Donghai People's Hospital.
Inpatient Department.
Li Shuirui walked out of the building, her expression haggard.
"When did you get back?" Jiang Chen asked with concern as he drove up.
"Today."
Jiang Chen looked toward the dark and oppressive inpatient building.
"How is my uncle doing now?"
Li Shuirui let out a slow breath.
"Dilated cardiomyopathy."
Naturally, Jiang Chen could not understand such a professional medical term, so he asked tentatively, "Is it serious?"
"If he doesn't get a heart transplant, he won't make it through this year."
Jiang Chen fell silent.
No wonder they had transferred to Donghai so urgently; it turned out the situation was already this critical.
"We've already signed up and are currently undergoing heart matching. If a suitable heart is found, the transplant can proceed."
Jiang Chen didn't know how to offer comfort at a time like this.
"It's not like your father is the one sick, why the long face?" Li Shuirui actually managed a small smile.
"I'm hungry. We were in such a rush to transfer to Donghai that I haven't eaten much today. Come on, accompany me to get something to eat."
Jiang Chen nodded silently.
The two walked out of the hospital and found a random restaurant by the roadside.
"Have you found a place to stay?"
On the way, Jiang Chen had learned that Li Shuirui's mother had also arrived.
This was only natural.
With her husband being so gravely ill, she naturally had to be there to care for him.
"There's a place to stay in the hospital."
"This isn't a short-term matter. Since Uncle is in Donghai, he'll likely be here for a while. You can't have your mother squeezed into the hospital indefinitely, can you?"
It was only through Jiang Chen's reminder that Li Shuirui realized this issue.
Two or three days didn't matter.
But her father's illness was not something that could be cured overnight.
Even if a suitable heart was matched in time and the surgery was performed, the post-operative recovery would still require time.
"I've been so busy lately that I haven't thought about it. I'll help my mom find a house next."
"Shuirui, you've already had enough to deal with. If you don't mind, leave the house-hunting to me."
Li Shuirui froze upon hearing this.
Her relationship with Jiang Chen was, at most, merely that of friends—and very ordinary ones at that. There was no reason to trouble him with such private matters.
However, the pressure brought by her father's serious illness was not just physical exhaustion; it was a mental drain that left her utterly spent. She had never felt such an urgent desire for a place where she could lean on someone.
"Then... thank you for your hard work."
Her instinct told her she should refuse, but when the words reached her lips, she accepted.
"There's nothing to thank me for, it's just a small favor. Let's eat. What does your mother like? I'll bring some to her later."
Li Shuirui picked up her chopsticks. She hadn't cried when they went home, nor when they were rushing the hospital transfer, but at this moment, a powerful surge of bitterness welled up from her heart, traveling from her throat to her nose, until her vision became slightly blurred.
To avoid letting him see her abnormality, she lowered her head and said in a slightly raspy voice, "Just do whatever you think is best."
Being understanding, Jiang Chen did not expose the girl's facade of strength.
No matter how cold or aloof she might seem, at the end of the day, she was only twenty years old.
The meal was eaten in silence.
After paying the bill, Jiang Chen carried the takeout and accompanied Li Shuirui back to the hospital.
"I won't come up. Here, your keys."
At the foot of the inpatient building, Jiang Chen stopped and pulled out his car keys to hand them to Li Shuirui.
Li Shuirui naturally had no energy to care about the rumors at school from the past few days. Looking at her car keys, she didn't take them immediately.
"Then how will you get back?"
"By subway, it's very convenient."
Li Shuirui shook her head. "I don't really need a car for the time being. You can keep driving it for now."
Jiang Chen did not insist.
"Alright, then... I'll be going."
Li Shuirui remained silent.
Jiang Chen handed her the takeout and turned to leave.
Li Shuirui's eyes flickered, appearing to struggle with something. After Jiang Chen had walked seven or eight meters, she suddenly called out.
"Wait."
Jiang Chen turned around.
"Come upstairs with me."
Under the last glow of the sunset, Li Shuirui's makeup-free face looked elegant and soft.
Inside the elevator.
Jiang Chen was still muttering about whether they should buy some gifts; anyone who didn't know might think he was going to meet the parents.
But to be honest, this meeting was indeed somewhat extraordinary in significance.
"It's fine, my mom isn't that particular of a person."
The eighth floor.
The elevator doors opened.
The two walked out side by side.
As it turned out, Li Shuirui was the one who became nervous; she actually walked past the ward before awkwardly turning back.
Jiang Chen didn't tease her. He glanced at the room number, feeling a bit apprehensive himself.
After all, he had never experienced a scene like this before.
"Mom, I'm back."
It was a double room. In front of the bed on the left, a middle-aged man lay unconscious, surrounded by various medical instruments, an IV in his arm, and an oxygen tube in his nose.
The woman sitting by the bedside was holding his hand. Her features were somewhat similar to Li Shuirui's; she must have been a beauty in her youth, but her well-maintained face was currently filled with worry and pain.
"Mom, I brought you some food. Come and eat a little."
"Just leave it there for now."
Xue Mingqin, clearly lacking an appetite, spoke hoarsely. But as she unconsciously turned her head, she realized that another young man had entered the room with her daughter.
She froze for a moment.
"Ruirui, this is..."
Li Shuirui smoothed her hair. "Mom, he's my senior from school, his name is Jiang Chen."
"Hello, Auntie."
Jiang Chen quickly greeted her, maintaining the polite and modest demeanor of a junior.
Xue Mingqin looked him up and down before squeezing out a smile.
"Hello, please, sit down. Ruirui, get him a chair."
"No need, I can just stand."
Li Shuirui didn't stand on ceremony with him and urged her mother, "Mom, you should eat something. How can you not eat? You can't afford to collapse at a time like this."
"Auntie, the medical care in Donghai is very advanced. Uncle will definitely be fine. You must take care of your health."
"Alright, I'll eat."
Xue Mingqin stood up and took the bowl and chopsticks handed to her by her daughter.
"Aren't you two going to eat anything?"
"Jiang Chen and I have already eaten."
Xue Mingqin nodded, then deliberately glanced at Jiang Chen. Her expression was natural, but her eyes betrayed a hint of something unusual.
"Xiao Jiang, how long have you and Shuirui known each other?"
During the meal, Xue Mingqin asked as if in casual conversation.
"I've known Shuirui for a long time. After all, Shuirui is quite famous at our school. However, she hasn't known me for very long."
"That's not true. You are also quite famous at school," Li Shuirui interjected.
Jiang Chen paused mid-sentence.
"You two children, why are you speaking in riddles? Are you both unwilling to tell me how long you've known each other?"
"About a month," Jiang Chen replied honestly under Xue Mingqin's gaze.
A month?
Xue Mingqin looked at her daughter with a hint of reproach. "Ruirui, it's been a month, why didn't you tell me?"
It was obvious.
The "knowing each other" she understood was undoubtedly different from what Jiang Chen meant.