Special Forces Medic

Leaning against the window, Xiao Lin focused on the swirling snow outside. He could no longer remember how many times it had snowed this year; it seemed that this white color had never vanished from view since winter began. The QQ at Dragon Soul Repair Shop was still lying there, its shell and chassis had been replaced, and this time even the glass had been switched to the ones supplied by Hua Qingyi's vendor. They were just waiting for the engine to arrive. Not having a car really brought a lot of troubles, but having a personal driver was quite nice.

With nothing else to do, he distributed the Japanese tea he had brought back from 'Rhein' to the big and small sisters in the department, keeping only a small bag of tea powder for himself. Filled with enthusiasm, he brewed a cup today, only to find it tasted terrible. The tea was strong, but the strange feeling of swallowing the granules made it hard to accept.

He did not see Sister Li early this morning. After not visiting the department for a long while, he felt somewhat unfamiliar. Xiao Ning jumped in from outside, assuming no one would be in the office due to her tardiness, only to find Xiao Lin waiting by the windowsill like a scorned wife.

"Xiao... Dr. Xiao..."

Being late meant having her attendance deductions. Xiao Ning kept smiling at Xiao Lin, trying to find some excuse to explain her tardiness, but was rendered speechless due to his handsome face sweeping her way.

"Late again!" The cup felt warm in his hand, reluctant to let go. After speaking, Xiao Lin turned back to the window, not knowing why the snow seemed exceptionally white today, glaring wherever it piled.

"The director isn't here, so it's not counted as late, right?" Xiao Ning waved a cake from her bag in front of Xiao Lin: "Here! You came so early, you probably haven't had breakfast, right? I'll let you have this, it's like helping out, so it shouldn't count as late."

"Oh, late plus bribery, double the trouble." Xiao Lin unceremoniously took Xiao Ning's cake, which appeared quite tempting.

"Dr. Xiao accepts the cake from a little girl as if agreeing!" Saying that, she jumped out and headed to the women's dressing room.

Xiao Ning was a recent graduate from a nursing institute, placed at Yan University Hospital through some small greases from the family. Because it wasn't very busy here and it belonged to the campus hospital, securing a place wasn't easy. Additionally, her sweet nature and eloquent mouth ensured good relationships both up and down the hospital.

Whether it's a slight injury or some small issue, getting her to coordinate always has immediate results. Her verbal skills managed to keep the director smiling all day, although her hands were skilled too. Even though she usually appeared silly, once getting into an emergency state, she could still assist by the side better than many nurses who merely relied on connections.

Taking a bite of the cake, the sweet cream slipped into his mouth. Xiao Lin usually didn't eat sweets in the morning, but was startled by the noise from Hua Qingyi's phone, making him kick himself off the bed in a fit, only feeling a bit relieved afterward. It was because today was the day for Dragon Soul's special training that he slept like a log.

Thanks to his attire pull, he was dragged up, appearing promptly at 7 a.m. in the emergency office. Li Jingyi didn't like coffee; he could only rely on strong tea in hand to dispel weariness.

"Dr. Xiao, how come you are so early today? It's rumored that you are like a dragon that shows its head but hides its tail!"

Xiao Ning, dressed in nurse attire and pushing a small cart, filled it with a day's medical supplies, watered flowers. She recently bought a peculiar green plant, supposedly a mutated carnivorous plant, yet Xiao Lin couldn't see it as a flower, kept in a glass bottle with water.

"Dragon?" Surprised by yet another nickname, eyeing the cake in hand, Xiao Lin debated whether to finish devouring it.

"Yes! A mystical apparition; you should know many people in the departments are jealous and envious!" Xiao Ning completed all preparations and started tidying Li Jingyi's desk: "There are all sorts of stories, just short of calling you the dean's illegitimate child, but you two look too different to make random claims of kinship." Upon finishing, Xiao Ning's laughter was unstoppable, though Xiao Lin failed to see the humor, merely complying with a chuckle.

"It appears the dragon is an immortal compliment!" The conclusion after consideration was to split the cake in two and devour it, mouth puffed up.

"Not really!"

Xiao Ning fetched a basin, soaked the dirty rag that she tossed into hot water: "Without Dr. Xiao, the emergency room is quieter than outside clinics. See, I've fallen to joining the cleaning aunties' ranks." Xiao Ning frowned, hands tirelessly scrubbing the rag.

"Isn't emptiness good, money still flows in." Xiao Lin drank some water, the tea flavor removing a lot of the sweet grease from the cream, though his stomach was yet rumbling; mornings preferred pancakes and deep-fried dough sticks for comfort.

"It's good, just dull."

"Where's Sister Li? It's already ten, yet she's not seen?"

"Yesterday, when you were absent, Sister Li's son seemed to fall ill, she took leave." Finally finishing her tasks, Xiao Ning plopped down beside Xiao Lin; being close to a handsome man brings enjoyment.

"Did that Li Tongtong have any aftermath?"

Xiao Lin exhaled towards the window, drawing strange faces on it with fingers, as Xiao Ning mentioned, the emergency room was stagnant with idleness. Considerably, it made sense; his frequent disappearances weren't justifiable, needing next time's attention, after all, he held a regular job, public opinion was intimidating!

"She handled her academic suspension procedures a few days ago, looking very haggard." Xiao Ning sighed upon thinking of Li Tongtong, previously a lively girl, how did she end up like this?

"Said she would return home."

"Oh!" Xiao Lin turned his gaze outside, feeling guilt over Li Tongtong and Elder Miao. In this world, not everything can be resolved. Xiao Lin's self-denial began, doubting his abilities once, but quickly, thoughts passed, never the sort to dwell in failures.

"When did she leave?" Still needed to say something; might never meet again afterward.

"Already left, her dorm mates said she bought a return ticket right after completing the suspension procedures, took nothing with her!" Xiao Ning echoed Xiao Lin, drawing various floral patterns on the window to kill idle time.

"Was she alone?"

"Seems like it!"

A bad feeling flickered in his mind, Xiao Lin wished to move from the windowsill yet found himself heavier than ever before. Intuition told him the girl would die; someone bent on dying, regardless of how many times one saved her, was always hopeless. He took a sip of tea; it wasn't that he was cold-hearted, but now, for Li Tongtong, death seemed the best relief. (To be continued. If you like this work, you're welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)