Yu Tian caught up on some sleep, and the next day she got up to buy groceries and cook, packing the food into lunch boxes to take to the hospital.

While she was cooking, Chen Xi hovered nearby, watching her with a wary yet reconnaissance-like gaze.

Chen Xi was eager to try as well, but lacked any cooking skills whatsoever, so she could only stare helplessly.

Yu Tian harbored the intention of annoying her to death. Before leaving, she smiled sweetly and imitated Chen Xi’s affected tone in a saccharine voice: “Brother Yan Ming worked all night, and he has surgery scheduled today too. He must be so tired. This is exactly when he needs home-cooked meals for comfort.”

Chen Xi indeed couldn’t keep her composure: “Brother Yan Ming is very busy at work and has no time to see you. Even if you bring food, you might not find him, and you’ll just disturb his work.”

“No worries, Brother Yan Ming and I already arranged to meet in the ward when he makes his rounds.”

After Yu Tian finished speaking, she deliberately walked away with graceful, swaying steps, carrying her lunchbox.

Yu Tian had indeed arranged to meet Yan Ming in the ward, but not for personal matters.

Her primary motivation for cooking today wasn’t even to bring food to Yan Ming.

Song Chunxiang had spent the night in the hospital and would begin surgery today. As the lead surgeon, Yan Ming needed to communicate some details with Yu Tian beforehand, and there were surgical consent forms she needed to sign.

The light meals in the thermos containers were planned for her mother to eat after surgery, with an extra portion made for Yan Ming as well.

In the ward, Song Chunxiang was in much better spirits. Though her eyes were still injured, being away from Old Dai made her feel much more relaxed. She told Yu Tian not to worry, saying she had slept very well the night before.

Just as Yu Tian’s mother finished speaking, the little girl in the bed next to her couldn’t help but chime in: “Yes, yes, sister! Auntie even snored last night – I heard it!”

Yu Tian’s mother felt somewhat embarrassed and immediately complained: “You child, didn’t you promise this morning to keep it secret for me?”

Song Chunxiang was staying in a three-bed ward. One patient had been discharged that morning, so that bed was currently empty. The other patient was this little girl, very lively.

“Sister, I’m called Xiao Ling. I’m seven years old, but in one more week, I’ll be eight! I hope I can see Wonder Woman on my birthday this year!”

Xiao Ling’s left eyeball had been removed, and what was a prosthetic eye now filled her eye socket. But despite losing one eye, it didn’t affect Xiao Ling’s cheerful and sunny disposition in the least.

With this child around, the atmosphere in the ward was very relaxed, and both Yu Tian and Song Chunxiang’s moods became more at ease.

Soon, Yan Ming came to the ward.

This was the first time Yu Tian witnessed Yan Ming working in his capacity as a family member of a patient.

He wore a white coat with several rotating doctors and nurses following behind him, looking serious and authoritative.

Xiao Ling was already familiar with him. As soon as Yan Ming entered the ward, she smiled and waved: “Brother Yan Ming!”

Yu Tian had seen Yan Ming coldly reject advances from adult female patients before, but with children like Xiao Ling, he was exceptionally gentle and patient.

He deliberately bent down to bring his line of sight level with Xiao Ling’s, asked her a few questions, then patted her head and reminded her: “Xiao Ling needs to be good today too. I can see you’ve been very seriously remembering our agreement, haven’t given up, and have been working hard to eat well every day.”

As he spoke, he took something from the chest pocket of his white coat: “So here’s a sticker as a reward for Xiao Ling.”

When Xiao Ling saw the sticker, she became delighted: “It’s a Wonder Woman sticker!”

At that moment, sunlight was streaming through the blinds into the ward, bathing both Xiao Ling and Yan Ming in its glow.

Yan Ming’s eyelashes were long and fine, the corners of his lips curved upward, and his facial expression was gentle.

Though she wasn’t even standing in the sunlight herself, Yu Tian’s face inexplicably grew hot.

She had to cover her face with her hand and then look away.

Yan Ming in work mode was truly a bit unfairly handsome.

After checking on Xiao Ling’s condition, Yan Ming quickly turned to ask about Yu Tian’s mother’s situation.

Though this man had rich expressions when alone with Yu Tian, when facing them in a doctor-patient capacity, he maintained a sense of distance, forcibly projecting an air of detachment.

