I Woke Up And My Girlfriend Was Gone - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

The sky was not yet bright. The massive hospital inpatient building resembled a sleeping giant on the verge of waking, with dim, scattered lights flickering irregularly throughout the floors.

In the ward on the east side of the twenty-third floor, the light was particularly low—a warm yellow glow that wavered like a restless star on the edge of the horizon.

“Are you ready?” Zuo Yin stood at the door, using her phone to provide a sliver of light for Shen Qingzi.

“Ready.” Shen Qingzi smoothed her changed clothes and, carrying an exquisitely wrapped gift box, walked cautiously to Zuo Yin’s side.

To sneak out of the ward, the two hadn’t even dared to turn on the overhead lights. Zuo Yin peeked out at the fluorescent-lit hallway. A nurse pushing a cart had just passed; it would be a while before anyone else came by.

“Let’s go.”

Zuo Yin led Shen Qingzi out of the room. The bright hallway lights fell upon them, their shadows etched with vigilance. It wasn’t until they turned the corner and reached the elevator that Zuo Yin breathed a sigh of relief.

The elevator was empty. Looking at their reflections in the polished doors, Zuo Yin realized how well her own clothes fit Shen Qingzi. Although they were the cool-toned colors typical of Zuo Yin’s style, on Shen Qingzi, they carried a different kind of charm. The dark purple shirt loosely traced her figure, making her look both languid and elegant. The cool colors framed her pale face, masking her sickly pallor and making her features appear even more refined.

“What is it?” Shen Qingzi noticed the gaze from her left and turned slightly toward Zuo Yin.

Zuo Yin dazed for a moment before remarking, “This shirt suits you well.” The tone was remarkably similar to how Shen Qingzi usually spoke.

Shen Qingzi smiled, her thin lips a shimmering, translucent cherry-pink. Zuo Yin suddenly felt that it wasn’t the clothes making Shen Qingzi look perfect—it was Shen Qingzi making the clothes look perfect.

Leaving the inpatient building, Zuo Yin took the car keys and sat in the driver’s seat. It was her first time handling this car, and she followed the navigation with extreme caution. As the dawn light broke, the traffic on the road gradually thickened. Shen Qingzi didn’t urge her to speed up to avoid the morning rush; instead, she leaned back against the headrest, savoring this rare moment of freedom away from the hospital.

A drive that should have taken thirty minutes was tripled by the morning congestion. As the black car approached the cemetery, a set of heavy black gates stood shut, appearing to divide this place from the world of the living. Just as Zuo Yin hesitated on how to enter, the gates slowly swung open for the car’s owner. Zuo Yin remembered then—this was one of the most elite cemeteries in S City.

The entire cemetery was hidden within the mountain forests, silent and secluded. Overwintering sparrows perched heavily on branches, watching the uninvited guest with curiosity. Zuo Yin parked the car and turned her head to wake the sleeping Shen Qingzi.

But a selfish impulse made her stop.

The sunlight fell on Shen Qingzi’s makeup-free skin, which was so delicate not a single blemish could be found. Her fan-like lashes rested thickly against her face, a picture of absolute tranquility. Zuo Yin’s heart throbbed, beat by beat. A base instinct pushed her to lean down—to taste that shimmering, pink fruit.

Closer.

A little closer…

The girl’s hot breath brushed against the sleeping woman’s face. The heat jolted her awake.

“Are we here?” Shen Qingzi’s voice rang out before her eyes even opened.

Zuo Yin’s pupils dilated. She snapped back into a perfectly upright sitting position. Feigning nonchalance, she unbuckled her seatbelt and nodded. “Mhm.”

“Then let’s go,” Shen Qingzi said, stepping out of the car. Drowsy as she was, she seemed not to notice how close the girl had come to her “despicable” act.

…

Shen Qingzi didn’t lead Zuo Yin straight to the gravesite. Instead, she took the offerings she had prepared for Shen Yue to the flower supply station at the cemetery management office. It happened to be the time for new stock; piles of various flowers, still clinging to morning dew, sat fresh and vibrant.

Zuo Yin silently observed the bright space. The white marble floors with grey-black veins and the vitality of the flowers broke the icy stillness of the room, making it feel less like a cemetery. A capable-looking woman was directing employees; seeing Shen Qingzi, she immediately stepped forward. “Miss Shen, you’re early today.”

“I thought there would be traffic, but I ended up arriving ahead of schedule,” Shen Qingzi replied.

“Please, have a seat.” The woman offered chairs to both of them. “The usual?”

Shen Qingzi glanced at the golden gerberas that had just been brought in. “More of those. The theme should be white and orange.”

“Understood.” As the woman turned to leave, Zuo Yin called out, “Wait, please.”

