Rose
Hearing Jiang Meihui’s words, Zhan Aiping just gave a light smile without saying much. She knew that Jiang Meihui was definitely very sad inside, but after being hurt for so long, she no longer expressed it, and there was no need to expose her feelings.
Who wouldn’t wish for someone to like them, to care about them?
Zhan Aiping held her hand in silent comfort.
When they returned to the residential compound, Zhan Aiping cut three beautiful red roses from her own garden. She didn’t know exactly what variety Uncle Zhang’s red roses were, perhaps they were a new hybrid without a name yet. But they were blooming brilliantly, with strong vitality. After being transplanted back into the ground, they continued to bloom exuberantly, and today, a few more buds were ready to open.
Their colour was as deep and fiery as a flame.
After removing the thorns, Zhan Aiping handed the three roses to Jiang Meihui. Holding them in her hands, Jiang Meihui smiled, dimples forming on her cheeks, and sincerely said, “Dr. Zhan, your flowers are so beautiful, and they smell wonderful.”
The beauty and fragrance of the flowers lifted Jiang Meihui’s spirits. The fresh petals, with a hint of red velvet texture, were sprayed with a little water by Zhan Aiping. The glistening water droplets shimmered in the setting sun.
Jiang Meihui’s entire mood brightened.
“I love flowers. Even though it’s already this time of year, there’s still so much green and so many fresh blooms everywhere. It makes me so happy.”
Zhan Aiping waved her hand, “Once my flowers take root, I’ll give you a plant.”
She had taken three rose plants, which were excellent mother stocks, strong and robust, likely with great propagation potential.
Jiang Meihui glanced at the barren rose bush in Zhan Aiping’s yard, which had yet to bloom. Though she had little hope, she still smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll be waiting.”
Zhan Aiping noticed her glance. After Jiang Meihui left, Zhan Aiping stared at the stubborn, non-blooming rose bush, and took out her scissors, pruning it. If it still refused to bloom, she planned to pull it out.
Survival of the fittest. If it won’t bloom, it has no place in her garden.
Zhan Aiping then looked at her other three strong rose bushes and felt great. She could probably eat an extra bowl of rice tonight.
She was ruthless like that — whichever flower bloomed well, she liked the most.
Gu Sheng finally came home after two days of hard work. As soon as he got back, he showered and changed clothes, his eyes filled with exhaustion, then quickly started cooking for Zhan Aiping.
Seeing him like this, Zhan Aiping felt a bit sorry for him. “Why don’t you take a break first? I’ll give you a massage.”
Gu Sheng’s eyes filled with a teasing smile. He turned to look at Zhan Aiping, hugging her, “Just wait a bit. I can’t let you go hungry, not even for a moment.”
Zhan Aiping hugged him from behind and said honestly, “I missed you.”
“Did I just come back to better treatment? You’ve become more clingy and proactive, huh?”
Zhan Aiping had recently realized that she had been too passive in responding to Gu Sheng’s love. He was always the one expressing his love and care. Influenced by her mother, Zhan Aiping had grown up not knowing how to show affection even when she cared deeply.
She rubbed against his back. “Maybe it’s human nature to be like this. When you’re always around, I get annoyed, but when you’re not here for a while, I miss you terribly.”
Gu Sheng chuckled, “No wonder they say absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
“That’s true.”
She rubbed against him again. “Don’t do anything silly for the sake of getting favours. If we can avoid separation, let’s avoid it.”
Gu Sheng replied, “I’m not that foolish. I’d stick to you every day if I could.”
“You wouldn’t be able to get rid of me even if you tried.”
Gu Sheng made three or four simple dishes, and the couple sat down to eat. Next to them, their “sweet and salty” little pair, two kids named after their food preferences, were also almost ready to have their own seats.
After dinner, Zhan Aiping had Gu Sheng sit down as she massaged his shoulders and around his eyes. When Gu Sheng opened his eyes, Zhan Aiping placed a rose in front of him and said nonchalantly, “This is for you.”
