Chapter 20 Are you so...generous to every patient? "
Chu Yi did not answer Zhou Ai, but just curled his lips.
Zhou Ai, who was standing by, was not in a hurry either. He stood aside and watched Chu Yi finish packing his things before he slowly unzipped his backpack.
Amidst the rustling sounds, he actually pulled out several bags of colorful potato chips, which were exactly the same flavors that were in the picture bombardment yesterday.
Zhou Ai slowly and methodically placed them one by one on Chu Yi's clean and tidy desk. The colorful packaging bags instantly broke the serious professional atmosphere of the office, appearing a bit abrupt... childish.
"I promised to bring you these potato chips," Zhou Ai pointed at the pile of "tribute" with her fingertips, her tone as natural as if this was a matter of course, "Remember to eat them well."
Chu Yi's gaze lingered on the pile of high-fat, high-salt puffed food for a second, then he looked away and nodded, his tone calm and unwavering: "Thank you."
He thought that this unilateral "gift" ceremony was over and Zhou Ai should leave.
However, just as Chu Yi was about to raise his hand to indicate the direction of the door, Zhou Ai suddenly spoke again.
"Do you still need to use the scar cream?" Zhou Ai asked casually, as if she suddenly remembered it.
Chu Yi was slightly startled, and replied subconsciously: "The wound has just had its stitches removed, so theoretically you can start using it to prevent scar hyperplasia. If you need it, I can prescribe one for you."
This is standard medical advice.
But Zhou Ai didn't seem to be waiting for this.
As if he had been prepared, he pulled something out of the side pocket of his backpack like a magic trick. It was the imported scar removal cream that Chu Yi had prescribed him earlier. The cream was now used up and the tube was flat.
The slender fingers held the empty tube and nimbly rotated it around the fingertips, with a bit of nonchalant playfulness in the movement.
Zhou Ai raised her eyes, her gaze accurately catching Chu Yi's. She slowed her voice and asked deliberately, "Is it the same as what Doctor Chu gave you before?"
Chu Yi's gaze fell on the empty tube he was fidgeting with. Under the office light, the unique packaging design of the expensive imported ointment was clearly visible.
Of course he recognized it; it was a brand he had carefully selected, with top-notch results and a good reputation. Of course, it was also quite expensive. The hospital pharmacy did have several other brands and price points of scar cream, but they were far less effective.
He raised his eyes, met Zhou Ai's eyes that seemed to be filled with pure curiosity, and answered with a firm tone, "It's different."
After these three words were spoken, the air in the office seemed to stagnate for a moment.
Zhou Ai narrowed his eyes, like a cat that had spotted its prey. A faint smile played on his lips, and he took a lazy, silent step forward.
In one step, the normal social distance between the two people was suddenly shortened.
Chu Yi could even smell more clearly the faint but somewhat cold and aggressive aftershave-like scent on Zhou Ai's body, mixed with the smell of disinfectant that permeated his own office, creating a strange and alarming conflict.
The sense of oppression brought by Zhou Ai's height quietly intensified with this step. He lowered his head slightly, his eyes falling on Chu Yi's face from a very close distance, as if carefully studying every subtle change in his expression.
He shook the empty tube at his fingertips, his voice lowered, breathy, but every word clear: "Oh? What's the difference?"
Zhou Ai continued to question, his eyes fixed on Chu Yi, not missing any reaction on Chu Yi's face. The inquiry in his eyes was no longer concealed. "Is it not as effective as the one Dr. Chu prescribed before, or... is it because the price is different?"
Zhou Ai's question was like a precise probe, piercing the tacit veil between the two of them.
He held up his cell phone, and the list on the screen was like a silent testimony, exposing Chu Yi's secret "special treatment" that even he himself had never thought about deeply.
The office was so quiet that you could hear the faint sound of traffic coming from the distance outside the window.
Chu Yi stared at the screen, then raised his gaze to Zhou Ai, who was so close. Those eyes, always distant and cold, were now incredibly sharp, pulsing with unavoidable inquiry and a hint of... almost malicious amusement.
A subtle, almost unprecedented feeling of powerlessness crept into Chu Yi's heart. He hadn't expected Zhou Ai to notice such a detail, let alone that he would bring it up so directly, almost in a demanding manner.
He thought Zhou Ai was the kind of young master who was indifferent to trivial matters around him.
He miscalculated.
Chu Yi's expression hardly changed, he still looked calm and composed, but Zhou Ai caught a glimpse of the confusion that flashed across his eyes and the slight discomfort of being exposed.
Although that emotion disappeared extremely quickly, so quickly that it almost made people think it was an illusion.
Chu Yi tilted his head slightly, avoiding Zhou Ai's overly compelling gaze. His voice remained steady, even taking on a doctor's characteristically objective tone. "The imported one has better ingredients and craftsmanship. It's more effective in inhibiting scar growth, and is especially suitable for facial wounds."
This answer perfectly avoids the core issues of "paying out of pocket" and "special treatment".
