Author :Happy New Year 2026 🎆
"We're going to celebrate first, remember?"
Yibo's voice came as he turned from the door he had just closed and looked at Zhan. Zhan was sure Yibo noticed the clear surprise written all over his face, but Yibo didn't comment on it. He simply walked past him again toward his desk, opened a drawer, took out a box, then returned to where Zhan was standing.
Zhan looked up at Yibo's height towering over him before his eyes dropped to what Yibo was holding.
"This is the best I could find online. It's a good tablet....it'll help you be more accurate with your work so there won't be any mistakes again."
Even without Yibo saying it outright, Zhan recognized the Apple logo immediately. This wasn't just any tablet; it was far from the basic ones he was used to seeing or working with.
He accepted it slowly, nodded, then looked up at Yibo. For a moment, he didn't even know where to begin. How do you properly thank someone so they truly understand that the gratitude comes from deep within your heart? Before Zhan could gather his thoughts, Yibo had already turned away and walked to the far end of the office, where a small fridge was placed.
"Thank you, sir… thank you so much. I really appreciate it."
Zhan spoke while watching Yibo bend slightly to open the fridge with his right hand, then pull out two bottles of water with his left. He nudged the fridge door shut with his foot and turned back.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that 'sir.' Sit down."
He gestured to one of the two chairs placed in front of his desk.
Only then did Zhan fully register what Yibo had brought out....two bottles of water. He recognized the brand immediately.
Nanghu Spring Water.
A small smile escaped Zhan without him realizing it. He honestly couldn't remember ever meeting anyone who loved water as much as Dr. Yibo did.
"What's making you smile?" Yibo asked.
Zhan shook his head quickly.
"Nothing."
"Then sit."
Yibo repeated, pointing again at the chair. Zhan finally gathered the courage to move....just as a knock sounded on the office door and the handle was tested from outside. Zhan turned sharply toward the door.
"That's why I locked it. Matron Tanga isn't around, and I haven't been in for two days either. They'd definitely distract us." Yibo said.
He motioned once more with his eyes toward the chair. Zhan stayed quiet and slowly walked over to sit down. Yibo followed, pulling the other chair closer and sitting directly opposite him. Then he said something Zhan never expected.... something that hadn't even crossed his own mind.
"We'll start by marking this properly. Your return… and also acknowledging the loss of the former patient."
Zhan simply nodded, eyes lowered, fingers fidgeting in his lap as Yibo spoke calmly in the quiet office. Before Yibo finished, Zhan had already noticed the door handle being turned several times from outside....clear proof that locking the door was the best option.
When Yibo was done, he handed Zhan one of the water bottles.
"Drink."
That simple instruction made Zhan smile again.... another smile he hadn't planned.
"Is it the water that's amusing you?"
Yibo asked, likely unable to hold back his curiosity after noticing it twice.
Zhan shook his head.
"Not the water. Just… the way you drank it. You really care about it. Like it's important to you."
Yibo nodded, looking at him over the top of his own bottle.
"Water calms the mind. It has a lot of health benefits. It's part of my routine.... that's why it was the one thing I didn't give you last time."
He watched Zhan as he listened, his face open and attentive, fully focused on every word. When Yibo finished, Zhan nodded slowly to show he understood and thanked him again.
Yibo returned the nod, stood up, walked back behind the desk, twisted open his bottle, and took a sip. He then picked up his old tablet....the one he had received earlier from Anwei, filled with all the previous casework.
When he glanced at Zhan, he noticed his attention had drifted to the tablet box, studying it closely.
Yibo cleared his throat softly and called his name.
"Zhan."
Zhan looked up immediately.
Yibo held out the tablet to him.
"There's a lot you'll need to catch up on before we properly get back to work. We've had many new admissions. I won't be seeing patients today....the nurses already have today's prescriptions covered unless something changes. You'll find everything in here."
"Ask for the cases the other doctors handled while you were away. Go through all their reports and review the patients today.... then tomorrow, we start afresh."
