Last time he smoked secretly, he thought his family just wanted him to quit smoking using this illness and were scaring him by colluding with the doctor.
He never imagined it was truly not allowed.
He was, after all, a company boss; he had the determination to quit smoking.
If not for himself, then for his daughter, he would quit.
Just now, he felt stuffy and went out for a stroll. His daughter said he was acting suspiciously and then accused him of smoking.
What could he do?"
The daughter didn't listen further and stood up to leave the room.
Xu Qinghe said, "Uncle, you must not hide anything from us. If there's a sudden emergency, tell me honestly, the one most upset would be your daughter, wouldn't it?"
The patient nodded silently.
He knew that, which was why he had restrained himself from smoking.
Just then, the attending doctor, Jiang Yang, pushed the door open.
The daughter had gone to the doctor's office to call him over.
Jiang Yang walked to the bedside and patted the patient: "Uncle, you see, you can never break trust. Otherwise, even if you don't smell like smoke, your daughter can sniff out a smoke smell."
"You don't know how worried she is every day, to the point of insomnia. She's afraid you'll suffer during postoperative recovery because of your poor lung function, and she told me she wished she could bear that suffering for you."
The patient felt an indescribable mix of emotions.
Jiang Yang looked at Xu Qinghe: "Dr. Xu, rest assured, he hasn't had a chance to smoke. I've been keeping an eye on him."
The patient: "..."
Xu Qinghe: "..."
With a patient who had a history like that, all they could do was keep a close watch.
After the visit, the three left the room.
Jiang Yang had also heard about Xu Qinghe being reported that morning by the patient's family and orthopedics.
Comforting words wouldn't help.
He invited her and Zhang Xun to his office for a break: "I have snacks and fruit. Plenty."
Xu Qinghe wasn't going; she still had other patients to visit.
"Thanks, another time."
"Still more patients to see?"
"Yes, a few in orthopedics."
"..."
Jiang Yang hadn't expected her to have an orthopedic surgery so soon; he couldn't help but sympathize and wanted to give her some snacks to console her: "Sis, wait here. I'll get you some kumquats. The ones I bought this time are especially good."
Xu Qinghe thought, I know; I already had some on Saturday afternoon.
"No need. I brought some kumquats this morning. I have them at home."
When she said 'home,' she meant Shi Wenli's place.
Jiang Yang didn't think much of it—kumquats weren't unique to any particular supplier.
Zhang Xun decided to go to the cardiology office: "Senior Sister, I won't go to orthopedics with you. I'll hang out in Dr. Jiang's office."
"Go ahead." Xu Qinghe waved and left first.
Zhang Xun and Jiang Yang got along well; they had played ball together a few times on weekends.
He stayed behind not for the snacks.
When they got to the office, Jiang Yang pulled out a large bag of snacks and warmly offered them.
Zhang Xun casually mentioned: "Did you hear about my senior sister?"
"How could I not? Section Chief Wu got chewed out by the patient's family this morning; the whole floor heard it."
"..."
Zhang Xun explained: "My senior sister didn't mean to antagonize the surgeons." He took the opportunity to ask Jiang Yang for help: "I don't know many other doctors in the hospital, and they don't know me. If you get a chance, could you put in a good word for her?"
Jiang Yang was realistic about himself: "Letting me put in a good word for Dr. Xu? I suggest you reconsider. You haven't been here long, so you might not know, but my reputation in the hospital is worse than your senior sister's. Are you sure you want my help?"
"..."
Definitely not.
He might end up doing more harm than good.
Jiang Yang picked up a stack of medical records, tore open a kumquat and popped it into his mouth, then sat down at the computer and started working.
Zhang Xun saw this: "Working late tonight?"
Jiang Yang nodded: "My supervisor is about to come back from vacation. If I don't finish, I'll get an earful."
Shi Miao's honeymoon ends tomorrow; she takes a day off and then returns to work. He needs to get the work done before she comes back.
--
At 7:10 p.m., Shi Wenli finally came down from the OR.
Xu Qinghe hadn't gone to his office. After her preoperative visits, she bought a baked sweet potato and waited by the car in the parking lot, eating as she waited.
Shi Wenli approached, his expression as calm as before, and asked with concern: "Isn't it cold eating outside?"
"Not cold. I've been indoors all day, so it's nice to get some fresh air."
He unlocked the car, and Xu Qinghe opened the passenger door and got in.
Because of her words "I kind of miss you" at noon, there was now an unspoken intimacy between them when they met again.
But unavoidably, there was also a little awkwardness.
Shi Wenli opened the center console, took out the spare key fob, and handed it to her: "If you get off work early in the future and I'm not in my office, just wait for me in the car."
Xu Qinghe happily accepted.
The new house was east of the hospital, only a few minutes' drive away.
They had barely exchanged a few words before the car turned into the community's underground garage.
Xu Qinghe looked out the window. Once they moved here, he wouldn't have to scrape frost off the windshield every morning.
The parking spot was close to the elevator, only a short ten meters away.
But as they got out of the car, Shi Wenli still took her hand.
During the drive, Shi Wenli had been thinking about how to get closer to her without rushing things.
He gently parted her fingers and interlaced them with his.