GREAT DOCTOR 11
41. Dinner Together Before the Farewell
Night had completely fallen over Shanghai. Warm yellow lights had come on one by one in the courtyard outside the villa. A gentle breeze passed through the treetops, and the shadows of the leaves swayed softly across the floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside the house, however, there was a quiet and warm atmosphere.
In the center of the dining room, a small square dining table was set with the dinner they had just finished preparing. A large bowl of hunter’s rice wrapped in shell ginger leaves gave off a faint fragrance of rice and leaves. Beside it were stir-fried sweet potato leaves, green and glossy with oil, and a pot of loofah and small fish soup steaming gently. A bottle of red wine stood in the center of the table, along with two crystal-clear wine glasses glowing softly under the lights.
Lin Xiuling sat across from Yang Wen-Hua. She picked up the bottle of red wine and slowly poured wine into both glasses. The wine flowed gently down the sides of the glasses. At that moment, she suddenly did not want to blink. Because she knew this was his last night in Shanghai. Tomorrow afternoon, he would board a plane back to Taiwan.
And the distance between the two of them, which they had finally managed to narrow a little, would once again be separated by the Taiwan Strait. Xiuling lowered her eyes and tried hard to suppress the faint sense of disappointment in her heart.
She raised her wineglass, and a smile returned to her face.
“Wen-Hua, here’s to you.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked up at her. “To what?”
“To the success of your paper presentation, and to everything going smoothly during your trip to Shanghai.”
Yang Wen-Hua smiled faintly and raised his wineglass as well. Their eyes met across the table.
“Hmm,” he said softly. “Xiuling, thank you, too, for taking such good care of me these past few days.”
Xiuling blinked. “Just saying thank you doesn’t count.”
“Then what does count?”
She deliberately pushed her wineglass forward. “Cheers.”
Looking at her slightly childish expression, Yang Wen-Hua could not help laughing.
“All right. Cheers.”
The two wineglasses gently clinked in the air. Clink— The crisp sound echoed through the quiet dining room. The two of them simultaneously took a sip.
The red wine slid down Xiuling’s throat, and a faint blush quickly appeared on her cheeks. She set down her wineglass and looked at the man across from her. During these past few days, this was the first time she had been able to have him so close to her. They had eaten together, gone shopping, bought clothes, listened to his paper presentation, and even cooked together in the kitchen. Those seemingly ordinary little things felt like stolen happiness to her. She knew she should not be too greedy. Because there was always someone else in Wen-Hua’s heart. A woman for whom he was willing to wait ten years. At the thought of this, the smile in her eyes dimmed for a moment. But soon, she lifted her head again.
“Wen-Hua.”
“Hmm?”
“On your last night in Shanghai, I’ve prepared one more thing for you.”
Yang Wen-Hua raised an eyebrow. “Something prepared for me?”
“I’m going to play a few pieces on the piano later, as a farewell gift for you.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked somewhat surprised. “I didn’t know you could play the piano.”
Xiuling laughed. “Of course I can! It’s just that when we were in college, you almost never took part in our department’s recreational activities. Whenever I played the piano, you were nowhere to be found.”
Yang Wen-Hua gave her an apologetic look. “That... I really didn’t know.”
“See?” Xiuling held up her index finger and lightly tapped the table. “You missed out on a lot of wonderful things.”
Yang Wen-Hua smiled and shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize.” Xiuling looked at him, and her tone suddenly softened. “Actually, I’ve always envied you.”
“Envied me?”
“Yeah.” She lowered her head and slowly turned the wineglass in her hand. “You know exactly what you want.”
Yang Wen-Hua was silent for a moment. “Do I?”
Xiuling raised her head. “At least when it comes to practicing medicine, you do.”
Yang Wen-Hua did not respond. He knew that what she really wanted to ask about was not practicing medicine, but love—the ten-year promise between him and Xie Ci-En.
It was also the layer of relationship between the two of them that had never been spoken aloud.
The atmosphere at the dining table suddenly became quiet. Xiuling realized that she had gone too deep and immediately changed the subject.
“By the way, I also heard that you’re an excellent classical guitarist.”
Yang Wen-Hua froze for a moment. “Who told you that?”
“Mingzhu!” Xiuling said with a smile. “She said that you used to carry your guitar around by yourself all the time, either staying in the dorm or finding a quiet place to play.”
Yang Wen-Hua laughed. “She even told you that?”
“Of course.” Xiuling deliberately looked pleased with herself. “So you see, the two of us are even.”
“What do you mean?”
She pointed at herself. “I can play the piano.” Then she pointed at him. “You can play the guitar.”
Looking at her, Yang Wen-Hua seemed to gradually understand what she meant.
“So?”
Xiuling smiled mysteriously. “So, after I found out you were coming to Shanghai, I specifically went to a music store and picked out a guitar.”
Yang Wen-Hua froze. “You bought a guitar?”
