Chapter 8 I Can’t Have a Puppy Love

Chapter 8: There’s No Way I’d Date as a Middle Schooler

In the end, not only did they not get to play on the slide, but Chu Yan, who was somewhat startled, kept Chi Suiyong trapped in the rope net, refusing to move forward or backward, stubbornly insisting that the “grown-up” should carry him down.

Chi Suiyong, still shaken from his brush with death, had to patiently coax him. It took about half an hour to earn his trust again, getting him to hold his hand. Chi Suiyong backed up while Chu Yan moved forward facing him.

When they finally descended from the play area, it was just in time for rounds to end. The little patients quickly swarmed the tenth-floor play area. Many of these patients were Chi Suiyong’s, so afraid the kids would latch onto him, he pulled Chu Yan away quickly.

As they reached the ward door, they saw someone sitting on the sofa chair in the corridor outside.

To be precise, it was a woman, about twenty-five or twenty-six, strikingly beautiful.

Hearing footsteps, she took off her sunglasses and turned her face toward them, her previously hidden eyes and brows fixed on him.

Chi Suiyong was a little stunned.

The woman’s eyes scanned Chu Yan and Chi Suiyong, finally settling on their clasped hands.

She looked puzzled, then surprised, and finally somewhat scrutinizing.

The entire inpatient floor had been emptied, with only Chu Yan as a patient, and since this person was sitting right outside the ward door, Chi Suiyong guessed she must be here to see Chu Yan.

“May I ask who you are?”

His question broke the standoff.

The woman walked steadily in twelve-centimeter heels, her waist-long hair falling like silk over her shoulders. Before she even got close, a wave of fragrance swept over him.

As she approached, she extended her right hand to Chi Suiyong. “Hello, I’m Yunshang. I’m this guy’s—” She cast a meaningful glance at Chu Yan, “subordinate, and his girlfriend of eight years.”

Whatever word it was that triggered him, Chu Yan seemed to step on a tail as he retorted, “Who are you? I don’t know you.”

With that, he darted behind Chi Suiyong.

Only then did Chi Suiyong understand the complex look in her eyes earlier. He let go of Chu Yan and shook Yunshang’s hand. “I’m Dr. Chi. I’m his attending physician for now.”

“Oh, I see. I heard from Chu Yan’s big brother this morning. I’m here to drop off some stuff for him.”

Chu Yan, whose hand had been released, immediately clutched Chi Suiyong’s shirt, looking defensive.

Being forgotten by her boyfriend of eight years must have been quite a blow. Chi Suiyong was about to explain Chu Yan’s condition to comfort her.

But instead, she just stared at Chu Yan’s face like she was touring a museum, left and right. After Chu Yan dodged a few times, her otherwise composed face suddenly broke into a laugh. “Haha… Just as I thought, he’s forgotten everything.”

“… ” Chi Suiyong explained, “It’s temporary. Once the swelling goes down, his memory will slowly come back.”

“How long is ‘temporary’?”

“Two or three months.”

Yunshang smoothed her hair. “Tsk, three months?”

“… ?”

Seeming to realize her lapse, she first cleared her throat. “Well, that’s rough. There’s a lot of company stuff that needs our CEO Chu to call the shots. We can’t manage without him.”

As it happened, Chi Suiyong only knew that Chu Yan was the brother of the legal representative of He’an Hospital, but he didn’t know exactly what he did. “I understand, but in his current state, he shouldn’t be handling any work.”

Yunshang waved her hand. “No worries, I can manage for now.”

“Let’s go inside first. Chu Yan needs his medication soon.”

There were quite a few things she had brought, piled up in the corridor. Chi Suiyong glanced at them and noticed the packaging looked familiar.

Seeing Yunshang bending down to grab them, he also walked over to the pile. “Let me help you with some.”

“Thanks, Dr. Chi.”

Once inside, Chi Suiyong thought she would ask about Chu Yan’s condition, but she didn’t. Instead, she sorted the items on the table. “Dr. Chi, didn’t find out until this morning that Chu Yan was in the hospital. I rushed to pack these daily necessities for him.”

Chi Suiyong looked up in surprise. “He’s been in the hospital for days. You just found out today?”

“Ah, it happened to be the holidays. I forgot to check my work phone. It wasn’t until I went to the office today and didn’t see him that I contacted his big brother and found out.”

So during the holidays, they must have spent the holidays apart. It seemed that not just marriage—even after seven years of dating, the spark fades.

Seeing her hesitate with a pile of things, Chi Suiyong said, “He can’t go out right now. Just pack some underwear and clothes for him.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought, but these—” Yunshang pointed to a bunch of bottles and jars on the table. “These are all Chu Yan’s usual skincare products. He’s even more particular about skincare than I am. Now it’s autumn, and the air is dry. Dr. Chi, if it’s convenient, could you teach him how to use these?”

Chi Suiyong glanced at them. “But I don’t usually use these. Can I have your contact? I’ll check with you if I’m unsure.”

“Sure, Dr. Chi, let me scan your code.”

After they added each other as friends, Chi Suiyong said, “Visiting hours are from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Feel free to drop by then.”

Yunshang’s expression stiffened. “Dr. Chi, now that Chu Yan is out of the office, I have to take over a lot of things for him. I have a new product line about to launch. I probably won’t even have time to visit him. Besides, he doesn’t recognize me anyway, right?”

Though her tone was full of helplessness, but her eagerness to pass the buck was obvious. “These are all products from our company, and they come with instructions. Dr. Chi, just follow the directions and use them on him.”

“I’ll leave two sets of outerwear. I’ll take the rest back.”

Yunshang busied herself, as if completing a routine task.

