Chapter 2: Things Left at the Hospital

Holding a professional suturing needle, Shen Chaoyi pulled up a chair and sat down in front of the treatment table to stitch her up.

“Besides your arm, are there any other open wounds?” The mask made Shen Chaoyi’s already soft voice sound even more muffled.

But it still came through warm and pleasant to the ear.

“No.” Yi Qingzhuo lowered her gaze. From her line of sight, she could clearly see the work ID on Shen Chaoyi’s chest.

First People’s Hospital

Emergency Department – Shen Chaoyi.

Her name was Shen Chaoyi. It sounded full of hope.

Chao—like the rising sun.

Yi Qingzhuo’s gaze drifted upward slightly. Even with the mask on, the gentle, knowledgeable temperament was impossible to hide.

Clear, slender eyes, as if holding a pool of light—bright and spirited.

Soon, Shen Chaoyi finished bandaging the wound and picked up the medical record form beside her.

She asked in a very professional tone, “Do you have any symptoms like headaches or chest tightness?”

“No.” Yi Qingzhuo restrained the sharp edge in her brow, her back straight as a rod, speaking little.

“Can you walk in a straight line normally? Can you move the fingers on your left hand freely?”

“Yes.”

“Let me treat the wound on your face too. Apply some medicine to prevent infection.” Shen Chaoyi closed the medical record, stood up, and put on a fresh pair of disposable gloves.

Yi Qingzhuo stood up. “No need.”

She was tall—well over five foot seven.

It was fine when she was sitting, but the moment she stood up, combined with that expressionless face, she radiated an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Shen Chaoyi was startled by her sudden rise and instinctively took a step back.

Before she could react, Yi Qingzhuo started walking out.

“Yi Qingzhuo, the face has many nerves. If the wound isn’t treated in time, there could be aftereffects.”

Shen Chaoyi called after her. “Plus, I need to examine your face to make sure there’s no problem before you can leave.”

She glanced at Yi Qingzhuo’s medical record, then opened the computer and noticed that Yi Qingzhuo had a lot of visit records over the past year—significantly more than average. And each time it was for cuts, bruises, or other external injuries.

Yi Qingzhuo caught it sharply—Shen Chaoyi had just called her by name.

She turned back, surprise flickering in her eyes.

Seeing the medical record in Shen Chaoyi’s hand, she realized why.

“I’m not injured.” Yi Qingzhuo said flatly, then turned back to retrieve her medical record and patient card.

But a warm hand pressed down on her. “Sit down.”

Gentle and graceful—that was the word that surfaced in Yi Qingzhuo’s mind to best describe Shen Chaoyi at this moment.

The next second, Yi Qingzhuo directly pulled her hand back.

Her other hand was wrapped in gauze, but she seemed to use it without difficulty.

Enduring the pain, she yanked out the medical record and patient card, said “Thank you” in a cold, emotionless voice, then turned and strode away.

Shen Chaoyi opened her mouth to call her back, but Yi Qingzhuo had already vanished.

A very disobedient person.

“Doctor Shen, Director Zhou is looking for you.” A nurse walked in just then, calling out to Shen Chaoyi.

Shen Chaoyi closed Yi Qingzhuo’s medical information system, memorizing the phone number listed inside.

She stood up. “I understand. I’ll be right there.”

“Ah? Did that patient leave this behind?” The nurse was tidying up the treatment table when she noticed a black jacket draped over the edge of the bed.

She had a faint impression of the woman radiating coldness, so she bent down to pick it up.

But the moment she lifted it, a wallet fell out. “She didn’t take it? There’s even a wallet in here.”

Hearing the sound, Shen Chaoyi, who had already stepped out the door, turned back. She saw the bloodstained wallet and jacket in the nurse’s hand.

Frowning slightly, she said, “Give them to me. I know her.”

“Doctor Shen knows her?” The nurse looked puzzled.

A goddess-like presence like Shen Chaoyi, untouched by the mundane—she would know someone who got into fights?

The two of them, no matter how you looked at it, couldn’t be further apart.

Shen Chaoyi took the jacket and wallet and examined them carefully. She didn’t need to open the brown wallet deliberately.

She could already see Yi Qingzhuo’s ID card casually tucked inside. It was probably after registering and with her hands not cooperating, she had just shoved it into the wallet.

Now, as she held the wallet, the ID card immediately dropped to the floor.

Shen Chaoyi picked up the ID card, looking at Yi Qingzhuo’s photo—still with short black hair.

It must have been taken earlier, when she had a clean, sharp short haircut, her deep gaze staring straight ahead.

Firm and fierce—a rare person whose photo alone exuded danger.

“I do know her.” Shen Chaoyi quickly put Yi Qingzhuo’s ID card away before the curious nurse could look over.

“I’ll return it. No need to send it to the Lost and Found. Or if she comes looking, tell her to come find me directly.”

With that, Shen Chaoyi took the items and turned away.

Back in her office, she pulled a paper bag from a drawer, folded the jacket neatly, and placed it inside.

Then she opened her palm and looked at Yi Qingzhuo from the ID card.

Know her? Of course Shen Chaoyi knew Yi Qingzhuo.

Or rather, everyone in Ningchuan knew Yi Qingzhuo.

