Die Geschichte der skrupellosen Gerichtsmedizinerin, die ihren Ehemann zerstörte

Kapitel 17

Wearing Mila's loose-fitting robe, I climbed the hillside by the river, carrying a tea basket half my height on my back. My mother's cloth shoes couldn't get wet, so my white, bamboo shoot-like ankles were exposed as I stepped into the cool river water. Junfu exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, my sister's feet are so white!"

My face flushed with embarrassment, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mira's icy gaze slash at me, as if she wanted to slice off the pair of jade-like feet that had entered Junfu's eyes. I stumbled, almost slipping on the pebbles at the bottom of the river, and Junfu cried out in alarm. Mira, however, looked away.

"I love you!" Junfu openly professed his love to Mila in front of everyone. The aunts around him grinned, revealing their yellowed teeth, their faces filled with a mixture of doubt, envy, and humility. I walked through them with my bamboo basket on my back, hoping to take this foreign whisper with me.

That year, Junfu and Mila had just entered university. Junfu was a relative of Mingtai, the old man from the tea plantation twenty miles away, from the city.

3.

Mila and Atai were betrothed since childhood. Mila, who has left the mountains, has become a golden phoenix of the mountains, and when she spreads her wings, she can fly over countless mountain peaks.

My father wanted me to fill the void left by Mira's departure, but I insisted on going to an ordinary tourism school.

After graduation, I became a tour guide, often leading tour groups into Mingtai's vast tea plantation, taking away countless bamboo tubes of tea leaves, and leaving behind stacks of coins of varying amounts.

Mira is already Junfu's fiancée and works as a teller at a bank.

Mingtai is really something now, he can deposit tens of thousands at a time. Mira squinted in the afternoon sunlight, even though she knew perfectly well that her father had just received a set of earrings that Mingtai had made for her for the Water Splashing Festival.

Mingtai called out to Sister Mila with a restrained air, preparing the finest pre-rain tea in a purple clay teapot. Mila, wearing sunglasses and a thin bamboo gauze jacket and trousers, held the teacup with her slender, bamboo-shoot-like fingers, gently smelling and sipping it. I, having just seen off a group of tourists, was sweating profusely from the heat. I said, "Mingtai, have a bowl."

Mira watched as I tossed back the bowl of tea and gulped it down, giggling, "That's not drinking tea, that's wasting it! What a waste, such good tea leaves."

Mingtai chuckled and nodded, "That's right, that's right." He diligently refilled the teacup beside her fair, delicate fingers. In the sunlight, I resembled a camellia on Lion Peak—beautiful, but not as precious as the slender-leaved orchid. However, I've heard that orchids are very difficult to cultivate; they might bloom, or they might just remain a bare patch of green.

4.

In the bustling bar, I was chugging one glass of draft beer after another, imported from the north. "Waiter, bring me some baijiu (Chinese liquor)." Suddenly, I was furious at my own inability to get drunk. Why not? Why be sober?

I smiled alluringly at the clean-cut northern waiter, who resembled a handsome young man, and casually tossed him Zhao Benshan's "Autumn Spinach"—this Northeastern old man's joke somehow managed to bleach the love between the North and South. I poured my love into the liquor, a 37.5-proof sorghum liquor. The waiter, with his fuzzy beard, driven by hormones, quickly accepted this sudden love.

"Sister, you've had too much to drink." The waiter, as clean as Junfu, caught my slumping body. "Fine, let it happen." I clung to the man's warm body as he leaned in. Sharp screams and whistles filled the air, and three or five brightly dressed thugs surrounded us.

Give me warmth, give me warmth...

In a blur, a figure rushed towards me, there was the sound of a bottle shattering, and a drop of warm liquid splashed into my mouth, which was wide open like a trumpet flower. I chuckled foolishly, gently licking my lips with the tip of my tongue, and murmured a witch's curse, "Who will give me love?"

5.

My head is throbbing, a very, very painful feeling. Opening my eyes, I find myself lying in a strangely familiar room. I frantically search my memory, trying to recall who gave me love. I anxiously check myself over; apart from the headache, nothing seems to have changed.

"Sister, you're awake." Junfu, clean and wearing an apron, came in carrying a bowl of lotus seed and rock sugar soup. I noticed a bandage wrapped around his forehead, stained with bright red blood. I didn't ask; I knew. He was drunk, but not truly sober. Junfu had suffered a loss trying to rescue me from someone else.

