The next day, before 6:30, Xu Qinghe woke up naturally. She didn't seem to have slept soundly during the night, but upon waking, she felt she had slept well. Shi Wenli had gotten up earlier than her and was in the kitchen making her breakfast. After washing up, Xu Qinghe went to the kitchen. "Morning." Shi Wenli turned at the sound of her voice. "Up so early?" "Mm. Probably because I went to bed early last night." In reality, she hadn't fallen asleep until the middle of the night. She walked over nonchalantly, looking at the counter where there were cucumber strips, shredded carrots, lettuce on the chopping board, and egg crepes and ham on a plate. She asked casually, "What are you making today?" "I steamed some purple rice last night. I'll make you rice balls." Since she didn't like seaweed, he didn't wrap them with it. Xu Qinghe caught sight of the chicken cutlet in the frying pan. "So elaborate?" Shi Wenli took out the pork floss from the fridge and asked what sauce she wanted. "Both salad dressing and ketchup." Today's breakfast was purple rice balls and freshly squeezed juice. She could already foresee Fang Yu envying her breakfast again. "Don't you find it troublesome making breakfast every day?" "No," Shi Wenli said without pausing. "Family health is more important than anything." And he only got up a little over twenty minutes earlier. Before 7 o'clock, the two left with their breakfast. Only after entering the elevator did Xu Qinghe meet his eyes. The moment their eyes met, she instinctively wanted to look away. But then she thought, she was the one worried they would become roommates, and yet after he kissed her, why was she getting timid? She steadied herself and didn't look away. "What time did you go to bed last night?" Shi Wenli: "Before 11. I don't usually stay up late unless I'm on night shift. I usually go to bed between 10:30 and 11, otherwise, with surgeries all day, my body can't handle it." Xu Qinghe said, "I usually go to bed later than you. After we get married, I'll follow your schedule and go to bed early and wake up early." Only after saying this did she realize she had inadvertently mentioned their post-marriage life of living together after getting the certificate. Fortunately, the elevator reached the first floor. She quickly walked out. Exiting the building, they both reached out their hands toward each other at the same time. Xu Qinghe extended hers, and Shi Wenli took it. The flutter from his kiss last night lingered intermittently, persisting even now. The moment he held her hand, her heartbeat suddenly quickened again, bringing back that familiar feeling of an accelerated heartbeat from last night. The first kiss was initiated by him. She wondered if she should take the initiative to kiss him once. Previously, she always thought it would be simple to kiss him. But when it came to actually taking that step, she found it quite difficult. Getting into the car, Xu Qinghe glanced at the display screen; the time just turned to 7:02. Having no idea where the courage came from, she called out, "Shi Wenli." He was buckling his seatbelt and looked up. "What's up?" "...I'm going to kiss you." She propped herself up on the armrest box, leaning sideways. Shi Wenli was caught off guard, his throat tightening. A second before the kiss landed, Xu Qinghe was still hesitating whether to kiss his cheek or his lips. There wasn't much time to think; she pressed her lips to his. One hand braced on the driver's seat headrest, the other resting on his shoulder. After a brief kiss, she immediately pulled away and sat back. "Watch your head." Shi Wenli shielded her head with his hand. "It's fine." Xu Qinghe steadied her breathing. Her ears were bright red, betraying her embarrassment and awkwardness. Shi Wenli unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned over the armrest box, and kissed her deeply. Xu Qinghe's breath caught. Instinctively, she responded. Shi Wenli didn't pull back immediately. In the cramped space of the car, they breathed in each other's presence. Xu Qinghe couldn't describe the feeling of his kiss. It was something that made her entire body tingle and numb. Their noses touched. Shi Wenli ended the kiss and sat back properly. Xu Qinghe, ears red, turned to look out the window. She dared not think about what she would do if he ever gave her a deep kiss. The car slowly left the neighborhood. Only when they entered the hospital did she gradually calm down. She still didn't turn to look at Shi Wenli. She touched her ears; they had never been this hot. Even their phone blind date hadn't made her feel like this. Luckily it was winter; red ears could be blamed on the cold. Once the car was parked, Xu Qinghe finally turned to him. "...My ears are red. I'm not getting out with you today." Shi Wenli's ears were also a little warm after the kiss, just not as noticeable. He looked at her ears; her fair skin made the flush especially striking. He asked, "How many surgeries today?" Xu Qinghe said, "Two in the morning." Not too busy. "Then let's have lunch together," he said gently. "Mm, okay." Xu Qinghe didn't bother to zip her down jacket, got out directly, and said, "Bye." The spot he parked was far from the main