Zhan stood up, reached out, and took the tablet, gathering it together with the Apple tablet box and the bottle of water aside. With one hand, he immediately began tapping through the tablet....he already knew his way around it....opening the charts Yibo had filled with countless notes since his absence.
Yibo returned to his chair and took another sip of water, his eyes still on Zhan. First, it was Zhan's hands that caught his attention....the way the fingers of his right hand curved neatly around the tablet, slender and controlled, while his left hand scrolled through the records. Then Yibo's gaze drifted to Zhan himself.
He wasn't really seeing anything specific; he was unconsciously studying his height, the shape of his body beneath his clothes, trying to decide....was he slim, or was there solid strength hidden there?
At the same moment, Yibo felt his throat go dry. He raised the bottle to his lips just as Zhan looked up at him.
"I noticed there are patients who were admitted and already discharged," Zhan said.
Yibo nodded, lowering the bottle.
"Two of them. Minor cases. You'll see once you go through the files."
Zhan nodded in response.
"Alright."
Yibo murmured his acknowledgment, his eyes lingering on Zhan's hands. And from that moment... from that very day....through all the days that followed, Yibo's mind could never quite settle on what it was he kept noticing about Zhan's hands.
He saw them every day. They worked together constantly, unless Yibo was overwhelmed with other duties in the hospital. And whenever Zhan stood in front of him, whenever they worked side by side, half of Yibo's attention was on the task at hand, while the other half followed the movements of Zhan's fingers....especially when he gestured, spreading them apart and bringing them together as he explained something.
There was a day when Zhan was describing the size of a swelling forming near the stitches of a patient who had been sent to the lab for tests.
Yibo was in a hurry, preparing to head into surgery, wanting to wrap up the case before the patient returned. As Zhan demonstrated the size with his hands....opening his fingers, closing them again, correcting himself....Yibo felt a sudden urge to grab those hands, to stop them, just to make the sensation go away.
In the end, he simply dismissed Zhan and turned to drain his bottle of water, noticing that lately he seemed to be drinking water more than usual.
✵✵✵
In the days following Zhan's return to work, he realized he wasn't facing as many difficulties as he'd feared. At first, the workload had seemed overwhelming, almost impossible to master in such a short time. But with the help of his new tablet....and the support of the new nurses....everything fell into place quickly.
Aji was especially helpful. Despite her condition making her less enthusiastic about work, she had an incredible memory. Whenever the other nurses forgot something, Zhan could rely on her. Sometimes, she even reminded him of things he hadn't yet asked about.
By then, Zhan had also grown familiar with all the patients, memorizing each case and condition. That was largely thanks to Yibo's detailed explanations....deliberate, careful, always designed to prevent even the smallest mistake from happening again. And every day, after work, Yibo would take the tablet and reread all the notes Zhan had written.
Since Zhan's return, the CMO had called him twice. The first time was a strict warning about his past mistake, making it clear that if anything.... even something minor....happened again under his watch, no one would protect him. The second call was another reminder: he was being closely monitored at all times.
Zhan clearly remembered the second day after his return. He was told Yibo wanted to see him. When he went and explained where he'd been, Yibo's expression shifted instantly. Something like irritation crossed his face, and whatever he'd intended to ask or say seemed to dissolve. He simply told Zhan to go.
Truthfully, Zhan didn't know exactly how he felt about Yibo. All he knew was that every time he saw him, he never failed to notice his presence....his composure, his confidence. Even if they worked together and then separated, something still stirred in Zhan's chest each time his eyes found Yibo again.
More than that, Zhan enjoyed working with him. He liked waking up each morning knowing he would see Yibo, that they would work together....work that challenged him and held his attention more than anything else in the hospital.
Especially now, when he was also dealing with mounting pressure from Nainai about Peng. After weeks of ignoring Peng's calls, the man had finally shown up in person, confronting Nainai with a proposal so shameless that, even now, Zhan couldn't help but marvel at it....a man who had ignored her existence for years, only to suddenly appear and declare that he wanted to marry him.