I obediently drank the sweet soup, made by Junfu, it was so delicious.

Sister, how could you do this? Your sister will feel so ashamed if she finds out.

Am I ashamed?

No, you, sigh, how could you drink alcohol, how could you go to a place like that?

You were in that kind of place too. Actually, I saw Junfu a long time ago; all I did was observe his reaction. I gently pulled Xiuqiao's ankles out of the blanket, deliberately drawing Junfu's gaze to them. Junfu was momentarily surprised, slowly placing his hand on them, gently, very gently caressing them. I knew he had longed to do this for many years.

I let out a soft, ambiguous moan, "Give me love, Junfu."

The lingering alcohol from the previous night still filled the room, along with the fragrance of poppy sap. I held Junfu as we collapsed onto my sister's wedding bed. I knew my sister would never come back.

6.

Pure moonlight bathed the bamboo house, adorned with red ribbons, and within a large, crimson cotton veil, two serpentine bodies writhed together. The serpent, its limbs severed by God for its desires, writhed its slender, emerald-green body, its lines exquisitely beautiful, slowly slithering towards the intertwined, blood-scented bodies. In the moonlight, it brought a call from hell, dragging a shadow, gradually bringing death. Go forth, go forth, evil, cursed by the same sorcerer.

I quietly withdrew from my future new home. Tomorrow, no one will know I was there; they will only see the two bruised, lifeless bodies of two people.

Junfu lingered on my toes, sucking and stroking them, his gaze and fingers gradually moving upwards, like a snake bringing him a venomous pleasure that made him want to destroy everything.

Come, give me love, give me love. Her scarlet lips beckoned him seductively; who could resist desire?

The passion that surged like ocean waves gradually subsided in Junfu's chest. Junfu held me, kissing me as he said, "What should we do? What should we do?"

Marry me. I smiled gently.

"Your sister and I are getting married?!" Junfu said, puffing on his cigarette, the smoke filling the small space.

"My sister gave you back to me." I said calmly, tracing heartless circles on his fair skin with my finger. From childhood to adulthood, everything I've received has been things my sister has given me. When she doesn't want something anymore, she thinks of me. From bleached clothes and frayed velvet stockings to the poor, unable-to-afford house, Junfu.

7.

This snake only lives in the deep mountains where there is no sunlight. How could it appear in a sunny bamboo house? The people's police are indeed vigilant and capable.

Wearing the silver bracelets that were connected together, I gently waved to my village. I'm sure my sister has never worn this bracelet before.

Father's hair turned white overnight, and his voice, hoarse, cried out in anguish, "Why? Why?!"

Don't give me things I don't want.

I smiled softly. The hillsides were covered with camellias, blooming into a sea of red. I could be like them, enjoying the first drop of dew, the first ray of sunrise, and the first spring rain...

[Modern Era: Episode 010 Su Tian and Su Tian's Love Fish]

Often, love is just one person's persistence, one person's secret. Disappointment in love is nothing more than an imagined design. You only realize this when you encounter it. Some of your expectations are completely unnecessary.

(one)

Su Tian is my junior colleague. We met when we were in nursing school. I never expected that we would end up working together and becoming colleagues in the same department.

Every industry has its own rules of love, and in hospitals, the rule is that nurses love doctors. I heard about this rule from the first day I entered nursing school, and I used to hate it with gritted teeth. My roommates and I swore to each other that we were absolutely innocent and would never marry a doctor.

However, no one can predict what will happen in the future. Perhaps it was just due to the environment, or perhaps feelings developed over time. Besides, there was the understanding and support from colleagues. After working for only two years, I still married a doctor from the same hospital.

Upon hearing this news, Su Tian burst into laughter, exclaiming, "You, you, you! You said you wouldn't marry a doctor!"

Can you really just refuse to marry someone you don't want to get married?

I said to Su Tian on the other end of the phone, "Good job, don't follow my example!"

Therefore, from the moment Su Tian came under my nose, I began to monitor her closely.

Su Tian, if you do anything unusual, you have to report it to me first. After all, I'm your senior sister...

(two)

In the autumn, two overseas-educated PhDs were assigned to the institute; reportedly, both were single.

Su Tian's eyes began to moisten, and the summer clothes that exposed her delicate skin lingered, like butterflies flitting around the hospital during the breaks between taking off their work clothes, inquiring about the male doctor's personal life.

