PDGUT - 8

Yu Tian, overwhelmed by despair, pulled the blanket over her face. She felt it might have been better if she hadn’t woken up at all.

For a few minutes, Yu Tian buried her head under the covers like an ostrich, trying to escape reality.

But knowing there was no other way out, she eventually mustered the courage to pick up her phone again.

[Little Fish]: I was asking on behalf of someone else. Thank you for your advice, Brother Yan Ming. I’ll forward this suggestion directly to the person who asked.

After sending the message, Yu Tian knew she shouldn’t wait for a reply—but every five minutes, she couldn’t resist checking her phone anyway.

However, Yan Ming didn’t send anything else.

An hour later, after confirming that Yan Ming wouldn’t reply, Yu Tian finally picked up her phone and began scrolling through the earlier messages Qi Sihao had sent.

As expected, Qi Sihao hadn’t offered any particularly constructive advice on how to pursue Yan Ming. However, one of his later messages caught Yu Tian’s attention.

[Qi Sihao Super Nice]: By the way, friendly reminder—you didn’t forget about the school’s 100th anniversary celebration, did you?

To be honest, Yu Tian had completely forgotten.

She had almost immediately sent “I’m not going” when Qi Sihao’s next message arrived.

[Qi Sihao Super Nice]: Latest reliable intel—Yan Ming will be speaking as a distinguished alumnus at the celebration.

Yu Tian hesitated for a moment, then recalled her previous message.

[Little Fish]: Actually, I made a typo earlier—I’m going.

[Qi Sihao Super Nice]: ? I figured you were Yan Ming’s true fan.

Yu Tian remained calm—

[Little Fish]: My decision to attend is mainly out of gratitude for my alma mater. One should never forget their roots. If I skip the 100th anniversary, how could I call myself human?

Qi Sihao seemed utterly speechless, responding with a string of ellipses.

Yu Tian didn’t care about his exasperation. Because of Yan Ming, she found herself looking forward to the anniversary celebration more than ever.

Early on the morning of the event, she got up specially to dress up, then dragged a yawning Qi Sihao back to campus.

Rong Medical University was where Yu Tian’s dream had begun, where she spent five fulfilling years of hard work.

Walking along the quiet avenue lined with sycamore trees, listening to the gentle sound of flowing water beneath a nearby bridge, and gazing at the solemn stone monument engraved with the school motto at the end of the path, Yu Tian’s heart was filled with complex emotions.

She had originally thought she would continue her studies in this prestigious institution—but…

Yu Tian glanced at her injured right hand.

Even now, sensation in it hadn’t fully returned. Her once nimble fingers struggled to perform delicate tasks in daily life.

Looking at the medical students chatting and laughing beneath the shade of the trees, she couldn’t deny feeling envious and disheartened.

Fortunately, the lively atmosphere of the celebration and the festive decorations around campus helped lift some of the melancholy from her heart.

Yu Tian listened to Qi Sihao’s gossip as they made their way toward the outdoor venue.

The weather was perfect that day. The university had built a massive open-air venue just last year. Besides hosting large-scale school events and sports competitions, it had even been rented out for small performances.

Now, soothing music played in the background, and the area was bustling with people. Many renowned alumni, whose faces were familiar from honor boards and promotional materials, were present. They were surrounded either by colleagues exchanging professional insights or by current students seeking career advice.

Yu Tian quickly spotted Yan Ming.

He was encircled by the largest group of junior students, basking in their admiration like the moon surrounded by stars.

With his unforgettable face and upright posture, Yan Ming stood tall amidst the crowd. As a doctor, he was undoubtedly accustomed to being surrounded by people. Yet, his brow was slightly furrowed, as though still unaccustomed to being surrounded by juniors rather than patients. Nonetheless, he patiently answered their incessant questions.

At this point, Qi Sihao was pulled away by a junior to help with something, leaving Yu Tian alone.

She didn’t get the chance to greet Yan Ming—not only because he was busy, but also because soon, she became occupied herself.

Though Yu Tian had consistently ranked among the top students in her cohort, compared to Yan Ming, she wasn’t considered a standout figure.

Yu Tian was well aware of this. Those approaching her weren’t drawn by her academic achievements or professional accomplishments—but purely by her appearance.

Yu Tian possessed striking features, sharp and unforgettable.