Gu Sheng blinked at the fiery red rose in front of him. Under the dim yellow light, its red petals seemed to burn even brighter. The vibrant woman holding the flower, with her flowing hair and radiant smile, was even more captivating than the rose itself.
He pulled her, along with the rose, into his arms and whispered in her ear, “Even though you’re giving me back my own flower, I’m still incredibly excited.”
Zhan Aiping laughed, “What do you mean ‘giving it back’? This is my flower, the one I won, the one I planted. I grew it, and now I’m giving it to you.”
“Thank you, I’m really happy.”
Gu Sheng, thrilled by the rose, was especially enthusiastic that night. The next morning, he woke up and, looking at the person sleeping beside him, kissed her gently on the lips.
Feeling good, he happily watered the roses his wife had given him before heading out, still carrying the vibrant red rose from the day before.
He couldn’t wait to show it to Captain Jiang.
In the past, he had never been so eager to show off anything, but since his wife had given him this rose and expressed her love, he had to share it with his closest comrade.
Captain Jiang stood at the door of his office in his uniform, hatless, looking noticeably thinner after taking care of his household responsibilities. His hair had also thinned a bit.
Gu Sheng strutted past him, flashing the fiery rose in front of him with a sense of swagger.
Captain Jiang glanced at the rose, his eyes narrowing at the energetic Gu Sheng, whose smile spoke of deep affection and bliss.
Captain Jiang sneered, “What are you trying to do? Give it to me?”
Gu Sheng, full of pride, replied, “My wife gave this to me.”
“A rose.”
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Captain Jiang: “…”
Gu Sheng sniffed the stunning red rose, “It smells so good. It’s just like my wife — beautiful, vibrant, elegant, yet a bit thorny…”
Captain Jiang couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. He genuinely wanted to kick Gu Sheng out. It was just a rose, what was there to be so smug about?
Captain Jiang sarcastically remarked, “Your wife only gave you one rose, but she gave my sister three.”
Gu Sheng: “What?!”
Captain Jiang crossed his arms. “Yesterday, my sister came to show off the roses your wife gave her. Now it’s your turn, huh? Only one rose? You can’t even compare to my sister.”
Captain Jiang felt incredibly bitter. He had never received flowers from anyone, and now even his younger sister was showing off the roses from Dr. Zhan, while he had none. To make things worse, although his sister had three roses, the one Gu Sheng had was clearly more beautiful.
This Dr. Zhan seemed rather stingy, keeping the biggest and prettiest rose for her husband.
Hmph, what good is a bigger rose if it’s only one?
Gu Sheng’s face darkened. “Why would your sister accept roses from my wife?”
Gu Sheng was furious. Why would his wife give roses to someone else first, and three at that?
Captain Jiang teased, “Why did your wife insist on giving roses to my sister? Better keep an eye on her.”
Gu Sheng smiled faintly. “I’m sure the one I have is the biggest and best. My wife always saves the best for me.”
“She didn’t just give me a rose yesterday,” Gu Sheng said as he kissed the red rose in his hand gently, “You don’t understand the meaning of giving a red rose between lovers.”
Captain Jiang’s face twitched, about to burst with frustration. He was already exhausted from dealing with his family at home, and now Gu Sheng was driving him crazy with this lovey-dovey nonsense. “You’re being ridiculous! How can a dignified soldier be so sappy?”
Gu Sheng smirked, “I’m off with my red rose.”
He thought to himself, *Weren’t you even more ridiculous when you showed off your new clothes to me?*
“My wife is the most beautiful red rose in my eyes.”
Captain Jiang tried to kick him but missed as Gu Sheng quickly dodged. Watching him walk away, Captain Jiang spat, “It’s just a rose! Who doesn’t have roses? I’ll grow some myself!”
That night, Gu Sheng came home, undid two buttons on his military uniform, and cornered Zhan Aiping, glaring down at her from above. “Yesterday, everything was fine, but now you seem angry,” Zhan Aiping asked, confused.
Gu Sheng grumbled, “You gave me just one red rose, but you gave someone else three?”
Zhan Aiping was speechless. “How did you know I gave Meihui three?”
