Chapter 82
By the time the car pulled into the community’s underground garage, night had fully fallen.
Wen Yan was leaning back against the seat, curled entirely in Jin Zijin’s arms.
After nearly eight hours of a high-difficulty spinal adhesion release surgery, she had been under intense strain the entire time. Now that the tension had finally eased, exhaustion crashed over her like a tide.
Her arms were so sore she could barely lift them, and her eyelids felt too heavy to hold up. The only thing that still felt solid and reassuring was Jin Zijin’s arm around her waist.
“Tired?” Jin Zijin lowered her head and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her hair, her voice kept very low, as if she were afraid of disturbing her sleepiness. “Hang on a little longer. We’re home. I’ll help you upstairs.”
Wen Yan made a muffled sound and tucked herself a little farther into her embrace, her voice hoarse. “No need. I can walk.”
That was what she said, but when she got out of the car, she was still practically hanging on Jin Zijin.
Where their fingers were interlaced, warmth flowed endlessly between them, chasing away all the chill she had picked up in the operating room until she felt warm all the way through.
When the elevator doors opened, though, an unwelcome guest was standing right at the entrance.
Wang Manyu was holding a thermal soup bucket and staring blankly at the password lock.
Hearing the elevator, she turned around. The instant she saw Wen Yan, her brows drew together. “Oh dear, child, how did your home password—”
Halfway through, she saw Jin Zijin, and the words caught in her throat. She gave an awkward laugh. “Zijin’s here too…”
Jin Zijin was supporting Wen Yan and gave a faint nod. “Mom, what brings you here?”
“Oh, nothing much.” Wang Manyu lifted the thermal bucket in her hand, smiling a little stiffly. “I just came to bring Wen Yan some soup. Your dad made it. He said this child has been working hard lately and needed to build up her strength.”
Jin Zijin said nothing. She simply stepped aside and opened the door with the iris scanner.
With a soft beep, the lock opened. She pushed the door and said to Wang Manyu, “Mom, come in.”
The moment they stepped inside, Mi Tang came padding over in tiny, quick steps. The little thing circled their ankles, meowing nonstop, tail held high as if welcoming victorious returning heroes.
Wen Yan bent down and scooped it up. The kitten immediately rubbed its head against her chin, purring in its throat.
That fluffy softness was so gentle it made her heart tremble. The tension she had been carrying all day finally eased completely.
Wang Manyu followed behind and watched the scene, her feelings tangled and hard to describe.
Jin Zijin crouched down to help Wen Yan change her shoes. Her movements were natural and practiced, as if she had done it countless times.
Standing at the entrance, Wang Manyu looked at this Hengxing CEO, the one who was always glamorous and high-profile on television, now serving her daughter like a dutiful little wife, and her mood was complicated beyond words.
This daughter-in-law really was pretty good.
No airs of a rich young lady, and she got along with Wen Yan too. If only Wen Chen hadn’t run off back then…
Sigh. Why did it have to be Wen Yan?
While she was still thinking, Jin Zijin stood up, took a pair of disposable slippers from the shoe cabinet, and handed them over. “Mom, we don’t have guest slippers at home. Would you mind making do with these?”
“Sure, sure, no problem.” Wang Manyu took them quickly and bent to change into them.
The three of them went into the living room. Wang Manyu sniffed and caught a familiar fragrance.
It was pigeon soup, rich and savory, with a faint medicinal aroma.
She looked down at the thermal bucket in her own hands, and her expression froze for a moment. “Oh my, look at me… I didn’t realize you already had pigeon soup simmering here. This… it’s a repeat…”
“It’s fine, Mom. Put it on the table.” Jin Zijin answered casually and guided Wen Yan toward the sofa.
She settled Wen Yan onto the sofa, placed a cushion behind her lower back, then bent down and asked softly, “Want something to drink? You’ve been tired all day. Have something hot to warm your stomach.”
Wen Yan nodded. “Okay.”
Wang Manyu hurried over, opened the lid of the thermal bucket, and eagerly held it out. “Come, come, this was your dad’s making. Try it and see if it suits your taste?”
“He went to the market early this morning to pick the pigeon himself. It’s been simmering all afternoon. He said it was to nourish you.”
Jin Zijin took the thermal bucket and glanced at Wen Yan. Wen Yan gave a slight nod.
Jin Zijin ladled out a bowl. The soup was milky white and richly simmered, dotted with a few bright red goji berries; the aroma rose straight to the nose.
She tested the temperature first, then handed it to Wen Yan.
Watching all this, Wang Manyu grew more and more uneasy.
She sat down in the single chair opposite the sofa and tried to find something to say. “Why are you this exhausted today?”
