Chapter 178: That Bastard's Girlfriend

She spent the afternoon showing He Die around the neighborhood.

As evening approached, He Die had to head back in a hurry.

Luo Yixia accompanied her to the airport, which was not far from the school. He Zhen originally had a car, making trips quite convenient.

"See you next time," Luo Yixia stepped forward and gave her a hug.

"See you next time," He Die smiled as well.

"My younger brother usually looks rebellious and pays no attention to minor details, but he has been through a lot of hardships. Please help me look after him more."

"Mm."

After rolling down the runway for a short distance, the airplane slowly ascended into the air.

"I'll drive you back. Are you heading to school or home?" He Zhen shook his car keys toward her.

"Just drop me off near the subway station ahead. I'll take the subway back," Luo Yixia shook her head with a smile.

"I have a car, and it's convenient. Besides, my sister just said I must make sure you get back safely," He Zhen insisted.

"Alright then, sorry to trouble you."

Once inside the car, Luo Yixia gave him the address of her residential complex.

He Zhen's eyebrows twitched slightly as he started the engine without a word.

The two remained silent throughout the car ride.

It was Luo Yixia's phone that broke the silence first.

Seeing that the incoming call was from Song Chenyi, she eagerly answered it.

"Have you eaten?"

"I have. What about you?"

"I just got back to the dorm and am about to take a shower. Have you returned to the apartment yet?" Song Chenyi held his phone, walking toward his dormitory step by step.

"I'm on my way." Luo Yixia didn't mention that He Die had visited; it was too complicated to explain over the phone, and she would tell him when she went to see him in a couple of days.

"Alright, stay safe then. I'll call you later."

"Mhm."

After saying their goodbyes, the two hung up.

He Zhen felt somewhat awkward listening to their phone conversation, a wave of discomfort washing over him.

He dropped Luo Yixia off at the entrance of her residential complex and drove away.

The surrounding streetlights had already been turned on. Luo Yixia stepped on her own shadow, sighing with a touch of loneliness.

Usually, she and Song Chenyi went back and forth together, but now she was left all by herself.

He still had more than a year of internship left before he could be formally assigned to a hospital, while she still had two years to go at school. After those two years, she would have to do her internship, and even then, they might not be able to be together immediately.

Thinking about it made her heart ache a little. Perhaps because they had spent so much time clinging to each other lately, this brief separation felt especially difficult to bear.

Over the next few days, Luo Yixia felt time pass by excruciatingly slowly, eagerly wishing for Sunday to arrive sooner.

On Friday, as soon as she got back from school, Luo Yixia went to the supermarket and bought a huge pile of groceries, planning to cook a hearty meal at home tonight and bring it to Song Chenyi tomorrow.

Song Chenyi had been eating cafeteria food at the hospital lately, so he must have lost weight. She was determined to make up for it.

She started simmering the spare rib soup in the evening. After stewing it all night long, the moment she lifted the lid, a rich aroma filled the air.

Luo Yixia's own mouth began to water. She took a spoon and tasted a mouthful of the broth, finding the saltiness just right—it was simply a delicacy among mortals.

She then quickly stir-fried several other dishes.

If there was one thing she had learned after being with Song Chenyi, it was that her culinary skills had drastically improved.

Whenever Song Chenyi cooked every day, Luo Yixia would follow right behind him to learn. After watching him do it so many times, she had naturally picked up the essential skills.

At any rate, she thought it tasted delicious when she tried it herself.

She packed two insulated food jars, picked them up, and got on the subway.

Taking the subway meant she would need to take a taxi for the final leg of the journey.

Song Chenyi had mentioned last night that he was on duty today and would be a bit too busy to pick her up.

Although she felt a tiny bit disappointed, the thought that he would soon be eating a lunch prepared by her own hands made her feel as if she were floating on air.

Around ten o'clock, Luo Yixia took a taxi to the hospital.

Standing in the hospital lobby, she felt a wave of sentimentality; it had been quite a long time since her last visit.

She took out her phone to call Song Chenyi, but no one answered.

She tried a few more times, still with no answer. He must have been busy.

Luo Yixia sighed softly. Never mind, she would go find him herself.

She hurried over to the nurses' station.

"Hello, excuse me, which floor are the newly arrived intern doctors on?"

The young nurse shook her head in puzzlement. "There are many interns who arrived this year, and they're on every floor. I'm not really sure."

"Okay, thank you," Luo Yixia expressed her gratitude and walked back to the lobby.

She checked the directory board of the floors once again. Since she hadn't asked carefully beforehand, she now had no idea where he was.

In fact, given how popular Song Chenyi was wherever he went, she figured any random nurse she asked would probably know.

While she was pondering, a nurse happened to walk past right in front of her.

"Excuse me to bother you."

When the nurse turned her head, Luo Yixia was the one who froze first.

This... this, this, this...

Why was she so unlucky?

Soon, the nurse recognized Luo Yixia's face and reacted as well.

"It's you."

"Uh..." Luo Yixia smiled awkwardly.

"You're here to look for Dr. Song, right? He's currently doing his rounds."

"Um, he didn't answer my phone calls, and I didn't know where he was," Luo Yixia explained.

"He's in the surgical department on Floor F."

"Thank you," Luo Yixia thanked her.

With that, the nurse walked away.

Luo Yixia patted her chest in relief. That scared her to death; she thought the nurse was going to hold a grudge against her.

This was none other than the head nurse she had tried to fool the last time she was hospitalized during military training, though her lie had been exposed instantly. It had been awkward ever since, and she never expected to run into her again.

