Chapter 78: 第 78 章

They spent less than two days at the Air Force Base. Around two in the afternoon on the second day, the medical team from Hospital 195 concluded their field assignment. Just as the sergeant had said, Lu Heyang was very busy — Xu Ze did not see him again before leaving the Base.

Back at the hospital, colleagues from the lab came to collect the blood and pheromone samples. The doctors and nurses who had accompanied the Air Force Base team returned to their respective departments once the samples were delivered. Xu Ze checked his Mobile Phone — nothing urgent for now. He asked a nurse from the lab: 'Can I help?'

Professor Huang's most valued student, a doctor from the Pheromone and Blood Department, whose last award-winning research project happened to involve medical testing — the nurse's eyes went round: 'Of course you can, Doctor Xu! Thank you for your trouble!'

Xu Ze couldn't bring himself to say 'you're welcome' with any ease. He just smiled, took the cart from the nurse's hands, and pushed it forward into the elevator.

A little past seven in the evening, Xu Ze had entered all the reports he'd handled into the system — his responsibility had been the pheromone assays. A few samples still hadn't produced results; Xu Ze handed them over to the lab technicians, then returned to the seventh floor.

The elevator doors opened. A nurse from his department was about to step in; seeing it was Xu Ze, she smiled and said: 'Doctor Xu, your Boss is here. He was just asking where you were.'

'Alright.'

Stepping out of the elevator, Xu Ze headed toward his office. He hadn't gone far when he heard the department head call him.

'Xu Ze.'

Xu Ze looked up and walked over. Before he could even get the words 'Professor Huang' out, Huang Liling said: 'I was thinking of letting you rest properly this afternoon. And what do you do? You run off to the lab.'

'It's fine, I'm not very tired,' Xu Ze said.

'Then why not go to the lab?' Huang Liling wore an expression that seemed torn between scolding him and being unable to bring himself to do it. 'Wouldn't working on a few more projects yield higher returns than that?'

The department head beside them immediately clutched his chest, lamenting 'the decline of medical ethics' as he retreated with a heavy heart.

From undergraduate to master's degree, having spent years together, Xu Ze was not so dense as to miss Huang Liling's meaning. This professor had always spoken directly — so directly it bordered on brusque — but that was only toward those he cared about. If he didn't care, Huang Liling probably wouldn't spare them a glance. He wasn't much like a traditional doctor or teacher.

'Heading back to campus later?' Xu Ze asked. 'Have you had dinner?'

'You should ask yourself whether you've eaten first.'

He hadn't eaten, so Xu Ze skipped that topic and asked: 'Are you here to see Chen General?'

'Mhm. He's being discharged tomorrow morning; I have something else and can't make it then, so I came to see him today.' Huang Liling pulled out an invitation letter and slapped it into Xu Ze's hand. 'This technology award ceremony — you young people go take care of it.'

'Alright.'

The news of the award had been announced by the college days ago. The members of Huang Liling's research team were already accustomed to such things; they were even somewhat weary of award ceremonies, having agreed to take turns sending one person up to give the acceptance speech each time.

'Alright, go eat. After you finish, I happen to need to go to the Military Medical University as well.'

'Mhm.'

After walking a stretch, Huang Liling glanced at Xu Ze and assessed: 'Preoccupied.'

Xu Ze wanted to say 'no' out of habit, but this time it seemed a bit difficult. He nodded: 'I'll adjust as soon as possible.'

'Rare for you to admit it.' Huang Liling patted Xu Ze's arm. 'If you need help, tell me. If you need rest, I'll approve your leave.'

Xu Ze smiled: 'Alright, thank you, teacher.'

On Thursday evening, they had a dinner reservation for six-thirty. Both Lu Heyang and He Wei, tangled up with work, arrived around nine. Once the two were seated, the manager brought waitstaff to clear away the long-cold dishes and serve a fresh set.

