Marriage at Thirty - Chapter 32

“Heh heh.”

“Hee hee hee.”

“Tsk tsk, wow…”

“Lin Ran, are you sick?” Liang Qingbo couldn’t take it anymore and pulled down her eye mask. “You’ve been giggling like a maniac since we boarded. What are you laughing about?”

“Heh heh.” Lin Ran continued to laugh. The eye mask covered her eyes, but her lips, turned up almost to the sky, proved her current mood.

It was clearly an expression of infatuation. Liang Qingbo asked: “Are you thinking about your wife?”

Lin Ran poked the eye mask on her nose with one finger, revealing a sliver of her gaze: “Is it that obvious?”

“What do you think? What exactly are you laughing at?” Liang Qingbo asked.

Lin Ran giggled: “It’s nothing, really. I just suddenly realized that when a serious person says a seemingly frivolous but utterly earnest thing in a very serious tone, it just feels so… so good. Heh heh heh heh…”

Liang Qingbo snorted: “I should have just waited for you outside the airport. I missed the good show.”

When Liang Qingbo learned of her marriage, she was about to go skydiving. She was doing her mental preparation when she video-called Lin Ran: “Look! I’m about to jump! I’m suddenly a little scared. Say something to encourage me, quick!”

“Qingzi, I got married,” Lin Ran said, dropping a bombshell.

“I asked you to encourage me, not to lie to me!”

“It’s true. Look, here’s my marriage certificate.”

“No way.”

Upon seeing the bright red, legal document, Liang Qingbo numbly put away her phone, spread her arms, and jumped without hesitation.

If Lin Ran dared to get married, what did she have to be afraid of jumping for!

Afterward, she learned the story behind Lin Ran’s marriage and that her partner was a very proper (referring to appearance) and upstanding (referring to character) dentist.

Naturally, she also knew that the two hadn’t had any intimate interactions—at least not when she last inquired.

But now—she glanced at the person who kept chuckling—she knew progress had certainly been made.

After landing, the two rented a car and drove to the hotel. The first day was spent just exploring the surroundings before returning to the hotel to rest.

They sat in the living room eating pizza and chatting about what they’d seen and done, mainly Liang Qingbo’s travel anecdotes from abroad.

Tired of talking, Liang Qingbo asked her: “Why don’t you talk about your married life?”

“What’s there to talk about in married life? It’s just normal life. You can imagine it. It’s not new at all. You have married people around you,” Lin Ran said in a completely normal tone.

“But I don’t have anyone who flash-married around me,” Liang Qingbo leaned in closer and asked: “Did you guys do it?”

“No… Wait? Are you leaving already?”

Liang Qing got up swiftly to take a shower.

Lin Ran: “Come back! I won’t pretend anymore! I want to tell you!!”

The hotel was located right in the ski area. They could take the cable car up the mountain after a few minutes’ walk.

The sun slowly rose into the sky, making the snow gleam. The vast snow field absorbed the sounds of the earth, making everything silent. Soon, more and more people came up the mountain.

Lin Ran filmed a video of the sunrise over the ski resort and sent it to Fu Linling.

New Zealand was four or five hours ahead of Jincheng. Fu Linling received the video while eating in the cafeteria.

“Dr. Fu, why isn’t Lin Ran here again?” Wang Ke asked curiously.

“She went to New Zealand to ski,” Fu Linling answered.

“Really?” Qin Shanshan was surprised.

“Mhm.” Fu Linling handed them her phone to watch the video.

“Wow, that’s beautiful!” The two looked at the scenery in the video, incredibly envious.

“I really want to go to the Southern Hemisphere to ski in this heat! I’m tired of saying how envious I am!” Qin Shanshan exclaimed.

Wang Ke said: “Forget the Southern Hemisphere. It’s hard enough for us to travel to another province.”

Qin Shanshan sighed repeatedly, but then looked at Dr. Fu and didn’t feel so miserable: “Forget it, forget it. Even Dr. Fu is stuck here watching them play.”

Wang Ke: “Ugh!”

Fu Linling: “Ugh.”

Hearing her soft sigh, both wondered if they’d heard correctly. They exchanged a look, confirmed it, and simultaneously revealed a knowing expression—Dr. Fu was love-sick.

Lin Ran sent Fu Linling photos and videos every day. Some she filtered and posted on her Moments. One video showed her skiing at an incredibly high speed, her body constantly folding and leaning close to the snow—it was very cool, and it received many comments and likes.

It was only then that Fu Linling realized so many colleagues had added Lin Ran’s WeChat account.

Returning home in the evening, she felt the house was overly lonely. It had been like this before, but Lin Ran hadn’t lived there for long, yet Fu Linling already found it hard to go back to her former tedious life.

Eating dinner alone was dull. She felt too tired to cook, so she simply made a bowl of noodles to fill her stomach.

After writing her thesis for a while, she received several photos of dinner from Lin Ran. She clicked through and viewed them one by one. As she was editing a message, a video call invitation popped up.

