Chapter 5: Friend
Zhou Tianzui’s gaze darkened upon receiving You Ruxu’s reply. She clutched her phone tightly. It wasn’t that You Ruxu had never refused her requests, but more often than not, You Ruxu would acquiesce.
Like this time.
Zhou Tianzui sat in her chair, hearing Zhao Mingqi say, “My goddess is trending!”
To be precise, it was a clip of You Ruxu’s interview that was trending. This time, the subject of the countryside interview was an elderly man over seventy years old, who had dedicated his life to teaching and educating others. Even after retirement, he offered free classes at home, nurturing many university students, cultivating generations of pillars of society, truly a teacher with countless successful students.
It perfectly fit the theme of Touching China.
So, after watching the Jindu news, the program team contacted the person involved, and only after obtaining consent did they announce the nomination. Zhou Tianzui remembered that before going to the countryside, You Ruxu had been investigating the counterfeit brand goods case. Later, when the issue gained traction and became a hot topic, she went to the countryside. Her leader had criticized her quite a bit for this.
She knew this because she heard it when the leader called You Ruxu before they went to bed, the scolding voice too loud.
Yet, You Ruxu still went resolutely. Regarding topic selection, You Ruxu was always confident and had a keen sense of what was important, more so than any reporter Zhou Tianzui knew. So, hearing Zhao Mingqi’s words, Zhou Tianzui wasn’t surprised at all.
She lowered her eyes, looking at the documents on the screen, hearing Zhao Mingqi and He Wei quietly discussing the matter. Zhou Tianzui frowned slightly and looked at the two. Zhao Mingqi immediately felt as if needles were pricking him, his whole body aching. He quickly and unnaturally said, “I’ll go check on the patients.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Go check on the pregnant woman in Ward 3.”
The pregnant woman in Ward 3 was a week past her due date and had been on oxytocin for two days without any effect. Zhou Tianzui planned to perform a C-section tomorrow. Zhao Mingqi nodded: “Okay.”
Seeing him leave, He Wei couldn’t help but move closer to Zhou Tianzui, whispering, “Dr. Zhou.”
Everyone said Dr. Zhou had a bad temper and was the strictest doctor in the department. Those who came under her wing were often “skinned alive,” and she had volunteered to work with her. No one could understand it.
Actually, if she had a choice, she wouldn’t choose Dr. Zhou either.
But she had no choice.
She liked You Ruxu too much.
And in the department, the only one who had a good relationship with You Ruxu was Dr. Zhou. She looked at Zhou Tianzui and whispered, “Dr. Zhou, when did you and Teacher You start living together?”
Thinking that Zhou Tianzui wouldn’t answer such a personal question, she just asked casually. Unexpectedly, Zhou Tianzui said, “Three years ago.”
“Oh—” Seeing that Zhou Tianzui didn’t seem angry, she seemed quite approachable. He Wei relaxed and asked again, “Then how did you two meet?”
Zhou Tianzui raised her eyes slightly to look at her, her gaze indifferent. Her pupils were dark, making her eyes seem unusually deep. She smiled: “Want to know?”
He Wei knew very little about Zhou Tianzui, only her bad temper. If she had an emotional radar, she should have retreated immediately at this point. But she didn’t. Her eyes lit up and she said, “I want to know.”
Zhou Tianzui nodded: “You can know, if you answer a few questions for me.”
He Wei immediately sat up straight, like a student waiting for the teacher to ask questions. Zhou Tianzui asked, “What’s the issue with bed number four?”
“Four?” He Wei was taken aback. “Four is Dr. Fu’s patient.”
Zhou Tianzui glanced at her: “You mean we don’t need to know the basic situation of other doctors’ patients? If you’re on duty tonight and she has an emergency, are you going to contact Dr. Fu before starting treatment?”
“I’m not…”
Zhou Tianzui asked again, “What about bed number eight?”
