Please Don’t Give Up On Treatment

Yu Tian attempted to call Yan Ming once more.

The outcome mirrored that of Yan Wenhua’s calls—no one answered.

She lingered at the entrance for a while, but still received no response from within.

Now, Yu Tian genuinely began to feel anxious.

Quickly, she pulled out her phone. Thankfully, Yan Ming’s front door was equipped with an electronic lock that required both a fingerprint and a password, and since Yan Wenhua had expressed concern for Yan Ming’s well-being, he had sent her the password in advance.

With a trembling hand, Yu Tian entered the code and, upon hearing the locking mechanism disengage, rushed inside without a second thought—

“Yan Ming! You’re not…”

Before she could complete her sentence, her gaze was met with a scene that rendered her momentarily speechless, the word “situation” caught in her throat.

In her imagination, she had pictured him fainting or in grave danger; instead, there he was, bare-chested, wrapped in a towel, and drying his still-damp hair with another towel.

It appeared he had just stepped out of the shower, and after staring at Yu Tian for nearly a full minute, he finally comprehended the situation.

“Yu Tian?”

A slight furrow appeared on Yan Ming’s brow, his hair, damp from washing, fell into a disarray, softening the intensity of his typically sharp and detached gaze, offering him an unexpectedly gentle appearance.

The moment Yu Tian recognized what she was witnessing, she reflexively shut her eyes, fully aware that she should not have been looking.

Yet the vivid memory of the strong visual impact would be hard to erase immediately.

Once her eyes were closed, her thoughts seemed to sprout wings of imagination.

Flashes of the core socialist values, Yan Ming’s sculpted chest, his well-defined abs, his v-line, then the core socialist values again, and once more Yan Ming’s chest, abs, and v-line, culminating in an overwhelming focus on Yan Ming’s physique…

In everyday clothing, his remarkable physique remained concealed, but she had not anticipated how impressive it truly was.

Yu Tian felt her face burning with an intensity that paralleled the speed of her racing thoughts. She perceived herself as a prisoner condemned by her eyes, having violated her own principles.

The absence of sight heightened her other senses.

She heard Yan Ming retreating to his room, the soft click of the door echoing moments later, followed by the sound of his slippers padding toward her.

Striving to maintain her composure and appear relaxed, she timidly inquired, “Can I open my eyes now?”

“Yes, you can.”

Yu Tian opened her eyes again.

Yan Ming had donned comfortable home attire and was seated on the sofa. One hand cradled a bottle of soda, while the other hung lazily at his side—long and fair, yet with muscular definition subtly evident beneath the skin. As he drank, his Adam’s apple bobbed, causing Yu Tian to instinctively feel a rush of thirst.

Without meaning to, she diverted her gaze.

The heat of the day, paired with her current flustering situation, heightened her restlessness, compelling her to lower her eyes to the ground.

Clearing her throat, she assured Yan Ming, “You don’t have to worry; everything I saw has been completely forgotten! I’ve always been known for my poor memory!”

Yan Ming remained silent, merely casting a glance in her direction before finishing his soda, then lazily tossing the empty bottle into the corner garbage can.

With an efficient arc, the canister landed perfectly inside.

Simultaneously, Yan Ming’s quiet voice penetrated the air—

“A girl, 18 years old. Sustained a puncture wound from a nail on the sole of her right foot; the area has been cleaned, and the wound has healed. Six days later, she presented with fever, cough, weakness while chewing, excessive phlegm, and localized muscle tightness, followed by frequent limb spasms unresponsive to sedatives. What immediate treatment should be implemented to ensure the patient’s safety?”

Without hesitation, Yu Tian blurted out, “Tracheostomy.”

“What are the normal reference values for red blood cells and hemoglobin in an adult male?”

“4.0-5.5×10^12/L, 120-160g/L.”

Her responses emerged instinctively, yet afterward, a flicker of confusion crossed her mind.

Was Yan Ming testing her medical knowledge? After all, these were frequent exam questions in clinical medicine.

Before she could voice her thoughts, Yan Ming glanced at her: “So, how can I trust that you will forget?”

His tone was level. “Anyone who graduates from our medical school can hardly be said to have a poor memory.”

“……”

Yu Tian shot him a resentful sideways glance, silently fuming.

This guy had employed a clever tactic!

Seemingly aware of her gaze, Yan Ming remarked casually, “Master the techniques of others to counter them. Isn’t that what you said? If you’re honest, I could also use fewer of the ploys I’ve learned from you.”

Yu Tian maintained a defiant stance as she fixed her eyes on the carpet: “But for those of us in the medical field, regardless of gender, looking at the human body doesn’t evoke any mystery or thrill. Though I saw it, it was as tranquil as viewing a cadaver.”

Yu Tian felt she was speaking the truth, yet her ears and face burned as if she were telling the most outrageous lie.

Yan Ming, evidently a keen observer, commented, “If you are truly so calm, then what’s with your flushed ears?”

Yu Tian longed to commend his astuteness, but wished he would refrain from further observation.

She attempted to justify, “It’s just that it’s warmer here and the ambient temperature is elevated, causing the capillaries in my ears to dilate, leading to the redness.”

