The Person I Love Who Has Been Missing For Three Years - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: This Little Canary, More Determined with Every Setback

The long night was deep, and the room had returned to a dim solitude.

The lights were off, and in the profound silence, only her own shallow breathing remained, as if she had fallen into a cold, isolated wilderness.

The person on the bed had her eyes closed, but her eyelashes trembled slightly. She was not sleeping peacefully; her mind was in turmoil.

The soreness between her waist and sacrum became more pronounced. Her cold fingers couldn’t help but press down hard, gritting her teeth, her lips trembling slightly.

It was early summer, but she felt no warmth. She was drenched in a cold sweat, as if she had been thrown into an ice cave where a frigid wind whipped through.

She had gone to the company today, and in the afternoon, she had picked up Xu Zhiyan from the airport. She must have been exhausted.

But the ultimate reason was that that person was not here today.

It had been five days now. That cat had clung to her here for five days and was finally sent away.

During these five days, Ming Jin was exceptionally well-cared for. At the slightest movement at night, the person beside her would wake up, help her turn over, and reach out to massage her.

The fatigue of the day was washed away by the warm softness, and she rested very well, inevitably sinking deeper into that comforting presence.

Yet, that cat’s sleeping habits used to be the worst. On a two-meter bed, she would occupy one and a half meters.

If woken up, she would be cranky and would noisily whine and cuddle.

But now, Song Xiangwan, who had no temper tantrums, made Ming Jin’s heart soften and ache.

She was the person she treasured most, and Ming Jin couldn’t bear to see her working so tirelessly. The past two days of public performance rehearsal were also exhausting, so she was finally sent home.

Though only five short days, Ming Jin deeply experienced what withdrawal symptoms felt like.

The first night the cat was gone, she couldn’t sleep peacefully; she missed her.

Unable to sleep, she managed to prop herself up, turned on the bedside reading lamp, grabbed the book from the nightstand, and slowly flipped through the pages.

It was a book on psychology, originally intended for Song Xiangwan, but now, as she read it, it constantly reflected her own state.

Excessive obsession, self-loathing, emotional fluctuations suppressed for three years turning into inner aggression…

She felt increasingly like an abnormal person.

Time passed moment by moment. The words in front of her began to overlap slightly. She checked the time and made a phone call.

Ten minutes later, Lin Rong knocked and entered: “Not asleep yet? I thought you were.”

She hadn’t changed into her pajamas yet, and her eyes were heavy with fatigue. She yawned, closing the door behind her.

Thus, she didn’t notice Song Xiangwan, who had seen her enter, scrambling over quickly but not daring to open the door, instead pressing her ear to the door carefully to listen.

“Thank you for your hard work,” Ming Jin said sincerely. Although Lin Rong was sometimes unreliable, when it came to her profession, she was always serious.

Lin Rong liked her profession, though Ming Jin didn’t understand why a young socialite would be interested in medicine, particularly orthopedics.

“The surgical plan has been finalized. I intended to tell you tomorrow, but since you’re awake, let’s talk now.” Lin Rong pulled up a chair and sat by the bed.

The bright white light came on, a little harsh. Lin Rong lowered her eyes. Beneath her delicate eyebrows, her amber eyes looked mature and steady.

Although she wasn’t wearing a lab coat, her expression and tone lacked the usual laziness.

She was awake so late because she had just concluded an online meeting with her senior colleague’s team.

The purpose was to make the final decision on the surgical plan for Ming Jin’s current physical condition.

She casually took a notepad from the bedside, quickly drawing a simple diagram of a human skeleton on the blank sheet.

“As I told you before, based on your MRI and dynamic X-rays, the main lesion is at L4, which is this spot.”

“The L4 vertebral body has slipped forward relative to the L5 vertebral body by about a quarter of its height, accompanied by a pars interarticularis fracture.”

“Overall, conservative treatment definitely cannot solve the problem. It can’t relieve the continuous compression on the L5 nerve root.”

“Therefore, open fusion surgery is the best solution now.”