“Which class are you from? I feel like I’ve seen you in the library before.”

“I work in the emergency department of a top-tier hospital. If you ever come to our hospital, look me up—I’ll show you around. Want to exchange WeChat?”

“The seating has just started. I have a reserved seat in the front row, and there’s an empty spot next to me. Would you like to sit with me?”

To each person who approached her, Yu Tian responded politely and warmly, engaging in brief conversation before subtly steering the interaction toward a natural decline.

“I can’t chat much longer—I’m still looking for my boyfriend.”

Using the same excuse, Yu Tian gently declined several people. When she looked up again, Yan Ming was no longer where he had been standing.

Had he left?

Where had he gone? Was he preparing to go on stage?

Just as Yu Tian felt a pang of disappointment, someone lightly tapped her shoulder from behind.

Expecting Yan Ming or Qi Sihao, she turned around eagerly, her smile freezing on her face before she realized—it wasn’t either of them.

It was Zheng Tingfu.

Months had passed, and he looked radiant. Instead of his usual white coat, he wore a sleek suit, resembling a financial elite spouting English jargon rather than a doctor.

His gaze lingered on Yu Tian’s face, filled with sentimentality and sorrow. After a long while, his eyes slowly shifted to her injured hand.

His expression was one of restrained pain, as if he were the one injured instead of Yu Tian.

“Did you know I was coming? I heard you mention earlier that you’re looking for your boyfriend…”

Yu Tian had always thought Zheng Tingfu was gentle and harmless, but now, she found him nothing more than a melodramatic mess.

Her smile faded, replaced by polite detachment. “Senior.”

Zheng Tingfu seemed to reach out to take her hand.

But Yu Tian, prepared, took a step back.

He ended up grasping thin air.

Embarrassed, Zheng Tingfu’s eyes pleaded with her, taking on the look of a victim forced into an impossible situation.

“Xiaoyu, what happened back then was my fault. Knowing I could never make it up to you, I didn’t dare face you. While you were in the hospital, I couldn’t bring myself to visit.”

Zheng Tingfu appeared genuinely anguished. “I never imagined something like this would happen—never thought there’d be such a radical, mentally unstable patient, or that he’d attack you with a knife.”

His gaze was filled with deep emotion as he looked at Yu Tian. “You must have known I was coming today. Earlier, I heard you say you were looking for your boyfriend. So… does that mean you’ve already forgiven me deep down? Are you still searching for me…?”

Before Zheng Tingfu could finish, a female voice interrupted sharply—

“Tingfu!”

The newcomer was a petite girl with an unfamiliar face. Average-looking, her expression carried an air of arrogance and entitlement. Her gaze toward Yu Tian brimmed with hostility.

Claiming ownership, the girl looped her arm through Zheng Tingfu’s and raised her chin to glance at Yu Tian before turning to Zheng Tingfu. “Tingfu, since we’ve bumped into her, isn’t this the perfect time to say whatever you need to say?”

Perhaps due to her shrill tone, or the soap-opera-worthy tension between the three of them, curious glances began drifting their way.

Zheng Tingfu’s eyes betrayed reluctance and pity as he looked at Yu Tian, but ultimately, it was as though he had made a difficult decision.

“Yu Tian, I’m sorry. But I think it’s best for both of us to part ways and move on. Saying this now is not only closure for you and me, but also a responsibility to Zhao Xinxin.”

At this, he glanced at the girl beside him, assuming a protective stance. “But don’t blame Xinxin—she’s not the other woman. To be honest, we haven’t been in touch for months. I think you already know deep down that our relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend existed in name only.”

“Since we’ve met by chance today, I wanted to clarify things—to formally close this chapter and allow Xinxin to start a new relationship with me without guilt.”

Yu Tian listened silently, incredulity and absurdity rising within her.

She didn’t interrupt or refute him, wondering just how far the absurdity could go.

Zheng Tingfu’s words lacked conviction. As he spoke, his eyes avoided meeting Yu Tian’s, instead focusing on the ground. “As for your hand… though it wasn’t my fault—and I know you’ve already pursued legal action against the perpetrator—out of humanitarian concern, I’m willing to offer some financial support to ensure you’re taken care of…”

After the incident, Yu Tian hadn’t harbored any resentment toward Zheng Tingfu.

