PDGUT - 3

Yu Tian followed Yan Ming into the elevator.

There was no one else inside—just the two of them.

Yu Tian thought this was a perfect opportunity to clarify things. Clearing her throat, she began, “Yan Ming Gege, I’m really sorry. At first, I mistook you for someone else—the person I was supposed to meet for the blind date. That’s why I acted like that—I wanted him to back off. But actually, I’m not…”

Unfortunately, Yan Ming didn’t give her the chance to explain further. He didn’t seem to care either. With an indifferent glance at Yu Tian, he corrected her choice of words as if fixing an arithmetic error.

“I’m not your older brother, so don’t call me that.”

He shot her another glance. “I already said we might not become family.”

Yu Tian, still basking in the excitement of being close to her idol, nodded obediently almost without thinking. “Alright, Yan Ming Gege.”

“…”

Yan Ming looked even less inclined to engage with her after that.

But Yu Tian didn’t mind in the slightest.

Yan Ming had countless fans, and she was just one tiny, ordinary admirer among them.

It was the fans who chose to like their idols; the idols weren’t obligated to respond.

Yu Tian kept her mindset balanced. After getting past the initial awkwardness and embarrassment, she quickly refocused on how lucky she was.

She would spend the entire afternoon alone with Yan Ming. She was deeply curious about his resume and journey, eager to learn about his experiences along the way. She had watched recordings of his surgeries and had many questions she wanted to ask. Although she could no longer pursue a career as a doctor, her new venture into self-media content creation might still allow her to collaborate with him.

As the saying goes, no one knows a mother better than her daughter. Judging from Song Chunxiang’s reactions today, it seemed she was quite satisfied with Yan Wenhua.

Sure enough, before Yu Tian even exited the elevator, a message from Song Chunxiang arrived on WeChat—

“Xiao Yu, remember to find out what that boy Yan Ming likes. His father mentioned that next month is his birthday, and he’s planning to invite us for dinner. We’ll need to prepare a birthday gift.”

It seemed her mother and Mr. Yan were getting along well.

This might very well lead to remarriage.

Therefore, whether out of personal interest or for her mother’s sake, Yu Tian needed to build rapport with Yan Ming and find out what he liked.

But reflecting on their first meeting…

While Yan Ming wasn’t paying attention, Yu Tian sneakily glanced at her phone again.

Qi Sihao’s reply had indeed arrived.

“If you want him to change his impression of you, try figuring out what he’s interested in and cater to it. For example, take me—I love collecting shoes. As my good friend, if you wanted to thank me for my advice, you could buy me some limited-edition sneakers. That would strengthen our friendship naturally… You get what I mean, right?”

Yu Tian understood the first part of Qi Sihao’s message but conveniently ignored the second half.

Still, it gave her some inspiration.

The movie theater booked by Yan Wenhua wasn’t far from the restaurant. After leaving the building, they only had to cross a pedestrian street to reach it.

Once outside the elevator, the air conditioning disappeared, revealing the day’s true oppressive heat in all its unfiltered glory.

Hot and stifling, the air carried traces of accumulated humidity.

But Yu Tian, walking closely behind Yan Ming, felt that this was the best day of her life.

As someone who believed in taking action, Yu Tian decided to seize every opportunity.

She posed her questions like an eager student: “Senior Yan Ming, may I ask what your hobbies are?”

“What do you usually do in your free time?”

“Is there anything you particularly enjoy eating?”

Unfortunately, Yu Tian’s direct approach clearly didn’t appeal to Yan Ming.

He didn’t even spare her a glance, offering only a cold and subtle hint: “I don’t like answering such straightforward questions from people I’m not familiar with.”

Yu Tian hesitated for a moment.

Yan Ming glanced at her but said nothing.

She decided to switch tactics.

“What is Charcot’s triad?”

Yan Ming still didn’t look inclined to speak, evidently put off by Yu Tian’s poor first impression.

Yu Tian feigned understanding. “Senior Yan Ming, you work in ophthalmology, right? I’m sure you’ve probably forgotten about Charcot’s triad by now…”

Sure enough, Yan Ming turned his head toward her, slightly frowning. “In cases of acute cholangitis, when patients experience abdominal pain, chills with high fever, and jaundice, that’s Charcot’s triad.”

He glanced at her. “This is one of the simplest concepts in Clinical Medicine Overview. Any normal medical student shouldn’t forget it.”

