“Don’t worry about our racer going hungry! Come on, come on, don’t just stand downstairs. With all this good food, let’s head up and devour it together!”
Xiong Yibai nodded.
The three of them went upstairs together and arrived at Feng Miwan’s hotel suite.
Zhao Shutong opened the barbecue bag, and the aroma filled the entire room.
Xiong Yibai then took out the light seafood porridge and side dishes she had brought, placing them on the table.
Just as Feng Miwan stared at the table full of night snacks in wildly different styles, unsure which to eat first, Xiong Yibai walked up to her.
“Don’t rush to eat yet. Stand straight.”
“Huh?”
Feng Miwan was stunned.
Zhao Shutong also looked over curiously.
Xiong Yibai carefully examined Feng Miwan.
“You said on the phone that you weren’t injured. But I need to confirm it myself.”
She thought to herself: I have to check personally, in case the little pup is toughing it out and lying to me.
Xiong Yibai gave her instructions.
“Raise your arms, slowly lift them over your head.”
Feng Miwan was a bit dazed by this sudden physical exam but obediently complied, slowly raising both arms upward.
“Does anywhere feel tight or painful?”
Xiong Yibai asked while observing the range and symmetry of her movements.
Feng Miwan answered honestly.
“No, it feels fine.”
“Extend your arms out to the sides and hold for a bit.”
Feng Miwan obediently stretched her arms straight out to both sides.
Zhao Shutong, watching from the side, suddenly had an image pop into her mind—
This looked just like an owner commanding their little dog to shake hands or do circles!
“Pfft—”
She couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.
Feng Miwan, holding the pose, turned her head in confusion to look at her.
“Shutong, what are you laughing at?”
Xiong Yibai also paused her examination and glanced up at her.
Zhao Shutong quickly covered her mouth and waved her hands frantically.
“Nothing, nothing! I just saw a really funny short video and couldn’t hold it in! You two continue, continue!”
As she spoke, she lowered her head, pretending to seriously look at her phone.
Feng Miwan turned back suspiciously, and Xiong Yibai didn’t pursue it further. The two refocused on the check-up.
Xiong Yibai stepped forward and gently pinched her right upper arm and biceps.
“The muscles here are a bit tense. You subconsciously clenched too hard during the impact. There might be some soreness tomorrow.”
“Turn around slowly. Let me check your back.”
Feng Miwan turned around as instructed.
“Good. Bend at the waist and try to touch your toes with your hands. Feel if there’s any pulling pain in your back or the back of your thighs?”
Feng Miwan bent down as far as she could. The movement indeed brought a slight acidic twinge to the back muscles that had been harshly tugged by the seatbelt.
“Uh… a little sore, but not painful.”
“Normal. It’s from the G-forces of the sudden deceleration. It’ll be fine after some rest.”
Xiong Yibai noted the reaction and had Feng Miwan do a few simple neck rotations and squats to confirm that the main joints and core muscle groups were fine.
After the full check-up, Xiong Yibai finally nodded.
“Mm, it looks like the car absorbed most of the impact force. No obvious damage to muscles or bones. You didn’t lie on the phone.”
Only then did she turn her gaze to the abundant spread of night snacks on the table.
“So, how are you planning to deal with all this?”
Zhao Shutong, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, jumped in to take charge.
“That’s easy! Doctor Xiong, the porridge you brought is perfect for nourishing Wanwan’s stomach! As for the barbecue… heh heh, the two of us will handle it!”
“I’m starving too! Come on, sit, sit, sit. Make yourselves at home!”
She acted like the host, pulling the two of them to sit on the sofa and handing them disposable chopsticks.
Feng Miwan looked at the night snacks, then at the cool and detached one and the enthusiastic one beside her. The gloom from losing the race was largely swept away.
She picked up a spoon, scooped a spoonful of warm porridge into her mouth, and after swallowing, softly said,
“Thanks, you two… for coming all this way…”
“Cut that out,”
Zhao Shutong boldly bit into a skewer,
“Being polite with me? Eat up! Doctor Xiong, you eat too. Don’t just watch!”
Under Zhao Shutong’s enthusiastic urging, Xiong Yibai symbolically picked up the least oily skewer of grilled vegetables and took small bites.
Zhao Shutong’s eyes darted around, and she grinned as she formally introduced herself.
“By the way, Doctor Xiong, let’s get properly acquainted. I’m Zhao Shutong, Wanwan’s best girlfriend! She must have mentioned me to you, right?”
Xiong Yibai set down her bamboo skewer, wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, and nodded slightly.
“Mm, she has. The bookstore owner who takes good care of her.”
“Heh heh, you know it!”
Zhao Shutong proudly lifted her chin. Just as she was about to say more, Feng Miwan suddenly asked:
“Right, Yibai, how did you know I was staying at this hotel?”
Xiong Yibai replied, “The hotel info for your team this time is in the event guide and the publicly available paddock materials.”
Feng Miwan suddenly realized: “Oh, right! I forgot those details are all public.”
She completely didn’t realize that accurately pinpointing the exact hotel from public info required some patience and effort.
Zhao Shutong listened from the side, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. She picked up a skewer of grilled okra and handed it to Xiong Yibai.
“Doctor Xiong, try this. Not greasy at all!”
Xiong Yibai nodded and took it.
Zhao Shutong continued casually, as if chatting idly.
“Doctor Xiong, Wanwan was really lucky to have you last time she got hurt. Honestly, I’ve never seen her obey anyone like that.”
“You tell her to go east, and she wouldn’t dare go west. Even more effective than her brother. You’re quite the authoritative doctor!”
On one side, Feng Miwan, who was drinking her porridge, looked up in protest upon hearing this.
“I didn’t! I was just following doctor’s orders!”
She didn’t see anything wrong with that statement at all and continued drinking her porridge.
Xiong Yibai remained calm.
“Patient cooperation is the foundation of recovery. She just has a strong desire to return to the track, so she can push through discomfort and follow medical advice. It has nothing to do with whose words she’s listening to—it’s about her own goals.”
Zhao Shutong thought to herself: She’s got some skill.
Then, feigning sudden realization, she asked curiously,
“Oh~ I see. So, Doctor Xiong, have you treated other athlete patients before who needed long-term follow-up, or even… uh, in-home care? Were they all as cooperative as Wanwan?”
