After finishing the barbecue skewers, Yu Tian hummed a little tune as she walked home with Qi Sihao.

Along the way, Qi Sihao didn’t idle, constantly sending voice messages to Gao Mei giving advice on how to pursue Yan Ming, looking like quite the master.

Unfortunately, this guy had impure motives and was giving nothing but terrible advice—

“From my observations, Senior Yan Ming doesn’t like girls who are too proactive and aggressive. He likes the silent devotion type. You know, he’s a doctor, naturally busy, so his requirements for a partner are hoping the other person is considerate, virtuous, and gentle, able to maintain the home front so he can work without worries.”

“Last time I chatted with him and probed, he clearly expressed dislike for that kind of grand, high-profile pursuit style, because he feels that type of girl is too scheming and might be troublesome, not like someone who can silently give, afraid that if he starts with that kind of girl, as his career gets busier in the future, the other person won’t understand…”

“So for you, I suggest you don’t pursue him too obviously, you should take the gradual affection route, gently accompanying him, ultimately like slowly boiling a frog in warm water, taking him down in one go!”

Gao Mei, on the other end of WeChat, unaware of Qi Sihao’s sinister intentions, found this very useful and kept saying: “Qi Sihao, you’re such a good person!”

“…”

Compared to Yu Tian’s speechlessness, Qi Sihao’s face didn’t turn red, and his heart didn’t skip a beat: “Friends all praise me as a living Lei Feng, otherwise why do you think my WeChat name is ‘Qi Sihao Is Nice’? Isn’t it because of public reputation?”

He continued persuasively: “As for how to get close to Senior Yan Ming, I’ve already thought of a way for you! Usually, when you come to the hospital, don’t look for him directly; looking for him too much will annoy him. Each time, just use the excuse of looking for me, saying you’re my friend coming to hang out with me. I’m currently rotating in ophthalmology, so if you look for me, wouldn’t that indirectly let you see him?”

“As long as you can see him, you can make contact, right? Through these interactions, he’ll get to understand you and recognize your good points!”

Gao Mei, on the other end of WeChat, was completely convinced and agreed to come to the First Affiliated Hospital after work tomorrow to have dinner with Qi Sihao. Qi Sihao readily agreed, promising that dinner would include Yan Ming, creating a chance encounter for Gao Mei.

But after hanging up the phone, the “really nice” Qi Sihao turned to look at Yu Tian.

“You head-swapping me, that’s going through legal procedures, and it’s violating portrait rights. Technically, I could sue you, you know?”

Qi Sihao pretended to be magnanimous: “But considering we’re friends, I’ll let this slide, but as a friend, you should also give something in return.”

Yu Tian immediately defended herself: “I already paid for the barbecue just now!”

Qi Sihao glared at Yu Tian: “Is this something money can solve? You head-swapped my proud handsome face, that’s personal insult!”

“…” Yu Tian said helplessly, “Then what kind of compensation do you want?”

“Tomorrow, help me get rid of Yan Ming.” Qi Sihao said while making a throat-slitting gesture, “Use your life force to eliminate Yan Ming, absolutely don’t let him appear in front of Gao Mei.”

“But I don’t have any reason to go again.” Yu Tian struggled a bit, “He seems unsatisfied with the new PS photo I made, I’d better not run into his anger…”

But Qi Sihao remained calm and confident: “The weather forecast said it’s going to pour tomorrow, you can go bring your Brother Yan Ming an umbrella. You know, his car is parked quite far away, there’s quite a distance to the parking lot, and it’s hard to get a taxi on stormy days.”

This was getting a bit ridiculous.

Yu Tian asked: “But what if he brings an umbrella?”

“He won’t, he absolutely won’t have an umbrella.”

“?”

Qi Sihao smiled slightly: “If he has an umbrella, I’ll steal it.”

“…”

Yu Tian tried to make her friend abandon evil for good: “Isn’t this too against socialist core values? Not very moral!”

“What’s wrong with this! Aren’t I doing this for the greater good of the country?”

Qi Sihao continued shamelessly: “The country lacks population now, my excellent genes can’t go extinct, so I’ve decided to sacrifice myself for the country and quickly pass down my ancestral chromosomes. Don’t I need to find a partner for that? Your Brother Yan Ming has no interest in Gao Mei, so don’t let him delay her!”

“…”

“Besides, in the head-swap photo, he stole my body; he’s only losing his umbrella, but I lost my body!”

“…”

Because she had drunk some beer with the barbecue, Yu Tian didn’t take Qi Sihao’s words seriously, until the next afternoon, when the hospital was about to close, she received Qi Sihao’s WeChat message.

