Chapter 22: Boys and Girls

"Dr. Chu, you are truly amazing!"

At that moment, a clear voice came from beside him.

Chu Che turned his head and saw the young cardiothoracic doctor Xiao Wang, who held a stack of medical records in their hand, with sincere admiration on their face.

"This surgery, the whole hospital said it was impossible, yet you managed to save it!"

After speaking, she cleared her throat and got to the point:

"There is something, Dr. Chu. Next week Director Li will hold a celebratory dinner to mark his upcoming promotion to vice president, and Vice President Wang will also attend. Director Li asked me to inform you, and you must go then!"

Xiao Wang's tone was cheerful.

Director Li?

Chu Che adjusted his glasses.

Director Li was extremely popular both among the inexperienced young doctors and the seasoned hospital veterans.

He was diplomatic and kind‑hearted.

He even proactively applied to organize public‑welfare activities, offering free health check‑ups to Jiang Hai City residents.

But Chu Che knew.

"Free health check‑ups," under the noble name of giving back to society, were actually used to find suitable organ matches for the powerful.

Or even healthy people were forced to be diagnosed, deceiving residents into buying medicine or undergoing surgery, generating revenue for the hospital.

He regarded patients' lives as insignificant, yet always managed to package his own sins as respectable and selfless, gaining favor and profit on both sides.

Even Liu Guodong's connection to Li Zhenhu was made through Director Li.

Because he valued Chu Che's abilities, Director Li repeatedly, overtly and covertly, tried to PUA Chu Che, hoping to pull him into collusion, but never succeeded.

Consequently, Vice President Wang, who belonged to the same faction as Director Li, kept sidelining him and repeatedly gave him a hard time—something Director Li tacitly approved.

A faint indifferent smile tugged at Chu Che's mouth.

"Is that so? Then congratulations to Director Li," he said evenly, with no hint of emotion. "Alright, I will go."

Xiao Wang nodded happily, said a few more flattering words to Chu Che, and then left satisfied.

Chu Che watched her retreating figure, said nothing more, and turned toward the hospital gate.

The rain had stopped, and the air was filled with a fresh scent of earth and water.

At the entrance of the Emergency Department Hall, an ambulance had just taken away an injured patient; the flickering red‑blue lights cast a mottled glow on the ground.

Chu Che had already changed out of his Doctor's Lab Coat, was about to get into his car, when a crisp voice called out to him.

"Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the Orthopedic Ward?"

He turned toward the voice and saw a girl standing at the entrance of the Emergency Department Hall.

She wore a simple white T‑shirt and jeans, her hair tied in a high ponytail, a hint of anxiety on her face, yet her delicate, lively eyes could not be concealed.

Her eyes were large, and at that moment she looked at him helplessly.

Chu Che stopped, offering a gentle smile.

"The Orthopedic Ward is in the Inpatient Department. You need to go straight from here, pass the Outpatient Department Hall, then turn left onto the elevator," he guided patiently, his voice clear and resonant. "The elevator is on the third floor; exit the elevator and turn right to see the sign."

The girl listened attentively, nodded repeatedly, and a grateful smile appeared on her face.

"Thank you! You must be a doctor here, right?" Her smile was pure, like sunshine after a rainstorm.

"Yes, my surname is Chu."

"Thank you, Dr. Chu."

Just then, an angry voice suddenly cut in.

"Hey! What's wrong with you? Stay away from my Xin Yu!"

Chu Che turned his head slightly and saw a teenage boy in a patient gown, his right arm in a cast, charging here with a fierce demeanor.

He looked about seventeen or eighteen; despite his injury, his still‑youthful face was filled with a protective, wary alertness.

Chu Che looked at the boy and asked, "May I ask who you are? I'm answering some questions for this miss."

"Who would believe you! You look like a cultured scoundrel! With jokes and smiles, you're trying to lure my Xin Yu!"

"Lin Fan, what are you doing!" the girl scolded, pulling the boy back, then, a bit embarrassed, explained to Chu Che, "Dr. Chu, don't mind him… he's a bit impulsive."

The boy's name was Lin Fan, and the girl's name was Ling Xinyu.

Ling Xinyu simply explained the situation to Lin Fan, whose complexion softened, and he scratched his head awkwardly.

"Sorry, doctor, I… I thought you were a bad person," Lin Fan said, his tone a bit shaky.

Chu Che just smiled and shook his head, not making a fuss.

"That arm—did you get into a fight?" Chu Che's gaze fell on Lin Fan's cast, his tone even, yet seemingly all‑seeing.

Lin Fan's neck twitched, but he quickly straightened his chest.