She had been to prison. Ten years—a full ten years.

Back in her senior year of high school, her father had beaten her mother after drinking. For a long time, Yi Qingzhuo had witnessed her mother being abused.

That night, she rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and stabbed her father six times. She was sentenced to prison for excessive self-defense.

This incident made her notorious. Even Shen Chaoyi, who was away at university, heard fragments from her mother.

About that family tragedy and the cold-blooded person rumored to be a dangerous element—Yi Qingzhuo.

Stabbing her own biological father six times—how terrifying could a person be?

Countless parents in Ningchuan used this to warn their children. Yi Qingzhuo became a complete cautionary tale.

That was why Shen Chaoyi had blurted out Yi Qingzhuo’s name earlier—she already knew who she was.

What Yi Qingzhuo hadn’t noticed was that when they first met yesterday, Shen Chaoyi had addressed her as “Miss Yi.”

Shen Chaoyi slipped the ID card back into Yi Qingzhuo’s wallet, her good upbringing keeping her from opening it and prying into Yi Qingzhuo’s privacy.

Actually, when she had warned Yi Qingzhuo at the internet cafe yesterday, she had felt a little nervous inside.

For someone like her—always seen as the obedient, good girl in outsiders’ eyes—Shen Chaoyi usually avoided dangerous people like snakes and scorpions.

That was why she had dragged her brother away without waiting for Yi Qingzhuo to say more.

Pushing the thought aside, Shen Chaoyi went back to work.

By evening, Shen Chaoyi rubbed her sore shoulders and changed out of her white coat.

After tilting her head back to drink half a bottle of water, she picked up her bag and prepared to leave for the day.

As she looked down, she noticed the white paper bag under her chair.

After a moment’s thought, she bent down to pick it up. As she passed the nurse station, she saw the nurse who had cleaned up the treatment table that morning.

She waved gently and said in a soft voice, “Chen Ya, did that patient from this morning come back to look for her clothes?”

Chen Ya looked up from a pile of medical records. “No. I’ve been on duty all day, and she never came asking.”

Hearing this, Shen Chaoyi tightened her grip on the bag, a little surprised. “Alright, I understand. I’ll return it to her directly.”

Shen Chaoyi found it odd. There was a wallet, ID, and bank card in that jacket—important items. How could she not be anxious at all?

A whole day had passed. Had she still not realized she lost her wallet?

She sure was easygoing.

Despite her curiosity, Shen Chaoyi went home first.

“Mom, I’m home.” Shen Chaoyi changed her shoes and looked toward the kitchen.

As expected, her mother was probably making dinner there.

The next second, Wu Huiyi poked her head out of the kitchen, spatula in hand. “Ah, Chaoyi’s back. Wash your hands and get ready. I made your favorite sweet and sour ribs.”

“Okay.” Shen Chaoyi first went to her room to change out of her clothes, which reeked of disinfectant.

During dinner, Shen Chaoyi thought about Yi Qingzhuo’s belongings. She glanced at Shen Gan, who was wolfing down his food, hesitated, then asked in a seemingly casual tone, “Ah Gan, do you know if that internet cafe you usually go to is still open at this hour?”

Shen Gan was devouring his meal and nearly choked on a rib at his sister’s sudden question.

The bone lodged between his teeth. He looked up guiltily at Wu Huiyi.

Sure enough, Wu Huiyi put down her chopsticks and pinched Shen Gan’s ear. “You little brat! Going to the internet cafe behind my back again?”

Shen Gan winced, quickly shielding his ear with a howl. “Sis, sis! You can’t do this! Are you really ratting me out in broad daylight now? Didn’t you promise not to tell Mom?”

“What ratting? You expect your sister to cover for you?” Wu Huiyi tightened her grip, making Shen Gan squirm as if sitting on pins and needles.

Seeing this, Shen Chaoyi quickly explained, “No, it’s not that. A patient left something with me. She works at that internet cafe. I thought if it’s convenient, I could drop it off. I need to go buy something anyway.”

“Really? It’s not that this little brat is cutting class again?” Wu Huiyi loosened her grip.

“No, it has nothing to do with Ah Gan.” Shen Chaoyi downplayed it without lying.

Wu Huiyi finally let go of Shen Gan, then gave him a slap on the shoulder. “If I ever catch you cutting class to go to the internet cafe, I’ll twist your ear off.”

Shen Gan had been held back a grade in elementary school, so he was a bit older in high school. He was already an adult before graduating, so the internet cafe didn’t stop him.

Wu Huiyi was at her wit’s end; she couldn’t keep him away from the cafe.

“Sis, did you do that on purpose? Speaking all slow and gentle, making me take a beating for nothing.” Shen Gan patted his chest, catching his breath while complaining.

Shen Chaoyi smiled faintly, unhurried. “So, is it open or not?”

She had no patience to play along with Shen Gan’s act for Wu Huiyi.

He was caught skipping class for the internet cafe just yesterday, so getting a beating today was well deserved.

“It’s open. The cafe runs until late at night.” Shen Gan rubbed his ear, thoroughly annoyed.

“Good.” Shen Chaoyi finished her meal and glanced at her watch.

“Mom, I’m going out for a bit.” She picked up the paper bag and crouched by the door to change her shoes.