Wen Yan lowered her head and drank the soup. “I had a major surgery.”
“What surgery?” Wang Manyu immediately tensed, leaning forward. “You didn’t do surgery on Lin Weiwei again, did you?”
Wen Yan didn’t answer.
Wang Manyu panicked, her voice rising. “Didn’t I tell you not to get involved with her, child!”
“Those things online were already nasty enough. If you still go running toward it, what if something goes wrong during surgery? Do you know that would ruin you for the rest of your life?”
“Mom.” Jin Zijin spoke up and swept her a cool look, the pressure in her gaze unmistakable. “She just got off the operating table. She’s been tired all day; let her rest properly. If there’s anything, we can talk about it later.”
Wang Manyu opened her mouth, looked at Wen Yan’s pale face, then at Jin Zijin, and closed it again with a sheepish expression. “Fine, fine, I won’t say anything.”
She sat there watching Wen Yan sip the soup in small mouthfuls, her feelings all over the place.
Wen Yan held the bowl and drank little by little.
The soup was warm, not too hot; the heat slid down her throat into her stomach, then spread all the way to her heart.
She could tell it was her father’s handiwork. The flavor was a little rougher than the auntie’s cooking, and there was a bit too much salt, but it was unmistakably his style.
“How is it?” Jin Zijin asked, sounding a little curious.
“Not bad.” Wen Yan nodded.
Wang Manyu hurried to add, “Didn’t I say it was your father who made it? He’s been worrying about you this whole time.”
“You child, you never tell the family anything. We only found out things got this big from the internet. Remember to call your father later and let him know you’re safe.”
Wen Yan kept her head down as she drank. “Got it.”
She finished half the bowl when Jin Zijin leaned over and asked, “Is it good?”
Wen Yan looked up at her. Jin Zijin’s eyes were bright, carrying a bit of curious expectation.
She said nothing, only scooped up a spoonful and held it to her lips.
Jin Zijin froze for a second, then curved her lips and drank from Wen Yan’s hand.
She tucked the loose hair by her ear, savored it seriously for a moment, then nodded. “It really is good. Dad’s got skill.”
On the side, Wang Manyu watched and felt more and more like she was sitting on pins and needles.
She stood up with an awkward laugh. “Then… then you two keep drinking. I’ll head back first. There’s still something at home.”
“Take care, Mom.” Jin Zijin stood up and escorted her to the door.
The moment the door closed, the living room fell quiet.
Wen Yan continued drinking the soup. After a while, her phone chimed.
She picked it up and checked it: 500,000 yuan had arrived in her bank account.
Jin Zijin leaned over and glanced at the screen, raising a brow. “Oh? Your mom is pretty generous.”
Wen Yan set the phone back on the coffee table and kept drinking. “I guess so.”
Jin Zijin sat down beside her, propping her chin on her hand as she looked at her. “So when you were little, it was always your dad simmering soup for you and your mom transferring money?”
Wen Yan’s spoon paused in her hand.
She didn’t look up. Her voice was light. “Pretty much.”
Jin Zijin didn’t speak, only watched her quietly.
Wen Yan took a sip of soup, then suddenly said, “When I was in university, didn’t I tell you? My parents wanted me to study chemistry.”
“My dad worked in materials. He wanted me to take over his mantle. I wouldn’t agree, so they cut my living expenses.”
Jin Zijin listened in silence.
“Back then my brother was in middle school. If he got pocket money, he’d split half with me.” Wen Yan paused. “Later, when I was doing my master’s, my dad started bringing me soup and food every few weeks.”
“Every time he came, he’d tell me the money was all with my mom, that he didn’t have any to give me.”
She smiled, but the smile never reached her eyes. “I hated my mom a lot back then.”
Jin Zijin gently took her hand.
Wen Yan held her back, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing over the back of Jin Zijin’s hand. “Later, my brother went to university too and studied a major he didn’t like. Once, when we were talking, he slipped and told me my dad gave him 30,000 yuan a month as pocket money.”
She looked up at Jin Zijin, her eyes carrying a complicated emotion. “Do you know? At that moment, I suddenly understood.”
“My dad wasn’t short on money. He just thought I wasn’t worth spending it on.”
“He brought me soup and made me food, but the most important thing he had—money—he never spent on me.”
“Those soups and meals were nothing more than a way for him to comfort his own conscience.”
Wen Yan lowered her head, looking at the half bowl of soup left inside. “So in the end, they’re really the same kind of person. He might even be more selfish than my mom.”
“At least my mom was honest about it. Money was money; she didn’t try to dress it up as affection.”
“My dad? He wrapped himself in all those soups and broths and made himself out to be a loving father, as if he cared about me so much.”
Jin Zijin said nothing, only looked at her quietly.