Gu Sheng snorted, thinking, So it’s true.
Zhan Aiping chuckled, “Did you go show off to Captain Jiang and find out from him?”
Gu Sheng: “…”
Zhan Aiping moved closer, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. “Don’t be mad. What’s there to be upset about? I gave those roses to Meihui for a reason. I was trying to comfort her because I introduced her to someone, but that person turned her down, and even looked down on her a bit…”
“Anyway, you’re better than this. Don’t be jealous. The rose I gave you is the biggest and prettiest. I watched it for a long time. No one else got one like it; I kept it just for you.”
Gu Sheng hadn’t really been angry, just using the opportunity to express his feelings. After hearing her explanation, he was completely satisfied.
Zhan Aiping quickly added, “I was wrong, okay? This time, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have given her roses before you.”
“Really wrong?”
Zhan Aiping nodded. “Really.”
Gu Sheng smiled, pinching his wife’s cheek. “From now on, no giving our roses to others.”
“You want a rose garden, right? I’ll plant one for you.”
His wife tended to neglect her gardening after a few days, so it would be up to him to take care of it.
“Really?” Zhan Aiping was overjoyed.
Gu Sheng smiled indulgently, “Really.”
Filled with enthusiasm, Gu Sheng devoted himself to growing their roses. Seeing this, Zhan Aiping felt relieved. She realized she didn’t have much talent for gardening in this life or the last; only with Gu Sheng’s help could she see her little garden flourish.
She just loved cutting flowers.
Clipping freshly grown flowers from her garden and arranging them in a vase brought her great joy, though Old Gu always complained, “The flowers are blooming just fine on the branches. Why do you have to cut them?”
She would clip them just because she wanted to. After all, they were her flowers.
Even though he always grumbled when she cut the flowers, he never stopped her from doing it.
After two or three days of Gu Sheng’s care, Zhan Aiping thought, perhaps it was just her imagination, but her three rose bushes seemed to be blooming particularly well. They had rooted firmly in the yard and were blooming with all their might.
A rose that blooms with effort is a good rose.
Every morning when Zhan Aiping saw the bright red blooms outside, her heart would fill with joy. One morning, she picked eleven roses, made a bouquet, and took it with her two little ones to work at the hospital.
After all, homegrown roses were the best.
The two kids, were thrilled when they saw the bouquet in their mother’s hand. They pressed against the sides of their little stroller, reaching out as if to grab it, babbling words like “want, want.”
The older one, Guobaorou , let out a loud and clear “want,” startling everyone.
Zhan Aiping, exasperated, said, “I can’t even get you two to say ‘mom’ or ‘dad’ most of the time, but you’ve learned how to say ‘want’ so quickly. Well, you’re not getting it. Not for you, brother, and not for you, sister. This is for mommy, a gift from your dad.”
The siblings squirmed unhappily in their stroller.
But Zhan Aiping held the bouquet firmly. She was taking it to the office to arrange it properly, and there was no way she was letting them ruin her ceremonious morning.
“Want, want, want!”
“Nope, mommy won’t give it to you, hmph!”
“Want! Want! Want!”
Zhan Aiping responded, “If you want medicine, I can give you that. Mommy’s a doctor, and we may not have much else at home, but we sure have plenty of medicine.”
“Want!”
When Jiang Meihui arrived, she stood to the side, completely stunned. Is this really their mom? Both kids clearly wanted the flowers, yet Zhan Aiping wouldn’t give in, even arguing with them.
From what Jiang Meihui had seen before, most mothers would spoil their kids. What’s the harm in giving them a few flowers to play with?
Unable to hold back, Jiang Meihui said, “Dr. Zhan, teasing the kids this early in the morning?”
Xiaotangyuan kicked her feet. “Want! Want!”
Zhan Aiping replied, “Nope, where did you two even learn that word? How did you pick up ‘want, want, want’?”
These kids already know how to talk and even how to ask their mommy for things!
Jiang Meihui couldn’t stop laughing. “Look at that, Dr. Zhan, you’ve pushed them so far they’ve started talking.”