Even though going to Zheng Tingfu’s workplace that day had been at his repeated insistence.

Even though it had happened in the pediatric consultation room where Zheng Tingfu was on duty.

Even though that day, when the emotionally unstable medical troublemaker stormed in wielding a knife, Zheng Tingfu had abandoned Yu Tian, who was waiting for him to finish his morning consultations. He also left behind the last young patient in the consultation room and ran away by himself at the first opportunity.

Even though after her injury, while she lay in the ICU with an uncertain prognosis about whether her hand would ever fully recover, Zheng Tingfu hadn’t even come to visit her…

But Yu Tian had never tried to link the outcome of her hand injury to Zheng Tingfu.

However, now, there had never been a moment when she despised Zheng Tingfu more.

Nor had there ever been a moment when she found the situation so laughable.

It was because of people like him that her hand was injured, preventing her from ever becoming an excellent surgeon. This once extraordinarily dexterous hand might not even be able to perform delicate daily tasks for the rest of her life.

How ironic.

Yu Tian sneered inwardly.

She glanced around. Though people were bustling about, most were busy chatting with old classmates or acquaintances, and few were paying attention to Yu Tian and her group anymore.

She didn’t argue or confront Zheng Tingfu.

Instead, Yu Tian’s voice took on a teary tone. With her big, dark, beautiful eyes fixed on Zheng Tingfu, her voice softened into something gentle and harmless, like a small, vulnerable animal: “Senior, didn’t you say you’d only ever love me for the rest of your life? Now that my hand is injured, are you really going to abandon me? But my hand is already like this… If I lose you too, what will I do in the future?”

Zheng Tingfu visibly began to waver. His expression grew flustered and awkward. The arm that Zhao Xinxin was clinging to started pulling away, and his feet unconsciously took two steps toward Yu Tian.

He truly liked Yu Tian a lot; he had chased her for three whole years. Unfortunately, Yu Tian had always treated him politely, without showing any further interest.

The only thing that changed was when he rotated into pediatrics during his hospital training.

Yu Tian was curious about hospital rotations and gradually became interested in the topics he discussed. After much persistence, Zheng Tingfu finally convinced her to try starting as friends.

Without a doubt, Yu Tian was stunningly beautiful and incredibly intelligent.

If things had been different…

Zheng Tingfu began to feel conflicted. In the past, if Yu Tian had pleaded with him like this, he would have undoubtedly chosen her.

After all, her hand seemed to be recovering well enough not to affect her daily life—just that she couldn’t be a doctor anymore. That actually worked out perfectly. Since there was already one doctor in the family—himself—Yu Tian wouldn’t need to be one. She could focus entirely on taking care of the household, leaving Zheng Tingfu free of worries.

But fate was cruel. Not long ago, he happened to meet Zhao Xinxin. Though she was plain-looking and had a spoiled personality, her family background was excellent—her father was a mid-level official in Rong City’s Health Bureau.

In the aftermath of the medical disturbance incident, Zheng Tingfu running away while abandoning his young patient wasn’t illegal, but it damaged his reputation at his current hospital. His relationships with colleagues worsened, and his prospects for advancement there became limited. Thanks to Zhao Xinxin asking her father for help, Zheng Tingfu was transferred to a better surgical department at the prestigious First Affiliated Hospital.

The transfer order would come through in a week.

Yu Tian noticed the struggle in his expression and called out to him in a soft, hurt tone: “Senior…”

Zheng Tingfu’s hesitation became even more obvious, so much so that Zhao Xinxin exploded in anger.

“Tingfu! I’m your girlfriend, not her! With her hand like that, what can she possibly do? What use is she to you?!”

Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin were clearly on the verge of an argument, and their commotion finally drew the attention of others. More and more glances were directed their way, curious about what was happening.

Yu Tian felt she had achieved her purpose.

She smiled faintly, her gaze fixed on Zheng Tingfu, and said softly: “Boyfriend?”

Zheng Tingfu was torn. He clearly wanted both fish and bear’s paw. One hand clung to Zhao Xinxin, but his eyes remained on Yu Tian: “Xiaoyu… I… I do have feelings for you… but…”

What a shameless opportunist—he wanted to eat from the bowl while eyeing the pot.

