Reluctant to Let Go

Blurb: The first time Jiang Su met Shen Tinghang was at a central-city veterinary hospital in Jiang City. In the white examination room, filled with the smell of disinfectant, the man wore a white coat. He was tall and slender, with refined features and an indescribably gentle voice. Jiang Su had seen his photograph hanging in the hospital hallway. He was the hospital's technical director and its finest orthopedic surgeon. That year, Jiang Su was fifteen, a high school freshman. Later, she would bring stray kittens found by the roadside to the hospital, newborn and barely breathing. She would also bring in sick dogs belonging to friends. While Shen Tinghang examined them, she would sit at the hospital's reception desk, furiously working through practice problems and exam papers. Sometimes he would come over to take a look. His long, clearly defined fingers would rest on her worksheet as he quietly pointed out where she'd made a mistake. Everyone at the hospital teased him, saying Director Shen had taken in a sensible, obedient little sister. He had to help her care for cats and tutor her, too. Only Jiang Su knew how many times she had written the name Shen Tinghang in the secret hours of the night. A little scene: Years passed before they met again. Jiang Su brought a cat having trouble giving birth to the hospital. Her features were delicate, and a boy from her grade accompanied her. The two spoke softly, gazing at each other beneath the lights as they waited anxiously. They looked a perfect match. The girl who had once been so well-behaved smiled and nodded at Shen Tinghang, calling him “Brother” with such polite distance that they seemed like strangers. For the first time, Shen Tinghang was distracted before entering the operating room. The operation had barely begun when Director Shen, usually so composed in everyone else's eyes and never affected by personal emotions, closed his eyes. He took off his surgical gloves and said to the other doctor beside him, “You take over.” Later, Shen Tinghang happened upon the notebook of wrong answers Jiang Su had filled with his name in high school. He had just finished an operation. Leaning against the table, he looked tired, yet somehow more captivating than when they had first met. After a long pause, he pulled Jiang Su close. With a quiet, self-mocking laugh, he pointed to the dark circles under his eyes and said, “Next time, just tell me what's going on.” “I spent all that time being jealous for nothing, little sister.” Reading Guide 1. A warm and cozy story, with many scenes of rescuing and treating pets. 2. Mutual pining. 3. The male lead is eight years older than the female lead. Read with caution if that bothers you. 4. The original blurb was written in May 2020. This is a revised version. Theme: A story of the protagonists growing up, becoming more sensible, and learning to love and be loved.