Lu Xiao raised his hand and gently stroked Su Tang’s hair, his movents gentle.
He lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss to the crown of her head. "Then we’ll just let nature take its course."
Listening to his steady heartbeat and feeling the warmth from his body, Su Tang felt her heart calm.
She looked up, eting Lu Xiao’s dark eyes. They reflected her image and were brimming with love.
"Lu Xiao, I’m actually a little scared."
"What are you scared of?"
Lu Xiao took her hand, lacing their fingers together tightly. "I’m here."
"I’m scared of the pain, and I’m scared I won’t be a good mother."
Su Tang’s voice held a hint of apprehension. "When I see the new mothers at the hospital looking so flustered and overwheld, it makes panic a little."
Lu Xiao smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Tangtang, everyone is a first-ti parent. We can learn together. Besides, you’re so smart, I’m sure you’ll do a great job."
"And besides, you have , right? I’ll learn how to be a good father, so you won’t have to worry about a thing."
He paused, then added, "I’ll be with you. I’ll always be with you."
Seeing his earnest expression, the apprehension in Su Tang’s heart gradually dissipated.
She leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the lips, as if giving him a reward.
But Lu Xiao reacted as if a fuse had been lit, flipping over abruptly.
A fire seed to ignite in his eyes.
He lowered his head and captured her lips. This kiss was no longer soft like before; it was filled with longing and deep affection.
Su Tang closed her eyes, responding to him receptively.
The moonlight outside stread through the window lattice, falling upon their figures.
After what felt like an eternity, Lu Xiao finally loosened his hold slightly, resting his forehead against hers. They were both breathing a little heavily.
"Tangtang, I love you."
He gazed at her glistening eyes, his voice deep and tender.
"I love you too."
Su Tang whispered in response.
Lu Xiao kissed her again, this ti with tenderness and adoration.
Early the next morning, Su Tang was awakened by a fragrant aroma.
She opened her eyes to find the spot beside her empty. Lu Xiao had already gotten up at so point.
She stretched, got dressed, and walked out of the room to see the sight of Lu Xiao, wearing an apron, busy in the kitchen.
Sunlight stread through the window, bathing him in a golden halo that made him look especially warm.
"You’re awake?"
Lu Xiao glanced back at her, a gentle smile on his face.
"Go wash up. Breakfast is almost ready."
Su Tang walked up to him, gently wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, and pressed her face against his back. "Why are you up so early today?"
"I wanted to let you sleep in a little."
Lu Xiao turned around and ruffled her hair. "Hurry and wash up, breakfast is getting cold."
Su Tang obediently went to wash up.
When she ca out, the table was already set with steaming hot congee and buns, along with a small dish of pickled vegetables.
"Try this bun. I tried to make it like Mom did yesterday. I’m not sure if it’s any good."
Lu Xiao handed her a bun.
Su Tang took a bite. The skin was thin and the filling was generous. Although the flavor couldn’t compare to her mother’s cooking, it was still quite good.
Her eyes lit up as she looked at Lu Xiao. "It’s delicious! Lu Xiao, you’re amazing! You can do anything."
Lu Xiao was a little embarrassed by her praise and scratched his head. "If you like it, eat up."
The two of them sat at the dining table, eating breakfast in silence.
After breakfast, Lu Xiao took Su Tang to the hospital.
On the way, Su Tang rembered the promise she’d made to Lu Xiao the day before and said with a smile, "When I get ho tonight, I’ll make you sothing delicious to make it up to you."
Lu Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what delicious thing would that be?"
"It’s a secret."
Su Tang winked playfully. ’Of course, it’ll be chives and oysters. Gotta help him... replenish. For better quality.’
When they reached the hospital entrance, Su Tang got off the bike and turned back to Lu Xiao. "Be careful on your way."
"Okay. You make sure to rest at the hospital, too. Don’t overwork yourself."
Su Tang nodded and turned to walk into the hospital.
Lu Xiao watched her figure disappear through the entrance before riding away on his bicycle.
That morning, when Su Tang returned to her office after finishing her rounds, Li Min was standing in front of her desk, rummaging through sothing. She hastily pulled her hands back when she saw Su Tang enter.
"I was just checking to see if Doctor Su had forgotten anything."
Su Tang glanced coolly at the disarranged patient files. "Hospital regulations state that you are not to touch another person’s office belongings."
Li Min’s face went pale, and she stamred as she backed away.
As Su Tang sat down to organize the files, she discovered that the preoperative plan at the very bottom—for a patient with intrahepatic bile duct stones—had been altered with a pencil. Several key data points had been tampered with.
Her fingers paused. She looked up in the direction of Doctor ng’s office.
’And here I thought Doctor ng had changed.’
"Doctor Su, the patient in bed 3 is suffering from sudden, unrelenting abdominal pain!"
A young nurse’s panicked voice echoed from the hallway.
Su Tang shot to her feet. It was the patient with the intrahepatic bile duct stones.
By the ti she burst into the room, the patient was already curled up on the bed in agony, their blood pressure dropping steadily.
Doctor ng also rushed over after hearing the commotion. Seeing the data on the monitor, she frowned. "Prep for ergency surgery!"
"Wait."
Su Tang stopped the nurse from handing over the surgical consent form. "The patient has abnormal coagulation. We can’t risk an open-abdon procedure."
Doctor ng snapped, "This is a critical situation! Are you suggesting we just watch them die in agony?"
"We can perform a lithotomy. It’s minimally invasive and better suited for their condition."
Su Tang laid out her plan quickly. "I revised the surgical procedure last night. The equipnt room has the necessary devices."
Doctor ng’s expression changed abruptly. "You knew this was going to happen?"
Su Tang ignored her accusation and turned to issue orders to the nurses. "Notify Anesthesiology, and prepare a sterile operating room. I need it ready in five minutes."
The nurses instinctively followed her orders.
Outside the operating room, Doctor ng clutched the tampered plan, a sense of panic spreading through her.
Li Min sidled closer. "Sis, if she succeeds..."
"Shut up!"
Doctor ng snapped, her eyes filled with a sinister gloom.
Three hours later, Su Tang walked out of the operating room. When she removed her mask, her forehead was beaded with sweat.
"The surgery was a success. We removed the stone."
The patient’s family mbers were so emotional they nearly fell to their knees, but Su Tang caught them.
Watching the patient being wheeled out, Doctor ng staggered back to her office and locked the door behind her.
She was like a novice in front of Su Tang.
This filled Doctor ng with an imnse sense of defeat.
She wondered over and over, ’Will Su Tang’s arrival push out? Will Su Tang replace ...’
"Doctor ng, are you in there? I’d like to talk to you about sothing."
Just as Doctor ng was dwelling on these thoughts, Su Tang’s voice ca from outside the door.
Her heart seized, and she clutched at her clothes.
"Su Tang? What is it?"
Doctor ng opened the door and stepped forward, looking at Su Tang.
Su Tang held up the report and said coolly, "I’m here to talk to Doctor ng about this report."
"You had Li Min alter it, didn’t you?"
"Doctor ng, you’re a doctor too. Don’t you understand the consequences of these alterations? Or do you want Li Min to go to prison for you? You’re harming her. Don’t you know that?"
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