Yu Tian dropped her pretense. Her face hardened, and she spoke slowly, enunciating each word: “Unfortunately, I’ve never had any feelings for you.”

“Never.”

“I’ve never thought of you as a boyfriend.”

“Between us, it’s always been you shamelessly pursuing me unilaterally, while I merely agreed to try being friends—not lovers.”

“Don’t you think it’s ridiculous for you to come here now, solemnly declaring that you’re breaking up with me and moving on to someone else? It’s like filing for divorce without ever having gotten married.”

A faint, mocking smile curled the corners of Yu Tian’s lips. “Zheng Tingfu, in modern society, breaking up is everyone’s right. But when exactly were we together? I don’t remember.”

“Who do you think you are to me? Who are you, really?”

Ignoring Zheng Tingfu’s face, which had turned the color of pig liver, Yu Tian turned to Zhao Xinxin, whose face was equally unattractive, and said freely: “Miss Zhao Xinxin, don’t worry. I won’t compete for trash like Zheng Tingfu. If you want to turn him into treasure, go ahead and take him.”

Yu Tian raised her injured hand. “He’s bad luck. The one and only time I agreed to visit his department to learn about the pediatric work environment, this happened. If you’re with him, you’d better hope your luck holds out.”

“Still, Zheng Tingfu must have many good qualities since you treasure him so much. For example, his body must be quite strong. Otherwise, how could he run away at the speed of a sprint champion when the troublemaker arrived, leaving someone like me, with poor physical fitness, to get stabbed several times?”

This was Yu Tian’s most unrestrained venting since her injury. Behind her beautiful lips lay a reservoir of other biting remarks, and her pent-up anger and desire for revenge were about to burst forth.

However, when she looked up, she saw a pair of eyes staring at her.

Yan Ming’s eyes.

Through the bustling crowd and cacophony of voices, his gaze fell upon Yu Tian—both shallow and deep, calm yet penetrating.

Yu Tian, who had just moments ago faced Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin with righteous indignation and unwavering courage, suddenly felt her anger deflate under Yan Ming’s gaze.

She was like a balloon inflated to the brink of explosion, ready to unleash a spectacular self-destruction—but at the last moment, it fizzled out.

Yu Tian’s brief surge of courage seemed to vanish completely.

Her heart was a jumble of panic, embarrassment, and awkwardness.

She didn’t know how much Yan Ming had seen.

She had dressed up meticulously just to see him, had come specifically for him, only to end up running into Zheng Tingfu and letting Yan Ming witness this farce.

Yu Tian felt like someone whose temporary superhuman abilities granted by a potion had worn off, leaving her weak and vulnerable again. She felt uneasy and anxious.

In front of Yan Ming, she always seemed to embarrass herself.

She avoided meeting his gaze.

She no longer cared about Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin’s reactions, her eyes darting around aimlessly instead.

Then Yu Tian noticed the untied laces of her shoes.

Because she was back at school, even though she had dressed carefully, she had leaned toward a student-like style, pairing her outfit with canvas shoes that exuded youthful energy.

Zhao Xinxin was utterly enraged. Pointing her finger at Yu Tian, she shrieked at Zheng Tingfu: “Look at this kind of woman! What’s so great about her?! And you still say you have feelings for her?!”

Zheng Tingfu’s face alternated between red and pale as he gently consoled Zhao Xinxin, apologizing profusely: “I was just saying that… her hand is injured—it’s pitiful…”

As he spoke, Zheng Tingfu inexplicably shot Yu Tian a betrayed look: “I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person…”

Yu Tian almost laughed in disbelief.

What kind of person?

She didn’t want to stay a second longer.

She wanted to leave immediately.

But the frayed shoelace made her hesitate.

With untied laces, even if she managed to avoid tripping, she’d have to walk cautiously, unable to stride confidently and gracefully.

But if she bent down to tie them…

Yu Tian bit her lip, regret and pain surging within her for the first time.

It wasn’t Zheng Tingfu she cared about.

But tying her shoelaces in front of him with her injured hand—her remaining pride wouldn’t allow it.

The simple decision of whether to walk away or not suddenly became an insurmountable river blocking Yu Tian’s path.

No matter what choice she made, it felt like she’d be crossing alone, inevitably ending up wet, clumsy, and humiliated.

