[005 But Today Is My Birthday]
Zhuang Yiyi spotted him and also noticed Youyou surreptitiously raising her mobile phone from behind the partition at the nurses’ station to take a photo of Chen Ding. Caught in the act, she quickly withdrew her hand and looked down, pretending to be busy with her work.
Zhuang Yiyi turned to Yao Mu first. “Senior, I’ll look into the issue you just mentioned. I’ll get back to you later. For now, I need to sort out Qian Yi’s problem.”
Yao Mu glanced at Chen Ding. “Alright.”
Zhuang Yiyi opened the door. “Why aren’t you coming in to sit down?”
“You’re not here. I wouldn’t dare go in without your permission.”
Chen Ding was, in this regard, indeed quite polite.
But the moment the door closed, he was like a different person.
No sooner had the door shut than Zhuang Yiyi found herself in his arms, his voice sounding almost childish in her ear: “Darling, I’m feeling a bit under the weather.”
Zhuang Yiyi knew that admitting he wasn’t up to it—even if it was just a pretence—was quite a challenge for Chen Ding, so she let him hold her.
Seeing that she wasn’t resisting, Chen Ding smiled faintly and, taking advantage of the situation, took her hand and pulled her into a hug.
Zhuang Yiyi felt that Chen Ding was really getting a bit too clingy.
After a minute, she pushed Chen Ding away. “Let’s sit down first.”
Zhuang Yiyi sat behind her desk, whilst Chen Ding pulled the chair opposite over to her side. Before she could broach the subject, he spoke first. “It’s a bit warm.”
He undid a button, revealing his defined collarbone, and rested his right hand lazily on the desk, seducing Zhuang Yiyi with a deliberately casual air.
Zhuang Yiyi took a moment to appreciate his good looks, then asked casually, “What did you two talk about?”
Chen Ding recounted every detail of his conversation with Qian Yi to Zhuang Yiyi. She listened quietly, offering no comment.
“Darling, you’re brilliant. After just an hour or two of talking, you knew there was something wrong with him.”
Zhuang Yiyi neither humbly downplayed it nor boasted. She praised Chen Ding, “You’re quite impressive yourself.”
She added, “Your acting isn’t half bad either.”
Zhuang Yiyi switched on her computer.
It was midday. Zhuang Yiyi shifted her gaze from the computer screen to the man beside her, who was playing on his mobile.
“Aren’t you busy?”
“I am,” Chen Ding replied calmly. “But I need a life of my own, too.”
Zhuang Yiyi looked at him in puzzlement.
Chen Ding said with a smile, “That means spending time with my wife.”
“……”
“If you’ve got nothing else to do, you’d better leave. The longer you stay here, the worse my reputation will be.”
“All right.” Chen Ding stood up. “Since my wife’s shooing me away like this, even though I’m reluctant, I suppose I…”
There was a knock at the door.
Chen Ding went to open it; standing there was Yao Mu.
“Why are you still here?” Yao Mu asked, frowning. It had been two hours since Chen Ding had gone into the office. Did Qian Yi’s issue really require such a long discussion?
Chen Ding understood his reaction. He was a man of standing, and magnanimity was second nature to him.
He turned to Zhuang Yiyi and said, “Dr Zhuang, I’ll be off now. If anything comes up, just give me a call.”
After Yao Mu closed the door, he asked straight away, “Why has he been in there for so long?”
Zhuang Yiyi swallowed the words she had been about to say. “There was something that came up, so we ended up talking for quite a while. Senior Brother, regarding the question you asked me earlier, I’ve looked into it…”
“We’ll talk about that later. Next time, don’t spend so long alone with him in the break room; it gives the wrong impression.” As he said this, Yao Mu realised his tone had been too stern, so he immediately softened his voice and added, “Professor Jiao wants to see us. Let’s go over there first.”
“Right.”
Professor Jiao was their supervisor during their postgraduate studies. Zhuang Yiyi had been conducting research under him since her undergraduate days and had chosen him as her supervisor again when she progressed directly from her master’s to her PhD. Yao Mu’s situation was different; he had completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees abroad. It was only after Professor Jiao’s strong invitation that he decided to return to China to pursue his PhD under him.
Upon arriving at Professor Jiao’s office, he warmly enquired about their recent work. As Qian Yi had committed suicide in hospital, Professor Jiao asked specifically about Qian Yi’s situation.
After asking these questions, he moved on to the main topic. “I’ve called you both in because there’s a seminar in Shanghai in a week’s time. I’d like each of you to present the results you currently have. What do you think? Are you up to it?”