“Eight.” He Wei had only been there for a day, and she hadn’t yet matched the patients with their bed numbers. She had followed the rounds in the morning and had only taken note of three or four difficult cases, but she hadn’t memorized the others yet.
Zhou Tianzui looked at her calmly, her eyes, which had held a faint smile just now, now serious and sharp. He Wei swallowed: “I’ll go check—”
“Take these with you.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Create the files first.”
The other colleagues in the department looked at He Wei, their eyes filled with sympathy. Yesterday, when He Wei reported for duty, Zhou Tianzui hadn’t given any instructions. Everyone thought it was because He Wei was the director’s goddaughter, and Zhou Tianzui was holding back.
But Zhou Tianzui was still Zhou Tianzui, never going easy on newcomers.
He Wei hugged a stack of folders, lowered her head, her voice much weaker than before: “Okay.”
Zhou Tianzui looked at the other colleagues and said, “If any of you haven’t created the files yet, give them to her as well.”
He Wei was on the verge of tears as she received another armful.
Zhou Tianzui looked at her and said, “Finish it before you leave work, and I’ll tell you how Teacher You and I met.”
He Wei looked at the mountain of folders in front of her, swallowed, and wanted to muster the courage to say “no problem,” but she knew it was impossible. She lowered her head: “Okay.”
Zhou Tianzui watched her sit down at a nearby computer, the keyboard clicking rapidly. Zhao Mingqi ran in and shouted, “Dr. Zhou, the patient in bed number three’s water broke.”
Zhou Tianzui immediately got up and headed towards the ward.
He Wei, behind her, asked the doctor next to her, “Is Dr. Zhou always this fierce?”
“Fierce?” The colleague smiled, giving her a “you’re still too young” look. He Wei felt goosebumps. She said, “How can Teacher You tolerate her temper?”
She asked again, “Hey, does Dr. Zhou have a partner?”
The others, hearing this, glanced at her, not wanting to discuss this topic. He Wei found it strange. Zhou Tianzui, such a beautiful woman, if she wasn’t in a relationship, there should be gossip all over the place. Why was everyone so silent? She couldn’t hold back and tugged on the sleeve of the doctor next to her. The doctor whispered, “Dr. Zhou hates it when people discuss her private life. I advise you to ask less.”
Mysterious.
He Wei frowned. She really wanted to ask clearly, but time didn’t allow it. Until the end of her shift, she hadn’t completed the task Zhou Tianzui assigned. Watching her colleagues change and leave, He Wei gritted her teeth and continued typing. Zhou Tianzui walked in from outside, talking to Zhao Mingqi with a serious expression. He Wei glanced at her from the corner of her eye.
Zhou Tianzui wasn’t the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, but she had a unique aura. At this moment, she suddenly understood why You Ruxu would become good friends with her. They were the same kind of people.
The kind that was the hardest to blend in with, the same kind.
Zhou Tianzui went to change her clothes and heard Zhao Mingqi ask, “Dr. Zhou, not working overtime today?”
“No.” Zhou Tianzui grabbed her bag and said, “I have something to do tonight.”
Before Zhao Mingqi could ask what it was, Zhou Tianzui had already left. It took about half an hour to get from the hospital to the TV station. When Zhou Tianzui arrived downstairs, she sent You Ruxu a message.
You Ruxu was in a big meeting.
A joint meeting of the evening and midday news teams.
Shi Qi sat at the front, her voice resounding: “An excellent reporter never blindly chases hot topics. Everyone can chase hot topics, but daring to innovate! Resisting temptation! To discover the shining points of ordinary people, to uncover the other side of human nature, this is what a reporter should do!”
She glanced at the evening news team. The reporters who had said You Ruxu lacked social sensitivity sat below, silent, their faces grim.
“We will actively cooperate with CCTV’s promotion this time, sharing resources, and we have priority reporting rights!”
Not just in Jindu, but few TV stations nationwide had such treatment.
Shi Qi’s voice changed with excitement: “And we have already invited the person involved. We will conduct the first interview to be broadcast publicly online!”