But before Yu Tian could decide, someone unexpectedly sailed a small boat across the stormy seas.

“Yu Tian.”

Amidst the surrounding chaos, the cold, clear male voice cut through everything, the only sound Yu Tian could hear distinctly.

She turned around and saw Yan Ming.

He still looked the same as when Yu Tian had first seen him—inhumanly handsome, with an aloof and enigmatic aura that was hard to pin down.

Yu Tian suddenly felt nervous and at a loss for words.

She didn’t know what to say.

But Yan Ming spoke first.

Calmly, he looked at Yu Tian: “Your shoelaces are untied.”

“...”

Talk about stating the obvious at the worst possible time!

Yu Tian’s mind was in turmoil, but outwardly, she could only awkwardly and politely explain: “I’ll… I’ll tie them later…”

But before she could finish the word “tie,” Yan Ming—who always seemed as if he lived on the moon—suddenly bent down.

Without saying another word, he crouched in front of Yu Tian, his tall, slender legs folding gracefully.

From Yu Tian’s angle, she could see the mischievous swirl of hair on top of his head, a detail that oddly clashed with his otherwise cold and distant demeanor.

He was tying her shoelaces.

Yu Tian’s eyes widened as she stared at Yan Ming, who was almost kneeling by her feet, still unable to believe what she was seeing.

Yan Ming was tying her shoelaces!

Not only was Yu Tian stunned into silence, but the few people around her were also clearly dumbfounded.

Zheng Tingfu stared at Yan Ming’s face, his lips pressed tightly together, flashes of resentment and frustration crossing his expression. Zhao Xinxin, on the other hand, wore an unmasked look of jealousy and indignation.

The commotion Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin had caused earlier had drawn quite a bit of attention. With so many alumni from various fields attending the anniversary celebration, some recognized Yan Ming and began whispering among themselves.

“That super handsome guy is Yan Ming!”

“Wow! We’ve heard teachers talk about him since we were students, but who knew the top student would look like this?”

“Right? But what’s going on here?”

“That guy over there—I heard he cheated on his ex-girlfriend but still can’t let go of her, trying to have it both ways…”

“No way! With a godlike man like Yan Ming around, who would even look twice at that guy? He doesn’t even deserve to look in the mirror. On top of that, he’s trash—a coward who abandoned his girlfriend during a medical disturbance, leaving her to get injured.”

“What ex-girlfriend? Didn’t someone say they were never even dating?”

“Anyway, he’s such a scumbag! Being with trash like him just brings misfortune…”

These onlookers didn’t fully understand the details of the situation, but their pieced-together gossip wasn’t far off the mark. Dozens of pairs of eyes swept over Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin, filled with disdain and curiosity, making their already pitch-black expressions grow even more awkward and red.

Zheng Tingfu, who cared deeply about appearances, must have been feeling utterly miserable at this moment.

As for Yan Ming, he hadn’t come alone. The man who had been following him earlier now watched Yu Tian with an amused gaze.

Yan Ming’s fingers moved as deftly as if wielding a scalpel. In reality, from the moment he bent down to finishing tying the laces, no more than half a minute had passed.

But for Yu Tian, that half-minute felt stretched into hundreds of times its length.

Half a minute has thirty seconds, and each second contains a thousand milliseconds.

Yu Tian felt as though she could experience every single millisecond in slow motion.

Then she saw Yan Ming rise to his feet, his handsome brows slightly furrowed, his angular lips parting slightly as he spoke in a tone that was cold yet somehow mesmerizing.

“Why are you still standing there?” He looked at Yu Tian expressionlessly. “How much longer are you going to waste your time with these random people?”

Yan Ming’s attitude wasn’t particularly warm, and his words weren’t intimate in the slightest.

But this time, his eyes were fixed solely on Yu Tian, her reflection filling his pupils entirely.

In that instant, Yu Tian suddenly felt like crying.

She felt as if Yan Ming had seen through all her previous embarrassment, and despite his cold demeanor, he was being so thoughtful.

Suddenly, Yu Tian stopped feeling angry or furious. Her pain and regret thinned out, fading away.

Miraculously, her heart grew calm and gentle once more.

She let down her guard and sensitivity, meekly allowing Yan Ming to lead her away from the crowd, leaving behind Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin with their complicated expressions.