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The surgery lasted nearly three hours.
Jian Xi’s diagnosis proved accurate. The impact of the collision had caused placental abruption, leading to extensive bleeding and a shrinking uterine cavity. Any further delay would have put the fetus at risk of suffocation.
After ensuring both mother and child were stable, Jian Xi instructed the nurse to inform the family.
Once everything was settled, Jian Xi emerged from the operating room, her body heavy with fatigue. To her surprise, He Ran was still sitting on a bench in the corridor.
She raised an eyebrow, astonished. “You’re still here?”
He stood up. “Old Zhao and his family went to the ward. They were so overjoyed they forgot to thank you.” He paused, looking directly at her. “Thank you.”
Jian Xi smiled faintly, though her exhaustion was evident. “You waited just to say thanks? No need. It’s my job.”
“And your car—it got dirty again,” he added. “Let me wash it for you. I’ll do it myself—roll up my sleeves and everything.”
She had been about to decline but found herself amused by his last remark. Smiling, she said, “Alright then.”
The car still smelled strongly of blood, so Jian Xi rolled down the windows to air it out before finally sitting inside.
They returned to Old Zhao’s shop. He Ran said, “Wait here for a moment.”
Jian Xi nodded, watching as his figure blended seamlessly into the night.
He returned shortly, carrying a lunchbox.
“There’s no time to eat in the operating room. It’s late—you should have something. My grandmother made sweet rice balls.”
Jian Xi chuckled softly. “This is embarrassing. You’re washing my car, and now I’m eating your food too.” She tilted her head and teased, “I’m really gaining here.”
He Ran laughed along. “Gain all you want—it’s yours.”
Jian Xi was genuinely hungry. Sitting on a small stool, she ate heartily, slurping down the rice balls. “Aren’t you eating?”
He Ran plugged in the water pump and picked up the hose to start washing the car. “There’s food at home. I’ll eat when I get back.”
He slipped on rubber boots and began scrubbing the car. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-six.”
“You’re so young to be a doctor?” He Ran paused mid-motion.
“I started school early and skipped a few grades,” Jian Xi explained, her cheeks puffed as she chewed a glutinous rice ball. “From elementary school to my master’s degree, I’ve always been the youngest in my class.”
He Ran remarked, “Being younger means getting bullied.”
Jian Xi held the lunchbox and looked at him. “You must’ve bullied those younger than you.”
He Ran: “….” Holding a brush, water dripping from his fingertips, he smirked. “Sharp-tongued, aren’t you? Clearly, no one dares to bully you.”
Jian Xi finished eating quickly and walked over, holding the lunchbox. “Where’s the faucet? I’ll wash this.”
He Ran reached out. “Give it to me.”
Before she could react, he snatched the lunchbox from her hands and rinsed it thoroughly under the hose. In moments, it was clean.
He placed the bowl aside and began removing the seat covers and floor mats from the car to wash them. Under the dim light of the single overhead lamp, his silhouette was quiet and focused, the only sound being the splash of water.
When the car was finally clean, He Ran noticed Jian Xi sitting on a chair by the wall, fast asleep. After three days of intense work, exhaustion had finally caught up with her.
He dried his hands and approached her, noticing a smudge of sticky rice at the corner of her mouth. Her closed eyes formed two upward arcs, and while her features weren’t strikingly beautiful, her calm demeanor was captivating.
He Ran had never seen such fair skin—from her face to her neck, she seemed delicate enough to bruise at the slightest touch.
He scoffed softly. “What a carefree heart, falling asleep like this.”
Jian Xi woke up less than ten minutes later, her eyes snapping open just as He Ran bent down to light a cigarette.
The ember glowed red in his fingers. He glanced at her. “Awake?”
“Sorry,” Jian Xi straightened up, her gaze still hazy with sleep.
“I was going to wake you in five more minutes. It’s cold at night—you might catch a cold if you sleep too long.” He stood up, cigarette dangling from his lips, and handed her the car keys. “Go home early.”
As Jian Xi rose from the stool, she realized her legs had gone numb from sitting too long. She stumbled slightly, losing her balance.
He Ran’s quick reflexes caught her, his calloused palm pressing against her wrist. The softness of her skin made him flinch momentarily.
He said, “Can’t even stand steady, Doctor. You need to take some calcium supplements.”
Jian Xi laughed as she climbed into the car. “And maybe stew some bone soup too, right?”
“Enough. Go ahead.” He waved her off with the hand holding his cigarette. “Be careful on the road—no more running red lights.”
