Hot

Li Leran carried a plate of grilled skewers over to the big rock and looked up as she said, “Want some?”

Xu Ya Qing had been staring blankly into the night. At the sound of her voice, she lowered her head and sat up.

“What time is it?” Xu Ya Qing frowned, then jumped down from the boulder. “Why are you out here?”

Li Leran didn’t know how to bring it up with Xu Ya Qing. She hesitated for a while, and just then someone happened to bring food over to Xu Ya Qing, so she simply intercepted the plate.

If you wanted to talk to someone about something, you were supposed to bring a little something with you; that sort of polite social courtesy was the kind of thing Li Leran had always dismissed as unnecessary.

But ever since Xu Ya Qing had torn into her, she didn’t dare act as recklessly as before.

Xu Ya Qing took a skewer from the plate and bit off a piece to chew. “I’m asking you.”

Li Leran glanced at her cautiously and opened her mouth. A gust of wind blew straight into her face. “Ten forty... ah, ptooey!”

Xu Ya Qing hurriedly turned around and took the plate from her, holding it protectively in front of herself. “So late already? No wonder it feels cold. There’s wind and sand at night; if nothing’s wrong, hurry back.”

Li Leran stared at the meat on the plate without saying anything.

Xu Ya Qing lowered her eyes and looked. “Oh, this. Thanks.”

After that, she turned to call over the people who were still gathered around, telling them to eat and drink their fill and head back to rest early; no need to clean up, she’d already found someone to help.

After another busy ten-odd minutes, Xu Ya Qing made sure everyone was full and had gone back to the inn before turning to head back herself.

“Why are you still here?”

Xu Ya Qing frowned at Li Leran, who was standing by the rock. “Serving time? Reflecting on your sins against the wall? Thinking about life?”

Li Leran moved her lips. Her face turned red from holding it in before she finally blurted out, “I came to find you about something.”

“What is it?” Xu Ya Qing glanced at the sky. “Make it quick.”

Li Leran opened her mouth and sneezed.

Xu Ya Qing was speechless. “...Forget it. Go inside and talk.”

Xu Ya Qing was staying on the third floor. That whole level only housed her and Zhang Rong. Because the floor was high and the rooms were lousy, the two of them had taken them first and left the ones in better condition for everyone else.

She didn’t let Li Leran into the room. Instead, she folded her arms and leaned outside the door, chin lifted. “Now you can say it.”

Li Leran lowered her head and stared at her toes. Her voice was softer than a mosquito’s. “You’ve been running all over the place these past few days; did you find anything?”

Maybe it was because the question sounded a little too proper coming from Li Leran’s mouth. Xu Ya Qing froze for a few seconds before reacting, then gave a faint laugh.

“You know what I’ve been investigating?”

Li Leran couldn’t keep her mouth shut. “Isn’t it those three projects?”

“So you’re here for that,” Xu Ya Qing said. “Did Yu Tiantian send you?”

Li Leran said nothing, just lowered her head even more.

Xu Ya Qing’s tone turned heavy. “Speak.”

“Yes, yes, she asked me to,” Li Leran said irritably. “So what did you find?”

“When you’re asking someone for a favor, try being a little nicer. Nobody owes you an answer,” Xu Ya Qing said, her voice cooling several degrees. “Look at the way you get impatient after asking just two questions.”

“I—” Li Leran was practically livid. “I don’t know, and I didn’t even want to come...”

Xu Ya Qing gave her a long look. “You didn’t want to come?”

“Ah, I get it. Yu Tiantian insisted you come,” Xu Ya Qing said, finally understanding. With that, she lost the desire to keep teasing Li Leran. “Then go back and tell her my conclusion is that the third one isn’t reliable.”

Li Leran blinked. “The third one isn’t reliable?”

“Yes. That laser massage device; I don’t recommend doing it.”

Li Leran’s expression turned suspicious. She studied Xu Ya Qing. That was her conclusion? Real or fake? She was telling her so easily?

Xu Ya Qing turned to unlock the door and was about to rest. After the door opened, she glanced back and saw Li Leran still standing there. “What are you standing there for? Waiting for me to escort you back?”

Li Leran curled her lip. “You really only investigated this? You’re not lying to me, are you?”

Xu Ya Qing laughed in anger. “Only this? Have you even been out? Have you investigated anything? Do you know how many roads I had to run, how many people I had to ask, and how much analysis I had to do to arrive at a sentence that seems this simple?”

Li Leran said disdainfully, “What about the other two projects? No progress?”

Xu Ya Qing sneered. “No comment.”

Li Leran hesitated. “So the third project really can’t be done?”

“Think whatever you want,” Xu Ya Qing said impatiently. “Believe it or not.”

Li Leran believed her somewhat in her heart. The task was done, and her mood relaxed, so her mouth stopped filtering itself. “Fine, I’ll reluctantly believe you this once. Your conclusion only counts as a reference anyway.”