'Don't waste it.' He Wei took off his police cap and tossed it onto the sofa. 'Heat it up; I'll take it back to the station later for my colleagues to eat. They're not picky.'

'Alright.'

The communicator rang. Lu Heyang answered it. He Wei pushed a glass of lemon water toward him. When the call ended, He Wei said: 'You didn't send a helicopter to pick me up, fine, but you're not going to leave before even taking a bite of food, are you?'

'I won't.' Lu Heyang picked up his glass and clinked it naturally against He Wei's.

In truth, it had been over two years since they'd last seen each other; their previous few meetings had been rushed encounters abroad. Even so, there was no sense of distance between them, as if they were just friends who had missed each other's summer vacation, and upon meeting again, neither had changed much.

'Has Yun Chi said when he's coming back?' He Wei asked.

'Not too clear. Depends on the situation in the warzone.'

'He ought to be back by now. The three of us haven't been together since high school.' He Wei smiled. 'Tell me, back then, if I and Yun Chi hadn't found ways to go see you every so often, would you have forgotten the two of us too, just like you forgot everyone else?'

Lu Heyang lifted his eyes after a moment: 'Important people always get remembered, don't they?'

'Is that so? Then the people you care about really are few.' He Wei leaned back, tilting his head as he counted them off: 'Uncle Lin, Sister Qingmo, me and Yun Chi, Uncle Wen…'

He suddenly stopped and sat up straight again: 'What about Xu Ze? Haven't you remembered him yet?'

Lu Heyang didn't answer, instead asking: 'You think he's important to me?'

'I don't know.' He Wei said. 'Maybe he's not important to you, but you're definitely important to him. After you went abroad, he asked me several times about your situation.'

'I asked him, do you want Heyang's new number? He said no. Well, of course — you'd forgotten him. Someone like him wouldn't cling on and take the initiative to contact you either. Our Xiao Ze has always been very well-behaved, very honest. It's a shame, really. In high school you two were completely different types, yet somehow you got close. Now the gap between you has narrowed, but you'd long since forgotten him.'

As he spoke, He Wei drifted into memories of his high school deskmate and continued: 'I've probably been back to the Capital City three or four times, but every time I returned, Xu Ze was either supporting the front lines or abroad for events — I never managed to see him. This time I definitely have to…'

Before he could finish, He Wei happened to look up and froze, then exclaimed in surprise: 'Hey, isn't that—'

Lu Heyang followed his gaze and looked back. The restaurant lighting was soft and dim. In the center of the water feature platform stood a crystal-clear grand piano; the melody mingled with the faint sound of water, barely audible. Five people in white shirts and suit trousers — Alphas and one Omega among them — were emerging from another section. The group seemed to have been drinking; they stopped by the water feature with some interest to listen to the performance.

Except for the Alpha in the very middle. He looked a bit drowsy, his gaze vacant and unfocused, his shirt collar undone two buttons, his tie loose, sleeves rolled to his elbows. Hanging from his wrist was a rather unceremonious transparent plastic bag, yet the contents inside were quite ceremonious — likely a trophy and a certificate of honor, plus several gold medals.

A gust of wind brushed past his ear. Before Lu Heyang could withdraw his gaze, He Wei had already gotten up and rushed over.

'Xiao Ze, my wifey—!'

Xu Ze hadn't drunk in a long time. After the award ceremony ended today, everyone had gone to dinner together, having agreed not to return to the lab tonight, so they'd opened a few bottles.

When an unknown Alpha rushed over and hugged him, Xu Ze nearly flung the bag in his hand into the nearby water feature. Post-alcohol, his thoughts moved slowly, so overall his reaction was more dazed than shocked. Xu Ze pondered — he didn't seem to have any friends with this style of behavior.

Then he realized — it was He Wei's voice. He hadn't heard it in a long time.

His group members were also startled, thinking it was some strange person, but seeing the epaulettes and police badge on the other's shirt, their doubts were slightly allayed.

