Xie Bing arrived at the hospital to clock in for her shift, sporting a pair of dark circles under her eyes.
Li Qingliu’s parting words from the previous night—that he would give her an answer today—had weighed heavily on her mind, making a good night's sleep impossible.
As soon as she reached the neurology floor, she noticed a crowd gathered outside one of the offices. People were jostling for a look, their faces alight with excitement.
Puzzled, Xie Bing walked up behind the crowd. Just as she was about to tap someone on the shoulder to ask what was happening, a voice resonated from the depths of her memory:
"Everyone, please get back to your duties. I’ll be here for a month-long exchange, so feel free to come to me with questions at any time."
Her hand froze in mid-air. She looked into the room, unable to believe her eyes.
His chestnut-brown, medium-length hair was tied back loosely, resting against his shoulder. The man sitting at the desk wore a white lab coat over a light blue turtleneck and beige trousers, an ensemble that further accentuated his refined and elegant temperament.
He smiled and waved at the staff gathered at his door. "Thank you all for such a warm welcome."
It was Yan Yan.
Yan Yan was here.
Xie Bing stood rooted to the spot, her eyes unable to stray from him for even a second.
How many years had it been since she last saw him? Five? Or was it six?
She had lost track.
Back when Xie Bing was preparing for her senior high school entrance exams, struggling with poverty and filled with despair regarding her future, Yan Yan had appeared at her doorstep like a god descending from the heavens.
He had said, "The village chief told me there is an outstanding child here who dreams of going to university and shining bright in the world beyond."
*Knock, knock.* He had tapped on the wooden doorframe, looking tenderly at Xie Bing, who was sitting on her bed with her legs pulled to her chest, weeping. "Is that you?"
Yan Yan had stayed in their village for a week. He conducted a detailed investigation into Xie Bing’s circumstances and entrusted the village chief with enough money to support her until her university graduation, only leaving after confirming the funds would not be embezzled.
For those seven days, Xie Bing had followed him everywhere. To her, this man seemed to belong to a world entirely different from her backward mountain village. He would pat her head and describe the wonders of the outside world. He spoke of his profession, telling her that while being a doctor was grueling, the joy and pride he felt every time he snatched a life back from the clutches of death were beyond words. He told her that there were many opportunities beyond the mountains, as well as many hardships, but as long as she stayed true to herself and never gave up, she would surely have a brilliant life.
When it was time for Yan Yan to leave, she finally couldn't help but shout after him, "Dr. Yan, I want to be a doctor just like you! Can I come and help you in the future?"
"You’re welcome to try."
Yan Yan had curled his lips into a smile from inside the car, encouraging her. "The medical world welcomes every excellent doctor."
From that moment on, Xie Bing made Yan Yan her goal. She became more desperate than ever to leave the mountains, longing for the day she would hear him say "Welcome" once more.
She wanted to stand by his side; she imagined it would be a peerlessly beautiful world.
As a young girl experiencing the first stirrings of love, the person she encountered at her lowest point was so perfect that she never spared a glance for any other peers of the opposite sex, nor did she ever think of experiencing the typical fumbling romances of youth.
Whenever her classmates asked what her "type" was or if she liked anyone, only Yan Yan’s silhouette would surface in her mind.
In high school, through her own relentless efforts, she surpassed her urban classmates for the first time to rank first in her grade. Xie Bing was overjoyed. Her only thought at that moment was: *I want to see Yan Yan. I want to tell him, "Look, I didn't let you down. I will definitely become the best."*
During a school break, she returned to the village and managed to get Yan Yan’s contact address from the village chief. She took a train out of the province by herself for the first time, clutching the scrap of paper with the address she had transcribed. When she arrived at Yan Yan’s home, her heart was full of hope.
What she saw was a picture-perfect, happy family.
Yan Yan had a daughter who was around her own age. The gaze he directed toward Li Zi and Li Shian was filled with nothing but deep attachment and love.
Of course. How could such a wonderful person be as lonely as she was?
He surely already had the partner who suited him best.
Since that day she had secretly gone to visit him, Xie Bing had never reached out to Yan Yan again.
But she had never forgotten her goal.
Finally, they had met again in the same place.
Would he still remember the little girl from that remote, desolate mountain village?
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 严琰 | Yan Yan | A doctor and Xie Bing's benefactor. |
| 黎世安 | Li Shian | Mentioned as part of Yan Yan's family (likely his daughter). |
| 脑科 | Neurology Department | Literally "Brain Department." |
| 中考 | Senior High School Entrance Exam | The standardized exam for middle schoolers to enter high school. |