He methodically asked several questions, mentioned some precautions, and informed Yu Tian that the surgery would proceed as scheduled. Throughout, he didn’t say a single unnecessary word, and when speaking to Yu Tian, he acted as if they were meeting for the first time – professional and cold. Yu Tian accordingly didn’t try to get closer, responding politely with “Doctor Yan.”

Iris root suturing wasn’t actually major surgery, but since it was her own mother, Yu Tian couldn’t help feeling somewhat nervous.

“Yan…”

Before entering the operating room, Yu Tian wanted to ask Yan Ming to please give his all.

But when the words reached her lips, she worried that such pre-surgical pleading might create an excessive psychological burden for the doctor, so she forcibly stopped herself.

Yan Ming did turn around, his voice calm and steady: “Rather than overthinking, why not think about how you’ll repay me afterward?”

Yu Tian was stunned: “The surgery isn’t even finished yet, and we don’t know how it will go. Isn’t it too early to think about repayment now?”

“Not early. It will succeed.”

Yan Ming glanced at Yu Tian: “After all, I don’t dare fail.”

He pressed his lips together: “Because if I fail, what I get in return probably won’t be repayment, but more likely a beating.”

Now Yu Tian couldn’t focus on being nervous. She mumbled, “I wouldn’t hit you.”

Yan Ming lowered his gaze: “Hard to say. Who knows if you’ll turn your back on me? After all, you don’t keep your word.”

Yan Ming lightly pressed his lips: “You said you wanted to call me brother, but you never called me that once.”

“…” How could this man be so good at bringing up old grievances?

Yu Tian couldn’t help but complain: “Can’t you say something comforting at a time like this?”

Yan Ming seemed somewhat surprised, as if caught off guard.

Yu Tian had only said it casually and didn’t expect Yan Ming to comfort her.

Just as Yu Tian was about to ask more about her mother’s condition, Yan Ming cleared his throat, looked away, and then spoke—

“Then you should be good today, too.”

Yan Ming added expressionlessly: “Just behave and wait outside.”

His gaze was fixed on the hospital’s white walls, speaking as calmly as if addressing the wall: “I don’t have much experience comforting adults, only experience comforting children. This is just a token gesture, more or less like that.”

Though there was still some time before the surgery began, after Yan Ming finished speaking, he turned around as if being chased and quickly said he needed to prepare for surgery…

Yu Tian said nothing more, because she suddenly didn’t know what else she could say.

Facing Yan Ming, she always lost her composure and all her social skills so easily.

Her heart held both nervous anxiety and a sweet, swelling sensation – emotions like some kind of sophisticated blended fragrance with different top, middle, and base notes. Within the dependence and trust lurked undertones of flutter and seductive allure.

And who could have imagined that the originator of all this was merely the scent of disinfectant that clung to Yan Ming as he left.

“The surgery was very successful.”

Two hours later, when Yan Ming emerged from the operating room, his expression showed fatigue, but his eyes were bright. He looked at Yu Tian teasingly: “Looks like I won’t get beaten up by you after all.”

He walked up to Yu Tian, looking at how she still sat dazedly in the family waiting area, not yet having processed the news.

“Although it was local anesthesia surgery, post-operative vision recovery will take about two hours, and complete recovery will take much longer.”

After Yan Ming finished speaking, he took something from his pocket and handed it to Yu Tian: “Choose one.”

“Hm?”

“Didn’t you sit here obediently and wait?” Yan Ming pressed his lips together, his voice slightly unnatural, but he quickly regained his composure. “Reward stickers for you, as I promised before.”

However, despite saying this, Yan Ming didn’t give Yu Tian a chance to choose.

“Never mind, I’ll help you pick an appropriate one.” Yan Ming smiled, showing his teeth. Looking quite relaxed after completing the surgery, he glanced at Yu Tian airily and added, “I’ll pick one you’ll like.”

After saying this, he tore off a sticker himself, then stuck it on Yu Tian’s back before turning to leave.

With her mother’s surgery successful, Yu Tian’s anxious heart finally returned to where it should be.

Too concerned about the news that her mother was being wheeled out of the operating room to pay attention to the sticker Yan Ming had placed on her back, Yu Tian didn’t bother with anything else and followed the nurse all the way, accompanying Song Chunxiang as she was transferred from the operating room back to the ward.

Probably knowing that Yu Tian’s mother’s surgery was successful, the accompanying nurse kept covering her mouth and smiling at Yu Tian. The medical staff they passed, as well as patients and family members, all showed friendly smiles.