The woman’s gaze was as gentle as water, yet it could pierce straight through every layer of armor and seep into the softest place in one’s heart.
Wen Yan grew a little uncomfortable under that look and glared at her. “What are you staring at?”
Jin Zijin curved her lips and reached out to lightly wipe away a bit of soup from the corner of her mouth with her fingertip. Then her finger pinched Wen Yan’s cheek, and she said with a smile, “Our Dr. Wen really is a little bitter melon.”
Wen Yan froze.
Jin Zijin looked at her, her eyes nearly overflowing with tenderness. “It’s fine. Luckily, you’re a bitter melon; otherwise, how would I ever get a chance to treat you well?”
She tightened her grip on Wen Yan’s hand, her tone light but every word serious. “Don’t worry. My love, my time, my money, everything important to me—I’ll give it to you.”
“I’ll take good care of you. We don’t need their little scraps.”
Wen Yan looked at her and suddenly laughed.
As she laughed, the corners of her eyes turned a little sour.
“There’s no need to call me bitter melon.” She looked away, her voice muffled. “But I do really need the things you give me.”
She paused, then added, “Give me more.”
Jin Zijin couldn’t help laughing. She leaned in and kissed her lips.
When the kiss ended, Jin Zijin rested her forehead against Wen Yan’s, her eyes full of love. “Our Dr. Wen is amazing.”
“An eight-hour surgery, and you pulled it off beautifully. My wife is so impressive.”
Wen Yan’s ears turned red at once.
She set down the bowl, reached out, and pulled Jin Zijin into her arms so that she sat on her lap.
Like so many times before, she buried her face in the crook of Jin Zijin’s neck and breathed in the familiar citrus scent deeply.
“It wasn’t all my credit.” Her voice was muffled. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to focus on the surgery these past few days at all.”
These past few days, the internet’s abuse, Lin father’s obstruction, the undercurrents in the department—she had looked calm on the surface, but in truth her nerves had been taut the whole time.
It was Jin Zijin who had always stood behind her, shielding her from all the wind and rain, securing all the evidence for her, guarding the stability at her back, so she could stand beneath the surgical lights without any hesitation.
“Fool.” Jin Zijin rubbed her hair and bent to kiss her forehead. “Your skill and your temperament are what give you your real confidence.”
“I only did what I should. I cleared the obstacles for my lover.”
She paused, her fingertips brushing lightly over the dark shadows beneath Wen Yan’s eyes, her tone full of heartache. “Now the surgery is done, and it was a success.”
“Leave the rest to me. You don’t have to worry about anything. Just rest properly, okay?”
Wen Yan nodded and tightened her arms, hugging her even harder.
Mi Tang sat by the coffee table, tilting its head at them and meowing once, as if to say: I’m here too.
——————
By the time Wen Yan finished her bath and got into bed, it was almost midnight.
Jin Zijin tucked the blanket around her and looked at her sleeping profile. Her brows were relaxed, her breathing even and long; she looked like a child who had finally set down a heavy burden.
She leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her forehead.
Then she tiptoed out of the bedroom, pulled the door closed behind her, went to the study, and made a call.
The call was answered almost immediately.
Ye Jianlan’s voice came through the receiver, carrying concern. “Zijin, is the surgery over? Is Wen Yan okay?”
“The surgery was very successful. She’s asleep now.” Jin Zijin leaned against the desk, her fingertips lightly tapping the surface, her voice very low. “Are the things I asked you to prepare earlier all still there?”
“They are.” Ye Jianlan’s tone turned serious. “The full recording of Zhang Sheng inciting Lin father, the evidence of him stealing Wen Yan’s resources over the years and spreading filthy rumors behind her back, and the solid proof of all the rotten things Song Yu has done—I’ve got it all in hand.”
Ye Jianlan paused, sounding a little regretful. “We can’t move the Lu family for now.”
“They’re tangled up with all kinds of people behind the scenes. If we hit them head-on, we’ll only drag you and Hengxing into it too. In the end, the dirty water will be splashed back onto Wen Yan, and they’ll say she cleared her name with capital. It’s not worth it.”
“I suggest we just make Zhang Sheng and Song Yu pay this time. After that, we can figure out the rest.”
Jin Zijin agreed with this approach and nodded. “Okay.”
She thought it through, her reasoning becoming exceptionally clear: since the Lu family wanted to use Zhang Sheng and Song Yu’s matter to bring Wang Fu down and sabotage our project, then we’ll turn their scheme against them.
“We’ll pin the focus completely on Zhang Sheng and Song Yu, and make their plan to ride the wave of events come to nothing.”
