Li Xuan turned and left, brushing past Xie Liang.
Xie Liang watched him leave the room, then clicked his tongue and pointed, “He’s really good-looking—so beautiful it’s hard to tell if he’s male or female. It’s a shame he’s a man. If he had a woman’s figure with that face, people would be lining up from here all the way to Central Street to chase him.”
“Plenty of people chased him back then too.”
Xie Liang paused, and then it clicked. “Wait, what? You know him?”
“Ex-boyfriend.”
Xie Liang staggered back, bumping into the door. “No wonder… I finally understand why you’ve been hung up on your first love all this time.”
He gave Su Xingchuan a thumbs up. “You’ve got good taste.”
Su Xingchuan chuckled.
“But what did he mean when he said if it doesn’t work, you’ll be the bottom?” Xie Liang looked shocked as he scanned Su Xingchuan up and down. “No way, dude—”
“Shut up.” Su Xingchuan snapped.
Xie Liang burst out laughing but, remembering they were in a hospital, tried to contain it. “So, how are you feeling? Is it painful?”
“A bit.”
Seeing that Su Xingchuan looked unwell, Xie Liang didn’t push it further or make jokes.
“You’ve been under a lot of pressure at work lately,” Xie Liang sighed, sitting by the bed. “I told you not to go for that Zhongjin project, but you insisted. That’s not a project just anyone can take on. Xu Zhengdong from Zhongjin has always struck me as someone with issues—a petty tyrant who looks down on everyone and expects people to grovel and fawn over him, and even then, he might not give you the time of day.”
Su Xingchuan shook his head with a smile. “If groveling gets me the money, I’ll do it.”
“If you seal this deal,” Xie Liang rubbed his fingers together, “you could hit seven figures this year.”
“Maybe.”
Xie Liang raised an eyebrow, gesturing toward the door. “Does he know how much you’re making now?”
He knew Xie Liang was referring to Li Xuan.
“He probably doesn’t care,” Su Xingchuan shrugged. “His family is well-off—his father is in business, and his mother is in politics. Money is not an issue for them.”
Xie Liang looked surprised. “Is that so?”
“By the way, who’s doing your surgery tomorrow?”
“Him.”
“What? Him?! That’s quite the coincidence.” Xie Liang jumped up, then leaned in with a mischievous grin. “Are you really okay with your ex doing your surgery? What if his hand slips and you lose your manhood?”
Although Su Xingchuan had joked about this with Li Xuan, hearing someone else say it made him instinctively defend Li Xuan.
“Trust his skills, alright?”
Xie Liang laughed and waved his hand. “Just kidding. I’ll wash you an apple.”
Su Xingchuan was admitted around three in the afternoon. After chatting for a while, Xie Liang returned to the office. Left alone, Su Xingchuan took out his laptop to review financial reports, answering calls until nightfall. Even a young nurse commented, “Mr. Su, you’re really busy, aren’t you?”
“No choice,” he replied with a helpless smile. Noticing the nurse changing the IV for the patient next to him, he asked softly, “By the way, how’s Dr. Li?”
The nurse didn’t need to ask for clarification; she knew exactly who “Dr. Li” was, as many people asked about him. “He’s very professional and responsible, but he doesn’t talk much.”
“And… does he have a partner?”
The nurse raised an eyebrow. “Even handsome guys gossip?”
Su Xingchuan chuckled. “Your words are sweet.”
The nurse burst out laughing.
With his tall stature and defined features, Su Xingchuan usually had an intimidating presence. The nurse had been hesitant to chat with him at first but found his gentle and patient tone over the phone encouraging.
In truth, Su Xingchuan hadn’t always been this easygoing. It was Li Xuan who had worn down his sharp edges, and life and work had smoothed him out even further.
Ten years ago, when he was always competitive on the basketball team, calling teammates wimps, he would never have imagined that one day he’d be on the phone saying, “Yes, yes, Mr. Xu, your insights are profound. I must learn from you.”
People say that habits are hard to change, but Su Xingchuan thought, maybe they weren’t.
Seeing that the nurse wasn’t eager to reveal much about Li Xuan, he tried another approach. “Dr. Li is quite good-looking. I was thinking of introducing him to my sister, so I wanted to check if he’s single.”
“Dr. Li… probably doesn’t have a partner. He’s always alone. But last month, on his birthday, a pretty handsome guy brought him a cake and helped distribute it to the staff. Dr. Li didn’t mention their relationship, though.”
The nurse’s roundabout response was clear: the department suspected that Li Xuan might not be straight.
As for that handsome guy… Su Xingchuan felt a pang of doubt.
Could he really be seeing someone now? The thought hit him hard, and he felt the pain in his lower abdomen intensify.
What kind of person would Li Xuan be with? Someone who brings cake to his colleagues on his birthday?
Just like he used to.
Back then, he had often bought coffee for Li Xuan’s roommates, hoping they wouldn’t mind his “princess” behavior. He was more like a parent than Li Xuan’s actual parents.
If he’d known it would end like this, maybe he wouldn’t have treated him so well, he sighed inwardly.
“Handsome, after you finish dinner at six, don’t eat or drink anything. Dr. Li will come by later,” the nurse reminded him.
“Got it,” Su Xingchuan replied.
—
It took a long time for Li Xuan to show up. At one point, Su Xingchuan thought he wasn’t coming since it was already past working hours.
Li Xuan finally arrived at 6:20, still in his white coat, holding two surgery consent forms for Su Xingchuan to sign. “Read and sign.”
Su Xingchuan glanced at them and signed without asking questions.
Neither spoke first.
