Chapter 15: Maybe the Light Also Favors Her

Shen Chaoyi swallowed. “I know. I’ve heard about it.”

“So someone like me isn’t worth Doctor Shen’s trouble. But still, thank you for saving me. I heard that if you hadn’t insisted, they would have given up on emergency treatment.” Yi Qingzhuo’s voice was weak, but she spoke calmly. “Thank you, Doctor Shen.”

After this distinctly distant remark, the ward fell into an eerie silence once more, a stark contrast to the noise in the corridor outside.

Yi Qingzhuo was stubbornly pushing away Shen Chaoyi’s kindness.

Shen Chaoyi’s hand hanging by her side tightened briefly as she steadied herself. “You’re someone I saved. Seeing you recover and be discharged is my responsibility. Of course I’ll see it through to the end. I’m a doctor, and you’re my patient. How can you say you’re not worth the trouble?”

Then she added, “Who you are has nothing to do with how I treat you. If you’ve done wrong, the law will punish you. Beyond that, you’re just my patient.”

Yi Qingzhuo raised her eyebrows, surprised at Shen Chaoyi’s words.

She glanced at her and said coldly, “Does Doctor Shen treat every patient like this?”

“Do you think you’re an exception?” Shen Chaoyi countered.

“Yes.” Yi Qingzhuo answered truthfully.

In nearly thirty years of life, she had never met a doctor who cared so much about her.

It was also the first time she had encountered such a gentle, knowledgeable physician.

She’d endured too much malice. No matter what she did, people who knew her would look at her with disgust.

But Shen Chaoyi, fully aware of those things, seemed completely unconcerned. It didn’t affect her friendly attitude toward Yi Qingzhuo at all.

Yi Qingzhuo wasn’t used to it. Subconsciously, she pushed away this goodwill.

“Then let’s say it is.” Shen Chaoyi smiled.

When Shen Chaoyi said “exception,” she meant singling out Yi Qingzhuo for special attention. But Yi Qingzhuo’s “exception” meant because of her past prison sentence.

The two of them were talking past each other, neither grasping the other’s meaning, yet they somehow reached a strange consensus.

Yi Qingzhuo lowered her eyes, avoiding Shen Chaoyi’s face, and remained silent.

Shen Chaoyi tightened her grip on the strap of her shoulder bag, waited half a minute, then said, “Get some rest. I’ll be going now.”

Without lingering further, she turned and walked away, her high heels clicking a steady rhythm on the floor.

“Doctor Shen.” When Shen Chaoyi reached the doorway, Yi Qingzhuo spoke up.

Hearing this, Shen Chaoyi paused, her hand already on the door handle. She turned back. “What is it?”

Yi Qingzhuo asked, “Have the police already spoken to you?”

Shen Chaoyi froze.

She had deliberately not told Yi Changhuan, and had instructed Chen Ya not to spread it around.

But Yi Qingzhuo had figured it out—probably out of habit.

“Yes, they came, but you weren’t in a state to be questioned then, so they left,” Shen Chaoyi replied.

“Because of my case, they’ll probably be bothering you often. I’m sorry for the trouble. If it affects your work, you can assign me a different doctor.” The fluid in the IV tube dripped down one drop at a time. Yi Qingzhuo’s expression was cold.

Shen Chaoyi’s voice was gentle. “It’s no trouble. Get some rest.”

The door opened and closed, and the graceful figure was gone from the ward.

The air seemed to still carry a faint fragrance belonging only to Shen Chaoyi—cool and tender, haunting and captivating.

But Yi Qingzhuo knew clearly that it was just her imagination. Maybe from the last time at the internet cafe when her wounds were dressed, or from the time Shen Chaoyi came to find her brother and talk with her. Definitely not here at the hospital. Yi Qingzhuo had memorized the perfume scent on Shen Chaoyi.

In the hospital, though Shen Chaoyi had taken off her white coat, she only smelled of disinfectant. That subtle fragrance, only detectable when very close, wasn’t there.

It was subconscious association.

Yi Qingzhuo’s brow creased slightly. She turned her head to glance at the file folder lying quietly on the bedside table.

After who knows how long, she finally sank back into a deep sleep.

…

“Mom, I’m home.” Shen Chaoyi took off her coat and changed her shoes.

“Mom, I’m home too.” Shen Gan quickly kicked off his sneakers, tossed his backpack aside, and dove straight into the kitchen.

These words seemed to be the fixed greeting for everyone returning home.

Shen Chaoyi, her fair feet in a pair of matching white women’s slippers, went into the room first. She changed out of her form-fitting blouse and coat, pinned up her long brown hair casually with a clip, and put on a relaxed set of loungewear.

This transformed her from an elegant, professional woman into a gentle, mature older sister.

A few strands of hair hung by her cheeks. After removing her light makeup, she picked up her phone from the vanity table and opened the door.

In the living room, Shen Gan was playing with his camera, lounging on the sofa like a sloth.

The moment Shen Chaoyi opened the door, he aimed the lens at her.

She lowered her eyes—just a profile—and it was stunningly beautiful.

Maybe the light also favored her. At that moment, she truly looked like a beauty stepping out of a painting.