“What kind of necrosis occurs in tuberculosis?”

“Dry gangrene.”

“So, what are your hobbies?”

“Playing the piano and sleeping.”

Yan Ming instinctively clammed up, but it was too late.

His lips pressed tightly together, his expression guarded, clearly unwilling to fall for Yu Tian’s tricks again.

But Yu Tian smiled brightly. “When people are asked serious professional questions, they tend to answer reflexively. If you follow up with another question while they’re still in that rhythm, they’ll keep responding.”

Yan Ming’s tone carried a hint of disapproval. “I let my guard down earlier and got tricked by you.”

“Then shall we make a bet? Even though you’re on guard now, I bet I can still trick you!”

Yan Ming replied coldly, “Impossible.”

“Why not? It’s normal for you to lose to me. I might be smarter than you think.”

At this remark, though Yan Ming didn’t explicitly agree, he also didn’t refuse, clearly intrigued by the challenge.

“Let’s warm up with a quick brain teaser!” Yu Tian suggested casually. “The rules are simple: I’ll say an action, and you have to respond with a similar action but with a different specific detail. For example, if I say ‘I eat rice,’ you’d say ‘I eat vegetables.’ The actions are of the same type, but the specifics differ. Got it?”

A look of “This is so childish” crossed Yan Ming’s face. He clearly wanted to retract his participation in what seemed like an absurdly trivial brain teaser.

But Yu Tian preemptively announced the start: “I drink water!”

Yan Ming intended to silently decline the activity, but Yu Tian stared at him, nudging his arm. “Your turn!”

With a sigh of resignation, Yan Ming finally muttered, “I drink alcohol.”

Yu Tian’s round eyes fixed on him, as if she were fully committed to the game. “I buy apples.”

Yan Ming reluctantly responded, “I buy bananas.”

After a few rounds, Yan Ming couldn’t help but wonder why, after pulling an all-night shift, he hadn’t gone home to sleep but was instead stuck playing these elementary-school-level games.

He wanted to suggest that such “brain teasers” should end in a draw.

Just then, Yu Tian excitedly declared, “I sell gold!”

Almost instinctively, Yan Ming responded, “I sell silver.”

“...”

The moment the words left his mouth, Yan Ming realized he had fallen into her trap.

He tightly shut his lips and glared at Yu Tian, who was laughing so hard she could barely stand straight. Tears of laughter were nearly streaming down her face as she teased him with a sly look, feigning seriousness. “In a society governed by law, you really shouldn’t do things like that.”

“...”

During his time at medical school, Yan Ming had met many younger female students, but he had never encountered anyone quite like Yu Tian from their school.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t been asked about his hobbies before, but most of the time, politely declining due to inconvenience worked just fine. Even when some persisted, given Yan Ming’s personality, they never got much out of him.

He had never met someone as relentlessly playful as Yu Tian.

But Yu Tian didn’t care. She shrugged, smiling brightly. “You see, when people rely on habitual responses, they’re actually very easy to manipulate.”

All that talk about brain teasers and comparing intelligence had clearly been smoke screens to lower Yan Ming’s guard.

Sure enough, Yu Tian cleared her throat as if making a closing statement, dropping heavy hints. “I don’t want to use tricks either.”

She stared at Yan Ming. “So, if I ask fewer tricky questions, can you answer with more sincerity?”

“...” As if she were the victim here.

Yan Ming decided it was best to speed up and distance himself from this junior.

When Yan Ming suddenly quickened his pace, Yu Tian didn’t feel awkward. She chuckled and jogged lightly to catch up. “Can you walk slower? My legs are shorter—I can’t keep up!”

Yan Ming ignored her, but soon, Yu Tian realized she no longer needed to run.

He had unconsciously slowed down again.

Seizing the opportunity, Yu Tian pressed on. “Gege Yan Ming, since I already know your hobbies, that means we’ve become closer now. So, what’s your favorite food?”

Yan Ming remained silent.

Yu Tian put on an exasperated expression. “Chronic glomerulonephritis…”

“Cheesecake.”

Yan Ming’s voice was still cold, as if he couldn’t bear her persistence. He glanced at Yu Tian. “Stop asking such basic clinical medicine questions—it makes me feel like I’m back in my freshman year. And stop using these boring tactics.”

