Chapter 96: Abandoned by His Wife

Luo Yixia was momentarily stunned; she’d only wanted to ask, not thought it through. She immediately glanced around cautiously—fortunately, no one was paying them any attention.

“So I wanted to ask, why don’t you ever question me about anything?” she ventured.

Gan Yanyan shot her a look, exasperated as if scolding a child, “What’s there to ask? If you want to talk, you’ll tell me. If you don’t, my asking won’t change anything.”

Hearing Gan Yanyan’s words, Luo Yixia felt a pang of sadness. She lowered her head, sinking into thought.

Should she confide in her? But once you tell one person, others inevitably find out, and then it’s no longer something you can hide.

“Forget it, I trust both of you. Besides, someone like Song Chengyi is way out of our league,” Gan Yanyan said, seeing Luo Yixia’s guilty expression and feeling a twinge of compassion. She had meant to tease her, but now, as her friend, she felt she ought to understand—Luo Yixia must have her reasons for keeping things secret.

“Mm,” Luo Yixia nodded, feeling even worse at Gan Yanyan’s unwavering trust.

“You’re going to the hospital again this afternoon, right? Want me to go with you?” Gan Yanyan asked, eyeing the lump on Luo Yixia’s forehead, which had gone down a bit.

“Yes, I was just about to mention that.” Luo Yixia smiled.

She really was heading to the hospital that afternoon, and she didn’t intend to ask Song Chengyi to accompany her.

Otherwise, people would start to suspect.

Recently, for certain reasons, Song Chengyi had been especially attentive to her.

“Alright,” Gan Yanyan nodded.

Morning training proceeded as usual. Luo Yixia felt fine, nothing out of the ordinary, though the bump on her head was still quite painful.

At lunchtime, Luo Yixia ran into Song Chengyi in the cafeteria. They merely exchanged glances, didn’t speak, and sat far apart.

Luo Yixia glanced at him now and then.

Song Chengyi had always been frugal, rarely speaking even among friends, always eating quietly with his head down.

As she was leaving after lunch, she happened to bump into Song Zeming.

“Are you full? I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“I just finished eating—is it time to go already?” Luo Yixia looked at the clock; it was only midday.

“Yes, better to get back early this afternoon.”

“Yanyan, let’s go,” Luo Yixia took her hand.

Song Zeming merely cast a brief glance, knowing exactly what was going on.

Clearly, his younger brother had been “abandoned.”

From afar, Song Chengyi, holding his empty tray, saw the three leaving and felt a surge of inexplicable annoyance—why hadn’t they called him?

After getting into the car, Luo Yixia still sent Song Chengyi a message; after all, he had a bit of a temper.

[Yanyan offered to accompany me to the hospital. I’ll be back early this afternoon. Don’t worry.]

Song Chengyi held his phone, still displeased.

His girlfriend had run off...

Gan Yanyan, on the other hand, was delighted at finally having an excuse to sneak out.

She and Luo Yixia sat in the back, and Gan Yanyan leaned forward to chat with Song Zeming, who was driving.

“Are you from City A, Instructor Song?”

“Yes, from City A.”

“Summer’s from City A too—I envy her so much. Her home’s so close to school, unlike me, who has to take a train for hours every time,” Gan Yanyan sighed.

Song Zeming smiled politely up front.

But Luo Yixia couldn’t muster a smile, worried that if Yanyan kept asking, her brother Zeming might reveal things he shouldn’t.

“Instructor Song, after dropping us at the hospital, you’ll head back to the base?” Luo Yixia changed the subject.

“Yes, I have to supervise their training this afternoon,” Song Zeming nodded.

“By the way, Instructor Song, can I ask a personal question?” Gan Yanyan suddenly spoke up.

“Go ahead.” Before Luo Yixia could stop her, Song Zeming had already agreed.

“So, is Song Chengyi your brother? There are all sorts of rumors at school.” Gan Yanyan genuinely didn’t know.

Everyone said so, but Song Chengyi had never confirmed it.

“Yes, I’m his older brother,” Song Zeming admitted easily.

Luo Yixia silently lowered her head.

“No wonder you two look so alike,” Gan Yanyan replied with a smile, but didn’t press further.

Luo Yixia breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, they arrived at the hospital.

After Song Chengyi had arranged everything, he left.

Luo Yixia and Gan Yanyan waited for their IV drip.

There were others ahead, so they had to queue.

When it was Luo Yixia’s turn, unexpectedly, the head nurse from yesterday walked in carrying some medications.

Luo Yixia instinctively turned her head—heavens, what rotten luck.

She kept her head down.

The nurse was probably a trainee; she spent ages trying to find the vein.

All Luo Yixia’s attention was on the bustling head nurse, hoping she hadn’t noticed her. She’d completely forgotten she was being used as a test subject, letting the junior nurse poke her arm again and again.