“Yeah.”
“For me?”
Xiuling did not answer immediately. She simply raised her wineglass and took a small sip. Her smile looked natural, but a subtle flutter stirred in her heart.
Why did I do this?
She herself knew better than anyone. Because she wanted to hold on to these few days. She wanted him, after returning to Taiwan, to occasionally pick up that guitar and think of Shanghai, and think of her. But she could not say what was in her heart. At least, not now.
“Of course it’s for you to play.” She pretended to answer casually. “What else would it be for?”
Yang Wen-Hua looked at her, and there was a little more emotion in his eyes.
“Xiuling, you’re really thoughtful.”
Those words fell into her heart like a small stone dropping onto the surface of a lake, sending circles of ripples outward.
She turned her gaze away, pretending to concentrate on her meal.
“Of course.” After a moment, she smiled again. “Besides, it’s only fair.”
“Only fair?”
“I play the piano, and you play the guitar.” She blinked. “Maybe someday, I can even accompany you on the piano.”
Yang Wen-Hua smiled. “When you put it that way, I’m actually looking forward to it.”
“Really?” Xiuling looked up, her eyes instantly lighting up.
“Of course.”
The two looked directly into each other’s eyes. For that moment, neither of them said a word.
Outside the window, the night breeze brushed gently past, while the lights of the distant city cast blurred reflections across the glass. Looking at Yang Wen-Hua before her, Xiuling suddenly had a thought—
If only time could stop tonight, how wonderful would that be.
But she quickly reminded herself: No. He was leaving tomorrow. And what he truly had to face was the woman who had waited ten years for him. At the thought of this, the light in her eyes dimmed for another moment.
Yang Wen-Hua seemed to notice the change in her mood and asked softly, “Xiuling, what’s wrong?”
Xiuling looked up and immediately smiled. “Nothing.” She raised her wineglass and deliberately spoke in a cheerful tone. “Come on, let’s keep eating.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked at her but did not press her. He simply picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of fish in her bowl.
“You should eat a little more, too.”
Xiuling looked at the fish in her bowl, and the corners of her mouth slowly lifted. She said nothing. She simply lowered her head and quietly ate.
And on this seemingly peaceful night, both of them were actually hiding the same unspoken question in their hearts—
After tomorrow, will we ever have another night like this?
42. The Resonance of Piano and Guitar
It was late at night. The courtyard outside the villa was enveloped in tranquility. In the distance, the lights of downtown Shanghai looked like stars scattered across a dark sky. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, they were reflected inside the piano room.
Only a few wall lamps were lit inside. Their soft light fell upon the black grand piano and illuminated Lin Xiuling’s quiet, focused profile. Sitting on the piano bench, her slender fingers moved slowly across the black and white keys. The melody of Mariage d’Amour flowed like an invisible river through the stillness of the night.
Yang Wen-Hua leaned against the piano. He said nothing and simply listened quietly. The melody was sometimes gentle and sometimes carried a faint sadness. Looking at Lin Xiuling before him, he suddenly felt that he had seen this scene somewhere before. But he knew very well that this happiness did not belong to him. At least, it did not belong to him yet.
The final note faded away, and Lin Xiuling’s hands came to rest on the keys. The piano room fell silent again. She did not turn around immediately. She simply looked at the keys, as though waiting for an answer. After a moment, she finally asked softly, “Wen-Hua, do you know this piece?”
Yang Wen-Hua smiled faintly and nodded.
“Mariage d’Amour.”
Xiuling turned around and looked at him. “Then do you know why I chose to play this piece tonight?”
Yang Wen-Hua did not answer, but the look in his eyes had already given her the answer.
Seeing his expression, Xiuling smiled instead. It was a beautiful smile, but it concealed a trace of bitterness that was difficult to notice.
“You know, don’t you?”
Yang Wen-Hua nodded gently. “Yeah.”
Xiuling stood up and slowly walked to the window. She folded her arms across her chest and looked at the lights filling the city outside.
“Wen-Hua, I know.” She paused. “I know I can’t replace Ci-En in your heart.”
Her voice was calm as she said those words. But only she knew how much courage it had taken to say them. She loved him, even more deeply than she had originally thought. But just because she loved him, she could not ask him to forget a woman who had waited ten years for him. A love like that would be too selfish.
She slowly turned around.
“So, I sincerely hope she won’t let you down.”
Yang Wen-Hua’s gaze shifted slightly.
Xiuling gave him a faint smile. “If she still truly loves you, I sincerely wish that the two of you can be together in the end.”
Yang Wen-Hua remained silent for a moment. “Thank you, Xiuling.”
It was only a short sentence, yet it caused a slight ache in Xiuling’s heart. She knew what those words represented. And she also knew that the question she was about to ask might make their relationship even more complicated. But she did not want to avoid it anymore. She took a deep breath and looked at him again.
“But...”
Yang Wen-Hua raised his eyes.
