Chapter 62

Chapter 62

The voice was familiar, yet not exactly the same; it was deeper and slightly hoarse than the voice she was used to.

Shen Qingyuan turned around hesitantly.

Having not seen him for over half a year, the man before me seemed somewhat unfamiliar. Yet, his eyebrows, nose, lips, and even his habit of wearing shirts and rolling up his sleeves were so familiar. He had a slight stubble on his lips, and his eyes showed signs of travel.

“Sun Zhi…” she blurted out.

Sun Zhi's eyes were bright with excitement. He was tall and thin, with handsome features and a professional demeanor, yet still retained a scholarly and gentle air.

He was an outstanding student at Jicheng University School of Medicine during his student days. In recent years, after entering the workforce, he has matured and become more composed and steady.

It was probably this kind of temperament that made patients feel at ease as soon as they saw her. Shen Qingyuan was once a little jealous of this so-called affinity.

This cannot be explained by coincidence. Sun Zhi is not the kind of person who would deliberately come to bump into her.

"Did Song Ting tell you?"

Shen Qingyuan asked the question, then realized something was amiss. Although Song Ting was quite talkative about some things, she wouldn't make the decision for Shen Qingyuan about meeting her ex-boyfriend without her consent.

"No. I saw a figure on the trending topics that looked a lot like you."

It turns out that Sun Zhi could find her based on a fleeting afterimage.

During the six months that Shen Qingyuan lived in seclusion in Chenyang, she also fantasized about Sun Zhi appearing.

She knew it was impossible for them. But she had fantasized. She thought that going to Sun Zhi's door to pester him wasn't in line with his style.

Style is more important than so-called infatuation.

Shen Qingyuan thought for a moment, and realized it must be the news about rescuing someone in the underground parking garage last time.

Although Ye Chuyang asked someone in the company to remove the trending topic, in the internet age, some things, once put online, will never disappear.

With Sun Zhi's intelligence, he'd be more than capable of being a private investigator. Finding Shen Qingyuan wouldn't be difficult for him. As for why now, the timing is just right.

Sun Zhi smiled slightly: "I'm sorry for coming to see you without consulting you beforehand."

He looked Shen Qingyuan up and down, “Qingyuan, you’re not quite the same as before.”

His tone was flat, making it impossible to tell whether he was happy or disappointed.

Noticing his gaze, Shen Qingyuan lowered her eyes, pulled her foot back, and stared at her shoes. They were a pair of very beautiful designer shoes; considering that Shen Qingyuan wouldn't wear very high heels, Xie Xinglan had specially asked his assistant to buy them mid-heel sandals.

These things, when seen by Sun Zhi, did indeed give him a very different impression.

Sun Zhi said softly, "Qingyuan, are you free now? Let's find a place to talk."

Shen Qingyuan remained silent, unsure of what to say. However, continuing this silence for too long was clearly not an option.

Shen Qingyuan didn't know why, but when she saw Sun Zhi again, she felt a little timid.

Their relationship ended peacefully, and neither of them wronged the other, or so she understood it to be.

Upon closer examination, the fact that she "escaped" back to Chenyang without even a face-to-face conversation shows she wasn't very forthright. But what's the point of being forthright in a situation like that?

"What's wrong? Aren't you going up?" a voice came from behind.

Just then, Ye Chuyang walked over and was taken aback when he saw the man standing next to Shen Qingyuan.

Something's not right.

Judging from their body language, the man standing next to Shen Qingyuan didn't seem to be a stranger. Also, when Ye Chuyang walked over, she vaguely heard the man's words.

Shen Qingyuan's reaction was even more puzzling.

A sense of territorial intrusion immediately rose in his heart, a wild instinct rousing him. Ye Chuyang stepped forward, stood beside Shen Qingyuan, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Ye Chuyang asked, "What's wrong?"

The voice was soft and sweet, an intimacy never before shown to others, clearly deliberate.

Shen Qingyuan felt slightly embarrassed and moved her shoulder. Fortunately, Ye Chuyang was sensible and quickly removed his hand after a light touch.

He seemed to only just notice Sun Zhi, and exclaimed in exaggerated surprise, "Is this someone you know?"

Ye Chuyang habitually wore a mask; as long as he didn't want to reveal his identity, he could simply return to the hotel. However, he still stopped, sized up Sun Zhi with a wary look that suggested he was neither friend nor foe, and slightly raised an eyebrow.

Shen Qingyuan snapped out of her reverie, "Let me introduce you. This is Sun Zhi, an attending physician at Jicheng University People's Hospital. And this one..."

She wasn't sure if Ye Chuyang was willing to reveal her identity. Although Sun Zhi didn't follow the entertainment industry, the fact that he was able to find his way here meant he probably already knew something about her employer.

"Oh, I heard Qingyuan mention that one of her high school classmates is now a big star. This must be the one. Hello, I'm Sun Zhi."

Sun Zhi extended his right hand to Ye Chuyang, a warm professional smile on his face.

Shen Qingyuan didn't actually remember telling Sun Zhi about Ye Chuyang. She might have seen Ye Chuyang's print ad on the street and mentioned it casually.

However, through Sun Zhiyi's retelling, it seems that he and Shen Qingyuan were the truly close ones. At least, they used to be very close.

There's no need to go into their past relationship.

At this moment, Ye Chuyang took off his mask, smiled at Shen Qingyuan, extended his right hand, and gently shook hands with Sun Zhi, saying, "Hello, Dr. Sun, I haven't... heard Qingyuan mention you before. Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

The way she's addressed has automatically changed from "Shen Qingyuan" or "Dr. Shen" to "Qingyuan." She learned it from that reporter kid; she's so clever.

