Chapter 38

“Sorry.” Yang Ping sat down.

Having just run over, he was still a bit out of breath.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Not giving a heads-up and making someone wait for two or three hours was really impolite. Another person would have been annoyed and left already.

For doctors, endless surgeries often interrupt meals. An emergency phone call comes, and off they rush, leaving the girlfriend alone. So many people can’t stand dating a doctor.

Su Yixuan turned around, flipping her sleek black hair, and smiled, “It’s okay. Consider it as experiencing several surgeries with you. Have some water first; I knew you would come just about this time.”

“A worker had a ruptured liver and spleen, and his lower limb was crushed by a cement block, needing an amputation at the site. I was dispatched with the emergency department…” Yang Ping explained.

Su Yixuan calmly said, “I know, two or three thousand milliliters of blood spilled out of the abdominal cavity. If he had arrived at the hospital a few minutes later, he might not have survived. I heard you amputated his limb within minutes, saving precious time.”

Luckily, they both worked in the operating room. If one of them was in a different profession, discussing things like blood and liver and spleen ruptures at the dinner table could make them run to the restroom to vomit.

Since they are in the same field, they can chat and eat without losing their appetites. Yang Ping recalled anatomy labs in college. Sometimes, if someone overslept and rushed to the lab with their breakfast, they’d eat while watching others dissect cadavers. When it was their turn, they would put down their breakfast, go wash their hands and put on gloves, dissect, and afterward remove their gloves, wash hands, and finish the rest of their breakfast. There was no incongruity, and no one thought anything was amiss.

Su Yixuan poured a glass of water for Yang Ping, “Have a drink. Rest a bit. Are you hungry? I’ll have them bring up the fish.” She immediately signaled to have the waiter bring the food.

Yang Ping nodded, “I am hungry. There was traffic on the way back. You can’t imagine how thrilling it was.”

Then narrated the heartwarming story vividly, even adding his imaginative embellishments. Su Yixuan covered her small mouth, utterly engrossed.

When it came to the part about the Bentley, he suddenly stopped, leaned back on his chair, looking slightly fatigued. He took a sip from his glass of water, “I’m tired, I’ll continue tomorrow.”

Su Yixuan almost got up, aiming a playful punch at him, “You bad guy, continue, continue, what happened next? Did you scratch somebody’s car?”

That was the reaction he was going for. Yang Ping, with such high sales IQ and EQ, perplexedly wondered why he’d been single all this time.

“Alright, I’ll grudgingly continue– sigh, you weren’t there. If only you were there–” Yang Ping sighed deliberately.

Su Yixuan earnestly said, “Call me next time. The head nurse has me assigned to be on your team now. If you’re not in surgery, it seems like I won’t have much to do. If I’m there, you’d definitely be faster and more confident. Lu Xiaowu is so clumsy; he definitely can’t keep up with your pace.”

“When I request a clamp and a thread, he either hands me a vascular clamp or gives me a thread,” said Yang Ping.

Su Yixuan said regretfully, “Hmm, I’ll definitely be there next time.”

“Huh! How come it’s this spot again?” Yang Ping just remembered to ask.

“I don’t know. It was the boss’s arrangement.” Su Yixuan refilled Yang Ping’s glass, “The boss said he took a photo of the fish bones you left last time and made it into a hanging picture, look.”

Indeed, a picture was hanging on the wall – an intact fish skeleton, perfectly clean without a single piece of meat left, like a simulation model set on a dish.

A massage beside it read– “It ended up like this because it was delicious!”

“I ought to ask him for copyright fees,” said Yang Ping.

Su Yixuan laughed, “This seat is probably your copyright fee.”

The fish was served and the boss brought it himself, “Come on, I personally prepared this for you. Consider it your copyright fee. Anytime you come to support us, this seat is reserved for you guys, and you even get a discount. Don’t call me boss. Call me Uncle Liang.”

