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For several consecutive days, Shen Fangyu picked up and dropped off Jiang Xu at work as he said he would. After a few night shifts, Jiang Xu’s mental state improved significantly, and his days of insomnia, caused by Shen Fangyu, gradually became calm.

At the same time, Jiang Xu gradually accepted a fact that he had to face: the common pregnancy-related pain in the waist, sacrum, and pelvis was like a sticky piece of gum that he couldn’t get rid of.

He knew that this kind of pain was almost incurable, like a migraine, and even occasional good rest would only alleviate the pain for a few days, but then it would come back again.

He had diagnosed similar problems for many of his patients before, and because this kind of dull pain was so common and did not pose a threat to life, few doctors would take it seriously, at most, they’d soothingly tell their patients to “rest well.”

But when Jiang Xu faced these things himself, he realized that continuous dull pain, which was commonplace to doctors, was much harder to bear than he had imagined.

And the magical thing was that whenever Shen Fangyu quietly accompanied him, the pain would temporarily ease up a bit.

After they had eaten hot pot that day, Shen Fangyu didn’t mention their previous relationship again, nor did he ask Jiang Xu to confirm anything. At most, he occasionally said a few harmless lovey-dovey words. It looked like he had really calmed down, which made Jiang Xu breathe a sigh of relief.

But after he breathed a sigh of relief, he occasionally felt a subtle sense of loss.

For example, at this moment, Shen Fangyu parked the car in a corner of the A Medical University and said to him, “You go first, I’ll come in ten minutes. I don’t want our classmates to think we came together, they might get the wrong idea.”

Jiang Xu got out of the car, adjusted his coat to cover his changing body, and knew that Shen Fangyu was considering his psychological feelings. But he didn’t actually want to hide his relationship with Shen Fangyu from his classmates anymore; their relationship had already improved a lot compared to before.

The school was hung with red banners, particularly ostentatious under the blue sky.

When he walked into the venue, Tang Ke saw Jiang Xu at a glance, and he looked behind Jiang Xu in surprise and whispered, “Isn’t Shen Fangyu coming?”

“If our brother Xu is here, he wouldn’t dare come!” said a man with a buzz cut, who suddenly slapped Tang Ke on the back and was about to do the same to Jiang Xu, but Jiang Xu dodged, and he couldn’t stop his hand in time, so he awkwardly slapped his own leg.

“Why are you eavesdropping on other people’s conversations, Wang Jun?” Tang Ke said disapprovingly.

Wang Jun was noncommittal. “We used to be roommates, and we used to gossip with each other. Why? Now that you’re gossiping with Jiang Xu, I can’t listen?”

He shifted the conversation to Jiang Xu and said, “Brother Xu, haven’t seen you in a long time. You look thinner. Is it because Shen Fangyu is making you angry?” He then jokingly asked, “So, it’s been a few years, did you two settle your score?”

Tang Ke, who was listening on the side, quickly changed the topic, “We finally came together for a reunion, why do you keep talking about Shen Fangyu?”

He knew that whenever university classmates gathered, the rivalry between Jiang Xu and Shen Fangyu in the past would always be brought up. However, now it was different from the past. Jiang Xu and Shen Fangyu no longer had a simple rivalry. They were in some kind of frenemy situation.

First, they had a child together. Then, Shen Fangyu gave him a red envelope in a tone of asserting his sovereignty. They live together, however, Jiang Xu now has this child and appears to have developed feelings for another man.

In addition, after that late-night phone call, no matter how much Tang Ke questioned Jiang Xu, he remained silent.

It can only be said that everything comes with a price when one mingles in the world. Jiang Xu’s clean personal history during his school days has now become a complete mess. In Tang Ke’s eyes, Jiang Xu was now like a femme fatale.

“This is just out of curiosity,” Wang Jun led them into the venue while giving them food and introducing the tree their class planned to claim.

Many of the teachers who had taught their class were present, as well as their former classmates who were now successful professionals working in various major hospitals. They were standing in twos or threes, chatting calmly about A City’s salaries and discussing the future of their field with serious attitudes. As expected, their conversations couldn’t avoid reminiscing about the past. When recalling the past, they naturally had to tease the arch enemies, Jiang Xu and Shen Fangyu.

As they talked, someone brought up the case of male pregnancy in country M. A classmate wearing a checkered shirt asked Jiang Xu, the top student in their class, “Have you encountered such a case in the obstetrics and gynecology department?” Many curious classmates looked at him, waiting to hear his answer.