Jian Xi fastened her seatbelt. “Today was a special situation. If we’d delayed another ten minutes, Old Zhao’s wife wouldn’t have made it. When saving lives, everything else becomes secondary.”
With a soft click , the seatbelt locked into place. Jian Xi turned back and smiled at him. “Bye.”
The moonlit night concealed much, but it couldn’t hide the faint flicker of fire in He Ran’s eyes.
After ten o’clock, the roads in the city center were smooth and empty.
Jian Xi felt drowsy and reached into the storage compartment for some xylitol. But when she pulled it out, the texture felt wrong. She unfolded it and froze.
It was money.
Six neatly stacked bills.
Tucked inside was a note that read: You ran three red lights today. If it’s not enough, I’ll make up the rest later.
It was He Ran’s “fine” slipped in while he washed the car.
Jian Xi stared at the note for a while. Despite his rugged appearance, his handwriting was surprisingly elegant. She chuckled softly and placed the note back where she found it.
Saving lives was her duty, and over time, duty had become instinct. In any situation, she would’ve done the same.
These were ordinary acts—nothing extraordinary.
Jian Xi dismissed the matter from her mind. However, on the day Old Zhao’s wife was discharged, the couple arrived at her office with a basket of fruit.
“Doctor Jian, you absolutely must join us for a meal. If it weren’t for you, my wife and child would’ve been lost.” Old Zhao insisted despite Jian Xi’s repeated refusals.
Jian Xi repeatedly declined, but Old Zhao was stubborn. He blocked her in the office. “I don’t care. You have to agree, or I won’t leave.”
Jian Xi pleaded, “Brother Zhao, please don’t do this. It’s really unnecessary.”
Before she could finish, Old Zhao dramatically sprawled himself on the floor in a starfish pose. “I’m not leaving no matter what. Step on me if you want—I’m staying.”
Jian Xi stared at the grown man lying on the floor, torn between laughter and exasperation. “…Fine, I’ll go.”
In an instant, Old Zhao leapt up. “Great, great! I always listen to doctors.”
________________________________________
After half a month of relentless effort, He Ran finally managed to recover the bad debt. Finally, on Saturday, he could catch up on some much-needed rest.
He woke up at nine. His grandmother was kneading dough, her floral jacket making her look like a cheerful, plump doll.
“We’re out of gas. Go refill the tank, and I’ll fry you ten spring rolls.”
“That much? Feeding pigs, are we?” He Ran brushed his teeth and washed his face.
“Better to fatten you up!” His grandmother hunched over, her short but nimble hands working the dough. “If you’re tired of my nagging, hurry up and find a girl. I’m sick of all this chatter too.”
While brushing his teeth, He Ran unscrewed the gas tank and removed the empty cylinder, his mouth full of foam. “If I find someone, you can transfer half your nagging to her.”
His grandmother shuffled over with a basin of spring rolls, heading toward the stove. “Find someone already, you little wolf cub. You’re worrying me to death.”
On his way back from refilling the gas, He Ran stopped in his tracks, drawn by the aroma wafting from Old Zhao’s kitchen. “Hey, buddy. Haven’t seen you cook in ages.”
Old Zhao, wearing an apron, was peeling garlic. He leaned out the window and called, “Right, I was just about to call you. Come over for lunch today.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“Today I’m treating Doctor Jian to thank her for saving my wife’s life. You two know each other—come along as company.”
He Ran paused, gripping the gas tank. “Jian Xi?”
“Yes, her.” Old Zhao finished peeling the garlic and turned to fetch some chives. “That’s all—I’m busy. Be on time.”
He Ran brought the gas tank home, quickly replaced it, and headed to his bedroom.
His grandmother sat on the sofa knitting, occasionally glancing toward the room. “Oh dear, what are you doing?”
He Ran stood shirtless, wearing loose pants that accentuated his toned waist and abdomen.
He held up two shirts. “Which one looks better?”
One was gray, the other navy blue. The elderly woman pointed to the gray sweater. “This one—it looks cozy.”
Without hesitation, He Ran chose the navy blue shirt. “I’m going to Old Zhao’s for lunch. Eat on your own.”
At 11:40, He Ran left. As he approached Old Zhao’s house, he spotted Jian Xi struggling to park her car.
Her driving skills were decent, but she dreaded these tricky uphill parking spots. After several failed attempts, her car ended up diagonally stuck in the middle of the road, hemmed in by large stone barriers both in front and behind.
