Chapter 2

The man looked at the woman, who was bowing her head in silence, feeling a bit anxious inside. He had missed the moment when this woman, or rather girl, had first opened her heart to him. Over the years, he often thought about how, if he had been a little more mature back then, it would be a different scene now if they could sit down peacefully and have a heartfelt conversation. However, many beautiful things, once missed, remain missed. For years, he had been trying to make amends, but the door that had once opened to him was now closed. Despite his repeated efforts, he could never find a way in.

The woman at the door is dressed beautifully, wearing a peach pink long dress and sporting an exquisite makeup. She is very attractive, but at the moment, she appears somewhat disheveled. Her once perfectly styled long hair now has several strands fallen down, creating a rather messy look on her forehead. There is a fresh stain of blood on the waist of her long dress, which is clearly not hers, as she stands upright despite her somewhat flustered expression.

Seeing the man's awkward demeanor, something within her seemed to truly be released. She closed the door and walked over to the man, lowering her head and softly saying: "Senior Brother, thank you, but I cannot accept your money"

The man named He Zhichen was Kong Liqing's senior during university. Now, when Kong Liqing reflects on their past, the events seem long and devoid of significance. It was merely a story of youthful innocence during her university days, where she developed feelings for someone only to be belittled in return, a tale of her own hurt. Although there were elements of deception and malicious intent among friends, the pain that once felt like having her skin peeled away has now faded into insignificance. Those who once caused her harm have scattered across various places with the passage of time, gradually diminishing in her heart. She never expected that she would come to regard it all as trivial, nor did she anticipate that her once arrogant and ignorant senior would harbor feelings of guilt towards her many years later. In this light, he is not a bad person; who hasn't been flamboyant in their youth? She too wished to be bold, but she simply lacked the means.

Kong Liqing's home rarely has visitors. She walked to the door and looked through the peephole, seeing a man's face, which appeared somewhat distorted through the lens. The man frowned, and his expression seemed somewhat heavy. With a light sigh, Kong Liqing still opened the front door.

She turned on the faucet at the sink and washed her face with cold water, cleansing the sweat from her face and feeling more comfortable. The light in the bathroom was a warm yellow, and water flowed down into the pristine white ceramic basin with a splashing sound. Kong Liqing applied soap to her hands and arms, and finally scrubbed her face vigorously with her soapy hands. Her movements while washing her face were large, resembling those of a man.

Kong Liqing stared blankly at the scars, her gaze somewhat vacant. She was aware that her current state was not good. Whenever she felt pressured by life, those nightmarish memories from the past would come to torment her. She did not want to think about them, but she could not control it. Uncontrollable images flashed through her mind: the man's exquisite yet somewhat neurotic face, the crimson cigarette butt pressed harshly against her skin, and the acrid smell of burnt flesh seemed to linger in her nostrils. She did not want to think about it, but she could not control it. Uncontrollable images flashed through her mind: the man's exquisite yet somewhat neurotic face, the crimson cigarette butt pressed harshly against her skin, and the acrid smell of burnt flesh seemed to linger in her nostrils

Kong Liqing stood at the door, gazing at the profile of the man whose head was turned to one side. Her face bore little expression. She tilted her head as if recalling something, then lowered her gaze to the bank card in her hand. A line of numbers was written on the back of the card, presumably the password. The corner of her mouth twitched slightly, and she smiled gently

Hmm? Kong Liqing came back to his senses and looked at Kong Wanxiang. Sure enough, there was a faint knocking sound at the door: there are indeed many visitors today. Kong Liqing helplessly got up to open the door

After the rain in the sweltering summer, the air is always filled with a damp, oppressive humidity. A slight movement causes one to break into a sweat. After Kong Liqing finished wiping her hands, a few drops of sweat appeared on the tip of her nose, and her body felt sticky and uncomfortable. She got up to close the window beside her, turned on the air conditioning, and turned back to ask Kong Wanxiang: "Wanxiang, are you going to take a shower?"

She straightened up, and the woman in the mirror had a dull gaze. Her features were well-defined, but she was not conventionally beautiful. One could barely consider her a person with symmetrical features, yet the corners of her mouth drooped slightly, and her hair at the front had grown a bit long, partially obscuring her eyes, giving her a gloomy appearance. Kong Liqing knew that she was not a likable person in terms of looks. She let out a sigh, ran to the study to grab a cigarette, lit it, and sat on the toilet, burying her head in smoking.

Ah? Kong Liqing looked up, staring at Kong Wanxiang with a bit of confusion. After a moment, she finally reacted, stood up from the toilet, and walked to the door to pat Kong Wanxiang on the head: "Oh, I'll go open the door."

