Chapter 2: No One is a Replacement Part 1

Her voice was too loud. The surrounding crowd shifted from subtle glances to blatant staring.

Three women—each beautiful in her own distinct way—standing together was a spectacle in itself. Moreover, the fact that Gu Qingshuang and Lu Shuang had been frequently seen together lately had already sparked rumors throughout the hospital.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lu Shuang realized her blunder. Her expression wavered with embarrassment, but her pride kept her from apologizing. She simply pursed her lips and looked at Gu Qingshuang, her eyes flickering with guilt.

But the moment the name Shen Lideng was uttered, Gu Qingshuang’s expression shifted.

Her face, usually as immutable as an iceberg, grew dark and overcast, matching the gloomy sky outside the window.

Ming Li had no desire to make a scene in public, especially since she could see Ming Xi—who never missed a chance to get involved—approaching the edge of the crowd, looking ready to push through and defend her sister.

Ming Li reached out and took Gu Qingshuang’s hand, stepping close to her.

As a dancer, Ming Li had a slender, graceful frame, yet she stood several centimeters taller than Gu Qingshuang. Standing beside her, she felt like a solid wall, shielding Gu Qingshuang from the malicious scrutiny of the onlookers.

“Miss Lu, everyone is unique.” Ming Li squeezed Gu Qingshuang’s fingers, feeling the chill emanating from her palm. She tried to transfer her own warmth to her, her face still wearing a faint, calm smile. “No one is a replacement for someone else.”

“But you and Shen Lideng…” Lu Shuang frowned, clearly unwilling to back down.

She was cut off mid-sentence by Gu Qingshuang. “Lu Shuang.”

The doctor merely uttered her name in a low, heavy tone, but it was enough to make Lu Shuang flinch. When the intern looked up again, her eyes were already rimmed with red, making her look like a frightened rabbit.

“This is a hospital,” Gu Qingshuang said coldly.

As those frigid eyes locked onto her, Lu Shuang’s tears began to fall in heavy droplets.

“Qingshuang.” Ming Li gently gave Gu Qingshuang’s hand a tug. Her voice was soft, prompting Gu Qingshuang to turn toward her.

In that moment of eye contact, Ming Li felt as though she were staring at an iceberg. A massive, eternal peak of ice that would never melt.

Ming Li nearly shivered from the coldness in that gaze. Her own hand, which had been warm, suddenly felt chilled. This drop in temperature wasn’t just in her palm; it seemed to seep through her entire body. It felt colder than the snow she had walked through earlier that morning.

However, Gu Qingshuang seemed to remember that Lu Shuang was still watching—they still had to play the part of a loving couple.

The icy hostility in her eyes softened slightly, though her response remained stiff. She let out a small “Mhm?” from the back of her throat.

“She’s still young. You’re being too harsh,” Ming Li said. “Speak to her properly.”

Gu Qingshuang glanced at Lu Shuang, who was now a sobbing mess with her head bowed, but she couldn’t bring herself to utter a single comforting word.

After a few seconds of heavy silence, Ming Li stepped in to mediate. “Miss Lu is clearly sincere. It seems my Qingshuang is the one who isn’t worthy of such devotion.”

Ming Li stepped forward and patted Lu Shuang’s shoulder, lowering her voice to a whisper. “This is a public place. If you don’t want to become the hospital’s latest piece of gossip, dry your tears and come to the restroom with me.”

Lu Shuang let out a sob but didn’t speak.

Ming Li took her by the wrist and asked gently, “Will you come with me?”

Lu Shuang gave a small, jerky nod.

As they wove through the crowd, they passed Ming Xi. Her sister grabbed Ming Li’s hand, clearly signaling her not to get involved, but Ming Li just smiled and whispered, “Go eat with Mom first.”

The onlookers, seeing the drama disperse, didn’t dare continue their blatant staring and began to scatter.

Once Ming Li led Lu Shuang into the restroom, the girl ducked into a stall and began to wail. It was the sound of someone who had been pampered since childhood and had never known such a stinging rejection.

Ming Li took some tissues out of her bag and leaned against the sink, her mind a chaotic jumble. She didn’t even know what she was thinking about. Her vision grew slightly blurry until Gu Qingshuang’s hand waved in front of her face.

Ming Li immediately stood up straight, her eyes darting toward Lu Shuang’s stall. The crying had weakened; the girl was likely calming down.

“You didn’t finish your lunch, did you?” Gu Qingshuang asked.

“I ate enough.” Ming Li forced a smile. “How could I have an appetite after that?”

“I’ll handle this,” Gu Qingshuang said. “You should go back.”

“You’ll handle it?” Ming Li arched an eyebrow, her smile widening though it held little genuine warmth. “And how will you do that? With threats or reprimands?”

How could I expect a woman who can’t even say a kind word to comfort someone?

Gu Qingshuang fell silent. She likely knew her own shortcomings in that department.

After a moment, the sobbing stopped entirely. Gu Qingshuang spoke up, her voice cold: “There are only ten minutes left of the lunch break. Lu Shuang, come out once you’ve composed yourself.”

Ming Li was speechless.

“Enough.” Ming Li placed a hand over Gu Qingshuang’s. “Let me handle this, okay?”

Gu Qingshuang hesitated. “What are you going to say to her?”

“Just talk,” Ming Li replied.

There were some things Ming Li couldn’t say plainly to Gu Qingshuang, especially with Lu Shuang listening in the stall. Gu Qingshuang was straightforward to a fault; her words were blunt instruments that easily caused wounds. If Lu Shuang walked away with a grudge, it would only make her future work life difficult.

Moreover, Lu Shuang was the daughter of Gu Qingshuang’s mentor. Given that connection, they couldn’t be too severe with her.

Ming Li’s mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but she settled on one line: “We both love the same woman. It’s more appropriate for me to talk to her. Is that alright?”

Gu Qingshuang frowned at the first sentence, but Ming Li pointed toward the stall door, signaling that she was just saying what Lu Shuang needed to hear.

Ultimately, Gu Qingshuang said nothing.

When Lu Shuang finally emerged from the stall, Gu Qingshuang’s gaze shifted from the intern to Ming Li. “Call me if you can’t handle it,” she said curtly.

“I will,” Ming Li nodded.

Once Gu Qingshuang left the restroom, Lu Shuang walked to the sink and turned on the tap, splashing cold water on her face to wash away the tear stains. Ming Li considerately handed her a tissue without saying a word.

Lu Shuang checked her watch. She had five minutes left of the time Gu Qingshuang had allotted her. She sniffled and asked in a tear-choked voice, “Why are you helping me?”

“You think I’m helping you?” Ming Li’s voice was like water—calm, gentle, and devoid of temper. She remained unfazed even after being called a “counterfeit” in front of a crowd. Her tone was so kind it naturally made people lower their guard. “I’m only helping Gu Qingshuang.”

“But you’re not the one she loves.” Lu Shuang looked up, dazed for a moment as she stared at Ming Li’s face.

She hadn’t looked closely at Ming Li before. At a glance, she really did look like Shen Lideng. But in reality, Ming Li was more beautiful.