Jiang Xu didn’t really like this kind of occasion. In fact, when he told Shen Fangyu that he planned to attend the class reunion, he was stunned himself. He had told himself to be calm, but from time to time, he still spoke impulsively and did impulsive things.

Tang Ke glanced at Jiang Xu’s expression and intervened, “Even if there is, it’s confidential. How could we tell you before publishing an article?”

The one in the blue checkered shirt, called Ge Cheng, said, “Why is Brother Xu still hiding things from us? We are not like Shen Fangyu, nor will we steal your paper.”

Shen Fangyu appeared at some point and jokingly followed along, “Why would I steal a paper?

“We were asking Jiang Xu about the man in M country who gave birth,” Ge Cheng explained. “But the academic bully has been avoiding the question. Long time no see, Fangyu.”

“Long time no see,” Shen Fangyu replied with a habitual smile, but he deftly changed the topic, “I heard you stayed at the university as a leader. Congratulations, I haven’t had a chance to say it yet.”

During his time at college, Ge Cheng didn’t quite like clinical work and instead focused on team building activities. After graduating, he spent several years preparing for the civil service exam, and now he has finally been admitted to A Medical University and become a formal faculty member.

“What big leader? I’m just in charge of managing the equipment for the school and occasionally taking on some administrative work that others refuse to do. I have more equipment under me than power.”

Ge Cheng knew that Shen Fangyu was flattering him, so he first humbled himself with a few words, then his face showed a happy smile, and he forgot for a while what he had just said.

It was the other people who knew that Jiang Xu and Shen Fangyu never got along with each other and seeing that Shen Fangyu had come, Jiang Xu’s friends surrounded him and pushed him to the farthest corner of the venue, forcibly avoiding Shen Fangyu.

Someone even whispered on the side, “Today is our school celebration, fighting is not auspicious, you must not fight with Shen Fangyu here.”

Jiang Xu: “…”

He glanced at Shen Fangyu from a distance. There were many people around him and he looked like he was telling them about the cases in country M. Just as Jiang Xu was about to look away, Shen Fangyu unexpectedly looked over, and the two of them looked at each other across the crowd. Caught off guard, Jiang Xu’s feelings suddenly became complicated.

It wasn’t until Ge Cheng walked up to him that Jiang Xu finally understood why Shen Fangyu had suddenly looked at him.

“Just now, our old class leader said he had an emergency and couldn’t come,” Ge Cheng put down his phone and said to him, “The teacher in charge of the ceremony notified us that our class’s number one should replace him to hang the plaque for the old tree.”

However, this order had a bug, the teacher didn’t know about their class’s special situation – they had two number ones.

“Let Shen Fangyu go,” Jiang Xu said.

After hearing him say this, Ge Cheng seemed to hesitate and said, “Fangyu just said to let you go.”

Wang Jun, who had been listening nearby, said, “Let them go together. What makes Fangyu so special? Maybe he was just waiting for you to agree. Jiang Xu, where is your fighting spirit? You can’t be so passive. This is your honor.”

“But going together…” Ge Cheng muttered.

While it may be a beautiful scene when others hang the plaque together, it might not be for these two people. Ge Cheng felt a little uneasy about it.

To be honest, Jiang Xu didn’t really care who hung the plaque for the old tree. When people reach a certain stage, these trivial honors are not very attractive. Even if he competed with Shen Fangyu, the evaluation indicators they compete on are professional titles, bonuses, and article levels.

Moreover, if it weren’t for Shen Fangyu today, he wouldn’t even be there.

Just as he was thinking of declining, Shen Fangyu also walked over and said, “Let’s go together.” He was clearly speaking to Ge Cheng, but his eyes were on Jiang Xu.

Wang Jun was immediately unhappy. “Then it’s settled!” He slapped Jiang Xu’s shoulder and said, “Don’t be humble, Brother Xu. Look, Fangyu is provoking you.”

Jiang Xu: “…”

He could tell that Shen Fangyu wasn’t provoking him, but perhaps their impression in the eyes of other classmates was too deep-rooted. Now, anything Shen Fangyu said to him was seen as provocation.

This feeling was quite subtle. Their classmates even divided them into two sides, thinking that they were enemies who were incompatible. No one knew that Shen Fangyu had just confessed to him, nor did anyone know that they were expecting a child.

Jiang Xu withdrew his gaze from the distance and said to Wang Jun, “Then let’s go together.”

