Yu Tian didn’t share more philosophy with Yan Ming, because from those few simple sentences, he had already understood.

But saying there were no regrets would be a lie.

With Xiao Ling’s situation, after discharge procedures tomorrow, there would probably never be another chance to see her again.

Although they had only met a few times, thinking of Xiao Ling’s lively, cheerful smile made Yu Tian’s heart feel terrible.

For Yan Ming, Xiao Ling was different, too.

“Most children who come for eye surgery, because they have their parents’ company and care, will act spoiled, but Xiao Ling never does. She’s more sensible than her peers and has never actively asked for anything. Several times, the nurses in our department wanted to give her gifts, but she wouldn’t accept anything…”

Yan Ming’s voice was somewhat heavy: “During hospitalization, because Xiao Ling’s father still had to work, she was so quiet and well-behaved that the nurses and doctors on duty all liked her and felt sorry that such a young child had this disease. Everyone wanted to give this child something, especially after discovering the metastasis…”

Yu Tian could understand these doctors’ and nurses’ feelings. Once retinoblastoma metastasized and couldn’t be controlled, what awaited Xiao Ling was only pain and ultimately death.

Everyone wanted Xiao Ling to receive more love and warmth while she was alive.

Hearing this news now, Yu Tian inevitably felt low and sad. She also really wanted to do something for Xiao Ling.

When there were indeed no surgical indications and modern medicine was powerless to do anything for this child, could she set aside medicine and still leave some happy memories for her?

Almost in a flash of inspiration, Yu Tian suddenly thought of something.

Xiao Ling was indeed very sensible and didn’t accept gifts, but she also had things she wanted!

“A birthday party! Xiao Ling said she hoped she could have a birthday party with lots of people attending, eat cake, and invite her favorite Wonder Woman!”

This was what Xiao Ling looked forward to most!

Yu Tian almost couldn’t wait to tell Yan Ming her idea: “Could we throw Xiao Ling an early birthday party before she’s discharged tomorrow! All the medical staff on duty tomorrow who are free can come!”

Yu Tian was ready to act immediately: “I’ll order a cake and then order a Wonder Woman cosplay outfit!”

Yan Ming naturally agreed to give Xiao Ling a birthday party, but…

He frowned slightly: “Then who will play Wonder Woman?”

“Me!”

Yu Tian didn’t think twice: “You all have to work – only idle semi-social people like me are available!”

Though originally very tired, thinking about tomorrow, Yu Tian fought off drowsiness and energetically began preparations.

Although it could only be a simple party, all the party essentials – balloons, cake, candles, birthday hats – couldn’t be missing.

Some things could be ordered tonight for morning delivery, but others couldn’t be, so Yu Tian had to get up early and rush out to buy them.

Everything else could be prepared quickly. The only issue was the Wonder Woman cosplay outfit. Due to time constraints, she could only find very cheap, poor-quality ones. Yu Tian even had to do some modifications herself after receiving the outfit delivered by a runner. Unfortunately, the final result was still very comical – a very low-budget version.

But there was no time to pursue perfection.

Time was very tight. Yu Tian’s handiwork wasn’t good; she was exhausted, her right hand wasn’t nimble, and while just improving this outfit with a glue gun, she accidentally burned several blisters on her fingers.

The next morning, Yan Ming reserved an unused conference room for Yu Tian.

When Yu Tian had everything decorated, Xiao Ling happened to be wheeled in by the nurses for her final “examination” before discharge.

It was almost lunch break time, and the medical staff who had finished their morning work were gradually joining in.

In the flickering candlelight and background music of birthday songs, amid everyone’s applause and singing, Yu Tian saw genuine happiness on Xiao Ling’s face.

“Xiao Ling, happy early birthday!”

Although the costume was of poor quality and somewhat embarrassing to wear, Yu Tian didn’t care about that. She stepped forward and, despite feeling awkward and unpracticed, steeled herself to strike several of Wonder Woman’s signature poses—

“I will continue fighting, and you must continue fighting too!”

Xiao Ling’s eyes reflected firelight and bright, sparkling things. This nearly eight-year-old girl hadn’t been blessed with much by heaven from birth. Because of her eyes, she hadn’t been able to enjoy much light and happiness. But at this moment, her face showed complete immersion and pure, innocent joy.

Xiao Ling’s father, an aged but honest man, was also secretly wiping away tears because of this atmosphere.

Many nurses at the scene cried. Everyone gave their most sincere blessings and hugged Xiao Ling.

