Chapter 48.1: Su Ling’s Illness

　　The food at Lin Clan Private Hospital was surprisingly good.

　　Su Ling had slept all the way from Stone Creek Village to City S, only to awaken at eleven with a stomach that was rumbling with hunger. As such, Lin Feng had taken it upon himself to get him some food at the hospital cafeteria.

　　On the tray lay a wholesome spread: a bowl of congee with century egg and pork¹ 皮蛋瘦肉粥 (pídàn shòuròu zhōu): It looks something like this – , blueberry yam puree² 蓝莓山药泥 (lánméi shānyao ní): It looks something like this – , diced four-colored vegetables³ 四色蔬菜丁 (sìsè shūcài dīng): I’m not too sure about this but I reckon it’s a dish made with 4 different colored vegetables. For example: , and two steamed buns with milk⁴ 牛奶馒头 (niúnǎi mántou): It looks something like this – .

　　Sitting up in his hospital bed, Su Ling sipped on his bowl of congee while biting into a fluffy bun. Yet, his eyes wandered every so often to the enticing lunchbox laid out on the small table.

　　For lunch, Lin Feng had sweet and sour ribs⁵ 糖醋小排 (táng cù páigǔ): It looks something like this – , Kung Pao chicken⁶ 宫爆鸡丁 (gōng bǎo jī dīng): It looks something like this – , stir-fried broccoli with shrimp⁷ 虾仁炒西兰花 (xiārén chǎo xīlánhuā): It looks something like this – , mushroom soup, and a bowl of white rice.

　　Just one glance at the congee in his bowl made it lose all appeal.

　　“My fever’s gone, and I’m feeling much better now. I really don’t mind having your share, honestly.” Su Ling licked the corner of his mouth, his eyes gleaming with hunger as he spoke to Lin Feng.

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　　Ekvb y vldela hsknl cwv y pvlad zssj, Nkd Wldt vwadle esod vbl pwttlpvksd. “Zsw’hl fwpv osjld wr, ps talypu qsse kpd’v vbl clpv nbsknl qsa usw aktbv dso.”

　　Fw Nkdt vssj y pkr sq nsdtll, nblokdt sd vbl vkdu pnayrp sq xlyv vbyv cyalzu pyvkpqkle bkp bwdtla. Fktbkdt okpvqwzzu, bl elnzyale, “Yu yrrlvkvl kp ps tsse aktbv dso R nswze lyv y obszl nso.”

　　Tsolhla, Nkd Wldt qlzv y rydt sq twkzv obld bl nywtbv Fw Nkdt’p rkvkqwz lmralppksd. Ekvb y psqv pktb, bl tldvzu rzynle y rklnl sq casnnszk sd bkp rzyvl.

　　Tl lule vbl casnnszk okvb xkze ekpeykd clqsal dyaasokdt bkp tygl yv vbl pwnnwzldv pbakxr sd Nkd Wldt’p rzyvl. Ekvb y byzq-pxkzl, bl yanble yd lzltydv lulcaso yde kdiwkale, “Xb? Fs vbkp kp uswa kely sq nbyakvu?”

　　Ekvbswv y qzknjla sq lxsvksd, Nkd Wldt pvyvle xyvvla-sq-qynvzu, “Oyvkdt xsal hltlvyczlp kp tsse qsa uswa blyzvb.”

　　Xb, ps bl vbkdjp bl byp y rskdv dso?

　　Fw Nkdt rwqqle swv bkp nblljp kd kaakvyvksd, tayccle vbl casnnszk, yde pbshle kv kdvs bkp xswvb. Tl nblole iwknjzu, poyzzsokdt kv esod kd y bypvu twzr.

　　“Zsw eked’v cakdt ydusdl lzpl? Kwpv xl?”

　　It’s not hard to picture how frantic Lin Feng must have been after I came down with a fever. King and Lion were likely left behind in the village without a second thought, and he probably didn’t even have time to pack more than a few sets of clothes.

　　Lin Feng set down his chopsticks and dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin gracefully. “Zhan Yang will take care of those two little ones.”

　　Upon hearing that, Su Ling’s expression shifted to one of understanding. “And what about the rest of my things?”

　　According to his plan, he was set to return to City S in the next couple of days. To that end, he had packed some Dewfall Tea and carefully selected refined new rice as gifts for his loved ones. Still, a nagging thought lingered: had he remembered to bring the artworks and bookmarks he had made recently?

　　Lin Feng answered, “I had Zhan Yang carefully pack everything and send it by courier; it should arrive tomorrow.”

　　Su Ling nodded, savoring his nutritious meal in contented silence.

　　After eating his fill and feeling satisfied, he leaned back against the bed and absentmindedly scrolled through his phone.

　　“When will I be discharged?”

　　“You’ll be discharged after your afternoon check-up.”

