Feng Yuxiao had already sent the friend request, with the note reading:
“Hello, Dr. Xiong. I’m Feng Yuxiao, Feng Miwan’s older brother. I’d like to consult with you about something.”
He put down his phone, feeling quite optimistic:
“Hey, it’s worth a shot. It’s not like it’ll cost me an arm and a leg. What if Dr. Xiong happens to be looking for some extra cash lately?”
“Or maybe she knows some reliable nursing student?”
“If she turns it down, we can just try someone else—a different doctor or caregiver.”
Feng Miwan simply couldn’t comprehend her brother’s thought process. She rubbed her forehead and sighed:
“Bro… Dr. Xiong is so busy at the hospital. How could she possibly have time to come take care of me?”
“You’re not just dreaming big—you’re dreaming extraordinarily big!”
Just then, Feng Yuxiao’s phone chimed.
The screen lit up, showing: “X” has approved your friend verification request.
Feng Yuxiao tapped open the chat.
The other side had only sent a succinct: “?”
Feng Yuxiao cleared his throat lightly, held down the voice input key, and spoke in as polite, sincere, and non-offensive tone as possible:
“Hello, Dr. Xiong. Sorry to bother you. I’m Feng Miwan’s older brother.”
“Here’s the thing—my sister hurt her right hand, and we’re all worried about her living alone and managing inconveniently.”
“I know this request might be a bit presumptuous, but I wanted to ask… In your off-hours lately, would it be possible… uh, convenient for you to come over and guide or look after her sometime?”
“It’s mainly that we don’t know much about professional nursing, and we’re afraid she won’t recover well.”
“Of course, we’ll pay fees at the highest market rate—no way we’d let you work for nothing.”
With that, he released his finger, and the voice message sent.
The car fell into dead silence.
Feng Miwan held her breath, unable to imagine what expression Xiong Yibai might have on the other end of the phone after hearing that message.
She could already picture Dr. Xiong furrowing her brows, then slowly typing out a “?” or rejecting it outright.
Feng Miwan closed her eyes in despair.
“Bro…”
“I think my social life officially died today, right here, right now.”
Sure enough, a few seconds later, Feng Yuxiao’s phone rang.
It was a voice message from Xiong Yibai.
Feng Yuxiao quickly played it, and Xiong Yibai’s pleasant voice filled the car:
“Mr. Feng, thank you for your trust.
However, as an on-duty hospital doctor, I can’t take on private commissions like this. It goes against regulations.
I suggest hiring a professional caregiver for your sister—it’ll be better for her recovery.”
See?
Feng Miwan wore an “I knew it” expression and shot her brother a resentful glare.
Feng Yuxiao was a bit disappointed but still replied politely with a voice message:
“Got it, got it. Understood. Thanks for your time, Dr. Xiong.”
He set down his phone, sighed, and started pondering again:
“Then what do we do… I think I have the number for a caregiving agency. Let me look for it…”
At that moment, Feng Miwan’s own phone buzzed twice.
She picked it up and looked—her eyes instantly widened.
The message was from “Xiong Yibai.”
Xiong Yibai: “Do you need someone to take care of you?”
Feng Miwan almost thought she was seeing things. She sat bolt upright and typed back with her left hand:
“It’s not me who needs it! It’s my bro!”
“He keeps thinking my right hand is crippled and I can’t take care of myself. He insists on finding someone for me!”
“I told him I can handle it myself!”
Followed by a puffed-up, round emoji.
The message sent successfully.
Feng Miwan stared at the screen nervously, wondering why Dr. Xiong had suddenly private-messaged her about this.
After a while, Xiong Yibai replied.
Two messages popped up in succession:
Xiong Yibai: “Understood.”
Xiong Yibai: “My off-hours aren’t fixed. Coming to your place to look after you isn’t realistic.”
Feng Miwan read that and thought, As expected, no dice.
But right after, another new message jumped in:
Xiong Yibai: “However, as a friend, if you don’t mind, you could temporarily move in with me.
When I’m free, I can check on your condition and guide your rehab.”
“Wha… what?!”
Feng Miwan cried out in shock, shoving the phone screen right in front of her brother’s face.
“Bro! Bro! Quick, look! Am I dreaming?!”
Feng Yuxiao leaned over and saw it too. He froze for a second, then beamed with delight:
“Whoa! Dr. Xiong’s suggestion is perfect! Way better than hiring a caregiver—a million times better! Professional and reliable!”
“Hurry, hurry! Agree to it! Ask her how much per day? A thousand a day okay?”
Feng Miwan was still reeling from the shock, dazedly typing as her brother instructed:
“Dr. Xiong… My bro says… is a thousand a day okay? Really sorry to trouble you…”
This time, the chat showed “The other party is typing…”
It lingered for a bit, as if the person on the other end was editing and deleting, but finally:
Xiong Yibai: “Two hundred is fine. Consider it rent.”
Feng Yuxiao saw that and, without a word, directly transferred a full ten thousand yuan to Xiong Yibai!
On the other end, Xiong Yibai saw the amount and sent a string of ellipses: “……”
Followed by a text: “Too much. She doesn’t need to stay fifty days.”
Feng Yuxiao held down the voice key:
“Not much, not much! Dr. Xiong, hold onto it for now. Any extra can be prepayment—we’ll settle up later based on how many days she stays!
Thank you so much!”
Xiong Yibai went silent for a moment, then it showed “Payment received.”
Afterward, a location pin was shared to Feng Miwan’s phone.
Xiong Yibai: “I’ll probably get off work around eight tonight. Nine or so would be good for you to arrive.”
Feng Miwan stared at the location, still in a dreamy daze.
This meant… she was going to Dr. Xiong’s home… to live?
Feng Yuxiao let out a long breath of relief, thoroughly satisfied, and started the car:
“All set! Now I can relax!”
“Let’s go—first, get you some dinner, then back to the apartment to pack a few things. Tonight, bro will drop you off!”
Feng Miwan: “……”
She gazed at the streetscape flashing by outside the window, feeling like today’s plot twists were more thrilling than any bend she’d ever raced.
Around nine-thirty that evening,
Feng Miwan dragged a smallish suitcase and stood beneath a high-end apartment building that screamed luxury just from the looks of it.
She craned her neck to gaze at the bright glass curtain walls and grand lobby, muttering to herself inwardly:
“This location… this building… Dr. Xiong really isn’t short on cash… So why’d she agree to take just two hundred a day?”
“What’s she after?”
She couldn’t figure it out.
As for her unreliable brother, he’d lugged her suitcase to the lobby entrance, then made some excuse about team business and bolted, leaving her alone to stare blankly at the elevator.
