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墨書 Inktalez
Shui Su held up his phone as he and Xiao Mei arrived at Song Bunan's dormitory door. Just as they were about to push the door open, they collided with Xin Yi, who was stepping out. The muscular man’s chest felt like steel, nearly giving Xiao Mei a concussion.
As their eyes met, Xin Yi was puzzled by why Shui Su was accompanying Xiao Mei in such a reckless game. The phone was quickly tucked away, and Shui Su smiled silently while Xiao Mei, caught between them, covered her face and whimpered that her nose might be broken.
It was an accident, but Xin Yi had no intention of apologizing.
"What’s going on? Playing the role of the gatekeeper so early in the morning?" broke the silence Song Bunan, who had just finished washing up and was eager for breakfast. He peered through the gap beside Xin Yi's waist and saw Xiao Mei with teary eyes and Shui Su smiling. Looking up at Xin Yi, he noticed a calm expression that suggested he had already collected himself.
"Let’s go have breakfast," Shui Su gently suggested. Noticing that the three involved had no plans to explain the situation, Song Bunan withdrew his head, suspicious that they might be plotting something against him.
Xin Yi denied it, Xiao Mei told him to get lost, and Xin Yi insisted it wasn’t true.
Trusting them would be foolish. Song Bunan mentally heightened his vigilance and gestured for the three to lead the way. "For my safety, you all go ahead." He followed closely behind, scrutinizing every detail.
"Doctor Xiao!" A sweet and cheerful voice called from behind them. Song Bunan turned to see a lively figure rush past him and stop next to Xin Yi. It was Lin Ling. The young girl held a new bag of cookies in her hands and offered it to Xin Yi with much more confidence than yesterday.
"I adjusted the recipe; these are sugar-free." Faced with such boldness in her affection, Shui Su and Xiao Mei instinctively halted their steps and quickly aligned themselves with Song Bunan. Xiao Mei wore a smug expression, wildly signaling to Song Bunan as if to say this girl was trying to steal his attention. Shui Su remained calm, still smiling.
Song Bunan feigned indifference, his gaze glued to the bag of cookies while Xiao Mei didn’t pick up on any desire for them from him.
【Aren't you jealous?】 Xiao Mei raised her eyebrows expressively. Song Bunan simply wrinkled his nose and shook his head before pointing at his phone to start typing.
【That girl is off. When I shook her hand yesterday, she felt like death.】 Shui Su saw this message and nodded slightly. Xiao Mei understood that he had also noticed something amiss and replied.
【Should we tell the big guy?】 Both Shui Su and Song Bunan shook their heads in unison, suggesting they keep it under wraps for now and see what she intended to do.
While they debated heatedly behind them, things were much cooler on Xin Yi's side. He hadn’t taken the cookies; instead, he turned to face Lin Ling directly and said in a very cold tone, "I don’t like these things. I’m here to learn and communicate; please don’t mix work with personal matters."
Without waiting for her reaction, he turned back to the trio and said they should move on. Song Bunan noticed that when Xin Yi spoke, his gaze fell on him, which Lin Ling also caught onto. A flash of disdain and hatred crossed her eyes, which Song Bunan clearly saw.
He had felt such looks many times before—most often from those he considered enemies—and he knew this girl surely intended to do something.
"Why him?" Song Bunan whispered as he passed by the girl, his voice low enough for only them to hear. He didn’t linger for an answer, confident that he would soon find the response he sought.
As they sat in the cafeteria sipping congee, they tacitly avoided bringing up the topic again. However, Xiao Mei noticed that Xin Yi had been observing Song Bunan more frequently. Big Guy would occasionally glance at the person sitting across from him, but the one who was deeply engrossed in his meal showed no reaction, simply enjoying the plain congee and side dishes before him.
"Xin Yi really likes Bunan," a message from Xiao Mei popped up on Shui Su's phone, prompting a resigned smile and a slight nod in response. "The other main character is completely indifferent!" An accompanying expression sticker perfectly captured the current mood.
When work officially began, it was anything but easy. As a new nurse who was popular among many patients, Song Bunan was busier than ever. Having only skimmed through a couple of pages of nursing knowledge, he abandoned theoretical textbooks and relied on his initiative to engage with patients, making them happy while taking advantage of the absence of other nurses and doctors to observe the situation inside.
He gathered much more information than Shui Su and Xin Yi. During conversations with patients, he discovered that many were fearful of the fourth floor; even those whose rooms were located there expressed strong aversion to the eastern section.
One patient had been excitedly telling him about how he was about to sprout wings and become the first feathered mushroom on Earth, but suddenly fell into a panic when someone in the next bed mentioned something that included the sound "dong." He curled up on his bed, covering his head with a pillow and trembling uncontrollably.
What could possibly be up there? This question became Song Bunan's greatest concern. He tried asking other nurses when he could just take a look inside, but all he received in return was silence or a cold "no," with no possibility of ever going in.
