Chapter 21: Unknown
When He Dongli was in school, he uploaded some videos of suture, burn and scar surgery on his own. At that time, most of them were shared with colleagues to improve themselves.
After officially joining the company, she reported to the department. Zhao Zhenzhen found these videos very meaningful, so she became the main force in charge of the department's self-media. That day, she uploaded a popular science article about surgical loupes.
In the video, she is wearing a scrub suit and a surgical cap, holding a must-have item that plastic surgeons really need. While explaining how to magnify the surgical field, she also shows some practical photos of doctors wearing these glasses during their daily operations. Although she used a lot of professional terms, more than half of the comments below were praising her appearance, saying that serious women are the most charming, and being handsome is indeed a feeling.
He Dongli didn't have time to read the comments. After handing over his shift, he immediately went on stage. Today, he and Old Lu were working together on the abdominal wall surgery. Lu Chunliu looked at Dongli in his uniform and couldn't help but teasing, "I saw you when you came in this morning. You were dressed so nicely. Are you going to a wedding?"
Before He Dongli could respond, Old Lu thought of something else. "Has my blind date with Director Yao's second son progressed?"
He Dongli could only lament that the world was nothing but a broken wall that let in the wind. She said she hadn't had any wedding wine to attend, and her blind date hadn't made any progress. And she was certain Liang Jianxing wouldn't look for her again.
As for her beautiful attire today, He Dongli said, "When you're in a bad mood, you should clean yourself up even more. That way you can conserve energy."
Old Lu's son has been watching Journey to the West lately, and he's wondering if Dongli's mentality is similar to the snake demon in the film who drinks human blood to maintain her youthful appearance. He Dongli asks, incredulously, "Which episode? Why haven't I seen that?"
Old Lu teased, "Are you serious? Tell me the truth. Why did you come to China?"
The people who came on stage all laughed. He Dongli really had no memory of this plot. However, when she entered the operating room and put on sterile clothes, she thought of something else because of Lao Lu's funny words.
The first time Zong Chi ate Yu Xiaohan's cooking, he held the chopsticks in his left hand but ate the food with his right. Yu Xiaohan, who had returned with the bone dish, saw this and he quickly put the food back on his chopsticks before putting it in his mouth.
Before Yu Xiaohan returned to S City, she quietly asked Dongli if he was not a Chinese citizen.
He Dongli thought his mother’s imagination was amazing. Why did she ask that?
Yu Xiaohan replied traditionally, "Nothing, I just don't want a foreign son-in-law." Different nationalities, after all, are different. As the saying goes, those who are not of my race must have different hearts.
He Dongli laughed so hard and comforted his mother, telling her not to worry, he was just like her, holding a Hong Kong passport and a real Chinese.
An abdominal wall surgery lasted nearly seven hours. When He Dongli, as an assistant, stepped down, she immediately collapsed on the bench in the locker room. She always kept glucose, coffee hazelnut candy, and bananas in her cabinet.
This bunch of bananas was from when Jiang Xingyuan was buying the fruit basket as a gift. After buying all kinds of bananas, the last bunch could not fit in, so Jiang Xingyuan asked Dongli to take it back to the hospital.
She lay on the stool and ate a cigarette. When her colleagues called her to eat, she just responded without moving.
WeChat on his phone was flooded with red messages, and He Dongli picked out the most important ones and replied first. Among them, Yu Xiaohan asked, "When will Xixi be free to come back for dinner? I've caught some wild eels and I'll make you some shredded eel and kidney noodles."
Zou Yan asked: When you are free, I will treat you to a meal.
As new news gradually surfaces, a certain piece of news has almost sunk to the bottom.
Yesterday, Jiang Xingyuan called He Dongli as soon as he got home, saying everything was going smoothly. Young Master Zong was so impressive, he almost missed him. Luckily, Jiang Xingyuan had managed to keep some souvenirs to himself by pestering Dongli. The people who had been there still remembered his hobbies, so the bastard was secretly happy.
Jiang Xingyuan added that she wasn't one to take advantage of others. She really wanted to treat Zong Chi to dinner, and also his secretary. "Secretly, his secretary is super hot, with that elitist, world-weary look that fits my stereotype of what these Bking young masters hire." She knew I was on my period, and she even lent me sanitary pads.
When He Dongli heard this, he realized that the secretary was a girl.
Jiang Xingyuan continued to talk, saying that Zong Chi's explicit and implicit meaning was that Jiang Xingyuan should not invite him alone, but he would consider having He Dongli accompany him.
In the end, He Dongli refused. She also advised Jiang Xingyuan that it didn't matter. Writing for them was more important than anything else. He was a man who...had enough to eat. There was no need to feel burdened. If he really owed him a favor, then just treat it as a debt.
Late at night, I received a message from a new friend. The profile picture was Kudo Shinichi.
Although the WeChat account is different, the avatar is very specific.
It was almost eleven o'clock when he actually sent the message. He Dongli thanked him for the first message with gratitude, but she did not reply to the second one.