This was Chi Suiyong’s first time meeting her, and he didn’t know the specifics of her relationship with Chu Yan. But judging by the situation, they seemed different from ordinary couples. Yunshang appeared more work-oriented.

Maybe it’s none of my business, but he patted Chu Yan’s shoulder. “Chu Yan, this is your girlfriend, you know.”

Chu Yan only clung tightly to Chi Suiyong. “I don’t know her. Are you trying to trick me again? You promised me: no more than three times.”

Chi Suiyong explained, “I’m not lying. She really is your girlfriend.”

“Liar. I never dated in middle school.”

Chi Suiyong pressed his forehead, but heard a stifled laugh.

It was Yunshang. “It’s okay, Dr. Chi. Chu Yan and I are usually fine with this kind of thing. If he doesn’t recognize me, that’s fine. We’ll sort it out when he recovers.”

Chi Suiyong smiled helplessly. “You’re pretty chill about it.”

“What can I do? Ever since we got together, I’ve been mentally prepared. This is just small stuff.”

As they were talking, a nurse brought in the IV fluids for Chu Yan’s morning dose. Seeing this, Yunshang moved to Chu Yan’s blind spot and leaned in to whisper into Chi Suiyong’s ear, “Chu Yan has always hated needles. How did you convince him?”

Getting him to accept the shot was kinda intimate. Chi Suiyong wasn’t about to spill those details in front of his girlfriend. “I’m a pediatrician. I know how to handle kids.”

Yunshang nodded. "No wonder. Chu Yan has always responded better to gentle persuasion than to force, and he's quite a difficult personality. Dr. Chi, you look very approachable."

Chi Suiyong didn't see how approachability had anything to do with coaxing someone into an injection. He said, "...Actually, he can't see very well right now."

"What?"

"Temporary blindness, but it'll be better soon."

There was no trace of sympathy for her boyfriend in Yunshang's eyes. "That really sucks, hahaha."

Chi Suiyong was about to say something more when Chu Yan tugged at his arm again. "Yong Yong, can you make her leave quickly?"

"She came specially to see you. Don't be so rude."

Chu Yan lowered his eyes. "But she's so noisy!"

Yunshang immediately came to the rescue. "Alright, I'll go," she said, then put on a look as if about to cry, though the slightly curved corners of her eyes contradicted her whole face. "Then Dr. Chi, if Chu Yan needs anything, please contact me in time, and I'll have someone bring it to him."

Chi Suiyong had been trying to be a good person for nothing. He had no choice but to reply, "Okay, I'll contact you when Chu Yan's condition improves."

After Yunshang left, Chi Suiyong let out a long sigh, expelling the pent-up frustration from his chest.

This long sigh made Chu Yan, who thought he had done something wrong, fall into silence.

Chu Yan actually had a very gentle-looking appearance. When he sat quietly without speaking, his eyelids drooped, long lashes covering the shimmer in his eyes, making him seem gentle and harmless. Even his expression at the moment looked somewhat aggrieved. His unbound hair covered half his face, making him appear younger.

Chi Suiyong looked at him for a long time, his gaze slowly growing complex.

It seemed he had been a bit too hasty just now.

Because his official girlfriend had witnessed him holding hands with Chu Yan, in order to prove his innocence, he naturally wanted Chu Yan to quickly accept the fact that he had a girlfriend.

But even his older brother who had watched him grow up couldn't be acknowledged, let alone a girlfriend.

Chi Suiyong didn't think he was acting out of guilt. He treated Chu Yan with complete openness and honesty, even deliberately maintaining some distance because of his special condition. Perhaps it was precisely this "specialness" that made him more sensitive. If he were facing a real child patient, he wouldn't have these concerns.

"It's time for the IV now. Sit properly on the bed."

Hearing this, Chu Yan covered the IV cannula on the back of his hand. "I don't understand."

"Don't understand what?"

"I don't understand why you said that person was my girlfriend. Aren't girlfriends supposed to be something you have only after becoming an adult? I'm only four years old."

He had really dug a hole for himself.

Chi Suiyong sighed again. "There are two kinds of girlfriends: one is a romantic partner, and the other is a female friend. I spoke too hastily just now and caused a misunderstanding."

"So she's my female friend?"

"Yes."

"But I really don't know her." Chu Yan caught Chi Suiyong's gaze, his eyes firm. "Right now, I only know you."

Chi Suiyong felt his current state of mind was very complicated.

First, because he had never encountered a patient like this—someone who, due to illness, regarded him as a window to the unfamiliar world. Every one of his actions would be noticed and magnified by the other person. It could even be said that Chi Suiyong had completely dominated this patient's emotions.

Second was thinking about the future. Although he was now just a transitional figure during Chu Yan's illness, the words they had spoken and the moments they had shared would inevitably become a fragmented memory in Chu Yan's mind. Perhaps it was some perfectionism within Chi Suiyong himself at play—he didn't want to become someone who would be denied or disliked after everything was over.

Even if they would never cross paths again after Chu Yan left this hospital.

Whether Chu Yan understood or not, Chi Suiyong felt it was necessary to explain.

"Chu Yan, as a doctor, I need to be responsible for every patient. You are my patient now, so no matter what I say or do, it's from a doctor's attitude toward the patient. You understand that, right?"

Chu Yan nodded, half understanding. "I know." Then he asked uneasily, "So until I get better, you'll be here all the time, right?"

"Of course. You just need to remember one thing: I am a doctor."

Chu Yan's entire attention was focused on whether Chi Suiyong would leave him. After confirmation, nothing else mattered.

"Mm, I remember. Yong Yong is a doctor, and he's treating me now."

Chi Suiyong smiled with relief. "Then now Dr. Chi is going to give the patient the IV. Come on, give me your hand."