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Chapter 24: Coming Out
◎ “Let me introduce you, this is my girlfriend.” ◎
Guo Fan’s injuries were severe, and despite efforts in the operating room, he passed away.
Everything happened so suddenly that the entire hospital seemed to enter a gray world.
Late at night, the emergency room fell into a dead silence. After the struggle, it felt as though the entire world had quieted down.
The culprit was restrained, and medical staff began tending to the wounded. Yu Ran’s hand was wrapped in thick bandages.
Shen Suhui held her hand and anxiously asked, “Does it hurt? Yu Ran, say something.”
“……”
Yu Ran stood there in a daze, allowing Shen Suhui to hold her hand, like a puppet. This was the first time Shen Suhui had seen her so vulnerable.
“Why are you here?”
Jiang Shiluo, who had completed the scene investigation, looked at the two of them seriously.
“I…”
“Now’s not the time to talk about this,” Jiang Shiluo said. “It’s getting late. Why don’t you go home and rest for a bit?”
Shen Suhui hesitated, but Yu Ran squeezed her hand.
“Go back for now. There’s nothing more to do here for the moment. I still need to go to the police station to give a statement. It’s no use staying up with me.”
“……”
Shen Suhui didn’t want to leave. The incident was already serious, and her being there, as an unrelated person, would be awkward. Although uneasy, she nodded.
“If you need anything, just let me know.”
Yu Ran nodded.
Shen Suhui turned around and met Jiang Shiluo’s eyes. “Goodbye.”
Jiang Shiluo nodded, and the two of them passed each other.
Jian Ming, standing behind Yu Ran, was also stunned. After the incident, both she and Yu Ran rushed over without thinking, especially when they saw the assailant had a second knife. As orthopedic doctors, both of their strengths couldn’t be underestimated. But even with their strength, they were injured.
“Everything’s under control here for now. You two should come with me to the police station to make statements.”
Jian Ming asked, “What about here…”
“Director Guo didn’t make it. We will notify his family soon. If you want to see him one last time, you need to come with me now and finish the statements.”
The two of them entered the small interrogation room, with Jian Ming going first, followed by Yu Ran.
Afterward, Yu Ran sat in a chair, and Jiang Shiluo handed her a hot drink.
“Thank you, but I don’t want to drink it.”
“Then at least warm your hands,” Jiang Shiluo said. “The weather’s pretty cold.”
“Mm.”
“You were very impressive today. Does your face still hurt?”
Jian Ming shook her head, almost in tears. “I can’t feel it… I… I still can’t believe it…”
“……”
Jiang Shiluo furrowed her brows. She was bad with words and couldn’t comfort people, so she just wrapped her arm around Jian Ming’s shoulders, letting her lean on her.
“I know, it’s too oppressive. If you want to cry, just…”
Before she finished speaking, Jian Ming’s tears started falling. Jiang Shiluo lightly patted her back and began pulling tissues from her pocket. However, her pocket was empty except for a used tissue.
“Damn it, Xiao Ran, pass me a pack of tissues…”
But Jian Ming’s face was already a mess of tears. She stuttered, “How about… you wipe it with my clothes?”
“No need,” Jian Ming sniffled. “You’re still wearing your police uniform…”
The tissues were delivered, and Jiang Shiluo could only frown and watch her finish crying.
—–
At 2 AM, Yu Ran finished taking the statement.
“Go home and rest, Yu Ran. You still have work tomorrow. I’ll stay here,” Jiang Shiluo immediately stood up and patted her shoulder.
“I’ll nap at the hospital, going home would be a waste of time.”
“Can you sleep?”
“I don’t know.”
Jiang Shiluo sighed. “What about you, Dr. Jian?”
Jian Ming said, “I’ll nap at the hospital too.”
“……”
After what happened, Jiang Shiluo knew she couldn’t stop them. They definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep.
She grabbed the police car keys. “I’ll drive you both back.”
Outside the hospital, it was quiet. The orthopedic office, however, was busy, with colleagues coming in. Director Yin looked tired, and everyone was grieving.
“We’re all sorry about what happened to Xiao Guo. If I had been the one performing the surgery…” Director Yin, who had never trembled during surgery, was now shaking both physically and vocally. “You’re all outstanding. I’m getting old…”
Yu Ran said, “Director Yin, don’t say that. No one should have to make such a sacrifice.”
“Well… but our orthopedic department still has to keep running. I hope everyone stays strong and pays attention in the future.”
The orthopedic department of their hospital was one of the best in the city, and even the province, so the incident quickly made the headlines, and news outlets reported on it.
After enduring through the night, just before work started in the morning, they went to the morgue. Guo Fan lay there, very still.
“Have you contacted the family?” Yu Ran’s voice was hoarse.
“Officer Jiang said his wife is still at her family’s, so she probably won’t arrive until tonight. His parents are old, and they’re afraid they can’t handle it, so they haven’t been told yet.”
“Mm.”