　　As soon as the word “check-up” reached Su Ling’s ears, his face fell. “Do I really have to?”

　　He had always dreaded medical check-ups — not just two to three grueling hours but also the two vials of blood they took. Though the nurse was so skilled that she made the needle’s prick barely noticeable, the sight of his blood being siphoned away never failed to make his heart race.

　　It was somewhat embarrassing to admit, but he had a mild case of hemophobia.

　　He could handle a small cut with just a trickle of blood, but the sight of a pool of it would leave him dizzy, nauseous, and fighting the urge to vomit.

　　Lin Feng sat at the edge of the bed, gently brushing aside the bangs that fell over Su Ling’s forehead. His voice was gentle as he spoke, “It’s meant to catch potential problems early. So it only brings benefits, no drawbacks.”

　　With a resigned sigh, Su Ling sank back into the comforting embrace of the soft pillow. “I think twice a year is enough; once every three months feels excessive. I mean, it’s not like I’m seriously ill.”

　　Come to think of it, it had been six months since his last check-up. He wondered if his dedicated physician would start lecturing him as soon as he saw Su Ling.

　　Knock, knock! The door was rapped twice, and a young doctor in a crisp white lab coat stepped into the room, his gold-rimmed glasses gleaming under the overhead lights. When his gaze landed on Su Ling, a gentle smile blossomed on his face.

　　“Hello, Mr. Su. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

　　Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

　　Su Ling maintained an air of calm composure as he greeted him with politeness. “Hello, Dr. Ji.”

　　Holding a notebook in hand, Ji Qing approached the bed and turned to Lin Feng. “We’re starting the consultation now. I ask that family members please step outside for a moment.”

　　Even so, Lin Feng remained motionless. Su Ling reached out and poked his arm. “Doctor’s orders.”

　　Ji Qing flipped open his notebook, pulled out the pen tucked between the pages, and began filling in the patient’s personal details on the form. When he reached the age section, he noticed the tall man’s face harden. Reluctantly, the man turned and strode out of the room.

　　Shrugging, Ji Qing sat in the chair by the bed and got straight to the point. Looking Su Ling in the eye, he asked, “Tell me, do you really not like seeing me?”

　　“Uh… No, that’s not it,” Su Ling quickly denied.

　　“Ah, I noticed your eyes darted to the left for a moment. Heh, you’re not being honest!” Ji Qing pointed out, ruthlessly exposing Su Ling’s lie.

　　Clearing his throat lightly, Su Ling looked somewhat sheepish before replying, “I’d be more than happy to see you as long as we’re not in the hospital.”

　　Generally speaking, regular folks tend to shy away from constant visits to the hospital and dealing with doctors, don’t they?

　　Pen in hand, Ji Qing made notes and commented, “Sadly, our meetings mostly take place in the hospital. After all, I’m your dedicated physician who’s responsible for your health.”

　　With a quizzical look, Su Ling studied the work badge on his chest. “I’ve been meaning to ask, since you’re a psychiatrist, how did you end up as my dedicated physician?”

　　When he was first hospitalized a year ago, Lin Feng had introduced the Chief of Psychiatry as his dedicated physician, which struck Su Ling as odd. But since it was just a check-up, he figured it did not matter which department the doctor came from.

　　Ji Qing paused, his pen hovering over the notebook as he pushed his glasses up with his middle finger. His expression remained stern as he uttered, “People these days are under immense pressure at work, living with constant stress and a fast-paced lifestyle. Living in a constant state of mental tension can easily lead to hormonal imbalances, a weakened immune system, and a range of physical ailments. My job is to help patients take a step back, unwind, and regain their mental well-being so they can approach life with optimism.”

　　He paused for a moment before adding, “Of course, compared to other departments, the psychiatry ward is a bit less hectic.”

　　He rambled on for ages, but it was the last sentence that mattered most: it was because he had nothing to do.

　　Su Ling’s eyes lit up with understanding. “Ah, I see now. I must have misunderstood.”

　　Ji Qing’s lips curved into a slight smile. “It’s alright, it’s normal to have questions. Also, we’ve known each other long enough to call ourselves friends, right?”

　　Su Ling nodded in agreement. “Of course.”

　　They met once every three months, and each time, they would talk for at least half an hour. Often, they became so engrossed in their conversation that they ended up sharing their deepest thoughts, as if they were lifelong friends.

　　Ji Qing scribbled a line of text in his notebook before lifting his gaze to meet his eyes. “Do you remember that day over three months ago when you were supposed to come in for your check-up? I cleared my schedule and waited all day, but you never showed up. I tried calling, but your phone was off. Do you have any idea how disappointed I was?”

　　Su Ling paused, his gaze dropping as he whispered, “I’m sorry… I wasn’t in a good place that day.”

　　Ji Qing encouraged softly, “If you’d like, I’m always here to lend an ear.”