19 – Scars

Gu Ren thought back to his encounters with Doctor Ping.

Like any other attending, Dr. Ping had assigned the interns to complete her medical reports. It was a way for Doctor Ping to test out the interns' responses to her request. The compliant ones were usually the easiest to manipulate.

Some interns had a strong backing like Bai Wushen while interns like Li Yun had personality problems that would be difficult to manipulate. Gu Ren was not handsome, but he was still pleasing to the eye. It didn't take her long to select Gu Ren as her target.

At first, it was just accidental touches, but it gradually got more aggressive. Gu Ren had dated before, but he was uncomfortable with the older woman, especially one who was married and the same age as his mother. He avoided her as much as he could until she drugged him one night, and started to blackmail him.

He felt disgusted every time he thought about her. He wanted to get rid of her, but he couldn't.

Gu Ren had thought about the things he should do, but he was always afraid of the consequences. There were too many voices in his head pulling him in different directions. If he notified the director or dean, would they believe him? He had proof of them together, but it wasn't enough to convict her? She could be fired and her reputation would be ruined. However, she could also retaliate and make his life a living hell. His reputation would be ruined in the process and it would follow him for the rest of his life.

Hearing Li Yun's options cleared away the muddy thoughts.

Gu Ren faced Li Yun. "It looks like you want me to take the last option. Is that the best path?"

"No, that would be the first," said Li Yun. "It's also the easiest path since it doesn't take too much effort to change on your part. If you stay silent, you will end up with a stable career and there is still a small chance you will let go of your resentment someday."

"But do you really think I'll end up becoming like her and start abusing others?" Gu Ren was skeptical, there was no way he was turning into that witch.

"You don't think Doctor Ping thought the same when she was abused twenty years ago? The woman is sad and spiteful, but she wasn't like that from birth."

"I can't imagine her being a weak woman." No matter how hard he tried, Gu Ren could never empathize with that woman with predatory eyes.

"Really? She looks like a pathetic woman undergoing a mid-life crisis."

Gu Ren sneered briefly and then nodded solemnly. "Is there a way that would prevent myself from becoming her?"

Li Yun thought of two ways. One was to become a person worse than Doctor Ping, and the other way was to forgive her. Neither option was feasible for Gu Ren. Even with counseling, Gu Ren might not overcome it.

"Do you think it is ever possible for you to forgive her? " Li Yun asked carefully.

Gu Ren remained quiet and then returned to typing. "Thanks."

He never told Li Yun what path he would choose.

Li Yun watched Gu Ren throughout the week, making sure he wouldn't inflict any harm to himself. He rubbed his face by the nurse station, looking completely drained.

"Doctor Li, are you all right?" asked Nurse Lim.

Li Yun put on a fake smile and nodded. Internally, he was cursing himself. On top of studying for the medical licensing exam, using Zuowang, and scutwork, he had to watch over Gu Ren. He didn't consider Gu Ren to be frail, but every inexperienced and sheltered. Many sons in China were sheltered by their parents. Li Yun knew that first hand because he was also one. His only advantage was his interest in watching people for the face reading mission.

"Ah, Doctor Li, I have something for you," Nurse Lim took out a red envelope and gave it to him.

"Oh, what is this?" Li Yun peaked open to see 500 yuan and a sonar scan. "Congratulations!" Li Yun's face brightened up as though it was a nice surprise.

"I should be thanking you!"

Li Yun laughed, yeah, he guessed it already three months ago.

"So, the baby is due in six months? I probably won't be here to visit the baby."

"Not a problem, just post a like on my page and send a charm for my baby."

Li Yun nodded.

Sometime after lunch, Li Yun returned to the nurse station. The nurses and a lot of people were looking at their phones with strange reactions. He could read their lips whispering about Doctor Ping and Gu Ren.

"What happened?" Li Yun asked Nurse Lim.

"Someone posted a video of Doctor Ping and Intern Gu Ren in the hospital forum," Nurse Lim opened the video on her phone and showed it to Li Yun.

