Chapter 29: Progress  

Noodletown Translated Editor: Noodletown Translated

Feeling a little awkward, Huo Mian stood up to leave.

"Mian," he called.

Perhaps it was because she was too nervous that, as she turned around, her hand shivered and the cup of boiling hot water she had been holding hurtled to the ground.

It was currently the beginning of summer and Huo Mian was wearing a very thin pair of shoes. If the boiling water landed on them, it would probably scald her feet.

"Ah…" Not having time to react, she could only watch as the cup fell.

Just then, a pair of broad hands reached out and caught the cup squarely between them.

However, due to the downward momentum, a fair amount of hot water still spilled out. Large red splotches immediately flared up on the back of Qin Chu's left hand, extending down to the base of his thumb.

"Here's your cup." Qin Chu straightened up, his expression unchanging, as he handed the cup over to her.

"How's your hand?" Huo Mian asked nervously.

"It's fine."

"What do you mean it's fine? It's all red. Quick, come here and run it under cold water." Huo Mian snatched the cup from Qin Chu's hand and tossed it into the trash without another glance.

Then, tugging him by his sleeve, she pulled him up to the water dispenser. Holding his scalded left hand under the nozzle, she pressed down on the cold water button.

Qin Chu didn't make a sound as he let Huo Mian do all of this.

If he hadn't just misread the situation, when his hand was scalded, was that… nervousness… in Huo Mian's eyes?

Thinking of this, the corner of Qin Chu's lips lifted slightly in triumph.

"Does it still hurt?" Huo Mian asked, raising her head.

Qin Chu shook his head no.

Only then had Huo Mian realized that she was still holding his hand. In order to avoid making the situation even more awkward, she immediately let him go.

"Um… you should go to the pharmacy later and pick up a tube of burn cream," Huo Mian reminded him.

"It's fine." His voice was low and husky, with a magnetic quality.

"Since you're fine, I'll be leaving now." In truth, Huo Mian was terrified of facing Qin Chu alone.

It was because she was afraid that the strange feeling bubbling up in her chest would grow even more audaciously.

She was even more afraid that Qin Chu would be able to see through to what she'd really been thinking.

"Mian," he spoke again, gently.

She stopped in her tracks but didn't turn around. She stood there in silence, awaiting his next words.

"Thank you for your hard work today."

"You too, Doctor Qin." With that, Huo Mian sped up her pace and quickly left the room, not daring to stay a second longer.

Qin Chu was left speechless by Huo Mian's words. Doctor Qin? He coughed inwardly. That was a low blow. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought that she was addressing an old man.

However, he was indeed worthy of the "Doctor" title.

Thanks to this peculiar surgical procedure, he seemed to have gotten just a little closer to Huo Mian.

Qin Chu was very pleased. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he left wearing his signature better-than-thou expression. On him, the white lab coat that the doctors wore looked surprisingly tasteful. The point was that good-looking people looked good, no matter what they wore.

Behind him, several young nurses were already fangirling...

"Woah, which department is that doctor from? He's so young and hot!" one of the nurses lauded.

"I thought that, too. His poise is amazing. Even the way he walks is hot as hell and so domineering. But I love it!" another young nurse said, not even bothering to disguise her adoration.

"Oh no, I feel my heart thumping really hard. Quick, go ask around. Which department is this new doctor in? I have to act first."

The young nurses chattered excitedly amongst themselves.

However, they didn't know just how special this person really was. This was someone even the director of the hospital hadn't been able to invite.

It was only after Huo Mian had left that she realized there was a question she was meaning to ask him.

Why did Qin Chu get a medical degree from Harvard? His family had been conquering the business world for generations and, as he was currently a businessman, shouldn't he have studied business in America? Instead, she saw an outstanding neurosurgeon in the operating room just now.

As her mind wandered, someone suddenly patted her on the shoulder.

"Sister Huo Mian, the head nurse is looking for you," said Huang Yue, a young nurse, with a bright smile.

"Okay, I'll be right over."