"Hmm." He Mingzhen responded, without further explanation.

  "Okay, remember to come by my place after work to pick up the medicine. Zhao Jinchuan called a few days ago and I didn't have any at that time, can you help him pick some up and deliver it?"

  The speaker is Zhao Jinchuan's attending physician, An Ke Wen. He often comes to communicate with He Mingzhen about Zhao Jinchuan's condition, and over time, they also become familiar with each other.

  "Alright, I'm tired."

  He Mingzhen revealed a faint smile, her tone as monotonous as ever.

  "How many times have I said it, yet you're still so polite." An Ke Wen pursed her lips and scolded: "Next time you're so polite, I won't give you the medicine."

  But He Mingzhen obviously didn't find it useful, and even his smile seemed forced.

  An Ke didn't notice anything and continued, "My friend opened a restaurant, want to go together after work someday?"

  He Mingzhen is not very good at refusing people, and after a moment's pause, he lets others think it's the default.

  "If you don't say anything, that means you agree. It's settled then, take Thursday off, I'm also taking the day off, we'll be in touch by phone at that time."

  "I might have something on, so..." He Mingzhen didn't want to go and thought about what excuse he could come up with.

  "It's not easy to get a day off, so why not give yourself a good break? Whatever it is can be put off till later, and then bring Zhao Jinchuan along."

  Since things had been said to this extent, He Mingzhen could only nod in agreement.

  Today, Wen Qi's mood wasn't as good as before. When she had some free time, she couldn't help but think wildly that the female doctor and He Mingzhen might have some kind of relationship, and why they would be together...

  The appearance of racking one's brains and making associations is no different from five years ago.

  Took out the phone wanting to send a message, but didn't know where to start, so had to put the phone back in pocket again.

  That day after work, I didn't deliberately pass by He Mingzhu's place and intentionally avoided the rush hour traffic, waiting for more than half an hour before slowly walking away.

  What a coincidence, as soon as I walked past the corridor, I saw He Mingzhen standing on the first floor, with her side facing me, her coat slung over her hand, and her cold, hard eyebrows hidden in the twilight, softened a bit.

  Waiting for someone.

  Wen Qi thought of the female doctor in the elevator.

  No wonder, that beautiful woman with delicate features and light makeup, so elegant and refined, couldn't help but steal glances at her, let alone He Mingzhen, a big man like him, unless he was blind.

  Wen Qi walked past with her head down, her footsteps very light, so light that He Ming Zhen didn't even notice.

  A few steps away, I heard the woman's voice coming from behind me.

  "Sorry, I've kept you waiting..."

  "Not for long."

  He Mingzhen didn't look at An Ke Wen, turned his head to glance sideways, and happened to see the back of Wen Qi, wondering when she had slipped out, only to see that pair of short legs walking faster and faster, and later almost running out.

  ……

  At night, Wen Qi had dinner with He Jie. Wen Qi kept her head down and ate silently, which made He Jie notice something was off.

  "What's wrong, baby? Don't you want to go to work?"

  He Jie propped up her chin and stared at her intently. Had she been crushed by the weight of work in just a few days?

  "No, I didn't eat at noon, I'm hungry."

  Wen Qi gently stirred the soup in the bowl, pressing down on the cilantro she didn't like until it finally sank to the bottom.

  "I told you that you shouldn't have studied medicine in the first place. Look at you now, your work schedule is irregular and you're so exhausted that you can't even eat."

  He Jie's expression was one of having seen it all, and she slightly furrowed her brow. "Slow down, slow down, don't choke."

  He Jie's crow mouth, better not to speak, once spoken, choked.

  A mouthful of hot soup scalded her throat, and she coughed violently, unable to catch her breath. She coughed so hard that tears squeezed out of her eyes.

  He Jie turned off her phone's chat interface and put it down, but in that instant, Wen Qi seemed to have seen Zhao Jin Chuan's avatar on her screen.