Fortunately, the woman was broad-minded and didn't hold it against her.

Luo Yixia switched the bags she was carrying from her right hand to her left. She was carrying way too much stuff, and her arms felt so sore.

The surgical department was on the fifth floor. As Luo Yixia stepped into the elevator, a wave of excitement washed over her. She would be able to see Song Chenyi very soon—would he be very happy too?

He probably wouldn't have guessed that she was capable enough to track him down directly.

The door to the surgical department was tightly shut. Luo Yixia glanced inside from the outside; there were people in there, but she didn't see Song Chenyi.

The head nurse had just said he was doing his rounds.

So she would just wait for a while.

Luo Yixia leaned against the doorframe, looking down at the things she was carrying out of sheer boredom.

Several hours had passed—would the food get cold?

If the spare rib soup got cold, it wouldn't taste good anymore.

The door to the department suddenly swung open, and Luo Yixia raised her head, locking eyes with a person walking out.

The young man wasn't very old either, and he looked like an intern as well.

"Is there something you need?" the young man asked.

"I'm waiting for someone," Luo Yixia replied.

The young man glanced at the things she was holding in her hands and said nothing more.

He had originally wanted to ask: Who are you waiting for?

But the moment he thought that such a pretty little younger sister might be some scumbag's girlfriend, and then caught sight of the insulated food jars filled with food, he felt even more sour.

The young man stretched lazily and walked toward the hallway. Sitting down all morning had made his back stiff.

Since it was getting close to the end of their shift, the young man also wanted to go out and forage for some food.

After changing into his own clothes and stepping out, he happened to run into Song Chenyi coming out of a patient's room.

"Off work?" Song Chenyi glanced at him indifferently.

"Off work, I'm starving to death. Let's go, let's head to the cafeteria to eat."

Song Chenyi didn't speak. He turned on his phone and saw several missed calls.

"Let me tell you, I just came out of the department and ran into a young girl. She is so pretty."

Song Chenyi was just about to return a call, but his hand paused upon hearing this.

The young man continued, "That little girl said she was waiting for someone, and she was even carrying insulated food jars. I could smell the fragrance right through the jars. I wonder whose girlfriend that bastard is."

Song Chenyi raised his eyes and swept another cold gaze over him, but the guy remained completely oblivious.

"Speaking of which, none of us interns in this batch seem to have girlfriends. Only you have one. If I hadn't overheard you on the phone last time, I would have thought you were just fooling those lovesick little girls, hahaha..."

Unknowingly, the young man followed Song Chenyi back toward the department.

From afar, Song Chenyi spotted a tiny figure squatting against the wall of the department. She was curled into a small ball, her head lowered as she stared at the tips of her shoes. With quite a few bags placed beside her, she looked utterly pitiful, just like an abandoned little kitten.

"Yo, that girl is still there. Which bastard is so heartless to leave her hanging like that?"

Song Chenyi walked straight past him without a word, even quickening his pace.

At this moment, all he wanted was to go over and hold her in his arms.

Song Chenyi walked up to her and came to a halt. "What are you looking at?"

Hearing his voice, Luo Yixia raised her head in pleasant surprise, stars glittering in her eyes.

The young man standing off to the side wore an expression of utter astonishment: ???

Song Chenyi pulled her up to her feet and proactively took the bags off the ground.

"Huh? Turns out that bastard is you?" The young man still hadn't realized what he had just said.

Song Chenyi raised his eyes once more and gave him a chilling glare, causing him to shut his mouth instantly.

Luo Yixia looked a bit bewildered.

The young man immediately put on a flattering smile. "Now I finally know why Song Chenyi doesn't care for those little nurses—turns out he has a beautiful wife waiting at home."

Luo Yixia smiled with a trace of embarrassment.

"Since your girlfriend is here, I'll be leaving first." The young man waved his hand and took off.

"I was doing rounds just now, so I missed your calls," Song Chenyi explained.

"It's fine, I know. Are you getting off work soon?" Luo Yixia asked with wide, watery eyes.

"Mhm, just need to drop these things off." Song Chenyi still had a stethoscope hanging around his neck.

After putting away his things and changing his clothes, the two of them headed to the cafeteria together.

Since it was peak lunchtime, there were quite a few young nurses along the way.

One after another, they cast probing glances over.

As expected of Song Chenyi; no matter where he went, he always managed to attract attention.

Song Chenyi went to the queue and bought two boxed meals.

Luo Yixia opened the insulated jars, taking out the soup and dishes.

The colors and presentation of the various dishes were quite appetizing.

With both appearance and aroma covered, even if the taste wasn't stellar, it should be decent enough.

Luo Yixia poured a bowl of soup and handed it to Song Chenyi first. "I simmered this all night. Try it quickly."

Luo Yixia had put plenty of lotus root inside. Song Chenyi took a bite—it was fragrant, smooth, soft, and glutinous, tasting already quite exceptional.

He took a sip of the broth as well, and the flavor was wonderfully rich.

"How is it? How is it?" Luo Yixia asked with eager anticipation.

"Delicious." Song Chenyi smiled.

Luo Yixia finally let out a sigh of relief and started drinking some herself. "I am simply a genius."

Praising oneself just like old Madame Wang selling melons...

Luo Yixia then had Song Chenyi try the other dishes one by one.

"I think you can take over as the chef at home next time."

"Let's forget about that. Doing it occasionally is fine, but I'm quite lazy," Luo Yixia giggled.

Song Chenyi couldn't help but feel a mixture of amusement and helplessness.