“The core narrative is just one thing: a male doctor from the same mentor line, jealous of a talented female colleague in the same department, teams up with a morally corrupt doctoral supervisor to maliciously fabricate rumors, stir up conflict between doctor and patient, and destroy a patient’s chance at treatment just to drag Wen Yan down.”
Ye Jianlan nodded. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. Turn this from a medical dispute into an issue of women’s workplace struggles.”
“If the Lu family wants to wage an opinion war, I’ll fight them on a different track.”
“Compared with a capital struggle, the public is more capable of empathizing with the malice women face in the workplace.”
“Wen Yan is the youngest spinal surgeon in the country. She went to university at fourteen, completed her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in one continuous track, and got to where she is today on sheer ability. But now she’s being ruined by a male colleague who’s worse than her and only knows how to use dirty tricks.”
“This story can hit much harder with the public, especially with women.”
By then, everyone’s attention would be fixed only on Zhang Sheng and Song Yu’s viciousness, and on the injustice women face in the workplace.
The Lu family’s little maneuvers would become nothing more than an irrelevant backdrop; no one would care about them anymore.
Wen Yan would not only clear away every stain, but also win the support and recognition of the vast majority of women.
Hengxing was a tech company founded by Jin Zijin herself. For something like this, she had long since seen through every petty trick.
She and Ye Jianlan were both experts at open strategy. Once this plan was set, both of them knew full well that the Lu family would no longer be able to fish in troubled waters.
After settling the plan, they began arranging public relations.
Ye Jianlan had people start releasing materials across platforms first thing the next morning, linking up with women-focused media and bloggers to drive the topic all the way through.
After hanging up, the study fell quiet again.
Jin Zijin stood by the window, looking down at the deep night outside, and stood there for a long time.
The Lu family…
She would not swallow this loss for nothing.
She had memorized this debt; there would always be a time to repay it.
Jin Zijin clenched her hand into a fist. After thinking it over for a long time, she finally turned and left.
She gently pushed open the bedroom door. Wen Yan was still sleeping soundly, her breathing even, her face serene.
Moonlight seeped in through the gap in the curtains and laid a hazy glow across her face.
Jin Zijin leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
——————
She slept well all night.
When Wen Yan woke, it was already seven in the morning.
Spring had arrived. Sunlight slipped through the curtains in thin slivers, casting a narrow golden line across the floor.
The spot beside her was still warm. Jin Zijin was sitting on the rug by the bed with a tablet in hand, her fingertips moving lightly across the screen.
Hearing the movement, she immediately put the tablet down and came over with a smile. “You’re awake? Hungry? I had breakfast delivered; it should be here soon.”
Wen Yan reached out, hooked her arms around her neck, and pulled her into her embrace. Burying her face in her shoulder, she rubbed lightly against her, her voice still soft with sleep. “When did you wake up? Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You were sleeping so soundly. I couldn’t bear to.” Jin Zijin kissed the corner of her lips. “Get up and wash up. I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Wen Yan said, “Okay.”
After another busy day, that afternoon the police suddenly arrived at the hospital and took Zhang Sheng away in full view of everyone.
Everyone was bewildered. It wasn’t until the end of the workday, when Wen Yan and Xiao Qiu were changing clothes in the break room, that the little girl suddenly blurted out a curse: “Holy shit!”
Wen Yan turned to look and saw the girl holding up her phone excitedly. “Teacher! Teacher! Look at this!”
Wen Yan took the phone and was instantly blinded by the overwhelming trending topics.
#Zhang Sheng maliciously suppresses a female doctor in the same department
#How terrifying is male workplace jealousy
#Wen Yan: a female doctor destroyed by jealousy
#The workplace struggles of female doctors
Several hashtags firmly occupied the top of the trending list, each followed by a glaring “trending” marker.
At the very top was the full recording of Zhang Sheng inciting Lin father at the corridor corner.
Right after that came the evidence of his actions over the years: stealing Wen Yan’s paper authorship with Song Yu, secretly transferring Wen Yan’s patients under his own name.
At internal hospital meetings, he deliberately twisted Wen Yan’s surgical plan, and even spread filthy rumors behind her back that she had risen by connections and by her body.
Every single item was backed by real, solid evidence.
At the same time, the incontrovertible proof of Song Yu clinging to Wen Yan for first authorship during her doctoral studies, abusing his authority to harass students, sleeping with students, and taking their paper results was also released.
The two of them were utterly nailed to the shame pillar of “corrupt character, unworthy of their position.”
The comment section exploded.
“I really cried reading this. Isn’t this exactly what I experienced at work? No matter how well you do, male colleagues will still envy you, smear you, and steal your credit!”
“Dr. Wen is too pitiful. A genius doctor who went to university at fourteen, worked her way up by ability to become a surgeon, and then got framed like this by a male colleague who’s inferior to her?”