He directly sent a photo of an umbrella.

[Qi Sihao Is Nice]: Umbrella taken, Gao Mei taken too.

Yu Tian stared at her phone screen, absolutely dumbfounded. She never imagined Qi Sihao would be so scheming and sinister, probably pretending to be kind-hearted while coaxing Gao Mei to go somewhere else for a “chance encounter” with Yan Ming, while conveniently taking Yan Ming’s umbrella.

Yu Tian looked at the torrential rain outside the window, finally sighed, took two umbrellas, and resignedly went out.

She couldn’t let Yan Ming get soaked in the rain!

Yu Tian took a taxi to the hospital, but the moment she got out of the car, she regretted it.

Because at the hospital entrance, she had already seen Yan Ming.

Obviously, with his family background, he could wear haute couture or at least those luxury brands with recognizable names, but at this moment Yan Ming was only wearing very ordinary clothes, just like any office worker, even more loose and casual.

Yet even so, standing among the crowd at the hospital entrance, Yu Tian still recognized him at first glance.

Some people are naturally born with the ability to stand out from the crowd.

Yan Ming was not only good-looking, but more importantly, he always maintained an upright posture and excellent temperament, no matter when.

The hospital entrance was bustling with anxious patients’ families, patients who were either dejected and silent or noisy and agitated, doctors coming and going in a hurry, and various crowds with numb faces, eager concern, or tearful sadness.

However, Yan Ming was unique.

His expression was compassionate and gentle. Obviously, from his family background, he didn’t need to choose such a busy profession, yet Yan Ming never had that kind of ostentatious high profile. He was always refined and reserved, yet his every gesture carried natural elegance and nobility. Even though he cared more about clothing comfort than expensiveness, his overall bearing could never be concealed.

From Yu Tian’s perspective, in the misty rain, everything around seemed to carry a grayish, hazy quality, yet Yan Ming was like the only protagonist receiving light in all the dark scenes, like a naturally handsome noble young master who made it impossible to look away, impossible not to watch.

At this moment, a young, pretty girl was anxiously confirming something with him, and Yan Ming was answering patiently and gently.

Even though she wasn’t the person involved, even Yu Tian felt that Yan Ming’s expression was inadvertently like a gentle stream, not as urgent as rapid water, but continuously and persistently able to wash away the anxiety and fatigue in people’s hearts.

As she gradually approached, Yu Tian finally heard their conversation.

That pretty girl should be Yan Ming’s patient.

“Dr. Yan, could I add your WeChat? I can ask you more about my recovery situation later…”

Actually, from this pretty girl’s expression and gaze, Yu Tian also knew the other party was mostly using this as an excuse to ask for Yan Ming’s WeChat number.

But unexpectedly, for the WeChat account that even she had difficulty obtaining, Yan Ming generously and naturally gave it out, without even a minute’s hesitation.

Yu Tian pressed her lips together, suddenly feeling a bit unhappy.

To be fair, this girl was indeed quite pretty, but…

Yu Tian held her umbrella and looked sideways at the reflective exterior wall of a nearby office building.

That mirror surface showed her face.

Yu Tian stared at her own face in the mirror somewhat angrily, almost for the first time in her life beginning to have some self-doubt about her appearance.

So was it that she wasn’t quite to Yan Ming’s taste? So previously she had been repeatedly refused when trying to add his WeChat, and only got his contact information after great difficulty.

You know, whether it was Gao Mei or this young girl, getting Yan Ming’s WeChat was too easy.

Yu Tian was currently standing on the steps at the hospital entrance, with Yan Ming and his pretty female patient just a few steps up from where she could see by lifting her head.

The young female patient had successfully added his WeChat, probably emboldened by victory, she said softly: “Dr. Yan, you didn’t bring an umbrella, right? With such heavy rain, I heard your car is parked in the independent outdoor parking lot outside the hospital, and there’s quite a distance from here to there. Let me walk you there with my umbrella, it’s on my way anyway.”

Yu Tian’s regret reached its peak at this moment.

She felt she was indeed being presumptuous.

Even if Qi Sihao had taken his umbrella, Yan Ming had no shortage of people to give him an umbrella.

There were plenty of people who would bring him umbrellas, plenty of people who would show him kindness.

It wasn’t her turn at all.

On the contrary, because she had received Qi Sihao’s call on short notice, afraid that Yan Ming would get wet, she had rushed over without time to change into beautiful clothes, wearing a cotton dress that, while comfortable, had no particular shape.