Kong Liqing knew that she had no place to seek justice; the internal handling did not revoke her medical license, and the absence of any record in her file was already the best outcome for her

Kong Wanxiang sat upright at the edge of the sofa, his eyes fixed on the television as he said: "I will wash later; after washing, I will go straight to bed"

The man looked at the woman before him, who consistently responded to him with silence. He had never encountered such a woman before; she was always quiet, never expressing any grievances, no matter how great they were. In truth, she understood everything in her heart. Those who did not know her thought she was dull, yet no one could comprehend how perceptive her inner self truly was

Kong Liqing maintained a peculiar posture, bending over with her arms raised, stiffly standing in front of the sink. After about ten seconds, she suddenly lifted her head and shook off the spell. The washing machine continued to rumble, the water in front of her continued to flow noisily, and the surroundings were filled with a cacophony of sounds

The washing machine in the bathroom was spinning with a "humming" sound. Kong Liqing leaned on the washing machine, staring blankly at the blinking red light above for a moment. She felt uncomfortable due to the stickiness on her body, but she had to wait until she finished tidying up Kong Wanxiang and got him to bed before she could take a shower

In the small bathroom, the air soon became filled with swirling smoke. Kong Liqing was worried that the smoke would affect Wanxiang while bathing the child, so she got up to turn on the exhaust fan and then sat back down on the toilet. The cramped space was filled with a cacophony of sounds, yet her heart remained restless.

The hospital where Kong Liqing previously worked is a directly affiliated hospital of their university, which is the most renowned in the country. For her, a recent graduate without money or influence to be directly retained is nothing short of a miracle. She tends to be somewhat slow in her interpersonal responses, and after a few months of work, she vaguely sensed that someone had helped her. However, the relationship with this person who helped her is rather delicate; since they have not appeared before her to ask for a return favor, she is more than happy to pretend not to know.

The two individuals were at a standstill when the elevator finally arrived. The doors opened, revealing a dazzling light. Kong Liqing faced the elevator, her brows and eyes calm, her lips pressed together, conveying a stubborn determination. The man felt powerless; she was always like this—silent yet resolute, never complaining or speaking excessively, but unwavering in her convictions, never willing to turn back. She was inflexible, not particularly likable, yet evoking both respect and sympathy.

Kong Liqing gazed past the man's shoulder, looking at the pitch-black door behind him. She remained silent, not because she had any particular thoughts in her mind; their affair had ended many years ago, and in truth, she had long since put it behind her. However, she was rather foolish and slow-witted, and despite seeing this person every day for all these years, she still did not know how to respond to him

After finishing a cigarette, Kong Liqing remained hunched over, clutching her stomach, curled up on the toilet without getting up. She had been reflecting on her experiences over the years; it seemed that she had never had an easy journey. Her childhood and adolescence were filled with darkness, and after struggling hard to finally establish herself in society, she had barely enjoyed a stable life for two years before being discharged from the hospital again

After closing the door, Kong Liqing walked over to sit beside Kong Wanxiang and watched the animated film with him. Once she sat down, Kong Wanxiang leaned half of his body against her. Kong Liqing wrapped her arm around him and frowned, saying: This child is not afraid of the heat even in such hot weather

The two of them sat in somewhat awkward silence, and Kong Liqing actually felt quite uncomfortable. She wanted to close the door, but the sympathy reflected on the man's face made her uneasy. However, she still understood basic etiquette; slamming the door in front of someone would make them think she was not mentally stable.

Kong Liqing resolutely extended his hand towards him again

The man slowly raised his hand to take the card, and Kong Liqing quickly released her grip, turned around without saying goodbye, walked into the room, and gently closed the door. The man looked at the tightly shut door not far away, feeling a fire burning in his heart, which made him uncomfortable, yet he did not know to whom he could vent his feelings.

Kong Liqing knows that she is not a person with strong stress resistance. Throughout her life, she has faced hardships, and her greatest fear is the uncertainty of life. When she was on her own, it was manageable; no matter how difficult it was, she could endure it for a while. Now, with a five-year-old child who is still very young and vulnerable, she has lost her job at this critical moment and feels an immense amount of pressure. However, even in her distress, she cannot show it in front of her child. She has no money and no other means of relief, so she can only resort to smoking to alleviate her stress. Now, with a five-year-old child who is still very young and vulnerable, she has lost her job at this critical moment and feels an immense amount of pressure. However, even in her distress, she cannot show it in front of her child. She has no money and no other means of relief, so she can only resort to smoking to alleviate her stress.

The man turned back and frowned at her, while Kong Liqing remained silent, stubbornly extending the bank card in her hand towards him. In fact, she had many more things to say to him. The complete sentence she wanted to express in her heart was: "Senior brother, it’s all in the past. I haven’t held a grudge against you for a long time. No one has ever extended a helping hand to me as I grew up; you are the first. I am grateful, but in this world, money represents too many things. I fear I cannot repay it, so I absolutely cannot accept your money. I haven’t held a grudge against you for a long time. No one has ever extended a helping hand to me as I grew up; you are the first. I am grateful, but in this world, money represents too many things. I fear I cannot repay it, so I absolutely cannot accept your money."

