"Don't get distracted while walking, watch out for vehicles." Liu Zhi's shoulder was close to Meng Yang's; they had rarely been this close since they met.
Meng Yang's nose suddenly felt sore.
A distant voice pierced through the barriers of time, and Meng Yang was reminded of his high school days.
Back then, after school, she and Liu Zhi would walk home together. As they walked, she would often steal glances at Liu Zhi, her thoughts drifting far away. When a car came along, she didn't have time to dodge, and Liu Zhi would scold her for it.
Later, Liu Zhi always let her go inside, while he protected her from the outside.
Meng Yang is a sentimental person, and when she thinks about these things and recalls her current relationship with Liu Zhi, she always feels very sad.
Meng Yang used to be unable to hide her emotions, and Liu Zhi could always tell when she was unhappy. After being separated for so long, Meng Yang has learned to conceal her feelings. She pulled herself out of her memories, her gaze falling on the railing.
"What are you applying for today?" Liu Zhi followed Meng Yang's gaze but didn't find anything unusual.
"I'm requesting a transfer from Ningyang Nursing Home." Meng Yang snapped out of his reverie and started paying attention to the road conditions. "A director from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department wants to come to Ningyang Nursing Home."
Ning Nursing Home has more nurses than doctors, so the workload is easier than at the main hospital. If possible, and without the financial burden and promotion pressure, Liu Zhi really wants to go to Ning Nursing Home.
"What did your father say?" Liu Zhi asked.
“He was the one who did my ideological work,” Meng Yang said. “Young people should be adventurous and passionate.”
Palliative care, also known as hospice care, primarily provides end-of-life care to alleviate suffering for terminally ill and elderly patients. News reports often use headlines like "Let life end with dignity, a little gentler" to describe palliative care.
Although both deal with life and death, Meng Yang and Liu Zhi's work is vastly different.
Over the years of working, Liu Zhi has witnessed more of life's various aspects and the fickleness of human relationships. Meng Yang, on the other hand, has felt more of the warmth of humanity and the serenity of life.
“I’m planning to buy a small electric scooter,” Meng Yang said, kicking aside a tree branch that had fallen on the sidewalk. “It takes half an hour to walk here from home, so an electric scooter will be faster.”
Liu Zhi hummed in agreement and said, "It is indeed convenient, but I think a bicycle would be better."
Meng Yang harbored her own selfish motives. She observed Liu Zhi's reaction and continued, "An electric scooter is the best."
Electric scooters are the best option, as they can carry two people, allowing them to commute to and from get off work together.
Liu Zhi hummed in agreement again.
Meng Yang felt she had hinted quite clearly, but she didn't know if Liu Zhi was pretending not to understand. After hesitating for a while, she said, "We can buy one together. I have a local license plate."
In the capital, not only cars are restricted from driving, but electric scooters are also restricted. Non-local license plates are not allowed to enter, and electric scooters cannot exceed 15 kilometers per hour.
Meng Yang is a local resident, so getting the necessary documents was very convenient. With the electric scooter, Liu Zhi's commute to and from get off work, as well as his emergency medical missions, became much easier.
“I might affect your travel plans.” Liu Zhi pondered for a moment, “Or…”
Before Liu Zhi could even utter the word "no," he was interrupted by Meng Yang's gaze.
She couldn't stand Meng Yang's gaze at all.
"Okay," Liu Zhi replied.
The nearest electric scooter shop shown on the mobile map was still far away. Meng Yang was a man of action, so he immediately called a ride-hailing service, afraid that Liu Zhi would regret it.
While waiting for the bus, Meng Yang suddenly remembered that Liu Zhi hadn't rested since eight o'clock yesterday morning.
"How about I go by myself, you go home first."
"Aren't you going to work?"
"Let's go this afternoon."
"Can you drive?" Liu Zhi asked Meng Yang, his hands in his pockets, tilting his head slightly.
Memories are flooding back.
On rare weekends during his student days, Meng Yang would hitch a ride on Liu Zhi's electric scooter to a larger bookstore to buy authentic educational materials.
Especially on summer evenings, she would lean on Liu Zhi's back as they walked through the alleyways, the sounds of cicadas and wind filling their ears, the fragrance of hibiscus lingering in the air. Their long hair would flutter in the evening breeze, their smiles pure and bright.
That was truly an incredibly precious memory.
Meng Yangning choked.
When the car arrived, Liu Zhi opened the car door for Meng Yang, gesturing for her to get in first, and said in a casual tone, "I'm on the day shift for the next two days, so don't worry about me."
That's what they said, but once they were actually on the road, Liu Zhi quickly became sleepy. Even Superman gets tired with such a heavy workload.
"Take a nap, I'll wake you when we get there," Meng Yang said softly.
Perhaps bewitched by the sound, Liu Zhi really dared to doze off peacefully.
Because of her profession, Liu Zhi never wears makeup. That day, Meng Yang helped her pack, and the small box was mostly filled with daily necessities. Among her skincare and makeup items, she only found a facial cleanser and a hand cream.
Liu Zhi didn't even own a single lipstick. She always presented her most authentic self.
Liu Zhi looked very unwell. Meng Yang stared at the dark circles under her eyes and felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.
She didn't understand why Liu Zhi was working so hard. If Liu Zhi had stayed in Yancheng, things would be much better. In that case, perhaps she would have already become an attending physician and be trained as a key member of the neurosurgery team.
As the vehicle passed through the congested section of road, its speed gradually increased.