The patient next to him said he wanted to take a walk downstairs, and his wife helped him up. The two of them slowly left the room, moving with the kind of familiarity that came from decades of marriage.
Watching them leave, Su Xingchuan noticed Li Xuan’s gaze following them.
“Dr. Li,” he called out casually, “can I ask you something?”
Li Xuan didn’t respond, but his silence was an invitation.
“Why are you working at a urology clinic?”
“Where else should I work?”
Surprised by the question in return, Su Xingchuan smiled wryly. “I just found it unexpected. Urology doesn’t seem like your kind of specialty. I thought you’d choose cardiology or something.”
“They’re all the same,” Li Xuan said.
He pulled out a pen and jotted something in the medical file.
“You’ve changed a lot,” Su Xingchuan said.
Li Xuan’s hand paused.
“Matured, like a grown-up.”
Li Xuan looked up, and for the first time, his eyes didn’t seem as cold.
Just as Su Xingchuan was about to say more, the nurse walked in. “Oh? Dr. Li, you haven’t clocked out yet?”
The atmosphere broke perfectly, and Su Xingchuan rubbed his nose as he heard Li Xuan’s polite response. “I was discussing surgery details with him. I’ll clock out soon. Are you on night duty?”
“Yes.” The nurse knocked on the doorframe and cheerfully reminded Su Xingchuan, “Remember, no water tonight.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
Li Xuan glanced back at Su Xingchuan, and his gaze turned cold again. He quickly wrote down two more lines and prepared to leave.
“Are you really just going to leave like that?” Su Xingchuan called out.
Li Xuan looked puzzled. “Is there anything else?”
“I—” Su Xingchuan hesitated. He didn’t have anything to say, really—he just didn’t want to spend the night alone.
Li Xuan unexpectedly spoke first, pausing to ask, “Where’s your boyfriend?”
Su Xingchuan blinked, needing a moment to realize Li Xuan meant Xie Liang.
So Li Xuan had misunderstood their relationship.
Why would he misunderstand? Would someone who didn’t care make such an assumption?
Li Xuan had always been possessive. He would get upset if Su Xingchuan talked to classmates for too long. Though usually quiet, he’d become sarcastic when jealous, mimicking others until Su Xingchuan was caught between amusement and exasperation.
He vividly remembered Li Xuan’s tone when he was jealous.
It was just like now—pretending not to care while fishing for information.
“Boyfriend? Oh—” he stretched the word, playing along. “He’s not off work yet. He’ll come by tonight.”
Li Xuan turned and left.
“Hey,” Su Xingchuan called after him twice, but Li Xuan didn’t stop.
He thought to himself: I’ve gone too far, and now he’s upset.
The next second, he thought: Why should I care? We’re exes now. He might even have a boyfriend already. Who am I to try and make amends?
—
Spending the night alone in a hospital bed, waiting for surgery, wasn’t a big deal for a twenty-seven-year-old.
But he did think about Li Xuan.
His mind was full of old memories.
When he recalled Li Xuan beneath him, a sharp pain from his kidney stone brought him back to reality, reminding him not to have inappropriate thoughts while bedridden.
Just thinking about it hurt. How would he manage?
Was this punishment for his seven-year abstinence?
Even though Li Xuan had assured him that the surgery wouldn’t affect his abilities, a strange fear crept over him. He lifted the blanket and checked himself, silently praying, Come on, buddy, don’t let me down. We’re about to reunite after all this time—if there’s ever a chance for reconciliation, don’t fail me now!
He fell asleep, his thoughts racing, and was awakened at eight the next morning by the nurse making her rounds.
Rubbing his eyes, he started to get up.
Hearing him stir, the nurse called from outside the curtain, “Good morning! Change into the hospital gown. No underwear.”
“Got it, and thanks for your hard work.”
“I’m about to clock out,” she replied, her voice bright with the joy of finishing her shift.
As he put on the hospital gown, Xie Liang came rushing in.
“What time is your surgery? I’m not too late, am I?”
“Ten-thirty,” Su Xingchuan said as he buttoned up the gown.
Xie Liang sat down. “Perfect. I’ll use this as an excuse to skip the monthly meeting.”
Su Xingchuan chuckled.
Time passed quickly, and around ten, another nurse came to check on him, confirming his fast and guiding him to the operating room.
He saw Li Xuan standing in the distance.
Dressed in surgical scrubs, he looked professional and reliable. He’s really grown up, Su Xingchuan thought.
As he lay on the operating table, the anesthetist and nurses busied themselves around him. All he could do was look at Li Xuan.
Sensing his gaze, Li Xuan walked over.
Xuan, he silently called him in his heart.
Back when they were dating, Su Xingchuan had joked that if Li Xuan ever became a surgeon, he’d be his first patient.
Now, it seemed like that joke had come true.
The anesthesia took effect gradually, numbing his lower half, though his mind remained clear. He watched as Li Xuan and the nurse verified the surgical instruments.
Unaware of their relationship, the nurse reassured him, “Don’t worry, Dr. Li has performed this type of surgery seven or eight times this month alone.”
“I’m not worried. Even if Dr. Li turned me into a cyborg, I wouldn’t complain.”
Those were the exact words he’d used in their old jokes.
Li Xuan’s eyelashes fluttered, and his expression softened slightly. Just as Su Xingchuan was about to speak, the overhead light flared on, so bright it almost blinded him.
Damn, they were really going to cut.
Suddenly aware that the operating table wasn’t the place for sentimental words, he panicked, “Wait—”
Li Xuan shot him a cold look.
He quickly pleaded, “No, no, I was joking. Dr. Li, please, for the sake of how I used to treat you… do your best!”
