Chapter 27: I Like You, Can You Be My Partner?

Lan Mo hadn’t expected to be intercepted by Lu Zeming on her way to get a meal.

Back then, Lan Mo had long, jet-black hair, and Lu Zeming often thought to himself, “When your hair grows long enough to reach your waist, will you marry me?”

They say love is hard to speak aloud. Lu Zeming’s temperament was rather gentle and reserved, especially when it came to matters of the heart. He liked Lan Mo but never dared to show it too openly.

Today, when he heard from Nurse Yang that a patient was pursuing Doctor Lan quite persistently, he finally couldn’t sit still any longer and got up to look for her.

When he saw her again and noticed she had cut off that waist-length hair, his heart instantly turned cold.

He had always felt before that Lan Mo also had feelings for him—they were just a thin layer of paper away from confessing.

They say a woman grows her hair long for the man she loves. For whom had she cut it short today? Had he come too late?

Lu Zeming regretted it, but he still wanted to fight for himself one last time!

Lu Zeming jogged over to Lan Mo, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he asked gently, “Doctor Lan, I heard you’re seeing a patient from your department, is that true?”

“No, I’m not.”

No? So he still had a chance, right?

Summoning his courage, Lu Zeming smiled and said, “Doctor Lan, I admire you. Could we elevate our revolutionary friendship?” After speaking, he gazed at Lan Mo with longing.

Lan Mo hadn’t expected Lu Zeming to be so reserved even when confessing his feelings. Admire her?

The original host had probably felt some affection for him too, admiring his talent. They had been in the same department for a year, seeing each other every day, and their personalities were quite similar—it was only natural they developed mutual feelings.

But Lan Mo wasn’t interested in someone like Lu Zeming. It wasn’t because he wasn’t good enough, but because she didn’t want to constantly guess what was on his mind or whether he truly loved her.

She preferred men who were more straightforward and passionate in expressing their emotions.

Since she couldn’t give him hope, it was better to reject him outright. Perhaps it was the lingering emotions of the original host, but Lan Mo suddenly felt a heaviness in her chest.

She sighed softly and said slowly, “I’m sorry, Doctor Lu, but I don’t think we’re quite compatible. I wish you the best in finding a female comrade who shares your ideals.”

As soon as Lan Mo uttered her rejection, Lu Zeming inexplicably felt a dull ache in his chest. If he had been bolder back then, would they already be together?

Suppressing the pain in his heart, Lu Zeming steadied himself, his eyes reddening as he calmly replied, “I understand, Comrade Lan Mo. Thank you! You’re a good comrade, and I’m glad to have known you. I also wish you the best in finding a male comrade who shares your ideals and loves you.

As you know, I’m from Jingshi. My father has sent several telegrams urging me to return home for a matchmaking meeting. Since fate hasn’t brought us together, I’ll quickly complete the resignation procedures and leave Haishi.

In this vast sea of people, it’s not easy to meet and get to know someone. I hope we’ll meet again if fate allows!”

Seeing that Lu Zeming had spoken so openly, Lan Mo stretched out her right hand with ease. Lu Zeming was taken aback for a moment but, out of courtesy, shook it.

Lan Mo smiled and said, “Comrade Lu, meeting you was fate. I wish you happiness, and perhaps we’ll meet again!”

“Alright, thank you. I wish you happiness too!”

Lan Mo quickly withdrew her hand and turned to run into the cafeteria. Lu Zeming watched her retreating figure, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Looking up at the sky, it was so blue, the air so fresh, that Lu Zeming’s heart suddenly felt empty, yet at the same time, he felt a sense of release. Without him bothering her, she should be very happy, right?

…

Gu Yan’an seemed to have nails growing on his buttocks, restless and fidgeting all afternoon, occasionally pacing around the ward on crutches.

“Cousin, what are you doing?”

“Exercising!”

“Your leg hasn’t even had the sutures removed yet. What kind of exercise do you need? The three small pieces of shrapnel that were in your leg didn’t even touch your bones. Once your sutures are removed, you’ll be able to walk freely again soon. Actually, cousin, you can even walk slowly without crutches now, right?”

“Go on, these crutches were specially borrowed for me by Doctor Lan. Wouldn’t it be a waste of her kindness if I didn’t use them?

Alright, don’t block me. If you have time, go to the doctor’s office and find out for me when Doctor Lan will come to the ward to check on my leg.”

Yang Wei knew that his cousin’s restlessness wasn’t about his leg but about worrying that Doctor Lan had taken a liking to that Doctor Lu.

Well, he might as well do a good deed and help him all the way.

When Yang Wei went to the doctor’s office to find Lan Mo, she was writing a discharge summary for another patient.

“Doctor Lan, my cousin asked me to come and ask when he can have his sutures removed and be discharged.”

“Is he in such a hurry to be discharged? Let me finish writing this medical record, and I’ll go check on him to see when he can have his sutures removed and be discharged. You go back to the ward first. I’ll come over in a bit.”