“The specific surgical incision will be here, estimated to be around $6text{ cm}$, so it won’t be very large.”

“To relieve the compression, screws of about $6.5text{ mm}$ will be inserted into the L4 to L5 position, roughly here…”

Combined with the diagram, Lin Rong explained clearly: “Through the connection of a rod, the lumbar curve will be restored to its normal curvature, relieving the compression.”

“Overall, the difficulty is not high.”

“However, your situation is quite special. What is most concerning is your heart condition.”

“I have already agreed with CEO Xu to hire an experienced cardiologist to help manage your heart issue during this period.”

“If we can achieve the expected goals, my senior colleague will fly back to H City next month to perform the surgery for you.”

“This depends on your body’s condition control.”

“Understood,” Ming Jin nodded. “That’s about what I expected.”

“So, you stayed up tonight just to wait for my surgical plan?” Lin Rong’s seriousness only lasted until the explanation was finished, her tone turning teasing. “CEO Ming, do you also fear death?”

“Death…” Ming Jin’s voice was faint, and she said softly, “Actually, I’m not afraid of it.”

“But…” Her pupils seemed to shift slightly beneath her eyelashes. “I still want to know exactly how high the risk is.”

“The risk rate for similar surgeries is not universally applicable to you. Your situation is too unique,” Lin Rong said. “In other words…”

“The risk is uncontrollable.”

“I can only say that poor foundational conditions will lead to a series of increased risks.”

“Your situation is considered the worst-case scenario. It will be a significant challenge for the entire team.”

“Alright, I understand.” Ming Jin’s tone was flat. Not getting the answer she wanted, she couldn’t quite articulate what she was thinking; it was a mess.

“Please, when you tell Ah-Yan tomorrow, don’t scare her,” Ming Jin didn’t want Xu Zhiyan to continue worrying.

The burden on that young girl’s shoulders had been too heavy these past three years.

“I can’t do that. It’s a doctor’s duty to inform truthfully, to avoid the risk of medical disputes after the operation,” Lin Rong didn’t agree to Ming Jin’s request.

Her eyes darted. She leaned over, placing her finger on the duvet, and whispered: “And if that little canary asks…”

“She is not family,” Ming Jin stared into Lin Rong’s eyes and said slowly. “This is my private matter. She has no right to know.”

“You really don’t plan to tell her?” Lin Rong was surprised, clicking her tongue. “Your relationship has reached this stage…”

“What stage?” Ming Jin’s tone was calm. “We are not dating, we are not in a relationship, we are not married.”

“But you are sleeping in the same bed,” Lin Rong watched her with a smile, teasing: “CEO Ming, sleeping together without taking responsibility?”

The bright white light stung her eyes. Ming Jin’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and her tone was as usual: “Thank you, Dr. Lin. You can go back and rest.”

CEO Ming’s method of avoiding the topic was the same as always: end the conversation and dismiss the person.

Lin Rong didn’t press further, curving her lips slightly: “Fine. I won’t interfere in your business.”

She got up and opened the door, only to instantly meet a pair of slightly red phoenix eyes.

Song Xiangwan quickly backed away, but Lin Rong’s gasp still betrayed her.

“What is it?” Ming Jin asked, looking up, her gaze freezing instantly.

“Ahem, this has nothing to do with me…” Lin Rong shuffled sideways, brushing past Song Xiangwan.

Song Xiangwan’s mind was blank. The previously mentioned danger to her life, and the “uncontrollable risk” she had just heard, echoed in her mind like a haunting sound.

With a faint, helpless sigh, Ming Jin said: “Come in.”

She didn’t want anyone to know, but ultimately, she had been overheard.

“Ah-Jin…” Song Xiangwan walked in, her eyes instantly reddening. She sat on the chair, staring eagerly at Ming Jin.

She didn’t want to cry. Crying in front of a patient at this time could affect their mood.

But she couldn’t help it. She wiped away a tear with the back of her hand, but more tears streamed down like broken pearls.

“I won’t go to work. I’ll stay at home with you, alright?” Song Xiangwan’s voice held a slight plea.