However, so many people were smiling at Yu Tian that by the end, even Yu Tian felt somewhat unsettled.

It wasn’t until Qi Sihao, who had just returned from observing another surgery, came to the ward to visit Yu Tian’s mother, that Yu Tian finally discovered the source of the mystery—

“Xiao Yu, how did you get a ‘Scumbag Woman’ label stuck on your back?”

“…”

When Qi Sihao peeled off the sticker and placed it in front of Yu Tian, she finally belatedly realized what had happened.

Yan Ming had chosen “Scumbag Woman” for her.

This was the so-called “appropriate” sticker he had chosen for her.

Now Yu Tian fully understood why everyone had been smiling at her.

Qi Sihao laughed until he was rolling around: “Who stuck this on you? Why does it feel so resentful? Did you abandon someone after using them?”

That childish man, Yan Ming!

Yu Tian felt completely speechless, but also found it somewhat amusing.

However, Yu Tian soon had no time to think about who she might have abandoned, because her mother was calling for her after being wheeled into the ward.

After the local anesthesia wore off, Yu Tian’s mother felt some pain in her eye, but all indicators were normal – the surgery had indeed been very successful.

Feeling somewhat tired, after chatting with Yu Tian for a while, Song Chunxiang said she wanted to sleep for a bit.

Yu Tian placed the thermos container she had saved for her mother at her bedside, waved at Xiao Ling in the other bed to say hello, then quietly left the ward with Qi Sihao.

“It’s almost time to eat. I see Senior Yan Ming just finished his surgery too. Come on, didn’t you bring food to butter him up? I’ll take you to the cafeteria to find him. He and Doctor Jiang usually have a fixed spot they like to sit.”

Without giving Yu Tian a choice, Qi Sihao dragged her toward the hospital cafeteria.

In the hospital cafeteria, Yan Ming was indeed eating at the usual spot Qi Sihao mentioned, but beside him wasn’t Jiang Yuming – it was the uninvited guest Chen Xi.

Yu Tian never expected that in just this short time, Chen Xi had beaten her to it.

Yan Ming’s table was already covered with thermos containers filled with various dishes that looked excellent in presentation. Chen Xi sat there with just the right amount of shyness, smiling and saying something to Yan Ming.

Qi Sihao looked at this scene with a sour tone: “I envy Senior Yan Ming. Is the cold, aloof style popular now? He has people wanting to chase him every day. But he’s rejected everyone before. Last time, there was a big internet celebrity with millions of followers who came for eye problems due to contact lens allergies. She was interested in him too, humbly asking for his contact information, but he firmly refused. What’s this woman’s approach? She got Senior Yan Ming to sit there and eat the food she brought. Seems like their horoscopes aligned just right.”

After Qi Sihao finished his commentary, he turned to stare at Yu Tian: “Since your Brother Yan Ming already has someone bringing him food and is eating it, can you give your meal to this hardworking people’s doctor…”

Unfortunately, before Qi Sihao could finish the last word “me,” he saw Yu Tian pressing her lips together with a frown, looking ready to start trouble and definitely not willing to let this slide as she walked toward Yan Ming.

Qi Sihao only caught Yu Tian’s final menacing words—

“Yan Ming has to eat my food whether he wants to or not!”

Yu Tian didn’t know why she was so angry.

Chen Xi’s behavior had been predictable, but when she witnessed Chen Xi sitting across from Yan Ming, her displeasure wasn’t lessened by having mentally prepared for it beforehand.

Instead, she seemed even angrier.

Yu Tian adjusted her expression, putting on a gentle, kind, and beaming smile.

The seat across from Yan Ming was already taken by Chen Xi. Yu Tian decided to go all out and simply sat down next to Yan Ming, carrying her lunchbox.

“Brother Yan Ming, I’ve been looking for you.” Yu Tian’s voice was deliberately sweet and coquettish. “My mother’s surgery went very smoothly, and it’s all thanks to you. Iris root suturing is such a minor surgery – you normally wouldn’t do it, right? If it wasn’t because of me…”

The latter half was completely Yu Tian’s speculation, but regardless, Yan Ming had indeed saved her mother, and this wasn’t major surgery. For an experienced ophthalmologist, it could be said to be very entry-level.

Given Yan Ming’s personality, he would probably modestly deny it, clarifying that he hadn’t done the surgery specifically for Yu Tian, saying it was simply what he should do as a doctor.