It seemed he was willing to be a bit more sincere.

But as always, sincerity often came after enduring societal trials.

The ten-minute walk wasn’t long or short, but it was enough for Yu Tian to ask a string of questions.

As they approached the theater entrance, Yu Tian finally asked her last question.

“So, what’s your height, weight, blood type? Any history of drug allergies? Any hereditary diseases in your family?”

“...”

Yan Ming rubbed his temples, trying to stay calm. “If you claim to understand my hobbies and leisure life because you want to be friends, then why are you asking me these personal details?”

“Just... Since my mom and your dad are dating, and I’m a medical student myself...”

Yan Ming almost laughed in frustration. “Are you seriously going to do a eugenics and due diligence investigation? Do you think our parents will definitely end up together and have another child? Are you checking our family genes now?”

Yan Ming tried to stay calm. “Yu Tian, both our parents are already in their fifties.”

“No, it’s not like that.” Yu Tian thought for a moment and explained earnestly, “I’m not thinking that far ahead. I just figured that if we end up as family one day, and something unexpected happens, I’d be able to quickly inform the doctors of your condition as your relative. It would make treatment easier...”

“...”

Yan Ming’s usually calm voice rose slightly. “Why would I have a sudden illness?”

“I certainly hope nothing happens to you and that you live a long life. But statistically speaking, every year in the medical field, there are many cases of overwork-related deaths and accidents...”

“...”

“And do you have insurance?”

Yu Tian wanted to suggest that Yan Ming buy a customized accidental injury insurance policy for his hands. As a surgeon—especially an ophthalmologist—his hands were the most crucial part of his career.

Not having insurance after an accident was something Yu Tian deeply regretted.

After her own accident, she became almost obsessive about recommending insurance to any classmate from medical school she knew well.

Yu Tian knew this behavior wasn’t ideal and tried to control it, but often couldn’t.

Clearly, the aftermath of her accident had caused not only physical pain but also psychological trauma.

“Really, insurance is very important. I have a personal example...”

Unfortunately, just as Yu Tian was about to share her own experience to emphasize the importance of buying insurance, Yan Ming interrupted her. “So, did you give up medicine to sell insurance? Hoping I’ll buy a policy from you?”

No, she hadn’t.

But shortly after her accident, Yu Tian had purchased a personal accident insurance policy. She remembered that the broker who helped her had given her a QR code. Anyone who scanned it through her referral would receive a discount.

Yan Ming was not only her idol but potentially future family.

Yu Tian decided not to let this opportunity slip away.

Honest to a fault, she said, “If you scan my code and mention my name, you can get a 500-yuan discount.”

“...”

Yan Ming looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t get the chance. At that moment, his phone rang. Yu Tian glanced at the caller ID—it was his father.

Yan Ming answered quickly. The other party seemed to be checking in on something, making Yan Ming’s expression grow increasingly resigned.

Yu Tian only heard his brief responses.

“I know. I haven’t left. She’s right beside me.”

There was no need to guess—the call was likely Yan Wenhua checking whether Yan Ming was really accompanying Yu Tian to the movie.

Yan Ming clearly didn’t enjoy much trust from his father.

Though it was obvious that Yan Ming’s presence at the theater was pressured by his father, Yu Tian was still delighted.

Once Yan Ming hung up, Yu Tian enthusiastically asked, “Do you want popcorn?”

Yan Ming frowned. “Popcorn contains high levels of lead, excessive sugar, cream, and artificial coloring. Since you’re a medical student...”

“I know! Excessive lead harms the body’s hematopoietic and digestive systems, and popcorn can easily cause weight gain. As a medical student, I’m fully aware of all that. But!”

Yu Tian continued earnestly, “Precisely because I’m a medical student, I know that eating popcorn occasionally won’t harm my health for decades.”

Yan Ming glanced at Yu Tian.

“How many patients come to the hospital daily due to unforeseen accidents and lose their lives? If someone could live long enough to die from eating popcorn, that would be considered dying of old age!” Yu Tian blinked. “In short, being able to eat popcorn until death would be a kind of luck!”

At this point, she couldn’t resist trying to explain the necessity of insurance again, but Yan Ming cut her off.

“You can only choose one: insurance or popcorn.”

His expression was as cold as his voice. “Your choice.”

Yu Tian looked at Yan Ming’s handsome face, battling internally for a few seconds before deciding to settle for immediate gratification. “Popcorn!”