Zhan Aiping sighed, “No means no, mommy just won’t give it.”
“Want!”
Zhan Aiping waved the bouquet of roses in front of the kids, and the two little ones tried their hardest to stand up and reach for the flowers.
Jiang Meihui commented, “Dr. Zhan, you’re really something. At this rate, not only will they start talking, but soon they’ll be running around too.”
Zhan Aiping groaned, “Why do they want to snatch mommy’s flowers? These are mine.”
“Want!”
Zhan Aiping handed the bouquet to Jiang Meihui, then ran back to the garden to cut a few over-bloomed, slightly withered roses. After removing the thorns, she gave these “leftovers” to the two children. Though the flowers were a bit faded, they still had pretty red petals. The two oblivious little ones were easily pacified.
Each happily grabbed at the petals, tearing them apart with glee.
Zhan Aiping remarked to Jiang Meihui, “Kids are so easy to please.”
What a couple of silly kids, she thought.
Jiang Meihui teased, “You really are a ruthless mom. My sister-in-law could never be like this. Whenever her kid starts fussing, she gets all anxious.”
“That’s just experience,” Zhan Aiping replied confidently. “You can’t just give in every time they fuss.”
“Do you think I’m being stingy, not even giving them flowers? — No, silly kids, you can’t eat that.” She gently tapped her son’s little hand to stop him from chewing on the petals.
Jiang Meihui agreed, “I wouldn’t give them the flowers either. They’re too pretty.”
“Exactly. Now hand them back,” Zhan Aiping reached out to take the bouquet from Jiang Meihui. But to her surprise, Jiang Meihui was reluctant to let go.
Jiang Meihui clutched the bouquet, unable to help herself. Who knew holding a bouquet of flowers could feel so wonderful? Now, she too wanted to walk into work holding a bunch of flowers. No wonder Dr. Zhan didn’t want to give them to the kids.
Zhan Aiping: “…”
Oh no, is this another person trying to steal my flowers?
If her own kids couldn’t snatch the bouquet from her, there was no way Little sister Jiang could.
Zhan Aiping gripped the bouquet firmly and pulled it back into her arms. She held the fiery red roses, feeling pleased with herself, while Jiang Meihui could only watch as the bouquet was taken away from her.
Having once held a bouquet, those three roses she’d received before suddenly didn’t seem like enough.
Jiang Meihui couldn’t resist saying, “Dr. Zhan, how about giving me a few more roses?”
Zhan Aiping refused mercilessly, “Nope, not right now. My husband, Comrade Gu, is very possessive. He’s already forbidden me from giving our roses to others. But once we have some rose seedlings in the future, I’ll give you some to grow your own.”
If I give roses away again, someone’s going to give me a hard time later.
Her last “lesson” had been quite unforgettable.
“Really? He’s that possessive? You two are both so stingy.” Jiang Meihui huffed. “How long will it take for those rose seedlings to grow this big?”
“A few months if it’s fast,” Zhan Aiping replied.
If it’s slower, it could take a year or two.
Jiang Meihui sighed in disappointment, “A few months, huh?”
“You’ll need to water, fertilize, and prune them regularly,” Zhan Aiping added.
Jiang Meihui: “…”
“Dr. Zhan, do you really have the time to tend to these thorny flowers every day?”
Zhan Aiping chuckled, “I’ll have my husband take care of them.”
Jiang Meihui sighed wistfully, “I wish I could find a man who would grow flowers for me too.”
“You’ll find one,” Zhan Aiping reassured her.
Jiang Meihui sniffled. “I’m so sad. Receiving those three roses from you before made me feel less sad.”
“I know those men didn’t appreciate me. Dr. Zhan, you won’t reject me too, will you?” Jiang Meihui looked at her with a pitiful expression.
Zhan Aiping stared at her, speechless. Is everyone in this compound an actor?
“Are you telling me that if I give you a few roses, you won’t feel sad anymore?” Zhan Aiping asked.
Jiang Meihui nodded.
Zhan Aiping wagged her finger in front of her and coldly said just one word, “No.”