He knew Nainai herself was already weighing all of that, which was why she didn't take Peng's words too seriously. Still, Peng had lit a fire under him, and Nainai only increased the pressure with her constant talk of marriage....especially now that Yufei's wedding preparations were reaching their peak. His only small relief was being able to defend himself by saying he was all from the same neighborhood as Fuyue.
Fuyue…
Zhan found himself thinking about him, about their interactions lately. It wasn't as if they had ever been particularly close, but since Zhan returned to work, he had noticed how much Fuyue's attitude toward him had changed....how overly warm he became whenever they met, or how he would suddenly change direction just to avoid crossing paths with him.
On the very first day Zhan resumed work, they ran into each other in the compound that morning. When Fuyue saw him dressed in white, his phone slipped from his hand in shock. When he asked whether Zhan had truly gone back to work and Zhan confirmed it, Fuyue kept nodding, as if lost in some private calculation. Ever since they were children, whatever Fuyue did around him was never straightforward. There was always an excuse, always a layer of justification that made Zhan give him the benefit of the doubt....so much so that they were often scolded together by Aunty Shui, who would complain that she didn't understand why Zhan was always the one being hurt.
Zhan never even fully took Aunty Shui's words back then. Yet now, something in Fuyue felt wrong....an unease he couldn't quite name. And so, he began to quietly withdraw, distancing himself from anything that might bring him close to Fuyue, or even from seeing him at all.
But then came the day Zhan went shopping with his first salary, and Nainai asked him to take gifts over to the Taichen family as well. When he arrived, he found only Aunty Hsiao there, on the phone, loudly venting to her friend about the endless court disputes she was still having with her husband.
When Zhan handed her the items, he almost felt like snapping back at him herself.
From that day on, Aunty Hsiao changed completely toward him. Many times, she wouldn't even return his greetings when they met downstairs. She stopped coming to Nainai's room altogether after her sharp exchange with Nainai over Bai's issue, which later escalated until Uncle Elder personally called her to reprimand her.
And so, when Zhan gathered all these reasons together, he realized that every morning he stepped into the hospital, the weight in his chest seemed to ease. The work, the people around him....all of it helped, especially Dr. Yibo, who occupied a significant space in his thoughts.
Zhan couldn't define exactly what he felt for him. He only knew that he enjoyed working with him. In fact, he looked forward to seeing him every day....especially on Mondays, when they spent longer hours on each patient and Yibo explained cases in such detail that they stayed with him long afterward.
Yet whenever Zhan overheard the new nurses talking about Yibo....about how skilled he was, how impressive he seemed....he felt an unexpected discomfort. It bothered him even more when the conversation grew animated, to the point that he once went to the pharmacy and returned to find them still at it, even directing questions at him about Yibo. After giving them a brief response, he turned away and immersed himself in his work.
What did make him smile was when Aji stepped in and told them to stop exhausting themselves over Dr Yibo's appeal, pointing out that many women in the hospital had done the same and eventually given up.
Zhan even laughed when Aji began listing those who had once been hopelessly infatuated with him, only to move on and get married.... including a friend of Nurse Suchue. There was something about that woman that Zhan instinctively disliked. He sensed her interest in Yibo all too clearly. Whenever they crossed paths, she sometimes shot him sharp looks, and when she came into their section, she spoke to everyone except him. Zhan didn't know what he had ever done to offend her, nor did he want to know. All he wished was to be kept far away from her....peacefully, without trouble.
✨✨✨
It was a little past three in the afternoon when Zhan stood by the roadside, waiting for a taxi. He wasn't heading home. He had an arrangement with Aunty Shui to meet at the market so they could buy rugs to be used for Yufei's wedding. All the other preparations had already been completed; it was only the rugs that were still a concern. Two had gone missing after they were lent to another household a few days earlier.