After all, Yan Ming was exactly this kind of person who was matter-of-fact and serious in his work.

Yu Tian had already prepared her response in her mind. After Yan Ming said what she expected, she knew how to continue.

She would just praise him – praise Yan Ming for his benevolent heart as a doctor, for treating her the same as any other patient. Couldn’t she think of flattering words?

But unexpectedly, Yan Ming’s response disrupted Yu Tian’s rhythm.

He lifted his gaze slightly and said in a light voice: “Mm, I normally don’t do such easy surgeries. It was indeed because of you.”

Yu Tian was completely unprepared for this answer. She was stunned for a second, feeling like someone riding an elevator during turbulence – her heart swayed along with it, experiencing a brief moment of weightlessness.

Hospital cafeterias were always bustling with noise. Yu Tian stared at Yan Ming’s profile, even beginning to doubt her hearing.

Fortunately, Chen Xi’s words pulled Yu Tian back from doubt to rationality—

“Brother Yan Ming, you’re such a good person. So there was such a story. Although Sister Yu Tian’s mother broke up with Uncle Yan some time ago, and I heard they didn’t date very long, so Sister Yu Tian probably doesn’t know you very well either. But when she asked you for help, you were still so patient and enthusiastic, especially performing surgery on her mother yourself.”

Chen Xi looked completely innocent: “You’re truly the most amazing doctor in my heart!”

Some time ago.

Not very well acquainted.

Yu Tian caught Chen Xi’s implied mockery – that she was shamelessly asking Yan Ming for help.

She had even stolen the rainbow compliments Yu Tian had originally planned to give Yan Ming!

Facing Yu Tian’s gaze, Chen Xi remained calm and continued: “Brother Yan Ming, thank you so much for rushing over in such a dangerous situation last night. After settling me in, you immediately went to the hospital to work overtime. In such a fatigued state, you still had to perform surgery on Sister Yu Tian’s mother today. You must be exhausted and need to replenish your strength.”

“This morning when Uncle Yan heard I stayed at your place last night, he arranged for a driver to take me home. This table of dishes was made by my mother, and she insisted I bring them to you. You must give us face and eat them, otherwise my mother will be heartbroken.”

Yu Tian, who had been full of fighting spirit just moments ago, now felt like retreating as she looked at the dishes on the table.

From a distance, she hadn’t noticed, but seeing them up close, she realized Chen Xi’s mother had indeed put considerable effort into the meal. Even the presentation of all the lunch boxes was very refined.

Since Yu Tian had to consider that her mother needed a light diet post-surgery, the portion she made for Yan Ming was similarly light. Meanwhile, Chen Xi’s mother’s lunchbox looked much richer than her own, with several substantial dishes.

Comparing the two, Yu Tian’s lunchbox seemed rather inadequate.

Her mother needed a light diet post-surgery, but Yan Ming certainly didn’t. He had indeed been busy from last night until today and truly needed nourishment.

Chen Xi had known this morning that Yu Tian had prepared light dishes, and probably made this table of rich food specifically to show her up. Yet now she pretended to be surprised: “Oh? Sister Yu Tian, you brought a lunchbox too? Did you make it to thank Brother Yan Ming?”

She smiled: “Although I made a bit too much, what you made is also heartfelt. Why don’t you take yours out too, so we can eat together?”

Making a comparison would just highlight how her food paled in comparison, wouldn’t it?

Yu Tian wasn’t stupid – she naturally understood Chen Xi’s intention.

But she couldn’t let her succeed.

Yu Tian stubbornly said, “I didn’t make it for Yan Ming. I brought food for myself to eat.”

She decided to withdraw from this “competition,” refusing to play by Chen Xi’s rules. She wouldn’t provide a stage for this woman’s affected performance – let her perform her solo act alone.

After Yu Tian finished speaking, she wanted to get up and move elsewhere, but the cafeteria was packed at this hour. Looking around, there simply weren’t any available seats.

Chen Xi looked on with satisfaction and triumph, clearly conveying, “Let’s see how you get out of this.”

This instead sparked Yu Tian’s competitive spirit.

Since she was already here, she might as well make the best of it.

Yu Tian simply sat down and generously took out her lunch box, planning to eat at the same table as Yan Ming and Chen Xi as if nothing was wrong.

