Li Chu turned and gave Ding Qiunan a deep look, a smile appearing on his face.

Li Qin, the older sister, stood to the side. When she heard Ding Qiunan say that, she could no longer hold back. She covered her mouth with her hand and tears streamed down her face.

Wang Ziwen sighed, put his arm around her shoulder, and patted her.

Li Chu got up and helped Ding Qiunan up as well, and the group sat down on the sofa again.

After crying for a while, Li Qin felt much better. She took Ding Qiunan's hand and started chatting again, becoming even more affectionate.

The two stayed until almost nine o'clock before leaving.

Li Chu rode his bicycle with Ding Qiunan on the back. A gentle breeze was blowing, and the daytime heat was gone.

Ding Qiunan sat behind Li Chu, hugging his waist tightly. Her small hands stroked Li Chu's abdomen up and down, and she even poked it with her finger. Feeling something was wrong, she withdrew one hand and touched her own abdomen as well, asking innocently, "Li Chu, why is the flesh here in small pieces, but I don't have any here? And it's hard here too."

Li Chu was already exasperated when Ding Qiunan touched him, and now, after hearing Ding Qiunan's question, he felt like there were tic-tac-toe marks popping out on his forehead.

She slapped the little hand that was still groping her belly: "If you're planning to come home with me tonight, then keep groping."

Ding Qiunan quickly withdrew her hand and chuckled sheepishly, "It's getting late, hurry up and take me back to my dorm."

Li Chu sighed helplessly. He'd found himself a simple-minded wife; what was he going to do?

Upon arriving at the archway of the hospital dormitory area, Ding Qiunan immediately darted out and stopped two or three meters away.

Li Chu was taken aback: "Why are you running?"

I'm afraid you'll be angry.

He smiled helplessly: "What's there to be angry about? Okay, go back and rest!"

Ding Qiunan cautiously leaned closer: "Just bear with it a little longer, time will pass quickly."

Li Chu reached out and touched her cheek, smiling indulgently, "Okay! Go inside, I'm going back."

"Wait a minute," Ding Qiunan called out to him, reaching into her bag to take out a wooden box containing jewelry. "Take this back to your home first; I don't have room for it in my dorm."

Li Chu took it, put it in his bag, waved, got on his bicycle, and rode away.

Ding Qiunan watched him walk further and further away, her eyes sparkling in the night.

The next morning.

Not long after I started work, a young man in a white shirt rushed into the consultation room: "Hello, Dr. Li."

Li Chu looked up at the person who had just arrived. The person seemed somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen them before.

"Dr. Li, my surname is Wang. We met last time when you treated Director Chen's mother."

As soon as he said that, Li Chu remembered.

"Hello, Secretary Wang, what brings you here today?" Director Chen, the deputy director of the State Council's General Office, this person must be his secretary.

Secretary Wang breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Li Chu recognized him: "Dr. Li, it's like this, Director Chen's mother woke up this morning feeling tightness in her chest and shortness of breath, and she's been coughing constantly, with blood in her phlegm. Director Chen sent me to pick you up so we can take a look at her. Would you be able to..."

Before he finished speaking, Li Chu understood what he meant. After thinking for a moment, he stood up and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go talk to our director."

He said goodbye to Ding Qiunan and left the office.

"Secretary Wang, please have a seat. Dr. Li will be here soon." Ding Qiunan saw that he had been standing and invited him to sit down.

"Oh, it's alright, you go ahead with your work, I'll just wait a bit."

Li Chu walked in quickly, picked up his bag, and put the acupuncture needles, alcohol, and cotton wool inside: "Let's go, Secretary Wang."

"Dr. Li, please come in. I drove here; it's right in the yard."

As they reached the door, Li Chu turned back and said, "Qiu Nan, I haven't been back for lunch yet. Go to the cafeteria and eat first. Don't wait for me."

Ding Qiunan nodded: "Okay, I understand. Go ahead."

Secretary Wang overheard their conversation and gave Ding Qiunan a subtle glance.

A jeep was parked in the courtyard, and as soon as Secretary Wang got in, he drove off.

The place wasn't far, only a ten-minute drive away. There were soldiers guarding the entrance to the alley, so cars couldn't drive in.

When entering the alley, even the person Secretary Wang brought was not allowed in. Li Chu still underwent a thorough inspection. He had to explain for a long time about the acupuncture needles in his bag, and finally, he had to call Director Chen's home before he was allowed to bring them in.

"It's not easy to get into a grand mansion," Li Chu sighed inwardly.

The alleyways are all single-family courtyards, and the doors of every house are closed. You can't see anyone walking around in the alleyways.

"Living in a hutong without any sense of life, what's the point of living here? It's such a waste. When private houses can be bought and sold in the future, I'll definitely get a few." Li Chu drooled as he looked at the detached houses in the hutong.

They arrived in less than two minutes. Secretary Wang knocked on the door, and Director Chen opened it himself.

"Dr. Li, thank you for making the trip." Director Chen said as he opened the door and saw Li Chu.

Li Chu smiled faintly: "Director Chen, you're too kind. I'm a doctor, and it's inconvenient for the patient. I'm just doing my job by coming here."

This is a small courtyard house with two side rooms on each side and three main rooms in the middle. The patient is in the room on the left side of the main room.

Director Chen led Li Chu inside directly.

The old lady was sitting reclining on the bed. When Li Chu went in, she was still coughing and her face was sallow.

There were two other women in the room. One was probably Director Chen's wife, whom I had seen at the hospital last time. The other was younger, probably in her thirties.

Hearing the sound, everyone in the room looked over. Director Chen said, "Dr. Li is here. You two, please step aside and let Dr. Li take a look."

The two people beside the bed quickly made way for them.

Li Chu walked over, nodded to the two of them, and sat down on the stool by the bed.

The old lady's eyesight wasn't very good. It wasn't until Li Chu walked to the bedside that the old lady could see him clearly: "Little Li, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you again with these old bones of mine."

"Grandma, treating patients is my job. Just cooperate with me. There's nothing to worry about. Come, let me take your pulse."

After a while, Li Chu put his hand away and said to the old lady, "I'll give you a few acupuncture needles. You should get a good night's sleep. You'll be fine when you wake up. There's nothing seriously wrong."

The old lady fell asleep shortly after the acupuncture was administered and stopped coughing.

Li Chu gestured for everyone in the house to leave.

Director Chen led the group into the main room. Secretary Wang made a cup of tea for everyone and then left.

Li Chu picked up his cup, took a sip of water, thought for a moment, and said, "Director Chen, I don't know what happened yesterday, but the old lady's condition today is due to being too emotional, coupled with not getting enough rest last night."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Director Chen, you know the old lady's health condition. If this happens again..." Li Chu shook his head.