In a dry tone, she continued, “It’s primarily due to the temperature difference.”

To validate her statement, she even fanned herself, attempting to create a breeze around her ears.

Yan Ming made no comment on her excuse but raised an eyebrow slightly, redirecting his attention, his tone remaining calm and deep as he insisted, “In any case, forget what you just saw.”

His voice was cold, yet Yu Tian noticed his ears were also slightly flushed.

For reasons unbeknownst to her, Yu Tian found herself foolishly commenting, “Your ears are red too…”

Yan Ming pressed his lips together and shot her a glare, succinctly retorting, “Temperature difference.”

Indeed, temperature difference—certainly, it must be the temperature difference.

Soon after, Yan Ming changed the subject: “Why have you come?”

“Uncle Yan mentioned you were quite ill and was unable to reach you while he was out of town, worrying over your condition. He gave me your door password so I could check on you. I didn’t mean to barge in.”

Yu Tian stammered in explanation: “I was concerned since my calls and knocks didn’t yield any response, and I feared you may have fainted…”

She cautiously glanced at Yan Ming: “But now you seem perfectly fine; even able to drink soda….”

Yan Ming cast his gaze downward and replied softly, “I’m fine. I apologize on behalf of my father for the trouble you went to.”

Yu Tian observed him closely, recognizing that he didn’t appear sickly at all. Furthermore, judging by his physique just moments earlier, he certainly wasn’t the fragile type—after all, a doctor who could endure numerous extended surgeries and long shifts wouldn’t likely have a weak constitution.

So why did he claim to be suffering from acute gastroenteritis?

Yu Tian tentatively probed, “So you aren’t sick? You were lying?”

His expression turned a tad uncomfortable but quickly reverted to calmness; he seemed unwilling to elaborate but tacitly acknowledged the deception, leading the conversation to a swift close.

“There are some special circumstances.”

To think he was lying for some “special circumstances”?

As soon as he mentioned that, realization dawned upon Yu Tian, like a lightbulb clicking on.

Perhaps Yan Ming had feigned illness to elicit worry from Yan Wenhua, similar to a child pretending to be sick to capture their parents’ attention!

Especially now, while Yan Wenhua was infatuated with her mother, Yan Ming must feel anxious about the impending changes that might push him to the sidelines of a new family dynamic, thus seeking ways to assert his presence.

As a child of a single-parent household herself, Yu Tian could empathize with Yan Ming’s convoluted emotions.

In an instant, she felt a closer bond with him.

As if to affirm her newfound understanding, Yan Ming rose and glanced at the time: “It’s nearly mealtime. I appreciate you coming over; I’ll order takeout so we can eat together.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Yu Tian insisted, “It’s peak delivery time now; it’s actually more efficient to whip up a simple meal at home.”

She was about to suggest she could help out in that regard when Yan Ming spoke up.

“At home, I can only offer you a very simple lunch…”

“I don’t mind! A simple meal is perfect!”

Her idol was personally preparing a meal for her! How could she possibly object?

She felt an electrifying glee flooding her being!

Additionally, sharing a meal was a vital pathway to bridging the gap between them.

Yet, not wishing to burden him entirely, Yu Tian volunteered, “Do you need any help? I can assist with anything!”

Yan Ming succinctly replied, “No need.”

A hint of shyness flickered across Yu Tian’s face as she smiled, “Thank you for that.”

After speaking, Yan Ming promptly retreated into the kitchen.

Suppressing her excitement, Yu Tian could hardly wait; she quickly pulled out her phone to boast to Qi Sihao—

“My idol is preparing lunch just for me! Look how wonderful Yan Ming is! Not only does he excel academically, but he’s also incredibly adept at living—unlike certain others who can’t even cook and just mooch their meals, yet never repay the favor, not even by cooking me something in return.”

Her internal monologue brimmed with praise for Yan Ming, but before she could articulate her thoughts, he emerged from the kitchen.

“It’s ready,” he announced, giving her a brief glance. “It’s quite simple.”

So fast?!

No wonder he was an exceptional doctor; his efficiency was impressive!

Yu Tian exclaimed, “That’s incredible! I usually keep my meals quite basic too. You’re amazing to whip up a simple lunch in such a short time! No wonder our teachers have praised your precision and efficiency in lab work…”

But soon, her enthusiasm faltered as she beheld the two bowls of instant noodles he had placed before her.

When he mentioned “simple fare,” she had envisaged something like scrambled eggs with tomatoes…

Yet what lay before her seemed far too minimalistic!

Nevertheless, Yan Ming defended his choice: “Braised beef noodles; I fried an egg, boiled some greens, and added the meat from the seasoning packet. It’s quite balanced nutritionally.”

Indeed, each bowl of steaming beef noodle soup bore a vibrant broth, garnished with a few greens, and topped with a perfectly fried egg.

It was a commendable combination of meat and vegetables.

To Yu Tian’s mind, she ought to be grateful; after all, this was a meal personally prepared by her idol.

Just as she finished her noodles, however, the doorbell rang—

“Yan Ming, are you home?”