She had no intention of actively targeting Chen Xi, but when someone was being so pushy, it didn’t mean Yu Tian would keep yielding.

Why should she give Chen Xi and Yan Ming a chance for their private world?

Absolutely not!

They could eat their imperial feast-style lunch box, and Yu Tian would eat her simple porridge and side dishes!

But what Yu Tian didn’t expect was that as soon as she opened her lunch box, Yan Ming reached over and took one of the dishes for himself.

Facing both Yu Tian’s and Chen Xi’s somewhat bewildered gazes, he calmly looked up at them both.

“My stomach’s not feeling well. I want to eat something light.”

He looked at Chen Xi: “Please thank Auntie for me. Auntie’s cooking is excellent – it almost has the flavor of an imperial feast. I have a young patient in my ward who’s been asking for an imperial feast. Can I give Auntie’s dishes to that little patient?”

Yan Ming glanced at Chen Xi and smiled: “I assume you and Auntie wouldn’t mind, since you’re both very caring people.”

With such a high hat placed on her, Chen Xi naturally couldn’t refuse. She could only say awkwardly: “I’ll listen to whatever Brother Yan Ming says. Being able to contribute some love, my mother and I would definitely be delighted. We should thank Brother Yan Ming for giving us this opportunity.”

But Chen Xi wasn’t willing to give up: “However, since your stomach isn’t feeling well, you really can only eat simple things. When Brother Yan Ming gets better, I’ll have my mother make delicious food for you again.”

Chen Xi looked toward Yu Tian’s lunch box: “But it’s so plain. Brother Yan Ming, can you get full from this? What if you have emergency surgery tonight – will eating this give you enough energy?”

Yu Tian was truly angry.

Chen Xi didn’t need to be so disgusting toward her without getting any pushback.

It’s just that…

Yan Ming would have to suffer for it.

In her impulsiveness, Yu Tian didn’t think much. She took the serving chopsticks, picked up a piece of green pepper, and extended the chopsticks toward Yan Ming.

“Brother Yan Ming, after performing surgery for so long, your hands must be tired. Let me feed you. This green pepper is a bit far from you.”

Chen Xi was being disgusting toward her, so she would be disgusting right back – fight magic with magic.

Yu Tian was just putting on a show to dampen Chen Xi’s arrogance. Her chopsticks were even quite far from Yan Ming’s mouth, held only vaguely in front of him, and she was already prepared to be rejected by Yan Ming.

Yan Ming looked at her action, and his eyebrows indeed furrowed slightly.

Almost upon seeing this expression, Yu Tian’s heart began to regret.

Chen Xi’s sarcastic provocations had indeed made Yu Tian unhappy, but she didn’t need to disgust Yan Ming in return…

This was too sickening.

After all, Yan Ming was innocent.

She normally wasn’t such an impulsive person. Even when Zheng Tingfu’s girlfriend had publicly made a scene, Yu Tian had remained calm despite her anger. But whenever it involved Yan Ming, she seemed to become clumsy and unable to control her emotions, like an elementary school student.

Yan Ming’s slightly furrowed brow was like a signal, like the starting gun at a running race. Yu Tian almost wanted to flee in panic.

Why did she have to do this?

Was it worth it?

She shouldn’t have paid any attention to Chen Xi.

She should have just walked away and avoided seeing this.

Across from Yu Tian, Chen Xi was watching the show with satisfaction, observing from the sidelines.

Just as Yu Tian steeled herself to face Yan Ming’s cold expression, he finally spoke.

“Bring it closer.”

His voice was calm and steady. Seeing that Yu Tian didn’t react immediately, he had to continue: “You’re holding it so far away – how am I supposed to eat? Do you want me to exercise by stretching my neck?”

Yu Tian was somewhat dumbfounded.

Chen Xi also lost her previously excellent expression management, showing a jaw-dropping expression.

Yan Ming’s dark eyes were like still, deep water – calm and unruffled as he stared at Yu Tian. The interlaced scenery in his gaze was like daytime fireworks, storing all the brightest moments of summer, with scattered points of light dancing in his overflowing sight.

Yu Tian almost instinctively moved the chopsticks closer.

Yan Ming very naturally ate the green pepper that Yu Tian fed him.

Then he lowered his head and continued eating.

All his movements were smooth and flowing, without any trace of hesitation.

After eating a couple of bites, Yan Ming looked up at Yu Tian again.