“Zhang Sheng is disgusting! He can’t measure up on ability, so he uses filthy tactics to destroy his peers. That’s just a tumor in the workplace!”
“I used to follow the crowd and criticize Dr. Wen. I’m sorry! It’s really too hard for women to achieve anything in a professional field; they still have to be stabbed in the back by men like this!”
“The key is, her surgery was obviously so good! Such an extremely difficult spinal surgery, and she executed it flawlessly. That’s real ability! Someone like Zhang Sheng will never catch up in his lifetime!”
Public opinion had completely shifted, from “Wen Yan the quack doctor” to outrage over Zhang Sheng’s malicious suppression, sympathy for women’s workplace struggles, and recognition of Wen Yan’s ability, along with a new wave of sympathy for her.
Hardly anyone cared whether there had been a capital hand behind it. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Zhang Sheng’s evil and the injustice Wen Yan had suffered.
As Wen Yan scrolled, her fingers paused. Thinking of Jin Zijin’s words—leave it to me—she felt complicated beyond words.
She knew this was Jin Zijin’s answer to her.
It had been done in such painstaking detail. How much effort had gone into it, even exposing that Song Yu had taken credit for two of her first-author papers?
Her heart felt both sour and warm.
Looking at those hashtags, there was only one thought in her mind: I want to see her!
She wanted to see her so badly.
The moment that thought surfaced, it could not be extinguished.
It was as if a fire had lit in Wen Yan’s chest, as though some abandoned castle filled by Alxifa had suddenly been packed with endless strength.
She shoved the phone back into the little girl’s arms and said hurriedly, “Thanks. I’m heading home first.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Wen Yan grabbed her backpack, pulled on her coat as she went, and ran outside.
Into the warm spring wind, into the blazing sunset, she ran from the seventh floor all the way down to the first without pause, then sprinted toward the hospital entrance…
From far away, she saw that familiar Audi. Wen Yan’s eyes lit up instantly.
She sped up. With her heartbeat pounding violently, she reached the car, yanked open the door, and threw herself inside, wrapping her arms around the woman sitting in the back seat.
Citrus scent flooded her nose and mouth, instantly calming the chaos in her heart.
Wen Yan drew in a sharp breath and choked out, “Jin Zijin… I…”
Wait…
Something wasn’t right…
Still holding Jin Zijin, Wen Yan jerked her head up and looked down at her, only to find the usually warm, indulgent woman now sitting stiffly and restrained in her arms.
She was dressed in a sharply tailored suit, her long hair tucked behind her ears, wearing a pair of glasses. She looked completely professional.
With one glance down, Wen Yan could see the bone-conduction headset around her neck, and the tablet resting on her knees…
Uh…
Was she in a video conference?
Wen Yan’s face turned scarlet in an instant.
She hurriedly let go, stammering in a flustered apology. “Sorry, sorry…
I didn’t know…”
Before she could finish, her mouth was covered, and all the sound was swallowed back down into a muffled hum.
Jin Zijin’s face was bright red as she cleared her throat and said to the other side, “Wait a moment.”
Then she took off the headset, released Wen Yan’s mouth, gently patted her, and smiled. “All right. Now you can hug me.”
Wen Yan froze for a moment, then tightened her arms and pulled her firmly back into her embrace.
She buried her face in Jin Zijin’s neck and shoulder, took a deep breath, and suddenly felt her eyes burning.
Sob sob sob sob sob…
Wife…
Her wife.
It was so good. She had finally found the direction she was running toward.
Jin Zijin sensed her emotions and relaxed her body, drawing her into her arms.
She raised a hand to pat her back and stroke her lightly. After a while, once Wen Yan had calmed down, Jin Zijin let her go and said softly, “Let’s go home first, okay?”
“Once I finish the meeting, we can talk slowly.”
Wen Yan nodded. “Okay.”
——————
After Wen Yan settled into the seat, the car started moving, and Jin Zijin put her headset back on to resume the meeting.
Wen Yan sat beside her, holding her fingers and looking at her pitifully, like a big dog begging to be coaxed.
Jin Zijin got flustered under her gaze and kept touching her hand now and then to soothe her.
Jin Zijin’s meeting lasted a long time and only wrapped up once they were home.
The two of them walked home hand in hand. After entering the entryway and changing shoes, Wen Yan didn’t even care about the meowing Mi Tang; she simply lifted Jin Zijin up and carried her to the sofa.
She set Jin Zijin down on her lap, and the two of them hugged each other, leaning close for a very long time.
Only after the boiling emotions in Wen Yan’s chest gradually settled did she loosen her hold, tilt her head back, and look at Jin Zijin, choking out, “Thank you, Zijin.”