“Time to blow out the candles and make a wish! Xiao Ling, do you have any wishes?”

Facing a doctor’s question, Xiao Ling tilted her head, then showed an excited yet shy expression.

After hesitating for a moment, the child looked at Yu Tian with some embarrassment: “Wonder Woman, do you have a boyfriend?”

Yu Tian was stunned and also felt a bit embarrassed: “No.”

Xiao Ling bit her lip and finally seemed to gather her courage: “Then my birthday wish is that I hope Wonder Woman can get a new boyfriend. Her original boyfriend died, and now she doesn’t have a boyfriend again. She’s so lonely by herself.”

Xiao Ling tugged Yu Tian’s hand: “Wonder Woman, you must work hard to find a new boyfriend.”

Faced with her wish, Yu Tian couldn’t help but smile. She nodded solemnly: “Okay, Xiao Ling, I will work hard to find a boyfriend.”

Someone at the scene started joking: “Then Xiao Ling, what kind of boyfriend do you think Wonder Woman should find? Are there any standards? We’ll all work hard to help Wonder Woman find someone.”

Though it was originally a joking question, Xiao Ling thought about it seriously: “I hope Wonder Woman finds a doctor boyfriend.”

“Because there are many doctors here?” A nurse laughed. “You don’t need to flatter us doctors like that.”

But Xiao Ling was quite logical: “Wonder Woman gets injured easily, and sometimes her superpowers fail. When that happens, she’ll need a doctor boyfriend to treat her!”

Children are always pure and kind. Though it carried some sadness, Yu Tian couldn’t help but laugh.

The birthday party was very successful. At this moment, Xiao Ling was at least bathed in happiness.

People can’t achieve eternity, but grasping momentary joy and living in each second of the present might already be enough.

In the end, Xiao Ling and her father didn’t process discharge procedures with sorrowful expressions. Especially Xiao Ling’s father – though his face carried sadness, there was also happiness and emotion.

Watching Xiao Ling’s father leave with Xiao Ling in his arms, expressing countless thanks, Yu Tian’s heart was still full of mixed emotions.

She was very tired. She had been busy with birthday party preparations all night, then had to play Wonder Woman. The matching boots didn’t fit, and after standing all morning, her heels felt raw with pain, probably rubbed bloody.

After cleaning up the venue, Yu Tian was almost exhausted to the point of collapse.

A young rotating male doctor who had stayed to help clean up handed her a can of cola—

“For you. Thank you for throwing a birthday party for our hospital’s patient. If possible, could I get your…”

But the young rotating doctor’s words weren’t finished when a hand reached over and took the cola from Yu Tian’s hand.

The young rotating doctor turned around. After seeing who it was, he was stunned: “Doctor… Doctor Yan…” He looked at Yu Tian, then at the unsmiling, cold-faced Yan Ming behind Yu Tian, saying uncertainly, “You two are…”

“Yu Tian, my sister.” Yan Ming’s expression was bland. “No need to add her contact information. If you need to find her, just find me directly.”

At this point, he glanced at the nameplate on the rotating doctor’s chest: “You’re from orthopedics, right? Jiang Yuming seems to be looking for you. It seemed quite urgent.”

The rotating doctor said “Ah” and didn’t dare say anything more, running rapidly toward the orthopedic clinic.

Yu Tian was a bit angry: “Who’s your sister? Isn’t Chen Xi your sister? What does it matter to you if someone wants my contact information?”

So good to Chen Xi, accommodating her in everything.

The more Yu Tian thought about it, the angrier and more wronged she felt.

She glanced at the cola in Yan Ming’s hand that had belonged to her and couldn’t help muttering: “You have the nerve to say you’re my brother, but you treat me so badly, even stealing cola that others gave me…”

Before Yu Tian could finish, she heard the sound of the cola can being opened, followed by the gurgling sound of bubbles rushing out.

Was Yan Ming even human?

He stole her cola and was going to drink it in front of her?

Did he have any conscience left?

Just as Yu Tian was glaring viciously at Yan Ming with her eyes, trying to express her accusation, Yan Ming pushed the cola can back into Yu Tian’s hands.

He pressed his lips together: “Opened it for you.”

Yu Tian almost laughed with anger. She didn’t believe it: “You were criticized by me and didn’t drink it yourself, returning the cola to me because of my condemnation and moral pressure. Your conscience was discovered – it wasn’t specially opened for me.”