She froze, immediately adjusted her clothes and tidied her hair using the slight reflection on the TV screen, and only then answered the call.

“I thought you were asleep,” Lin Ran said after waiting a while to see her in the video.

“Not yet,” Fu Linling replied, looking at her.

Lin Ran was still wearing her ski suit, a knit hat, with braids hanging down both sides. The background was a restaurant, and she was holding a fork, presumably still eating.

“Are you still eating?”

“Mhm. I wanted to show you this.” Lin Ran smiled, then turned the camera to the back. Looking out the massive floor-to-ceiling window, the sun was slowly sinking.

Fu Linling quietly watched the sunset, feeling as if she were sitting beside Lin Ran, watching it together.

Only after the sun had completely dropped below the horizon did Lin Ran turn the camera back: “How was it? Beautiful?”

“Beautiful,” Fu Linling said, looking at her.

“It’s rare that we had sun today. It’s been snowing the past few days.”

The day before yesterday, she had even sent Fu Linling a video of her skiing in the snow—romantic and cheerful.

“I’m done eating. Aren’t you done chatting yet?” Another voice came from the side of the camera.

Fu Linling looked at the screen. Then, a small half of an unfamiliar face appeared in the frame.

There were a few glimpses of Liang Qingbo in Lin Ran’s Moments, but she always wore ski goggles and a face mask, so none of her features were visible.

“Hello, Dr. Fu,” Liang Qingbo greeted her, her long, narrow eyes blinking.

“Hello,” Fu Linling replied.

Liang Qingbo smiled, then pulled herself out of the frame: “You guys keep chatting. I’m going to the restroom.”

Lin Ran turned back and talked to Fu Linling about the past few days and asked about things at the hospital before ending the video call.

But this video chat boosted Fu Linling’s confidence and helped her get used to video calls. For the next few days, she would actively call Lin Ran.

Sometimes Lin Ran was eating, sometimes resting at the hotel, and sometimes out playing in the snow.

Most of the time, Lin Ran did the talking, and Fu Linling listened.

“Doesn’t your Dr. Fu seem a little too boring?” One evening, the two were sitting in the living room having a late-night snack. After Lin Ran finished a video call, Liang Qingbo couldn’t help but ask: “I just feel like her personality is so dull. Are you two really a good fit?”

“Dull? We call it complementary,” Lin Ran said.

Liang Qingbo clicked her tongue: “I thought you’d look for a partner who was romantic, considerate, humorous, and interesting.”

Lin Ran: “Dr. Fu is exactly that kind of person.”

Liang Qingbo: “…Seriously? I’ve known you for years. Don’t tell me you’ve turned into a love-struck fool?”

“I have not!” Lin Ran retorted.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Believe what you want. The average person just can’t appreciate Dr. Fu’s romance and humor. Wait, Lian Fang noticed her romantic side. So the problem is with you. You haven’t lived a stable life and don’t understand these little bits of romance,” Lin Ran said righteously.

Liang Qingbo chuckled twice: “Look at how you defend her. You fire back ten sentences for every one I say. You’re making me more and more curious. I absolutely must meet your Dr. Fu when we get back.”

Lin Ran: “Dr. Fu is very busy. I’ll arrange a meeting for you later.”

Liang Qingbo: “Am I not busy?”

Lin Ran: “You quit your job. What are you busy with?”

Liang Qingbo: “Speaking of which, I’m planning to open my own studio. Do you want to invest in it?”

The interns finished their rotation. Fu Linling wrote reviews on each of their evaluation forms. This wasn’t a major issue; the school wouldn’t prevent students from graduating over a brief review. As long as they didn’t make fundamental mistakes, she would be lenient and write complimentary comments.

However, Lin Ran’s father misinterpreted Fu Linling’s comments as being highly impressed with Lin Song. He found her address somehow, and in the evening, he showed up at her doorstep with large bags, waiting for Fu Linling to get off work.

The elevator door opened, and the sound of luggage wheels rolling was heard behind him.

Lin Ran’s father turned around and saw Lin Ran returning with her bags. He asked: “Where have you been?”

Lin Ran had blocked him from her Moments, so her father knew nothing about her life. He was also a firm believer that artists didn’t earn as much as people who pursued academics, and he focused all his hopes on Lin Song—his graduate-student son—to bring honor to the family.

“What are you doing here?” Lin Ran asked, frowning.

“I came to find Fu Linling. It’s good that you’re back. Open the door and let me sit down. My legs are hurting from standing.”

Lin Ran pointed to the suspicious items on the floor: “What are these?”

“Just a little token of my appreciation. Little Song finished his internship, and I came to thank Dr. Fu on his behalf,” Lin Ran’s father said.

“You don’t need these things. Take them back immediately. Don’t embarrass yourself here. If someone sees this, it will hurt her reputation,” Lin Ran said.

“What do you know? You’ve never worked in a professional environment. You don’t understand how things work. I’m not talking to you. I’ll wait for her to come back and thank her personally.”

