"Are you worried that I'll harm you?"

Xu Weiyan shook her head and said honestly, "No, you're dedicated. You're a good doctor."

Perhaps moved by her kind words, Gu Yu'an softened his tone. "If you don't want physical therapy, then make sure to take your injections and medication on time and take care of yourself. I'll have the nurses come in to administer an IV when they're on duty later."

Xu Weiyan breathed a sigh of relief and nodded quickly. "Aren't you supposed to have surgery? You don't need to worry about me. I'll leave on my own after the IV."

Gu Yu'an didn't say anything and turned to leave.

Xu Weiyan sat back in her chair, feeling a bit dazed. For a moment, it felt like they had gone back to their college days, when they were more familiar with each other.

Back then, Gu Yu'an would be in the laboratory conducting research, and she would sit on a small stool in the lab, waiting for him. If she got tired from waiting, Gu Yu'an would ask her if she wanted to go back and rest.

His tone was gentle, but the weariness from long hours of experimentation was evident in his eyes. Xu Weiyan felt for him, sitting up straight and insisting that she would wait for him.

And Gu Yu'an would also accompany Xu Weiyan in the middle of the night to climb through the window into the music room. The room had excellent soundproofing, allowing her to practice without restraint. Gu Yu'an would lean against the window to watch out for her, and occasionally, he'd playfully tease her, pretending that someone was coming, which would startle her to the point where she almost hid under the table. She'd only relax when she heard Gu Yu'an's triumphant laughter.

In that memory, their romance had become quite well-known around campus, and everyone loved to hear the story of the handsome guy and the beautiful girl. With his support, Xu Weiyan had also won numerous awards at school. However, later on... everything lost its luster.

The nurse quickly came in to give Xu Weiyan an injection. For convenience, she asked Xu Weiyan to sit on the sofa. Since the injection site was near her bone, when the needle went in, Xu Weiyan winced in pain and gently closed her eyes.

…

By the time Gu Yu'an finished his work, it was almost four o'clock in the afternoon. He changed out of his surgical gown, washed his hands, and hurried to the clinic room.

As he opened the door, the person huddled on the couch caught his attention. For some reason, Gu Yu'an felt relieved, realizing that he had actually been hoping she would wait for him.

Xu Weiyan couldn't resist the drowsiness that had overwhelmed her. Her mind felt hazy, and she was barely conscious as the nurse came twice to change her IV. It wasn't until the third bag of IV fluids had finished that Gu Yu'an called the nurse to remove the needle from her arm.

Gu Yu'an walked over and patted her gently on the shoulder. He called out to her, "Hey, Xu Weiyan?"

Xu Weiyan opened her eyes and met his concerned gaze. She was stunned for a moment.

"It's time to remove the needle," Gu Yu'an stepped back, and the nurse came forward to remove the needle from her arm.

Xu Weiyan was a little embarrassed. She didn't expect to sleep so soundly here. She saw the clock on the wall at a glance. "Oh my god, the injection took so long."

Gu Yu'an sensed her concern and reassured her, saying, "This is the first time taking this injection. The dosage will be reduced in the future."

His gaze returned to its usual indifference, and Xu Weiyan almost thought the warmth she had perceived earlier was an illusion. She quickly got up, and as she picked up her fallen clothes from the floor, she noticed it was Gu Yu'an's coat. Had he used it to cover her?

"Dr. Gu, thank you. I won't bother you any longer," Xu Weiyan said.

"Xu Weiyan," Gu Yu'an called out to her, his hand on the table gripping it tightly. "It's almost six o'clock. Aren't you hungry?"

What?

"Was he genuinely concerned about me"?

Xu Weiyan was stunned. "Dr. Gu..."

"I mean, would you like to have dinner together?"

Gu Yu'an contemplated, realizing he had lost again. Every time he saw Xu Weiyan, he had one thing on his mind: he still wanted to be with her.

All the complaints, frustrations, and anger vanished the moment he saw her.

"Dr. Gu, our relationship probably isn't suitable for having dinner together. Your wife might misunderstand," Xu Weiyan said, her palms suddenly damp with sweat, feeling a heavy weight in her heart.

Gu Yu'an thought he had misheard. "What?"

"Wife?"

Xu Weiyan pursed her lips and wordlessly gestured toward his left hand, where the ring shone brightly under the light.

Gu Yu'an understood her implication and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You think this is my wedding ring?"

Xu Weiyan remained silent, which meant that she acquiesced.

Gu Yu'an was so angry that he laughed. "Not everyone is as heartless as you, Xu Weiyan."

Xu Weiyan raised her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

"For you, I may be an ex-boyfriend who pestered you endlessly, right? Those things that were not worth mentioning to you in the past were a precious part of me. I have never let go of them."

He claimed he had never let go, and Xu Weiyan lowered her head, silent tears streaming down her cheeks and falling to the ground.

"Xu Weiyan, I'm a stubborn person. I'll apologize to you if I bring you any trouble." Gu Yu'an turned away. "Just go. I'll concede defeat."

Four years ago, he was too young and proud to stop her from leaving. Now, four years later, he had set aside his pride, but nothing had changed.

Xu Weiyan paused for a moment and glanced at him. "I'm sorry, Gu Yu'an."

One day, you'll know that I'm not good enough for you.

Reality had already crushed her, and she had no strength left to fight.

They probably wouldn't cross paths again. Let all their emotions remain here. She truly had no more courage left. Her burdens had become too heavy, and she could hardly breathe.

Xu Weiyan walked to the elevator in a daze. Suddenly, she remembered something and went back to the front desk.

"Hello, I'd like to know where I can pay the fees?"

The nurse asked, "Name."

"I'm Xu Weiyan."

The nurse looked down at her in surprise and said, "Doctor Gu has paid for your expenses, and the subsequent expenses have also been deducted."

The girl in front of her, while pretty, wasn't a top-tier beauty. Yet, she had managed to capture the heart of Dr. Gu, who had been notoriously indifferent to romance all these years?

The nurse's gossipy gaze made Xu Weiyan a little embarrassed, and Gu Yu'an's hospitality made her feel even more guilty.

"Will the next IV treatment also be in the office of that chief physician? Can I go somewhere else?"

"We have a dedicated IV infusion room where you can go. The chief physician's office is where Dr. Gu works," the nurse explained.

Xu Weiyan thanked the nurse and then left.

The phone rang and Xu Weiyan answered.

"Is it Miss Xu?"

"Your mother committed suicide. The situation is critical. Please come over immediately." the doctor said simply.

Xu Weiyan unconsciously tightened her grip on the phone.