My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Time passed and City A finally ushered in the beginning of summer. The cicadas were chirping noisily and the heat was being over the top, causing people's sweat to flow uncontrollably and their brain heating up. Even then, summer became the most favorite season for students because they would have a long holiday and there were many places that they could go to only in summer, like beaches, swimming pools and festivals.

Amidst the crowd of youths who were planning on where to go during the holiday, a single person walking was especially conspicuous. Furthermore, because he was almost a head taller than average, he received gazes no matter where he went. His body was lean and slender with the perfect amount of muscle, and his skin fair and pale like jade. It was a pity that only his dark eyes were shown while the rest of his face was being hidden under the mask.

Coupled with his black, longer than average hair; the upper half of it lifted up in a ponytail while the other half was long enough to cover his fair nape, he looked wild and free spirited. His gait was casual with an air of suaveness, but if one looked closer, one would find that he walked slower than most people and he would subconsciously put pressure on his left leg, causing the balance of his body to tilt slightly.

He entered the taxi by the side of the road and closed the door. The driver was a friendly middle aged man. With a wide smile, he asked. "Young man, where do you want to go?"

"…The Central Sanatorium." He said quietly.

Surprise flashed through the driver's eyes and he started the car. For the next few minutes, only silence could be detected within the car. He didn't mind, only casually looking out of the window to see the blur scenery, no one knew what was on his mind.

However, the driver couldn't bear the silence and started another conversation. "Are you visiting someone there? How old are you? You look very tall and handsome, are you a model?"

He didn't answer, thus the driver could only grimace sheepishly and put on the radio. The sweet voice of the host started to talk about interesting news and today's weather.

It didn't take very long to get to the central sanatorium, to the driver's relief. He couldn't bear this kind of passenger the most. After a slow, suffocating drive of 20 minutes, the taxi stopped in front of a large building with a huge plaque 'The Central Sanatorium'. "We're here." He glanced at the fare measurer and said, "It's 38 yuan."

A slender finger reached out from behind to give a 100 yuan money.

The driver was startled. "Ah? Wait, let me give you the change."

"No need." He said and went out before the driver could do anything.

The window rolled down and the driver yelled. "Aih, thank you very much!" Even if he was reticent and taciturn, he was a kind youth.

The driver, as always, was met with silence. But he didn't mind anymore and drove away while humming.

Meanwhile, the man walked through the automatic door and took off his mask because there was no one present in the lobby. The receptionist who was getting sleepy perked up and her eyes brightened. "M—Mr.Jiang!" She stood up straight and smiled widely. "You haven't come for such a long time! Madam Jiang has been looking for you!" Then, as if remembering something, she glanced at the man's leg and averted her gaze in the next moment with unnaturalness.

"How is my mother?" Hearing the receptionist's words, a hint of warmth appeared in Jiang Jinyan's placid eyes. He didn't mind the curious and complicated gaze the receptionist was giving him and opened his wallet to pull out a stack of bills. "This is a little bit for you. Thank you for taking care of her."

"No need, no need!" The receptionist didn't dare to accept the money and instead, put it in the donation box. "Please wait a moment." Then, she picked up the phone receiver and pressed some numbers. "Hello, Xiao Yuan? Mr.Jiang is here."

Not even a minute later, a woman around 30 in white nurse uniform ran down the hallway, her eyes brightened up at the sight of Jiang Jinyan. "Young Master Jiang, you're here! Madam has been worried because you haven't been coming for almost three months!"

Toward this woman, Jiang Jinyan's attitude could be considered lukewarm. This was the caretaker who had accompanied his mother for almost ten years here. "Auntie Yuan, it's okay, just call me Jinyan."

"Aiyah, how can I? Don't worry about it!" Yuan Xilu waved her hand. She smiled so wide that wrinkles appeared on the corner of her eyes. "How are you, Young Master Jiang? You have gotten a lot thinner."

Jiang Jinyan hummed as he walked together with Yuan Xilu. "I have just gotten into a small accident, no big deal."

"Is that so?" Yuan Xilu's face turned worried. "Are you okay now?"

"Yes." Jiang Jinyan didn't want to discuss himself thus he changed the topic back. "Mother was looking for me?"

Of course, Yuan Xilu could sense that something had infinitely changed within Jiang Jinyan, after all, this was the kid whom she had watched growing up with her own eyes. But she was also simple minded, upon being led, she instantly forgot what she was worrying about. "Oh yes, this month she has been looking for you twice and last month, she called for you thrice. She is getting better and better each day."

Jiang Jinyan knew that Yuan Xilu was just comforting him. Who didn't know that Guan Xiaoxiao had almost no chance of recovery? Even so, he still smiled and walked past the lawn where it was planted with numerous kinds of flowers in separate flower beds.

There, a slender, exquisitely beautiful woman stood as she admired the hydrangeas. She had waist length hair that flowed down naturally, very smooth and shiny like silk. Her face was fair and gentle with a pair of arc eyebrows. Her eyes curved naturally thus even when she was just being silent, it always looked like she was smiling, very pleasant and heartwarming.

Upon seeing two people coming closer, she was dazed for a while.

Jiang Jinyan stopped in his tracks as he looked at her, a lodge stuck in his throat. Guan Xiaoxiao's eyes turned to him and her eyes brightened up like no other, as if all of the happiness in the world had gathered there.

"Huocheng!" She threw her flowers away and ran toward Jiang Jinyan. He had gotten quite used to it, thus he instinctively strode forward and received the woman's embrace. "Huocheng, you've come to see me! I miss you very much!"

Beside them, Yuan Xilu whispered patiently. "Madam, this is your son, Jinyan."

"Ah?" Guan Xiaoxiao blinked in confusion and a pair of doe eyes peered up at him. "Jinyan?"

The corner of Jiang Jinyan's lips curled upward and he grasped Guan Xiaoxiao's and kissed the back of her palm like a gentleman would. His eyes were gentle, warm with a hint of sadness. "Mother, it's me."

This was Guan Xiaoxiao, Jiang Huocheng's legitimate wife and Jiang Jinyan's mother, whose mind would forever be frozen at the age of sixteen when she first met her first love, never changing and never getting old even when twenty five years had already passed.