A beautiful smile appeared at the corners of Xiuling’s lips. “If one day, she changes her heart.” She paused. “Or if she really breaks her promise.”
The piano room was so quiet that the only sounds were their breathing. Xiuling took one step forward. Her eyes were gentle, yet they carried a trace of the courage of someone willing to risk everything.
“Wen-Hua.”
“Hmm?”
“Would you be willing to open the window of your heart and let me in?”
Yang Wen-Hua was stunned. This was not the first time she had asked him that. And he knew that he could not hurt her with a careless answer. He lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.
“Xiuling... you’ve asked me this question before.”
Xiuling looked at him. After a moment, she suddenly smiled.
“Okay.” She did not pressure him. She simply nodded gently. “I’m not in a hurry for you to give me an answer right now.”
She turned around and walked over to the instrument stand.
“Feelings can’t be forced.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked at her back, and an indescribable sense of guilt rose in his heart. How could he not know how she felt about him? And precisely because he knew, he did not dare to give her hope lightly. The ten-year promise was like an invisible rope that had always remained tied around his heart. He did not know how Ci-En was doing now. He did not know whether she still remembered him. Even less did he know whether the end of their ten-year promise would bring him a reunion or disappointment.
But Lin Xiuling was standing right in front of him, real and tangible. This reality only made him more conflicted.
Xiuling took a classical guitar from the instrument stand. She turned around and handed it to him.
“All right.” Her tone became cheerful again. “Now it’s your turn.”
Yang Wen-Hua took the guitar and gently ran his fingers over its body. He quickly realized that this was no ordinary guitar.
“This guitar is made of very good wood.” He lightly plucked the strings, and a clear sound immediately rang out through the room.
“The tone is pretty good, too.”
Xiuling pulled a chair over and sat down beside him. “Of course.” She smiled somewhat proudly. “I specifically picked it out for you.”
Yang Wen-Hua glanced at her.
“Thank you.”
“There you go again.” Xiuling deliberately wrinkled her nose. “You’ve said thank you several times tonight already.”
Yang Wen-Hua smiled.
Xiuling looked at him, but her gaze gradually softened. “Tomorrow at noon, come to the clinic.”
“Hmm.”
“I’ll take you to the airport.”
“All right.”
She deliberately pretended to be casual. But when she said the word “airport,” her heart still felt as if something had lightly pricked it. She did not want him to leave. But she knew that, in the end, he had to go.
Yang Wen-Hua lowered his head and adjusted the guitar strings. After testing a few notes, he raised his head.
“Then I’ll give it a try.”
Xiuling smiled and nodded. “Please.”
Yang Wen-Hua’s fingers fell onto the strings. The next second, the melody of Romance de Amor slowly filled the room, soft and distant.
The smile that had remained on Xiuling’s face gradually faded into silence. She said nothing, simply watching the man before her. Under the light, he lowered his head, his fingers skillfully plucking the strings. At that moment, she suddenly had the illusion that this man was not a guest who would be leaving Shanghai tomorrow, but someone who had been by her side for many years and had always sat beside her. How she wished this moment could last forever.
But the music would eventually end. Just as every beautiful encounter has its own time. Before she realized it, her eyes had already grown wet. A tear slowly slipped from the corner of her eye. She quickly raised her hand to wipe it away, but Yang Wen-Hua still noticed.
The music did not stop, but his gaze became even more solemn.
The piece came to an end. The final note lingered in the room for a long time.
Xiuling looked at him and murmured softly, “Ah... what is love in this world, that it makes people pledge their lives and deaths to one another?”
She paused.
“Wen-Hua...”
Yang Wen-Hua did not answer immediately. His hand remained on the strings. After a long while, he finally raised his head and looked out the window. Shanghai’s night view was still dazzling. But his gaze seemed to penetrate the city thousands of miles away and return to the depths of Alishan.
“If I could...” His voice was very low. “I would be willing to suffer all of Ci-En’s illnesses and pain in her place.”
Xiuling’s body trembled slightly.
Yang Wen-Hua’s gaze remained fixed on the distance. “It’s been almost ten years.” He gave a bitter smile. “I don’t even know whether she’s doing well now.”
At that moment, Xiuling suddenly understood. For all these ten years, what he had been waiting for was not simply a woman. He was waiting for a promise, and for the deepest love of his youth. That love had long since become a part of his life.
Xiuling walked over to him. She did not sit down, but simply stood quietly beside him.
“If Ci-En knew...” Her voice trembled slightly. “If she knew you were doing this for her, she shouldn’t make you suffer like this.”
Yang Wen-Hua did not answer.
Xiuling reached out and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Wen-Hua.”
He looked up. Their eyes met again. The tears in Xiuling’s eyes had not completely disappeared. She did not ask that question again. Because she suddenly understood—some answers did not need to be spoken now. As long as he had not truly reached the end of those ten years, she was willing to wait. She would wait for him to receive his answer, and she would also wait for herself, until the moment when she could truly walk into his heart.