————–

When Wang Jun introduced the old tree earlier, he only pointed to the map. Now, when the group followed the teacher in charge to the old tree, Jiang Xu suddenly realized that their class had chosen the hibiscus tree behind the teaching building.

In the harsh winter, the hibiscus tree had only bare branches, which looked a bit desolate.

“Originally, we consulted with the school and wanted a pine tree, which symbolizes eternity,” Ge Cheng touched his nose. “But unfortunately, they didn’t do a good job of environmental control during the summer vacation as they renovated the formalin pool in the anatomy building, and several pine trees at the entrance were killed by formaldehyde. The others were also taken by previous classes.”

“After thinking it over, we chose the flower tree near the teaching building. Many of our classmates are in the affiliated hospital, and they can take a look whenever they come to teach in the future.”

“The tree is still beautiful,” Ge Cheng said to the dry tree branch that didn’t seem to match the word “beautiful”, and added: “It will be nice when it blooms in spring.”

Jiang Xu subconsciously glanced at Shen Fangyu when he heard this.

Ge Cheng was wrong; the hibiscus tree didn’t bloom in spring but in early autumn.

Actually, he had never studied botany, nor did he remember which flowers bloomed in which season. He only knew about the most common ones.

But the reason he remembered that the hibiscus tree bloomed in autumn was that he had just been admitted to college and, after completing his registration, was attracted by the row of blooming hibiscus trees behind the teaching building.

At the beginning of the school year, there were not many courses or books to study, and the students who had just left high school were full of energy and eager to see everything.

Jiang Xu loves photography. When he saw the beautiful Hibiscus tree, he instinctively wanted to capture it. But just when he had selected the angle, a tall figure suddenly entered his frame.

The Hibiscus flowers were brightly colored, deep red like fire, as if they wanted to set A Medical University on fire.

The young man had a slender figure and stood under the hibiscus tree. He was handsome and pleasing to the eye, not losing to the color of the flower at all.

Then the young man turned his head and faced Jiang Xu’s camera directly.

“Jiang Xu?” The person immediately recognized him.

Jiang Xu was stunned for a moment, and then he slowly uttered a name, “Shen Fangyu?”

When enemies meet, their eyes turn red with hatred. The artistic conception created by the hibiscus tree was destroyed in an instant. Jiang Xu put away his phone and walked up to Shen Fangyu. After repeatedly confirming that the person in front of him was indeed the brother he had met in the internet café, he blurted out, “What are you doing here?”

Shen Fangyu clearly did not want to be outdone and shouted, “Why can’t I be here? What are you recording?”

The two glared at each other, both bearing grudges from the previous summer and wanted nothing more than to fight under the tree.

“Which major did you apply for?” Jiang Xu asked.

Shen Fangyu replied nonchalantly, “Clinical medicine, eight years.”

Clinical medicine, an eight-year program, was the major with the highest entry points at A Medical University. Since Shen Fangyu had chosen this school, it was not surprising that he applied for this major.

At that time, Jiang Xu thought to himself, ‘He is actually going to study medicine?’

Meanwhile, Shen Fangyu was thinking, ‘After waiting all summer, I can finally tell him that I am number one.’

Thinking was slower than speaking. The eighteen-year-old Jiang Xu was quick and when he heard Shen Fangyu’s words, he showed a hint of disdain. “Alright, Shen Fangyu. Now that we’re in the same major, I’m telling you that the college entrance exam was the last time you’ll ever rank first.” He declared coldly.

“Who’s afraid of whom?” Shen Fangyu retorted. “If someone gets slapped in the face when he does worse than me in the exam and cries, I won’t care.”

The two opponents, who couldn’t stand each other, went their separate ways. Carrying a bellyful of anger and fighting spirit, they both headed to the library.

Only the deep red hibiscus tree witnessed their youthful vigor that year.

More than ten years later, Jiang Xu and Shen Fangyu once again stood in front of this old tree. Their youthful arrogance and boundless pride, leaving behind a profound bond that couldn’t be easily cut or untangled.

It was really a nostalgic feeling of the passing of time.

As expected, just as Jiang Xu looked over, Shen Fangyu brought up their past encounter under the tree. “We met under this tree at that time.”

“You deserved a beating,” Jiang Xu commented briefly.

Shen Fangyu said, “How come we didn’t just fight under this tree back then?”

Their conversation made Gao Cheng’s heart skip a beat, and he broke out in a cold sweat. The camera was recording, so they couldn’t really fight. Gao Cheng was a staff member of the school who was involved in organizing the event, and if they caused trouble during this reunion, he would be fired.

