After returning home, I drank some water, sat on the sofa, and stared at my wound for a few seconds. Then, I picked up my phone and called Liang.
"What happened?" she asked immediately.
I told her everything—every moment that had happened with Dr. Lu.
After listening, she let out a knowing sigh. "I knew it. That day when we went to the hospital together, Dr. Lu was already looking at you with love in his eyes. And now, he asked for your number and said it's 'for your health'? Qin, if that were the case, he could've easily asked the receptionist. No doubt about it—he's fallen for you."
My heart started pounding, and I went silent.
Liang caught on right away and laughed. "Qin, finally someone has fallen for you! Don't miss this chance."
My eyes widened. "But Liang… you know my condition. How can I fall in love like this? I've lived alone for so many years. Even though I have you, I still hesitate to open up to strangers. You know that better than anyone."
Liang's voice softened. "That's exactly why I'm saying this. You deserve someone who understands you, who will care for you. What if, one day, I'm not there? Who will you turn to then? You need someone to depend on. I'm not forcing you to fall in love, Qin. I just want you to be happy. If you ever want to let go of the past and live in the present, you need to at least try. I'll be here for you—always."
I murmured, "Mm…" and hung up the call.
The next day was my day off, so I decided to go for a stroll—just as Dr. Lu had encouraged me to do. I wanted to face the things that triggered my fear. As I walked through the streets, I passed a toy shop and noticed a unicorn toy displayed in the showcase.
My hands began to tremble. Cold sweat formed on my forehead, and vivid memories from the past rushed back like a wave. My breathing grew shallow—I felt fear, suffocating loneliness.
I instinctively stepped back, trying to move away. But just as my legs gave out, I stumbled—straight into someone's arms.
In my haze, I looked up.
It was Dr. Lu.
"Dr. Lu…" I whispered his name, a weak smile forming on my lips, as if I had found something solid to hold on to in the middle of a storm.
And then, everything went black.