Outside the window, the night was deep and dark. Inside the piano room, the guitar lay quietly across Yang Wen-Hua’s lap. But the hearts of the two people had already, on this night, quietly drawn closer together.
43. Dean Guo’s Deliberate Arrangement
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dean’s office, casting bright patches of light across the dark wooden floor. Several medical journals and medical exchange program documents lay spread across the desk, with an exquisite little gift box beside them. The sounds of the busy hospital came from outside the window. The wheels of a hospital bed occasionally rolled past in the hallway, accompanied by the hurried footsteps of nurses.
Yang Wen-Hua stood in front of the desk, holding the materials he was preparing to take back to Taiwan. Tomorrow afternoon, he would leave Shanghai. This medical conference had originally been nothing more than a simple academic exchange, but unexpectedly, so many unforeseen things had happened over the course of just a few days.
Lin Xiuling. Zhao Xiaodong. Guo Xin-Mei. And the enthusiastic Dean Guo standing before him, whose enthusiasm was almost more than he could handle. Thinking of all this, Wen-Hua could not help giving a wry smile to himself.
Perhaps this trip to Shanghai would be even harder to forget than he had expected.
Guo Han-Sheng walked out from behind his desk with a friendly smile.
“Dr. Yang, you’ve worked hard these past few days.”
“Dean Guo, you’re too kind.” Yang Wen-Hua quickly bowed slightly. “I’ve gained a lot from being able to attend this conference as well.”
Guo Xin-Mei stood beside her father. Today, she had deliberately changed into a simple, polished suit. The playfulness she usually carried was gone from her face, replaced by a little more seriousness as she prepared to say goodbye to a friend. She looked at Yang Wen-Hua for a while, as if she had made up her mind. Then she suddenly picked up the small gift box from the desk and walked over to him.
“Big Brother Yang.”
“Hmm?”
Guo Xin-Mei held out the gift box with both hands. “This is just a little something from me.”
Yang Wen-Hua was startled. He looked down at the gift box, then at Guo Xin-Mei.
“For me?”
“Yeah.” Guo Xin-Mei smiled and nodded. “You’re going back to Taiwan tomorrow. I can’t very well let you go home empty-handed, can I?”
Yang Wen-Hua accepted the gift box but did not open it immediately. “Xin-Mei, what’s inside?”
Guo Xin-Mei deliberately blinked. “Why don’t you open it and see?”
Yang Wen-Hua lifted the lid. A flash of silver caught his eye. Inside lay an exquisite silver pocket watch. Delicate patterns were engraved on its outer case, which gave off a warm, gentle sheen in the sunlight.
Yang Wen-Hua paused. “This... is too valuable.” He instinctively tried to push the gift box back toward her.
But Guo Xin-Mei quickly reached out to stop him. “You can’t return it.”
“Xin-Mei, I really can’t accept this.”
“Why?” She looked at him, her tone becoming more serious. “It’s just a pocket watch. It’s not some expensive luxury item.”
Yang Wen-Hua shook his head. “To me, the thought behind this gift is already more than enough.”
Guo Han-Sheng stood nearby, watching his daughter’s expression, and could not help letting a knowing smile appear at the corners of his mouth.
He spoke at just the right moment. “Dr. Yang, just accept it.”
Yang Wen-Hua turned toward him.
Guo Han-Sheng patted him on the shoulder. “It’s Xin-Mei’s farewell gift for you.” He deliberately paused. “Besides, my daughter will have plenty of reasons to trouble you in the future.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked puzzled. “Trouble me?”
Guo Han-Sheng returned to the desk and picked up a document. “Yesterday, I already spoke with Dean Tang at your main hospital.”
Yang Wen-Hua took the document and lowered his head to look through it.
Guo Han-Sheng’s tone became more formal. “Starting this year, our two hospitals will officially begin a medical exchange program. Both sides will send physicians to each other’s hospitals for short-term training and professional exchange.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked up. “That’s a good thing.”
“So...” Guo Han-Sheng deliberately glanced at his daughter. “I plan to send Xin-Mei to Taitung so she can learn some truly useful clinical skills from you.”
Guo Xin-Mei’s eyes lit up. “Really, Dad?”
Guo Han-Sheng deliberately put on a stern expression. “What? You don’t want to go?”
“Of course I do!” Guo Xin-Mei answered almost without hesitation. She turned to Yang Wen-Hua, unable to hide the smile on her face. “Big Brother Yang, we’ll see each other again very soon.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked at her, first stunned, then smiled.
“All right.” He lowered his head and looked at the silver pocket watch in his hand. “Since it’s an official exchange between the two hospitals, of course I welcome you.”
Guo Xin-Mei’s heart leaped with joy. She had originally thought that this encounter would come to an end when Yang Wen-Hua left Shanghai. Unexpectedly, her father had left a path open for her.
