Chapter 294
In the hospital room.
Lin Xiaoyue used a cabinet as a makeshift dining table, laying out the food and drinks she had bought.
There were peanuts and a bag of spicy duck necks.
In addition, there were three cold dishes and four hot dishes.
Such a lavish dinner, complete with two prominent bottles of Maotai, drew envious glances from the other patients and their families.
"Doctor Chen, please, have a seat."
Mr. Lin eagerly welcomed Chenyang as he entered.
Chenyang smiled. "Perfect, I haven’t had dinner yet. Looks like I’m in for a real treat, thanks to you."
"On the contrary! I should be the one thanking you. I can finally satisfy this craving for a drink."
As he spoke, Mr. Lin unscrewed the cap and began pouring the liquor into a disposable cup. He seemed worried that Lin Xiaoyue might stop him, occasionally stealing a glance at her to gauge her reaction.
It wasn’t that he was afraid of his celebrity niece, but rather that he was worried Lin Xiaoyue would tell the other elders in the family about his drinking.
It wouldn’t have been the first time.
But this time, even after he had filled the disposable cup to the brim, Lin Xiaoyue didn’t spare him a single glance. Instead, she seemed to have something heavy on her mind.
Mr. Lin frowned. "Yuanyuan, what’s wrong?"
As if she hadn’t heard him, Lin Xiaoyue continued to rip open the bag of spicy duck necks. It wasn’t until Mr. Lin raised his voice and called to her again that she slowly turned her head. "Huh? Uncle, what did you say?"
"I said, you go out for a minute and come back completely spaced out. What happened?"
"N-nothing..."
"Oh, come on. You might as well have the two words ’I’m worried’ written on your forehead."
Mr. Lin set his cup down and asked with a serious expression, "Out with it. What happened?"
Lin Xiaoyue forced a smile. "It’s really nothing."
"Tsk. We haven’t seen each other for a few months and you’re already acting so distant. You used to tell me everything."
"Oh, Uncle, you’re overthinking it. I’m really fine. Please, just eat and drink with Doctor Chen. It’s getting late, and we don’t want to disturb the other patients."
Seeing she was determined not to talk, Mr. Lin didn’t press the issue.
After pouring the drinks, he raised his cup. "Doctor Chen, we’re men, so I’ll skip the flowery, sentimental stuff and get straight to the point. Thank you for saving my life! I can never truly repay you for that. From now on, if you ever need anything from me, just say the word. As long as it doesn’t go against my principles or break the law, I’ll do it without a second thought!"
"You’re too kind. I..."
Before Chenyang could finish his polite refusal, Liu Qian cut in. "Mr. Lin, as it happens, there is something Chenyang needs help with. Oh, no, to be more precise, it’s actually a favor from your niece, Miss Lin."
"Let’s hear it. Whether she can do it or not, I’ll make sure she does her best to help."
Mr. Lin was forthright and generous, agreeing on the spot without even asking what the favor was or what Lin Xiaoyue thought about it.
At that moment, however, Lin Xiaoyue’s delicate brows furrowed. Her eyes revealed a difficult predicament: she seemed to have guessed what favor Chenyang wanted, but she didn’t want to help and didn’t know how to refuse.
Although the look was fleeting, Chenyang caught it.
He smiled and stopped Liu Qian before she could continue. Waving his hand dismissively, he said, "Don’t listen to Director Liu. I don’t need any help. And as for what you said about me saving your life, you’re exaggerating."
"I’m a doctor and you’re a patient. Saving you is my job. You really don’t need to make such a big deal out of it."
"Saving me might be your duty, but I’m the one who was saved, which means I owe you a debt of gratitude. Let’s not mix the two. This is a debt I fully intend to repay."
"Mr. Lin, you..."
"Doctor Chen, if you keep refusing, it means you don’t consider me a friend. And I’ll have to get angry, you know."
Chenyang sighed in resignation. "Alright, have it your way. You’re the patient, so what you say goes."
"In that case, tell me what you need help with."
"I really don’t need any help right now. If I ever do, you’ll be the first person I call, how about that?"
Seeing that Chenyang wasn’t going to say anything, Liu Qian huffed, "What’s wrong with you? This is an emergency! Why clam up now?"