I said, Su Tian, can you two be a little more sensible? We're not going to marry people in the same industry, are we? Besides, you're both returnees from overseas, a man and a woman. Maybe your relationship is already set in stone, just waiting for a piece of paper to be signed.

Su Tian's sparkling eyes gradually dimmed as they were obscured by her long eyelashes.

On their first day at the hospital, the man drove while the woman sat in the passenger seat. In full view of everyone, the two looked at each other with very intimate eyes.

After a month of settling in and resting, the sea turtles finally appeared before everyone.

The man's name is An Ziyu, and the woman's name is Xin Yuan.

An Ziyu was assigned to our general surgery department.

From the very first day the director announced it, I started paying attention to Su Tian's every move. I wondered if she would take the initiative? Because An Ziyu is not only talented but also beautiful. She speaks gently and speaks with great elegance, yet she is decisive and efficient at work. She is the kind of clinical doctor that nurses like very much.

Unfortunately, aside from making ward rounds and performing surgeries, An Ziyu would always be seen with Xin Yuan, never giving Su Tian and the others any chance to get close.

At work, Mr. An's politeness kept people at arm's length, because he was too courteous.

Su Tian often stared blankly out the window, holding her medical records. Her gaze wasn't fixed on An Ziyu's calm and resolute face, but rather on the half-eaten piece of bread in An Ziyu's hand.

(three)

Xin Yuan seemed quite confident in her charm, as she hadn't visited An Ziyu on set for a long time. Although she had heard rumors of the nurses' admiration for An Ziyu, she remained calm and composed. Both of them were reportedly in their thirties, but neither was in a hurry to get married.

Perhaps she believes that men and women with similar educational backgrounds are both ideal candidates, the only thing missing is a marriage certificate, and whether they can love each other and grow old together has little to do with that meager certificate. As for An Ziyu, I don't quite understand his lack of urgency. Is it related to love, or have they become accustomed to Western lifestyles and their concept of marriage has faded? While I was making these analyses, Su Tian was methodically frying and cooking in the kitchen. Ever since my boyfriend went to Beijing for further studies, Su Tian has actively taken on the responsibility of taking care of me, often coming to my house to cook all sorts of delicious meals, citing my pregnancy and need for extra nutrition. However, each time she would put some of the various dishes in a thermos, saying she would share them with her roommates. I know very well what it's like to eat in the cafeteria every day; it's okay at first, but after a while, it makes you lose your appetite, so I fully support her act of sharing. But recently, Su Tian has been fond of cooking fish, especially sweet and sour carp. The city I live in is a small seaside town, not only clean and beautiful, but also abundant in fish and shrimp. Everyone praises how delicious the seafood is here, and few people think about the taste of freshwater fish. So, I was completely baffled by Su Tian's enthusiasm for making sweet and sour carp. Each time, Su Tian would make two fish, one for us to eat and one for her to take home. (IV) When I discovered that secret, I was standing outside the door, and Xin Yuan was also standing outside the door. Inside the door, An Ziyu was enjoying the sweet and sour carp while praising Su Tian's cooking skills. How could she cook it so well? I could eat it every day and still not get enough. Su Tian just smiled sweetly and didn't say anything. Xin Yuan's raised hand remained raised for a long time. Her expression fluctuated, and just as I was about to speak to the person inside the door, Xin Yuan saw me. She tried to smile, but couldn't. Finally, before tears slid down her cheeks, she hurriedly turned around and ran away. Her usual composure crumbled before love; even the strongest woman is still a woman. In the long, brightly lit corridor, I stood alone. I didn't want to be an accomplice in ruining someone else's relationship, but not wanting to is not the same as not doing it. I gently stepped back from that door of love, thinking that everyone has their own reasons for their choices. If An Ziyu wasn't attracted to Su Tian, then the so-called sabotage wouldn't exist; if An Ziyu was attracted to Su Tian, then the so-called sabotage should certainly not exist either. A man likes a woman because she has something that attracts him. I hope this liking is more than just liking. Because Su Tian was often burned by splattered oil while cooking fish, but she persisted, simply because someone liked her. (V) Su Tian was no longer in the mood to go shopping with me; a woman in love is always busy. During my vacation, I wandered alone through the Jindi Book Market, hoping to find books I liked to pass the time. In a corner of the book market, I saw Xin Yuan. She carried several cookbooks in her left hand, while her right hand continued browsing the bookshelf. The autumn sunlight dappled her face, her body, and the colorful books, casting a dreamlike golden glow. Her gaze was incredibly sincere, like a believer searching for her godfather. I stopped a distance away, not wanting to disturb her peace, though I wasn't sure if she would remember me. Such a scene, such an encounter, would never be the beginning of friendship between two women. So, as she turned away, I fixed my gaze on the leisure books, but my gaze was indifferent, devoid of any desire. Was it a case of the onlooker seeing more of the game than the player? Xin Yuan, carrying the books, strode past me. Her crisp jeans made her look shrewd and capable. This young female PhD had become a key member of the internal medicine department as soon as she arrived at our hospital. Many people admired her, including myself. But now, as she quietly took money from her jeans, gently carrying the books, and walked away forlornly from the display window, a sense of pity filled my eyes. Because of the passage of time, fine crow's feet have etched themselves at the corners of her eyes. And because the couple who were once inseparable inevitably had one of them leave prematurely, it's difficult for them to walk down the aisle together anymore. I believe in Su Tian's cooking skills. Thanks to An Ziyu, my weight has recently skyrocketed.