Jin Zijin cupped her face, her gaze incredibly gentle. “What are you saying?”
“This is all what I should do.”
“And…” Jin Zijin paused, then smiled. “This matter is actually very closely related to me too.”
“It’s different. It’s different…” Wen Yan wrapped her arms around her shoulders and pressed her face against her chest, tears shimmering in her eyes.
She had been a child raised by her parents; even if parents were supposed to support their children, or at worst, if you looked at it as an investment, these people still hadn’t been willing to pour resources into her.
If even family was like that…
How much more so for a lover they had only known for a few months?
Jin Zijin kept saying this would affect Hengxing’s stock price, but Hengxing was only one of the Jin family’s properties; the Jin family’s truly valuable assets had never been exposed.
Not to mention Hengxing’s soaring success; every day there were endless amounts of capital trying to take a bite out of it, yet Jin Zijin had always been able to hold the line.
What Wen Yan had gone through was merely a small matter in Jin Zijin’s daily life.
It was nothing significant at all.
Just like back then, when she said her eyes hurt and there seemed to be mosquitoes flying before them, her father and mother said, “What are you studying so hard for? From now on, don’t work so hard at night!”
“Who told you to keep competing with your brother? We told you not to look, and now look, you’ve ruined your eyes, haven’t you!”
But Jin Zijin had never told her to mind her own business, or that she needed to learn a lesson, or that she shouldn’t try to stand out…
Nor had she said, It’s no big deal, just some wind and frost; you’ll get through it if you experience a little more of it…
She had treated this as something very important.
Wen Yan found it hard to describe how that felt.
She took a deep breath, looked up at Jin Zijin, and her eyes were brimming.
Seeing the tears flashing in her eyes, Jin Zijin immediately panicked and hurriedly cupped her face. “What is it, what is it…?”
Tears fell in strings, wetting Jin Zijin’s fingertips. Wen Yan looked up at her through watery eyes. “Thank you…”
“Really… really thank you…”
Wen Yan rarely let her emotions show this openly.
Jin Zijin had no experience dealing with this situation. She frantically wiped away Wen Yan’s tears, at a loss as she coaxed, “Oh, oh, oh… don’t cry, don’t cry…”
“Mom loves you… Mom loves you…”
“Stop crying, stop crying…”
She reached out and pulled Wen Yan’s head into her arms, stroking it like she was soothing a child, and said softly, “It’s okay, it’s okay…”
“I’m here.”
“Oh, my darling baby, don’t be sad anymore, don’t be sad…”
Wen Yan sobbed in her arms. As she cried, she gradually made out what Jin Zijin was saying and lifted her head to look at her, a little bewildered. “This… where did you learn such a way of coaxing people?”
“How can you say it like that? How can you call yourself…”
As she spoke, Wen Yan’s face turned red.
Jin Zijin looked at her tear-streaked, pear-shaped face and felt she was both pitiful and adorable.
She gently wiped away the tears at the corner of Wen Yan’s eye with her thumb and teased her on purpose, “Learned it from my mom. When I was little and cried, my mom coaxed me like this.”
“See? It works, doesn’t it? The second I say it, you stop crying.”
“I was only because…” Wen Yan was left speechless by her, turning it over and over in her mind before she finally managed, with difficulty, “You still can’t call yourself my mother.”
“You can’t take advantage of me like that!”
Wen Yan protested softly.
Jin Zijin held her face and leaned closer, admiring her red-nosed, pitiful look, then said wickedly, “If not Mom, then what should I call myself?”
“Older sister?”
Wen Yan: …
She had no words. Jin Zijin sat on her lap, wrapped her arms around her again, and resumed patting her head while coaxing, “Oh, don’t cry, don’t cry. Sister loves you… Sister loves you…”
As she spoke, she even pressed Wen Yan’s head a little closer to her chest.
Wen Yan’s cheek touched a patch of warm softness; she was completely defeated.
She could tell now that Jin Zijin was really very good at distracting her.
Wen Yan no longer had any desire to cry. She sighed, wrapped her arms around Jin Zijin’s waist, and buried her face in her embrace. “Anyway… anyway… I’m really grateful to you.”
“Jin Zijin, really, I’m so thankful to you.”
Her voice still carried a bit of a sob, but she had calmed down.
Jin Zijin let out a breath of relief and held her shoulder. “No need to be polite. I’m actually relieved that you can accept this approach.”
Holding Wen Yan, she said slowly and honestly, “When I was making this plan, I was worried you’d think shifting the focus like this was a bit opportunistic.”
