CH 49

Ji Yao tried both soft and hard approaches, attempting to get some benefits before winning Jiang Heng over.

Unfortunately, Jiang Heng was clear about his principles and had a bottom line, so he held onto his last bit of territory and didn’t give in.

Ji Yao dared to test the boundaries within Jiang Heng’s tacit approval but didn’t dare to push too hard, so he had no choice but to stop. He spent some pure and friendly time with Jiang Heng instead.

Specifically, after Jiang Heng finished his work, Ji Yao used Jiang Heng’s laptop on the couch to complete the quarterly medical report.

Surprisingly, Ji Yao thought that Jiang Heng might have some productivity-boosting buff because he wrote his report faster when he was with him.

But Ji Yao didn’t leave empty-handed. He rarely found a sense of belonging with Jiang Heng, making for a pleasant and peaceful weekend.

It seemed like Jiang Heng effortlessly filled the void in his heart, so Ji Yao didn’t need to go out looking for inferior substitutes to fill his life.

Perhaps he had rested well over the weekend because he appeared radiant and cheerful when he went to work on Monday, making the nurses in the department unable to resist asking what good things he had encountered over the weekend.

Of course, Ji Yao couldn’t say it was a reunion with his ex-boyfriend. He glanced at the nurse and then reached out to pat her shoulder.

“That talisman you gave me is quite effective,” Ji Yao said earnestly. “If there are any complementary products next time, please send them to me as well.”

The nurse’s eyes lit up at his words. She stood up straight and said, “Dr. Ji! You have great taste! That blogger just released a limited edition Peach Blossom talisman! I’ll send it to you later!”

“Oops—cough, cough, cough!”

Ji Yao choked on his coffee, almost choking himself to death. His face turned red, and his eyes shifted guiltily for a moment.

He had intended to decline the Peach Blossom Charm, but before the words could come out of his mouth, he suddenly remembered Jiang Heng’s current attitude of being resistant and unyielding to his advances. So, after hesitating for a moment, he decided to accept it.

Regarding the “pursuit of Jiang Heng,” Ji Yao had no clear plan.

Six years ago, when he and Jiang Heng got together, it was an unspoken understanding, a natural and effortless coming together. They didn’t have to make much effort to get together.

But six years had passed, and Jiang Heng was obviously not as easygoing as before.

Due to their personalities, Ji Yao’s stubbornness and boldness were limited to the boundaries already set. If Jiang Heng didn’t actively expand those boundaries, Ji Yao wouldn’t dare to venture beyond them.

So, Ji Yao could only drop hints in a roundabout way. Unfortunately, Jiang Heng was still unyielding, not giving an inch, which made Ji Yao resort to subtle attempts to discover Jiang Heng’s current preferences.

For Ji Yao, it was a complicated matter. He rarely had to chase anyone, especially not someone as reserved as Jiang Heng.

He did send flowers to Jiang Heng twice through same-city delivery, fearing that such a tactic might be considered immature. To his surprise, Jiang Heng accepted them readily and even took some photos to post on his social media.

Pale champagne roses glistened in the light, set against a blurred room background, leaving room for endless imagination.

Within five minutes of posting the photos, Ge Xing and Zhou Qingbo replied with rows of question marks in neat rows.

His phone suddenly vibrated, and Ge Xing’s name lit up the screen. Ji Yao hesitated for a moment before answering the call.

“Power move, this is definitely a power move,” Ge Xing didn’t wait for Ji Yao to speak and fired off a series of words rapidly, “He’s teasing you, and you’re just letting it happen? I suggest you reel him in directly, bring him into the water with you, and I can provide friendly assistance.”

Ji Yao couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“I know, but there’s no other way,” Ji Yao leaned back in his chair, mumbled, “Isn’t this pursuing him?”

Ge Xing: “…”

Ge Xing sighed dejectedly and then drew out the word “You guys are like elementary school students.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Ji Yao said shamelessly, “Can you help me figure out what he’s being reserved about?”

“If you don’t know, how could I possibly know?” Ge Xing retorted, annoyed. “I’m not his ex-boyfriend.”

As it turned out, Jiang Heng’s heart was not as transparent as a glass bead.

Although he didn’t resist Ji Yao’s approach and even tacitly allowed Ji Yao to get closer, he still held onto that last line and didn’t express his intentions clearly.

Ji Yao speculated that Jiang Heng probably had some lingering doubts in his mind.

But that was normal, Ji Yao thought. People weren’t machines, and even if they could express their feelings openly, they still needed time to digest things.

Their relationship had regressed to six years ago, as if they had returned to that ambiguous and hazy time—reserving themselves, getting closer, and waiting for an opportunity to decide whether they would continue together or part ways entirely.

However, in the next few days, Jiang Heng became completely engrossed in his work. Liu Qiang’s case was on the horizon, and he spent each day meeting with the representatives, sorting out the final details of compensation, and making time to oversee the ongoing Zhou Fang case on the side.

The trial was scheduled for Thursday morning, and although Ji Yao had pre-booked a live broadcast channel, he didn’t cancel his clinic duties. He performed three surgeries in the morning, keeping him so busy that he completely forgot about the trial.

However, during his lunch break, Ji Yao realized the situation when he stepped out of the operating room. He saw a table at the surgical nurses’ station filled with bubble tea deliveries and small pastries.

Ji Yao walked over to check the receipts and winced.

“Who ordered this?” Ji Yao asked, “Did someone win the lottery?”

“I don’t know.” The nurse also looked troubled and said, “The delivery just arrived. We thought it was a patient who ordered it, but after asking around, we couldn’t find anyone. So, we didn’t dare to touch it.”

Their caution was understandable, as incidents of violence against medical staff were on the rise. So, they were naturally wary when anonymous deliveries suddenly appeared.

But Ji Yao glanced at the logo on the food packaging and felt that poisoning seemed unlikely.

He stood still for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and took out his phone to call Jiang Heng.

The call rang for a while before Jiang Heng’s voice came from the other end. “Hello?”

“Did you order food delivery to our hospital?” Ji Yao asked.

“Oh, no, it wasn’t me. It was Li Linghua,” Jiang Heng said. “Since Liu Qiang’s case is going to trial today, and the medical part has been clarified and has nothing to do with you, she felt a bit guilty. So, she wanted to apologize.”

“Today?” Ji Yao was momentarily stunned. He moved his phone away from his face to check the screen, and then belatedly realized what was happening. He slapped his forehead. “Oh, I forgot—did I disturb you? Is the trial over?”

“Not yet,” Jiang Heng said. “But there’s a dispute over whether Liu Qiang deliberately delayed his son’s treatment, so the court has adjourned for a mid-session break.”

“In that case, I won’t disturb you,” Ji Yao said quickly. “You go on with your work.”

Jiang Heng did have important matters to attend to, so he didn’t insist on talking further. He simply responded with an “Okay” before hanging up.

But just before he ended the call, he suddenly remembered something and stopped Ji Yao. “Oh, by the way…”

“yes?” Ji Yao asked.

“Do you have any plans for tonight?” Jiang Heng inquired.

“No, not really,” Ji Yao replied with a smile. “Are you celebrating something?”

“Not exactly,” Jiang Heng chuckled. “Come with me to the mall tonight.”

“Alright, are you treating me?” Ji Yao joked.

“Not really,” Jiang Heng laughed again. “It’s part of your duties—acting as my ‘proxy boyfriend.'”

Jiang Heng paused for a moment, then added with a smile, “My mother is arriving.”