Yu Ran numbly walked to the office, where Shen Suhui was waiting for her in the corridor. She was holding a thermos and jogged over when she saw Yu Ran.
“Didn’t go to the café?”
“It’s okay if it opens a little later.” She sat Yu Ran down on a chair. “You didn’t eat last night. I know you probably can’t eat much, but still, eat a little. I wrapped some wontons…”
Before she could finish, Yu Ran’s phone rang. It was Du Qiuyan.
Since last night, Du Qiuyan had called more than ten times.
Yu Ran turned off her phone as usual.
“Why didn’t you answer Du Qiuyan’s call?”
Yu Ran frowned, “It’s just some nonsense.”
“Oh…” Shen Suhui opened the thermos, and the aroma of wontons filled the corridor. “These are easy to eat. You should have some…”
“……”
The wontons were very fresh. Yu Ran couldn’t eat, but looking into Shen Suhui’s earnest and worried eyes, she softened. Shen Suhui’s eyes were red, clearly having stayed up all night, making wontons for her.
Yu Ran forced a smile, “Okay.”
Just as she picked up a spoon, Jian Ming arrived. Shen Suhui waved at her, “Dr. Jian, come over and eat some wontons. I made a lot…”
Jian Ming hesitated, smiling politely, “Thank you, but I can’t eat much. I’ll go back to the office…”
“Just eat a little. I can’t finish all of this,” Yu Ran said. “Besides, didn’t Director Yin say the department has to keep going? We can’t fall apart. We still have surgery this afternoon, and being in this state is irresponsible to the patients.”
“……”
Jian Ming paused for a moment and then sat next to Yu Ran.
Shen Suhui pulled out a new disposable spoon and handed it to Jian Ming. “Here.”
Looking into the kind, sincere eyes in front of her, Jian Ming smiled faintly. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.”
Both of them finished the wontons, and Shen Suhui didn’t delay Yu Ran at all. However, as she was leaving, perhaps out of worry or reluctance, she kept looking back at her.
The sun rose as usual, and everything seemed as if it hadn’t happened. They returned to their usual work routine.
After a busy day, Yu Ran remembered to check her phone.
The hotel was not far from the hospital, and Yu Ran quickly packed up. Shen Suhui was already downstairs waiting for her.
“I ordered some noodles. This clear soup noodle is really good…” Shen Suhui linked arms with her. “You didn’t eat much at lunch, did you?”
Yu Ran touched her hair and smiled, “I ate a little.”
“You’re even better than I imagined.”
The two walked into the hotel lobby, and Yu Ran suddenly said, “Actually, I’m really fine. You should take care of yourself too.”
“I’m fine. I think you need companionship the most right now.”
Yu Ran had no strength to argue with Shen Suihui, so she could only grip her hand tightly and say, “Thank you.”
After dinner, Yu Ran finished washing up and lay down on the bed.
“Alright, you didn’t sleep last night. Sleep well tonight.”
Shen Suhui said, tucking her blanket in for her.
Yu Ran lay in bed, moved closer to Shen Suhui, and rested her cheek against her waist.
“I’m not sleepy yet. It’s only a little past seven.”
Shen Suhui glanced at the time. “Okay, then how about you talk a bit more? Once you’re tired of talking, you can sleep.”
“Actually, this kind of thing happens often in the United States, but it’s always been far away from me…” Yu Ran said slowly. “This time, it happened so close to me…”
Her tone carried heavy sadness, and Shen Suhui could only lie down beside her, wrapping her arms around Yu Ran.
Yu Ran’s face was pressed against Shen Suhui’s chest, listening to her passionate heartbeat.
“Can you imagine? One second, we were standing together at the operating table fighting, and the next second, he’s gone. He just got married, his wife was pregnant last month, and he was just promoted to deputy director…”
“I understand,” Shen Suhui said gently. “You’ve fought side by side for so long, the bond between you two is deep and meaningful.”
Shen Suhui patiently patted her back. “If you’re sad, cry, or take a nap. I’ll be here with you…”
She wasn’t good with words and couldn’t offer comforting phrases, but rather than speaking, she preferred to act. So, Shen Suhui gently patted Yu Ran’s back, trying to lull her to sleep like one would a child.
Eventually, Yu Ran drifted into a light sleep. Shen Suhui, fearing that her movements might disturb her during the night, quietly got out of bed and slept on the sofa nearby.
—-
Yu Ran woke up at seven the next morning.
Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, casting a golden glow on the things in the room. Everything was moving forward, and the world wouldn’t stop turning because of any accident.
Having had some rest, Yu Ran felt much better than the day before. Soon, she noticed Shen Suhui still asleep on the sofa, covered with an air-conditioning blanket.
She got out of bed and gently lifted her, placing her on the bed. During this, Shen Suhui inevitably woke up.
“Yu Ran…”
“Did I disturb you? You can go back to sleep on the bed.”
“What about you…” Shen Suhui started to get up.
