Chapter 120 Dr. Gao is a Man of Cold Exterior but Warm Heart
Early in the morning, the dawn slowly pulled the curtains open, and a glimr of light rose from the eastern horizon.
In the blink of an eye, it was the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. Although New Year’s was approaching, the hospital was still bustling with activity. After finishing the night shift, Jiang An and another doctor from the sa departnt finished handing over their duties and prepared to go downstairs to head ho.
The oncology departnt had also been extrely busy recently, and Jiang An hadn’t expected to encounter New Year’s Eve on-duty during her first year of internship. In the elevator, the girl couldn’t help but yawn as she thought about this; a patient’s condition had been unstable all night, and she had stayed up to monitor them without a wink of sleep, now only longing to get ho and catch so sleep.
Having not eaten much since the previous night, Jiang An felt famished as she left the hospital. The howling cold wind slapped against the girl’s cheeks, and she looked around, deciding to find a place to eat breakfast on the pedestrian street next to the hospital.
Although she had been working here for nearly two months, Jiang An was not very familiar with the area, and sohow, as if led by a ghostly force, she ended up in the Wonton Shop she had once visited with Gao Chuan.
It was still early, and there were no custors in the shop yet. When Jiang An entered, the Boss Lady was cleaning inside, but she imdiately ca out to greet the newcor as soon as she saw a custor.
Seeing that it was Jiang An, her face showed a hint of surprise and joy as she greeted with a smile, "Oh my, why didn’t Dr. Gao co with you? What would you like to eat?"
Jiang An looked at the Boss Lady who still had a smiling face and felt an ironic twist in her heart when she ntioned Gao Chuan. She made up an excuse on the spot and ultimately ordered a bowl of clear soup wontons.
After the Boss Lady left, Jiang An started to unwind the scarf around her neck and boredly began scrolling through her phone’s Weibo.
Within a few minutes, the Boss Lady brought over a bowl of steaming hot wontons. Perhaps because there were no other custors in the store, she stopped to chat with Jiang An.
Through the Boss Lady’s introduction, Jiang An learned that she was from Yunnan and had co to Jing City with her husband to open the shop seven or eight years ago, with Dr. Gao being a regular custor of their store.
"The last ti he brought you here, I didn’t believe it when he said he got married. He’s been a regular here and has always been alone; I never saw him bring a girl," the Boss Lady said, holding a hot water bottle, her face beaming with a smile as she spoke about Dr. Gao.
Jiang An first ward herself with a spoon of the hot soup and quietly listened as the Boss Lady began to narrate the connection between their family and Dr. Gao.
It turned out that the owner of the shop had once been a patient under Gao Chuan’s care. Six years ago, when Dr. Gao was just an ordinary attending doctor in the oncology departnt, he t the couple and learned that they were in deep debt and could not afford the surgery. He generously lent them money for the treatnt.
Recalling those past events, the Boss Lady was deeply moved, expressing her gratitude to Jiang An: "I was pregnant back then, we really had no money, and the illness ca so suddenly. Thanks to Dr. Gao, not only did he lend us money, but he also successfully operated on my husband. Our family was able to avoid collapse. Without him, we would have probably been finished a long ti ago."
Jiang An listened quietly to the Boss Lady’s story, imagining the urgent situation at that ti. Six years ago, Dr. Gao must have just arrived at City Hospital, she thought to herself.
"Dr. Gao is truly a good person. Don’t judge him by his cold exterior and distant behavior; he doesn’t talk much, but on the inside, he is warm. After the surgery, knowing we had nowhere to turn, he helped us find soone to take over the shop. We started our business here, and life has been getting better. We’ve paid off our debts and returned his surgery fees. Dr. Gao has been frequenting our business ever since to support us," she continued.
"You know, despite knowing Dr. Gao for so long, I’ve always earnestly advised him that, being in his thirties, he should find a partner. He always makes excuses to brush off. But now it’s great that he has t a wonderful girl like you; it’s quite fulfilling," the Boss Lady said, looking at Jiang An, who was quietly eating her wontons, with a content smile on her face.
Ever since their last eting, she had taken a liking to the girl following Dr. Gao. Jiang An might have looked young, but she was exceptionally polite, and her every move exuded gentle warmth.
"We missed out on the joy of celebrating your marriage, but when you have children, you must call us over. Dr. Gao is a great benefactor to our family; we owe him a lifeti of gratitude."
Only when other custors arrived did the Boss Lady leave the table to serve them, and Jiang An quietly ate her wontons at her spot. The woman’s words echoed in her heart, her thoughts fluttering in disarray.
When Jiang An finished her wontons and tried to pay, the Boss Lady insisted on not taking the money. Helpless, Jiang An took advantage of her distraction and secretly transferred the paynt before leaving the Wonton Shop. Turning back for another look, she saw the woman’s busy figure inside, a wave of warmth swept unnoticed over her heart.
Perhaps for the Boss Lady, after experiencing such dark days, happiness had beco incredibly simple—a family living together healthy and safe, guarding their little shop was all she needed.
What about her own happiness?
She no longer had a family.
It seed like she had nothing at all.
Gao Chuan arrived at the hospital just after finishing a call with Shen i, who was urging him as usual to co ho for the New Year’s family reunion dinner. The man dismissed her as he always did with a few words.
Shen i, apparently getting impatient with his tone, raised her voice and said, "What’s going on with you and Anan? Not coming ho for such an important holiday—I don’t care what you’re up to, but you must bring Anan ho on the first day of the New Year."
Shen i’s aggressive words settled in his ears, followed by the "beep beep beep" sound of the call ending. Gao Chuan frowned, turned off the car, and prepared to get out.
Jiang An had to stay for the New Year’s Eve on-call shift, and being a long-ti worker in the hospital, he also knew the reasons well. Thinking about the way they had been interacting like strangers recently, the man’s face was lined with annoyance.
These days, he had been overwheld with the affairs of the Swiss laboratory, and with Jiang An on his mind, he seed even colder than before.
Gao Chuan had just put on his white coat and entered the office when he heard a commotion in the hallway. Buttoning up, he walked out and saw a middle-aged man holding a kitchen knife, standing arrogantly in front of the neighboring office door.
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