building; colleagues didn't like to park there, so she didn't run into many people along the way. At the main building, the staff elevator was full, so she waited for the next one with a few colleagues from Obstetrics and Gynecology and General Surgery. "Dr. Xu, make sure to learn to drive soon. Look at how red your ears are. Be careful they don't get frostbitten." "..." At the OB/GYN colleague's comment, others looked at her ears. "Oh, they're really red. Why aren't you wearing a hat?" Fortunately, her down jacket today didn't have a hood, or she wouldn't have been able to explain. Xu Qinghe said, "I have a scarf." "It's minus ten degrees. That scarf isn't enough. You need a thick hat." The OB/GYN doctor kindly advised, "Don't take it lightly. When I was working in the countryside, my dorm was close to the hospital, so I was too lazy to wear a scarf or hat, thinking my ears couldn't possibly get frostbitten. But they did, and it was painful and itchy for days." As they chatted, they noticed someone behind her. "Good morning, Director Shi." "Good morning." Seeing him holding an insulated bag, those in Neurosurgery who hadn't eaten breakfast figured they were in for a treat. "Director Shi, what delicious food did you make today?" Shi Wenli said, "Purple rice balls." He had steamed extra rice, so he made a few more. Xu Qinghe turned around, hands in her down jacket pockets, holding the warm rice ball. She pretended to be natural and greeted him, "Good morning, Director Shi." Shi Wenli smiled. "Morning." With colleagues nearby, Xu Qinghe felt guilty and avoided looking at him. She didn't engage in extra conversation like before. "Director Shi, are you free today?" an OB/GYN colleague said. "I'll come to your office for a specialist consultation." Shi Wenli said, "I have surgery in the morning and will be in the office in the afternoon. Come anytime. What's wrong?" "I've had a headache for a few days. I suspect it's nerve compression." A General Surgery colleague chimed in, "You're stressed from tutoring your son's homework. I had the same problem a while ago—got headaches from the frustration. I finally made my husband do the tutoring, and now he's getting headaches too." Everyone laughed. The elevator arrived, and they walked in one after another. Neither of them tried to specifically talk to each other. Once in her office, Xu Qinghe hadn't even taken breakfast out of her pocket when Fang Yu instinctively looked at her. Not only had her breakfast diversified, but Fang Yu also noticed that the smile in her eyes was different from before. She couldn't pinpoint what was different. People said joy brings a sparkle, but with Wu Xiaofeng blocking her and the Orthopedics complaint still active, she shouldn't be so radiant. Fang Yu could only think of one possibility: maybe since her breast blockage was cleared, her spirit naturally improved. Unlike herself, who had developed several nodules—how could she be happy? -- Shi Wenli's morning surgery finished twenty minutes ahead of schedule. At 12:10, the surgery was completed successfully. Xu Qinghe messaged him that she could only switch out for lunch around 1 PM, telling him to eat first and not wait for her. Shi Wenli: [No rush. Teaching rounds aren't until 2 PM. Come straight to the cafeteria after you're done.] The cafeteria was at its busiest. As Shi Wenli walked in, he spotted Yin Zhengqian, the head of Hepatobiliary Surgery, eating alone in a corner. Director Yin was known for his seriousness and reserved nature; he didn't like chatting during meals. He considered mealtime his only break, so others tactfully left him alone. Shi Wenli had always respected Director Yin but rarely had time to chat. Seeing that the other was almost done, he walked over. A tall figure cast a shadow; Yin Zhengqian looked up. "Wenli, sit down." He was always amiable to Shi Wenli. In Director Yin's eyes, an excellent surgeon should be like Shi Wenli—solid professional skills, stable emotions, rigorous self-discipline, and an especially modest demeanor. "Afternoon surgery?" Yin Zhengqian initiated the conversation. Shi Wenli said no: "Teaching rounds this afternoon." "How's your father these days?" Yin Zhengqian finished eating and set down his chopsticks. Shi Wenli: "Pretty good, same as usual." His relationship with his father had always been distant. If not for Dean Liu inviting them both to dinner before, he wouldn't have taken the initiative to meet his father. Yin Zhengqian and Shi Jianqin had known each other since their youth and were close. Back then, they were full of passion as new graduates. But later, after Shi Jianqin divorced and moved to Shanghai to develop his career, they gradually lost touch, sometimes not meeting for years. While they were talking, Dean Jiang approached with his tray. He had surgery in the afternoon and had been dealing with hospital matters, so he only had time to eat now. Dean Jiang looked at the pair, wondering how they could have common ground. "How did you two end up together?" Yin Zhengqian said, "I was just about to ask Wenli about Xu Qinghe's temperament." The mention of Xu Qinghe made Dean Jiang immediately understand why these two were eating together. She was someone who