Chapter 21: Doctor Ai’s Scarf
Translator: Ruriko
Ziyu Ai opened the dinner pail, a light delicious smell wafting out, accompanied by a slight herbal fragrance.
“It’s from my friend’s medicinal diet restaurant. It should taste good,” the doctor put the dishes in front of He. “Have a taste before it gets cold.”
Zhishu He quipped, “How much are doctors paid now? Is your bonus linked with patients’ moods?”
Ziyu Ai did not respond. He put away a pile of medical reports at hand, took a stool and sat down beside Zhishu He, “I haven’t had supper, either. Let’s eat together.”
Zhishu He opened his mouth but did not know what to say, just feeling a little embarrassed. He did not think more about it, but getting restless.
Ziyu Ai felt kind of heartache. When he handed the chopsticks to Zhishu He, he still said two more sentences as an explanation, “There is no one in my home, either. I just want someone to have dinner with me, not planning to embarrass you.”
Zhishu He shook his head, “Nope. Dr. Ai is so nice that I’m flattered.” He smiled at the doctor, with the black pupils sparkling under the incandescent light.
Ziyu Ai also raised the corner of his lips slightly, feeling like touching Zhishu He’s long eyelashes which slightly dropped. In fact, Ziyu Ai was an unruly person. He was young, handsome, rich and capable. If he took a fancy to someone, he would not consider too much to chase the one. However, for making Zhishu He have a meal at ease with him today, he had been working absent-minded to ponder on an excuse for a whole afternoon, which seldom happened for him.
Maybe he really had feelings for Zhishu He. Ziyu Ai lowered his eyes, roiling half the bowl of the soup with the spoon.
“Are you still feeling sick?” Ziyu Ai asked Zhishu He, who only moved the chopsticks for a few times, then nothing more. It was estimated that even that was out of politeness.
Zhishu He shook his head, “Nope, I have no appetite even at home. I have been suffering from loss of appetite.”
“I’m looking for the one matching your bone marrow, and I’ll find it as soon as possible,” at the thought of Zhishu He’s illness, Ziyu Ai felt a chill in his heart. As his attending doctor, naturally, he knew better the state of his illness. Zhishu He had missed the best time to accept chemotherapy. The current treatment, instead of improving his health, was only delaying the steadily worsening, even for one day.
Zhishu He expressed his thanks to the doctor, with little joyful expectation.
“Your illness... Does he know about it?” Ziyu Ai restrained his emotions and asked some probing questions intentionally or otherwise.
Ziyu Ai found that Zhishu He’s face got paler, with heavy fatigue between his eyebrows, not knowing if it was just own illusion. Then Zhishu He said in a calm voice, “I don’t want to tell him.”
Ziyu Ai did not request further reply, as he could read the other’s facial expression. He knew that Zhishu He must have unspeakable difficulties and the relationship between the two was not inseparable as he had once imagined.
Ziyu Ai did not feel guilty at all for involving in this relationship. He was not the one falling in love easily, but once he had feelings for someone, he must try to chase the one. He never gave up before having a try, since life was short and true love was not rare. Besides, he believed that as long as his loving hoe was well wielded, the foundation of every relationship could be undermined. That man had never accompanied Zhishu He to have a physical examination even though Zhishu was so withered. He was either blind or indifferent.
“If you don’t feel like eating, it’s ok. Don’t push yourself too hard. I’ll go to pick you up tomorrow,” Ziyu Ai did not want to make Zhishu He feel embarrassed, so he washed his hands and fetched the clothes of Zhishu He, “I’m off duty now. I’ll drop you off on my way home.”
Zhishu He still remembered the trouble caused by the fact that Doctor Ai drove him home last time, so he could not be completely at ease. But Ziyu Ai insisted on the decision and Zhishu He had no other choice. In the end, when Zhishu He was forced to sit in the front passenger seat, he said wittily in a complaining voice, “All girls want to marry a doctor, but I can’t find the merit of a doctor. Are they all as bossy as you?”
“I know boys like it.”
Zhishu He was astonished by his words, and he casted a glance at Ziyu Ai like a reflex, finding that the man seemingly did not care about what he said at all, with kind of cynicism in his look, which was rare at usual time.
“You must be kidding!” Zhishu He smiled.
Ziyu Ai smiled, too, speaking nothing more.
He did not speak again until Zhishu He got out of the car. Ai lowered the window and called softly, “Zhishu.”
Zhishu He froze and looked back, “Doctor?”
Ziyu Ai got out of the car, took his scarf off and forcibly wrapped it well around the exposed neck of Zhishu He, “Go home now and I’ll pick you up at two tomorrow afternoon.”
Not until the sports car was far away did Zhishu He come to his mind. The scarf around his neck had the lingering warmth of another man. Zhishu He did not know what the doctor wanted to do, and he did not think he was good enough to attract another gay man, either. In addition, the doctor was such an excellent man.