Shen Lideng’s beauty was dazzling, the kind that demanded immediate attention in a crowd, yet it was almost piercing. Ming Li was different. Her beauty was refined and gentle; her features were more delicate than Shen Lideng’s. Her eyes, in particular, were soft yet unreadable—mysterious.
Lu Shuang’s memories of Shen Lideng were from years ago, during her freshman year at the Medical University. The courses had been long and tedious; she had never been interested in medicine, but her father had signed her up behind her back. She had gone on a three-day hunger strike in protest, but she had ended up attending anyway.
On the day she reported to the school, Gu Qingshuang had come to pick her up. Shen Lideng had been standing by Gu Qingshuang’s side, radiant and sun-drenched, like a pampered peacock princess.
Gu Qingshuang had been tasked by Lu Shuang’s father to show her around. But from the first moment she saw her, Lu Shuang had fallen for the cold doctor.
She had watched Gu Qingshuang cater to Shen Lideng’s every whim. Though Gu Qingshuang’s expression was often indifferent or even impatient, she would carry Shen Lideng on her back when she was tired, finish the ice cream Shen Lideng couldn’t finish, and wait for her to play to her heart’s content despite grumbling about the time. She would buy mountains of snacks for Shen Lideng whenever she left…
Lu Shuang had envied the way Gu Qingshuang treated Shen Lideng.
Lu Shuang had loved Gu Qingshuang for five years. Now that she was an intern under her and had learned that Gu and Shen had broken up, she had finally decided to make her move. She wanted that devotion for herself.
But Gu Qingshuang had remained indifferent. Perhaps due to her father’s influence, Gu Qingshuang didn’t scold her when she made mistakes, but she didn’t show affection either. Out of the three interns, only Lu Shuang was allowed to eat lunch with her every day.
Because of this, Lu Shuang thought Gu Qingshuang might like her back. She didn’t want to miss her chance, so after lunch today, she had offered Gu Qingshuang a movie ticket.
Gu Qingshuang had refused.
When Lu Shuang pressed for a reason, Gu Qingshuang only spoke of how busy the department was and criticized her lack of focus on work. Lu Shuang felt her feelings were obvious, yet Gu Qingshuang seemed completely oblivious.
In a fit of frustration, Lu Shuang had confessed.
She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth. She would have preferred to stay by Gu Qingshuang’s side, enjoying the small, unintentional bits of care, rather than this. She had made a scene and lost her dignity; if Ming Li hadn’t stepped in to save her from that predicament, she wouldn’t have known what to do.
Lu Shuang felt grateful to Ming Li, but she was too embarrassed to say thank you. Instead, her words came out like a provocation.
To her surprise, Ming Li wasn’t angry. She simply asked, “Then who is the one she loves?”
“It’s…” Shen Lideng’s name was on the tip of her tongue, but Lu Shuang didn’t dare say it. Her impulsive heat had cooled, and her reason was returning. How could she continue to hurt the woman who had just helped her?
Lu Shuang bit her lip.
Ming Li said calmly, “I am the one she married. Furthermore, we have been married for three years.”
Lu Shuang gasped. “She… she never said anything.”
It was nothing like when she was with Shen Lideng. Back then, everyone knew Gu Qingshuang had a childhood sweetheart. She had loved that girl to her core, never fearing the judgment of the world. People used to say that a “flower on a high ridge” like Gu Qingshuang would only ever bloom for Shen Lideng. No one expected them to part ways.
And yet, Gu Qingshuang had been married to Ming Li for three years. The entire hospital thought she was still single.
“We prefer to keep things low-key,” Ming Li said, her voice steady. “She’s very focused on her work and doesn’t like discussing her private life. I also don’t see much point in broadcasting it. If it weren’t for you today, we would have continued to act like strangers in the hospital.”
“Aren’t you worried? She’s so incredible…” Lu Shuang trailed off.
Ming Li smiled, her answer certain. “She doesn’t do ‘ambiguity’ or ‘flirting.’ Let me guess… Miss Lu has liked her for a long time, but she hasn’t even realized it, has she?”
Lu Shuang was silent.
Ming Li had a pleasant voice that made people want to open up to her. Lu Shuang pouted. “Yeah. I thought I’d been chasing her for ages.”
“That’s just how she is,” Ming Li said. “A bit obtuse when it comes to emotions.”
“But that’s the thing,” Lu Shuang muttered. “When a person like that falls in love, they never change.”
That was the kind of person who had once gotten into fights for Shen Lideng and nearly been expelled. Lu Shuang had seen the Gu Qingshuang who was with Shen Lideng, which was why the Gu Qingshuang with Ming Li seemed so cold…
No, that wasn’t quite right. How should she describe it? It wasn’t exactly cold, but it wasn’t passionate either. She wasn’t at Ming Li’s beck and call like she had been with Shen Lideng; instead, she consulted with her.
Ming Li was much more stable and composed than Shen Lideng had ever been. With Shen Lideng, Gu Qingshuang was always the caretaker. But with Ming Li, it felt like Ming Li was the one looking after her. She monitored Gu Qingshuang’s moods, managed her social interactions, and handled the details of her life.
She had even managed to take care of Lu Shuang—her “rival.”
In Gu Qingshuang, Lu Shuang saw something rare: trust. Gu Qingshuang trusted Ming Li to handle everything, and there was a hint of dependency there. Just like when Lu Shuang had confessed, Gu Qingshuang could have easily explained that she was married, but her first instinct had been to call Ming Li over.
She was certain Ming Li could fix it.
Lu Shuang’s head was spinning with these thoughts. Suddenly, her watch alarm went off. She jumped. “I have to go on rounds! Thank you.”
She silenced the alarm and paused at the restroom door, looking back at Ming Li. “I don’t even know your name. Your full name.”
Ming Li’s lips parted slightly. “Ming Li.”
Lu Shuang repeated the name to herself and smiled. “It’s beautiful.” Then, she bolted.
Ming Li wasn’t sure what to make of Lu Shuang’s reaction. The girl was sharp and didn’t seem the type to stay stuck in a rut, but understanding a situation and being able to act on that understanding were two different things.
After the ordeal, Ming Li washed her hands again and stepped out. She saw Gu Qingshuang standing nearby, looking at her phone.
Ming Li didn’t intend to bother her, but as she tried to walk past, Gu Qingshuang called out, “Ming Li.”
Gu Qingshuang only called her “A-Li” in front of others to sound intimate. In private, she was always cold, using her full name. Only sometimes in bed, when Gu Qingshuang was being pushed too hard, would she cry out “A-Li” through her tears.
Ming Li glanced at the phone screen; it was a chat window. Seeing Ming Li’s gaze, Gu Qingshuang didn’t hide it. She turned the screen toward her, looking genuinely curious. “What did you say to her?”
The message from Lu Shuang read: [Dr. Gu, I won’t like you anymore.]
[Also, I don’t think you’re quite good enough for Ming Li.]*
Ming Li: “…”