Ye Chuyang admitted that his comment was pretty cheesy.

If it wasn't mentioned, it doesn't matter. Who cares if he's an ex-boyfriend? What matters is the present. Shen Qingyuan herself said she's single.

As he leaned over, a gust of wind carried his faint fragrance over. Sun Zhi turned his head and frowned slightly.

It has a very familiar rose essential oil scent.

Sun Zhi knew that Shen Qingyuan also carried this scent; Shen Qingyuan always used toiletries with this scent.

Two people sharing a car might pick up some bacteria. Or perhaps they have a closer relationship...

Sun Zhi felt his scalp tighten and his temples throb. The smile on his face vanished instantly.

For a moment, none of the three spoke.

Ye Chuyang spoke first: "Then, I'll go up first. You guys chat."

He chuckled, strode towards the elevator, and the moment his back turned to the two of them, there was no smile on his lips.

Shen Qingyuan, don't disappoint me. Lingering attachments aren't your style.

He knew perfectly well how decisively this woman could reject a man.

-

Relationships between men and women in the world are not necessarily black and white.

Shen Qingyuan had always thought that, apart from their past romantic relationship, she and Sun Zhi were also alumni and colleagues.

In the medical field, it's certainly good for everyone to learn from each other and make progress together, but there's no need to cut off all contact for the sake of romantic love.

Shen Qingyuan checked the time on her phone. Most of the nearby coffee shops were closed at this hour. That's the downside of small cities; the service industry closes early. Unless you go to a bar, which requires going to the city center.

"Come with me."

She took Sun Zhi to her hotel room.

Sun Zhi surveyed the hotel room's decor. It was a standard room, fairly clean and tidy. Nothing particularly special about it.

He made an excuse to go to the restroom. Luckily, there were no men's items inside.

But that doesn't prove anything.

A self-mocking voice echoed in Sun Zhi's mind: Sun Zhi, Sun Zhi, have you really fallen to this level?

But they can't control themselves. Men are just as petty as women when it comes to these things.

Before this, he didn't think Shen Qingyuan would leave him completely. He thought she was just being difficult, trying to get attention, and that life would eventually get back on track.

Since there was no tea, Shen Qingyuan poured him a glass of water.

The two sat down across a small coffee table.

"Qingyuan, you've been doing well lately." He took a sip of water, looking at his former lover with tender eyes. "How's your sleep?"

During her final days in Jicheng, Shen Qingyuan was in poor condition, suffering from sleep disorders and relying on sleeping pills to get through the long nights.

She hummed in agreement, "Much better. It's much better to get out of that environment."

She laughed, but under the incandescent light, her smile seemed somewhat bleak: "Maybe I'm not suited to be a doctor; my mental fortitude isn't good enough."

“Don’t say that. No one would have performed better than you in that situation,” Sun Zhikuan said gently. This was the truth.

However, it's difficult for people to truly empathize. He believed that time heals all wounds, and that Shen Qingyuan would eventually recover. Even if others succumb on the eve of dawn, Shen Qingyuan shouldn't.

"Sorry I didn't come to see you earlier." Sun Zhi pursed his lips, gripping his mug tightly in both hands. "I only managed to find a little time now."

Sun Zhi was previously applying for the position of attending physician. Jicheng University has very high standards; in addition to national examinations and clinical workload, factors such as published academic papers and participation in research projects are all considered. There are so many outstanding candidates that the competition is fierce, making the internal evaluation process extremely rigorous.

At a time like this, he can't afford to be distracted by trying to appease his girlfriend.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and his previous efforts were not in vain.

Shen Qingyuan smiled again, genuinely happy for him: "It's alright, congratulations on being promoted to attending physician."

Sun Zhi suddenly sighed and put down his water glass.

"Qingyuan... I thought we'd be together forever. I never imagined a life without you. In the past, I sometimes thought that for many girls, I might not be a very romantic lover, nor did I have much time to spend with my partner. But coincidentally, what we both pursued was excelling in our professions. Sharing a paper was more romantic than watching a movie, and discussing a surgery was more beneficial than sweet words. Having similar interests is a state that many couples yearn for but can't achieve."

"I know you've been through a lot, you're exhausted, and you're disheartened. But given time, once you return to Jicheng and gradually resume your normal work and life, all of this will pass. I will help you. Maybe I didn't try hard enough before, but I will try harder in the future. You have to believe me!"

Sun Zhi's eyes gleamed with excitement. He suddenly leaned forward and grabbed Shen Qingyuan's hand: "By the way, Qingyuan, I'm currently seeing patients at a private clinic in Beijing. I showed your resume to them, and their orthopedic department director was very interested. If you're willing, I guarantee you can return to Jicheng to work anytime. That way, you can have a better environment; the benefits and working conditions at a private clinic are also better."

Jingsi Hospital is indeed one of the better private hospitals in Jicheng, with a good reputation and a large scale. Good private hospitals usually have specialists on staff, and the fact that Sun Zhigang was able to practice at Jingsi Hospital after being promoted to attending physician demonstrates their high regard for him.

As for their interest in Shen Qingyuan, who has not yet completed her formal training, it is estimated that it is largely due to Sun Zhi's influence.

Sun Zhi is like that; he won't rashly step forward without demonstrating some tangible results. He understands Shen Qingyuan's current predicament and is trying to offer the best solution.