At that moment, the door was wide open.
So when Li Tingxuan arrived with Madam Hua, standing at the doorway, he could see everything inside at a glance.
Madam Hua whispered to Li Tingxuan, “Dr. Gu is treating Zhenrong right now. It’s not a good time to disturb them. Tingxuan, would you like to wait here and watch, or…?”
“Auntie, I’ll wait here. Don’t worry, I won’t go in or make any noise to interrupt,” Li Tingxuan replied. But the moment his gaze landed on Gu Jianing inside the room, it clung to her, unable to look away.
Madam Hua: “…Alright.”
Madam Hua had other matters to attend to, and since she trusted Gu Jianing’s treatment, she didn’t stay to wait with Li Tingxuan. Before long, she left.
Now, Li Tingxuan was the only one waiting at the doorway.
His eyes remained fixed on Gu Jianing.
From his angle, he could only see her and Hua Zhenrong’s profiles.
Even so, he recognized the girl in the room at once—she was the one from his dreams, the female doctor who had given him salvation and a new life, the girl he had deeply engraved in his heart.
He had finally found her.
At this moment, Li Tingxuan felt his long-dormant heart racing wildly, a sensation he had never experienced in reality before.
For some reason, his eyes reddened, and he felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
Gu Jianing was highly perceptive. She had noticed the movement at the door almost immediately.
But she didn’t turn to look, focusing instead on continuing Hua Zhenrong’s treatment.
Later, she could sense a pair of eyes fixed on her.
Even without turning around, she could feel the intensity of that gaze.
Was it someone from the Hua family?
Probably not.
Curious, Gu Jianing finally turned her head to look.
The moment she turned, her eyes met Li Tingxuan’s.
And Li Tingxuan, for the first time in reality, saw the face of the girl he had never clearly seen in his dreams.
Yes, this was how she should look.
So beautiful, so unreal, like an angel.
Yet she was truly here, right before his eyes.
No one could understand the emotions surging through Li Tingxuan at that moment—the excitement, the joy.
His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but there was too much to say, and he didn’t know where to begin.
He even had the impulse to rush over and pull her into his arms, but he restrained himself.
For the first time in his life, he felt timid.
So, in his timidity, all he dared to do was nod gently at her when she looked his way.
Meanwhile, when Gu Jianing turned to look, her eyes lit up at first sight.
What a handsome young man.
And his type—refined and gentle, like a noble scholar—perfectly matched her aesthetic preferences.
This young man was similar in appearance to Wen Zhuqing.
But this one was undoubtedly the premium version.
Gu Jianing thought to herself that if, in her past life, she had met this young man before Wen Zhuqing, she would have pursued him instead of settling for the inferior version.
But that was all in the past.
In her past life, she had never even seen this young man.
So now, looking at him, she felt nothing but unfamiliarity.
Of course, that was her aesthetic in her past life. In this lifetime, her preferences had changed.
As she spent more time with Sheng Zexi, she now favored his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and well-defined muscles, along with his sharp, angular facial features.
That kind of man exuded a more masculine aura.
No—to be precise, it wasn’t that her aesthetic had changed.
Rather, she simply loved Sheng Zexi now. Whatever Sheng Zexi was like, that was what she loved.
So, after a brief flicker of appreciation in her eyes, Gu Jianing had no intention of looking any longer.
Besides, she truly didn’t recognize this man.
It was just…
The way he looked at her felt strange.
As if he had known her before—for a very, very long time.
But Gu Jianing was certain she didn’t know him.
So when she saw the young man nod at her, she returned the gesture before turning her attention back to Hua Zhenrong’s treatment.
Hua Zhenrong, who was beside her, had also noticed the commotion.
He glanced over and saw the figure standing at the door.
Even though Hua Zhenrong had been mentally unstable these past few years, having grown up in the same大院 (compound), he recognized the person at the door—none other than Li Tingxuan, the pride of the Li family.
Back then, Hua Zhenrong and Sheng Zexi had been hailed as the twin elite soldiers of the military district, but there was another name that couldn’t be overlooked: Li Tingxuan of the Li family.
Li Tingxuan was the child every parent praised, the role model all children were told to emulate.
Not only was he handsome in a way elders adored, but his abilities, temperament, and interpersonal skills were all impeccable.
In their youth, Hua Zhenrong had been somewhat resentful of him.
He had even sought out the young Li Tingxuan for a one-on-one challenge.
But in the end, he had been completely won over by Li Tingxuan’s charisma.
After that, any trace of envy or dissatisfaction vanished, replaced by pure admiration.
Hua Zhenrong thought that if they hadn’t gone their separate ways—each joining different military branches—they might have even become close friends.
If he had to describe Li Tingxuan in one word, it would be: **gentleman**.
Yes, Li Tingxuan was the very embodiment of a noble gentleman.
But…
What was Li Tingxuan doing at their house now?
Following Li Tingxuan’s gaze, Hua Zhenrong noticed that despite his composed demeanor, his eyes were fixed on Gu Jianing.
Hua Zhenrong: Wait, bro—what are you doing? That’s my sworn brother Sheng Zexi’s wife, and she’s pregnant! Why are you staring at her like that?
“Comrade Hua, let’s continue,” Gu Jianing said, snapping Hua Zhenrong out of his internal turmoil.
“Oh, right.” Hua Zhenrong pushed aside his chaotic thoughts and resumed his treatment.
Gu Jianing continued treating Hua Zhenrong, while Li Tingxuan remained quietly at the door, watching the entire time.
Had Gu Jianing turned around, she would have seen the deep nostalgia in his eyes.
The sight of her treating someone instantly transported Li Tingxuan back to his dreams.
In those dreams, it was exactly like this—his PTSD-stricken self being treated by Gu Jianing in their past life.
How could this scene not fill him with longing?
Leave a Reply