Zhou Ai chuckled softly, the laughter was breathy and carried an undisguised implication of "I knew it a long time ago".
He moved half an inch closer, almost trapping Chu Yi between him and the desk.
He held the empty tube of scar cream with his fingertips and gently tapped it on the front of Chu Yi's clean white coat. The cool touch was faintly felt through the fabric.
"Really?" Zhou Ai dragged out his words, his eyes fixed on Chu Yi's slightly pursed lips. "So, Doctor Chu thinks my face... is more valuable, worthy of using a particularly good ointment? Or is it..."
He paused, his gaze locked onto Chu Yi's again, and he spoke slowly and clearly, word by word: "Are you so...generous to every patient?"
He pronounced the word "patient" meaningfully.
Chu Yi felt the slight pressure of the air traffic control point on his chest, and the cold and aggressive aura from Zhou Ai surrounded him even more strongly.
He subconsciously wanted to step back, but there was a desk behind him and he had nowhere to go.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to meet Zhou Ai's gaze. He knew that any evasion or excuse would be pale and ridiculous when the other party already had "evidence" and was so aggressive.
He chose another way - an almost frank acquiescence, but with a professional distancing.
"Effective medications are naturally recommended first to patients in need." Chu Yi's voice remained steady, but if you listened carefully, you could detect a slight tension. "If Mr. Zhou feels it's inappropriate, or if you need a more economical option, I can prescribe you a regular scar removal cream from the hospital pharmacy."
He took a step back and threw the choice back to Zhou Ai, trying to bring this off-track conversation back to the normal doctor-patient relationship.
Zhou Ai's smile deepened, but it didn't reach his eyes. He clearly didn't buy the official explanation at all.
"Recommend?" He raised an eyebrow and gently rubbed the empty tube with his fingertips. "Doctor Chu, recommend means verbally informing the patient, not silently paying and then shoving the thing directly into the patient's hands."
He finally broke through the most crucial layer of window paper.
"I'm very interested in your referral method." Zhou Ai's gaze was like sticky honey, yet sharp as a needle, tightly wrapped around Chu Yi. "How many patients can you recommend out of your own pocket?"
Chu Yi was silent.
He looked at Zhou Ai, seeing the look in her eyes that showed she was in control of everything, even appreciating his current predicament. He knew that no matter what he said, it would only be interpreted more deeply and ridiculed by her.
That feeling of powerlessness finally turned into a slight regret and... a desperate feeling after being seen through.
He suddenly raised his hand, his movements were not rough but definitely not gentle, and he brushed away Zhou Ai's hand and the empty ointment tube that were pressing against his chest.
The empty tube fell on the table with a slight "click".
"Mr. Zhou." Chu Yi's voice grew colder, a crack finally appearing in that professional and gentle shell, revealing the icy nature underneath. "If you have any questions about the medical expenses, you can go to the cashier on the first floor to print out a detailed list. My responsibility is to treat the wound and provide the most appropriate medical advice. As for the rest..."
He paused, looking back at Zhou Ai with sharp eyes, a cold and hard expression that kept people at a distance: "It's not within my scope of responsibility, and it's not worth your trouble to explore it."
After saying that, Chu Yi turned sideways swiftly, no longer looking at Zhou Ai, and made a gesture to see him off, although his heartbeat was beating rapidly like a drum because of his almost inappropriate behavior just now, which was unknown to anyone.
Zhou Ai watched Chu Yi finally tear off his calm exterior, revealing his thorny inner self, and the curve of his mouth became even more obvious.
He did not retreat because of Chu Yi's coldness. Instead, it was as if he finally saw the long-awaited reaction.
He slowly bent down, picked up the empty ointment tube that had fallen off, and carefully put it back into the side pocket of his backpack, as if it were some important trophy.
Then his gaze lingered on Chu Yi's tense profile for a moment, and he slowly stood up.
"Okay, Doctor Chu." Zhou Ai's voice returned to its previous lazy tone, but it was wrapped in a layer of contented joy. "I have received your medical advice."
He deliberately emphasized the words "medical advice".
"Chips, remember to eat them." He finally said this, like a cat owner who has teased it and finally stretched out its claws. He turned around in a good mood and opened the office door.
The light from the corridor outside the door poured in, lengthening his figure.
The door closed gently behind him, isolating the two worlds inside and outside.
Zhou Ai left.
In the office, Chu Yi still maintained the sideways standing posture. After a long time, he slowly exhaled and raised his hand to pinch his eyebrows.
The colorful bags of potato chips on the table were particularly eye-catching. He lowered his head and looked at the hand he had just brushed away from Zhou Ai. His fingertips seemed to still have a hint of the touch of her clothes and that extremely aggressive aura.
Chu Yi closed his eyes.
Trouble.
He thought.
Outside the door, Zhou Ai walked towards the elevator, stroking the empty tube of ointment in her backpack with her fingertips, a determined smile on her lips.
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