Yan Ming didn’t say anything, as if he had anticipated this outcome. With an air of resignation, he walked toward the popcorn counter to queue.

Among the men lining up to buy popcorn, Yan Ming undoubtedly stood out the most.

Yu Tian was admiring him intently, trying to find another opportunity to convey the idea that “tomorrow and accidents—you never know which comes first,” when unexpectedly, her own accident arrived sooner than anticipated.

“Yu Tian.”

From behind her came a voice filled with resentment and a hint of tears.

Yu Tian turned around and saw Ren Yali standing by the glass railing in the mall atrium outside the theater.

She was glaring at Yu Tian with hatred and bitterness, her eyes red from crying, and her emotions clearly unstable.

Yu Tian suddenly had a bad feeling.

Perhaps it was a feng shui issue, but every year someone committed suicide by jumping from this very mall atrium.

Each incident made headlines, and over time, the place became notorious as a “suicide hotspot.”

Ren Yali’s emotional state was clearly deteriorating, and her body was already leaning precariously over the glass railing.

Yu Tian acted decisively, immediately calling Qi Sihao.

“Did Ren Yali contact you later? Did she say anything to you?”

Qi Sihao sounded confused. “She pulled the same old routine—said she wouldn’t live if I didn’t give her a chance, and mentioned something about jumping off a nearby cinema...”

Yu Tian didn’t have time to explain further to Qi Sihao.

Lips pressed tightly together, she ran toward Ren Yali and yanked her away from the glass railing to a safer spot.

“What are you doing?!” Yu Tian glared at Ren Yali, not holding back anymore. “Is it really worth it? To die for a man?”

Though Yu Tian prided herself on performing daily acts of kindness, Ren Yali’s eyes darted around, seemingly seizing upon what she perceived as Yu Tian’s weakness.

“I just saw you with a man earlier—you’re obviously close! Your eyes were practically glowing when you looked at him! Are you cheating?!” Ren Yali’s eyes widened as if struck by enlightenment. “I’m going to tell Qi Sihao! You betrayed him while dating him! You don’t deserve to be with him!”

Caught off guard, Yu Tian found it both tedious and difficult to explain clearly, so she opted for a concise response: “That’s my brother!” Or at least, potentially future brother.

Ren Yali had been acting impulsively in her anger, but after Yu Tian pulled her back, she began to calm down slightly. Still, facing Yu Tian, she couldn’t control her emotions.

“Are you here to mock me?” Ren Yali’s tears flowed, filled with resentment. “You’re beautiful and have Qi Sihao as your boyfriend—you’re the winner. Of course, you wouldn’t understand how I feel!”

Ren Yali’s eyes reflected pain but also flickered with a hint of hope. “But... did Qi Sihao send you here?”

Yu Tian didn’t give Ren Yali any false hope. “No. Even if you threaten to kill yourself, Qi Sihao wouldn’t take it seriously. A man who doesn’t love you won’t care about what you say.”

“So why did you pull me back? Shouldn’t you just stay out of it? Aren’t you afraid that if something happens now, I’ll blame you?”

Yu Tian shrugged. “I didn’t want to intervene, but my conscience wouldn’t allow it.”

Ren Yali still wasn’t satisfied. “Don’t put on this hypocritical act. Just one question—if you’re so virtuous, can you let Qi Sihao go to me?”

“No way.” Yu Tian said earnestly, “Precisely because I have a conscience, I can’t let Qi Sihao go to you.”

Ren Yali stared at Yu Tian.

“That scoundrel Qi Sihao—it’s better for society if I keep him locked up as trash than let him roam free causing harm.”

This was Yu Tian’s honest opinion. She frowned. “Besides, what’s so great about Qi Sihao anyway?”

“What do you even like about him?”

Ren Yali bit her lip. “I like his elegance! His gentle demeanor! His clean and refreshing aura…”

“Where’s the elegance? Is it because he only wears a slim-fitting cashmere coat in winter? Do you know that every time he comes home like that, he gets a fever for five days? He has such a weak constitution—what future is there with a man like that? If you want to take care of a frail man, you might as well become a caregiver!”

“As for his gentleness, it’s all an act! Don’t believe me? Next time I team up with him for a game, I’ll invite you! His vocabulary of profanities is richer than you think!”