Xu Ya Qing couldn’t be bothered to argue. “Then I’ll reluctantly remind you of something too: Yu Tiantian thinks she’s a little princess around whom the whole world revolves. She reeks of selfishness. If you don’t keep away from her soon, it won’t do you any good.”

Li Leran jumped. “Watch your mouth! Stop badmouthing people behind their backs!”

Xu Ya Qing had no words for her. “You really are biting the hand that feeds you.”

“Go to hell!” Li Leran’s voice rose again.

Just then, the door beside them opened and someone poked her head out.

“Ya Qing, what’s going on?” Zhang Rong came out wrapped in a coat and looked over at them.

Xu Ya Qing immediately straightened and walked over with an ingratiating smile. “Sorry for waking you. She’s leaving right away, and I’m done talking too. Really sorry; I forgot this inn doesn’t have soundproofing.”

Zhang Rong shook her head, a trace of concern on her face. “I went to the bathroom to wash up and heard people making noise outside... You really weren’t fighting?”

She had heard Xu Ya Qing’s voice and thought she was arguing with someone, so she didn’t think much before coming out to check. She hadn’t expected to see a stranger.

“Really not; we were just chatting,” Xu Ya Qing said with a bright smile. “Dr. Zhang, go back and rest quickly. I’m going back too.”

Zhang Rong still looked uneasy. After confirming several times that everything was fine, she finally went back in at Xu Ya Qing’s repeated urging.

Xu Ya Qing watched Zhang Rong close the door, then walked back and lowered her voice. “Go.”

Li Leran had been standing there all along. She didn’t know Zhang Rong, but from the two of them’s conversation, she could probably guess her identity.

A doctor, living alone with Xu Ya Qing on the third floor.

And an omega.

Li Leran raised her brows and mocked, “Nothing going on, and yet you’re going out of your way to flatter her? You little peacock, are you getting ready to spread your tail again?”

This time Xu Ya Qing didn’t snap back. She didn’t even look like she was joking. Her expression darkened at once, her words sharp and serious as she said quickly, “Shut up. Don’t make things up.”

Li Leran wanted to say more, but when she looked up and met Xu Ya Qing’s tightly furrowed brows and the chill in her eyes, she couldn’t help shivering.

Xu Ya Qing closed the door in her face and reminded her, “Walk softly when you leave. Don’t disturb the others’ rest.”

Li Leran opened her mouth. Staring at the closed door in front of her, then at the other room a few steps away, she stood frozen for a long while.

—

Not long ago, Hua Yu’s contact name had changed from [Dr. Hua Who Comes Home Late] to [Heart:/Dr. Hua]. The hidden complaint implied by “comes home late” had been removed and replaced with a cute little heart.

However, Dr. Hua had not reduced her overtime just because the “late” part was gone. On the contrary, these past few days she had been working later and later, more and more often.

Wei Yin used to be able to wait for Dr. Hua to get off work just by finishing dinner, tidying the dishes, and dawdling for a bit. Gradually that turned into taking a shower and watching some TV in the living room before Hua Yu came back. In the end, Wei Yin would fall asleep on the sofa, and only when the TV had started showing midnight movie channels would Hua Yu push open the door and come home.

If this had been before, Wei Yin’s waiting for Hua Yu to come home was simple; it was mostly just politeness and basic concern.

But lately her work had been selling like crazy. Finished sets were consigned through Wuxi, while smaller pieces were listed online. With more and more fans, Wei Yin’s life had become wonderfully full, and naturally she had a bellyful of things she wanted to share with Hua Yu.

Unfortunately, Hua Yu was so busy she barely had time to reply to messages, and Wei Yin almost never managed to catch her for a chat.

[in]: [Link: Seven Reasons Not to Date a Doctor...]

[in]: Is Dr. Hua coming home after twelve again today?

[in]: The fridge says it’s been empty for three days and needs someone to feed it

Hua Yu only found time to reply after finishing a surgery.

Looking at Wei Yin’s little complaining expression, she couldn’t help curling her lips.

Yang Cha came in and set down a pile of things. “Dr. Hua, a letter from the Second Capital Hospital, and the materials you asked for. I’m heading out now!”

“Mm, bye,” Hua Yu said with a smile. “See you tomorrow.”

Yang Cha’s departing figure stopped halfway out. She turned back and said seriously, “No, the day after tomorrow. I’m off tomorrow.”

“...Have a happy vacation.”

After seven consecutive days of work, Hua Yu reflected for three seconds. Just seven days; compared with her forty-seven-day record, this was only a tiny fraction.

There were only three days left until Wei Yin’s class reunion, and she felt an urgent need rising from the bottom of her heart to make some progress before the gathering.