“Where did you get your driver’s license?” He Ran tapped on her car window, his tall figure blocking the light.
Seeing him, Jian Xi hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “Are you suggesting I retake the test?”
He Ran glanced at her. “Or ask the driving school for a refund. How dare they charge for teaching like this? Get out—I’ll help you reverse.”
Jian Xi obediently stepped out and stood aside. He Ran slid into the driver’s seat.
With a few deft movements of his sinewy hands on the steering wheel, the car smoothly maneuvered into its proper position.
After exiting the car, He Ran handed her the keys. Jian Xi took them silently.
After a moment, he spoke. “You’re not going to say anything?”
“Hmm?” Jian Xi tilted her head. “What should I say?”
He Ran clicked his tongue. “Praise me.”
Jian Xi: “….”
“Doctor Jian, welcome! Please come in!” Old Zhao’s voice boomed warmly from the doorway.
Jian Xi retrieved a gift from the trunk and greeted him with a smile. “I could smell the delicious aroma from afar. This is for the baby.”
Old Zhao’s house was a self-built structure with a balcony connected to the living room, adorned with numerous potted plants.
Inside, Jian Xi played with the baby and checked the healing of Old Zhao’s wife’s surgical incision before joining everyone in the living room.
He Ran stood on the balcony smoking. The scent of tobacco drifted away with the breeze, leaving only a faint trace in the air. He faced away, his broad shoulders and narrow waist accentuated by the navy-blue jacket.
Jian Xi approached. “I notice you smoke a lot.”
He Ran held the half-smoked cigarette between his fingers. “Not really.”
“Then why do you smoke?”
“Don’t feel like quitting.” Seeing her approach, He Ran stubbed out the cigarette in the soil of a potted plant. He turned and leaned against the railing, his posture highlighting his lean yet powerful build.
“How long have you known Old Zhao?” Jian Xi asked.
“Over two years,” He Ran replied. “We met when I moved to Yati Road.”
Jian Xi continued, “Where did you live before?”
“Tianxin District.”
“That area’s developed well. Why did you move?” Tianxin was the city’s most prosperous district, with skyrocketing property prices.
He Ran glanced at her, his tone indifferent. “Couldn’t afford it anymore. Are you interrogating me? Taking a census?”
Jian Xi’s expression shifted from surprise to exasperation.
He Ran smirked. “You’ve asked so many questions—it’s my turn.”
“Why?”
“Fairness.” He grinned wider. “Answer the same questions you asked me—I won’t let you lose out. Where do you live?”
Jian Xi: “….”
He Ran’s gaze remained insistent.
Jian Xi fiddled with a pot of azaleas. “An apartment near the hospital. I rent it because I’m busy with work.”
“Your hospital doesn’t provide housing?”
“They do, but living and working in the hospital feels like being in prison.” Jian Xi’s response was earnest, but He Ran chuckled. “Sounds like you’ve been to prison before.”
Jian Xi quickly countered, “Haven’t you?”
But He Ran suddenly fell silent. Jian Xi’s heart sank, and absentmindedly, she plucked a flower.
“What’s with that look?” He Ran gave her a reassuring smile. “No, I haven’t served time.”
Jian Xi murmured, “Oh,” her face impassive. Yet she couldn’t deny the strange relief she felt as her sinking heart finally settled.
“Doctor Jian, dinner’s ready!” Old Zhao’s voice carried over, mingled with the aroma of food.
“Let’s go.” He Ran took a step forward.
“He Ran.”
“Hmm?” He turned, puzzled.
Jian Xi tilted her head, her long hair cascading over her shoulder in the sunlight. “Hold out your hand.”
He Ran stood there dumbfounded, drawn in by the subtle curve of her smile. Unconsciously, he complied.
He extended his hand.
Jian Xi moved her clenched fist above it and then released her grip.
A vivid red azalea flower dropped into his palm.
“The praise you wanted.” She tossed the words lightly and walked toward the dining room.
He Ran’s features softened as he gazed at the bright red flower in his hand—the praise he hadn’t received earlier when he helped her park.
This belated compliment…
What had she said just moments ago as they passed each other?
“Coach He, you were amazing.” Jian Xi’s voice was soft, her lips curving into a gentle smile. The impact of those words—
Damn, affecting both ears and eyes.
He Ran looked up. Jian Xi’s slender figure swayed gracefully, her legs accentuated by snug jeans, her curves perfectly outlined.
And that sudden surge of heat coursing through him—He Ran couldn’t suppress it no matter how hard he tried.
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