He Wei slung an arm around Xu Ze's shoulder, poked his cheek, and asked: 'You haven't forgotten me, have you, Xiao Ze?'

Xu Ze shook his head: 'No.'

'Do you know him?' one group member asked Xu Ze.

'I know him,' Xu Ze nodded.

'Did you just finish eating? Do you have plans later? If not, come sit at our table? I'll order you some dessert.' He Wei kept shaking Xu Ze. 'Alright? Alright?'

Xu Ze was already standing unsteadily; he nearly got shaken into the water feature, saved only by a group member steadying him. He Wei's manner was hard to refuse, and tonight he truly had no other plans, so Xu Ze said 'alright.' Only after saying it did he think — He Wei couldn't have come out to eat alone; inserting himself into their meal mid-way probably wasn't appropriate. But before he could voice his hesitation, he was already being marched off by He Wei, hearing only Officer He say to the other group members during the process: 'I'll take Doctor Xu with me then; I'll make sure he gets back.'

What the group members said, Xu Ze didn't hear. His gaze was fixed in a certain direction, unmoving.

The deep navy training uniform looked almost pure black in the insufficient light, like the Alpha's pupil color. Lu Heyang was propping his chin with one hand, looking over sideways, the other hand loosely holding a water glass, his index finger resting on the rim.

For some reason, Xu Ze felt that water glass looked especially small in Lu Heyang's hand.

'What a coincidence! We were just talking about you, and then I looked up and saw you.' He Wei led Xu Ze to the dining table and asked with a smile, 'Doctor Xu, would you rather sit with Heyang or with me?'

The question required almost no hesitation. Xu Ze said: 'I can sit here.'

'Alrighty.' He Wei scooted over one seat, letting Xu Ze sit beside him.

Once seated, Xu Ze and Lu Heyang were more or less face to face. From the corner of his eye, Xu Ze saw Lu Heyang pick up his water glass and drink. He couldn't help but lift his gaze, only to collide with Lu Heyang's eyes.

Xu Ze immediately looked away — he thought his movement was swift and concealed, unaware that his post-alcohol reactions had slowed to a certain degree.

Lu Heyang took a new glass from beside him, poured half a glass of lemon water, and placed it in front of Xu Ze.

'Thank you, Colonel,' Xu Ze said softly.

'Doctor Xu is being so formal.' He Wei finished ordering and hooked an arm around Xu Ze's shoulder. 'Weren't you two quite close before? Even though Heyang doesn't remember much, no need to act like superior and subordinate.'

Currently in a state where he'd accept whatever anyone said, Xu Ze replied: 'Alright.'

'Our Xiao Ze — seems he's really drunk.' As he spoke, He Wei pressed the back of his hand against Xu Ze's cheek.

'The food is here,' Lu Heyang said.

What about the food arriving? It's not like the guests have to serve it themselves — that's what he thought, but He Wei stopped his hand anyway and said to the waiter: 'The dessert can be served now too; no need to wait until after the meal. My friend wants to eat it right now.'

Xu Ze didn't remember ever saying anything like 'I want to eat it right now.'

'Come to think of it, I've hardly ever eaten with you.' He Wei said between bites. 'Back then, you and Heyang were often together, right? What did you two do? Say it out loud, maybe it'll jog his memory, help him remember something.'

Dizzy, thirsty, Xu Ze drank some water, raised a hand to touch his tie, wanting to loosen it a bit. Only when he touched it did he realize it was already loose.

'Not very often.' Xu Ze paused, then said, 'What we did… I've forgotten too.'

He actually remembered more clearly than anyone, but the current time, setting, people — all the elements were unsuitable for mentioning those things. Especially what had happened between him and Lu Heyang — Xu Ze hoped only he alone would ever know, because speaking it aloud would hold no meaning whatsoever.

He didn't have any grand wishes; he hadn't even imagined he could sit across a table from Lu Heyang like this. That was enough.

