It wasn’t until after my father passed away.
One day, my grandfather got drunk and cried in front of my father’s photo:
“Zhan, I regret it so much! If only I hadn’t taught you that technique back then! I should have let it end with me!”
Later, when I was a bit older, I asked my grandfather what he meant by those words.
After a long silence, my grandfather only said:
“Ivy, I will pass on all my medical skills to you. As for the rest, you don’t need to ask anymore.”
Having grown up relying on each other, I understood my grandfather’s personality.
Knowing he had made up his mind, I didn’t ask further.
But as I grew older, and after my grandfather passed away unexpectedly, I began to understand what he had wanted to keep from me.
“Thank you for your father’s concern. My grandfather and I lived quite well in those years.”
Ethan hesitated for a while, but still asked:
“May I ask, your grandfather…”
Seeing his hesitation, I said frankly:
“My grandfather passed away five years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
Ethan had been sitting on the side, not daring to speak.
Seeing us fall silent, he looked left and right, then called the waiter to bring the food.
Because of Ethan’s words, I was reminded of many old memories.
I hardly spoke during the meal.
When the meal ended, I was just about to say goodbye when Ethan extended an invitation:
“Miss Sang, my father hasn’t been feeling well lately. If it’s convenient for you, could you come to our house to take a look?”
Although I’m not as skilled as my grandfather and father, I can handle most common ailments, so I didn’t refuse.
After agreeing on a time to visit, I found it hard to refuse Ethan’s offer to drive me back to the hotel.
I had thought there would be a driver.
Unexpectedly, after the driver brought the car to the restaurant entrance, he left.
Sitting in Ethan’s passenger seat, I awkwardly looked at the scenery outside the window.
“Miss Sang, are you here for tourism? Have you thought about settling down in Southcity?”
Because of my father’s connection to his father, I took the initiative to suggest Ethan change how he addressed me.
Hearing him smoothly call me Ivy, I adjusted for a few seconds before answering his earlier question.
“I’m planning to open a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, but I haven’t decided which city yet. Southcity is my first stop to explore.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ethan tap his index finger on the steering wheel:
“Looks like it might be a bit difficult to keep you here.”
Thinking Ethan was considering his father’s health, I smiled without saying anything.
After arriving in Southcity, I changed to a new phone number.
After much hesitation, I still used the new number to send Rachel a message.
[Rachel, I didn’t want you to worry, so I’m letting you know I’m safe.]
Rachel replied quickly.
[Take good care of yourself. If you encounter any difficulties, come find me. Don’t hesitate.]
What I didn’t know was that after replying to me, Rachel memorized the number and then deleted our conversation.
Looking at Lucas in front of her, insisting that she hand over my address, Rachel sighed with a headache.
“Even if you find her, then what? Don’t you understand Ivy’s personality? Do you think she would come back with you?”
Lucas was hit where it hurt again.
He paced in circles for a while, then sat down across from Rachel.