“I can withdraw from the show.”

“My acting job can be postponed.”

“I won’t go. I won’t go anywhere.”

She was terrified. She had made up her mind to hold on, but if she wasn’t careful, the person would completely disappear from her world.

Her poor, pleading phoenix eyes were filled with tears, her eyelashes slightly damp, her nose pink from crying, utterly pitiful.

This definitely caused worry. The rising irritability in Ming Jin’s heart was fiercely suppressed.

The fleeting self-loathing in her eyes vanished, and she spoke in a gentle tone: “Don’t listen to her. Doctors always have to state the worst-case scenario to scare people.”

“No…” Song Xiangwan shook her head, reaching out and tightly clutching Ming Jin’s hand. “Ah-Jin, please let me stay with you?”

“Stay with me…” Ming Jin’s tone became slightly heavy. She used force to pull her hand out of Song Xiangwan’s grip.

“Give up your dream.”

“Give up your career.”

“Give up your future.”

“Even give up your sense of self.”

“Stay with me…”

“What’s the point?”

The person on the bed suddenly tilted to one side. The hand hanging on the bedding clenched, grasping the fabric over her chest. Her breathing instantly became rapid.

Her light brown eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment. Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately nothing came out.

Only her increasingly labored breathing and the total loss of support made her body slide down.

Song Xiangwan’s pupils contracted sharply. She rushed forward and hugged Ming Jin: “Ah-Jin, Ah-Jin… Are you okay? Where is the medicine?”

She was generally aware of Ming Jin’s heart condition, but she never imagined it would flare up so intensely.

She completely panicked, her hands trembling. Her shouted voice was thick with a heavy nasal tone: “Someone, someone, call Dr. Lin…”

Lin Rong had just gotten back to her room and was half-undressed when she heard the chaotic footsteps outside. She ran over and saw Ming Jin’s complexion, and her heart sank.

Fortunately, the common medication was kept in the bedside drawer. She took the tablet and placed it under Ming Jin’s tongue. Seeing Ming Jin’s face slowly recover, Lin Rong relaxed.

“It’s nothing serious. Emotional tension. She’ll calm down now,” Lin Rong didn’t forget to reassure the little bird.

Because the little canary was clearly terrified. Her face was even paler than Ming Jin’s, looking utterly lost and shocked, as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her.

“I’m fine,” Song Xiangwan wiped the tears from her face.

She couldn’t let anything happen to her. In Ming Jin’s current state, she had to be strong.

She deeply regretted being discovered just now. How could she lose control and cry in front of Ming Jin?

Seeming to guess what had happened, Lin Rong patted Song Xiangwan’s shoulder: “Don’t provoke her anymore. Just go along with what she wants.”

The person on the bed was now lying flat, but after the episode, her face was ashen, and the slight sweat at her temples showed a hint of vulnerability.

Her eyes were gently closed. Ming Jin felt even more self-loathing. This dilapidated body was always causing worry.

“Go back and rest. I’m fine,” Ming Jin’s tone was flat. She turned her head slightly, avoiding Song Xiangwan’s gaze.

Her fingers retracted slightly, struggling free, and she moved her hand back under the covers, clenching her fingers gently.

Song Xiangwan didn’t dare to argue with her now. Distraught, she nodded: “Okay.”

“You still have rehearsal tomorrow. Go to sleep early,” Ming Jin said in a subdued voice.

Both she and Xu Zhiyan were kicked out.

Lin Rong looked at the two quails in front of her, sighed, and reached out to rub Xu Zhiyan’s head: “Alright, look at your expressions. One would think she died…”

“Speak properly,” Xu Zhiyan’s voice was tinged with anger.

“Relax,” Lin Rong leaned against the sofa, rubbing her own calf. “Her will to live is very strong right now. This little ripple won’t cause any major issues.”

“Go do what you need to do.”

“You, go to the company tomorrow.”

“You, go to your rehearsal tomorrow.”

Lin Rong pointed at the two of them separately, raising her delicate eyebrows: “I’ll keep an eye on things at home. Don’t worry.”