Jiang Meihui: “…”
“Want! Want! Want!”
Hearing the two adults chatting, the two little ones, who were just starting to babble, chimed in, echoing “want” repeatedly.
Zhan Aiping sighed helplessly, “Who taught you that? ‘Want, want, want’? What do you want? Be good and say ‘Mommy’ or ‘Daddy’ instead.”
Xiaotangyuan firmly insisted, “Want! Want!”
Jiang Meihui, who didn’t get the flowers, was now a bit amused by the situation. “Dr. Zhan, it seems your kids aren’t very obedient.”
“Hoarding isn’t good.”
“If you share the flowers with us, wouldn’t that make for a happy ending?”
Zhan Aiping retorted, “Do you know why I became a doctor at Yanxin Health Clinic? Because my heart is as hard as stone.”
Jiang Meihui: “…”
“A heart of stone?”
“So I became a chef at Yanxin Clinic because I have a heart of stone too?”
Jiang Meihui nodded, “Got it. I’ll tell my brother that next time.”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
Hopefully, Captain Jiang won’t blame me for giving his sister such ideas.
Still, Zhan Aiping found chatting with Jiang Meihui quite entertaining.
When they arrived at the hospital, Zhan Aiping grabbed an empty IV bottle, filled it with water, and arranged a few fresh roses in it. Unfortunately, she couldn’t fit too many in the bottle.
Rubbing her chin thoughtfully, Zhan Aiping looked at the IV bottle and remembered the baby bottles she had at home. Maybe I should use my kids’ baby bottles for the flowers.
Using a can for flower arrangements felt too crude. She preferred smaller glass bottles, ideally with a narrow neck—but not too narrow, or she wouldn’t be able to fit many flowers. The bottle shouldn’t be too tall either, as that wouldn’t look pretty.
In the end, baby bottles seemed just perfect.
After arranging the roses, Zhan Aiping sprinkled some water over the bright red petals. Sunlight streamed through the window, causing the water droplets on the petals to glisten and shine.
The deep red petals had a velvety allure, as if they embodied the sweet taste of love, burning with passion like fire.
Zhan Aiping bent down and took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrance of the roses. *
Love… she thought.
Then she bit off a petal.
The fresh rose petal tasted sweet with a hint of bitterness. Zhan Aiping bit off another petal and found the flavour grew on her.
Looking at the half-eaten rose, Zhan Aiping paused in thought: “…”
Gu Sheng had forbidden her from giving the roses away, but he hadn’t said anything about eating them.
Still, this was probably not something she should do in front of the kids, or they’d definitely complain, “Mommy’s allowed to break the rules, but we can’t.”
—It looked like it had been chewed by a dog.
Quietly, she swapped out the half-eaten rose for another one, arranging the bouquet once more.
It’s such a shame there’s no phone or camera to capture the moment. One day, when I really have a rose garden, I’ll bring a bouquet to work every few days.
Zhan Aiping chewed the rest of the petals.
Eating roses is no different from chewing on peonies.
Being surrounded by fresh flowers put her in a great mood at work, which lasted until the afternoon, when Dr. Chen Li came looking for her.
Dr. Chen Li was the one with the bigger head. Compared to Liu Sheliang, Chen’s basic skills weren’t as solid. He didn’t study much and lived by the philosophy of “just getting by.”
Zhan Aiping didn’t have much to criticize about him. While he wasn’t particularly ambitious, he also never made any major mistakes. He followed the rules, didn’t seek advancement, and didn’t hold anyone back. He was likely resigned to spending his career in the rural clinic.
He had an unusually large head and a rounded back of the skull, with very light eyebrows that made him seem friendly. He didn’t talk much on a daily basis.
Zhan Aiping smiled. “Dr. Chen, is there something you need?”
Chen Li hesitated, frowning slightly. But because his eyebrows were so thin, it wasn’t very noticeable.
Seeing his hesitation, Zhan Aiping guessed it wasn’t a work issue. Perhaps it was something personal—maybe related to the housing dispute?