“It was opened for you.” Yan Ming’s voice was very calm, but he lightly turned his head away. “Your right hand can’t open this kind of pull-tab, can?”

This time Yan Ming looked back at Yu Tian calmly, stating the facts: “After you got the cola, you wanted to drink it. You instinctively tried to use your right hand to open it, but you pulled back as soon as you touched the tab.”

So he had taken it away to open it for her?

Yu Tian bit her lip. Even she hadn’t realized her instinctive behavior.

No wonder Yan Ming could become a legendary figure at school. His observation was truly meticulous.

Yu Tian felt a little happy, but thinking that Yan Ming might be this way with every patient, and it wasn’t anything special, she felt a little unhappy again.

She took the cola, said thanks quietly, and turned to leave. However, Yan Ming suddenly grabbed her.

Before Yu Tian could react, her right fingertip was gently touched by Yan Ming’s hand.

“Ouch! It hurts!”

Almost instinctively, Yu Tian cried out.

“Now you know it hurts?”

Yan Ming seriously took out a small box of ointment from his pocket and scolded Yu Tian like a child: “Why were you so careless using the glue gun? When you got burned, why didn’t you run to the faucet and rinse with cold water? You can’t even handle basic burn emergency treatment properly – how did you graduate from medical school?”

Yu Tian lowered her head and only then noticed that Yan Ming was holding ointment for treating and relieving burns.

He scolded Yu Tian rather unkindly while patiently and gently applying the ointment to Yu Tian’s burned fingertips, where blisters had formed.

Although Yan Ming’s treatment was undoubtedly professional, it was also merciless.

However much her heart fluttered when Yan Ming held her hand to apply medicine, that’s how dejected she felt now.

She seemed never to be able to be composed around Yan Ming. Maybe in Yan Ming’s eyes, she was always this clumsy.

But she was an excellent medical student, too.

Did she not know how to handle burns properly?

She had been rushing to finish the Wonder Woman costume, afraid there wouldn’t be enough time, so she didn’t pay attention to emergency treatment.

Yu Tian withdrew her hand weakly: “Thank you.”

She looked up at Yan Ming, her expression aggrieved, her heart even more aggrieved, and said softly with lowered eyes: “You always seem to be criticizing me.”

Yan Ming was stunned.

This conversation had reached a dead end.

Yu Tian knew this was an uncooperative way of chatting that didn’t give face, so she kept her head down, waiting for Yan Ming to leave.

However, after a moment, Yan Ming’s shoes were still in her line of sight and hadn’t moved.

“I’m not criticizing you. I know you did it for Xiao Ling, but when Xiao Ling is unwell or injured, someone will feel sorry for her. When you’re injured, someone will also feel unable to be happy.”

Yan Ming’s voice was low as he repeated: “So I’m not criticizing you. I didn’t want to criticize you.”

Yu Tian looked up and found Yan Ming looking at her with a helpless expression.

He extended his hand toward Yu Tian.

“Hm?”

“Give me your hand.”

Yu Tian thought Yan Ming wanted to check the burn again. Although she instinctively extended her hand, she couldn’t help explaining: “It’s not a big problem. It would heal in a few days even without ointment…”

Before she could finish, Yan Ming grabbed her right hand, brought it to his mouth, and calmly blew on it.

Under Yu Tian’s astonished gaze, this man very naturally put down Yu Tian’s hand: “There.”

Almost as if to complement this scene, a little boy approached from not far away, holding the hand of an even smaller girl who was crying and wiping her tears.

“Sister, stop crying. I told you getting shots hurts a little, but brother will blow on it and the pain will go bye-bye.”

The little boy said this while taking the little girl’s finger that had blood drawn, and carefully blowing on it.

Yu Tian turned her gaze to Yan Ming—

“Wasn’t someone just lecturing me a few days ago that blowing on burns has no effect and isn’t proper treatment for a medical student? Is helping me blow on it now medical professionalism for a doctor?”

Yan Ming’s answer was very calm: “Blowing on burns doesn’t help physiological pain, but psychologically it provides inner comfort to patients and subconsciously reduces symptoms.”

Though his expression was composed, Yan Ming’s ears gradually turned red.

“Psychological therapy.” He glanced at the little boy and girl not far away and added calmly, “Like that brother, I’m not treating you badly.”

Blowing on a finger once meant being good? Not being mean?

Very fittingly, the little girl nearby started crying again.