Lin Ran picked up his items and tossed them toward the elevator: “Go now.”

“What are you doing? Is this how Zhang Wu taught you? You have no manners!” Lin Ran’s father quickly retrieved his things. “You might not care, but Dr. Fu will. Do you know how expensive these things are? You don’t need them, but Dr. Fu might. Look, I even specifically bought a massager. She has to bend over all day; how uncomfortable must that be?”

Lin Ran looked down at the massager and snorted: “Don’t bring up my mom. My mom never taught me to use backdoors. When she goes to Dr. Fu for dental work, she registers honestly.”

“That’s your mother being foolish! Didn’t you know that the Third Hospital is expanding its staff recently? If Dr. Fu is willing to help with an internal recommendation, she could get Little Song in. Little Song is your biological brother, after all. If he does well, he can help you, his older sister, in the future.”

“Pah! I don’t need his help. Hospital matters aren’t up to Dr. Fu to decide. Stop bothering her here!”

“She can’t decide, but she can put in a good word. I heard a doctor who was recently hired is her junior from school.”

“And didn’t you know that her junior is a genuine PhD from the US? She got in on her own merit, no backdoors whatsoever. Stop insulting Dr. Feng here! Don’t you dare compare your son to them. Stop judging a good person with your petty thoughts, and take your things and leave!” Lin Ran was so annoyed she yelled, startling her father.

Ding—

The elevator door opened. Fu Linling stepped out, followed by Feng Ming.

The group stared at each other.

Fu Linling looked at Lin Ran and walked straight toward her: “Didn’t you say you were coming back the day after tomorrow?”

“I decided to come back early at the last minute. I was going to give you a surprise…” Lin Ran gave her father a resentful look. Her good mood had been completely ruined by him.

Fu Linling opened the door: “You go inside first. Feng Ming, you too.”

Feng Ming nodded and helped Lin Ran take her luggage into the apartment.

Lin Ran had just put down her suitcase when she saw the front door close from the outside. Fu Linling and her father were still outside. She was worried Fu Linling would be harassed by the unreasonable man. She turned to go back out but was blocked by Feng Ming.

“Don’t worry. Senior Sister can handle it,” Feng Ming said.

“But you don’t know the situation. This person, he…”

“We heard everything in the elevator,” Feng Ming said.

“Ah…” Lin Ran awkwardly scratched her face. “That’s so embarrassing.”

“Not at all.” Feng Ming smiled genuinely: “When you stood up for Senior Sister, she was very happy… I was too.”

Is that so? But when Fu Linling walked out of the elevator just now, her face looked quite serious.

“Everything I said was true. You two really are amazing.”

Feng Ming’s lips curved: “Thank you.”

A few minutes later, the door opened again, and Fu Linling came in.

Lin Ran peeked outside and saw her father walking away with his things, looking defeated.

“How did you handle him?” she asked in surprise.

“I just told him this: ‘If you come here again, I will inform the Chief and the Hospital Director. The Third Hospital has zero tolerance for corruption. If Lin Song is placed on a blacklist, he won’t be able to go through the formal hiring process later.’ Once I said that, he got scared.” Fu Linling said.

“Striking where it hurts,” Feng Ming chuckled.

Lin Ran breathed a sigh of relief, figuring he wouldn’t bother them again.

“I’m going to get something for Feng Ming first.” Fu Linling stared at Lin Ran for a moment, then led Feng Ming to the study.

Fu Linling took several notebooks out of a box and handed them to her: “These are the complex case studies I’ve faced over the years. Take them back and read through them slowly. The handwriting is messy in some places, so come and ask me if you can’t read something.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister.” Feng Ming was formally working at the hospital now, and her experience couldn’t compare to that of her predecessors. She hadn’t become close with her other colleagues yet, and they might not be willing to share such materials. So, she had decided to ask Fu Linling, who readily agreed and brought her home to pick up the notes after work.

“Don’t you still have to write your thesis? Are you lending all of these to me? Not keeping any for yourself?” Feng Ming asked.

“These are old challenging cases. They’ve already been processed by my brain, and my hands won’t be stumped by them anymore,” Fu Linling said.

Feng Ming smiled. Fu Linling always said things so casually, making these difficult problems sound simple. It subtly instilled a sense of reliable admiration.

Feng Ming opened a notebook and started reading.

Thud—

A sound came from outside—the noise of a suitcase dropping to the floor.

“Take your time reading,” Fu Linling said and went to find Lin Ran.

Lin Ran was unpacking, taking things out of her suitcase and putting them away piece by piece. Seeing Fu Linling emerge, she ran excitedly to the suitcase: “I brought you a gift!”

As she walked past Fu Linling, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm, and she was pulled into a warm embrace. She looked up in a daze.

Fu Linling held her, taking a deep breath. Her nostrils were filled with Lin Ran’s scent.

“Your coming back is the best gift.”