My mother nagged and cried.  "Fang Liang Liang, did your mother owe you a debt last lifetime, ah?  Whose life is more bitter than mine, Lin Haiyi's life, ah?  It was not easy being married and pregnant with a child.  Being happy for a few days and then my husband left me as a widow…… I thought when I am old, I would be able to live my life in happiness.  Then in the middle of the night, I was awakened by fierce ringing from the phone and your aunt said……. you’d better come back quick, something happened at home!…....  My legs went weak and in my heart, I wondered what could have happened at home, ah?  It’s either your grandparents' health or the careless you and sure enough, it was you!   You were lying down with your face covered with an oxygen mask.   When I called you and you won't answer!  I wanted to beat you, ah……I hate you….why did I like your father…. I was ruined by both your father and you!  One old and one young careless one, did I ever treat you badly?  I thought……you almost went to your dead father, *wu, wu, wu*……."

             Helplessly, I looked at my mother cry as old Alan handed her pieces of tissue.   I felt guilty and quietly apologized.  "Mom, I'm sorry."

             My mother continued to cry and said to me.  "When you did not wake up, I had pondered seeking an answer…….  Was it because I remarried and you wanted to punish me?  If you really think that way, your old mother will go back and divorce old Alan!  Fang Liang Liang, your old mother doesn’t want to have a happy life anymore!…...*wu, wu, wu*……"

             The gentle old Alan did not understand Chinese so he was oblivious to the fact my mother was discussing divorce with him.  He stood at her side and gently comforted her.  "Honey, Mary is gonna be fine, don’t cry….."

             I sighed.  "Mother, what nonsense are you talking about?"

             My mother looked fiercely at me and angrily roared.  "Don’t call me Mother!  I'm not your mother!   Have you seen any mother as pitiful as I am?  My daughter had already met her boyfriend's elder and this mother is still in a daze.  What is the reason?  *wu, wu, wu* ……"

             While my mother cried, old Alan felt helpless in such a chaotic situation and did not know what to do.  I looked at him helplessly and felt my headache returning.

             Alan told my mother since I was still wounded, they had to refrain from getting me agitated.  My mother was upset that she had lost control of her emotions and under Alan's persuasion she resentfully went with him to wash her face.  As soon as my mother left, Fei Ge came over, leaned into my ear, pointed her chin towards the deeply asleep Kang Zixian on the sofa and said.  "When you were in a coma, his grandmother came to see you and stayed for a while.  These two days, the food that we ate was sent over by his grandmother's people.  Fang Liang Liang, you are good!  You are able to coax the elder to treat you as her granddaughter so fast!"

             I glanced sideways at Fei Ge.  "I learned that from you."

             When the ward quietened down, I could hear Stone's light snores and Fei Ge looked at the salt-water bags, at the same time, she yawned a few times.  Using my eyes as a paintbrush, I swept over the detailed appearance of Kang Zixian, his robust silhouette sleeping posture and then used my heart to feel the warmth radiating from him the whole week.  I thought of the loneliness I felt the last time and suddenly, I had an impulse to laugh.

             The pain in my body still persisted, but I have peace of mind and then sleepiness overcame me.  Feeling satisfied, I closed my eyes.

            

             The next time when I woke up, the sky outside had turned black.  I faintly opened my eyes and the first thing I saw under the incandescent lamp was the bearded face of Kang Zixian.  His eyes looked depressed and there was a trace of sexiness on his normal cultured face.

             At this moment, there was no one else in the ward and when he saw that I had woke up, he gave me a pleasant smile, leaned over my forehead and gave me a light kiss.  "Sleeping Beauty finally woke up….."

             "I have been waiting for you for a long time…..now you are mine."  He said.

             I laughed and raised my hand to stroke his bearded chin.  I frowned and pretended to be disgusted.   "It is a bearded prince…..it's prickly……"

             Kang Zixian looked thoughtfully at me, then supported himself by placing his hands on either side of me and leaned forward.  He placed his stubbed chin on my left and right cheeks alternatively and intimately caressed me.  With his warm breath, he made feel as if he was all around me and he whispered into my ear.  "The minute I left your side, you get yourself into trouble.  You are the worst girl in the world."

             My voice was hoarse and I laughed at him.  "Yes, ah…..but if you regret now, it is still not too late."