He Wei was no longer as thick-skinned as he'd been in high school; he could hear Xu Ze's evasion. He understood — if it were him who had been completely forgotten by a friend, after so long, he probably wouldn't cling to the hope that the other could recall something through old memories either. It was unrealistic.

He looked at Lu Heyang and found Lu Heyang looking at Xu Ze. He Wei suddenly realized that perhaps he shouldn't have dragged Xu Ze over to sit today. If Lu Heyang had truly been an important friend to Xu Ze once, this scene would only make Xu Ze sad.

The waiter brought the desserts. He Wei placed a bowl of ginger honey soup in front of Xu Ze: 'This helps sober you up. Drink some. If you can't eat the rest, just nibble a bit.'

'Alright, thank you.'

He Wei blinked, hugged Xu Ze's arm, tilted his head to lean on Xu Ze's shoulder for a moment, and said contentedly: 'So good. Our Xiao Ze hasn't changed a bit.'

Jostled by him, a splash of soup from the spoon landed on Xu Ze's hand. He was about to wipe it with his other hand when Lu Heyang placed two napkins beside his hand. Xu Ze's gaze instantly seemed glued, staring blankly as he followed Lu Heyang's fingers until he withdrew his hand and picked up his utensils again.

Lu Heyang asked He Wei: 'Don't you still have to go back to the station?'

He really should hurry up and eat. He Wei sat up straight again, no longer talking about high school or the memory loss, and started a new topic.

The dinner didn't last too long. He Wei took two calls from the station and needed to return soon. He stood up, grumbling, and his hand brushed against something — wet. Having noticed that Xu Ze hadn't used the napkins Lu Heyang had handed him, and on the principle of not wasting, He Wei thought to pick them up and wipe his hand. But when he bent down to take them, the two napkins were gone; the space beside Xu Ze's bowl was empty.

A bit puzzled, he looked at Xu Ze. Xu Ze was standing by the aisle, one hand holding the plastic bag, the other tucked into his suit trouser pocket, looking utterly innocent. The moment he saw Doctor Xu's face, He Wei's mind also went empty. He grinned foolishly and simply wiped his hand clean on his police uniform trousers.

'Wifey, where do you live? I'll drop you off before heading back to the station.' He Wei draped an arm over Xu Ze's shoulder, speaking rather irresponsibly.

'Not far. I can go back on my own.' Xu Ze paused, then asked He Wei, 'Could you leave me your current number?'

'You being this proactive really moves me.' He Wei took Xu Ze's Mobile Phone and entered the number.

His own phone rang again. He Wei answered: 'Hurry hurry hurry hurry what's the hurry? On my way.' Hanging up, he continued persuading Xu Ze: 'You're not sober yet; going back by yourself isn't convenient.'

'Aren't you already on your way?' Lu Heyang finished browsing a message, turned off his communicator, and said, 'I'll take Doctor Xu.'

Xu Ze was taken aback, about to say something, but He Wei cut in first: 'Shh. Colonel Lu as chauffeur — hearing about this treatment makes me want to weep. If you refuse, I'll die with my eyes open.'

After He Wei drove off, Xu Ze said: 'I'll go back myself.'

'Just now you seemed to have already agreed.' Lu Heyang looked at Xu Ze and asked him, 'Were you just being perfunctory?'

'No.' Xu Ze shook his head. He didn't know if it was appropriate to say this, but he answered anyway: 'It was so Officer He wouldn't die with his eyes open.'

Unexpectedly, Xu Ze heard Lu Heyang laugh softly. He hadn't looked at Lu Heyang all evening; now he finally lifted his gaze to his face. When Lu Heyang laughed like this, Xu Ze, in a daze, recalled a smile Lu Heyang had worn long ago — not the polite, courteous kind, but one with warmth, real, that had once been very, very close to him.

'Get in the car.' Lu Heyang opened the passenger door and said to Xu Ze.

The smile was still on his face, lingering in his eyes too, making it impossible for Xu Ze to say anything in refusal. He could only nod: 'Alright.'