Gentle and captivating. Every feature on her face was perfectly balanced. Her long lashes drooped slightly.

Wearing a somewhat loose white sweater, it hung off her just right, revealing a hint of her sexy collarbone.

Shen Gan pulled his head away from the camera, his jaw nearly dropping. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Sis, you’re really gorgeous.”

Who knows who’ll be lucky enough to end up with her.

Shen Chaoyi shot him a glare, half scolding. “You’re just using sweet talk to fool me again. Did you spot another pair of shoes you want but Mom won’t buy?”

“No way! Sis, how can you think of your brother like that?” Shen Gan pouted, pretending to be upset. He tossed the camera onto the sofa casually, then went over and hooked his arm around Wu Huiyi’s shoulder, tattling in front of Shen Chaoyi. “Mom, look at sis! I was sincerely complimenting her beauty, and she thinks I’m up to something. It hurts my feelings.”

Wu Huiyi shot Shen Gan a glare, carried the last dish to the table, and clapped her hands. “Alright, the food’s all ready. Chaoyi, wash your hands and eat.”

“Ignore your brother. He’s got a parent-teacher conference next week and is buttering you up so you’ll go get scolded by his head teacher. I’m not going, so he’s trying to sweet-talk you instead.”

Without mercy, Wu Huiyi exposed Shen Gan’s little scheme, not indulging him just because he was the youngest.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, saying to Shen Chaoyi, “If you’re busy, don’t bother taking special leave. Your dad will be back soon—have him go to the conference for him. Then we’ll see if he dares to skip class again.”

Shen Chaoyi picked up her chopsticks, placed a piece of spare rib on Wu Huiyi’s plate, and smiled. “Okay, whatever Mom says.”

“You guys! Mom!” Shen Gan, left out, stared wide-eyed at this scene of mother-daughter affection.

“Mom, am I even your own? How can you do this? I’m the youngest, but you always side with sis.”

Wu Huiyi looked up, unbothered. “Who told you to be so disobedient? Every time someone goes to your parent-teacher conference, it’s like reliving a social death in front of all the other parents. It ruins my whole day every time. Your sister has a busy job, no way she’s taking special leave just to go get scolded.”

Shen Gan pulled out a chair and sat next to Shen Chaoyi, biting his lip. “Come on, I’ve been much better lately.”

Thanks to Shen Chaoyi’s last warning, Shen Gan had been wary and had toned down a lot.

“Oh, by the way. You said just now I’m the youngest, but we always favor your sister? Want to know why?” Wu Huiyi took a couple bites of food, speaking casually as if making small talk.

Hearing this question, Shen Gan, who had just picked up his chopsticks, put them down again in frustration and drawled, “I know. Because back then, when sis was in school, all she did was study. She didn’t like talking to people. You and Dad were afraid she’d become withdrawn and develop mental health issues over time. So you had me to keep her company and cheer her up.”

Shen Chaoyi was thirty-two this year, while Shen Gan was only eighteen—a fourteen-year age gap.

Back then, Shen Chaoyi was entering adolescence, and with her gentle nature, she often got bullied at school. Her notebooks were taken, homework was copied without permission, and she was often left to do class duty alone.

At that time, Wu Huiyi thought about having a second child—boy or girl—so Shen Chaoyi would always have a companion.

A son would be best; he could even protect Shen Chaoyi.

Unexpectedly, fate favored them, and the second child was indeed a son.

Shen Gan was raised by Shen Chaoyi when he was little, and as he grew up, he became her loyal protector.

Shen Gan realized early on that his sister was gentle, soft-natured, and rarely got angry.

She was the sister who, despite being busy with school, would take time to teach him how to ride a bike.

She was also the sister who, whenever he was mischievous and about to be punished by their parents, would always shield him behind her back. She was the sister who never had the heart to scold him and always thought of him first when it came to anything good.

So, the brother and sister had always had a great relationship.

Even if the original intention behind his birth sounded unfair to him, being surrounded by love meant he never felt any resentment or psychological issues.

“Since you know, don’t ask such pointless questions next time.” Wu Huiyi nodded, looking at a deflated Shen Gan as if to say, “Good, you’ve learned.”

Originally, they had only planned to have one child—Shen Chaoyi—and give her all their love.

But after Shen Gan came along, even though they said they loved Shen Chaoyi more, they didn’t actually play favorites. Both children were treated the same.

In fact, because Shen Chaoyi was much older, she took extra care of Shen Gan.

Growing up surrounded by love, in a happy family atmosphere, Shen Gan was sunny and confident.

Shen Gan scratched his hair, then leaned his forehead against Shen Chaoyi’s shoulder and shook it. “Sis, look how blatantly Mom plays favorites. She’s not even afraid I’ll get upset.”

Shen Chaoyi pushed his head away and said quietly, “Stop scratching your hair. We’re eating.”

She knew her brother well. He was all talk; in his heart, he didn’t care at all.

“You should go to those internet cafes and entertainment spots less often. Mom will love you more.”

“Be good and listen.” Shen Chaoyi smiled, offering a half-hearted comfort.