shuangjiang or the doctor hear their private conversation.

Lu Bai didn't show any jealousy or concern about Zhou Heming staying in town; he was more worried about Cheng Shuangjiang's injuries.

The two chatted for almost an hour.

After chatting until it was completely dark outside, the tourists, having eaten and drunk their fill, began their journey home to their guesthouse.

When Zhou Heming returned after Lu Bai hung up the video call, he saw that the lights were off, the doctor had retreated into the duty room, and Cheng Shuangjiang was already lying down in the ward, seemingly about to sleep.

"have you slept?"

Zhou Heming asked softly.

"not yet."

"I answered," Cheng Shuangjiang replied, lying on her side.

Zhou Heming sat down on the side facing her, and saw that she was staring at him.

"how?"

"I'm thinking, if only we could extend this indefinitely."

Cheng Shuangjiang smiled wistfully.

“At least for now, here, Ahe is with me, Ahe is only with me.”

"What are you talking about?"

Looking at the girl with a lonely expression, Zhou Heming felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

"It's nothing, just an unrealistic dream."

Cheng Shuangjiang shook her head.

"Dreams always end, and once you wake up, you'll forget them."

See this.

Zhou Heming remained silent for a long time.

In the darkened hospital room, he and Cheng Shuangjiang looked at each other.

Unspoken feelings arose in the darkness.

Silently, Zhou Heming gently removed the bracelet that Lu Bai had given her from her wrist, and then took off the matching rings from her fingers, putting both of them into her pocket.

"On Qixi Festival."

Then, Zhou Heming spoke in a deep voice, as if he had been thinking for a long time.

"You gave me a gift on Qixi Festival, but I didn't actually give you a gift. I felt it wasn't appropriate to give you something on that day."

"Yeah, I understand."

Cheng Shuangjiang nodded.

"Therefore, I can choose not to return the gift to you on that day."

Zhou Heming suppressed his voice.

"Really? Ah He, you have a great sense of ritual."

Cheng Shuangjiang teased softly.

"I'm not very bright, and I don't know what you like, so..."

In fact, Zhou Heming and Cheng Shuangjiang both knew this at that moment.

It's not that I didn't know.

However, Zhou Heming couldn't give her any of the things she liked.

unless--

"So, I want to ask you what you want, and I can try my best to satisfy you."

Upon hearing Zhou Heming's words, Cheng Shuangjiang lowered her eyes.

She remained silent for a moment, then propped herself up, sat on the bed, and looked at the boy.

"Only tonight?"

Cheng Shuangjiang already understood Zhou Heming's thoughts and intentions.

"Only tonight."

He nodded.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Shuangjiang's eyes seemed to reflect a melancholy.

But this hesitation lasted only a moment.

She looked up, her expression turning serious.

"Then I don't want it."

Cheng Shuangjiang's answer gradually calmed Zhou Heming's initially anxious heart.

He made the same mistake he had before he was with Lu Bai, the same arrogance.

Naturally, they received the same answer.

“I don’t want you to do this, this compensation that stems from my expectations and your own guilt, A-He, you know that.”

Cheng Shuangjiang's voice was gentle, yet surprisingly firm.

She looked at Zhou Heming, reached out, grasped his hand, and gently kneaded it.

"But I will wait for you, Ahe, until the day you are truly sure of what you want in your heart. At that time, no matter who you choose, I will be happy for you, because it is a choice you made based on your own will, bearing the pain of loss, cherishing deep love, and not being pushed by anyone."

Zhou Heming grasped her hand in return.

"Nothing."

In this oppressive atmosphere, Cheng Shuangjiang smiled gently, making the heavy air jump.

"Since Ahe said he would give me a belated Qixi Festival gift, I really want a very, very small one."

"What is it?"

Zhou Heming looked up.

"Ah He, kiss me."

Cheng Shuangjiang looked directly into his eyes.

Looking at himself reflected in those eyes, Zhou Heming pursed his lips.

Then, he bent down.

It's like embers being reignited, dead trees sprouting new buds, and a calm lake being stirred into countless ripples.

This is a deep kiss that seems to dig out lost time, dusty vows, and repressed emotions bit by bit, laying them bloody on the table, making one feel utterly devastated.

Time loses its meaning at this moment.

A moment has become eternity.

Just as their lips parted, Zhou Heming was suddenly jolted awake from a long dream.

He looked at Cheng Shuangjiang's flushed cheeks, red from lack of oxygen, bathed in the dim light of the night outside. Her moist, glistening cherry-colored lips trembled slightly as she murmured words that seemed to possess magic.

"This is the 112th time."

*
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(End of this chapter)