Abstinence Pei, don't be too sweet when chasing your wife

As the morning light streamed over the windowsill, Gu Fanxing was pouring the warm pumpkin porridge into the bowl.

The light sound of the porcelain spoon hitting the edge of the bowl concealed her fatigue from a sleepless night - last night she had revised her "departure plan" in her mind, from the original "I want to leave after Pei Luonan is admitted to the hospital", to "I will leave after Kong Haoyu comes back", and now, she has added the idea of ​​"waiting until he fully recovers before making plans".

"What are you thinking about?" Pei Luonan's voice came from behind.

Her hand trembled, and she nearly spilled the porridge. Turning around, she had her usual smile on her face. "Nothing, just wondering if I should add an egg today."

He sat by the bed, still wearing his hospital gown, the collar loosely open, revealing the bruise on his collarbone that hadn't completely subsided. It was left when the floodwaters hit the reef. Every time he saw it, Gu Fanxing's heart would ache like being stabbed by needles.

"No need," he looked at her with a smile in his eyes, "the pumpkin porridge you bought is enough."

She handed the bowl over, her fingertips accidentally brushing against the back of his hand, and she retracted her hand as if she had been electrocuted.

This slight dodge did not escape Pei Luonan's eyes. He paused in scooping the porridge, said nothing, and just drank the porridge slowly, but his eyes fell on her from time to time.

When the nurse came to check on Pei Luonan, she told him that his leg injury had recovered well and he could walk more.

As Gu Fanxing helped him walk towards the garden, she deliberately kept half an arm's length away from him, with her palm resting lightly on his arm, as if ready to let go at any time.

Pei Luonan stopped in front of a bunch of white roses and suddenly said, "You always said that white roses are like porcelain just out of the kiln, very clean."

Gu Fanxing paused.

That was something she'd said casually by the flowerbed at the archaeological team's base last year. She hadn't expected him to remember it. She lowered her head, kicking the stones beneath her feet, her voice muffled, "Really? I forgot."

He turned to look at her. The sunlight filtered through the branches and fell on his eyelashes, casting tiny shadows. "You once said that the kiln pots from the Song Dynasty kiln site are more nourishing than any flower pots."

"..." Gu Fanxing clenched her palms. Those memories that she had deliberately sealed away were brought back by his few words. She was afraid that she would lose control of her emotions if she continued listening, so she simply changed the subject: "The wind is strong, let's go back."

As she turned around, he suddenly grabbed her wrist. His grip was light, but with a firm grip that refused to let go. "Fanxing, let's talk."

"What are you talking about?" She didn't dare turn around, her voice tense, "You should change the dressing."

"Let's talk about why you're avoiding me." His voice fell into my ears, with a serious tone, "Let's talk about the fiancée incident, about those misunderstandings..."

"I don't want to hear it!" She pulled her hand back so hard she almost fell. "What's there to talk about the past?"

Her reaction was more intense than he had imagined. Pei Luonan looked at her red eyes and felt bitter in his heart.

He should have known that those injuries that were not easily caused could not be erased by a few explanations, although the truth was not as she misunderstood.

"Okay, let's not talk about that." He softened his tone, as if coaxing a child, "Then let's talk about roses and that new archaeological report you mentioned yesterday, okay?"

Gu Fanxing turned her head away, her shoulders trembling slightly. She hated herself for not being able to live up to her expectations - she had clearly made up her mind to leave, but she was always disturbed by his words.

When I returned to the ward, the atmosphere was a bit depressing.

Gu Fanxing helped him make the bed, deliberately making big movements to hide her panic.

Pei Luonan leaned against the window to read the documents, but the corner of his eye kept following her figure.

As she bent down to pick up the pillow she had dropped, she felt a sudden, dull ache in the old injury in her lower back—the one she had twisted while dodging falling rocks in the cave. She hissed in pain and instinctively pressed down on her waist.

"What's wrong?" Pei Luonan immediately put down the documents and walked over, reaching out to help her, but she dodged him.

