Chapter 122: Scoundrel
Yu Qiao’s eyes instantly reddened. She understood what Zhou Tianzui meant, her hand falling powerlessly. She said, “Scoundrel.” All her insistence crumbled, her stubbornness shattered. Filled with despair and helplessness, she pounded on Zhou Tianzui’s shoulder, “Zhou Tianzui, you scoundrel! You scoundrel!”
A scoundrel?
Yes, she was a scoundrel. She had been cruel to You Ruxu before, and now, to Yu Qiao. She knew she shouldn’t have fallen for You Ruxu, yet she had, head over heels. She knew Yu Qiao would be angry, yet she still hurt her, deceiving her, lying to her, and even now, she couldn’t accept anyone else, she couldn’t even bring herself to go on those blind dates.
She had broken her promises again.
Broken her promise to You Ruxu.
She had said they would try again, work things out, but she gave up, she let go, she was a scoundrel.
Broken her promise to Yu Qiao.
She had promised to make Yu Qiao happy, to try dating, to try marriage, but she couldn’t control herself, every touch feeling like insects crawling on her skin, a numb ache accompanied by a deep unease, she just wanted to wash it away, to desperately scrub herself clean.
She was a scoundrel.
A true scoundrel.
Zhou Tianzui took half a step back and said, “Mom, I’m sorry.”
Yu Qiao had heard these words too many times, more apologies in the past few days than in her entire life. She looked at Zhou Tianzui, her eyes filled with despair and helplessness, she didn’t even have the energy to ask again.
Was no one good enough?
Was it only You Ruxu?
She couldn’t bring herself to ask.
Because she already knew the answer. Yu Qiao didn’t speak, just walked towards the door and left the room.
Zhou Tianzui heard her apologizing to Lin Luo, then silence. She walked out. Yu Qiao was sitting on the sofa, silently, the room deathly quiet.
An oppressive silence.
After that, Yu Qiao never mentioned blind dates again, dismissing any aunties who tried to set her up. Zhou Tianzui didn’t know what she had said, but things became much quieter around her. Lin Luo tried to talk to her a few times, but seeing her expression, hesitated, not daring to speak. Zhou Tianzui became even more serious and aloof, her temper worsening. Unlike before, she no longer scolded anyone, just gave the erring interns a cold stare, her disapproval so sharp and intense that it made them uncomfortable, more and more people became afraid of her. Even the male colleagues who had been interested in her before now kept their distance.
Zhou Tianzui reverted to her old self, her life once again revolving around work and home, no longer the shared apartment. Yu Qiao’s mood seemed to have improved recently, although Zhou Tianzui wasn’t sure if “improved” was the right word, at least she wasn’t hysterical anymore, didn’t fly into a rage at the slightest provocation, didn’t try to set her up on blind dates, didn’t even mention the topic.
It was as if they had gone back in time.
Back to when they first arrived in Jindu, before You Ruxu.
You Ruxu’s name—she never mentioned it, and Yu Qiao never asked, just brought her lunch to the hospital every day, a gesture that made her colleagues envious, “Your mother is so good to you.”
“Your mother’s such a good cook, I can smell the food from miles away.” They rarely went to the cafeteria, usually bringing their own lunch, which wasn’t as fresh by noon. Only Zhou Tianzui had freshly cooked meals every day, delivered by her mother. Once, seeing that there was too much food, wanting to share it with her colleagues, she suddenly remembered You Ruxu’s words.
“You should eat more too.” She held her chopsticks, sitting at her desk, and ate everything, every last bite. Perhaps because of all the food, she had gained some weight, no longer looking as thin and frail as before.
“What do you want for dinner?” Yu Qiao sat opposite her and asked, “We have some pork ribs left, want some braised pork ribs?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Anything is fine.”
Yu Qiao said, “Then I’ll go home and start cooking.”
Zhou Tianzui watched her go, then continued eating, her head lowered. A colleague said, “Dr. Zhou, did your mother go to culinary school?”
Yu Qiao would now bring an extra portion for her colleagues. At first, they were hesitant to accept, but now, they were addicted to her cooking. Zhou Tianzui said, “No.”
Her tone was cold and indifferent, but she had been like this recently, so no one paid much attention, their conversation shifting to the latest gossip. Zhou Tianzui glanced at the TV, the live reporter from Jindu TV was someone else, it had been a while since she last saw You Ruxu.
He Wei explained to everyone, “She’s on leave, went home, I heard her injuries were quite serious, she went back to her hometown to recover.”
Even she knew more than He Wei.
He Wei continued, “She’ll be back soon, I heard, can’t wait to see my goddess on TV again.”
“Teacher You?” A colleague looked at Zhou Tianzui, “Ask Dr. Zhou, she would know.”
Zhou Tianzui swallowed her soup, her throat tightening. He Wei, seeing her indifferent expression, decided not to ask. She used to be slightly afraid of Zhou Tianzui, but after working with her, she realized she had a warm heart beneath her cold exterior, but now, her moods were so unpredictable, she didn’t dare ask.
The others chuckled, “Even you’re afraid of someone.”
“Aren’t you?” He Wei said, “Then you ask.”
The other person quickly waved their hand dismissively, “No, thank you.”
Lin Luo, listening to their conversation, glanced at Zhou Tianzui. After that day, Zhou Tianzui’s attitude towards her hadn’t changed at all, as if that awkward blind date was just a dream, but she knew it wasn’t, and despite knowing this, she didn’t dare mention it.