The clinic had already seen several arguments over housing—some wanted to change houses, others complained about the condition of theirs, and so on.
Zhan Aiping pressed, “Is it a personal matter?”
If a young doctor like Chen Li was preparing to marry, his current housing situation really wasn’t ideal. She remembered he shared a room with Liu Sheliang, and if either of them were to marry, they’d certainly need more space.
Chen Li nodded, then shook his head. Despite his large frame, his voice was soft and weak, as if he lacked energy. “Deputy Director, I… I was just wondering…”
Zhan Aiping teased, “You’re not asking me to play matchmaker for you, are you?”
Matchmaking was typically a task for women in their thirties or forties, and Zhan Aiping was too young to qualify for the role. At least someone like Director Li Yuxia would be a better fit.
Chen Li stiffened. He had been staring at the desk, but now he instinctively looked up at Zhan Aiping: “!”
Seeing his reaction, Zhan Aiping was taken aback. Could he really be asking her to play matchmaker?
“So, who’s caught your eye?” she asked.
Chen Li, blushing slightly for once, murmured, “It’s… it’s the one who comes to work with you every day.”
“The one who comes to work with me?” Zhan Aiping replied, her expression calm but internally shocked. “That would be my Little Dumpling and Little Sweet and Sour Pork?”
Though outwardly composed, she was utterly stunned.
“Is Meihui about to get lucky in love?”
Chen Li replied, “It’s… the one who cooks so well. The other day, I saw her holding those roses, and she looked really beautiful.”
Zhan Aiping blinked and then smiled. “Really? So you’ve taken a liking to her?”
Chen Li nodded. “Deputy Director, you know her better. Could you help me talk to her?”
Zhan Aiping said, “Sure, I’ll mention it to her.”
She hadn’t expected Chen Li to be interested in Jiang Meihui. Unfortunately, she wasn’t sure if Jiang Meihui felt the same.
Who knows? Maybe this would turn into a love triangle or square where everyone likes someone different. It seems even their small clinic was full of hidden romantic stories.
Curiosity sparked, Zhan Aiping held off until after work, and on the way home with Jiang Meihui, she found a chance to bring it up.
“Guess what,” Zhan Aiping said. “Someone’s got their eye on you. What do you think?”
Jiang Meihui was shocked. Her big, round eyes widened, and her dimples became more prominent. “Someone likes me? Wow, they have great taste!” she exclaimed loudly.
“Wait… he’s not some sickly guy, is he?”
“No, what are you thinking?” Zhan Aiping chuckled. “I’m just passing along his message. He said he’s interested in you.”
“Who is it? Who likes me?”
“It’s someone from surgery. Who else could it be? Seems like you have a special connection with the surgery department. Dr. Chen said you looked especially beautiful holding those roses.”
Jiang Meihui trembled slightly and replied, “Really? He must be blind.”
Zhan Aiping said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When someone likes you, they naturally think you look beautiful.”
“There aren’t that many people in the world who are truly beautiful.”
Still incredulous, Jiang Meihui asked, “Dr. Zhan, are you exaggerating? Did he really say that, or are you just praising your roses and not me?”
Zhan Aiping laughed, “My roses are indeed beautiful, but Dr. Chen’s exact words were that *you* looked beautiful holding them.”
“Dr. Zhan, stop it!” Jiang Meihui squirmed, feeling shy. “You’re making me embarrassed.”
Zhan Aiping teased, “So, what do you think? If you’re not interested, I’ll tell him.”
“Wait, no!” Jiang Meihui’s mood brightened, and she stopped being shy. “I never really noticed him before, but who knew he had such good taste?”
“His big head is actually kind of cute, like my brother’s. I used to think I should find someone with a smaller head, but I guess this is my fate.”
Hearing her response, Zhan Aiping knew where things were heading and suppressed a laugh.
But wow, little sister Jiang sure changed her mind quickly.
“Well, if you’re interested, why not give it a try?”
Jiang Meihui nodded, her face flushed with excitement. The thought of someone liking her—especially someone who said she looked beautiful holding roses—made her feel light as if she were walking on clouds.