Because of that, money had been set aside to buy about three new ones. Nainai knew Uncle Elder's wife had a large extended family, and many of them would attend the traditional ceremony at the house.
Zhan had been calling Aunty Shui since earlier in the afternoon. She kept telling him she was on her way, explaining that she had gone back home first after work since her place was far. Zhan had already rushed to finish his own tasks shortly after two o'clock, especially since Yufei had told him she would come by in the evening to pick him up so they could distribute invitation cards to some of her friends. Zhan knew "evening" for Yufei usually meant very close to nightfall....she had never been one to do things early, and now the wedding duties were piling up.
Still, Zhan hoped they would finish at the market quickly and return home early so he could get some rest before evening. That was why he kept calling Aunty Shui. Eventually, she told him to just come out, saying they might run into each other on the way. Zhan knew that even if he got there first, he would still have to wait for her, which was why he didn't stress too much about finding a taxi immediately.
¦
¦
Yibo drove out of the hospital compound in his car, intending to go home. Earlier that day, there had been a long meeting at the hospital, along with reporting sessions involving the board members and Professor Fan Shutong, who had returned from a trip three days earlier.
He hadn't seen patients at the SRRI unit that day. Zhan had only given him a brief update. He shared his observations, then stopped by the pharmacy to discuss a medication that had been causing rashes in some patients. After that, he headed straight to the meeting.
It was the kind of meeting he had always known about during his time at the hospital....one he had seen happen many times but never attended personally until now, since he was officially representing the SRRI department. Even that morning, the CMO had reminded him at the last minute. Apparently, the notice had been sent by email, one he hadn't checked.
He arrived to find everyone holding files for their presentations. He, on the other hand, had nothing but a bottle of water in his hand. People stared at him at first, unaccustomed to seeing him at such meetings, until they eventually understood why he was there. Some asked him questions; others simply listened.
When it was his turn, the detailed report he gave on SRRI.....the achievements since its inception and the challenges they had faced....left a strong impression. It satisfied everyone, especially the professor, who openly commended Yibo in front of the others for his dedication and effort.
Now, having just stepped out of the meeting, Yibo felt drained. Sitting through long reports and listening to everyone's observations had worn him out. Even speaking earlier had taken effort....this kind of setting wasn't something he was used to. He was eager for it to end. That was why he didn't even bother going to his office. He got into his car and left immediately.
As he drove out, his eyes landed on Zhan, standing not far from the hospital gate, beneath a tree by the roadside.
He was mildly surprised. He had seen Zhan on that street once or twice before, but that had been around the time Zhan first started working....and usually on the opposite side of the road that led toward Zhan's home. Now that Zhan was standing here, where exactly was he heading?
Before Yibo reached him, he slowed the car enough for Zhan to notice. Zhan turned, and their eyes met. Without thinking, Yibo lifted his hand and gestured for him to come over.
Zhan looked at him, uncertain, as though he hadn't understood. Yibo curled his finger slightly, repeating the gesture to be clear. As Zhan approached, Yibo rolled down the window.
Sunlight fell directly on Zhan's face as he stepped out of the shade.
"Where are you going?" Yibo asked.
"I'm stopping somewhere before heading home," Zhan replied.
"Where exactly?"
Zhan paused briefly before answering.
"The market."
Yibo nodded slowly, his eyes still on him.
"Are you going to the market alone?"
"No. My aunt is on her way....we'll meet there."
Yibo nodded again and said,
"Go around and get in."
"Yes…?"
Zhan asked amid the noise of the street, sounding unsure.
"Go around and get in." Yibo repeated.
Zhan slowly walked around the back of the car. Yibo rolled up the window, unlocked the door, and Zhan got in, greeting him. Yibo replied and turned to look at him, and Zhan looked back at him too.
"Direct me," Yibo said, his eyes on Zhan.
Zhan's eyes widened slightly as he continued staring at him.
"Huh…"
Even before Zhan explained, Yibo already knew he hadn't understood.
"You said you're going to the market. Direct me....I don't know the way."