The man outside is very tall, with a face that is conventionally handsome. Despite the sweltering weather, he is dressed in leather shoes and long pants, along with a red and white striped polo shirt, presenting himself as a successful member of society

The oppressive silence made one feel uncomfortable. The man, finding himself at a loss for words, finally had to begin addressing the purpose of his visit. He nervously pulled a bank card from his pants pocket: "Li Qing, here, take this. It’s not easy for you to take care of the child. I will find a way to help you with work." The man spoke somewhat stammeringly, and his behavior clearly did not reflect the composure suggested by his outward appearance. Eventually, he even appeared flustered, hurriedly shoving the card into Kong Li Qing's hand, then daring not to look at her, he turned and pressed the elevator button.

Kong Liqing is truly grateful to that hospital. Over the past two years, she has remained low-key, never seeking the spotlight, and after two years in the hospital, she is still a resident physician

Kong Liqing has always believed that the only good thing that has happened to her in recent years is that she was accepted by the hospital where she was working just yesterday right after her graduation

Kong Liqing was extremely frustrated; this child was so opinionated, not at all like a mere five-year-old. She walked over and reached into the back of his collar, feeling that the child was dry. She did not say anything further and got up to the bedroom to take apart the bed sheets and duvet cover.

However, it will be impossible to find a hospital with such good salary and benefits as the previous one in the future. No matter where she works afterwards, she will inevitably face questions from others about why she left such a good position. She will encounter countless probing gazes and tentative inquiries, which she will struggle to handle and will not know how to respond. Moreover, she is uncertain whether her somewhat dull personality will allow her to find another job.

With the woman's straightforward request, Kong Liqing felt that something overwhelming was about to come crashing down.

A few handfuls of clean water splashed onto the face, washing away the foam. The arms reached directly under the faucet to rinse, with the elbows raised, following a top-to-bottom order of washing, adhering to the standard method of a surgeon's handwashing. Two slender arms swayed back and forth in front, with pale skin sporadically dotted with a few small brown scars. The wounds were from long ago, now appearing like the small marks left from childhood chickenpox.

Kong Liqing opened the door, her body blocking the entrance. She looked at the second button on the man's chest, neither greeting him nor indicating any intention to let him in

The woman is a neighbor of Kong Liqing. Although they are not well acquainted, they have encountered each other in the elevator a few times and have had conversations.

Kong Liqing looked at her own instep, still not responding to him. In fact, she was thinking to herself: What does it have to do with you? There are many things in this world that cannot be blamed on anyone, and she had known that long ago

Kong Liqing was holding his head in distress when suddenly he heard Kong Wanxiang's voice from the front: "Mom, someone is knocking at the door"

Kong Liqing was immersed in her own thoughts, and as she pondered, she even smiled a little. Next to her, Kong Wanxiang nudged her with his elbow and said, "Mom, someone is knocking at the door."

The man seemed somewhat embarrassed by her silence; his gaze drifted for a moment before he finally said: "Li Qing, regarding this matter, I truly have limited ability and was unable to assist you. I am really sorry."

The woman appeared somewhat embarrassed, her hands clasped at her abdomen. Kong Liqing's gaze lingered on her beautifully manicured nails, which were painted in vibrant colors, the slender, pale fingers contrasting with the vivid red bloodstains, creating a somewhat tragic impression: "Miss Kong, one of my friends has been injured. Could I ask you to help?"

In Kong Liqing's impression, in his early years, this man always had a youthful and vibrant face, a tall and upright posture, and a sweaty visage. It seemed that sunshine would fall upon him as he moved. In recent years, however, this person has become increasingly composed and more tactful. Although time has taken away some things from him, he remains capable and efficient. Yet, the current display of this person is one of fluster and confusion, resembling a naive young man, as if he still has some distance to cover before achieving true maturity. This person has become increasingly composed and more tactful. Although time has taken away some things from him, he remains capable and efficient. Yet, the current display of this person is one of fluster and confusion, resembling a naive young man, as if he still has some distance to cover before achieving true maturity.

The lively performance of SpongeBob SquarePants on television caught Kong Liqing's attention as she leaned against Kong Wanxiang. However, she soon began to drift off, as the sudden visit from the man had left her somewhat shaken.

Yet she has lived so cautiously, but misfortune has not spared her. This time, it cannot be described as merely a medical accident; an 18-year-old boy suffered from insufficient closure of the heart valve, and the damage to the heart muscle was excessively severe. When the chest cavity was opened, even a slight touch caused the major artery to rupture, resulting in the patient dying on the operating table. The chief surgeon was the head of their department, while she was merely a second assistant. Initially, this should not have led to a medical dispute, but the patient's family was of high official status. The death occurring directly on the operating table was unacceptable to them, and they relentlessly pursued the hospital. As the situation escalated, pressure mounted on the hospital from various levels. Ultimately, they had to handle the matter internally. Kong Liqing ended up taking the blame; the chief was demoted, the first assistant was reprimanded in a hospital-wide notice, and Kong Liqing, having mishandled the final suturing, bore the primary responsibility and was dismissed.

The man turned his head to look at the calm woman in front of him who was rejecting him, opening his mouth to say: "Li Qing, you, you..."

Kong Liqing is too dull; she cannot express such pretentious and sentimental words. Being able to say "thank you" is already her limit

"Li Qing." The man spoke first, his voice sounding somewhat suppressed