Even because she had run urgently after getting out of the taxi, the hem of this long dress was now splattered with mud spots, particularly prominent on the light yellow fabric.

Fortunately, because Yu Tian was holding an umbrella, the umbrella surface completely covered her head, and Yan Ming had been seriously talking with his pretty female patient.

Since no one had noticed her anyway, Yu Tian decided to turn around and leave. Couldn’t she just pretend she never came?

But just as she turned around and started walking down the steps, she heard Yan Ming’s cold voice.

“Yu Tian.”

His voice was steady and natural: “I’m here.”

After speaking, Yan Ming turned to look at the female patient beside him: “Thank you for your kind offer.”

He pointed at Yu Tian: “I have someone to pick me up.”

Yu Tian, whose name had been called, was somewhat stunned. She slightly lifted her umbrella and finally saw Yan Ming’s face.

He looked somewhat serious, ignoring the disappointed emotions of the pretty female patient beside him after being refused, and walked straight toward Yu Tian without looking back.

And it was also the moment Yu Tian lifted her umbrella that the female patient’s gaze also drifted over.

The instant she saw Yu Tian’s face, she showed an even more disappointed and resigned expression of giving up.

Before Yu Tian could react, Yan Ming had already walked to her side and extended his hand toward her: “Where’s my umbrella.”

Yan Ming’s expression remained calm and composed, but somehow, being stared at by him like this, Yu Tian became nervous and flustered. She carried a large bag, and obviously, the other umbrella she had brought was inside, but at this moment, the bag seemed to become like a bottomless pit. She fumbled around in the bag for a long time, touching her hair clip, touching her hand cream, but just couldn’t find that umbrella.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier. Because she couldn’t find the umbrella right away, Yan Ming had no choice but to duck under her umbrella.

Under the small umbrella surface, Yu Tian and Yan Ming were very close.

She finally felt the humidity and stuffiness of Rong City’s rainy season. Perhaps because of the low atmospheric pressure and stuffiness of the rainy season, Yu Tian had an illusion of oxygen deprivation, and her heart began to beat rapidly and uncontrollably.

But the more nervous she got, the more the umbrella seemed to work against her, making Yu Tian search like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The originally dense, heavy rain suddenly became even more unbearable because of the wind.

Even standing in the rain with umbrellas, because of the wind, both Yu Tian and Yan Ming began to get soaked by the heavy rain.

Finally, Yan Ming became somewhat helpless: “Let me do it.”

He looked at Yu Tian, then somewhat resignedly reached his hand into Yu Tian’s bag himself.

Yu Tian instinctively wanted to pull her hand out, but was a beat too slow.

Her hand still maintained the searching position, but still hadn’t found the umbrella, yet grabbed Yan Ming’s hand instead.

Almost like being touched by an electric current, Yu Tian quickly pulled her hand out of the bag. Because the movement was too big, she brought out a hair clip that she had put in the bag.

It was something Yu Tian had bought from a roadside stall once, a fabric hair clip printed with some popular phrases. The price wasn’t expensive, she had chosen the one that said “Making Money Is Important,” and because it was twenty yuan for five, she had casually picked four more. The one that fell out of the bag now clearly displayed two bold characters—

Scumbag Girl.

“…”

Why did this one have to fall out?

Yu Tian was somewhat speechless. She really shouldn’t have come today. Usually, she was quite efficient in doing things, so why did she become so flustered whenever she encountered Yan Ming?

Fortunately, Yan Ming seemed not to notice, because he was currently taking the umbrella out of Yu Tian’s bag and then opening it decisively.

So two people under two umbrellas, he was like an invader who finally retreated from Yu Tian’s territory.

The rain was still heavy, but Yu Tian inexplicably felt the air wasn’t so stuffy anymore, seeming to become a bit cooler.

Yu Tian tried to make herself natural. She held her umbrella and smiled at Yan Ming.

But just as she was about to politely say something casual, she saw Yan Ming bend down and pick up her hair clip.

“Scumbag Girl.” He glanced at the words on it, his tone playful, then reached out to hand it to Yu Tian, “Your taste is unique, here you go.”

“…”

It sounded like he was insulting her…

Yu Tian quickly took the hair clip, feeling somewhat panicked. To try to regain her composure, she cleared her throat and decided to change the subject.

“Brother Yan Ming, how did you know I would come to bring you an umbrella today?”

“And I didn’t even call out to you just now, but you recognized me at a glance. Don’t you have some expectation in your heart that I would come to bring you an umbrella?”

This wasn’t Yu Tian’s mind wandering. Although she was somewhat surprised and flustered when Yan Ming called her name, she also felt some secret pride afterward.