So he quickly handed the plaque he had prepared to the two of them, making sure that the center of the sign was aligned between their bodies without a centimeter of deviation.

The students who were ready to record the event adjusted their cameras. Jiang Xu and Shen Fangyu exchanged glances, then hung the bright red plaque with their major and graduation year on it on the branches of the hibiscus tree. Thunderous applause filled the air as students who had graduated several years ago reunited, most of them feeling proud of their achievements upon returning “home”.

Ge Cheng’s applause was completely because the two of them hadn’t started fighting yet.

Therefore, as soon as the plaque ceremony was over, he rushed up to separate the two.

It was not until the banquet started at noon that Jiang Xu briefly broke free from his friends’ small talk and glanced at Shen Fangyu. Shen Fangyu did not belong to the group who sat down and buried their heads in food. Instead, he confidently mingled with leaders, with his clothing and hair exuding a delightful fragrance. Shen Fangyu’s face wore a perfectly appropriate smile, and he mingled with a glass of wine.

Some people flattered Shen Fangyu, while others flattered those in power. The entire banquet hall was filled with flattering words, and fake laughter could be heard across several tables. For some reason, Jiang Xu found it all a bit tedious.

Many of Jiang Xu’s good friends sat at his table, and they chatted happily, mostly about the hospital patients. Initially, they were enjoying themselves until Huang Bin sat down. His presence made the table suddenly less harmonious. Although both Shen Fangyu and Huang Bin sought to expand their networks, Shen Fangyu’s table was full of laughter and conversation, neither humble nor overbearing, while Huang Bin seemed unwelcome and the moment he opened his mouth, he began advertising his company’s drugs.

Jiang Xu turned his head away from Huang Bin. On the one hand, he disliked such occasions, and on the other, he didn’t want to talk much with Huang Bin. Although Yang Rui was not harmed body wise, Huang Bin’s cheated her emotions.

Looking out the window, Jiang Xu saw the hibiscus tree shaking in the cold wind and the red plaque swinging with the wind.

Probably sensing his unhappy mood, Xiaoxiao suddenly moved, making Jiang Xu subconsciously look down.

This action caught Wang Jun’s attention, and he joked, “Are you also checking whether you are getting fat?”

They had just been discussing how doctors are among the groups most susceptible to the “three highs” (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipid levels) due to their irregular schedules and tendency to skip meals, so before they know it, they have gained weight.

“Oh, don’t even say it,” Wang Jun said as he looked over. “You’ve really put on some weight.”

It was winter so Jiang Xu wore a lot of clothes. His loose coat concealed his protruding stomach, making his weight gain less noticeable. However, it did appear that he had gained a bit of weight.

Tang Ke tried to cover for him, but Huang Bin suddenly made a snide comment. “How could Jiang Xu get fat? He’s always meddling in other people’s affairs and trying to seduce their girlfriends. He must have a really big ego to get fat.”

Jiang Xu released the hand that had been supporting his head and gave Huang Bin a subtle look.

Given Huang Bin’s personality, Jiang Xu had initially been surprised that he had chosen to sit at their table instead of Shen Fangyu’s. Now he understood why.

Although Yang Rui had claimed to have deleted their conversation, it was not surprising that Huang Bin suspected that he had said something to her.

If Huang Bin had not contacted anyone else that day, he would undoubtedly become the prime suspect as the only person who had obtained Yang Rui’s contact information.

Tang Ke was taken aback. “What are you talking about? What girlfriend?”

Huang Bin sneered, “A while ago, my girlfriend needed some help so I asked Jiang Xu for guidance. I gave her WeChat to him but soon after, she told me she wanted to break up. Jiang Xu, I don’t believe you didn’t interfere.”

He looked around at the stunned faces at the table and then turned back to Jiang Xu. “I don’t understand, Jiang Xu. You have no trouble finding a girlfriend with your conditions, why do you have to steal mine? Or is it because you like to ruin other people’s relationships, and that’s why you still haven’t dated anyone until now?”

This statement had too much information, and the onlookers showed expressions of amusement after hearing it, all glancing at Jiang Xu without a trace.

Jiang Xu showed no emotion on his face. After Huang Bin finished speaking, he looked at him indifferently and then said to Tang Ke who was between them: “Let me handle this.”

Tang Ke was already angry because of Huang Bin’s inexplicable words. Although he didn’t understand what was happening, he still stood up.

Unexpectedly, at the moment he stood up, Jiang Xu sat in his chair and directly kicked over Huang Bin’s chair.