Chapter 137 Ren Lin’s Confession
On the first morning after the work changes, Song Xin was busy getting to grips with the work she needed to take over at City Hospital and didn’t have any spare ti for Jiang An, who was engrossed in her own tasks in the office.
It was not until noon that she took a break. She had just soothed a patient in the general ward when she saw a WeChat ssage from Ren Lin sent minutes earlier, inviting her for a coffee downstairs at lunchti.
Jiang An folded back to her own office, typing a reply as she walked.
Jiang An: What’s up?
Just as she reached the office door, she received a reply.
Ren Lin: I’d like to discuss with you about that surgery Dr. Li did at the end of the year.
Jiang An placed the file folder she was holding on the desk, checked the ti displayed on her phone screen, and packed up to head downstairs for the appointnt.
There were quite a few white-collar workers from nearby offices in the coffee shop downstairs, taking advantage of the lunch break to work there, and dical staff from the hospital also ca for a coffee during their free ti. The atmosphere was relatively quiet. As Jiang An pushed the door and entered, she saw Ren Lin sitting in a corner on the sofa, clad in the hospital’s white coat, quietly reading a book.
He only looked up when Jiang An sat opposite him, and seeing the girl smile, he set down his book to inquire what Jiang An would like to drink.
Jiang An casually ordered a black coffee, and the two began to analyze the docunts Ren Lin had brought over, discussing Dr. Bai’s surgery from last ti. Jiang An was fully engaged, listening intently to the doubts Ren Lin was expressing, her eyes fixated on the black and white text, not noticing that Ren Lin had been watching her the entire ti.
The mid-afternoon sunlight was enchanting, golden and shimring as it fell through the window behind onto the girl, casting a delicate glow on her fair face and her clear eyes, as tranquil as an undisturbed lake.
Ren Lin looked down, his cheeks flushing with a light red.
Jiang An was very beautiful, a fact he had long noticed.
The two finally wrapped up their discussion with back and forth dialogue. Jiang An sighed, took a sip of her coffee from the table, and heard Ren Lin opposite her asking, "How is it being under Dr. Song? Is she kind to you?"
The slightly bitter taste of the coffee spread across her tongue. Jiang An heard Ren Lin’s concerned reply, "Not bad."
"And you?"
Ren Lin exhaled slightly in front of her, adopting an expression that spoke volus of his frustration. Although he had heard a fair amount of rumors about Gao Chuan at the hospital, he never imagined Gao Chuan to be so aloof. Ren Lin, who hadn’t been able to exchange more than a few words with him all morning, felt he had suffered in silence.
Jiang An listened to Ren Lin’s complaints and let out a laugh, seemingly able to imagine the awkwardness of two grown n sitting opposite each other in the office. She thought Ren Lin was pitiful to have ended up under Dr. Gao.
After exchanging experiences about their respective supervising doctors, there was a period of silence. Jiang An’s gaze settled on the brightly sunlit window outside, and seeing the fine weather, she involuntarily thought of her grandmother.
This weather, it’s best for the elderly to get out and soak in more sun.
Lost in thought, she heard Ren Lin remark, "This place has a nice atmosphere."
Jiang An turned her attention back to Ren Lin upon hearing him, noticed his reddening cheeks unknowingly, agreed with a nod, thinking about the pile of work awaiting her at the hospital, and said her goodbyes, "I’ll head off first then!"
She had already stood up to leave and had not yet circled around the chair when she was suddenly stopped by Ren Lin, who had also stood up and grabbed her wrist from behind, with an urgent "Jiang An."
Jiang An turned abruptly to see Ren Lin with a distressed expression, holding her wrist. She frowned and instinctively tried to break free. Only when Jiang An struggled did Ren Lin realize the impulsive action he had taken in his haste, and, not wanting Jiang An to be angry, he quickly released her.
"Is there anything else?" Jiang An asked, with restrained patience.
Ren Lin stood still, casting his gaze downward at Jiang An, who appeared emotionless. His own face was flushed, and his mouth nervously opened and closed until he finally managed to express the words he had long been yearning to say.
He said, "Jiang An, I like you."
"Can you be my girlfriend?" As Ren Lin spoke these words, his confession was delivered with a shy face, his eyes brimming with tender affection.
He couldn’t quite pinpoint the mont his feelings for Jiang An first erged; perhaps it was during their everyday interactions that he began to notice the sparkling traits of this girl.
Passion, gentleness, patience, cuteness – over ti, these brewed into his affection for her.
He had always been hesitant, fearing that even friendship would be impossible after a confession, but it wasn’t until today - when they no longer had the chance to share the sa space - that he realized his concern for Jiang An had grown so deep to the point of distraction throughout the morning.
Faced with Ren Lin’s unexpected confession, Jiang An didn’t seem too surprised; still, admitting soone liked her did bring a blush to her face.
The tiny affections between a man and a woman are like cherished little secrets, painstakingly concealed, yet unbeknownst to them, infatuation for soone is sothing that cannot be hidden.
"I’m sorry, I can’t accept, I don’t like you," Jiang An said bluntly, resounding in her head just as when she had rejected Wei Yan.
A sudden sense of guilt erged in her heart, wondering if Ren Lin would break down if he knew she was married to Dr. Gao.
After his confession was turned down, Ren Lin seed no more shocked than before, noticing Jiang An’s subtle avoidance. He seed to harbor no extravagant hopes that the girl would agree right away, and inadvertently asked, "Then, may I pursue you?"
Jiang An did not anticipate Ren Lin’s persistence. If speaking solely about their working relationship, Ren Lin could certainly be called a good colleague, but affection was not sothing that could be requested.
"You may not, I already have soone I like in my heart."
—————
anwhile, Gao Chuan ate alone in the cafeteria. Song Xin, having just picked up her al, noticed the man’s solitary silhouette and, with a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, walked over and sat down across from him.
"Dr. Gao seems rather lonely," Song Xin teased with a smile. However, it seed that for many years Gao Chuan preferred to be a lone wolf, like he was back in college, apart from a few close friends, he hardly made any others.
Gao Chuan continued eating his al from the plate, ignoring her.
Song Xin grimaced with a slight moue, muttering softly, "It’s a good thing I’m here."
Her voice, barely louder than a mosquito’s hum, went unheard by the man, and Song Xin shyly hung her head.
"Hey, they’ve assigned an intern as soon as I arrived. I have my own work cut out for , yet I have to teach soone else," Song Xin started a conversation with the ever-silent Gao Chuan, knowing he took on an intern as well. People familiar with Gao Chuan would know he is not the kind to seek trouble for himself, "Speaking of which, how co you started taking interns?"
"Hospital’s arrangents," Gao Chuan coldly replied to Song Du’s murmuring complaints.
"It turns out the intern I’m ntoring is a junior from our Alma Mater!" Hearing Song Xin ntion Jiang An made Gao Chuan’s eyes and eyebrows instantly furrow, recalling the WeChat ssage Dr. Bai sent to his phone earlier.
It was a photo of Ren Lin and Jiang An discussing sothing intensely in a café.
Dr. Bai: Your wife seems to have caught soone’s eye.
The man, with a dark look on his face, left the cafeteria without a word, carrying his al tray. Song Xin watched his departing figure and pouted discontentedly.
"Still the sa old habits."
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