could get surgeons of all ages discussing her. Dean Jiang remembered that Xu Qinghe had once stopped Director Yin's surgery because the patient's blood pressure wasn't controlled, with systolic pressure spiking to 220 in the OR. He heard that Director Yin personally called Xu Qinghe, but she didn't relent and insisted on canceling. And on Monday morning, when Xu Qinghe refused to accept Wu Xiaofeng's anesthesia sheet, she was actually protecting Director Yin's patient. Dean Jiang said, "Xu Qinghe's temperament is hard to sum up in a few words. But she genuinely considers the patient's welfare." Yin Zhengqian added, "I haven't operated with her often, so I don't know her well. I've heard people say she has a bad temper and holds grudges." But now, it seemed that wasn't the case. Shi Wenli said, "Dr. Xu has a very good temper. She never holds grudges." Dean Jiang disagreed: "Wenli, it's true she doesn't hold grudges, but saying she has a good temper... Jiang Yang always exaggerates, turning one point of goodness into ten. Even so, when he praises Xu Qinghe, he never mentions her temper. You're the first to say she has a good temper. Where are you getting that from?" Shi Wenli smiled. Xu Qinghe was pampered by her family; even if she occasionally had a bit of a temper, wasn't that normal? Yin Zhengqian tried to mediate: "How to put it? Xu Qinghe might be fierce when she's upset. I heard that in all of Surgery, no one can out-argue her." Shi Wenli: "..." Yin Zhengqian continued, "But she has good qualities too. The day she stopped my surgery, I ran into her in the elevator after work. I wasn't exactly happy, but she acted as if nothing had happened. That's better than many young people." Dean Jiang paused: "That's because she doesn't internalize things—not because she has a good temper." Yin Zhengqian: "..." Dean Jiang didn't want to debate Xu Qinghe's temperament. In Shi Wenli's eyes, she already had a good temper, so there was no point arguing. Shi Wenli used the opportunity to remind Dean Jiang not to forget to address the issue of non-emergency cases jumping the queue. He started tactfully: "On Monday, I heard Dr. Xu was called for a talk by Section Chief Wu again." Dean Jiang's head ached at the recollection. Section Chief Wu's face had clearly been sour, but he said it was nothing. "Chief Wu didn't mention what Xu Qinghe said in his office, so I didn't pry." Shi Wenli knew Xu Qinghe well enough to say without thinking, "Dr. Xu refused the anesthesia sheet because she was dissatisfied with non-emergency cases jumping the queue. Given her personality, she probably expressed her dissatisfaction directly to Chief Wu and hoped he would manage it. She might have even suggested solutions to the conflict between the Anesthesia Department canceling surgeries and Surgery. She speaks bluntly. Chief Wu was likely embarrassed." Dean Jiang slowly nodded: "I understand." Director Yin still had surgery and couldn't stay longer: "Dean Jiang, take your time. I'll head back to the OR." Dean Jiang waved him off. Shi Wenli checked the time; Xu Qinghe should be coming soon. Seeing he had no tray in front of him, Dean Jiang asked, "Already eaten?" "Not yet. Waiting for Dr. Xu." Just then, Xu Qinghe entered the cafeteria. Seeing him sitting with Dean Jiang, she didn't disturb them and went to get a tray to pick her food. The surgical floor cafeteria was buffet-style, with a decent selection. She had just taken a portion of spicy pot shrimp when someone approached. Xu Qinghe turned and, seeing who it was, broke into a smile. "Aren't you chatting with Dean Jiang? How did you spot me?" Shi Wenli said, "Your surgical cap is distinctive." The one she wore today was one he had bought; he recognized it at once. He also took a tray, walking forward and looking at the dishes. With other colleagues around, he asked politely, "Dr. Xu, do you want some fish slices?" He was always considerate to her and never hid it; they were used to it. Xu Qinghe shook her head, saying she wanted to try something different today—steamed pork ribs with rice flour. Shi Wenli added a few extra ribs for her. After picking two vegetable dishes, Xu Qinghe found a seat. Jiang Yang saw them and signaled to Shi Miao: "Let's sit at Brother Shi's table." He planned to discuss the housewarming date with Shi Wenli again. Shi Miao didn't want Dean Jiang to disturb her brother and Xu Qinghe, so she stopped him: "There are other tables. Why crowd together?" Jiang Yang didn't understand: "It's a four-seater. Isn't it perfect?" How was that crowding? Shi Miao quickly made an excuse: "I have something to ask you. It's not convenient to sit with them." "What?" Shi Miao hadn't thought of a question yet. She improvised: "I want to ask you, during my time off, what exactly happened between Dr. Xu and Wu Xiaofeng. I heard Dr. Xu was blocked by Wu Xiaofeng." Hearing it was about that, Jiang Yang knew they definitely couldn't talk in front of Xu Qinghe. He looked around and found an empty table far from Shi Wenli's. Jiang Yang was ready to answer any questions, but just as they sat down, Shi Miao's phone rang. It was Min Ting calling. Until they finished eating, Min Ting was still on the phone. Jiang Yang didn't get