"Hao-hao! I'm so glad you're back!" a lady in a white coat shuffled then stopped to embrace a man in a white coat who just came in.
"Cristina...don't be too close, else your husband might misunderstand." The man tried to remove her arms around him.
"Haha! Hao-hao is so funny! Why are you so stingy? You know my husband loves you more than I do. Besides, did you not meet anyone interesting during your sweet escape? Why are you so grumpy?" Cristina teased him more.
Su Lianghao narrowed his eyes at her. "Let's start the endorsements so you could go away."
"Roger that! I can't wait for my leave already!" Cristina took several patient charts and placed them on the coffee table, then they both sat on the sofa.
"Endorsing Patient..."
Su Lianghao took some notes on a small pad to aid his memory of every patient, nodding from time-to-time and asking some questions.
Cristina sighed when she opened the file of the last patient she was going to endorse.
"Last, but the most unfortunate...Patient Chen Kaori, age-"
"What?! Who?!" Su Lianghao grabbed the file harshly from her and browsed its contents.
"Hao-hao, do you know her?" Cristina was shocked at his behavior and became skeptical.
Su Lianghao continued to flip through the pages as if he could not hear her, as he mumbled, "He Zifeng...it really is Chen Kaori!"
Su Lianghao finally snapped back and turned to his colleague. "How long has she been here?!"
Cristina was taken aback by his tone, but instantly got back to work mode. "Patient Chen had her accident five days ago. She was rushed here and had multiple surgeries. Before the administration of any anesthetic, she had decreased sensorium and apnea, thus the guys in neurosurgery did a craniotomy. They got her vitals stable so the ex-lap and ORIF were done. However, since then, she has yet to wake up, thus still intubated."
"Wha-how did..."
"They said it's a hit-and-run, but the culprit is now behind bars. Actually, besides the patient, her fiancé's behavior is worrisome as well."
"Fiancé?"
"Yeah, that guy right there..." Cristina tapped on the area of the consent and waiver page where the patient's relative signed. "He signed absent-mindedly as he was too shocked, he couldn't even answer the question of his relationship to the patient. He just nodded when asked if he is her family member. Later on, his assistant clarified that he is her fiancé. And...get this, he is the CEO of H&B." Cristina's expression turned to gossip mode.
"I...I know...I know them..."
.
The following day, Su Lianghao went for his morning rounds early as he had to cover for Cristina so he has more patients to handle. He first went to those recovering well and had good prognosis, then he will go to check those in a coma.
As he was walking along the corridor to the intensive care unit, he could smell cigarette smoke. Bothered that someone might be smoking in the hospital premises, he looked around to find someone with a cigarette. As his body turned around, he almost collided with the man behind him.
"Oh...sorry." Su Lianghao looked up and his eyes widened. "He...He Zifeng! Wait..." he sniffed the man. "It's you! How much did you smoke to reek of cigarettes?!"
"Do I know you?" He Zifeng's expression was indifferent.
"He Zifeng! I am Su Lianghao. I went to the same high school as you!"
He Zifeng furrowed his brows as if not believing him.
"I was Chen Kaori's date at the graduation ball!"
With those words, He Zifeng's stern expression cracked.