(six)

After I got off work, Xin Yuan called.

Xin Yuan said, "An, I specially made fish for you today."

The voice on the phone was very loud. When An Ziyu noticed Su Tian, he quickly covered the receiver with his hand, but it was too late.

The stack of medical records in Su Tian's hands clattered to the ground like a small earthquake. She knew that the female PhD had given up on Western-style bread and was preparing to use traditional Chinese culture to salvage a love that had lost its appeal.

I gently pinched Su Tian's arm to signal her not to lose her composure.

Su Tian habitually tightened her skirt, squatted down, and very professionally picked up the medical records. Every movement was graceful, as if she were giving us a demonstration of etiquette.

In the doctoral building of Crown Community, Xin Yuan bought carp from the supermarket and cooked it in the kitchen, tears streaming down her face.

When An Ziyu entered, he happened to see Xin Yuan disheveledly carrying out a plate of disfigured, blackened fish scraps from the kitchen.

An Ziyu stared blankly at the stray hairs stuck to her forehead, but still washed her hands and face, and sat down at the dining table with a smile.

Xin, do you still have bread and jam?

Xin Yuan was taken aback. "Didn't you dislike eating those things?"

I haven't eaten this in a long time, and I've been craving it.

Xin Yuan dragged the semi-finished products out of the refrigerator with some skepticism and said, "An, I'll make you a vegetable salad. You used to like it the most, didn't you?"

"Have you stopped working overtime lately?" An Ziyu asked, eating her bread half-heartedly, her brows slightly furrowed, showing none of her former greed.

Recently, things have been a bit quieter in the department. Xin Yuan's voice was low as she thought that she had been too busy before, so busy that she had forgotten that love also needs constant nurturing.

Let's go to the restaurant together for lunch tomorrow.

Seeing Xin Yuan's submissive demeanor, An Ziyu felt a pang of pity.

(seven)

I met Xin Yuan a few years ago.

At that time, Xin Yuan had just arrived at Boston University and was struggling to find a place to stay when An Ziyu, who was also from China, rented a house.

An Ziyu said, "My house is big, you can come and make do for a while."

In that foreign atmosphere, sharing the same yellow skin and black eyes, even casual encounters felt incredibly welcoming, regardless of prior acquaintances. The two roommates quickly overcame their initial awkwardness, and their two beds were placed together.

However, no one can say for sure whether love actually happened between them.

Perhaps it's just like those poor and miserable mountain people, living together in mutual support. When people are lonely, they yearn to find their other half.

Three years is neither a long nor a short time. Both of them focused on their studies and didn't give much thought to their relationship.

When An Ziyu received the invitation from China, he asked, "Are you going back to China?"

Xin Yuan was stunned for a moment. Subconsciously, she had already regarded An Ziyu as a man who was like a husband. She was used to preparing two breakfasts every morning, and used to the warmth of each other's embrace on cold nights. She could even tell exactly how much jam to spread on An Ziyu's bread.

She gazed at An Ziyu's handsome brows, then reached out and gently closed an open drawer. Inside were several invitations from Boston hospitals and research institutes.