“And that clean and refreshing aura? He piles up dirty clothes and socks for a whole week before washing them!”

Despite Yu Tian’s thorough explanation, Ren Yali remained stubborn.

“You’re just trying to comfort me—he’s the best man I’ve ever met…”

Yu Tian was exasperated. “Have you seen anything of the world?!”

“What about that man just now—the one you saw, my brother? Tell me honestly—isn’t he handsome?”

Ren Yali pursed her lips, saying nothing.

“Isn’t he a hundred times more handsome than Qi Sihao?”

Yan Ming’s face was flawless—even Ren Yali couldn’t deny it—but she still clung to hope: “Even if he’s handsome, can he compare to Qi Sihao? Qi Sihao has compassion, good looks, intelligence, and a noble spirit of saving lives!”

“My brother is also in medicine! He’s Qi Sihao’s legitimate senior and a genius who entered medical university at sixteen!”

As she praised Yan Ming, Yu Tian grew more fluent. “Qi Sihao’s intelligence is nothing compared to my brother’s! When Qi Sihao was twenty-three, he had just graduated and started rotations at the First Affiliated Hospital, but my brother, at twenty-eight, is already a chief physician there! Despite his young age, he performs many delicate and complex eye surgeries with exceptional skill—his future is limitless!”

Yu Tian beamed, calling “my brother” with ease. After all, having Yan Ming as her brother was her dream come true.

She turned to Ren Yali, pressing further. “Let me ask you one thing—if you were sick, would you dare let Qi Sihao prescribe medication for you?”

“…”

“And even if Qi Sihao were with you, if a man like my brother pursued you, could you resist not cheating?”

“…”

Yu Tian delivered her closing statement. “Once you’ve seen the vast ocean, lesser waters pale in comparison. If I’d met a man like my brother, I’d never look twice at someone as mediocre as Qi Sihao!”

Her words left Ren Yali speechless, but Ren Yali was still frustrated and pained, bursting into tears once more.

“Stop crying.” Yu Tian felt a headache coming on. She patted Ren Yali. “If you must, finding my brother as a boyfriend would be better than Qi Sihao!”

Ren Yali sniffled. “Is that true?”

To pacify Ren Yali and prevent her from doing something rash, Yu Tian ignored everything else.

She blinked. “Of course. If it were up to me, I’d happily arrange for my brother to marry you right now! After all, a man like my brother is truly a top-tier catch! You’re still too young and naive! Take my advice—there are plenty of good men out there, like leeks, waiting for you to meet them…”

Initially, Yu Tian’s words were meant merely as desperate consolation since Ren Yali had sworn to marry no one but Qi Sihao.

Surprisingly, as soon as she finished speaking, Ren Yali stopped crying. She stared at Yu Tian. “Really? Then push my brother’s WeChat to me right now!”

“…”

Ren Yali added insincerely, “Isn’t my brother already a chief physician? Let’s add him on WeChat first—I can consult him for medical issues in the future!”

“…”

After much persuasion, Ren Yali finally abandoned her dangerous idea of getting Yan Ming’s WeChat.

Just as Yu Tian managed to calm Ren Yali down, forcing her to call a friend and watching her leave with them, Yan Ming returned holding popcorn.

The timing was impeccable, and Yu Tian breathed a sigh of relief.

Satisfied, she accepted the popcorn politely. “Thank you, Senior Yan Ming.”

She then checked her phone. “It’s still a bit early before the movie starts. Why don’t we sit on the couch and eat the popcorn?”

Yan Ming glanced at Yu Tian, pursed his lips, and declined her suggestion. “No, I have something important to take care of.”

Curious, Yu Tian looked up. “What important matter?”

Before her words faded, Yan Ming’s calm voice rang out—”Perhaps getting married.”

???

!!!

Wasn’t Yan Ming single?! Was he planning to get married?!

A spark of gossip lit up in Yu Tian’s eyes. “Do you secretly have someone you’re seeing behind Mr. Yan’s back? Does he disapprove of your relationship?”

In an instant, Yu Tian’s mind conjured up a melodramatic tale of star-crossed lovers defying opposition, determined to consummate their love despite the odds.

But before she could fully flesh out the plotline, Yan Ming spoke again, expressionless—”Didn’t you just decide to marry me off to someone else?”

“…”

Yu Tian’s smile froze, her expression cracking apart.