The Surgeon's Studio

At that moment, Zheng Ren felt the blood in his body freeze.

This was out of his calculations.

Warm.

Smooth.

Soft.

Zheng Ren instinctively clutched Little Yiren’s hand tight. Xie Yiren tried to tug her hand back, but Zheng Ren maintained his grip.

He took a step forward, and another, and another.

Time seemed to slow down around them; each passing second felt like a minute.

Zheng Ren could feel the pulse underneath Xie Yiren’s delicate skin.

Each beat was clear and strong.

The stories were a lie.

Zheng Ren did not need to touch her radial artery to feel her pulse.

Each beat was clear and strong.

After a dozen steps, their stiff movements gave way to a newfound fluidity.

The awkwardness melted away and they moved in sync to their seats.

A problem appeared before Zheng Ren.

With one hand clutching Little Yiren’s hand while the other held the ice cream cone, how was he going to deal with the armrest in between the seats?

Damn it… Zheng Ren’s heart was beating wildly.

This scenario was similar to what he encountered in the System operating room. There was always something unexpected that meddled with his plans.

Panic overcame Zheng Ren and he stuffed the whole ice cream cone into his mouth.

So cold…

With his left hand, he lifted the armrest and guided Xie Yiren to the seat, ignoring the freezing pain in his mouth.

Oblivious to it all, Xie Yiren sat down and a soft sigh escaped her lips.

They were seated, shoulder to shoulder.

Their hands were intertwined.

Their arms were interlocked.

Xie Yiren’s hair occasionally brushed past Zheng Ren’s ear.

It was heavenly.

Zheng Ren’s attention was far from the movie. It was a 2D IMAX movie today instead of 3D, which Zheng Ren was thankful for as he did not have to carry the glasses.

Zheng Ren had successfully achieved what he discussed with Su Yun; he would even say he had surpassed expectations.

As time passed, Little Yiren relaxed her tense muscles. She subconsciously inched closer to Zheng Ren and rested her head on his shoulder.

Zheng Ren inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume.

Was this contentment?

If contentment had a smell, that must be it.

If contentment had a touch, it must be the warm and soft hand resting in his palm.

Zheng Ren was in his own world as the movie played on.

He was wholly focused on his five senses and Xie Yiren’s every smile and gesture.

Time passed quickly without him realizing. The ending credits of the movie rolled on screen.

Einstein’s theory of special relativity with regards to time was true.

Xie Yiren nudged Zheng Ren shyly. “Hey, it’s time to go.”

Zheng Ren came back to reality. He glanced around and saw they were the only ones left in the hall, barring the housekeeping crew. The lights were on maximum brightness now.

Huh…

It was too soon!

Xie Yiren’s hand slipped away like a fish in the ocean.

“Come on.” Xie Yiren stood up and turned to leave. She avoided looking at Zheng Ren, her face slightly flushed.

Zheng Ren took a deep breath.

That counted as a success, right?

Maybe it did.

He followed Xie Yiren out of the cinema. It was peak time now and the crowd was absurd.

“What do you want for dinner?” Xie Yiren asked.

Zheng Ren’s mind drew a blank.

Dinner? If he could stay in that seat with Xie Yiren forever, he would. Dinner was of miniscule importance.

Xie Yiren took in Zheng Ren’s silence and smiled. “Let’s go to Xiao Long Kan; the boss is my dad’s friend. I gave him a suggestion when I last visited. He hired a chef from Yucheng, Chef Zhou Master Slice, and all their meats are flown in fresh.”

“Sure.” Zheng Ren remained uninterested on the topic of food.

Xiao Long Kan was a hotpot restaurant, but what was this Chef Zhou Master Slice? Could only a professional chef cut open the meat and innards of livestock?

Preparing food these days required professionals?

Zheng Ren’s answer was no; anyone could prepare meat.

His mind was addled from the close proximity and hand-holding. He had not recovered from the assault on his senses.

Zheng Ren followed Xie Yiren in a daze. They went down to the basement parking and started their journey toward Xiao Long Kan.

Xie Yiren was looking forward to the tripe, ox aorta, and pig kidney cooked in a chilli soup base.

It was a cosy environment.

A peaceful meal.

Wonderful.

Zheng Ren paid little attention to what he put in his mouth. Whatever Xie Yiren cooked in the pot, he ate them without hesitation.

His eyes were glued to the cute expression on Xie Yiren’s flushed face. A sheen of sweat made her face glow, likely due to the spiciness of the soup.

Zheng Ren only woke from his daze when a cold breeze blew past them. Dinner had concluded and they were standing outside Xiao Long Kan.

Xie Yiren was talking to him. “Remember to shower when you get home. Wash away the sweat so you can sleep well.”

“Okay.”

“There’s milk in the fridge. Remember to drink it.”

“Okay.”

“What do you want to eat in the morning?” Xie Yiren asked.

Zheng Ren recalled his schedule. “Tomorrow… I have to go to the Secondary Hospital.”

“You’re heading there to perform a surgery?” Xie Yiren asked, then after some thought, she said, “Right, it’s their loss if they don’t invite you to perform your TIPS procedure.”

“We’re still in the midst of perfecting the method. They’re a specialized hospital, so they have more patients,” Zheng Ren said humbly, a sheepish smile on his face.

“Are they picking you up from the hospital? Or you’re heading there on your own?” Xie Yiren asked.

Zheng Ren neglected to ask about the transportation arrangements.

He had been so engrossed in the scans earlier today that other details regarding the trip eluded him.

This question was the tip of the iceberg.

Did the Secondary Hospital have the tools? The materials? These were all questions he had no answer to.

Zheng Ren stopped in his tracks and signalled for Xie Yiren to wait. He was making a call.

“Director Zhang, it’s Zheng Ren.

“Yes, I forgot to ask, does your hospital have the required equipment and materials for the surgery?

“Oh, sure. I’ll help myself to them.”

With that, Zheng Ren ended the call.

“So?” Xie Yiren asked, a questioning look on her face.

“They have the essentials, but worry about suitability. I’m welcomed to bring my own. Director Zhang is responsible for purchasing, so he will deal with the payment,” Zheng Ren explained to Xie Yiren as he made another call.

“Manager Feng, I need 10 sets of TIPS procedure material tomorrow.

“Yes, we’ll be performing the procedures in the Secondary Hospital.

“Sorry for not notifying you earlier. It escaped my mind.

“Alright, see you tomorrow at 8:00 a.m, the emergency department building entrance.”

Zheng Ren hung up and let out a sigh. Planning was definitely not his strong suit.

“Good luck tomorrow!” Xie Yiren pumped her fist. The action combined with her encouragement struck him to his core. How could a person be that cute?

They parted ways with their usual wave, but after today’s intimacy, there was a different feeling in the air.