Xu Zhiyan and Song Xiangwan exchanged a look, clearly seeing the worry in each other’s eyes, but neither voiced their refusal.

Xu Zhiyan’s fingers, hanging at her side, couldn’t help but tightly clutch the fabric of her skirt.

Ultimately, she was still not strong enough.

She only found out after returning today that the group was in turmoil. Those old executives who had previously ignored her were now contacting her, seeking favor and begging for mercy.

Only then did she realize what Ming Jin had been doing all these days: catching these people’s weaknesses, punishing them, and then giving the final disposal authority to Xu Zhiyan.

Now, Xu Zhiyan was their only lifeline. Waiting for Xu Zhiyan’s mercy, these people would become her loyalists.

Her sister had truly gone to great lengths.

Song Xiangwan didn’t sleep well that night. The nightmares of disappearance, which had vanished while she was staying with Ming Jin, now swept over her again.

She woke up three times during the night. Finally, she didn’t dare to sleep anymore and waited with open eyes until the light of dawn.

But before leaving the room, she put on light makeup to conceal the dark circles under her eyes. She couldn’t let Ming Jin worry.

However, she didn’t see Ming Jin that morning.

Lin Rong said she had checked on her earlier, and she was doing well. Lin Rong hurried the two young people out of the house after repeatedly urging them.

Today’s rehearsal was still at the Central Dance Academy.

Everyone had almost finished learning their individual parts. This was the final group rehearsal.

Chen Mengyi’s withdrawal hadn’t caused any sensation. She wasn’t a popular contestant to begin with.

The moment Lu Peiling saw Song Xiangwan, she immediately apologized: “I’m sorry. She came in early and installed recording equipment in the room. I didn’t find it.”

Lu Peiling clearly knew the inside story. Since the incident happened on her turf, she had to make a statement.

“I had people check the entire studio this time. Nothing similar will happen again,” Lu Peiling promised.

“It’s not that serious, Sister Ling,” Song Xiangwan was a little amused by her solemn attitude.

It was a small matter, and if someone carried a small device like a voice recorder, no one would find it anyway.

In Lu Peiling’s next sentence, Song Xiangwan understood the reason. She said: “The school specifically asked me to extend their apologies, to you and to CEO Ming.”

Ming Jin? Song Xiangwan was slightly startled. Before she could say anything, she heard a sudden opening of the door and a greeting: “Sister Ling, Sister Wan, I’m here~”

That boisterous voice must belong to Zhou Xintong.

She was followed by a shy young girl who bowed to everyone present: “Hello, teachers. My name is Shen Yi, the newly added contestant.”

Song Xiangwan never got to ask the question she had in mind, and the day’s rehearsal began.

The new girl was from a professional dance company. She looked thin and weak, but her performance quality and explosive power were very strong, and her basic skills were solid.

Without Chen Mengyi dragging them down, the overall rehearsal pace was much faster.

During a break, Song Xiangwan finally found a chance to approach Lu Peiling and whispered: “Sister Ling, did Ming Jin arrange for you to join the show?”

“No, I personally felt it was very meaningful to promote the beauty of dance on a popular variety show.”

“However,” she changed the subject, “the school specifically instructed me to take good care of you.”

“Presumably, it’s because three years ago, CEO Ming donated a performance hall to the school in your name. At the time, they wanted to name it ‘Xiangwan Theater’.”

“It was renamed later…”

Lu Peiling led Song Xiangwan to the window and pointed into the distance at the white, shell-shaped building: “It’s right there. Now it’s called ‘Fanxing Theater’ (Starry Theater).”

“CEO Ming is so good to you. Is she a fan or a relative?” Lu Peiling was now familiar with Song Xiangwan, so she spoke without much hesitation.

Three years ago… Song Xiangwan’s thoughts drifted back.

She had a deep attachment and sense of belonging to the Central Dance Academy and had once brought Ming Jin to stroll around the track.

The Fufeng Stadium had an open-air cinema connected to it. Every Friday night at eight, classic movies were shown there, called the Red Star Cinema.