If possible, just pretend that she doesn't want the pearl earring.
Just as she refused Jiang Xingyuan's invitation to dinner: The swimming pool was my subjective mistake that year. This time, I will just hold on to the collection of wrong questions and be determined not to repeat the same mistake.
For the entire night and most of the day, my attention was diverted from work and the patient's wounds.
He Dongli firmly believed that bananas did have a calming effect, and that she would eventually get over it, just as his acquisition case would eventually close. After a moment of silence, He Dongli stood up and deleted the message asking her if she still wanted the pearl earrings.
That day, He Dongli was on his way back from the ward after changing the patient's dressing when he met Zhao Zhenzhen who was about to get off work.
The two casually chatted about the Liang family's unsuccessful blind date. He Dongli learned from his teacher that Liang Jianxing was no longer in S City, having gone to Shenzhen to oversee a project. Who knew him? This infuriated Director Yao, but Director Yao still had a good impression of Dr. He. So, Zhao Zhenzhen was supposed to convey that it was the second child in the family who was unlucky. In the end, it seemed as if there had been no blind date at all. Dr. He was originally invited by their eldest daughter-in-law to play. Director Yao even said that if Dr. He needed any help in the future, he could just ask her.
Zhao Zhenzhen was also extremely anxious. Director Yao was known for his good judgment, but He Dongli, the taciturn man, had really made her feel anxious.
He Dongli pretended to be confused, but she was not confused at heart. This was not her fault at all, but someone had the money to persuade Liang Jianxing, who in turn persuaded his mother.
She had said long ago that as long as he was willing, even if the official media left a blank, he could recover all the news that he was unwilling to disclose, whether favorable or unfavorable to him, at any cost.
What's more, it's just a small blind date.
He Dongli finished her work in a long time that day. For her, getting away with it without any danger was a blessing and a victory.
Coming down from the surgical building, I walked all the way to the adjacent maternal and child health building. The convenience store in the maternal and child health building is the only one in the entire hospital that has the most complete, best-tasting, and easiest-to-buy items.
The red bean bread she loves seems to be out of stock today. She was just about to ask the cashier girl she knows well if there is any bread left.
Someone held up a bag and danced in front of her. It was Zou Yan. When He Dongli turned around, he said childishly and proudly, "I bought the last bag for you."
He Dongli took it with a smile and wanted to transfer the money to him.
Zou Yan said that was not necessary and asked her directly about the dinner he had invited her to during the day, "When are you free?"
"Sunday. I guess I have to go back to my mom's on Saturday."
Zou Yan nodded, took out his cell phone and said he would notify his friends.
Friend. He Dongli perked up like a cat hearing a key word, "Grandma's friend?"
"Yeah." Zou Yan finished sending the message, looked up, and explained calmly, "For some reasons, she can't go to places that are too... I mean, dine-in places. I guess she has to decide the place. Tell me if you have any dietary restrictions."
"I'm fine with either. Your... I mean, he... If it's really inconvenient, it's okay not to invite him."
Zou Yan looked at He Dongli suspiciously. It was rare for her to still have some light makeup on after get off work, and she smelled very lightly of fresh perfume. He smiled and asked her, "What's wrong?"
He Dongli unwrapped a red bean bun. She hadn't had time to eat dinner, so she was a little hungry. Then, she thought, since Zou Yan was already planning to treat her to dinner, and everything was so open and honest, there was no need for her to be so cautious. In principle, she respected all sexual orientations.
"Zou Yan, are we friends?"
"certainly."
"Then I asked directly."
"Um."
"Your friend is... a boy?"
“…”
"Do you like him?"
It took Zou Yan more than a minute to process the force of He Dongli's question. Soon, he stuffed the entire bag of red bean bread into He Dongli's arms. "He Dongli, so you've been hesitant to speak about my friend several times. Is it because you suspect I'm... and you think my friend's treat means we've come out to you?"
Before he finished speaking, someone flashed out from the nearby shelf and called out someone's name, "He Dongli,"
The owner of the name turned around in response. Zong Chi was wearing a low-saturation formal suit, and with his pampered face, he looked untouched by the frost. Who knew how outrageous it was to carry a basket of bananas?
He Dongli's heart sank. As he walked a few steps, a montage of thoughts raced through her mind:
When he was in a good mood, he could talk to her for hundreds of minutes, and would not let her hang up even when she was taking a shower, just to give her a surprise by having the doorbell ring and him standing outside to say he had rushed back.
He started to stink, not even wanting to stand up, just sitting there indifferently and arrogantly facing her. "He Dongli, with your grades back then, why wouldn't you study medicine? You insist on competing with yourself. Who can beat you? You're almost eating your self-esteem like a meal. Others at most eat rice with tears, but you eat rice with your self-esteem!"
At that moment, He Dongli stood there, looking like a ragged or even naked homeless child. Zong Chi then realized that he had said the wrong thing. He came forward to hug her and shouted, "Xixi, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant." I meant...
