Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Why did we fight? And why did our fights get more and more intense?

Compared to now, the arguments we'd had in college felt like nothing more than playful banter.

I'd always supported him, no matter what decision he made.

When he was too busy to go home, I'd go in his place to visit his parents.

I'd taken care of everything in his life—without me, he couldn't even find his own stomach medicine.

Ethan would take the pills I handed him and smile, saying, "What would I do without you?"

One sentence, one smile, and I'd be so smitten I'd forget my own name.

And all I'd asked for in return was so little.

I'd wanted him to bring me flowers every now and then, especially on special occasions.

I'd wanted to have dinner with him more often—whether it was at a restaurant or at home.

I'd wanted him to travel with me during the long holidays, to go to the places I'd always wanted to see.

Was that so ridiculous?

No matter how big or small my request was, if it was about me, he'd always let me down, always put it off.

At first, he'd still bother to smile and comfort me:

"I'm just too busy," he'd say. "I have to work hard, to compete with everyone else."

But eventually, he'd even stopped pretending.

I'd asked Ethan, "If you had to rank the people in your life, would it be work first, then your colleagues, then your buddies, and me last?"

He'd rolled his eyes and said, "Are you being ridiculous? What's the point of this stupid ranking?"

And this was before Olivia Parker had even entered the picture. Even then, we'd started to have our share of problems.

I'd told myself it was just because we were both too busy, too stressed. I'd tried my best to hold back my anger, to keep the peace.

I didn't want to be the "unreasonable" one, the one who "made a big deal out of nothing."

Now, as I lay here, helpless, I couldn't help but wonder—if Ethan had cared about me a little more, paid attention to me a little more, would we have fought so much?

Was it really that hard for him?

"Ning Ning, I've already talked to Olivia Parker. I told her we need to keep our distance," he said.

"You've always wanted to travel, haven't you? Tell me where you want to go, and I'll plan the whole trip."

"When you get out of the hospital, we'll go to that restaurant you love, okay?"

"Ning Ning, just wake up. I'll do whatever you want."

The lights dimmed—probably nighttime, and the ward had turned off the main lights.

Ethan had talked to me more today than he had in months.

In the past, his words would have made me burst into tears of joy.

But now, all I could think was:

I want to sleep.

Can you please just be quiet?