“Brother, blowing didn’t make the pain go bye-bye.”

This little girl was like her three-dimensional spokesperson.

Yu Tian crossed her arms and looked accusingly at Yan Ming.

“Then brother will kiss it, and a kiss will make it stop hurting.” At this moment, the little boy took his sister’s hand and kissed her cheek. This time, the sister stopped crying, as if finally comforted, and obediently let her brother hold her hand.

The little boy patted his sister’s head like a little adult: “Be good. Mommy went to get medicine from the window and will be back soon. Brother will wait with you.”

“Look, being a good brother isn’t that easy. You think blowing once makes you a good brother.” Yu Tian couldn’t help muttering as she looked away. “Some people have the nerve to say they’re good at being a brother, not even as good as that child…”

Children knew how to provide comprehensive emotional support to their sisters and offer comforting words. Unlike Yan Ming, who inexplicably grabbed her hand, blew on it once, and was done – he didn’t even have supporting dialogue. Yu Tian hadn’t even immediately understood what Yan Ming was doing.

“Comforting a sister isn’t that simple…”

But this time, Yu Tian didn’t get a chance to finish her words, because Yan Ming’s hand cupped the back of her head. Then, under Yu Tian’s shocked gaze, that handsome face approached and enlarged, until Yan Ming’s diamond-shaped lips finally descended.

He tilted his head slightly and kissed her cheek.

Even after Yan Ming released her, Yu Tian was still in a very confused emotional state.

What had Yan Ming just done?

Had he gone crazy?

But under Yu Tian’s stare, Yan Ming’s expression remained calm and composed.

“I’m also a good brother.”

Though his tone was righteous, Yan Ming’s heart probably wasn’t as matter-of-fact as his tone suggested, because after quickly glancing at Yu Tian, he looked away.

Yan Ming’s gaze was like mountain mist before dawn – elusive, about to scatter but not quite, falling on Yu Tian’s hair, brushing her cheek, settling around her.

Though Yan Ming had been the one taking the initiative, Yu Tian became the one feeling flustered and guilty like a child who had done something wrong. She didn’t dare look directly into Yan Ming’s eyes or even look at his face. Her ears became very hot. She felt like a quietly blooming cherry tree that Yan Ming had suddenly shaken from below, causing her petals to flutter down unexpectedly.

The contact between cheek and lips lasted only an instant.

However, when Yan Ming moved his face away and Yu Tian accidentally met his eyes in her panic, and she suddenly experienced an indescribable racing heartbeat.

The air became light and floating. Sunlight sank into hidden corners, yet some emotions had nowhere to hide.

Yu Tian looked up and, once again caught off guard, collided with the eyes of the instigator.

Fortunately, the owner of these eyes also quickly and tacitly looked away.

“Be good. I’m going to see outpatients and will be back soon…” The owner of these eyes paused, obviously not as calm and righteous as his tone suggested, and corrected himself: “Can’t come back soon, and can’t wait with you either.”

“But be good and don’t hurt yourself anymore.”

Yan Ming’s gaze looked at the green plants, at the notice at the entrance reminding everyone to be quiet, at the crowd at the clinic entrance – just not at Yu Tian.

He held back for a while, then showed a surrendering expression. His eyes finally looked at Yu Tian, then he cupped Yu Tian’s face again and kissed her eyes, like kissing a butterfly.

Yu Tian instinctively closed her eyes. She heard her own frighteningly amplified heartbeat and Yan Ming’s light breathing.

She heard this man say in a slightly unnatural and bewildered voice: “I agree.”

Agree?

Agree to what?

However, Yu Tian could no longer think rationally and logically.

She felt weightless.

She felt like a small planet that had deviated from its predetermined orbit, with a suddenly unpredictable future trajectory.

Adventurous, impulsive, and fearless.

Conservative, restrained, and timid.

Completely contradictory emotions mixed like different paints, creating colors and impacts that Yu Tian had never experienced.

In chaos, no less than a supernova explosion, she felt Yan Ming gently pat her head—

“I’m leaving.”

Under Yu Tian’s dumbfounded stare, this seemingly composed doctor walked away with matching hands and feet.

Yu Tian remained in place as if under a paralysis spell, staring at Yan Ming’s retreating figure until it completely disappeared.

Then she remembered to take a sip of cola, as if drinking down a bunch of gurgling, churning bubbles that made her entire inner being restless and clamorous.

Yan Ming had kissed her.

Yan Ming!

Had kissed her!