It wasn’t until lunchtime that they were able to meet again. Xin Yi was still accompanied by Lin Ling, while Xiao Mei unusually did not appear with Shui Su. Song Bunan instinctively avoided Xin Yi and walked towards Xiao Mei, missing the displeasure in Xin Yi's eyes.
"Almost everyone willing to talk to me is afraid of that place on the fourth floor—without exception. Did you find anything over there?" Xiao Mei slipped a piece of paper into his hand while pretending to adjust her tray, signaling him to open it at an appropriate time.
"The regular doctors and lab staff are split evenly; basically, each department has one lab technician supervising. In our office with Shui Su, there are no regular staff at all; they've even installed surveillance cameras at the computer desk. The patients coming for consultations are similar to those who are hospitalized," he replied.
The two of them didn’t pay much attention to where Xin Yi was sitting. To facilitate their conversation, they returned to their previous night’s spot and chatted for a while until they were interrupted by a plate suddenly appearing before them. Looking up, they saw an unhappy Xin Yi. Big Guy loomed over their table like a wall, sitting down with a heavy thud.
With his mouth full of meat, Song Bunan blinked curiously and quietly asked what was wrong. Xiao Mei quickly reacted, using her soup-drinking motion to hide her smirk; she nearly spat out her soup upon hearing his question. Oh Song Bunan, she thought to herself with pity—this guy is hopelessly dense.
"Nothing," came Xin Yi's curt reply as another tray appeared on the table—this one belonging to Lin Ling. The young girl was confident and gracious; after sitting down, she politely smiled at both of them and nodded in greeting.
Song Bunan observed Xin Yi's expression, trying to analyze why his roommate seemed so visibly upset. Was it because this girl was too persistent? Or perhaps it was because he and Xiao Mei were having lunch without inviting him? Surely he wouldn’t be that petty. Song Bunan’s mind raced with possibilities.
" Doctor Xiao, your way of talking is really impressive! Can I follow you around this afternoon to learn?" Lin Ling’s tray held simple and clean food that clearly indicated she was someone who worked out regularly. She seemed completely unfazed by the presence of two others at the table; her gaze was fixed intently on Xin Yi, showing no trace of sadness from being rejected earlier that morning.
Xin Yi silently ate his meal, avoiding eye contact and wearing an expression that suggested he neither saw nor understood what was happening around him. Song Bunan felt a sharp kick from Xiao Mei under the table; he knew this was her way of telling him to say something. But what could he possibly ask in this awkward situation? The girl’s emotions toward him were nothing but indifference and lingering annoyance from earlier that day.
" brother Xiao, can I follow you to the clinic this afternoon?" Song Bunan decided to take a bold approach, thinking that breaking the awkwardness required addressing the unspoken feelings. His question successfully drew the man's gaze upward, his expression calming as he nodded in agreement. Seizing the moment, Song Bunan continued, "What about Miss Lin Ling?"
"Whatever," Xin Yi replied tersely, making the atmosphere even more uncomfortable. Song Bunan felt as if he had dug a hole deep enough to fit three rooms and two halls. A sudden wave of inexplicable anxiety washed over him; he scratched at his itchy scalp and couldn't help but start bouncing his leg.
He could sense the negative emotions radiating from Xin Yi. His overly sensitive sixth sense was affected, making him want to counter or reprimand Xin Yi for her cold treatment. But that felt wrong. Song Bunan restrained his restless heart, quickly shifting his thoughts while pretending to focus on his food.
He could now confirm that Xin Yi's bad mood stemmed from Lin Ling. The girl's persistence must be quite bothersome to Xin Yi, yet she couldn't afford to confront her openly at that moment. By repeatedly bringing up the source of her frustration, he only stirred up Xin Yi's negative feelings further, which in turn affected him.
Delving deeper into his analysis, he realized he didn't like this woman either. The aura of death surrounding her was palpable, and she clearly harbored ill intentions while constantly lingering around Xin Yi. For whatever reason, he found it impossible to feel any fondness for her—not even enough to consider her an acquaintance.
Song Bunan picked up a piece of meat from his plate and offered it to Xin Yi, claiming that the sweet and sour pork was exceptionally delicious. Xin Yi's meal was quite simple—carbohydrates and protein with some fruit—a standard fitness meal. His gesture prompted a fleeting flash of malice from her, but she soon brightened up considerably, eagerly taking the meat and commenting that it was indeed good.
As they cleared their plates, Xin Yi maintained pace with Song Bunan and Xiao Mei, who walked in a line together, with the young girl closely following beside him.
"Doctor Lin, I made it very clear this morning that I don't like excessive contact with colleagues. Please don't seek me out outside of work hours. Thank you." Her words were polite but struck Song Bunan like a direct slap in the face from Xin Yi. He silently marveled at how sharp her tongue could be.
Xin Yi's voice was loud and steady, drawing the attention of many doctors, nurses, and family members of patients nearby who were eating. Some onlookers whispered among themselves while occasionally pointing at them. The young girl finally flushed red in anger and stormed off, whether out of anger or embarrassment was unclear.
"That was too harsh," Song Bunan poked Xin Yi's arm. The criticized one responded seriously once more:
"I don't like her."
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