“Are you capable or not? If you can’t, let me do it,” suddenly Gan Yanyan spoke up beside Luo Yixia.

“I really can’t watch this anymore—you’ve poked her five times and still haven’t found the vein?” Gan Yanyan asked angrily.

“Sorry, sorry,” the young nurse apologized, deeply embarrassed.

Hearing Gan Yanyan’s words, Luo Yixia came to her senses and looked at her arm—her face changed instantly.

Damn, it hurt so much.

“If you can’t, let me; I’ve studied for a year myself,” Gan Yanyan said, watching the nurse still prodding.

“Alright, alright,” fortunately the nurse finally got it right on the last try.

With all the commotion, it was impossible for the head nurse not to notice.

She came over and asked, “Are you two medical students?”

“Yes, both of us,” Gan Yanyan nodded.

The head nurse finally got a good look at the girl who’d been keeping her head down.

“Are you two taking part in military training nearby? You’re wearing camouflage,” the nurse asked.

“Yes, our school’s doing military training nearby.”

Later, Gan Yanyan helped Luo Yixia carry the IV bottle, and they sat in the lobby.

Gan Yanyan hung the bottle on the stand.

“Summer, were you out of your mind just now? That nurse poked you so many times and you didn’t react at all. Aren’t you the one who’s most afraid of pain?” Gan Yanyan looked at her friend’s hand, full of sympathy.

“It’s fine, actually it didn’t hurt that much,” Luo Yixia said, smiling as she withdrew her hand.

Damn, it hurt like hell.

But she felt relieved—the head nurse hadn’t said anything, or she really would have been exposed.

She couldn’t keep using lies as a cover.

Otherwise, it would be so awkward to get caught.

Meanwhile, Song Chengyi and the others were getting up, slowly gathering outside.

After two weeks of training, everyone was complaining.

Mentally and physically, they were all exhausted.

Song Zeming stood straight, observing their lackluster expressions.

“Tired?”

“Not tired,” everyone replied.

But the truth was obvious.

“Tomorrow, we’re starting a long-distance trek—light gear, one week. After that, you’re free.”

Everyone knew the long trek was much harder than doing push-ups, sit-ups, and horse stances at the base.

Though Song Zeming always appeared friendly, he had an authority that brooked no argument, so the two classes he led were very obedient.

Still, everyone groaned.

“Cheer up, continue with the morning’s training,” Song Zeming called out.

Everyone straightened up; though reluctant, they resumed their exercises.

Time flew.

After training, Song Chengyi couldn’t wait to head to the dormitory, grab his clothes, and shower.

His mild obsessive cleanliness made him unable to bear the sweaty stench.

Luo Yixia saw that her IV bottle was nearly empty.

She and Gan Yanyan discussed calling Song Zeming to pick them up.

Song Zeming, phone in hand, left the office in a hurry and bumped into Song Chengyi.

“Going to pick them up?” Song Chengyi had just showered, changed into fresh clothes, his hair still damp and messy, but no less handsome.

“No, I have something to do. The school wants the instructors to check tomorrow’s trek route and get things ready. They’ll probably have to take a taxi back,” Song Zeming said with a sigh.

He’d just received Luo Yixia’s call, but then the principal summoned him.

“I’ll pick them up,” Song Chengyi suddenly offered.

…Song Zeming hesitated.

Song Chengyi had gotten his driver’s license right after graduating high school and often drove.

“Where’s the key?” Song Chengyi asked impatiently.

Song Zeming didn’t hesitate further, handing him the keys.

“Be careful, you’re still a student.”

“Got it,” Song Chengyi waved, back turned, as he walked away.

He drove toward the hospital.

It had been a while since he’d driven, but his skills weren’t rusty.

Like many young men, Song Chengyi liked cars, but usually drove a plain Volkswagen.

Among students, that was already impressive.

He chose an ordinary car to avoid attracting attention, but his brother was different.

Song Chengyi never knew when, but Song Zeming had brought the family’s BMW out.

It felt distinctly different.

The car had sat unused at home for over a year.

Song Zeming rarely came home, and no one touched his car.

It didn’t take long for Song Chengyi to reach the hospital.

This city hospital was the closest to the base.

He’d learned that this hospital was among those they’d be interning at later—who knew where he’d be assigned.

He entered the lobby, ready to find the two.

At that moment, Luo Yixia had just had her IV removed.

She looked at her small hand, now dotted with needle marks, feeling a surge of sympathy for herself.

She pouted.

The two prepared to wait outside the hospital.

“Wonder if Instructor Song has arrived yet,” Gan Yanyan said.

“I’m not sure, but he should be here soon,” Luo Yixia replied, still looking down at her hand.

“Hey, Song Chengyi…” Gan Yanyan stopped, looking off into the distance.

“What?” Luo Yixia asked, not catching her words.

Gan Yanyan pointed ahead, and Luo Yixia looked in that direction—she saw Song Chengyi walking toward them.