In front of the entire school, under the national flag, Xun Yuming had once mispronounced "great maternal love" as "the great love of the mother."
The laughter had come fast and sharp.
He had looked up, face burning, and met his homeroom teacher's gaze, cool, piercing, disappointed. The little red flower printed on her skirt seemed, in that moment, to wilt.
After that day, he prepared for everything in advance.
If even the thought of cutting corners crossed his mind, that gaze would resurface.
And now, unbidden, another pair of eyes overlapped with it, clear phoenix eyes, the same ones that had looked at him when they broke up.
That same disappointment.
The thought alone made him restless.
He reopened Qin Xueyan's medical file and reviewed her history again, previous conditions, medication records, imaging notes. Halfway through, his mind drifted back to something Zhuang Yi had said at dinner.
Better than keeping it buried inside.
Until tonight, Xun Yuming had believed they had been in love.
Hadn't they?
He shut his laptop with a soft thud and rolled onto his side.
Why are you thinking about this?
What does it matter now whether he loved you or not?
You just want him to still love you. Still think about you. Still not over you.
He scowled at the ceiling.
You're ridiculous.
He scratched idly at his lower back, pulled the blanket over his head, and forced himself to sleep.
A few days later, after morning rounds, Xun Yuming stepped into the restroom and heard a familiar voice.
He recognized it immediately.
He waited half a minute before going in.
Two people were standing at the sinks. One of them was Dr. Sun.
No wonder the voice had sounded familiar that day in the corridor.
Xun Yuming smiled politely and walked into the inner cubicle.
When Dr. Sun stepped out, he unzipped with unnecessary force, as if harboring personal resentment toward anatomy itself.
The cubicle door creaked open just then, and a young doctor with sharp features and bright eyes walked out. Seeing Xun Yuming, he grinned.
"Oh? Professor Xun in person?"
It was an old joke—one hospital directors used when the title had first been popular. It had spread through the hospital and eventually grown stale.
Repeating it now felt forced.
Xun Yuming froze for a moment.
The young man continued cheerfully, "Dr. Xun, I'm Cen Ji. I spoke to you outside the operating room that morning. Remember?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
"I've heard of you for a long time. I've followed your research since before you became famous. I've wanted to study neuroscience since I was little. Could I study under you? Please take me as your apprentice. I'm very smart."
"Wait...wait." Xun Yuming flushed. "I'm in the bathroom."
His right hand trembled slightly as he grabbed tissue, tidied himself carefully, then zipped up.
Cen Ji watched the entire process with exaggerated admiration.
"You're so refined!"
Even when using the restroom, you're this meticulous.
"…"
Xun Yuming washed his hands at the sink and asked evenly, "Are you an intern?"
"I've been in residency three years." Cen Ji laughed. "I just look young."
He leaned in conspiratorially. "Take me in. I'm popular. If I'm around, fewer people will mock you."
Xun Yuming paused mid-motion.
"Who's mocking me?"
Cen Ji blinked. "You don't know?"
He slipped his hands into his coat pockets.
"The whole hospital's waiting to see you slip up. You're famous. The director values you. You parachuted in. Of course people are uncomfortable."
He shrugged.
"Most of it's just envy. They don't know you yet. Once they do, it'll calm down."
He lowered his voice slightly.
"But our department head's about to retire. Dr. Liu and Dr. Zhao were both candidates to succeed him. Now you're here."
He lifted his brows meaningfully.
"You understand."
"I never wanted to be department head." Xun Yuming pushed open the door and stepped into the corridor. "I can't handle administrative work. I just operate. I'm not taking anyone's position."
Cen Ji followed him. "I know it's not all about that. But we're kindred spirits. I'm really suited to learn from you. Why not consider it?"
Xun Yuming's gaze drifted past him and stopped.
Zhuang Yi had just stepped out of the elevator, two paper bags in hand.
Without looking away, Xun Yuming patted Cen Ji's arm. "You'll be second assistant in the surgery later."
Cen Ji's face lit up. "Thank you, Dr. Xun!"
He raised his hands over his head and formed an exaggerated heart. "Love you!"
Xun Yuming waved him off and walked straight toward Zhuang Yi.
"Are you here to give me a gift?"
The words escaped before he could stop them.
He regretted them instantly.
Fortunately, Zhuang Yi did not seize the opening.
He handed over one of the paper bags. "You could say that."
There were two bags. A black checkmark logo printed on brown paper.
Xun Yuming peeked inside.
"These two pairs of shoes together cost as much as a red envelope. I can't accept them."
"Do you want them?"
They stepped into the elevator together.
"Yes." Xun Yuming answered honestly. "Who doesn't want new shoes?"
"Do you have money on you?"
Xun Yuming patted his coat and eventually pulled out a crumpled fifty-yuan note.
"I don't really carry cash."
Zhuang Yi took the note and slipped it into his pocket.
"Then you bought them yourself. Not a gift."
Xun Yuming lowered his head and pressed his lips together.
"…Thank you."
"My assistant picked them." Zhuang Yi's tone was casual. "No laces. I was afraid you'd trip again during surgery and delay my mother's treatment."
The memory of that staircase moment had replayed in his mind for days. In one dream, Xun Yuming fell in full surgical gear, scalpel slipping from his hand.
The image refused to leave.
So he had asked his assistant to buy the shoes.
Xun Yuming's smile faltered.
"I understand."
In Ward 1612, Qin Xueyan was fully prepared.
Her hair had been shaved the previous afternoon. She looked into the mirror with undisguised distress.
She held her son's arm tightly.
"Alright." Zhuang Yi laughed softly. "Dad said he'll come as soon as you're in the operating room. It's such a big event, we can't keep him out forever."
He leaned closer.
"It's just hair. What hasn't he seen before? I'll buy you two wigs tomorrow. When you wear them, you'll be the most beautiful person at the square."
"Nonsense!" Qin Xueyan slapped his arm. "When have I ever danced in the square?"
She had standards.
"Then we'll go to Yan Guan Mahjong Club," Zhuang Yi teased. "Wear a red hat. Self-drawn pure suit. Sweep the table."
She laughed despite herself.
Xun Yuming stepped forward.
"Auntie, this really isn't a major problem. You saw him, he's not worried at all."
After a few more reassurances, he headed to the operating room with Cen Ji.
By the time Qin Xueyan was wheeled in, Xun Yuming was already fully prepared: mask, gloves, headlamp, microscope glasses. Imaging and records hung clearly on the monitor in front of him.
Cen Ji stood as second assistant, allowed only to observe. The first assistant, Zhou Rong, remained quiet.
After anesthesia, Qin Xueyan drifted to sleep.
Xun Yuming marked incision lines on her scalp with steady black strokes. Zhou Rong performed lumbar puncture and placed the drainage catheter successfully. The nurse disinfected and draped the area.
The scalpel was placed in his hand.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement behind the large glass panel opposite.
Zhuang Yi had entered the observation room.
"Why is he here?" The question, transmitted through the teaching system's audio feed, carried clearly across.
And reached Zhuang Yi without obstruction.