Shine on Me

I found everything quite strange.

For instance, the doctors currently chatting in my hospital room. Dr. Fang, my attending physician, was perched on the armrest of the sofa. Dr. Yuan, a rather beautiful female doctor, sat primly on the couch. Dr. Qin, a slightly older male doctor, sat with his legs crossed on the other end of the sofa.

And Dr. Lin... our Vice President Lin, leaning casually against the windowsill, holding up scans to examine...

They were earnestly discussing surgical plans...

But why in my hospital room?

"Hmm, the clival space-occupying lesion is quite clear..."

I'd never seen Lin Yusen like this before.

His gaze fixed on the scans, completely absorbed, slightly pensive—as if nothing else in the world mattered except the case before him.

Whether it was the focus and confidence evident when he spoke, or the lively spark in his brows during discussions, everything about him felt so unfamiliar. He'd even become more casual in his attire, often just wearing a sweater, nothing like the formal style he maintained at the company...

He really seemed to love being a doctor.

They were so engrossed in their conversation that I, with nothing better to do, found myself staring at them, forgetting to look away. Lin Yusen was explaining something about a suboccipital approach when he suddenly paused and glanced over at me.

The other doctors followed his gaze.

Embarrassed, I gave them an awkward smile and silently turned my head away.

Then I heard Dr. Fang chuckle softly.

Lin Yusen straightened up. "We're about done here. How about we all grab a meal together?"

"Sounds good," the doctors agreed in unison.

Lin Yusen gathered the documents and looked at Dr. Fang.

Dr. Fang stretched lazily. "Ah, I've been swamped with tasks lately." He stood up with a grin and walked over to my bed. "Time to eat! Our patient should join us too."

"Huh?"

I instinctively looked at Lin Yusen. Our eyes met briefly before he lowered his gaze to check his watch.

...

What kind of patient ends up having meals with their doctors?

Why did this group of doctors seem so... extraordinary?

"So, the meals you eat every day are all delivered by Vice President Lin's family housekeeper? Otherwise, you just go out to eat with him or Dr. Fang and the others?"

"...Yeah. Aunt Chen said she was bringing food for Vice President Lin since he's busy here, so she just includes a portion for me."

"Do you think that makes any sense?"

"..."

Yin Jie stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Xiguang, have you ever considered that Vice President Lin might actually like you?"

"...Can you please use your brain?"

If what she said were true, then Lin Yusen's emotional logic was truly bizarre. How could he go from disliking me to suddenly liking me?

"I think he's here discussing some complicated surgery with the doctors... Plus, maybe he feels somewhat responsible for my fall? And it's not like he personally delivers the meals. Aunt Chen brings them every day, and he just stops by to check on me briefly before leaving. If he stays..."

Yin Jie's eyes sparkled with gossipy anticipation, but she was destined for disappointment.

"Then he just stays to discuss medical cases or hospital gossip with the other doctors!"

Yin Jie looked faint. "In your room?"

I nodded.

"And you actually understand what they're saying?""...So that's why I told you to bring me the game console!"

"Vice President Lin's annual leave is truly extraordinary!" Yin Jie exclaimed. "Is he a workaholic? Working overtime at the company is one thing, but coming to the hospital during his vacation..."

I strongly agreed and spread some gossip: "Dr. Fang said he's always been terrifying. During his student days, he was inhuman, and after becoming a doctor, even more so. He could finish a dozen-hour surgery like it was nothing..."

I rambled on excitedly while Yin Jie listened with great interest. "Your attending doctor has told you a lot of Vice President Lin's gossip, huh."

Thinking about it carefully, he really had shared quite a bit. During meals, while others were having normal professional discussions, he'd drag me into random chatter. I concluded: "He seems a bit talkative."

"I can't imagine what Vice President Lin was like as a doctor..." Yin Jie pondered for a while before giving up. "So Xiguang, your relationship with him must have improved somewhat? This is a rare opportunity, Xiguang, don't stay so stubborn."

"...It's okay, I guess... The food makes me softer... We chat normally sometimes..."

"Hmm, I feel his attitude toward you is quite different from before too."

Regarding Lin Yusen's changed attitude, I suddenly remembered what he said that morning and asked Yin Jie, "Yin Jie, do I look scary when I cry?"

"..."

"...Or maybe particularly... pitiful?" Even I shuddered at my own words.

"..." Yin Jie clearly couldn't take it anymore. "I've never seen you cry. Here, let me pinch you and see?"

Yin Jie left the game console and departed.

With the game console, my hospital days finally became less boring. I played happily every day. Once when Lin Yusen visited, I was at a critical point in clearing a level. After exchanging a few greetings, I immersed myself back in the game.

When my brain finally emerged from the game, he had already left. I immediately felt terrible—eating his food every day, and when he came to visit, I was too engrossed in gaming to pay attention. How rude! After tossing and turning in bed for a long time, I couldn't help but send him a message to apologize.

"Sorry, I was too absorbed in clearing a level in the game just now."

After sending it, I suddenly realized this didn't sound very polite either. Fortunately, he replied quickly and didn't seem angry.

"You shouldn't engage in such intense mental activity right now."

"Oh." The Dr. Lin vibe was back.

A moment later, he sent another message. "Did you clear the level?"

I quickly replied: "No."

If I had known sending that message would lead to this outcome, I would never have done it—the next morning, Lin Yusen actually showed up with a pile of work... for me.

"Vice President... I'm really not as much of a workaholic as you. I don't want to work overtime at all..."

"Gaming is too mentally taxing. Use work to take a break."

I stared silently at the stack of documents he placed on my lap.

He comfortably took off his coat and tossed it on the sofa, then said, "Where's the game console? You didn't clear the level yesterday, right? Want me to help?"

I froze, suddenly feeling that this didn't seem like a conversation that should be happening between us. Although our relationship had eased considerably these past few days, it didn't feel relaxed and casual enough for this.He seemed to freeze as well, as if suddenly realizing what he had said. The smile at the corner of his lips abruptly vanished. For some reason, I instinctively hurried to pull the game console out from under the covers and shoved it toward him.

Then I froze too.

His gaze slowly shifted from my face to our hands, and gradually, he tightened his grip on the game console.

In the quiet hospital room.

I propped up the small table, half-heartedly working on my annual report, while Lin Yusen sat on the sofa, head bowed as he focused intently on the game console.

He seemed rather unskilled at it.

Later, I realized his left hand couldn’t keep up with his right at all. He must have noticed it too—after failing to clear the level yet again, he paused and silently stared at his left hand.

For some reason, I suddenly didn’t want to watch anymore. I turned away and threw myself into finishing the report.

Before long, he returned the game console to me and left. I checked his score… it was rather dismal.

I suddenly lost interest in playing games too.

The afternoon sunlight was just right. After waking from a nap, I idly slipped out of the ward. Having wandered around the uninspiring little hospital garden, I was about to head back when I turned and spotted Lin Yusen.

He was sitting on a bench in the garden, head bowed as he played the game console, with a child beside him actually instructing him on how to play.

The scene felt oddly out of place.

And the game console in his hand wasn’t mine—had he gone and bought one himself?

Curious, I moved closer.

Amid the rustling leaves, the child’s innocent voice drifted faintly over.

"Uncle, the other doctor uncles said you’re a super, super amazing doctor. Will you do the brain surgery for my dad?"

"No."

"Oh. But you’re way more handsome!"

"…"

I could sense Lin Yusen’s speechless frustration and nearly laughed—but before the amusement could surface, I heard him say, "This uncle can’t even play games properly anymore."