“I used to be attracted to guys who looked like that, but they never liked me. I can’t believe he has such good taste. Dr. Zhan, are you sure you’re not lying to me?”
Zhan Aiping reassured her, “I’m not lying.”
Jiang Meihui chuckled, “Dr. Zhan, can I borrow a few of your roses?”
Zhan Aiping firmly declined, “Nope. I already told you, my husband won’t let me give our roses to anyone.”
“You can always ask around in the village. Roses aren’t that rare, and I’ve seen some houses with them planted in their yards.”
Jiang Meihui pouted, “But none of those roses are as beautiful as yours.”
“They’re all the same.”
“Please, Dr. Zhan, just give me one rose.”
Zhan Aiping remained firm, “No.”
I only borrowed Uncle Zhang’s roses, and now everyone wants a piece.
Borrowers will eventually be borrowed from?
“Dr. Zhan, please just give me one rose,” Jiang Meihui pleaded. “What if this relationship doesn’t work out?”
“The flowers aren’t the point. You are the point.”
“How are the roses not the point? He said I looked beautiful holding your roses. What if I hold a different rose, and he doesn’t think I look as good?”
Zhan Aiping rubbed her temples, “That won’t happen.”
“Dr. Zhan…”
At this point, the two little ones looked up at them and joined in, chanting, “Want! Want!”
Jiang Meihui continued, “Dr. Zhan, don’t be so heartless. What’s the point of having a heart of stone? I think you have a soft heart, don’t you? Just admit it.”
“If you give me a rose, I’ll bring you tofu every day.”
Zhan Aiping sighed, “I’ll have to ask my husband first.”
Jiang Meihui suggested, “Just secretly give me one. Comrade Gu doesn’t need to know.”
“If I give you one, your brother will find out, and if he finds out, you can bet my husband will find out too.”
Jiang Meihui said, “I won’t let my brother know, and you don’t let Comrade Gu know. This will be our secret as women. As long as we keep it from the men, we’re good.”
Zhan Aiping replied, “I’m not the kind of person who goes against my principles. I just promised him. How about this, Meihui, I’ll help you borrow a rose from someone else.”
“I promise, I guarantee that Dr. Chen will still say you look great holding the flower.”
“And if he dares to say otherwise, I’ll take a knife to him.”
Jiang Meihui burst out laughing, “Really?”
“Really.” Zhan Aiping nodded firmly. “Don’t worry.”
What’s with people and relationships these days? Zhan Aiping thought.
She added, “You need to be clear about your own feelings first. Don’t let compliments about your looks confuse you, leading you around by the nose.”
“Dr. Zhan, don’t worry. I’m not that foolish.”
“I do like how he looks. His head’s even bigger than my brother’s. When I first saw him, I was a bit interested, but I thought there was no way he’d like someone like me, so I didn’t think about it.”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
“Well, you know what to do.”
Later, when Zhan Aiping got home, as soon as Gu Sheng returned, she said, “You know, you can’t go around showing off too much, or it’ll come back to bite you.”
Gu Sheng sighed, “I checked when I got home. Eleven roses are missing. Who did you give them to? Didn’t you just promise me?”
“You’re not keeping your word.” He playfully pinched her cheek as punishment.
Zhan Aiping was shocked. “You’re impressive! You even know I took eleven roses. You’re too sharp.”
Gu Sheng replied, “I don’t just know it’s eleven, I even know exactly where they grew.”
Aiping hugged him and rested her head on his chest, feeling a bit wronged after the long day. “Now I know how impressive Comrade Gu is—sharp observation, great memory.”
“I just picked eleven this morning to put in my office.”
Gu Sheng scooped her up in his arms. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? I wrongfully blamed you.”
Zhan Aiping sighed, “You don’t know how rough my day has been. I barely tied the flowers into a bouquet when our kids started yelling ‘want, want, want.’ They tried to snatch the flowers out of my hands. It took everything to calm them down. Then Meihui held onto my bouquet and didn’t want to give it back.”
“And that’s not even the worst of it!”
Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow, “Then what?”
“The whole day, do you know how many people asked me for flowers? One, two, three, four, five… I lost count. One person after another kept asking, ‘Dr. Zhan, can I have a rose?’, and ‘Dr. Zhan, can I take one?’”
Holding her in one arm, Gu Sheng patted her head with the other. “And did you give them away?”
“No, I didn’t. I told them my husband is stingy and my heart is as hard as stone.” Zhan Aiping wrapped her arms around his neck, climbed onto his back, and sat on his shoulders, playfully patting his head.
“I’ve been wanting to try sitting on one of your shoulders.”
Gu Sheng teased, “We might as well join a circus.”
“Don’t joke like that,” she said, tugging on his ear. “If you keep it up, I’ll remember it, and when the clinic holds a New Year’s celebration, I’ll make you perform acrobatics with me.”
Gu Sheng: “…”
“If you, Zhan Daping, have the guts to do it, why wouldn’t I?”
Aiping sighed, “You’re really shameless.”
“By the way, where did our kids learn to say ‘want, want, want’? They haven’t picked up anything else, but they’ve nailed that.”
Gu Sheng smirked, rubbing his nose. “Well, when their mom is a doctor, they hear ‘medicine, medicine, medicine’ all the time. It’s no wonder.”
Zhan Aiping rolled her eyes. “You’re deliberately twisting my words.”
Gu Sheng said, “The kids are learning to express themselves. Isn’t that a good thing? One day when they call you ‘mommy,’ it’ll be because they truly understand you’re their mom.”
Aiping muttered, “You can see what they’ll be like from the age of three. If they’re already saying ‘want, want, want,’ it feels like I’ve got two little debt collectors.”
“Stop it,” Gu Sheng replied. “I think it’s great. It’s better than the kid next door, Big Elbow, who only ever calls people ‘daddy.’ He’s even called me ‘daddy’ a few times.”
Zhan Aiping laughed, “He called me ‘daddy’ too.”
“Exactly,” Gu Sheng said, satisfied. “I don’t want our kids calling anyone else ‘daddy.’”
Aiping shook her head and smiled, “Our family’s daddy sure is possessive.”
“Two little debt collectors are better than kids who call everyone ‘daddy.’”
Zhan Aiping said, “I actually think calling more people ‘dad’ is a good thing. The more dads, the more support.”
Gu Sheng: “… The kids only have *one* dad — me!”
“You’re even jealous over this?”
Alright, so the kids could only call one person “dad.”
Zhan Aiping thought about it and realized she wouldn’t want her two silly little ones calling someone else “mom” either. So, when teaching them how to speak, she’d have to be careful to avoid them calling people “mom” or “dad” everywhere they went.
Now that both kids could stand on their own, Zhan Aiping was planning to teach them how to walk, as well as to speak properly. These two siblings were quite the chatterboxes. All day long, they would babble away, chatting back and forth, even though no one else could understand a word they were saying. Yet, they could happily “talk” with each other for hours.
The two little ones were almost a year old.
Although Jiang Meihui hadn’t managed to borrow any roses from Zhan Aiping, her relationship with Chen Li was progressing quickly. The two hit it off immediately, and now they were exchanging flirtatious glances around the hospital, to the point where Zhan Aiping could barely stand it.
One afternoon at the cafeteria, Zhan Aiping noticed Jiang Meihui serving Chen Li a large spoonful of food. These days, Jiang Meihui was all about her appearance. In the mornings, she’d buzz around like a busy bee, constantly asking, “Dr. Zhan, do I look good today? Do I? Do you think *he* will like it?”
Zhan Aiping could only say, “You look good,” because what else could she say?
Ever since they started dating, Chen Li had become much more motivated. He looked healthier and more energetic, his relationship with Jiang Meihui clearly making him a happier person. Encouraged by love, he worked diligently at the clinic.
Seeing this change, Zhan Aiping mused that love truly does drive people to improve themselves.
However, not everyone was thrilled by this new couple. Liu Sheliang seemed to feel a bit uncomfortable about the whole situation.
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