“Mm.”

Yan Ming’s affirmative answer made the secret joy in Yu Tian’s heart even more vivid. She looked at Yan Ming with a smile at the corner of her mouth: “Do you think I’m not as good a person? So you thought that on a rainy day, I would probably come to bring you an umbrella?”

Although when unilaterally treating Yan Ming as an idol, she didn’t expect the idol to give equal returns, being able to get Yan Ming’s recognition was truly an unexpected joy.

Yu Tian also rarely felt somewhat proud.

It seemed that in the subtle interactions with Yan Ming, although he was quite cold to her on the surface, he still recognized her character in his heart.

But before Yu Tian’s excitement and pride could continue to spread, she heard Yan Ming’s indifferent voice drift out from under the umbrella.

“Of course you would come.”

Rain threads carried Yan Ming’s cold voice with elusive trailing notes, drilling into Yu Tian’s ears.

“Wasn’t it you who had Qi Sihao take away my umbrella?”

??

!!!

Yu Tian was completely caught off guard by Yan Ming’s words. She stared at Yan Ming with wide eyes.

After a long while, she stammered: “You knew all along?”

“Mm.”

“He sneakily slipped into my office, confirmed with the nurse which umbrella was mine, then directly took it.”

“…” Yu Tian struggled desperately: “Could it be a misunderstanding? Like it wasn’t him, but a passerby who looked a lot like him.”

She laughed dryly: “After all, Qi Sihao has such a common face. Out of ten men on the street, five or six look like his brothers, just that kind of face that disappears into the crowd, hahahaha.”

Yan Ming glanced at Yu Tian: “I checked the surveillance.”

He added: “He wasn’t wearing a mask.”

Yan Ming’s face showed no special expression, but Yu Tian had already cursed Qi Sihao ten thousand times in her heart.

Useless at everything except eating!

If you’re going to take someone’s umbrella, at least don’t get caught! At least check the surveillance and wear a mask!

Although it was extremely awkward, Yu Tian couldn’t just disappear, so she could only bite the bullet and say: “Since you caught him red-handed stealing the umbrella, why didn’t you directly call him to have him bring your umbrella back?”

“I also know what purpose he had for stealing the umbrella.”

After Yan Ming finished speaking, he looked deeply at Yu Tian walking beside him.

Her psychological quality was not bad. Although she looked a bit guilty, when caught on the spot, she still acted detached and calm.

After Yan Ming lost his umbrella, he didn’t specifically check the surveillance; it was the enthusiastic Jiang Yuming who went to check.

The moment he discovered that Qi Sihao had deliberately taken his umbrella, Jiang Yuming was very puzzled, not understanding how his subordinate, whom Yan Ming took such care of and even personally bought pajamas for, would proactively strike by precisely taking Yan Ming’s umbrella on such a stormy day. But to this, Yan Ming had some understanding in his heart.

It was probably because of Yu Tian.

Qi Sihao took his umbrella so Yu Tian could use bringing an umbrella as an excuse to come to the hospital entrance to find him.

After all, he had just refused her invitation to dine together, and Yu Tian hadn’t given up yet.

Therefore, at the hospital entrance, when Jiang Yuming offered to share an umbrella and take him to the parking lot, Yan Ming refused. He was prepared to wait and catch Yu Tian in his trap.

And his prediction was correct, Yu Tian indeed came.

Yan Ming had originally planned to seriously negotiate and communicate about this, but seeing Yu Tian’s slender figure in the heavy rain and her long dress stained with mud spots, the rain threads blown onto her hair by the wind, he ultimately only gave hints to the point.

After all, thinking about it carefully, Yu Tian wasn’t wrong either. Matters of the heart weren’t something she could control.

Yu Tian had no idea what Yan Ming was thinking; she was just focused on being shocked.

Was Yan Ming a god?!

He could even figure out Qi Sihao’s purpose for stealing the umbrella?!

Had he already seen that Qi Sihao was interested in Gao Mei when they met last time?

Worthy of being her idol, truly ice-smart!

Yu Tian secretly glanced at Yan Ming walking alongside her, while cursing Qi Sihao for being stupid in her heart, she couldn’t help but feel irrepressible admiration for Yan Ming.

Even in the wind and rain, Yan Ming’s posture remained upright. Around them, people’s umbrellas were constantly being blown askew, but Yan Ming’s umbrella stood firm.

His pale, slender fingers were very delicate and refined, as if he was just effortlessly and lightly gripping the umbrella handle, yet Yu Tian knew the strength hidden beneath that gesture.