Yan Ming seemed somewhat helpless, rubbing his forehead and saying concisely: “Green pepper.”

“Ah?”

He said matter-of-factly: “Didn’t you say the green pepper was placed far away and inconvenient for me to pick up?”

“…”

Yan Ming lowered his gaze: “It is rather inconvenient.”

The entire cafeteria table was only so big, and Yan Ming was at least six feet tall. On this entire table, there simply wasn’t any dish that would be inconvenient for him to reach…

But since she was the instigator, Yu Tian had no choice but to bite the bullet and pick up another piece of green pepper for Yan Ming.

She originally planned to just place the green pepper directly on Yan Ming’s rice and be done with it. However, when the green pepper moved to his mouth, Yan Ming very naturally tilted his head slightly and smoothly ate the green pepper directly from the serving chopsticks Yu Tian was using.

The hospital cafeteria was noisy, filled with the aroma of today’s featured spicy chicken. Behind Yu Tian, a table of doctors was heatedly debating a surgical plan for a hospitalized patient.

Everything was so vibrantly lively.

Yet this vibrant liveliness became suddenly precarious and shaky because of Yan Ming’s simple act of smoothly eating the green pepper. Like a virtual world constructed of vast world maps and NPCs from a 2D realm, it finally began to collapse due to the discrepancy with 3D reality.

Yu Tian suddenly became uncertain.

Was Yan Ming, who naturally ate the green pepper from her chopsticks, real, or was she actually in some kind of virtual world?

Yan Ming was like the summer showers in Rong City’s long summer season – making people anticipate the cooling relief his arrival could bring, while also making them anxious about the predicament of getting soaked if the rain was too heavy. He simultaneously represented dreams, admiration, and longing, as well as being difficult to approach, illusory, and distant.

Yu Tian knew she should stay calm, but she still couldn’t control becoming clumsy.

Her originally light heartbeat became heavy and intense as if weighted down, threatening to steal the show and announce its presence.

She became nervous and flustered, which then made her angry.

Yan Ming, who had eaten her green pepper, looked matter-of-fact and calmly natural, as if he had done the most normal thing possible. His gaze didn’t even linger on Yu Tian for an extra second.

Yet she was the one whose emotions were as tangled as a ball of yarn that had been teased by a cat.

Why should that be?

Yu Tian bit her lip and put on an expression even more composed and calm than Yan Ming’s.

If the original trigger for this incident was Chen Xi, then now Yu Tian’s competitive spirit was completely ignited by Yan Ming’s overly calm and natural attitude.

If he could be so matter-of-fact and composed, then why should she be thrown into disarray?

This was no longer a contest between her and Chen Xi, but a showdown between her and Yan Ming.

Yu Tian steadied herself, not wanting to show any sign of weakness.

But just as she had finally regained her composure, Yan Ming seemed determined not to let her have peace.

Despite never noticing Yan Ming particularly loving green peppers in all their previous meals together, today’s Yan Ming was fixated on green peppers.

After finishing, he looked at Yu Tian again shortly after.

This time, he even omitted other words, being more concise.

“Green pepper.”

Yu Tian held back her stubbornness, unwilling to admit defeat. She had to pick up green pepper for Yan Ming again, though this time she quickly placed it on his rice.

“Surgery is quite tiring for me,” Yan Ming glanced at the green pepper, then looked up at Yu Tian. “I barely slept last night, and this morning I performed your mother’s surgery plus another one. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old – my hands are really tired, even picking up food feels exhausting.”

“…”

Great kindness needs no thanks, but speaking of her mother’s condition, from discovery to surgery, she owed a lot to Yan Ming.

Yu Tian could only willingly continue serving as the food picker.

The first time feeding Yan Ming hadn’t attracted much attention, but as it continued, and given that Yan Ming’s face was obviously the hospital’s visual centerpiece, it quickly drew the attention of other medical staff in the employee cafeteria.

Since it was peak dining time, the hospital cafeteria’s air conditioning was turned even colder. White cold air emerged from the central air conditioning vents, becoming visible in the sunlight.

But the subtle gazes of surrounding people seemed to carry tangible heat, making Yu Tian feel as if she couldn’t receive any cooling from the central air conditioning at all, only feeling sweltering.

Yan Ming remained composed.

Though it was just simple, light home-cooked food, he ate slowly and methodically. Yu Tian had always found this kind of dining etiquette elegant, pleasing, and refined, but now she detected something intimidating about it.