"It's okay," she straightened up, pretending to be calm, "I accidentally twisted it."

He looked at her pale face, frowning: "Call a doctor to take a look."

"It's really not necessary..."

"Be obedient." His tone was full of unquestionable seriousness, and he picked up the intercom and was about to dial.

Gu Fanxing hurriedly held his hand: "It's an old problem, just rest for a while!"

His hands were very hot, and the warmth from his palms came through the thin hospital gown, making her heart tremble.

Their eyes met, and the worry in his eyes was so real that it reminded her of how he rushed in front of her during the flash flood.

"Don't be so stubborn." He said softly, his fingertips gently touching her lower back, "Here?"

"...Yeah." Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum, and her cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg.

He turned around and poured her a cup of warm water, then took out a hot water bottle from the drawer: "Fill it with some hot water and cover yourself with it, it will make you feel more comfortable."

"Thank you." She took the hot water bottle and shrank back as if her fingertips touched his.

Gu Fanxing buried her face in the hot water bottle, not daring to look at him. All those sweet memories of the past had now become thorns that pricked her.

She couldn't help but think of the consent form she had signed, and suddenly felt absurd - who was she? A mere collaborator with him, a mere cooperative agreement, so why should she sign his life and death? Ridiculous!

For dinner, she didn't buy pumpkin porridge as usual, but asked the nurse to order two hospital meals.

Pei Luonan looked at the light millet porridge in the bowl, said nothing, just drank it slowly, but his eyes were always on her tense profile.

"Not to your liking?" She felt uncomfortable being stared at and took the initiative to speak.

"No." He put down the spoon. "I want to eat the pumpkin porridge you bought tomorrow."

"...Kong Haoyu will be back soon." She turned her head away and said stiffly, "Let the nurse buy it when the time comes."

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "He can't come back. He just called and said that things are getting a bit tricky in Europe, so he'll have to stay an extra week."

Gu Fanxing clenched his hands suddenly.

How could this happen? Her plans were disrupted again.

"So," he looked at her, "please take care of her for a few more days."

She opened her mouth, wanting to find an excuse to refuse, but met the expectation in his eyes.

Hidden within that anticipation was a subtle vulnerability, like a child afraid of being abandoned. She finally nodded, "...Okay."

It was late at night, Gu Fanxing sat by the bed peeling an apple, the moonlight fell on her through the window, giving her a soft silver glow.

Pei Luonan was lying on the bed, seemingly asleep, but his eyelashes were trembling slightly.

He could smell the faint scent of shampoo in her hair, hear the occasional soft sound when she peeled an apple, and feel the distance she deliberately kept from him.

He knew what she was thinking and that she was still planning to leave, but he would not let her do so.

Some wounds need to be healed slowly, some misunderstandings need to be explained slowly, and some hearts need to be warmed slowly. He has plenty of patience.

Gu Fanxing peeled the apple, cut it into small pieces and put it on the plate. Just as she was about to stand up, her wrist was suddenly gently grabbed by him. His eyes were still closed, as if he was dreaming, but he murmured, "Please don't leave..."

Her heart skipped a beat.

Was it a dream, or was he not asleep at all?

She looked at his sleeping profile and the scars on his arms that had not yet faded, and her heart felt like it was blocked by something.

She slowly withdrew her hand, placed the apple on the bedside table, and whispered, "Go to sleep."

She walked lightly as she turned back to the sofa.

Under the moonlight, she looked at the person on the hospital bed and suddenly felt that her plan of "leaving" seemed to be getting further and further away.

Pei Luonan, who was lying on the hospital bed, slowly opened his eyes the moment she turned around. He looked at her back curled up on the sofa, a meaningful smile curling up at the corner of his mouth.

He knew she was still struggling, that she still had some grudges in her heart, but it didn't matter. He would wait, wait until she was willing to listen to his explanation, wait until she was willing to forgive him, wait until she was willing to stay.

In this belated redemption, he will slowly walk into her heart step by step.