Both agreed.
“Good to hear. Also, it’s been three years since you joined the hospital, and in two years’ time, the agreements you signed with the hospital will expire. So, please step up your efforts on your current projects, and don’t forget next year’s National Natural Science Foundation applications.”
Yao Mu said, “Professor, my junior colleague and I are well aware of this and have it all under control. We’ve been quite busy with the influx of patients recently, but once this period is over, we’ll devote our full attention to the projects. Please don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried about that. I’m just afraid you won’t be able to cope. The hospital recruited another batch of PhDs a few days ago, you know? This lot are all excellent—their academic credentials and research are top-notch. Yet not a single one was given the title of Deputy Director. Competition is getting fiercer and fiercer these days. To put it bluntly, if you can’t even hold your own in the hospital, what sort of doctors are you?”
“Professor, there’s no need to worry,” said Zhuang Yiyi with a smile. “Even if you don’t trust me, surely you must trust my senior brother? After all, you went out of your way to recruit him.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about. Right then, Yiyi, you can go ahead and leave. I’ve got a few things to discuss with Yao Mu.”
Once Yiyi had left, Professor Jiao turned to Yao Mu and asked, “How have you been feeling lately?”
“Professor, I’m doing fine.”
“Is that so? Getting so drunk on Yiyi’s wedding day?”
Yao Mu looked awkward.
Professor Jiao sighed. “What I said today was meant for Yiyi, but it’s meant for you too. I’m not worried about Yiyi; she knows her limits. But you—you must remember, there are only two years left.”
“Professor, I know.”
Teacher Jiao wasn’t sure if he meant it. “You should go back to work now.”
Life at the hospital remained as busy as ever: outpatient clinics, ward rounds, on-call duties, and research. Before she knew it, it was Saturday.
The setting sun bathed Zhuang Yiyi’s office in warmth. She took off her white coat, hung it up, and was just about to leave when Yao Mu knocked and came in.
“Yiyi, are you free tonight?” Yao Mu explained, “My sister has to work late tonight, so she’s asked me to pick up my little niece.”
“I…” Zhuang Yiyi opened her mouth, then thought of something; what she’d originally intended to say turned into, “I am.”
“Right. Then let’s swap. What would you like to eat? I’ll order it for you tonight.”
Zhuang Yiyi smiled and said, “No need. Just remember to give me my time off.”
Chen Ding had been busy at home making preparations. It was his birthday today, and he had redecorated the house from top to bottom, filling it with flowers that Zhuang Yiyi loved.
Fang Zhile rang him to wish him a happy birthday, then asked if he was going out that evening.
“No, thanks. I’m spending the evening with my wife.”
“Right. We’ll celebrate your birthday tomorrow then!”
No sooner had Fang Zhilè hung up than Zhuang Yiyi’s call came through. Chen Ding answered with a smile, “Darling, I was just about to ring you. And here you are.”
There was a silence on the other end of the line.
“What’s the matter?” Chen Ding still didn’t know why Zhuang Yiyi was silent; he was still smiling.
“I’m on duty tonight, so I can’t make it back. I won’t be joining you for dinner tonight.”
The smile on Chen Ding’s face faded slightly. “Didn’t you say you were free today? You promised me you’d definitely come back.”
“I’m sorry. My senior colleague has to pick up his little niece, so I have to cover his shift.”
“But…” Chen Ding felt a pang of disappointment and said softly, “ ‘It’s my birthday today.’
There was a silence on the other end. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that. But I’ve already promised. Shall I spend tomorrow with you instead?”
Chen Ding said nothing.
What bothered him was that he’d made plans with Zhuang Yiyi, yet she’d stood him up. What bothered him was that Zhuang Yiyi hadn’t even remembered his birthday.
“Can’t you find someone else to cover for you?”
“I’m afraid that would be a bit of a hassle.”
“…All right.”
“I’m sorry.” Zhuang Yiyi apologised once more, then hung up. After hanging up, she held her phone and pondered for a long while, then opened her notes app and marked the reminder she’d set that morning—“Chen Ding’s birthday”—as completed.
For some reason, there seemed to be a constant stream of patients calling for help this evening. Zhuang Yiyi dashed from one ward to another without a moment’s rest. Finally managing to take a breather, she rubbed her shoulders and made her way to the staff room.
As she passed the nurses’ station, Zhang Zhang gave her a knowing look. “Dr Zhuang, someone’s waiting for you in the staff room.”
Zhuang Yiyi gave her a puzzled look, and Zhang Zhang simply gazed back at her with a mysterious smile.