Taitung.
She silently repeated the name of the place in her heart. It was somewhere she had never been before. But now, because of one person, she suddenly began looking forward to going there.
Yang Wen-Hua, however, did not notice the change in Guo Xin-Mei’s heart. He simply said somewhat uneasily, “However, our place is only a small city after all. The medical resources there can’t compare with Shanghai. If you really want to go, you need to be mentally prepared.”
Guo Xin-Mei could not help laughing. “I don’t care.”
“You don’t care?”
“Yeah.” She walked over to the window, placed both hands on the windowsill, and looked out at the busy streets of Shanghai.
“I looked up Taitung online.” She turned her head. “Taitung is backed by mountains and faces the sea, with beautiful mountains and rivers.” As she spoke, she gestured with her hand. “It’s not like Shanghai, where there are people everywhere and it’s so crowded that you can hardly move wherever you go.”
Yang Wen-Hua laughed. “You live in Shanghai, yet you complain that there are too many people?”
“I’m not complaining.” Guo Xin-Mei smiled and shook her head. “I just suddenly feel that a place where you can see the mountains and the sea must be a good place for a doctor to live.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked at her. “You’ll like Taitung.”
“Really?”
“Really.” He nodded. “The pace of life in Taitung is slower, and the people are more down-to-earth.”
Guo Xin-Mei blinked. “Then it’s settled.”
“Settled on what?”
“When I get to Taitung, you can’t complain that I’m a nuisance.”
Yang Wen-Hua smiled and shook his head. “Don’t worry.”
Guo Xin-Mei smiled as well. But behind that smile, her heart quietly spoke a sentence she did not say aloud:
Am I really going to Taitung just to learn medicine?
She knew that the answer was probably not that simple.
Meanwhile, Yang Wen-Hua lowered his head and looked at the silver pocket watch in his hand. The cover sprang open gently. The second hand moved forward one tick at a time. He suddenly thought that time never stopped for anyone’s feelings. The ten-year promise was no exception. And the real choice he would have to make in life might be coming very soon.
Standing behind the father and daughter, Guo Han-Sheng took everything in. A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
Some things do not need to be rushed. Time is often the best arranger.
44. Wen-Hua Comes to Xiuling’s Rescue
The afternoon sunlight slanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the clinic. Outside the glass doors, traffic flowed nonstop, while the noise from the street was reduced to a blurred background hum behind the thick glass.
The clinic had originally been quiet and orderly, filled with the faint smells of disinfectant and fragrant essential oils. However, a sharp female voice suddenly shattered the calm.
“What are you acting so high and mighty for? This isn’t the only clinic in all of Shanghai!” In front of the reception desk, a stylishly dressed young woman had gold jewelry covering both hands and conspicuous diamond earrings hanging from her earlobes. With one hand on her hip and the other pointing at nurse Zhang Dongmei behind the reception desk, her face was flushed with anger.
“It’s not like I can’t afford it!” the woman’s voice grew louder and louder. “What gives you the right to refuse to do it for me?”
Zhang Dongmei was forced to take half a step backward, but she still tried to maintain her professional smile. “Ms. Hu, please calm down first. Dr. Lin has already explained to you that this isn’t a matter of money...”
“If it’s not a matter of money, then what is it?” The young woman slammed her hand hard on the reception desk.
“I’m getting married in a few months. I came here today specifically to have the surgery! Your doctor says ‘you can’t have it done’ and expects me to go home? Then why did I come here in the first place?”
Just then, the door to the examination room opened. Lin Xiuling removed her mask and walked out. She glanced at the tense confrontation before her, and her brows knitted slightly.
“Ma’am, I already explained to you that it’s not that I’m unwilling to perform the surgery for you.” She walked up to Hu Meimei, her tone still calm. “The ultrasound examination showed a suspicious lesion in your right breast. In this situation, I cannot perform breast augmentation surgery before we have a definitive diagnosis.”
“A suspicious lesion?” Hu Meimei froze for a moment, then became even more agitated. “Are you deliberately trying to scare me?”
“I’m not trying to scare you.” Lin Xiuling looked directly at her. “I have to take responsibility for your health. I recommend that you immediately go to a major hospital for more detailed imaging tests to determine exactly what the lesion is.”
“But I’m getting married in a few months!” Hu Meimei bit her lip, her eyes slightly reddening. “You’re telling me to get this test and that test now. Clearly, you just don’t want to perform the surgery for me!” Her voice no longer contained only anger. There was also a trace of fear hidden inside it. The words “tumor” felt like a thorn piercing her heart.
Just then, a familiar voice came from the doorway.
“Xiuling, what happened?”
Lin Xiuling turned around abruptly and saw Yang Wen-Hua standing by the door, pulling his suitcase.
Yang Wen-Hua looked at Hu Meimei, then at Lin Xiuling, and his gaze quickly fell on the ultrasound equipment inside the examination room. “Who is this patient?”
