Chapter 26: Rumors Stop with the Wise: Hearing is False, Seeing is Real
Li Jiaojiao walked into the Emergency Department doctor’s office with a smile and said to Lu Zeming, “Doctor Lu, you like Doctor Lan, don’t you? Let me tell you, she’s a woman of questionable character. You don’t know this, but she actually steals from patients and even likes to eat dog meat.”
“Shut up! She’s not that kind of person!”
“But that’s what everyone outside is saying about her. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them.”
“No need, I believe her! You people have nothing better to do than spread baseless rumors.”
Indeed, rumors stop with the wise. Lu Zeming, at least, had a brain.
Just then, Yang Mei walked in. She had just gone to the Orthopedics Department to gather information from her good friend Wang Lihua.
Yang Mei sneered, “Comrade Li Jiaojiao, you really do enjoy talking nonsense. I just went to the Orthopedics Department to find out the truth, and Doctor Lan is nothing like what you’re saying. Stealing? Eating dog meat? How vicious of you to slander Doctor Lan like this! The truth is completely different from what you claim!”
“Then tell me, what really happened?”
“I’ll tell you—this whole thing is one huge misunderstanding! There’s a patient in the Orthopedics Department who’s pursuing our Doctor Lan. I heard he’s tall, well-built, and quite handsome. He first made two little dogs out of dogtail flowers for Doctor Lan, but she didn’t like them. Later, he made the twelve zodiac animals for her instead.”
Hearing that someone was pursuing Lan Mo, Lu Zeming’s heart tightened. Doctors weren’t supposed to get involved with patients, but there was no rule saying patients couldn’t pursue doctors. Would Lan Mo really agree to it? He was so annoyed by Li Jiaojiao’s pestering—why hadn’t he confessed his feelings to Lan Mo earlier?
It was already after work hours. No, he had to go find her now.
When Li Jiaojiao heard that a patient was pursuing Lan Mo, her heart bloomed with joy. Patients in the Orthopedics Department either had broken arms or legs, bone tumors, or bone deformities. Handsome? She didn’t believe it. Could Lan Mo have found herself a disabled person? Since it was after work anyway, she decided to go to the Orthopedics Department to see the spectacle for herself.
Lu Zeming hurried off to find Lan Mo, while Li Jiaojiao naturally headed to the Orthopedics Department to investigate the patient pursuing Lan Mo. She had to see for herself what this “tall, well-built, and handsome” patient was really like. Was he missing an arm or a leg?
After asking around, she finally learned that the patient pursuing Lan Mo was named Gu Yan’an, staying in Bed 1 of Ward 2. She went straight to the door of Ward 2.
Yang Wei, holding an aluminum lunchbox, was about to head to the cafeteria when he noticed a strange nurse standing at the door.
“Comrade, who are you looking for?”
Looking at the thin young man before her, Li Jiaojiao replied casually, “I’m looking for Comrade Gu Yan’an, the patient in Bed 1!”
Yang Wei didn’t know what this unfamiliar nurse wanted, so he asked warily, “Are you a new nurse in the Orthopedics Department? What do you need with my cousin?”
Li Jiaojiao grew slightly impatient and deliberately lied, “I’m here to check his wound!”
Hearing that she was there to check his cousin’s wound, Yang Wei quickly opened the door. Just then, Gu Yan’an, who had noticed his cousin returning from fetching food with an unfamiliar nurse in tow, put down the book he was holding and stood up warily.
“Xiao Wei,” he said coldly, “this comrade doesn’t look like a nurse from the Orthopedics Department. Why did you bring her into the ward?”
Li Jiaojiao didn’t catch a word of what Gu Yan’an was saying, only feeling that this male comrade’s voice was deep, resonant, and magnetic—extremely pleasant to the ear.
Li Jiaojiao dumbly raised her head, staring unblinkingly at Gu Yan’an’s face. How could this man be so handsome?
He even looked better than her beloved Doctor Lu. Though he wasn’t as fair-skinned as Doctor Lu, his features were truly exquisite!