“I didn’t mean to exploit women’s issues. It’s just that I couldn’t take on the Lu family directly; going head-on would only hurt you again. This was the most stable way I could think of, the one most likely to let you step away with dignity.”
Jin Zijin paused, then let go of Wen Yan and looked at her seriously. “I didn’t discuss it with you because I was worried about your condition; I didn’t want you to be exposed to any of this again.”
“I was also afraid you’d think I was acting on my own and not like it. Luckily, you were able to understand me.”
Wen Yan shook her head and held her hand, answering very obediently, “I like it. You did very well. I really like it.”
She understood better than anyone that everything Jin Zijin did was to protect her. The Lu family’s power was deeply entrenched; if they fought head-on, both sides would suffer.
Now Jin Zijin had used the cleverest possible method not only to clear away every stain from her name, but also to show the public her ability and the injustice she had suffered.
“Besides, Zhang Sheng and Song Yu were involved from the start.”
Wen Yan paused, her tone carrying a bit of emotion. “This kind of thing isn’t just happening to me.”
“There are too many female doctors and nurses in hospitals and departments who are clearly outstanding but still have to be doubted, slandered, and have their credit stolen. They have to work ten times harder than their male colleagues just to get the same recognition.”
She looked at Jin Zijin, her eyes bright. “If my case can help more people see the difficulties women face in the workplace, then that’s not a bad thing either.”
Seeing the clarity and gentleness in Wen Yan’s eyes, Jin Zijin’s hanging heart finally settled completely.
She leaned down and hugged Wen Yan hard. “Thank you for understanding me.”
“The one who should be saying thank you is me.” Wen Yan hugged her back, burying her face in her chest as she said softly, “Jin Zijin, how is it that you always manage to arrange everything so well?”
Jin Zijin rubbed her hair and answered as if it were only natural. “Because you’re my lover.”
“I love you, so of course I’ll shield you from the wind and rain and take care of everything for you.”
“To love someone is to respect her, care for her, look after her, and protect her…”
“That’s just the instinct of love.”
Because what she had received from her grandmother, from her parents, from friends and companions, were exactly those things.
So what she gave Wen Yan was also those things.
Wen Yan looked at her utterly sincere expression and felt deeply moved, hugging her even more tightly.
She thought.
Maybe she couldn’t do as much as Jin Zijin did, but she would learn too; she would love Jin Zijin the way Jin Zijin loved her.
And maybe even do it better.
——————
When she went to the hospital the next day, the atmosphere was completely different from before.
By the time the car reached the hospital entrance, the reporters who had once lain in wait were already gone.
Instead, quite a few passersby saw her from a distance and smiled as they greeted her, their eyes full of goodwill.
When she walked into the orthopedics ward, the doctors and nurses who used to lower their heads and avoid her at the sight of her now crowded around her enthusiastically, all of them calling her “Dr. Wen” and congratulating her on the surgery’s success.
Even the older doctors she knew would stop by her office as they passed, pat her shoulder, and say, “Dr. Wen, you’ve suffered a grievance. We all know what kind of person you are.”
Xiao Qiu practically ran over with a stack of charts in her arms, eyes shining as she trailed behind Wen Yan like a little tail, praising her nonstop: “Teacher Wen, you’re amazing! The whole internet is praising you right now!”
Wen Yan responded to each of them with a smile, but inside she remained very calm.
These adulations, just like the abuse before them, mattered less to her than the patient’s stable vital signs on the operating table.
She changed into sterile clothing and went to the ICU.
Lin Weiwei’s sedatives had already been stopped.
She was awake. Although she was still wearing a neck brace and couldn’t speak, her mind was clear. Seeing Wen Yan come in, her eyes moved, and she lifted a finger a little.
Wen Yan strode over, bent down, and asked softly, “How do you feel? Is there anywhere that hurts?”
Lin Weiwei blinked gently.
Her fingertips pressed lightly against Wen Yan’s hand. The movement was still weak, but compared with before the surgery, her strength had improved so much.
The nurse assigned to her bed smiled nearby as she reported, “Dr. Wen, the patient woke up this morning.”
“Her consciousness is clear, her vital signs are completely stable, and the muscle strength in her limbs has recovered especially well; even better than we expected.”
Wen Yan nodded, carefully checked her various indicators, and verified the numbers on the monitor. At last, she truly relaxed.
She looked at Lin Weiwei and said gently but firmly, “You’re recovering very well. As long as rehabilitation keeps up, standing up again won’t be a problem at all. There’s even a very good chance you can return to the rink.”
Lin Weiwei’s eyes lit up instantly. Tears slipped down from the corners of her eyes.
In the afternoon, the figure skating team’s head coach came to visit.
Looking at the now-conscious Lin Weiwei, he too had red-rimmed eyes.