Lin Xiuling briefly explained the situation. “She wants breast augmentation surgery, but during the ultrasound examination just now, I found a lesion in her right breast that appears suspicious for a tumor, so I advised her to go to a major hospital for further examination first.”
Yang Wen-Hua nodded. “Xiuling, your concern is justified.” He turned and looked at Hu Meimei. “Ma’am, Dr. Lin’s procedure is appropriate. The most important thing right now is to determine the nature of the lesion, not to rush into cosmetic surgery.”
Hu Meimei looked him up and down, clearly displeased.
“And who are you?”
“I’m a physician.”
“Which hospital are you with?”
Yang Wen-Hua did not answer. He simply looked at Lin Xiuling.
“Xiuling, let me see the ultrasound records from earlier.”
Lin Xiuling nodded. “Okay.” She turned to Hu Meimei and said, “Ms. Hu, please sit down for a moment. My senior is a surgeon. After he reviews the images, perhaps he can give you more professional advice.”
Although Hu Meimei still looked suspicious, she did not argue again.
“Fine. I’ll sit here and wait.”
Inside the examination room, Lin Xiuling turned on the ultrasound machine. The screen lit up, and image after image gradually appeared. Yang Wen-Hua stood in front of the screen with his arms crossed, his expression quickly becoming serious. He leaned closer to the screen, studied it carefully for several seconds, and then gestured for Lin Xiuling to enlarge the image.
“Here.” He raised his hand and pointed to a shadow on the screen.
Lin Xiuling held her breath. “You think something is wrong, too?”
“Highly suspicious,” Yang Wen-Hua said in a low, serious voice.
Lin Xiuling’s expression changed. As a physician, she knew what those words meant. Yet the woman standing before them was clearly preparing for her wedding and looking forward to the day she would put on her wedding dress. If the diagnosis really turned out to be malignant... She did not dare to think any further.
Yang Wen-Hua turned and asked, “Did you ask about her family medical history?”
Lin Xiuling paused. “That... I haven’t asked yet.”
“First, determine the nature of the lesion. If it is confirmed to be a malignant tumor, subsequent treatment must be evaluated according to its location, extent, and stage.”
Lin Xiuling was silent for a moment. “But if she really needs surgery...” She looked at the images on the screen, her voice lowering. “She may have a hard time accepting it.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked at her. “That’s why she needs someone to clearly explain every possibility to her even more.”
Lin Xiuling bit her lip, but another concern had already arisen in her mind.
“If I tell her she may need complicated surgery and treatment, what if she gets scared and goes to another hospital?”
Yang Wen-Hua’s expression became serious. “That’s not something we should be considering.”
“But...”
“Xiuling.” His voice was not loud, but it was firm. “As doctors, the first things we must protect are our patients’ lives and health.”
Lin Xiuling looked up at him. Those few words struck deep into her heart. She suddenly remembered what her original belief had been when she first became a doctor. But later, the prosperity of Shanghai, her career success, running the clinic, and one payment after another had gradually caused her to begin weighing “medical care” and “business” on the same scale. At this moment, she suddenly felt ashamed.
“Okay.” She nodded gently. “We’ll go talk to her together.”
Yang Wen-Hua glanced at his watch.
Only then did Lin Xiuling remember. “Wait, aren’t you catching a two o’clock flight?”
“I have enough time.” He picked up his coat. “Let’s take care of this first.”
The two of them walked out of the examination room again.
Hu Meimei immediately stood up.
“How is it?”
Yang Wen-Hua did not beat around the bush. He walked directly up to her.
“Ma’am, based on the ultrasound images we have so far, this lesion is highly suspicious, and we cannot rule out the possibility of a malignant tumor.”
Hu Meimei’s face instantly turned pale. “You... what did you say?”
“I recommend that you do not undergo breast augmentation surgery. The first step is to immediately go to a major hospital for further examination and determine the nature of the lesion. If it is confirmed, you should receive appropriate treatment based on the examination results.”
“Cancer?” Hu Meimei’s lips trembled. “Are you saying... I might have cancer?”
Yang Wen-Hua did not jump to a careless conclusion. “I said it is ‘highly suspicious.’ Further examination is necessary before it can be confirmed.”
However, Hu Meimei had already been overwhelmed by fear. She suddenly gave a cold laugh. “So this is the answer you two are giving me?” She grabbed her handbag from the table. “I pay money to have cosmetic surgery, and the two of you work together to tell me that I might have cancer?”
“Ma’am—”
“Enough!” She turned and was about to leave. “It’s not like you’re the only clinic in all of Shanghai!”
Yang Wen-Hua’s brows furrowed. “Ma’am, please don’t act out of anger.”
“I have plenty of money!”
“This isn’t a matter of money.” His voice suddenly became more forceful. “Even if you go somewhere else, you cannot skip necessary medical examinations simply because you’re afraid of how this might affect your appearance.”