His sword-like eyebrows extended toward his temples, his eyes were bright as stars; his pupils were pitch-black like ink, their gaze deep yet sharp; his nose was straight and prominent; his cold, stern face was as if carved by a knife, with sharp, defined angles; his lightly pursed thin lips carried a hint of sensuality, yet were utterly captivating.
His physique was as perfect as a sculpture—powerful, muscular arms, sturdy and straight long legs, and beneath his short-sleeved shirt, the faintly visible, well-defined chest muscles exuded an imposing, heroic aura…
No, her legs were going a bit weak.
Blushing, Li Jiaojiao stammered, “H-hello!”
Gu Yan’an’s handsome, cold face showed a hint of impatience as he said coolly, “Comrade nurse, who are you looking for in our ward?”
Seeing Gu Yan’an speak to her, Li Jiaojiao shyly twisted the hem of her clothes, her face breaking into a lovesick grin.
Gu Yan’an looked at the female comrade fawning over him and felt a bit disgusted. Where did this fool come from?
“Xiao Wei, aren’t you going to get the food?”
“Cousin, I’m going right away!”
“Go ahead, but before you leave, please escort this comrade nurse out as well!”
Only then did Li Jiaojiao realize Gu Yan’an was referring to her, but she didn’t want to leave. She hadn’t even asked this male comrade how old he was, what he did for a living, or where he lived…
“Comrade Gu, I’m a nurse at this hospital, and my father is the Vice Hospital Director here. You can’t kick me out.”
Gu Yan’an couldn’t be bothered with her and simply picked up his crutches from beside the bed, preparing to go to the bathroom.
Li Jiaojiao finally noticed that Gu Yan’an had some issue with his leg—it seemed he was injured.
She quickly caught up to him. “Comrade Gu, I’m very familiar with the experts in the Orthopedics Department. Should I ask Director Qin to come treat you?”
Gu Yan’an was now even more convinced that this female comrade had grass for brains—she was a complete fool. Couldn’t she tell he had already undergone surgery?
Gu Yan’an said coldly, “Comrade, why are you following me? I’m going to the bathroom now—are you going to follow me there too? Should I report you for harassment? Stop following me. I know Director Qin; he and Doctor Lan treated my leg. You can leave now.”
Li Jiaojiao knew she had been too hasty. Fine, she might as well go eat first. It seemed he wouldn’t be discharged for now—she could come back in the afternoon when she had time.
Yang Wei quickly returned to the ward after getting the food, placing two lunch boxes on the bedside table and giving Gu Yan’an a strange look.
“Xiao Wei, what’s with that look? I didn’t pay any attention to that nurse—don’t you doubt me.”
“No, cousin, I was just looking at which parts of you are handsome enough to compare with that Doctor Lu.”
“What do you mean? What Doctor Lu?”
“Cousin, you’re in trouble. That Doctor Lu from the Emergency Department is also pursuing Doctor Lan. Just now, he even cornered Doctor Lan on the way to the cafeteria—seems like he was confessing.”
Gu Yan’an’s voice rose several decibels in alarm. “What? Take me there right now!”
“Cousin, why are you in such a hurry? You’re not anyone special to Doctor Lan, what right do you have to interfere with her personal matters?”
How could Gu Yan’an not be anxious? Having lived over twenty years and finally taken a liking to someone, before he could even pursue her properly, someone was already cutting in halfway.
Gu Yan’an felt rather irritated and gave Yang Wei a slap on the arm. “You brat, asking for a beating!”
Yang Wei shrank back and stopped teasing him. “Cousin, don’t worry, don’t worry! When Doctor Lu confessed to Doctor Lan, it seemed like she turned him down.”
Gu Yan’an immediately brightened up, his captivating eyes sparkling with delight.
“Great, that’s wonderful!”
Yang Wei couldn’t resist pouring cold water on his excitement. “Cousin, aren’t you celebrating too early? Even though Doctor Lan rejected Doctor Lu, she hasn’t agreed to you either! That Doctor Lu has fairer skin than you, looks handsome and dignified, elegant and refined, gentle as jade… If even he didn’t succeed, do you stand a chance?”
Gu Yan’an wished he could sew Yang Wei’s mouth shut with needle and thread. Couldn’t this guy hope for something good for him?