Chapter 61

In the emergency department waiting area, Xin Chanxi had just sat down when Wang Chuan noticed something.

"Xin Chanxi, did you shower at the intern dorm? Your clothes look so familiar."

A simple white shirt tucked into jeans, her figure slender and graceful.

"These are Wang Jia's clothes!"

Xin Chanxi explained the whole story, though she did not specify that she had only washed Wang Chuan's clothes.

"Stand up. Turn around." Wang Chuan said.

"What for!" Xin Chanxi stood up and spun once.

"Hmm, your butt's fine. Otherwise, I'd have to stitch it up after you helped me wash clothes."

Wang Chuan cracked a joke, then remembered Xin Chanxi was just a senior high school girl.

Not Pei Nanli—Wang Jia, the medical student, would ignore such jokes as if they didn't exist.

Sure enough, a faint flush rose on Xin Chanxi's neck, spreading rapidly upward, then she turned and ran out.

At the door, she stopped and turned back: "Remember, we leave at five ten tomorrow to go to driving school. I'll remember to bring you coffee. See you at driving school."

Wang Chuan watched Xin Chanxi's retreating back—another troublesome reality was about to surface.

Tomorrow morning, Pei Nanli must go to register at driving school.

Li Wei, Luo De, and Wang Jia all retrieved their Subject One materials today—they don't need to go to driving school tomorrow.

Let me think: tomorrow at driving school, Xin Chanxi will ask me, "Hey, who's this pretty sister?"

Pei Nanli will ask me, "Hey, who's this pretty little sister?"

"Sigh…" Wang Chuan rubbed his throbbing temples; the emergency room lights seemed to make his eyes ache.

The hour hand reached midnight. After shift change, Wang Chuan stepped out of the Emergency Department, took a deep breath, and complained: "Damn, this air's still hot."

He changed direction and headed toward Pediatrics. As expected, he met Pei Nanli halfway.

Pei Nanli lifted her gaze—the moonlit path held only her and Wang Chuan; the leaves on both sides rustled softly, sounding a little eerie.

"Wang Chuan, what are you doing? My mom's waiting for me outside." Pei Nanli asked warily.

At night, the canteen was crowded—Pei Nanli wasn't afraid. The memory of being pinned against the wall last Thursday flashed before her eyes.

"Tomorrow afternoon at four, I'll take you to driving school. The patient admitted tonight—Dr. Zhang wants me to check on him early."

"Oh, that's it?"

"Yes. What else did you think it was?"

"Fine." Pei Nanli nodded.

Hearing her answer, Wang Chuan turned and left, exhaling deeply, humming a tune, heading back to the dorm.

But he hadn't gone far when he heard Pei Nanli's voice behind him: "Wang Chuan, wait."

Wang Chuan turned and saw Ning Hui beside Pei Nanli—his face showed surprise. What was her mom up to?

"Wang Chuan, come over to our place Sunday night—June 13th. We'll have a simple home-cooked meal together."

Wang Chuan hesitated, then said: "Thank you, Auntie. May I ask my Mentor Teacher tomorrow?"

"You interns are exhausted working at the hospital. Sunday's your day off—spend the day watching a movie and shopping with Xiao Li, then come home for dinner. I'll tell Yang Guohua about this break—you don't need to worry."

Seeing Professor Ning had already arranged everything with confidence, Wang Chuan could only nod.

Back in the intern dorm, Li Wei and Luo De were there too.

Wang Chuan had no interest in dorm chatter; he silently recited: "Each barrier is hard, but each is overcome."

He was about to lie down and sleep when he caught a strong stench of sweat. He got up and searched: "Li Wei, Luo De, get up right now and wash the clothes under your beds."

Luo De said: "I was going to wash them tomorrow at five thirty."

Li Wei grumbled: "Yeah! Wang Chuan, don't you have clothes under your bed? ~~~~~ Holy crap, you went back to the ER and washed your clothes?"

Wang Chuan realized: Xin Chanxi had only washed his clothes.

"I washed mine when I got back this afternoon. Get up now—whoever doesn't, I'll tell Wang Jia tomorrow who's a total slob."

The name "Wang Jia" had magic power over Li Wei and Luo De.

Yes, they both scrambled for basins and detergent and rushed out of the dorm.

June 10, 2004, 4:50 a. m.

Dawn was breaking; Mingzhou First Hospital was still wrapped in a thin morning mist.

Amid his roommates' thunderous snores, Wang Chuan slipped out quietly and took a cold shower in the washroom.

The sweat smell washed clean.

At the hospital entrance, the night snack stall had closed; the breakfast stall now steamed with white vapor.

He bought four meat buns, eating as he waited for driving instructor Sun Dalu.

Soon, at five ten, Sun Dalu pulled up precisely at the front gate of Mingzhou First Hospital.

Wang Chuan got in and said: "Brother Sun, didn't eat breakfast? Here, take two buns."

Sun Dalu took the buns and gestured for Wang Chuan to drive while he sat in the passenger seat.

Wang Chuan fastened his seatbelt and heard Sun Dalu sigh. He asked: "Brother Sun, what's wrong? You got three new students yesterday—nice commission, right?"

"Don't mention it. Boss Xin gave you guys a discount—I got nothing."

Sun Dalu lit a cigarette, rolled down the window, and took two deep puffs.

"Xin Yisheng, acting like a businessman," Wang Chuan muttered inwardly.

Sun Dalu flicked ash and said: "Forget it. Guess this commission was never meant for me."

He turned to Wang Chuan: "Don't drive yet. Wait a bit—your hospital has another girl coming with us to driving school."

Wang Chuan blurted: "I told her to come at four in the afternoon!"

"What's Pei Nanli up to?"

Sun Dalu asked in confusion, "What do you mean, go again at four o'clock?"

'It's not Pei Nanli; Pei Nanli doesn't have the driver's phone number. Damn it, was I just feeling guilty?'

"Wang Chuan, I'm here," a pleasant voice called out.

Wang Chuan asked Wang Jia, who had already settled into the back seat, "If you're not preparing for Subject One, what are you doing going to the Driving School?"

Sun Dalu helped explain, "Young lady, she sent a text last night saying her hands and feet were clumsy, wanted an extra lesson session to learn driving."

"Instructor Sun, I begged you for ages yesterday before you agreed. Here's some fresh soy milk for you."

Wang Chuan was stunned. Wang Jia, your suturing skills are just fine; what do you mean your hands and feet are clumsy? What are you really up to?

Wang Jia, you're here to watch the grand drama!

"Wang Chuan, you can drive now; let's go to Pei Nanli's residential compound, Jiangnan Yanyu," Wang Jia said.

Hearing there was another student, Sun Dalu quickly extinguished his cigarette, took a sip of the soy milk he usually didn't drink, and asked excitedly, "Wang Chuan, do you have another friend who wants to learn to drive? You didn't tell me!"

"Instructor Sun, there is a friend who wants to learn, but I told her I'd take her to the Driving School to register at four o'clock in the Afternoon."

Sun Dalu clapped his hands upon hearing this.

"Oh, so Pei Nanli is going at four o'clock in the Afternoon!" Wang Jia remarked.

"Wang Chuan, this is for Ten Yuan Sister; the jeans have been dried. Please give them to her later," Wang Jia said, patting a plastic bag on the back seat.

Wang Jia felt a pang of regret in her heart. 'I won't get to see the battlefield of lovers.'

"That young lady, Pei Nanli, she isn't exactly a friend of the Boss's niece, is she?"

Sun Dalu asked anxiously.

Wang Chuan started the car, shook his head, and said, "Not a friend!"