Chapter 212 - 149: Goodbye
"You said it!" Shen Yu looked up.
"I said it." Jiang He reached out to wipe her tears.
Seeing her reduced to a teary mess, Jiang He tried to lighten the mood. "Teacher Shen, how about you wait right here and don’t move? I’ll go buy you some oranges."
Shen Yu froze for a moment. When she realized what he meant, she laughed in exasperation.
She reached out and slapped Jiang He’s chest. "You! Don’t you go too far! Trying to get one over on me right before I leave!"
Jiang He chuckled, wiping away the teardrops from the corners of her eyes with his thumb. He leaned in closer and said, "No more crying. Hey, want to know what you were saying in your sleep last night?"
Hearing this, Shen Yu cried out. Then, one, two, three—she bumped him forcefully on the chest three times, shouting, "No! Don’t tell me! I don’t want to hear it!"
Jiang He stumbled backward from the impacts, chuckling merrily.
’My wife is just too adorable.’
In reality, last night had been the most peaceful and best night’s sleep he’d had in over ten years.
Holding her in his arms, he had felt so at ease that he didn’t even dream.
He had slept soundly until dawn and hadn’t heard her say a single word in her sleep.
He had only brought it up to tease her.
...
There were still two hours until the flight’s departure.
Since this was Shen Yu’s first time flying, she had never been through the process before and was feeling a little flustered. She just wanted to get through security quickly and wait at the boarding gate.
Jiang He nodded. He helped her straighten the strap on her bag and began giving instructions. "After you get through security, look at the big screen to find your boarding gate. Once you’re on the plane, turn off your phone. And remember the most important thing: the air pressure will change during takeoff, so your ears might feel stuffy or hurt."
"What do I do then?"
"During takeoff, open your mouth, chew some gum, or make a swallowing motion. That will equalize the pressure inside and out so your ears won’t feel uncomfortable. Got it?"
"Okay, got it. Open my mouth." Shen Yu tried it.
Seeing his girl open her mouth, Jiang He wanted to kiss her again.
But Shen Yu was sharp. She noticed the change in Jiang He’s eyes and said warily, "You’re not going to... again..."
Jiang He cleared his throat. "No, no. Go on."
Shen Yu didn’t move.
She tilted her head up to look at Jiang He, her eyes growing moist again.
"Jiang He, I’m going."
"Go on. Text me when you land."
Shen Yu turned and walked toward the security line.
After just two steps, she turned back to glance at Jiang He.
Jiang He stood in place, waving at her.
Shen Yu kept walking, got into the line, and looked back one more time.
Jiang He was still there, his gaze following her.
Just as it was almost her turn to have her boarding pass checked, Shen Yu looked back for a third time.
She raised her hand and waved vigorously at Jiang He, whispering, "Goodbye, Dr. Jiang!"
Across the crowd, Jiang He waved back, his lips moving to form the word, "Goodbye."
As Shen Yu’s figure disappeared completely at the end of the security corridor, the smile on Jiang He’s face slowly faded.
’If he could, he would keep her here and never be apart again.’
’Even if it meant going to the Capital City, he wanted to drop everything and go with her.’
’But he knew he couldn’t do that right now.’
’The groundwork for his research was already laid out.’
’All the preparations were made; he was just waiting for the final, crucial piece.’
’He had to succeed in developing the early screening for pancreatic cancer.’
’Jiang He, you have to make it happen.’
Turning to leave the security area, Jiang He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
He pulled it out and saw it was a text from Shen Yu:
Dr. Jiang, I’m through security!
Jiang He replied with an "Okay."
Then he put his phone away and walked directly to the airline’s ticketing counter.
"Hello, how can I help you?" the staff member asked politely.
Jiang He gave them Shen Yu’s flight number and ID number. "Could you please check if there are any first-class seats available on this passenger’s flight?"
The agent tapped on their keyboard to check. "Yes, sir. There are still seats available in first class for that flight."
"Great." Jiang He took out his bank card and handed it over. "Please upgrade this ticket to first class for me."
A few minutes later, the agent handed Jiang He’s bank card back with both hands. "Sir, it’s all taken care of. The boarding system has been updated. When the passenger scans her original boarding pass at the gate, the machine will automatically show the change."
Jiang He stepped to the side, took out his phone, and started composing a text.
Wow, Teacher Shen, you’re so lucky! The airport staff just called me. They said there was a back-end lottery, and your ticket won a first-class seat! I’ve already helped them process the free upgrade for you. The system will notify you when you board.
Message sent.
Less than thirty seconds later, a reply came back:
Dr. Jiang! You’re spending money recklessly again!!! Do you think I’m an idiot?!! There’s no such thing as a free upgrade!!!
Jiang He leaned against a pillar in the airport and chuckled, his fingers flying across the keypad:
Teacher Shen, spending money on you makes me happy. It’s a burden you’ll just have to bear.
He sent the message. After a long moment, a short, one-word reply came back:
You!
「Beside the boarding gate.」
Shen Yu stared at the sentence on her screen—"It’s a burden you’ll just have to bear"—and the tears started falling uncontrollably again.
’What is with this guy!’
Inside Shen Yu’s heart, a mix of sorrow, gratitude, and longing—all these emotions erupted at once.
She didn’t care that there were so many other travelers around her.
She squatted right down on the floor, hugged her knees, and buried her head in her arms, sobbing.
She cried until she was gasping for breath.
Squatting on the floor, Shen Yu had only one thought in her mind.
’I don’t want to go back north.’
’I just want to turn around, run back out of the security checkpoint, and run back to Jiang He’s side.’
’I want to be with Dr. Jiang forever.’
’Never, ever be apart.’
Shen Yu buried her face in her knees, her tears soaking a large patch of her clothes.
’You idiot, Dr. Jiang... I want to marry you. I want to be your wife. Right now, this instant, I want to marry you, you idiot...’