Yang Wei muttered softly, “He is in a hurry…”

Lan Mo thought Gu Yan’an really had urgent matters and needed to be discharged quickly, so she stopped writing the medical record and went straight to his ward to check his wound.

Gu Yan’an didn’t know what Yang Wei had said to Doctor Lan, but he didn’t expect that as soon as Yang Wei left, Doctor Lan would come to see him immediately.

“Comrade Gu Yan’an, your wound is healing well. I’ll come tomorrow morning to remove your sutures and process your discharge!”

Why so soon? Does that mean he won’t be able to see Doctor Lan anymore?

“Doctor Lan, I don’t think my leg is fully healed yet. The wound is still itchy. I think I can stay a couple more days.”

“Didn’t your cousin just say you were in a hurry to be discharged? It’s normal for the wound to itch a little while healing, but your wound really can have the sutures removed tomorrow.”

Gu Yan’an glared fiercely at Yang Wei. This guy who couldn’t get anything right—he asked him to help gather some information, and instead, he went and said he was in a hurry to be discharged.

He wasn’t in a hurry to be discharged, okay?

Yang Wei thought his cousin was a devil, changing expressions in an instant, flipping moods faster than turning a page.

When he saw Doctor Lan, he looked like a big bad wolf spotting a little white rabbit, his eyes gleaming, grinning so wide he was practically drooling.

But when he saw Yang Wei, it was like looking at an enemy, as if he wanted to stab him twice.

Yang Wei smiled and asked Lan Mo, “Doctor Lan, is that Doctor Lu from the Emergency Department your partner? I think you two look quite well-matched.”

If he had a knife in his hand, Gu Yan’an would have wanted to slice Yang Wei into pieces, one cut at a time. If you don’t know how to talk, then don’t talk.

Lan Mo asked Yang Wei, “Do you know Doctor Lu from the Emergency Department?”

“Yes, my mother is the head nurse in the Obstetrics Department, and she mentioned him to me.”

“Oh, I see! He’s not my partner. I don’t have a partner yet.”

Gu Yan’an was overjoyed. Finally, he heard that Doctor Lan didn’t have a partner, and he felt at ease.

Gu Yan’an seized the opportunity to ask, “Doctor Lan, what do you think of me?”

Lan Mo was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, “You can ask your cousin here. He’s your closest relative and knows you best!”

Gu Yan’an shamelessly continued, “Then, Doctor Lan, would you like to get to know me?”

Lan Mo grinned mischievously, “I don’t want to get to know your mom!”

Gu Yan’an was momentarily stunned but quickly composed himself and said, “You don’t need to know my mom; knowing me is enough! I was born on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so I’m actually not even twenty-five yet, probably only about four and a half years older than you.

I don’t smoke! I don’t drink! And I have no other bad habits. For the past few years, I’ve dedicated myself to the country. For the rest of my life, I’d like to dedicate myself to you. Is that okay?”

Suddenly faced with a confession, Lan Mo was so stunned she didn’t know how to react. Yang Wei hadn’t expected his cousin to be so bold today either.

Yang Wei deliberately contradicted him, saying, “If you can’t drink, you have no future; if you can drink like a fish, you’ll be groomed for greatness. A man who doesn’t drink lives like a dog. A cigarette now and then makes you feel like an immortal… Cousin, are you sure you don’t drink or smoke? That year when you were sixteen…”

“Shut up!”

Gu Yan’an was truly infuriated by Yang Wei. What doctor would like a man who smokes and drinks? That useless, annoying guy was nothing but a hindrance to his cousin.

To be honest, it wasn’t that he couldn’t smoke or drink, but drinking could easily lead to trouble, and smoking could become an addictive habit.

So he had cultivated good habits, avoiding smoking and drinking as much as possible. Only during New Year gatherings with family and friends would he have no choice but to drink a few glasses.

“I absolutely do not smoke or drink! I take good care of my health. If I ever have to drink in the future, it’ll only be the ceremonial wine with my wife.”

Hah, who are you trying to fool? Seeing this, Yang Wei immediately added another jab, “Cousin, you don’t even have a wife yet, and you’re already thinking about drinking the ceremonial wine?”

Lan Mo really wanted to laugh but held it in. She quickly disinfected Gu Yan’an’s wound and re-bandaged it.

“All done. Come back tomorrow for your suture removal. Rest well today!”

Seeing that Lan Mo was about to leave, Gu Yan’an instinctively grabbed her arm and blurted out, “Doctor Lan, what do you think of me? I like you. Could you be my girlfriend?”

Yang Wei’s jaw dropped. Was his cousin possessed? Asking a woman outright if she liked him—wouldn’t he get slapped?

But what happened next left him even more shocked…

Lan Mo whispered, “Comrade Gu Yan’an, you seem pretty good. I’ll think about it…”

After saying this, Lan Mo quickly left the ward. Gu Yan’an’s ears kept echoing her words: “You seem pretty good. I’ll think about it…”

“Cousin, cousin! Snap out of it! Did you hear what Doctor Lan just said?”

Gu Yan’an snapped back to reality and grinned foolishly, “I heard. She said I’m pretty good…”