While he was managing the fish and starting the fire, Uncle Liang said, “I can tell you two are orthopedic surgeons from Sanbo Hospital. You’re the famous Dr. Yang who reattaches severed hands, right? Everyone knows about you helping the firefighter last time. Orthopedic surgeons are the best because while people can avoid falling sick or having children, who could guarantee they won’t slip and fall or have a sore back or leg? In theory, everyone needs your expertise. My old back hurts sometimes when I lift something heavy, and it’s painful for days. One of my legs even feels numb and I have to limp. If you have time someday, give me a good check-up, okay?”

Having finished his tasks, Uncle Liang took a brief look at them both and said, “Hmm, handsome man and beautiful woman, perfect match. You two lovebirds, enjoy your meal. I have to get back to my work.”

Who talks like that? Yang Ping thought. Uttering so much gibberish, he should have just gotten to the point. This last sentence was the important bit.

Su Yixuan blushed at the compliment, lowering her head to eat the fish. Yang Ping laughed awkwardly, “You’re right, no, no, no, I mean, you are indeed beautiful, but I, I am not worthy of such a compliment.”

“Enough with the compliments, aren’t you hungry? Let’s eat.” Su Yixuan said blushing, as she picked up a piece of fish and put it into Yang Ping’s bowl.

This wasn’t just a piece of fish, it was a delicacy to Yang Ping. He couldn’t bear to eat it, instead staring at it with a sweetness in his heart. No wonder, he barely had any close interactions with girls, now even a piece of fish from her feels unbearably sweet.

Su Yixuan looked up at Yang Ping, who seemed to be lost in thoughts, “What’s the matter? You don’t want to eat? I’ll take it back then.”

Yang Ping immediately picked up the fish with his chopsticks, “Why wouldn’t I? If only there were more pieces.”

“Dream on! Serve yourself! I noticed you’ve been working all day. I wanted to reward you for being such a great assistant,” Su Yixuan scolded playfully.

Yang Ping carefully reached into the pot with his chopsticks and tried to pick up some fish. He struggled at first but eventually managed to place some into his bowl. Then, he stretched his arm and put his chopsticks down.

“What happened? Your hand hurts?” Su Yixuan asked as she noticed his gesture.

Yang Ping picked up the chopsticks again, “It’s nothing, probably a slight muscle strain from lifting the stretcher today. I didn’t realize it at first, but it feels a bit off.”

Su Yixuan looked at him suspiciously, “Really?”

She then quickly picked up a few big pieces of the fish and placed them into Yang Ping’s bowl, “Eat up and go home to rest early, you look pretty tired.”

Humming in agreement, Yang Ping delightedly picked up his chopsticks and began eating the fish.

Su Yixuan gave him a perplexed look. Didn’t he say his arm was hurting? Why was he eating so quickly?

“You’re very skilled in surgeries. I can tell that Director Han really appreciates you,” Su Yixuan said, chewing on her food without opening her mouth.

“Practice makes perfect, I suppose. I’ve done a lot of surgeries,” Yang Ping replied.

“Did you perform a lot of surgeries at your previous hospital?” Su Yixuan was curious.

Yang Ping thought for a moment and said, “Maybe I have a natural talent in this field. After watching a surgery once, I can perform it, and few practices make me proficient.”

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” Su Yixuan asked with a smile.

Duh!

Yang Ping shook his head, “Look at me, I spend all my time in the operating room, who would like me.”

Su Yixuan said, “You’re kidding, surgeons are pretty popular.”

Yang Ping laughed, “Maybe I’m the exception.”

“It’s okay, when I have time, I’ll introduce you to someone. I have a lot of friends, they’re quite attractive,” Su Yixuan comforted him.

While eating, Yang Ping waved his hand, “No! Forget about me, what about you?”

“I’m still young, I don’t want to be in a relationship for now,” Su Yixuan pouted.

Their uncle unexpectedly made an appearance: “Come, come, I brought you some ice cream.”

“Iceberry!”

Su Yixuan almost jumped up in excitement.