Julian just kept looking at her, his eyes unblinking, as if afraid she might disappear.

Clara stood by the side, her hands clenched into fists, her fingernails digging into her palms.

It hurt.

But it didn't hurt as much as he was hurting.

After returning from Qiyan, Julian went back every Saturday for rehabilitation.

Clara accompanied him.

Every time, he would be sweating profusely from the pain, yet he never cried out.

Once, after they finished, his leg swelled up, and even walking was a struggle.

Clara helped him out of the rehabilitation hospital.

"Julian, and you still said it didn't hurt?"

"It hurts now."

"Then why didn't you say anything just now?"

"You were right there; I didn't want you to worry."

"The more you're like this, the more I worry."

He suddenly stopped and looked at her.

"Clara, do you know? Back in Qiyan, every time you called me to say you were working overtime at the funeral home, or that you couldn't get a cab on the road, or that you were walking home alone—I never worried."

"And now?"

"Now, every step you take, I’m afraid you'll fall."

He smiled, a bitter smile.

"I guess it's karma. The suffering you endured, God wants me to pay it all back."

Clara helped him into the car, and he didn't let go of her hand.

"Clara."

"Yes."

"If my leg really ends up with a permanent limp, will you despise me?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because these legs of yours walked four hundred kilometers to find me. If they have a limp, it’s a limp acquired on the road to find me; what is there for me to despise?"

His eyes reddened.

"Then you—"

"Julian, please don't ask. When your leg is healed, I will answer you."

"What if it doesn't get better?"

"Then I’ll wait until you've gotten used to the pain."

He looked into her eyes for a long time.

"Okay. I'll wait for you."

Two months later, Julian’s leg had improved significantly.

His walking posture was basically normal, and only a close observer could notice a slight limp.

His work at the service center also became increasingly efficient.

Gu Ye said he was much more effective than the previous administrative staff. After all, having a background as a doctor, he was methodical, and he organized the files as precisely as surgical plans.

Su Tang did not appear again.

Lin Wei told Clara that Su Tang was now with Liu Yuan.

"Liu Yuan pursued her for so long that she finally relented. I don't know if she really likes him, or if she's just looking for someone to fill the void after giving up on Julian."

Clara said: "Either way, I hope she finds happiness."

Lin Wei laughed on the other end of the phone.

"Clara, you have a very big heart now."

"It's not about having a big heart. It's because I know what it feels like to wait for someone who never comes. That feeling is too bitter; I don't want her to stay bitter forever."

"What about you? Are you still bitter?"

Chapter 24

Clara looked out the window; Julian’s car was parked downstairs. He had come to pick her up from work.

"Not bitter anymore," she said. "A little sweet."

After hanging up, she went downstairs.

Julian was leaning against the car door, holding a bouquet of white roses.

"Why are there flowers today?"

"I passed by a flower shop, saw they were fresh, and wanted to buy them for you."

"You never bought flowers before."

"I didn't buy them before because I didn't know you liked them. Now that I know, I want to buy them."

Clara took the flowers and lowered her head to smell them.

They smelled lovely.

"Julian."

"Yes."

"Your leg doesn't hurt anymore, right?"

"It doesn't hurt."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Then I will answer your previous question now."

He was stunned.

"What question?"

"You asked me if I would answer you once your leg was healed."

He stood where he was, taking his hands out of his pockets and putting them back in, like a child who had done something wrong.

"You... what are you going to answer?"

Clara looked at his nervous expression and suddenly smiled.

"Julian, close your eyes."

He closed his eyes.

"Hold out your hand."

He reached out his hand.

Clara placed the white roses in his palm, then took his hand in hers.

He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Clara—"

"Didn't you ask me if I was willing to give you another chance?"

His eyes reddened.

"My answer is—"

"I am willing."

The moment those two words were spoken, Julian’s tears fell.

He stood at the entrance of the Anhe Funeral Service Center, holding a bouquet of white roses, crying like a child.

"Stop crying; people will think I'm bullying you."

"You

are

bullying me," he said, his voice incredibly hoarse. "You bullied me for three years, and you're still bullying me now."

"How am I bullying you?"

"You said you'd leave, and you left; you said you'd block me, and you blocked me; you said you didn't want me, and you threw me away. I chased you for so long, and you wouldn't say a single word. Now that you've said it, I—"

He choked back a sob.

"I can't take it."

Clara looked at him, her heart aching yet soft.

"Julian, please stop crying. There are so many people watching."

He sniffled, wiped away his tears, and then did something that took her by surprise.

He knelt down, placed the white roses on the ground, and pulled a small box out of his pocket.

He opened it.

Inside was a ring.

It wasn't a new one.

It was the ring Clara had worn at their wedding.

"You—"

"You left it on the nightstand when you moved out. I've kept it with me all this time." He looked up at her. "Clara, you wouldn't wear this ring, so I kept it safe for you for nearly a year. Now I want to return it to you. Not because I want you to go back to the past, but because I want to start over with you. Starting from this ring, starting from today. Are you willing?"

Clara watched him kneeling on the ground, holding the ring.

There were still bruises on his knees from rehabilitation training.

There were bloodshot spots in his eyes, as well as tears.

He was much thinner, much older, and looked much more haggard.

But he looked better to her than ever before.

"Julian, get up."

"If you won't wear it, I won't get up."

"Your leg just healed; if you kneel for too long, it will hurt again."

"Let it hurt. I waited a year for you; a little more time doesn't matter."

Clara squatted down to be eye-level with him.

"Give me the ring."

He scrambled to take the ring out of the box and handed it to her.

She didn't take it.

She reached out her hand instead.

"You put it on for me."

He was stunned.

"What did you say?"

"I said, you put it on for me."

His hands were shaking.

The ring didn't slide on for several attempts.

Finally, it was on. He held her hand and pressed it against his face.

"Clara, thank you."

His voice was low and hoarse, concealing a sob he had suppressed for too long.

"Thank me for what?"

Clara lowered her eyes, her fingertips relaxing slightly.

"Thank you for being willing to give me another chance."

She gently withdrew her hand, her tone calm yet sincere, speaking each word clearly.

"Don't thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank yourself. You were the one who caught up."

After a pause, she looked at the surging deep affection in his eyes and slowly finished the second half of the sentence.

"You were the one who refused to give up, and you were the one who learned how to love me."

Chapter 25

Julian’s tears fell again, dripping onto the back of Clara’s hand.

"Julian, stop crying. If you keep crying, I’m going to cry too."

"Then cry. I’ll be here with you."

That night, Anhe experienced the first snowfall since the beginning of winter.

They stood at the entrance of the service center, and neither of them left.

Snow fell on the white roses, on his hair, and on the hands they held together.

"Julian, are you cold?"

"No."

"You're lying; your hands are cold."

"Your hands are warm."

Julian held Clara’s hand and tucked it into his pocket.

"Clara, let's go home."

"Which home?"

"Our home. The apartment I rented. Are you willing to move in?"

Clara looked at him and smiled.

"Give me back those sticky notes first."

"What sticky notes?"

"The ones you put on my porridge every day. I’ve saved them all. After you left, I read through them every night."

He was stunned, and then he smiled.