A video showed Doctor Ping seducing Gu Ren and blackmailing him into bed. It only took an hour for the post to be removed, but everyone had already heard or seen it.

The scandal caused chaos throughout the hospital. Doctor Ping was immediately suspended, and she may lose her job at the disciplinary hearing. Doctor Ping's marriage was already shaky, and everyone could tell that a divorce was coming up. Gu Ren was expelled from the university. On top of that, Doctor Ping filed a lawsuit against him.

On the day that Gu Ren left, his eyes had a glint of brightness and he was wearing a short sleeve black tee, revealing scars marked across his left arm.

"You wanted me to take this path, didn't you?" Gu Ren asked with a smile on his face.

Li Yun smiled, forming a slight arc, but didn't respond. He could tell that Gu Ren was momentarily happy with the decision. However, the path he had chosen was going to be very difficult.

If Li Yun hadn't interfered, Gu Ren would have taken the first path. If there was one thing that Gu Ren hated the most, it was to become the person he hated the most.

However, Li Yun did think that even after knowing his options, he should have taken the first path. His decision to walk the first path on his own would give him the advantage to defeat his demons in the future. There was a big difference between walking down a path and being dragged down that same path.

Now that he had chosen the third path, there were fewer chances for him to succeed in the future. However, that was the path he had chosen, and Li Yun was not the type to make decisions for others, especially when he wasn't certain of it himself.

"You're not going to ask me why I didn't wait until after graduation?" Gu Ren wondered.

It would have been the smart thing to do, but the move lacked courage. What Gu Ren wanted to display were his resolution and courage, he wasn't going to back down anymore.

Li Yun shook his head and chucked something at Gu Ren. "Good luck."

Gu Ren caught the object and looked at the talisman. "Thanks..."

Gu Ren took the train, returning to his hometown.

"I would have done the same in your place," Li Yun mumbled as the train moved away. On second thought, he wouldn't be in the situation in the first place.

Li Yun gave Doctor Ping a personal visit in her office and dropped off the written medical report, along with a package.

"What is this?" She asked impatiently.

She was getting ready for her disciplinary hearing and was already stressed out trying to deal with her husband and son. She was able to convince her son that she was the victim, but her husband wasn't buying it.

"Going away present," Li Yun responded with a sweet smile on his face.

She didn't like his response but opened the package anyway. After looking through the contents, her hands trembled.

"How did you get these?" She clenched her teeth as she spoke.

"From other doctors and nurses. You will be surprised by how much dirt everyone has on everyone else. People are always scheming and keeping insurance. It wasn't difficult to pry it out of them. One doctor practically shoved me all the files he kept on your dealings with Berne Pharmaceutical. He's probably hoping to get your position."

Doctor Ping's breathing heightened, both from fear and anger. "What do you want?"

"Drop your lawsuit against Gu Ren."

Doctor Ping snorted. "How will I know you won't release these?"

"I have already sent the package to the police."

"You!" Doctor Ping slammed her hands on the desk. A moment later, instead of pain, she felt her hands trembling.

"I only sent them the files with all your under-the-table dealings. The pictures with your paramours are still waiting to be released, I got those from your husband's detective. I also kept the audio file of when you tried to pull the same **** on me. I hope you remember our conversation back then."

She clenched her fist, remembering when she had first tried to seduce him. When she first met him, she thought he was bright and handsome, who followed all of her commands. She was immediately taken by his demeanor. On her first attempt to trap him, he had not only embarrassed her but revealed her true character.

"How did you..." She wanted to ask how he knew to record her, but her words trailed off after looking at his smug face. "You were suspicious of me from the beginning."

"I hear a lot of things Dr. Ping," said Li Yun.

Dr. Ping quickly tried to remember her conversation with him, and if there were ways to spin it around.

"I wonder what your son would think about his pitiful mother if he listened to the audio?" Li Yun asked. "I want to have his opinions before releasing it in the hospital's forum."

Doctor Ping's arms dropped to the side as though a part of her brain had stopped functioning. Her son was the most precious person to her.