“Stay down, I’m feeling much better. Don’t worry. I’m about to go to work at the hospital.”
“You need to eat breakfast and be careful.”
“Okay.”
Yu Ran smiled, patted her head, and kissed her forehead.
Three days later, Yu Ran and Jian Ming attended the funeral.
The accident had a huge impact on the entire Zhangshan City and even the medical community. The media reported the entire process.
Du Qiuyan had been calling non-stop, but Yu Ran hadn’t answered.
—-
On the third day, Yu Ran received a call from her mother.
“Du’s calls have been coming through to me. Why haven’t you been picking up for the past few days?”
“I haven’t been in the right state of mind.”
“That’s no excuse to not answer! It’s very impolite,” Zhong Wanli scolded. “Little Ran, you’ve never done this before. I know Director Guo’s death has affected you greatly, but the Du family is an old family friend. How do you expect me to explain this to them?”
Yu Ran rubbed her forehead in pain. Zhong Wanli didn’t know about her and Du Qiuyan’s relationship. When they were dating, Yu Ran had often considered revealing it to her family, but Du Qiuyan was hesitant and kept delaying it.
Looking back now, it was still uncertain whether it was a good or bad thing that it hadn’t been revealed.
“I understand, I’ll call her back once I’m done.”
“Make it soon.”
“Mm.”
The burial site for Guo Fan was located in the mountains on the outskirts of Yushan District. On their way down, Yu Ran and Jian Ming walked together, their faces serious.
“Are you going to the Guo family’s house tonight?” Jian Ming asked.
“No, my girlfriend is waiting for me at the foot of the mountain. I’m going home with her.”
“Alright, take some rest these days.”
They exchanged a few words and then parted ways.
Shen Suhui had driven there in her mint green Ora Good Cat, parked at the foot of the mountain. This was Yu Ran’s first time seeing her drive.
Yu Ran opened the car door and sat in, feeling much more relaxed.
“What a cute car, it really suits you.”
Shen Suhui joked, “I barely drive, but you can relax, I’ll be fine.”
“What’s there to worry about? My life is in your hands.”
“…” Shen Suhui started the car smoothly, murmuring, “I’m good at this. The insurance is comprehensive. You’ll be fine with me.”
She changed lanes smoothly and entered the main road. Yu Ran relaxed and squinted, finding the driving condition perfect for a nap.
But less than five minutes into her nap, the phone rang again. This time, it was Du Qiuyan. Remembering her mother’s words, Yu Ran picked up the call.
“What’s up?”
“Little Ran, I’m at your house…”
“What are you doing at my house?” Yu Ran sat up, fully awake.
Shen Suhui glanced at her while holding the steering wheel, sensing who the caller was.
“Du Qiuyan, what do you want?”
“I’ve been really worried about you these past few days, Little Ran. Why haven’t you been answering my calls?”
“I’m fine, can I hang up now?”
“…”
Shen Suhui’s heart skipped a beat. The serious tone Yu Ran had taken was very different from her usual gentle demeanor, even somewhat intimidating.
The other side didn’t speak, and Yu Ran said, “Goodbye,” before hanging up.
Here is the English translation:
She perfectly demonstrated the difference between love and indifference.
As Shen Suhui started speaking, Yu Ran’s phone rang again, this time it was Zhong Wanli.
“Why did you talk to Du like that?”
“Mom, I…”
“Enough, don’t explain.” Zhong Wanli was clearly angry. “Come home immediately, or don’t come back at all. This is really inappropriate.”
“……”
Yu Ran threw her phone to the back seat and irritably ran her fingers through her hair.
“Do you want to go home?”
“I don’t want to.”
“But your mom seems really angry.”
Yu Ran didn’t respond and just looked at her.
“How about we go home and check on her? It’s fine with me, we can sort things out.”
Shen Suhui understood Yu Ran. She wasn’t the type to drag things on.
“Alright,” Yu Ran said. “But you have to come with me.”
“Me?” Shen Suhui couldn’t believe it. “Isn’t that a bit too soon?”
“Why?” Yu Ran turned around to look at her. “We’ve been together for a long time now, haven’t we?”
“Do we have to now?” Shen Suhui confirmed again.
“Are you afraid?”
——
At the red light, Shen Suhui slammed on the brakes, holding the steering wheel, sitting there obediently, not knowing where to put her hands or feet.
“Don’t worry, you don’t have to say anything. I’ll handle everything.”
Shen Suhui took a deep breath and nodded firmly.
The familiar villa area. After Yu Ran got out of the car, she held Shen Suhui’s hand and walked in side by side.
“Xiao Ran!!!”
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Du Qiuyan excitedly ran toward the door, but when she saw them, her expression froze to an ice-cold point.
Yu Ran tightened her grip on Shen Suhui’s hand and smiled naturally and warmly at her.
“Long time no see, Qiuyan, just in time…”
She raised their joined hands, smiling gracefully.
“Let me introduce you, this is my girlfriend.”
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