             He kissed my lips and his eyes showed deep feelings.  "Too late.  From the beginning, when I took my first glance at you, I was destined to be entangled with this bad girl for life."

             "Because I can’t do with you, so I am willing."  He said.

             "Looking at the pitiful you, this bad girl will consider turning over a new leaf."

             "I'm most grateful to you."

             I and Kang Zixian were having a lover's prattle in the ward when there was a movement at the door.  Fu Chen who was wearing a white coat had pushed the door opened and came upon the ambiguous scene in the room.  Fu Chen felt embarrassed.  Kang Zixian stared at him with cold eyes and when Fu Chen turned to leave, I quickly gave Kang Zixian a push and said.  "I want to eat fruits.  Go and buy me some."

             He knew that I wanted to have a private moment with Fu Chen, so he looked deeply at me and said.  "I'll be waiting on the outside."

             Then he stood up, gave Fu Chen a nod, slightly waved his hand as a greeting and brushed past him, stirring up a draft of cold air.

             In the cold room, I and Fu Chen looked at each other in silence.  The past seems as though it only happened yesterday and it also seems to have happened many years ago.  Unable to hold on to the past, they gradually became memories and this was what I had with him….. the only link between us.

             Doctor Fu performed his doctor's duties, did a simple check-up and said.  "You are going to be fine."

             "Thank you."  I smiled at him and at this moment, our relationship was just between a patient and a doctor. 

             He sat down and stared at me in silence.  This time our relationship is between an ex-boyfriend and an ex-girlfriend.

             We both felt embarrassed and I laughed to break the silence.  "I heard from Fei Ge that thanks to you, my little life was saved.  Fu Chen, now you are my savior."

             I sighed and smiled.  "Unfortunately, I can’t offer my heart to repay you."

             Fu Chen forced a laugh.  "Liang Liang, is it too late?"

             "Yes, ah……we have both met someone else."

             "Oh, yes……this world really changes too quickly.  In a blink of an eye, beside the both of us, there is already someone else."

             "Fu Chen, I suddenly thought of Wang Bao Chuan* who waited bitterly for 18 years in a cold cave.  This type of woman is simply like the giant panda."

             (Wang Bao Chuan is an ancient legend of a lady who married a poor man against her parent's wishes and when the husband enlisted in the army, she waited 18 years in a cold cave for the husband's return.)

             "Why do you say that?"

             I looked at the ceiling.  "I thought I would wait for you, at least for a long time but it seems I was unable to do it…….I did not wait for you, instead, I had waited for him."

             Fu Chen gave a low laugh near my ear.  "We did not keep in step with each other, really did not……when I turned back to wait for you, you have already found someone else."

             I smiled at him helplessly and looked at him seriously.  "You already know, Weiyi likes you very much.  She knows how to take care of people."

             "I know."

             Fu Chen nodded, blinked and said provocatively.  "So, if I have to get myself a wife, marrying her will be more appropriate."

             "Ha…..the most annoying thing about you men is……comparison.  Let me tell you, I am also able to marry."

             "Yes, I am convinced."

            

             After Fu Chen left, Kang Zixian came back with a taut expression and sat with me.  I asked him what was bothering him and he answered forcefully.  "Which man is so unlucky like me?  I can only watch as my love rival openly turn over my girlfriend's clothes but I also can’t say a word!"

             I could not help but laugh, the action was so strenuous that I felt a burst of searing pain.  So painful that I screwed up my face and Kang Zixian stood up abruptly to call the doctor.  I pulled at him and said.  "It's nothing."

             "Really?"

             "Really, this is the first time I have seen you so cute and my chest feels painful when I laughed."

             "Okay, I will not speak, so you can go back to sleep."

             "Where are my mom and the others?"

             "They are also tired and need to rest."

             "How did my mother react when she saw you?"

             "She is now calling me Ah Kang, what do you say her reaction is?"

             "That’s also correct, there is no reason my mother will not like you……she likes handsome guys."

             "Yes, your mother was conquered at first glance."

             "Can this be?  The only thing that can conquer my mother at first glance is a diamond.  Ah, right, I got into such big trouble, will Flower Fairy still like me?"

             "If she does not like you, she would not have Aunt Lian send you soup every day.  She will be coming to see you later."

             "Flower Fairy is most lovable."

             "You are also the most valuable one dollar."