Zhan nodded and turned to look at the road.
"If we go straight, it's not far. You'll pass it on the way. I'll just get down at the corner."
Yibo didn't say anything. He nodded, started the car, then asked,
"There's a market close by here?"
"Yes, there is. And it's a big one. You probably pass this road every day."
Yibo nodded, eyes fixed on the road.
"Maybe. Did that patient get the blood transfusion earlier?"
"Yes. He received packed cells around 11 a.m., and his PCV has started to rise."
Yibo nodded again, drawing a slow breath.
"Good. I hope fluids were started before the transfusion."
"Yes, crystalloids were given first after you left."
"Good."
He said this just as Zhan's phone rang inside his bag. From the corner of his eye, Yibo watched as Zhan opened the bag and took it out. His gaze lingered on Zhan's fingers holding the phone, and he bit his lower lip slightly before turning his attention back to the road.
Zhan didn't answer the call....he likely silenced it and put the phone back into his bag.
"That corner with the signboard is the way to the market. If you drop me here, I'll walk the rest. I know you're going straight."
"I'm not going straight," Yibo said.
Zhan's phone rang again before he could respond. This time he answered it just as Yibo spotted a U-turn ahead.
"Aunty Shui, I'm on my way. I'm almost there,"
Zhan said before responding with a brief "Okay" and ending the call.
Then Yibo saw Zhan stretch out his hand, pointing with one finger toward the road.
"The next corner after this....I'll get down there."
Yibo turned his head fully, staring at Zhan's hand instead of the road.
Zhan noticed and looked at him, then glanced at the hand he was staring at. He slowly curled his fingers into a fist and pulled his hand back.
Yibo turned forward again, telling himself silently that what he believed about his feelings for Zhan was true....no matter how deeply his heart leaned toward him, some things would never happen.....
What Yibo didn't know was that some things would happen....things that would later be spoken of. But only after the world had been turned upside down, shaken hard enough to grow something new. Some events become the cause of others.
✨✨✨
"We have to stand up, Fuyue…"
Aunty Hsiao said quietly, looking at Fuyue, who sat beside her in their bedroom.
"After your father exposed everything to me, those people want to strip me of everything and throw me to the world."
She spoke again in a low voice, careful that Taichen, her mother who was in the living room, wouldn't hear.
Fuyue nodded. He understood perfectly.... no explanation was needed. When she mentioned his father exposing her, he knew she was referring to the most recent court session, where the case had taken a dangerous turn. His father was trying to win by forcing her to return the money she had taken... money that had led to the collapse of their marriage.
Fuyue didn't know the full details about the money or what his mother had done with it. He only knew that she had taken it, and he didn't care to know more. He would stand by his mother against anyone.
As for the people she mentioned, he knew she meant Uncle Elder. Ever since the last phone call he'd made to her about what she had done to Nainai regarding Bai's case, there hadn't been a single day she hadn't come home furious. They had agreed that the humiliation she suffered had gone too far.
"The world wants to turn its back on us completely, Fuyue. That's why we have to stand firm. We must know how to smash down the door in front of us....with force."
Fuyue smiled.....a genuine smile that brightened his face. Ever since Zhan returned to work, the days that followed had been miserable for him. He had kept calling Nurse Suchue, who fed him lies and half-truths about not knowing how Zhan had been reinstated, until she eventually stopped answering his calls altogether. The money he had given her was clearly long gone.
He had found no peace until he realized his mother had truly taken the situation to heart. Without Taichen knowing, he told her that it was he who had orchestrated Zhan's dismissal. She paused at first, then nodded, praising his effort before saying, "Zhan never deserved that job anyway."
So now, as Aunty Hsiao set her resolve into motion, Fuyue felt a surge of satisfaction he couldn't even describe. This wasn't about his father at all....it was personal. All he wanted was to see Zhan and everything he stood for brought down.
Still… some things inevitably become the cause of others.
Thursday, 1st January.
2026
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