The most enjoyable time in college was watching classic movies there with a few friends, then walking two laps around the stadium track.

Following the sycamore tree avenue next to the stadium, it led straight to the East Gate, outside of which was a night market. They would have a delicious late-night snack before returning to the dorm to rest.

One weekend three years ago, she flew back from abroad after finishing a film, coinciding with the school’s 114th-anniversary celebration.

The school hadn’t invited Song Xiangwan. For a school of that caliber, Song Xiangwan’s status wasn’t yet that of an honorary alumna.

She wore a mask, brought Ming Jin along, and joined the excitement.

They sat in the shadows in the corner of the open-air cinema where the light couldn’t reach, holding hands, with Song Xiangwan resting her head on Ming Jin’s shoulder.

“This is wonderful. It feels like I’m back in my most carefree college days,” she closed her eyes. The gentle evening breeze swept past like silk, comforting her. The black and white old film flickered with static, and a crescent moon hung in the willow branches in the sky.

A commotion arose as a crowd poured out of the auditorium, walking up the steps past them.

She overheard the students discussing the alumni lecture that had just taken place in the auditorium.

Several well-known artists and scholars had given lectures, offering their best wishes to the school and donating to establish scholarships during the anniversary celebration.

Song Xiangwan couldn’t help but mutter: “I’m still not good enough…”

“Strive to come back next year as a renowned alumna.” Ming Jin cupped her fingers and gently rubbed them. “It’s getting cold. Let’s go back.”

At the time, she thought Ming Jin’s words were simply a wish for her to become more outstanding and advance her career.

She never thought that Ming Jin would donate a performance hall in her name, which would certainly qualify her to return as an outstanding alumna for events.

“Is it open now?” Song Xiangwan asked Lu Peiling. “I’d like to go look around later.”

“Sure, there’s a performance tonight,” Lu Peiling checked her phone. “It’s the dance drama Chang’an.”

“Oh, wait, wasn’t this dance drama originally conceived by you?”

Song Xiangwan remembered the last time she was here, she met that junior student named Jiang Jiang. Tonight was their performance.

After the rehearsal ended, Song Xiangwan put on a mask and a baseball cap, completely covering herself, and slipped into the performance hall.

Because it was a student performance, the audience was sparse, with only about thirty percent occupancy. The second act was already underway.

Song Xiangwan found a seat in the back corner.

Indeed, the junior student named Jiang Jiang was on stage, playing the lead role of Yang Guifei—Song Xiangwan’s original role.

The graceful music swelled. She walked out in magnificent attire, surrounded by others, lingering among the flowers. Her long scarf fluttered, and she danced gracefully.

A spotlight fell on her. The grand costume couldn’t hide her brilliance; she was the most dazzling star in the center of the stage.

Someone suddenly sat down next to her. Song Xiangwan pressed down her cap, stood up, and left from the other side.

She didn’t leave the area. She walked around the theater.

Three years had passed, and there were some signs of use, but it was kept very clean.

The exterior of the entire theater was carved with delicate patterns, simulating the growth lines of a seashell, extending with the building’s curvature, full of realism and artistic sense.

The bottom lights lit up, making the seashell look as if it were surrounded by fine sand, outlining its shape against the night.

The wall seemed to have no temperature, but when her hand touched it, she felt a distinct warmth surging through her veins.

This was the gift Ming Jin had given her three years ago.

She had received it.

Even after three years, she could still touch the warmth of love again and again.

She thought of Ming Jin, truly like a blinded monarch ruled by a vixen, spending lavishly, donating a theater just because of a single sentence.

Taking advantage of the lack of attention, she took a selfie at the entrance. On the field, there were grandmothers selling flowers. She bought a bouquet.

She arrived home around nine in the evening.

Xu Zhiyan saw the flowers in her hand, her expression one of surprise, as she watched Song Xiangwan go to knock on Ming Jin’s door.

Indeed, the ones who can make Ming Jin fall for them, and those who can fall for Ming Jin, are not ordinary people.

This little canary is becoming more determined with every setback.