Volume One, Chapter Seven: The Inescapable Li Shiyan

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Cheng Xiuming crouched beside the cabinet, carefully breaking off a small piece of the tea cake and placing it into a teacup, then poured hot water over it.

This was a treasured Lao Ban Zhang tea cake.

The fragrance was intoxicating.

Cheng Xiuming took a sip, the aroma making his head spin. Suddenly, he opened up, speaking freely without restraint. “Ah, brother, I’m happy for you. It’s been eight years already. Even if there’s something you can’t let go of, it’s time to move on. You can’t waste your whole life on one person, right? From my perspective, being straightforward and open isn’t a bad thing…”

Before he finished, Li Shiyan shot him a sharp glare.

“Well, I still have to see patients. Work, work—I love working.” Cheng Xiuming immediately clammed up, clutching his teacup and swiftly making his exit.

...

The restroom grew quiet again, leaving only Ning Yu, who seemed utterly drained, slumping down onto the closed toilet lid.

These past two days—less than twenty-four hours—had been nerve-wracking, with not a moment’s peace.

After provoking Dr. Li, she had no idea what twists and turns awaited her next.

She could only take it step by step, trying her best to avoid him.

Once she confirmed the coast was clear, Ning Yu stepped out, splashed cold water on her face, adjusted her clothes and expression, then sent Lin Haoyu a message saying she had something urgent and needed to leave early.

At that moment, Lin Haoyu was cozying up with Ning Yunyun and was more than happy that Ning Yu was gone. He replied quickly without asking what was wrong.

By the time Ning Yu got home, it was already evening.

She had little appetite, and Ning’s parents, as usual, paid no attention to her. Only the housekeeper, Madam Li, took pity and cooked a bowl of her favorite fresh meat wontons.

The warmth of the steaming wontons settled her stomach and brought some comfort to her body.

After consulting once more with the school’s academic affairs director about her course preferences for the new semester, Ning Yu finally went to bed.

Eight years ago, when she was on the brink of death, the Ning family had brought her back, and both she and Yanyan owed their lives to them.

Later, Ning’s father invested heavily in her education, sending her abroad for study, encouraging graduate and doctoral programs—all to help her catch a wealthy husband for the Ning family.

Ning Yu was intelligent and gifted in the arts from a young age. She skipped several grades overseas and, after returning last year, became a fine arts teacher at a private university.

Lin Haoyu was a chance encounter at the university—he fell in love with Ning Yu at first sight.

Exhausted, Ning Yu fell asleep as soon as she lay down, drifting into a dream filled with memories from many years ago—back when she had just met Li Shiyan.

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In the dream, it seemed she was reliving the day they broke up, when her words had been especially harsh.

When you truly love someone, you always know exactly what to say to hurt them the most—words that don’t require weapons yet leave wounds bleeding profusely.

Recalling Li Shiyan from that day made Ning Yu break out in a cold sweat even in her sleep.

The next morning, Ning Yu took a couple of bites of breakfast while her father reminded her to visit Lin Haoyu at the hospital and behave well.

She agreed, then headed to the hospital to collect her test results first. After scanning the report, she deliberately made an appointment for a gynecological follow-up.

Li Shiyan—someone she dared neither to offend nor avoid—was involved.

“Patient number 024, Ning Yu, please proceed to the consultation room.”

Hearing the mechanical female voice, Ning Yu grabbed her bag and entered, seeing a young, handsome doctor sitting inside.

Usually, follow-ups didn’t require an examination, so Ning Yu felt less awkward. “Hello, Doctor.”

The young doctor glanced at the computer screen without looking up but spoke gently, “Please give me your ID card and medical record.”

Ning Yu took them from her bag and handed them over, only to hear the young man exclaim in surprise—

“Are you Ning Yu?”

The doctor stared at the ID and age, then looked at Ning Yu as if he’d seen a ghost.

Ning Yu glanced at the name tag on his chest and smiled faintly, “I am Ning Yu, Doctor Cheng. Is there a problem?”

Cheng Xiuming studied her carefully. Was this the Ning Yu from his memories? No, this was the Ning Yu connected to Dr. Li Shiyan.

The age and name matched perfectly.

Though he had never met her in person before, this young woman’s appearance was impressive.

After gulping down two mouthfuls of water, Cheng Xiuming looked at Ning Yu, “May I use the restroom first?”

Ning Yu, puzzled, nodded. “Of course.”

Cheng Xiuming grabbed his phone and walked out of the consultation room. The moment he made a call, he felt clever, as if countless pieces of the treasured Lao Ban Zhang tea cakes were flowing toward him.

Ning Yu, however, never expected Cheng Xiuming’s restroom break to last half an hour.

It wasn’t that she was desperate to see Lin Haoyu; rather, staying so long in the gynecology department alone risked being seen by the Ning or Lin families, which would be hard to explain.

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When footsteps approached the consultation room and the door opened, Ning Yu didn’t look up but said directly:

“Doctor Cheng, could you please hurry? I’m a bit pressed for time—I have to visit a friend.”

“Which friend?”

The familiar deep voice made Ning Yu’s heart skip a beat. She looked up in surprise to see Li Shiyan standing before her.

No—he was an emergency physician; what was he doing in the gynecology department?

The man sat down casually across from her, legs stretched out and crossed. “Which friend? Lin Haoyu? Haven’t you had enough of yesterday’s drama?”

Ning Yu refused to engage, staring silently at him.

She couldn’t understand why this man haunted her. Shouldn’t an emergency doctor be too busy to linger?

Seeing her withdraw into her usual emotionless shell, Li Shiyan fixed her with an unblinking gaze and said, “I’m starting to doubt what I said yesterday. It’s not that you’re eager to serve during confinement. It’s that even if Lin Haoyu sleeps with other women right in front of you, you’re the one rushing to hand out condoms.”

Ning Yu’s fire was ignited by his cruel words. She glared at him without expression. “My affairs have nothing to do with you, Doctor Li.”

“Nothing to do with me? But they do with Lin Haoyu?” Li Shiyan sneered, fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. “Weren’t you the one begging me to be your antidote? Weren’t you the one begging me to leave?”

Ning Yu clenched her fists.

She always knew that her supposedly well-tamed temperament, cultivated over eight years, couldn’t withstand three words from this despicable man.

“Doctor Li, shouldn’t you be in the emergency department?” Ning Yu forced a smile. “I want to change doctors. This is gynecology, and it’s against regulations for an emergency doctor to see patients here.”

“Do you think the hospital revolves around you? Or that doctors exist solely to serve you? There are so many patients waiting. You want to change doctors just because you say so?” The man sneered.

“Yesterday, I was your initial attending physician, so I’m responsible for your follow-up.”

That statement left her utterly speechless.

Ning Yu took a deep breath. “Well, Doctor Li is certainly dedicated to his patients—chasing them all the way from emergency to gynecology. Should we give him an award for professionalism?”

“Flattery is unnecessary—just doing my duty.” He ignored her sarcasm and tapped the edge of the table twice. “Your report.”

Ning Yu clenched the report tightly, defeated in their confrontation, then handed over the crumpled paper.