But it wasn’t hospital work; it was research on the disease-causing genes carried by Wei Yin.

Her phone rang. It was Zhang Rong calling.

Zhang Rong had just landed yesterday and rushed back to the capital; along the way, she had mailed Hua Yu a set of materials.

“Did you get the package?” Zhang Rong asked. “Everything from my research over the past few years is in there. Look through it first.”

“Thank you, senior,” Hua Yu said with a smile. “How’s the medical aid trip this time? Any new findings?”

Zhang Rong sighed. “Same as always: mostly long-untreated illnesses and mixed chronic diseases. The medical level and people’s awareness just can’t keep up.”

“Even dripping water can wear through stone; progress takes time. We can help as much as we can,” Hua Yu said, letting out a light sigh as well. “How’s Ya Qing? Is she adjusting?”

“Ya Qing is very good,” Zhang Rong praised without stinginess. “She’s helped me a lot.”

Hua Yu smiled. “She’s restless, always has been clumsy and impulsive since she was little. I thought she’d never last.”

Zhang Rong said seriously, “Your understanding of your cousin is off. She’s smart and quick-witted, polite and sensible, hardworking and driven. She’s a very good child.”

“Really? My mother thinks so too, but my aunt always feels she’s hopeless,” Hua Yu said lightly. “Still, it’s good this way. She’s willing to do something; it’s part of growing up.”

“Mm.” Zhang Rong paused, then said, “And you? I’ve read Wei Yin’s genetic research report. Most of the disease-causing genes she carries can only be called suspected; targeted treatment can’t be carried out. Most adult gland disorders fall within the scope of your research direction. Why do you insist on studying her genes?”

Gland gene research mainly applies to fetal screening. For most gland disorders, it’s impossible to identify the exact disease-causing gene, just as humanity has never been able to conquer and cure immunodeficiency-type diseases.

Hua Yu was silent for a long while before exhaling and saying calmly, “I can only keep her condition stable long-term; I can make her live like a normal person, even restore gland function. But as she gets older, or if she accidentally comes into contact with a trigger, the illness will relapse.”

What Hua Yu wanted was to cure Wei Yin completely.

“When you care, you lose your judgment,” Zhang Rong said, showing understanding. “If you need help, just say so.”

After hanging up, Hua Yu went back to work. Three hours later, her alarm went off. She closed her eyes and rested for five minutes, then picked up her bag and went home.

By the time she got back, it was already ten fifteen. Hua Yu pushed the door open quietly and didn’t see Wei Yin. She went to her room to change clothes; when she came back out, she happened to meet Wei Yin, who had just finished showering and was coming into the living room to get water.

Wei Yin had wrapped herself in a thin bath towel. Her short hair was wet and stringy, hanging in messy strands, making her look like an energetic child. The heat from the shower had flushed her small face a soft pink, and she looked beautiful.

She didn’t see Hua Yu. As soon as she came out, she went straight to the water dispenser and bent over to pour herself a glass.

Hua Yu’s gaze landed briefly on her waist and hips. Three seconds later, she coughed lightly. “Wei Yin.”

“Dr. Hua?” Wei Yin turned in surprise, and before she had even finished turning, a small dimple appeared as she smiled. “You’re home!”

Hua Yu looked down, one brow lifting. “Slippers.”

“I’m wearing socks,” Wei Yin said, lifting a foot. “The slippers are wet.”

“Dry them with a hairdryer.”

Wei Yin took a sip of water and muttered, “Troublesome.”

Hua Yu said nothing at that. “Then lie down.”

Wei Yin blinked. “Huh?”

Hua Yu turned and went back to the bedroom. “Lie down on the sofa.”

Wei Yin slowly shuffled over to the sofa, looking over every few steps and craning her neck to peek toward Hua Yu’s bedroom.

Hua Yu’s footsteps sounded. Wei Yin quickly leaned back and flopped into the sofa.

“Your hair needs to be dried. I’ve said that many times.” Hua Yu stood at Wei Yin’s head and bent down close.

Wei Yin held her breath, her whole body going taut. “...Dr. Hua?”

Hua Yu was very close. If Wei Yin turned her head, the tip of her nose would brush Hua Yu’s waist.

There was a faint camellia scent in Hua Yu’s embrace; warm, yet with a hint of coolness, like a weak, boneless hand teasing along the bridge of her nose.

Hua Yu leaned in closer and then reached out to plug the hairdryer into the wall socket.

“Lie still. I’m drying your hair.”

Wei Yin lifted her head a beat late. “...Oh.”

The blush on her face had barely faded before it was replaced by a different kind of embarrassment. Wei Yin awkwardly sat up and found a position suitable for Hua Yu to dry her hair.

Just then, Hua Yu reached out and touched her earlobe.

With a smile in her voice, she deliberately said, “Hot.”

Wei Yin heated up again in an instant: !!