Outside the ward, he bowed deeply to Wen Yan. “Dr. Wen, thank you. Truly, thank you so much.”
“From the moment the rumors started online, our whole team never believed a word of them. We all knew you were one of the country’s top spinal surgeons. With Weiwei in your hands, we were completely at ease.”
As soon as the coach finished speaking, a whole group of people came striding over from the elevator corner.
Su Nian was pushing a wheelchair in front. Her leg was still in a brace, and she was holding a huge bouquet of sunflowers in her arms, her face bright with excitement and a smile.
Behind her were several staff members in formal wear, each holding a neatly folded banner.
Further back were five or six members of the national figure skating team, all of them in team tracksuits, each wearing sincere smiles.
“Dr. Wen!” Su Nian stopped her wheelchair in front of Wen Yan and, eyes shining, held out the sunflowers in her arms. “I knew you could do it! It’s really Weiwei’s luck to have met you!”
She had heard that Lin Weiwei had woken up and had specially come over from the general ward.
Her leg still hadn’t fully healed, but she didn’t care at all. Her eyes were full of admiration and gratitude for Wen Yan.
The team leader from the national team hurried up from behind, extended her hand solemnly, and shook Wen Yan’s with utmost sincerity. “Dr. Wen, I’m Li Fang, the leader of the national figure skating team.”
“This time, Weiwei was able to escape danger, and the surgery achieved such an outstanding result, all thanks to your superb medical skill and your compassionate heart.”
“On behalf of the Winter Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, and on behalf of the national figure skating team, I would like to express our most sincere gratitude to you.”
She stepped aside, and the staff behind her immediately came forward to solemnly unfold the banner in their hands.
Red background, gold lettering, neat embroidery.
It read eight big characters: Superb skill, compassionate heart.
“This is a banner our national team specially had made for you, to thank you for preserving an outstanding athlete for China’s figure skating cause.” The team leader looked at Wen Yan with rare solemnity. “Weiwei’s rehabilitation treatment afterward will also need to trouble you to continue caring for her.”
Wen Yan looked at the banner in her hands, then at the figure skating team members gathered around her, and emotion surged through her heart.
She accepted the banner and ran her fingertips over the gilded letters, saying seriously, “Saving lives and healing the wounded is my duty. There’s no need to be so polite.”
“I’ll follow Lin Weiwei’s rehabilitation all the way through and work with the rehabilitation department to design the most suitable plan for her.”
“That’s great!” The team members nearby burst into cheers at once, crowding around her and thanking her all at once.
“Dr. Wen, thank you so much! Weiwei is the core of our team; without her, we really wouldn’t know what to do!”
“Dr. Wen, can we take a photo with you? Our whole team really admires you!”
Wen Yan smiled and agreed.
The team members immediately gathered around her, standing on either side.
The leader held up her phone and smiled at the camera. “Three, two, one.” At the moment the shutter clicked, laughter filled the corridor outside the ICU.
Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the gold letters of the banner and on the smile in Wen Yan’s eyes; warm and dazzling.
Not long after, this group photo was posted to Weibo by the official account of the national figure skating team.
The caption read: “Thank you to Dr. Wen Yan of the Peking University Affiliated Orthopedic Hospital for protecting athletes’ dreams with superb medical skill. A doctor’s compassionate heart, passed on from generation to generation.”
With the official endorsement personally standing behind her, Wen Yan’s name was completely cleared.
All the rumors and abuse from before became laughable in the face of the national team’s recognition.
Netizens flooded the comments, saying this was the highest form of recognition a doctor could receive.
Wen Yan’s resume would forever carry this vivid, weighty stroke.
Outside the crowd, Lin father stood in a corner, watching this scene with a deadened expression and tightly clenched fingers.
One hundred million…
His one hundred million…
——————
When Wen Yan came out of the ICU, she happened to run into Dean Wang Fu.
The old dean was energetic and vigorous. Seeing the banner in Wen Yan’s hands, she waved with a smile.
“Master.” Wen Yan hurried over and carefully put the banner away. “Why did you come to the hospital? Didn’t I tell you to rest a few more days at home?”
“If I didn’t come back soon, the department would turn upside down.” Wang Fu waved a hand and looked at her, her eyes full of pride she couldn’t hide. “Good, good girl. You didn’t embarrass your master, and you didn’t embarrass our Peking University orthopedics department.”
“It was all because Master taught me well.” Wen Yan curved her lips.
“Don’t try to flatter me.” Wang Fu chuckled and gave her shoulder a pat, her tone especially earnest. “Department dinner tonight; we’re celebrating your success. Bring your wife too if she’s free.”
Wen Yan smiled and agreed. “Okay, she’ll definitely come.”