She looked at Shen Qingzi. “Can I also offer a bouquet to your sister?”

Shen Qingzi nodded, a smile touching her face. “Of course you can.”

“What kind of flowers did she like? Gerberas?” Zuo Yin wasn’t sure.

“Any flower. Xiao Yue loved them all,” Shen Qingzi answered.

Zuo Yin looked at the colorful array. Recalling the painting The Girl in the Flower Room, her gaze settled on a large cluster of violets. Gentle yet passionate—just like the long hair and smile of the eighteen-year-old girl in the painting.

“Violets with white lilies of the valley,” Zuo Yin said.

A flash of surprise and delight appeared in Shen Qingzi’s eyes. “Xiao Yue loved violets.” She turned to the florist. “Prepare another bouquet as she described.”

“Certainly. Please wait a moment.”

“I think if Xiao Yue were here, you two would have been great friends,” Shen Qingzi remarked.

“I hope so, too,” Zuo Yin nodded. If that were the case, I might not have to stay by your side only as a student.

…

The two bouquets were soon ready. Shen Qingzi and Zuo Yin walked toward the graves, their boots making the only rhythmic thud-thud sound in the silent cemetery. After passing dozens of rows, they arrived at the grave of the girl named Shen Yue.

The tombstone wasn’t large; it possessed a delicate, feminine grace. The red character for Shen and the black character for Yue were stacked vertically. Zuo Yin saw the black-and-white photograph of the girl with a smile like a blooming flower. She looked truly happy, her two dimples creating a sweetness that even the monochrome photo couldn’t hide.

“Xiao Yue, I’ve snuck out to see you today, so I brought lots of good food. Don’t be angry.” Shen Qingzi reached out and carefully wiped the dust from the photograph. Compared to the surrounding graves, Shen Yue’s was exceptionally clean.

“But if you are angry, you can’t just blame me. She helped me run away from the hospital.”

Zuo Yin hadn’t expected Shen Qingzi to crack a joke after such a serious opening. She stood to the side holding the large bouquet, unsure of how to react. That invisible distance still existed—she couldn’t move forward, yet she wasn’t reconciled to moving back.

Seeing her standing still, Shen Qingzi pulled her closer. “Come, say hello.”

That warm hand was on Zuo Yin’s wrist once again. Because of the “inappropriate” thoughts in her heart, even this simple gesture made Zuo Yin’s pulse race.

“Hello,” Zuo Yin muttered, placing the flowers down awkwardly.

“She is the first student of mine I told you about,” Shen Qingzi introduced, kneeling back down before the stone. She is very talented. She is a girl after my own heart, she added silently.

“Xiao Yue, Mom and Dad are doing well, don’t worry…”

Shen Qingzi began to chat with her sister as she always did. She looked at the smiling girl on the tombstone; time had stopped forever for her, just like the secret wish she had whispered from her hospital bed. Seeing this, Zuo Yin stepped away to a respectful distance and waited quietly.

Shen Yue’s plot was on the side near the mountain. The Shen family had planted several plum trees nearby. The branches were hardy and elegant; despite the deep winter, a few new buds were already peeking through, hiding their white-yellow blossoms.

It had been five years since Shen Yue passed away, yet she lived on forever in Shen Qingzi’s heart. Watching the woman with traces of tears at the corners of her eyes, Zuo Yin felt a wave of melancholy. If she were to leave, would she ever receive such devotion from Shen Qingzi? After all, Shen Qingzi had just called her “the first student.”

Zuo Yin sighed. I want to be the only one. That way, I can never be replaced.

“Zuo Yin.”

The soft sound of her name snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to find that Shen Qingzi had finished talking. She was sitting on the stone steps nearby.

The winter forest wasn’t entirely desolate; the evergreens remained lush, and the mountainside was draped in a hazy, drunken gold from the rising sun. It was a picturesque scene. The sun rose higher, leaning in to wrap Shen Qingzi in warmth. Her white coat made her look even more gentle.

Seeing Zuo Yin hesitate, Shen Qingzi patted the spot beside her. “Come here.”

Zuo Yin pulled her gaze back and sat down next to her. The lightweight down jacket cushioned the stone steps, so it didn’t feel cold. Sitting there, smelling the iris fragrance mixed with the faint hospital scent of alcohol, Zuo Yin felt her cheeks flush. They hadn’t been this close in a long time.

“Sit with me for a while, then we’ll go back,” Shen Qingzi said.

Zuo Yin didn’t refuse. They sat in silence, feeling the cool winter breeze brush their faces. Their hair moved with the wind, entangling slightly, carrying a hint of warmth.

Shen Qingzi lowered her head slightly. The cool, clean scent of Zuo Yin drifted into her senses, chasing away her loneliness.