The leader of the evening news team sat beside Shi Qi, her brows furrowed, her expression tense, clearly in a state of suppression.
You Ruxu didn’t look at their standoff, lowering her head to look at her phone.
Zhou Tianzui: [I’m here]
You Ruxu gripped her phone.
Shi Qi continued to speak, her earlier dejected demeanor swept away, her voice passionate. After a few seconds, You Ruxu said to Chen Xiang, “I’m going out for a bit.”
Chen Xiang thought she had other matters and didn’t dare to ask more, nodding: “Okay.”
You Ruxu looked at Shi Qi. Their eyes met. She nodded slightly in greeting, then got up and left through the back door.
Zhou Tianzui waited for ten minutes. You Ruxu came downstairs, wearing white high heels, a low ponytail, and a light-colored professional suit. Her shirt was made of silk, with excellent texture and drape. The buttons at her wrists and collar were fastened tightly and neatly. Wrinkles were never found on her, even if she sat all day, she always maintained the best posture.
Her makeup today was light, as she didn’t need to be on camera. She wore dark blue earrings, the only bright color on her, but this touch of brightness was just right, blending with all the cool tones on her, making her look bright and vibrant.
Zhou Tianzui thought of He Wei’s question.
“How did you and Teacher You meet?”
She and You Ruxu had met in a similar moment. Three years ago, the hospital was invited to participate in a public welfare medical science popularization event, and she was responsible for picking up the reporter.
The reporter was You Ruxu.
It was like this back then too. She sat in the car, You Ruxu stood outside.
At that time, the You Ruxu in her eyes was the same as in everyone else’s, like the distant, unattainable bright moon, high and unreachable.
Zhou Tianzui came back to her senses, seeing You Ruxu open the passenger door and sit in. A faint fragrance spread, an intellectual and elegant scent. She lowered her eyes and said, “Set the navigation.”
You Ruxu looked down at the screen and asked, “Where to?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Qinghe Hotel.”
You Ruxu’s hand paused, but she still set the navigation route. It wasn’t far, a twenty-minute drive, but they encountered rush hour traffic, so the car started and stopped intermittently. Zhou Tianzui held the steering wheel with both hands, occasionally glancing out the window. The traffic was congested. You Ruxu looked at her. The sky was gradually darkening, and the lights from oncoming cars shone into their car. Half of Zhou Tianzui’s face was hidden in the shadows. You Ruxu clutched her bag, turned to look at the traffic outside the window, and suddenly said, “Can we not go?”
Zhou Tianzui turned her head, her gaze falling on her. You Ruxu had a low ponytail, and the car window was open. The ends of her hair were lifted by the breeze. She asked, “What did you say?”
You Ruxu turned her body, facing Zhou Tianzui: “I said, can we not go?”
Zhou Tianzui chuckled softly, reached out and placed her hand on the passenger seat, her fingers touching You Ruxu’s blue earrings. The other end of the earring was flat, not sharp, but because the contact area was too small, pressing with her fingertip would leave a mark. She moved her hand holding the earring inwards, pinching You Ruxu’s earlobe. The delicate skin felt even better than silk.
You Ruxu’s body tensed, her earlobe burning.
Zhou Tianzui rubbed her earlobe and softly asked, “Not go? What’s the reason?”
She asked You Ruxu, “Are you saying my friend doesn’t want me to go on a blind date?” Her slightly questioning tone, coupled with her cool voice, inexplicably sounded self-deprecating. Zhou Tianzui leaned forward, her gaze indifferent, her fingers pinching You Ruxu’s earlobe harder than before, making the skin instantly red. You Ruxu frowned in pain. Zhou Tianzui spoke again, “Or is it that my fuck buddy doesn’t want me to go on a blind date?”
The pain in her earlobe vanished instantly, replaced by a sharp pain spreading from her chest. You Ruxu’s face paled for a moment.
You Ruxu: Are you a hedgehog?
Zhou Hedgehog: …
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