Liu Zhi was sleeping restlessly. When the vehicle went over a speed bump, she was jolted awake. She opened her eyes, looked around, and saw the bloodshot veins in her eyes clearly visible.
"We're not there yet, you should rest a little longer."
Meng Yang sat up straight and saw her haggard face in the rearview mirror. She took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Are your eyes uncomfortable or is your head hurting?"
"Yes, I have them all." Liu Zhi's voice was a little hoarse.
“Massage the Xuanlu acupoint,” Meng Yang said, pointing to his temples. “Massaging ear acupoints is also an option.”
Liu Zhi pinched her earlobe twice; this position was wrong. Meng Yang interrupted her.
"Don't move." Meng Yang leaned forward, his fingertips touching Liu Zhi's temples, and said softly, "Pinch your earlobe yourself."
The driver chuckled, "The young lady is studying Traditional Chinese Medicine!"
"My main focus is on traditional Chinese medicine." Meng Yang controlled the pressure of his fingertips. "I also know a little about Western medicine."
The professional's intervention was indeed different; the warmth from Meng Yang's knuckles seemed to have been channeled into Liu Zhi's acupoints, relieving his headache considerably.
Liu Zhi stood frozen in place, afraid to move. Her earlobes were already red from pinching them so hard.
--------------------
Author's Note:
Liu Zhi has long legs, twenty minutes is enough for her; Meng Yang has short legs, it will take him half an hour (big dog head).
Chapter 5 Stove
Meng Yang's palms were very warm; she was like a little heater, and by warming Liu Zhi's hands, she kept warming her up.
Liu Zhi's tense nerves finally relaxed.
It's no exaggeration to say that Liu Zhi needs a long time to adjust after each shift. Her irregular sleep schedule makes headaches a regular occurrence, and she sometimes needs painkillers to relieve them.
Meng Yang was very skilled at massage, and Liu Zhi's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed.
Meng Yang's movements became lighter and lighter, and she stopped when Liu Zhi fell asleep.
The scenery outside the car window was monotonous and dull. Meng Yang looked at Liu Zhi's face reflected in the glass, reached out, and stroked her brow.
At this moment, their reflections nestled together, serene and peaceful.
When they arrived at their destination, Meng Yang was reluctant to wake Liu Zhi. In the end, it was the driver who honked the horn twice to wake her up.
Meng Yang chose the eMule and paid the full amount upfront. Liu Zhi found Meng Yang's account in their old class group chat and sent him a friend request.
Meng Yanggang agreed, and Liu Zhi transferred his half of the money he was supposed to pay.
Liu Zhi wasn't very familiar with the new electric scooter either. She drove it around the area in front of the store twice before she felt confident enough to take Meng Yang to the vehicle management office.
Meng Yang kept his head down, looking at the navigation system to guide Liu Zhi forward. The new electric scooter was highly sensitive, and Liu Zhi liked to use the brakes. Several times, Meng Yang bumped into Liu Zhi's back.
When they went over the speed bump, Meng Yang lost his grip on the back seat and half of himself ended up on Liu Zhi's back, causing Liu Zhi's back to stiffen.
After going through many hardships, I finally arrived at the vehicle management office, waited in line for a while, and by the time I finished all the procedures it was almost noon.
They randomly picked a convenience store and ate some oden. Having solved their lunch problem, Liu Zhi escorted Meng Yang to Ning Nursing Home.
Ninghu Hospital is located in a relatively remote area, and the surroundings are very quiet.
This was Liu Zhi's first time visiting Ninghu Hospital, and Meng Yang took the initiative to show her around.
There are many patients with advanced cancer here. If they were in the main hospital, many of them would have to undergo major surgery, be inserted with tubes all over their bodies, and lie in the ICU, struggling on the edge of life.
Many patients here have given up chemotherapy, intubation, and even resuscitation when the disease flares up, but they are still very happy.
Liu Zhi was deeply shocked.
It is said that hospitals are places that reveal the true nature of humanity. Here, Liu Zhi saw more of the brilliance of humanity than its darkness.
Meng Yang's office was at the end of the corridor. On his way there, many patients and their families greeted him with smiles. Meng Yang returned their smiles one by one.
The midday sun in winter is exceptionally beautiful, capable of dispelling even the deepest shadows. Liu Zhi's mood suddenly brightened considerably.
At this moment, Meng Yang's desk was also bathed in the soft sunlight, making the white coat on the desk appear even more sacred.
When Liu Zhi was being taken back, Meng Yang was called into the ward.
Liu Zhili waited for Meng Yang outside the ward.
Meng Yang answered patients in a gentle tone, listened patiently to their complaints, and offered words of comfort when necessary.
Meng Yang looks very young; standing next to Liu Zhi, she looks like a recent college graduate.
In high school, some classmates discussed Meng Yang's appearance, saying that she had a pure and innocent look, especially her eyes, and that she had a youthful and untainted appearance when she smiled.
Meng Yang clearly knew this. When working, she would deliberately wear non-prescription glasses. With the glasses and white coat, Meng Yang's demeanor became much more composed. This was a far cry from the fierce-looking girl she once was.
The sunlight outside the window was just right, and as Liu Zhi looked at Meng Yang, she felt a small part of her heart sink.
"Is this the standard palliative care approach?" Liu Zhi asked Meng Yang in the corridor.
“Abandon invasive resuscitation measures that are ineffective for the patient. All we can do is alleviate their suffering,” Meng Yang replied.
"I think this is quite meaningful."
"Yes, just like the news said, let life end more gently and with more dignity."