Yan Ming walked in the rain without the embarrassment and awkwardness others had in the wind and rain. He was like a character walking out of an ink painting, with wind and rain just the heavy background in the picture, making even the storm carry some poetic filter.

Yu Tian’s anxious and nervous emotions surged up again.

Because she had left in a hurry, she hadn’t had time to find rain boots to change into. Now her shoes had water in them, making each step somewhat awkward.

Walking side by side, but Yu Tian always had the illusion that she and Yan Ming weren’t from the same world.

Disappointment, mixed with embarrassment and helplessness, attacked Yu Tian in this storm.

Yu Tian tried to find some safe topics. The silence made her somewhat anxious, always feeling that something subtle was lurking in the silence, and she was eager to break this vaguely dangerous feeling.

“This was mainly Qi Sihao’s idea. I was opposed to it and felt it was wrong. This kind of artificially manufactured ‘chance encounter’ tactic is not very moral and unfair to the people involved…”

Yu Tian’s original intention was also to explain, but somehow, Yan Ming’s expression was somewhat mocking, as if he was quietly watching her perform.

“Leaving aside fairness, you’ve already taken my umbrella, so why did you turn around and leave when you came to the hospital?”

His voice was chilly: “If I hadn’t called out to you, you were planning to slip away, right?”

“Since you’ve already stolen the umbrella, are you not planning to take responsibility and bear the consequences? Trying to run when it comes to the crunch?”

“…”

Now Yu Tian was truly embarrassed.

Hadn’t Yan Ming just been chatting with that pretty female patient?

How could he still have the attention to notice her!

She muttered defensively: “I wasn’t running away, I just felt you didn’t need me, since there are plenty of pretty female patients to bring you umbrellas.”

Speaking, Yu Tian was quite righteous: “I saw you exchange WeChat with her without any hesitation, thinking maybe you like that type, and she happened to invite you to share an umbrella. I’m not someone who can’t read situations, so of course I’d turn around and leave to give you two some space…”

Yan Ming seemed to be amused by anger: “What? So I should thank you and Qi Sihao for taking my umbrella, allowing me to share an umbrella with someone else?”

Yu Tian laughed dryly: “Well, you could say that…”

Yan Ming’s voice was cold: “And where did you see that I was interested in the female patient?”

Speaking of this, Yu Tian was still somewhat angry: “When you first added my WeChat, you were so reluctant, but adding others was so efficient… Sister Gao Mei could still be explained by having mutual friends and being introduced for a blind date, so you had to add her out of politeness.”

“But this female patient was completely just a stranger, right? Besides, as a doctor, you normally can’t add all patients’ contact information, otherwise it would be endless. I saw you refuse a patient uncle’s WeChat last time too, so this time you added this female patient without thinking, of course, you had some thoughts about her…”

Yu Tian had originally just been complaining casually, not expecting Yan Ming to respond.

But unexpectedly, Yan Ming spoke—

“This patient isn’t from Rong City, her family situation isn’t very good, she has a sick father, she’s a live streamer paying off debts, broadcasting every day until dawn, it’s quite difficult. I added her WeChat simply because after her surgery, she doesn’t need to come to Rong City for every follow-up.”

“The ophthalmology equipment at the small county hospital where she is has no problems, but the doctors reading reports might have limited skills, so she can just do an eye exam every three months and send me photos of the test results. As long as everything looks fine, she doesn’t need to specially come to Rong City again, just follow my previous instructions for normal care.”

“The round-trip travel expenses to Rong City are also a big expense and burden for a family with her background.”

So that’s how it was…

“I added her WeChat to minimize her trips to Rong City, how could it be wanting to go further with her?”

“Refusing to share an umbrella with her was also to avoid giving her unrealistic hopes.”

Oh…

“Besides, you and Qi Sihao went to great lengths to steal my umbrella. If I didn’t cooperate a bit, wouldn’t that be letting down your efforts?”

“…”

“But I just remembered that umbrella of mine has a broken frame and a hole in the canopy.” Yan Ming smiled, “It’s been left at the hospital too long and was bitten by a stray cat that got in last time.”

“…”

Yan Ming said this while looking at the sky with some sympathy: “With this wind and rain, I wonder if Qi Sihao is okay, hope he doesn’t catch a cold, otherwise it would be bad if it affects his night shift tomorrow. Today seems to be a red weather warning for heavy rain, right?”

“…”

Just then, lightning struck.

Yu Tian felt a chill, looking at the pouring rain, couldn’t help but sigh inwardly that stealing Yan Ming’s umbrella indeed had no good consequences.