a single chance to talk about the conflict between Wu Xiaofeng and Xu Qinghe. When he looked up at Shi Wenli's table again, it was empty. Shi Wenli carried two trays to the return station. Xu Qinghe walked slower; he waited for her. When getting food, she said she didn't want fish slices, but she kept picking them from his plate, saying she suddenly craved them. They walked out of the cafeteria together. Xu Qinghe tried to keep her distance. Shi Wenli said, "You don't have to deliberately stay so far away." When they were just colleagues, they walked closer than this. Before answering, Xu Qinghe turned to check if anyone was around, then said, "I'm afraid if I get too close, I'll forget we're at the hospital and instinctively take your arm." If she did that, it would shock the colleagues. Not until she reached the OR door where she was responsible for the afternoon anesthesia did Xu Qinghe remember that Shi Wenli had no surgery in the afternoon. She waved: "Go back now." Shi Wenli said, "I have some time. I'll drop by Director Zhao's office." With people coming and going in the corridor, it wasn't convenient to chat. Xu Qinghe waved again and turned into the OR. Under her mask, she let out a long sigh. Ever since their kiss that morning, all her calmness had been an act. This afternoon's surgery was for General Surgery; the patient hadn't been brought in yet. Xu Qinghe asked, "Where's the patient? Any emergency?" The circulating nurse said, "In the preparation room. Blood pressure is too high." Half an hour passed, and the patient's blood pressure still hadn't dropped. Everyone was worried, guessing that Xu Qinghe would probably call off the surgery again. The Orthopedics complaint against her hadn't been withdrawn. Xu Qinghe pulled up the medical record; she was right—the patient's blood pressure had been well-controlled, and the sudden spike before surgery was likely stress-induced hypertension. "I'll go check." The nurse in the preparation room saw her enter: "Dr. Xu, the blood pressure just won't come down. Systolic is still over 200." She paused. "Can we still proceed today?" Everyone reflexively looked at her, mentally prepared for her to say: blood pressure too high, send back to the ward. Xu Qinghe said, "Keep observing. The surgery should be fine." Hypertension varies. She adjusted the medication. "Move to the next slot." "Auntie," she gently held the patient's hand that was connected to the monitor, clearly feeling the patient's fingers tense. "Don't be nervous." The patient felt a sudden sense of relief when held. "Sorry for the trouble." "It's fine. My blood pressure also goes up when I'm nervous. It's normal." After comforting the patient, Xu Qinghe returned to the OR. Only when fully immersed in work could she temporarily forget the kiss in the car with Shi Wenli. Meanwhile, Shi Wenli had just arrived at the door of the Anesthesia Director's office. Zhao Mingde was staring at the computer, reviewing the medical records of tomorrow's surgery patients. Hearing two knocks, he slowly looked up. "Director Zhao." "Eh? Wenli, come in and sit quickly." Now, in private, Zhao Mingde no longer called him Director Shi. "What brings you here today?" "I have no surgery this afternoon." Zhao Mingde poured a glass of water, his heart inexplicably racing. He worried Shi Wenli had come to tell him that he and Xu Qinghe weren't suitable and had broken up. If that were the case, he would have no face to face Xu Bingduo. Shi Wenli stated his purpose directly: "I came to tell you that Qinghe and I plan to get our marriage certificate on the 29th of this month." Zhao Mingde was incredulous: "That's only a few days away." "Yes." He and Xu Qinghe would flash marry in a week, and Zhao Mingde had worries, more or less—flash marriages often led to quick divorces. Shi Wenli allayed his concerns: "The decision was indeed rushed, but Qinghe and I both think that day is good. We've known each other for years, even better than some couples, so even if it's a bit rushed, it's fine. We were already set on getting married; we just moved the date up a few months." As a first-time matchmaker achieving such a perfect outcome, Zhao Mingde couldn't help being excited: "Great, great, great! Congratulations!" Shi Wenli thanked him and added, "I couldn't bring the wedding candy today. I'll bring it to you specially this weekend. You are the benefactor for Qinghe and me, so I wanted to come and tell you in person first." Zhao Mingde was beaming: "You could have just called. You're too polite, really." Hearing those last words, Shi Wenli suddenly smiled. Xu Qinghe knew her mentor well and predicted what Zhao Mingde would say. Zhao Mingde hadn't expected their certificate to go so smoothly. But once they became a couple, with one being the most popular person in the hospital and the other... the OR would be full of gossip about them every day. Shi Wenli didn't stay long; after finishing the warm water, he took his leave. He left Zhao Mingde's office and headed back to the Neurosurgery ward. While waiting for the elevator, he opened Xu Qinghe's WeChat. She might get off work late again tonight, so he left her a message: [Message me when you're done. I'll go home with you.]