Because Zhou Tianzui had clearly rejected her.
The day after the blind date, she had brought Zhou Tianzui a hot drink, and afraid of being misunderstood, bought one for everyone in the office. The others thanked her with a smile, but Zhou Tianzui hadn’t accepted it, just looked at her, her gaze unwavering. Lin Luo’s face flushed, “Dr. Zhou, I didn’t mean anything by it, I just wanted to treat everyone.”
“Thank you, but no.” Zhou Tianzui lowered her voice, just loud enough for Lin Luo to hear, “You can interpret this as, I’m not interested.”
Lin Luo, embarrassed, understood her rejection.
After that, Zhou Tianzui treated her like any other colleague, and she also gradually accepted her place, her silent, unrequited love gently put to rest by Zhou Tianzui.
She thought, she was actually quite lucky.
At least their relationship wasn’t awkward now.
Lin Luo looked away, listening to her colleagues gossip, when the head nurse walked in, “Dr. Zhou, the patient in bed twenty-three is asking for you.”
Zhou Tianzui closed the container, went to the bathroom to wash up, and then left.
Her colleagues started gossiping, “What’s wrong with Dr. Zhou?”
“I don’t know! Don’t you think she’s become a workaholic lately?”
“Seriously, she was on duty last night, and she’s on duty again tonight, and she volunteered for both shifts.”
“She was on blind dates just a while ago…”
“Hey, didn’t you hear? She had a partner, but her mother didn’t approve, they had a huge fight…”
“What?! Really? When did she have a partner?”
“Who is it? Someone from our hospital?”
“Is it Dr. Li? I saw them having dinner together once.”
Lin Luo couldn’t help but say, “Stop spreading rumors.”
They all turned to her, “Lin Luo, do you know something?”
Lin Luo shrugged, “I don’t know anything.”
They pouted and changed the subject. Zhou Tianzui entered the ward. The patient was having contractions, she put on her gloves and examined her, drawing the curtains. The nurse and He Wei soon arrived. Zhou Tianzui told He Wei to keep a close watch on the patient, then looked up, and at the doorway.
She saw a figure standing there.
Bathed in sunlight, smiling at her, a gentle and warm smile, like the first day of spring. Zhou Tianzui stood there for a moment, then heard He Wei call out, “Dr. Zhou, should we take her to the delivery room now?”
He Wei called out again, “Dr. Zhou?”
Zhou Tianzui returned to her senses, the doorway empty, “Let’s observe for a bit longer.”
He Wei agreed.
Zhou Tianzui left the ward, removed her gloves, and went back to her office. She took out her phone. Yu Qiao hadn’t forbidden her from contacting You Ruxu, but there was a silent agreement between them, to avoid mentioning her.
This person whose name was pinned at the top of her WeChat contacts, the first person in her chat list.
Their last conversation was on New Year’s Eve, they hadn’t exchanged a single word since. You Ruxu rarely updated her Moments, so she had to rely on others for news.
Zhou Tianzui put away her phone.
“Dr. Zhou, are you on duty tonight?” Fu Shushu walked in, holding a form, Zhou Tianzui looked up, “Yes.”
“Fill this out.” Fu Shushu said, “You’ve been on duty a lot recently, are you sure you can handle it?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “I’m fine.”
Fu Shushu, watching her sign the form, couldn’t help but say, “Let me know if you need any help.”
“I’m fine, really.” Zhou Tianzui looked up, “I almost forgot, I wanted to thank you for arranging the lawyer’s letter when I was hospitalized.”
“It’s nothing.” Fu Shushu said, “If you want to thank someone, thank You Ruxu, we didn’t do anything, it was all her.”
Zhou Tianzui knew this, but hearing it from Fu Shushu was different, You Ruxu’s name now a taut string in her heart, a string she didn’t dare touch, the slightest mention of her name like a pluck, sending vibrations through her, her blood rushing, her emotions stirred.
She paused for a few seconds, “I still want to thank you all.”
Her voice, if one listened closely, was trembling slightly.
Fu Shushu clearly didn’t notice, she just waved the form and left the office. Zhou Tianzui sat at her desk, her computer on, taking deep breaths, spending the entire afternoon trying to calm her racing heart, a reaction to hearing You Ruxu’s name.
Until Yu Qiao arrived.
Yu Qiao, carrying a thermos of dinner, greeted the other doctors as she entered. Zhou Tianzui watched her, her expression calm. Her colleagues gradually left for the day, bidding Yu Qiao farewell with a smile. Yu Qiao nodded and sat opposite Zhou Tianzui, handing her the thermos, “Still on duty tomorrow?”
Her voice was tense.
Zhou Tianzui opened the thermos, her tone indifferent, “No, not tomorrow.”
Yu Qiao seemed to relax slightly and nodded. Two doctors entered, greeting Yu Qiao, then removing their white coats, chatting as they tidied up, “We just had someone admitted to the ER.”
“I know, that TV reporter.” The other doctor said, “The one who’s been coming to our hospital a lot recently, right?”
“Yes, yes, that’s her, seems like she was targeted…”
Before she could finish, the sound of chopsticks clattering to the floor, everyone turned around, Zhou Tianzui’s jaw tightened, her face expressionless, seeing everyone looking at her, she said hoarsely, “Sorry.”
She bent down to pick up the chopsticks. Yu Qiao also looked down, the chopsticks right beside Zhou Tianzui’s hand, but she seemed not to see them, her hand trembling slightly.
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