"Yeah! There was a guy in class who tried to bully Xin Yu, so I fought him!" he said with the youthful vigor and pride of a teen. "He even called for backup, but I beat him completely."

Ling Xinyu listened nearby, her eyes slightly reddened.

"You're still being reckless, even after this!" she gently patted Lin Fan's arm; Lin Fan winced in pain, his bravado collapsing instantly.

Ling Xinyu turned to Chu Che again, sincerely thanking, "Dr. Chu, thank you for today!"

Lin Fan also nodded, "Thank you, doctor!"

Chu Che smiled and nodded, watching them walk hand in hand, gradually fading away.

"You, from now on, don't be so impulsive," Ling Xinyu said, gently rubbing Lin Fan's cast as they left the hospital gate, her tone tinged with reproach and mostly concern.

"How could I?" Lin Fan retorted immediately, "That Qin Yu brat relies on his dad being the Public Security Bureau Chief, runs roughshod through school, and keeps harassing you! How could I stand for that?"

"Of course I know you're protecting me," Ling Xinyu said, stopping, looking earnestly into Lin Fan's eyes; in the night, her pupils glittered. "I'm moved, truly moved. But I don't want you to get hurt. Seeing you hurt would make me very sad."

Lin Fan was stunned. He looked at Ling Xinyu's eyes, filled with worry, and felt something stir gently in his heart.

The "manly" words he had intended to say were, at that moment, all stuck in his throat.

He stretched out his uninjured left hand, lightly took Ling Xinyu's hand, and clumsily squeezed it.

"Okay, I will...... try my best not to let you be sad." His voice was a little low, yet carried a teenager's most sincere promise.

Ling Xinyu's lips curved into a sweet smile again. She leaned on Lin Fan's shoulder, feeling the unique warmth on the boy's body, mixed with sweat and sunshine.

"By the way, what will be on the monthly exam next month? I still have many physics problems I don't understand." Ling Xinyu suddenly remembered something, looked up and asked.

"Don't mention it, my chemistry also gives me a headache. How about we go to the library this weekend to do some practice problems?" Lin Fan followed her topic and started chatting.

"Great! After we finish the problems, let's go eat at that newly opened fried chicken place!"

"Fine! It's settled then!"

The laughter of the boy and girl gradually faded into the depths of the night, leaving only two figures leaning closely together, their shadows stretched and then shortened under the streetlamp, finally merging into the neon-lit night scenery of Jiang Hai City.

Their love was like a seed that had just sprouted, pure and beautiful, filled with infinite longing for the future.

Later that night, a high-end residential complex in Jiang Hai City.

A black business car stopped downstairs, the door opened, and a man in a suit stepped out from the passenger seat, struggling to hoist a fatty reeking of alcohol onto his back.

"Mr. Wu, go slow, slow. Watch your step." The man carefully supported the fatty, his face wearing a fawning smile, yet hinting at a hint of impatience.

The fatty was called Wu Cheng, a senior executive of Han De Development Company.

He mumbled indistinctly, his alcohol-flushed fat face full of contempt for everything around him.

"Damn! How much GDP did my plan contribute to the company? How much tax did I pay? How many people did I support!" Wu Cheng waved his arms, reeking of alcohol, "Those commoners don't even kneel to thank me, that's fine, but they even sue me, even go to appeal—it's outright rebellion!"

"Yes, yes, Mr. Wu is right, those troublemakers just don't know gratitude." The subordinate echoed, but couldn't help rolling his eyes inside.

In the elevator lobby, the display lit up with the words "Under maintenance."

"Fuck! This broken elevator, what's the property management doing!" Wu Cheng cursed, kicked the elevator door, "Take the stairs!"

The subordinate, helpless, could only carry Wu Cheng, moving step by step upward.

The stairwell of the upscale residential complex was carpeted with thick sound-absorbing rugs, decorative paintings hung on the walls, making it quiet and spacious.

The subordinate panted, sweat soaking his shirt, Wu Cheng on his back like a small mountain, pressing so hard his waist was about to break.

"Hurry up! I want to go back to sleep!" Wu Cheng urged impatiently.

The subordinate gritted his teeth, carrying Wu Cheng with difficulty as he turned a stairwell corner.

Just as he lost his balance and staggered, he suddenly felt a lightness on his back.

That heavy pressure vanished instantly.

He abruptly stopped and turned around.

In the empty stairwell, besides himself, there was nothing.

Wu Cheng had vanished into thin air.

In the narrow corridor, only he remained.

And, the voice-activated light above his head, which seemed to have a poor contact, began to flicker wildly.

Zizz.

Zizz.

The subordinate's pupils suddenly contracted, the alcohol-induced haze clearing up by more than half.

A chill shot up from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.