The cardiothoracic surgery department was notorious in the hospital for having lots of snacks, especially from his sister Shi Miao.
Shi Wenli said, "No, Jiang Yang gave them to me."
Speaking of Jiang Yang, Xu Qinghe had run into him a couple of days ago while following up with a cardiothoracic patient. He had casually handed her a bag of nuts.
Jiang Yang was Dean Jiang's beloved son, a cardiothoracic surgeon who claimed to be the second most handsome in the hospital.
Dean Jiang's precious son had been disliked not only by the dean himself but even by dogs at first.
When Jiang Yang first joined the hospital, he had a lot of bad habits. After going through some experiences, he now had a very sweet tongue, calling everyone "bro" and "sis," and often sharing small snacks.
The elevator Shi Wenli had called arrived, and they walked in.
He was going back to the neurosurgery ward, and she was returning to the anesthesia office.
Xu Qinghe glanced at the time; it was already 7:15.
"Will you be in your office for a while?" she asked.
"Yes."
Whenever he offered her snacks, she never stood on ceremony.
Xu Qinghe said, "I'll go upstairs to grab my bag and come to your office to pack the snacks."
Shi Wenli laughed. "...There aren't that many snacks. You won't need a big bag."
Xu Qinghe smiled sheepishly.
Then Shi Wenli said warmly, "I'll be working late tonight and in the office the whole time. Come by whenever you're ready."
Just like before he went for training, working late was routine for him.
Now that Shi Miao had her own family and he didn't need to worry about her, he spent even more time at the hospital.
Xu Qinghe returned to her office, changed into her own clothes, grabbed her bag, and headed to the neurosurgery ward.
The snacks were indeed not many: one honey orange, two bags of daily nuts, and a few packs of dried strawberries.
Xu Qinghe left one bag of nuts for him. "One bag is enough for me."
Shi Wenli didn't take it and put it back with hers. "You know I don't have the habit of snacking."
"How many surgeries do you have tomorrow?" he asked casually.
Xu Qinghe held up her fingers to show a number.
Seven anesthesia cases tomorrow—she would likely be off work late again.
She put the snacks and orange into her bag but didn't rush to leave. Instead, she sat down in the chair next to him.
It was rare to finish work this early and have time to chat with him.
But before she could speak, his phone rang. It was a patient's family member calling specifically to thank him, saying that the patient was recovering well at home.
With nothing else to do, Xu Qinghe took out the honey orange from her bag and slowly began to peel it.
The distinctive citrus fragrance spread through the air.
Eating an orange that was neither too sour nor too sweet while listening to him talk on the phone was, for her, another form of relaxation.
When he hung up, she had just finished the last segment of the orange.
She wanted to stay a little longer, but that would delay his overtime work. She stood up to take her leave and casually thanked him again for the snacks. "I've been so busy this year that I keep forgetting to bring snacks from home. I've been relying on everyone's handouts."
Shi Wenli said, "From now on, whenever Jiang Yang gives me snacks, I'll save them for you."
He rarely ate snacks; it was Jiang Yang who forced them on him.
Jiang Yang was so enthusiastic that it would be embarrassing not to take them.
Xu Qinghe didn't stand on ceremony. "Then thank you in advance, Director Shi."
"No need to thank me. It's tough working with me in the OR. Besides, I'm just borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha. Oh, by the way," Shi Wenli suddenly remembered something, "I heard you had a dispute with the orthopedics team last week?"
Xu Qinghe: "..."
Zhang Xun was right—good news doesn't always travel, but bad news certainly spreads throughout the entire operating suite.
He had only just returned, yet he knew all the details.
"Dean Jiang has already talked to me. It's fine. I'll submit a self-criticism in a couple of days."
As long as it was okay.
Shi Wenli said lightly, "Jiang Yang has templates for self-criticisms. You can ask him for a few to look at."
Xu Qinghe laughed.
Jiang Yang was often criticized, so writing self-criticisms was a common occurrence for him.
"I don't need to ask Jiang Yang for a template. Dean Jiang just said my temper was too sharp and that I should communicate better with the surgeons in the future. He didn't say much else. The self-criticism is something I decided to write on my own."
Regarding her temper, Shi Wenli said, "Everyone's perception might be different."
He spoke honestly. "I think your temper is actually pretty good."
Xu Qinghe just smiled and didn't respond.
That was because he had a good temper.
Over the past few years, whenever they encountered any disagreements at work, he would discuss them with her and find solutions, never laying into her.