Hu Meimei was angered by his attitude. “Who do you think you are? You’re not even my attending physician!”
“I’m a doctor.” Yang Wen-Hua looked at her and spoke each word clearly. “I don’t want you to delay potentially life-saving treatment because you’re afraid.”
Hu Meimei froze, then turned and was about to leave. Lin Xiuling hurried after her and gently took hold of her arm.
“Ms. Hu, please don’t leave yet.”
“Let go of me!”
“Please trust us.” Lin Xiuling looked at her. “If we were only trying to make money from you, I would never have refused to perform the surgery just now.”
Those words made Hu Meimei stop. She stared blankly at Lin Xiuling.
Yang Wen-Hua was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.
“How about this?”
Lin Xiuling turned around.
Yang Wen-Hua looked at Hu Meimei with an unusually serious expression. “If you’re willing to follow Dr. Lin’s advice and first go to a major hospital to complete the necessary examinations and obtain a diagnosis, then if you need surgical treatment afterward, I’m willing to assist you.”
Hu Meimei looked at him suspiciously. “You?”
“Yes.”
“Are you good enough?”
Lin Xiuling paused. “Ms. Hu.” Her tone was firm for the first time. “My senior, Dr. Yang Wen-Hua, is a surgeon whose skills I greatly respect. If you’re willing to receive professional treatment, I believe he will do everything he can to help you.”
Yang Wen-Hua glanced at Xiuling. Their eyes met in the air. At that moment, Lin Xiuling suddenly understood. What she had always loved about this man was precisely that almost stubborn medical conviction within him. He could give up his own schedule to save a stranger, even delaying his return to Taiwan. And for the first time, she truly understood why she had fallen for him.
Hu Meimei lowered her head and remained silent for quite a while. Finally, she took a deep breath.
“Okay.”
She raised her head. “I’ll take your advice.”
Lin Xiuling breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for being willing to trust us.”
Yang Wen-Hua said nothing. He simply took the plane ticket he had originally planned to use from his pocket. He looked at the time printed on the ticket, remained silent for a moment, and then handed it to Lin Xiuling.
“Xiuling.”
She took the ticket.
“Hmm?”
“Help me cancel this ticket.”
Lin Xiuling froze. “You...”
Yang Wen-Hua smiled faintly. “I’ll go back a few days later.”
Lin Xiuling’s hand tightened slightly around the ticket. The sadness she had been holding in her heart because they were about to part was suddenly replaced by a joy she could hardly conceal. She tried not to smile too obviously, but the corners of her mouth still curved upward.
“Okay.” She answered softly. “I’ll cancel it for you.”
45. Wen-Hua’s Guidance from the Sidelines
Night had already enveloped the outskirts of Shanghai. The shadows of the trees outside the villa swayed gently in the cool night breeze. The occasional sound of passing cars drifted from the distance, followed by silence once again. Only a few warm yellow lights were on in the living room. Their soft glow fell across the sofa, coffee table, and bookcase against the wall, making the entire space feel especially peaceful.
Yang Wen-Hua sat in one corner of the living room with a classical guitar in his arms. His head was slightly lowered, and his long fingers plucked the strings as a melodious tune slowly flowed through the living room. The music contained no deliberately flashy display of technique. Instead, it carried a quiet and restrained quality, as though his thoughts, too, were gradually settling with each note.
Lin Xiuling walked out of the kitchen carrying a white porcelain plate. Neatly arranged on it were slices of pineapple and Irwin mangoes. The vivid colors of the fruit looked especially tempting under the lights. She walked over to the coffee table and gently set down the fruit plate, a relaxed smile appearing on her face.
“Have some fruit. It came from my family’s home in Tainan,” she said. She picked up several bamboo picks and placed them beside the plate, then casually handed one to Yang Wen-Hua.
The music stopped abruptly. Yang Wen-Hua raised his head, looked at her, then glanced down at the fruit plate. A smile naturally appeared at the corners of his mouth. He carefully leaned the guitar against his side, reached out to take the bamboo pick, and speared a piece of pineapple. The sweet-and-sour flavor immediately spread across his tongue.
“You can buy fresh Taiwanese fruit in season here, too?” he asked, looking at Xiuling with some surprise.
Lin Xiuling sat down on the sofa across from him, reached out for a piece of mango, and said with a smile, “Of course! You just have to spend a little more money.” She said it casually, but Yang Wen-Hua could not help laughing.
The two of them ate fruit together, enjoying the rare, relaxed atmosphere. However, Xiuling’s gaze soon shifted from the fruit plate to Yang Wen-Hua, and the smile on her face gradually faded into seriousness.
She hesitated for a moment before speaking. “By the way, at noon you personally promised Ms. Hu that you would perform the surgery for her yourself. I’m very touched by your kindness, but...” Her voice trailed off.
