Song Yunchuan was absent, and it was unclear whether he had gone home or simply stepped out. At this moment, only Qi Lei and Lu Shian were in the room.
Lu Shian was sitting on the sofa, having just had the dressing on his head wound changed. His hair had not been tidied yet, leaving the top a bit messy, but it did not diminish his looks in the slightest. He lacked his usual meticulous sharpness; instead, he looked a bit lazy and casual, appearing much more approachable than usual.
“President Lu, are you feeling better?” Meng Yu held his record book as he walked toward Lu Shian.
Lu Shian lazily lifted his eyes to glance at him, looking as though he had no intention of responding.
“Still angry?” Meng Yu stood firmly in front of Lu Shian and deliberately lowered his voice. “Why is your heart smaller than the tip of a needle?”
Lu Shian shot back, “Doctor Meng, you have been looking for ways to make me uncomfortable since early this morning. Please, show some medical ethics.”
Meng Yu smiled. “How did this escalate to medical ethics? President Lu, please do not launch personal attacks against me.”
Lu Shian snapped, “Doctor Meng!”
“I am here,” Meng Yu responded warmly. He stopped teasing, knowing Lu Shian was stubborn and that he would not get any real answers out of him. Instead, he asked Qi Lei, who was standing guard nearby, “Assistant Qi, were there any issues with President Lu last night? Is he feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”
Qi Lei answered truthfully, “Nothing unusual, but President Lu did not sleep well last night. He kept sleeping on his right side, and this morning he said his neck and shoulders felt uncomfortable. I have already contacted a massage therapist to come over.”
“Mm.” Meng Yu placed his record book on the table and stepped forward to check Lu Shian’s left shoulder. After confirming there was no dislocation, he avoided the left side and raised his hands to massage Lu Shian’s neck and shoulders.
Lu Shian’s body visibly stiffened. He turned his head to look at Meng Yu. “What are you doing?”
“Extra service. I am giving you a massage.” He added, “It is free.”
“I do not need it. I have a private therapist.” Lu Shian did not show any gratitude, yet he did not move away.
After just a couple of kneads from Meng Yu, he felt a wave of relief.
“President Lu, my technique is not necessarily worse than theirs.” Meng Yu’s hands were very disciplined, never crossing any lines. He found the pressure points accurately and used moderate strength. The pleasant sensation of relief allowed Lu Shian to relax completely, and he even felt a bit reluctant for it to end.
Sometimes Lu Shian was not that stubborn; his bottom line could be lowered under special circumstances, such as when his uncomfortable body was being made to feel better by Meng Yu. As his fatigue was swept away, he asked Meng Yu, “Does a Nanfeng doctor often massage his patients like this?”
“You are the only one.” Meng Yu’s words were as pleasant as a spring breeze, dispersing Lu Shian’s irritability.
After a moment of silence, Lu Shian told Qi Lei, “Later, pay Doctor Meng three times the market rate for the massage fee.”
Having said that, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the massage with a clear conscience.
Meng Yu did not stop his movements but laughed. “President Lu is generous, but I would not dare to blatantly take private jobs for money in the hospital. The fee is unnecessary.”
Lu Shian was truly something. That night, he wanted to give him a car for sleeping with him; today, he wanted to give him money for a massage. He had never noticed before that Lu Shian carried such a heavy scent of money.
“I never owe favors. Doctor Meng and I are neither relatives nor friends. If you do not accept the money, it is not proper.” Lu Shian’s tone was steady, speaking with complete seriousness.
“It is nothing. Consider it compensation.” Meng Yu leaned down, getting close to Lu Shian’s ear, and whispered, “I am truly sorry for hurting you that night.”
Meng Yu sincerely regretted it and truly wanted to apologize. He wanted to discuss it properly with Lu Shian, but the two of them never had a chance to be alone. However, Lu Shian did not know Meng Yu’s true intentions; that seductive, lingering voice always made him feel like Meng Yu was intentionally mocking or teasing him.
Lu Shian flared up again. “Meng Yu, are you finished?”
“I am finished.” Meng Yu straightened up and took the opportunity to tidy the collar that had been ruffled during the massage. “I have a surgery this morning that will not end until after twelve. I will be in my consulting room the rest of the time. If you need anything, have Assistant Qi find me.”
With that, he picked up his record book and left.
The warm, magnetic voice still echoed in his ear. Lu Shian felt confused for a moment. Was this a normal doctor-patient exchange, or was he reporting his schedule? Lu Shian’s mind was tangled with messy thoughts. After cursing Meng Yu for being inexplicable, he focused his mind, opened his laptop, and began handling company business.
After seeing all his patients in the afternoon, Meng Yu returned to his office with Tang Linyan. It was already 6:00 PM. Tang Linyan stretched and picked up his bag. “Master, a new Thai restaurant opened on Huaxi Road. I heard the food is good. Let us go; dinner is on me.”
Meng Yu remained in his chair, his slender fingers tapping on his phone screen. “No, I have things to do. You go ahead.”
Tang Linyan could not help but say, “It is rare to have so few young ladies coming for check-ups today. We finished early and we are not on call; we should leave quickly.”
Meng Yu pursed his lips and smiled without a word.
“Master, you spend all your time at the hospital, which is why you are still single. You need to have personal time after work; otherwise, how will you find time to date? If you are this indifferent, when will you ever find me a mistress?” Tang Linyan pushed his chair under the desk and advised him earnestly.
“I am currently busy finding you a mistress. Stop being annoying and leave.”
Tang Linyan became excited instantly. He leaned closer to Meng Yu with a face full of gossip. “What is the situation? You have a target? Someone from our hospital? Is she on the night shift? Are you waiting for her?”
“If you do not leave now, I will truly make you recite those materials backward for me.” Meng Yu lazily pointed his finger at the pile of materials Tang Linyan had claimed to know by heart this morning.
Tang Linyan immediately backed down. “No, no, I will go home now. I will not disturb you while you pursue my mistress.”
Meng Yu ate at the cafeteria and arrived at Lu Shian’s ward exactly at 7:00 PM. When he entered, he saw Lu Shian sitting on the sofa staring at his computer again. He glanced at the side table; the nutritious meal placed there had not been touched.
“President Lu, you are a patient right now. You need to focus on resting. You can put the work aside for a bit.”
“Busy.” Lu Shian did not look up, only coldly spitting out the word.
Meng Yu stepped forward to remind him, “No matter how busy you are, you must eat.”
Qi Lei, standing nearby, chimed in, “Doctor Meng, President Lu said he has no appetite. He has barely eaten anything since this morning.”
Meng Yu said, “The weather is hot, and being cooped up in a room makes your appetite drop. As long as President Lu does not have dizziness or nausea, you can take him out for a walk.”
Qi Lei glanced at Lu Shian, who was still buried in his work, and did not know how to respond.
Seeing Qi Lei’s difficulty, Meng Yu asked him to prepare a new nutritious meal. Then he stepped toward Lu Shian and said, “President Lu, please put down the computer and rest now.”