He Dongli struggled out of his arms and insisted on putting on her shoes and going back to school. During that time, He Dongli sent him a message, asking him not to come to the school to find her, let alone come to the internship hospital. Yes, I just eat my self-esteem, and I have nothing else left except my self-esteem.
The truth was, Zong Chi didn't have much time to visit He Dongli at the school or hospital. He had just graduated with a bachelor's degree, and because of his family's background, he went on to study for a related master's degree.
He then started his internship in various departments and regional branches where he took office.
In his words, I was afraid to go to the hospital to see you. If you turned down my offer, I'd lose face. This kind of peacemaking shouldn't be used lightly. This was the ultimate trump card.
Three years ago, He Dongli was rotating in the undergraduate department of her major. She was a student taught by the director himself. Not long after she left the operating table that day, Zhao Zhenzhen received a call and hurriedly informed He Dongli to prepare immediately. There was a major car accident in a friendly hospital in the neighboring city. A middle-aged woman had suffered a scalp avulsion and she needed to rush to help.
The nurses at the inpatient department's desk just called Dr. Xiao He and said they had something for her to sign for.
It was a bouquet of purple roses covered in morning dew, lying in a long brown paper box, the branches tied with green silk ribbons.
He Dongli knew who sent it before he even looked at the card. It only had a simple address and a four-character signature, but the name was unknown.
That day, He Dongli did not have time to deal with his emotions. He followed his teacher and drove to the friendly college to provide assistance as soon as possible.
When she came back and finished her work, and then rushed to the address, Zong Chi had already flown away.
That day, the sky was overcast and rainy. When He Dongli got a taxi back, she leaned her head against the car window. She couldn't remember how to write the word "杀手" (killer mace) and she didn't want to use her phone to look it up. Because they would never use it again.
After the setback three years ago, Zong Chi made up his mind that since she was no longer willing to go on a date, he would definitely forget her completely.
So much so that there was a time when the family doctor came to give Lao Zong a physical examination, he was annoyed to see that it was a female doctor.
He had said that he would never come to the hospital to see her again. But he had also declared that if he couldn't have it, no one else could have it.
Losing is different from losing. He can lose to He Dongli, a woman, but he cannot lose to any man.
He Dongli wore a dark gray striped suit, blue jeans, and his shirt sleeves were turned up and pressed against the sleeves of his suit. He was tall, slender, and ruthless, with a figure reminiscent of Yves Saint Laurent's power aesthetic.
What's more, during those years when they quarreled and neither of them was willing to give in, He Dongli had a shaky self-esteem that she would defend to the end, something that belonged to her completely and completely.
She was also very good at making shocking remarks. Zong Chi was completely impressed by her words. Of course, she never doubted his sexual orientation.
Zong Chi walked up to He Dongli and placed the basket of bananas in his hand on the refrigerated glass door of the convenience store.
Between mocking the enemy and sympathizing with them, he ultimately chose to remain deaf and dumb. He had originally come to apologize, and judging by the intelligence he had just obtained, he was truly wrong, damned wrong.
However, in front of outsiders, he refused to open his mouth. "Just finding you is enough," He Dongli glared at him angrily, and Zong Chi immediately added pretentiously, "You asked your sisters—" someone emphasized the words deliberately—"to send me so many bananas. I can't finish them all, and they ripen so quickly that the whole room smells like bananas. The business representatives I met with laughed at me. I just came here to buy bananas."
A passerby was trying to get some ice from the freezer, but the basket of bananas was blocking the sliding door. Seeing Zong Chi not moving, He Dongli felt bad and reached over to take it down.
Zong Chi then reached out and took the weight from her, saying to her, "I was in a bad mood that night, so I was a little loud."
He Dongli seemed not to listen, so he withdrew his hand and let him carry it again by himself.
Zou Yan, standing nearby, remained silent but didn't seem to leave. He accidentally met Zong Chi's gaze, even appearing somewhat nonchalant and calm. Zong Chi was in a good mood, not taking it seriously. Firstly, Miss Feng had returned without stopping, and secondly, things were much more interesting than he'd imagined. He Dongli was truly a top student; her problem-solving methods were always sharp and bold. Zong Chi couldn't help but brag about himself. He was truly suited to wielding a knife!
Right now, he had to learn from her decisiveness. "Well, I think I should apologize to Dr. Zou, after all, I misunderstood..."
He Dongli immediately called out to him, "Zongchi!!!"
"What are you doing..." Zong Chi blamed her for being so startled, "Be quiet, I can hear you."
He Dongli was so angry she practically gnashed her teeth. She had the urge to pounce on him and rip his mouth off. Regardless of why he'd run over like crazy and say so much, He Dongli was certain he'd say anything when he got mad, and she couldn't afford to lose face if he dared. So, she warned him with her eyes, "Don't put bananas on other people's refrigerator doors."
Hearing this, Zong Chi had no choice but to pick it up. As he leaned closer to her, he could smell the familiar woody scent on her body. For a moment, Zong Chi felt a long-lost numbness, even a sense of satisfaction, which drove him to say, "Oh..."
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