Yang Wen-Hua looked up at her, immediately sensing the hesitation in her voice. He put down the bamboo pick and leaned slightly forward.
“But what?”
Xiuling did not answer immediately. She simply used the bamboo pick to gently move the fruit around on the plate, as if considering how she should put it. After a moment, she raised her head, a trace of concern in her expression.
“I’m worried the patient might tell other people about it afterward.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked at her in silence for several seconds, then gave an understanding smile.
“I understand your concern.” His tone was calm, without the slightest hint of blame. “I never intended to put down roots in Shanghai. I’m not going to become your competitor.”
Xiuling immediately frowned and could not help giving him a look.
“What are you thinking?” Although there was a hint of reproach in her voice, the concern in her eyes had not disappeared. “I’m not worried that you’ll compete with me. I’m worried that if this gets out, you might violate the local medical regulations. If you come to Shanghai in the future and the medical authorities investigate, you could face legal liability.”
At this point, her expression became even more serious.
To her, this was not merely a surgery, nor was it as simple as “helping out.” She knew very well that once a doctor crossed the boundaries established by the medical system, the consequences could often be far greater than expected. Especially since Yang Wen-Hua was only staying in Shanghai temporarily, she did not want one of her patients to get him into unnecessary trouble.
Yang Wen-Hua quietly listened to everything she said, and the smile on his face actually deepened. He picked up the glass of water from the coffee table, took a sip, and then slowly said, “Xiuling, you’re really worrying too much.”
Xiuling looked at him without saying anything.
Yang Wen-Hua put down the glass of water, and his expression became serious. “In front of Ms. Hu, I deliberately said that to persuade her. Actually, I want you to perform the surgery yourself, with me guiding you from the sidelines.”
Xiuling froze. “Me?”
“Yes, you.”
Yang Wen-Hua leaned slightly forward, naturally clasping his hands together. His tone carried the particular patience of a physician speaking to a student.
“You need to perform the procedure yourself and build up your experience. That way, you’ll be able to handle difficult cases like this in the future. What truly helps a doctor improve is not having someone else always making the decisions for you. You have to stand at the operating table yourself, face the patient’s body, and make the judgment.”
Xiuling looked at him, and her previously tense brows gradually relaxed. She suddenly understood. The reason Yang Wen-Hua had so directly promised to perform the surgery himself in front of Hu Meimei at noon was not to take the operation away from her, but to help her gain the patient’s trust. At the thought of this, a trace of admiration rose in her eyes.
“The way you considered everything was more thorough than I did, and you saw farther ahead.” She smiled, with a little more genuine admiration in her tone.
Yang Wen-Hua simply smiled faintly. “Once the patient is under anesthesia, I’ll leave the operating room and guide you from the sidelines through the video system.”
Xiuling was slightly taken aback. She had originally thought that since Yang Wen-Hua would be guiding her, the best approach would be for him to remain in the operating room, so that he could immediately step in if anything went wrong. Therefore, she quickly voiced the question in her mind.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you stayed in the operating room and guided me?”
Yang Wen-Hua did not answer immediately. He looked at Xiuling, and the relaxed smile that had been in his eyes earlier was gone, replaced by a deeper seriousness. He straightened his body slightly, and his tone became more deliberate.
“No.”
Xiuling looked at him.
“I can’t let you develop any psychological dependence on me.” He paused before continuing. “That would affect your judgment and ability to respond in the operating room.”
Xiuling stared at him, feeling as though something had gently touched her heart. She had originally thought that what Yang Wen-Hua meant by “guidance” was simply standing beside her and immediately solving any problems whenever she encountered them. But now she understood that what he truly wanted to teach her was not how to perform one particular operation, but how to become a doctor who could truly stand on her own.
He was willing to help her, yet deliberately maintained a certain distance. He was willing to guide her when she needed it most, yet unwilling to let her become dependent on him. This approach moved Xiuling in a way she could not put into words. Looking at the man before her, she suddenly felt as though she had come to know him all over again.
Yang Wen-Hua noticed her gaze but said nothing more. He simply reached out and picked up a piece of mango, his expression still calm, as though everything he had just said were the most natural thing in the world.
Xiuling withdrew her gaze, and a smile returned to her face.
“All right!” She pushed the fruit plate a little closer to Yang Wen-Hua, her tone becoming more cheerful again. “Come on, have some fruit.”
Yang Wen-Hua looked at her and could not help smiling. The living room became quiet again, with only the lingering resonance of the classical guitar still seeming to float softly in the air. Outside, the Shanghai night was deep and expansive, while the two of them sat beneath the warm lights, eating pineapple and mango from Tainan and discussing the surgery that was about to take place.
For Xiuling, this was not merely a discussion before an operation. For Yang Wen-Hua, it was not merely a lesson in medical technique either. In the places where neither of them had spoken aloud what was in their hearts, a deeper trust was quietly taking shape on this peaceful night.
