Sent to the countryside, I turned the health center into a top-tier hospital.

Chen Ping sat at the table, picked up a noodle with his chopsticks, and slurped it down.

The noodles are still handmade, the soup is still bone broth, and the poached egg is still runny.

But he couldn't taste anything; his mind was filled with Cui Ying's words, "The noodles are ready."

He shook his head, gave a wry smile, and lowered his head to eat his noodles.

After eating half a bowl, I heard the sound of water next door, splashing everywhere. It was Cui Ying taking a shower.

Chen Ping told himself not to think about it, but his ears wouldn't listen. The sound of water kept coming in, like a tap running in his head that he couldn't turn off.

After finishing his bowl of noodles, he cleared away the dishes, stood up, walked to the door, and thought about going back, but then felt he shouldn't.

Cui Ying is still taking a shower in his room. What should he do if he goes back and bumps into her?

"Chen Ping, could you get my clothes? They're by the bedside." Cui Ying's voice came from next door, clear even through the wall.

Chen Ping paused for a moment, then walked to her bedside. There was a set of pajamas draped over the headboard, not the one she wore during the day, but a thin, light pink one, neatly folded.

He picked it up, walked to his door, and knocked.

"Just leave it at the door," Cui Ying said from inside.

Chen Ping placed the clothes at the door and took two steps back.

The door opened a crack, a wet hand reached out, took the clothes inside, and then the door closed again.

Chen Ping stood in the courtyard, the moon hanging overhead, its light making the poplar leaves appear white.

A cool breeze blew by, and he shivered. He then remembered that he was shirtless, that he hadn't washed his wet clothes, and that his new clothes were still inside.

He couldn't get in, so he could only stand in the courtyard and wait.

After waiting for about ten minutes, the door opened.

Cui Ying came out with her hair still wet, draped over her shoulders, water droplets dripping down her hair.

She was wearing a light pink nightgown, the material so thin it was almost transparent. In the moonlight, her outline was blurred, you could see everything, yet you couldn't see anything at all.

Chen Ping didn't know where to look, so he glanced at it and looked away, but that one second was enough for him to remember for a lifetime.

She had narrow shoulders, a slender waist, and long legs. Underneath her pajamas, she wore nothing, the fabric clinging to her skin like a layer of mist.

"Why aren't you wearing anything...?" Chen Ping's voice was a little dry.

"I forgot to bring it."

Cui Ying's tone was calm, without blushing or skipping a beat, "The underwear is hanging over there, it's not dry yet."

Chen Ping didn't know what to say, so he lowered his head, walked past her, and went into his room.

As the door closed, he heard Cui Ying chuckle behind him, sounding as if she did it on purpose.

Chen Ping stood leaning against the door for a while, his heart pounding.

He told himself that Cui Ying didn't do it on purpose; she just forgot her clothes, which was normal and nothing to worry about.

But I just can't shake that image from my mind.

The hazy moonlight, the hazy pajamas, the hazy curves of the body—the more blurred it is, the more I want to see it clearly; the more I want to see it clearly, the more blurred it becomes.

He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.

In the darkness, the images became clearer.

He rolled over and pulled the blanket over his head.

I heard the sound of a hairdryer from next door, a buzzing sound, then the bed creaked, and then it was quiet.

"Chen Ping." Cui Ying's voice came softly from next door.

"Um?"

"Good night."

"Good night."

Chen Ping stared at the ceiling with his eyes open for a long time.

He pulled the blanket over his face again, but it didn't help; the image was still in his mind, and he couldn't shake it off.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he finally fell asleep.

The next morning, Chen Ping was awakened by knocking on the door.

He opened his eyes; it was already daylight.

"Chen Ping, get up and eat." Cui Ying's voice came from outside the door.

He sat up, rubbed his face, put on the light gray shirt, and pushed open the door.

Cui Ying stood at the door, wearing that white short-sleeved shirt, her hair tied up, just like yesterday during the day, neat and tidy.

She glanced at Chen Ping, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Did you sleep well last night?"

"It's alright." Chen Ping didn't dare look at her and walked forward with his head down.

Cui Ying followed behind and smiled.

The two sat facing each other at a stone table in the backyard, eating porridge, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables.

Chen Ping lowered his head and drank his porridge. Cui Ying looked at him, but didn't say anything; she just smiled.

After they finished eating, the two walked towards the front yard.

As soon as I reached the door of the clinic, I saw a person standing at the entrance of the health center, holding a bundle in his arms.

Sun Xiuying.

She stood there, her face ashen, her eyes swollen like two peaches, clearly having cried all night.

When she saw Chen Ping, she walked over quickly, her lips trembling, wanting to say something but unable to utter a word.

"Sister Sun? What brings you here?" Chen Ping asked as he walked over.

Sun Xiuying handed over the bundle she was carrying, saying, "Dr. Chen, I...I've come to bring clothes for Dezhu. He's been arrested and doesn't even have a change of clothes. It was cold last night, I wonder if he...is he cold..."

Chen Ping looked at the bundle, which was neatly folded and wrapped in a blue cloth that had been washed until it was almost white.

Sun Xiuying was beaten so many times and forced to jump into the reservoir, but she still cared about that man, worried that he was cold and that he had no clothes to change into.

"Sister Sun, why are you still bothering with him?"

Cui Ying walked over, her eyes a little red, not from gratitude, but from anger. "He beat you up like that, and you still brought him clothes?"

Sun Xiuying lowered her head, tears falling drop by drop onto the bundle: "He...he's my man..."

Cui Ying opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

She glanced at Chen Ping, who shook his head, indicating that she should stop talking.

Some things just don't make sense.

Chen Ping took the bundle, thought for a moment, and said to Sun Xiuying, "Sister Sun, I'll go to the police station with you. I need to go there to give a statement."

"Really?" Sun Xiuying looked up, her eyes lighting up.

"Um."

Chen Ping nodded, then turned to Cui Ying and said, "Tell Dean Zhao that I'm going to the police station and I might not be back this morning."

"I'll go with you," Cui Ying said.

"No need, you watch the clinic for me. Let Wang Tao cover for any patients."

Cui Ying glanced at Chen Ping and nodded.

Chen Ping led Sun Xiuying toward the police station.

The police station is right next to the township government compound, less than a ten-minute walk away.

Sun Xiuying followed behind, walking quickly, carrying the bundle as if it were some precious treasure.

When they arrived at the police station, Chief Zhou was going through files in his office. Seeing Chen Ping enter, he quickly stood up and said, "Dr. Chen, are you here to give a statement?"

"Director Zhou, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Chen Ping placed the bundle on the table. "These are clothes that Zhao Dezhu's wife gave him."

Director Zhou glanced at the bundle, then at Sun Xiuying standing at the door, and sighed: "Dr. Chen, it's not that I'm being unreasonable, but Zhao Dezhu is involved in gambling, and according to the rules, he should be detained."

"Chief Zhou, you know Zhao Dezhu's situation. His wife jumped into the reservoir yesterday, and I rescued her. His child is working outside; he's fifteen years old. If you lock him up, this family will truly fall apart."

Chen Ping paused for a moment, then continued, "Moreover, I was the one who asked him to take me there last night; Zhao Dezhu didn't gamble."

Director Zhou looked at Chen Ping for a moment, then burst out laughing: "Dr. Chen, are you here to plead for Zhao Dezhu?"

"I'm not pleading for leniency, I'm stating the facts."

"Zhao Dezhu is wrong and should be punished. But locking him up won't solve the problem. His wife will still jump into the reservoir, and his children will still be adrift. It's better to give him a chance and let him go back and live a good life."

Chen Ping said.