Everything felt strange to me.

Take, for instance, the doctors chatting in my hospital room right now. Dr. Fang, my attending physician, perched on the armrest of the sofa. Dr. Yuan, a beautiful female doctor, sat primly on the sofa. Dr. Qin, a slightly older male doctor, sat cross-legged on the other end of the sofa.

And Dr. Lin… our Vice President, casually leaning against the windowsill, examining some scans…

They were seriously discussing surgical plans…

But why in my hospital room?

“Hmm, the lesion on the slope is quite clear…”

I had never seen Lin Yusen like this before.

His gaze fixed on the scans, completely absorbed, slightly pensive, as if nothing existed beyond the case before him. Whether it was the focus and confidence he showed while explaining, or the animated expressions that played across his features during discussions, everything felt so unfamiliar. Even his attire had become casual, often just wearing a sweater, nothing like his formal appearance at the company…

He seemed to genuinely love being a doctor.

They were so engrossed in their discussion that I, having nothing better to do, found myself staring at them. I forgot to look away until Lin Yusen, who was explaining something about the basilar approach, suddenly paused and looked at me.

The other doctors turned to look at me too.

Embarrassed, I gave them an awkward smile and quietly turned away.

Then I heard Dr. Fang snicker.

Lin Yusen straightened up. “That should do it. Shall we all get lunch?”

“Yes, yes!” The doctors agreed in unison.

Lin Yusen gathered his materials and looked at Dr. Fang.

Dr. Fang lazily stretched. “Whew, we’ve been getting so many cases lately.” He stood up with a smile and walked to my bedside. “Time to eat! Our patient should join us too!”

“Huh?”

I couldn’t help but look at Lin Yusen. Our eyes met briefly before he lowered his, checking his watch.

…

What kind of patient goes to lunch with their doctors?

Why did all these doctors seem so peculiar to me…

“So, you’re either eating food sent by Vice President Lin’s housekeeper or having meals with him and Dr. Fang’s group?”

“…Yeah, Auntie Chen says she’s sending it for Vice President Lin since he has business here, and brings a portion for me too.”

“Does this seem normal to you?”

“…”

Yin Jie stroked her chin thoughtfully. “Xiguang, haven’t you considered that Vice President Lin might be interested in you?”

“…Can you use your brain to think?”

If what she said was true, Lin Yusen’s emotional progression would be too bizarre – how could he go from disliking me to liking me so suddenly?

“It seems he’s here discussing a complicated surgery with the doctors… And maybe he feels somewhat responsible for my fall? Besides, he’s not the one bringing food. Auntie Chen delivers it daily, and he just happens to check on me briefly. If he stays longer…”

Yin Jie’s eyes sparkled with gossip-hunting enthusiasm, but she was bound to be disappointed.

“Then it’s just them discussing their medical issues or medical circle gossip!”

Yin Jie looked dizzy. “Here?”

I nodded.

“Can you even understand what they’re saying?”

“…That’s why I asked you to bring me a gaming console!”

“The Vice President’s annual leave is certainly unique!” Yin Jie marveled. “Is he a workaholic or what? He already works such intense overtime at the company, and even during his vacation, he comes to the hospital.”

I strongly agreed, spreading some insider information: “Dr. Fang says he was terrifying before – barely human during his studies, even less so at the hospital. He could finish a twelve-hour surgery and act like nothing happened…”

I rattled on, and Yin Jie listened enthusiastically. “Your attending physician has told you a lot of gossip about Vice President Lin.”

Thinking about it, he had shared quite a bit. During meals, while others would be having normal professional discussions, he’d chat with me about random things. I concluded: “He seems a bit chatty.”

“Can’t imagine what the Vice President was like as a doctor…” Yin Jie gave up after thinking for a while. “Well, Xiguang, your relationship with the Vice President must have improved, right? It’s a rare opportunity, don’t be so stubborn.”

“…It’s okay, I guess… accepting his kindness has made things… we can have normal conversations now…”

“Yeah, I think his attitude toward you is quite different from before.”

Thinking about Lin Yusen’s change in attitude, I suddenly remembered what he said that morning and asked Yin Jie, “Yin Jie, is my crying scary?”

“…”

“…Or maybe particularly pitiful?” I felt a chill saying it myself.

“…” Yin Jie clearly couldn’t take it anymore. “I’ve never seen you cry. Come here, let me pinch you and find out?”

After leaving the gaming console, Yin Jie left.

With the console, my hospital stay finally became less boring, and I played happily every day. Once when Lin Yusen came by, I was at a crucial point trying to clear a level. I barely greeted him and continued playing.

When my mind finally cleared from the game, he had already left. I felt terrible immediately – eating his food every day, and when he comes to visit, I’m absorbed in gaming. How rude of me! After tossing and turning in bed for hours, I couldn’t help but send him an apologetic message.

“Sorry, I was just about to clear that level and got too absorbed in the game.”

After sending it, I suddenly realized this didn’t sound very polite either. Fortunately, he replied quickly and didn’t seem angry.

“You shouldn’t engage in such intense mental activity right now.”

“Oh.” Dr. Lin’s professional tone was back.

A moment later, he sent another message. “Did you clear the level?”

I quickly told him: “No.”

If I had known sending that message would lead to this, I would never have sent it – the next morning, Lin Yusen actually brought work with him, work for me…

“Vice President… I’m not a workaholic like you, I don’t want to work overtime…”

“Gaming is too taxing. Take a break with some work.”

I stared silently at the pile of materials he placed on my lap.

He comfortably took off his coat, tossed it on the sofa, and said, “Where’s the gaming console? You didn’t clear that level yesterday, right? Let me help?”

I froze, suddenly feeling that this kind of conversation seemed impossible between us. Although our relationship had improved these past few days, it surely hadn’t reached this level of casual comfort.

He seemed to freeze too, as if suddenly realizing what he’d said. His smile vanished abruptly, and somehow, I instinctively rushed to pull the console from under my blanket and handed it to him.

Then I froze as well.

His gaze slowly moved from my face to our hands, and he gradually gripped the console firmly.

In the quiet hospital room.

I propped up my small table, half-heartedly writing my annual summary report, while Lin Yusen sat on the sofa, head down, seriously focused on the gaming console.

I noticed he seemed quite unfamiliar with it.

Later I realized his left hand couldn’t keep up with his right hand’s speed. He seemed to notice this too, and after another failed attempt to clear the level, he stopped and silently stared at his left hand.

For some reason, I suddenly couldn’t bear to watch anymore and turned away, throwing myself completely into writing the report.

He left shortly after, returning the console to me. I checked his score… it was rather poor.

Suddenly, I didn’t feel like playing anymore either.

The afternoon sunlight was pleasant. After waking from a nap, I wandered out of my room, bored. After circling the unremarkable hospital garden, I was about to head back when I turned and saw Lin Yusen.

He was sitting on a garden chair, head down, playing a gaming console, with a small child beside him giving him gaming instructions.

The scene felt incongruous no matter how you looked at it.

And the console in his hands wasn’t mine – had he bought one for himself?

I curiously moved closer.

Among the green trees, the child’s innocent voice drifted over.

“Uncle, the other doctor uncles say you’re a super, super amazing doctor. Can you do the brain surgery for my dad?”

“No.”

“Oh. But you’re more handsome!”

“…”

I sensed Lin Yusen’s speechless reaction and almost laughed, but before the smile could form, I heard him say: “Uncle can’t even play games properly anymore.”