“What’s the matter?” Han Chen took a light puff of his cigarette, not inhaling deeply.
“That girl from earlier, do you know her?” Zong Zheng asked.
“Yes,” Han Chen slightly lowered his gaze.
“Are you also her customer?” Zong Zheng asked curiously, a faint smile appearing on his firm face.
“No,” Han Chen replied.
Zong Zheng suddenly looked intrigued, “Then... I heard she has a boyfriend.”
“They broke up a while ago,” Han Chen took a few deep puffs, slowly exhaling the smoke. He extinguished the cigarette and flicked it into the ashtray on top of the trash bin.
“You know it so well?” Zong Zheng raised an eyebrow.
Han Chen glanced coldly at Zong Zheng, “What do you want from me?”
Zong Zheng took a shallow drag on his cigarette, blowing out two thick smoke rings through his nostrils. “Do you know what kind of business Zhou Mo is involved in?”
Han Chen remained silent, waiting for Zong Zheng to continue.
“Don’t tell Du Moyou, but I bought something from Zhou Mo,” Zong Zheng clamped the cigarette between his lips, lightly tapping his forehead with his thumb, looking slightly embarrassed.
“It’s a private matter that can’t be explained clearly. I’m afraid Du Moyou will overthink it. It’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.”
“I understand,” Han Chen said knowingly, bypassing Zong Zheng and walking back.
“Hey, you’re leaving without even saying goodbye?” Zong Zheng called out.
Han Chen turned around, his voice indifferent, “Goodbye.”
Zong Zheng shook his head helplessly.
After being neighbors with Han Chen for a long time, they had met many times, but their interactions were limited to nodding greetings.
Han Chen would greet them, but he never initiated the greeting himself.
If it weren’t for Du Moyou mentioning that Han Chen could engage in professional discussions with them during their pediatric consultations, Zong Zheng would even think that someone as cold and detached as Han Chen was not suitable to be a doctor.
As a doctor, communication skills were essential, not to mention doctor-patient communication, and even communication between colleagues. Zong Zheng felt that Han Chen rarely demonstrated these skills.
Every time Zong Zheng and his wife encountered Han Chen, it was Du Moyou who would greet him first.
But luckily, Han Chen still gave them face and responded each time. Otherwise, Han Chen would have been unbearable.
As Han Chen walked further away, Zong Zheng suddenly remembered something and immediately shouted behind Han Chen’s back, “Hey, Han Chen, you’ve opened a card at ’Conquer the Central Plains’, why didn’t you tell me? I can give you a year of 20% off membership!”
Han Chen turned around, furrowing his brows at Zong Zheng.
Zong Zheng proudly took a drag of his cigarette. “I’m the owner of ’Conquer the Central Plains’, didn’t you just find out?”
Han Chen remained composed, his eyes showing no fluctuation. “The card was arranged by Liang Dongyan.”
“All right, whether it’s him or you, it’s the same. I’ll have someone send you a year of 20% off membership. Feel free to visit our department for dinner. Consider it taking care of my business,” Zong Zheng said.
“Goodbye,” Han Chen turned and walked away.
“Hey, this guy...” Zong Zheng snuffed out his cigarette and turned to the convenience store.
...
Han Chen returned home.
As soon as he entered the door, Liang Xinyun looked at him in astonishment. “Why are you back so soon? Does Mo Mo live really close by?”
“I didn’t accompany her back,” Han Chen replied.
“What?” Liang Xinyun was taken aback. “What happened? You let her go home by herself?”
“Yeah, she took a taxi, and I couldn’t catch up,” Han Chen entered the house, collapsed on the sofa, feeling exhausted. He irritably pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Did you two quarrel?” Liang Xinyun asked cautiously.
Han Chen felt troubled, “I made her angry.”
“What did you do?” Liang Xinyun asked with concern.
“It’s nothing, Mom. I’ll handle my own affairs. You should rest early,” Han Chen stood up and went into the bedroom.
In the living room, Liang Xinyun couldn’t find the peace of mind to rest. Just when their relationship had finally eased, why did it become strained again?
Thinking it over, Liang Xinyun realized she couldn’t give up. She wanted to personally talk to Zhou Mo but found that she didn’t have Zhou Mo’s contact information.
Glancing at Han Chen’s bedroom door, she reluctantly approached and knocked. “Han Chen, give me Zhou Mo’s contact information. I want to talk to her.”
Han Chen opened the door with a stern expression. “What do you want to say to her?”
“I want to tell her how much you’ve changed for her,” Liang Xinyun’s lips trembled, her heart feeling heavy.
“You’re my son, and I know you better than anyone. You used to be so dedicated to aerospace, building one model after another. But in the end, you chose clinical medicine as your major and gave away all your model airplanes when we moved. Why did you give up aerospace and become a doctor?”
Han Chen suddenly fell silent. After a while, he awkwardly replied, “Because you’re a doctor too.”
“I’m a doctor, but I never saw you studying to become a doctor. Why did you suddenly change your major to clinical medicine just before the college entrance examination?”
Liang Xinyun crossed her arms, carefully scrutinizing Han Chen. “If I remember correctly, clinical medicine was the major Zhou Mo wanted to choose, right?”
“No, if she had chosen clinical medicine, she wouldn’t be in this situation,” Han Chen replied.
“You...” Liang Xinyun felt both heartbroken and helpless. “I won’t care about you anymore.”
In fact, Liang Xinyun couldn’t control him anymore.
Because she was a failed mother.
When Han Chen was in elementary school, Liang Xinyun began to focus on her career at the Capital Hospital, striving for promotion.
Liang Xinyun specialized in traditional Chinese gynecology, and her career in traditional Chinese medicine was particularly limited.
She needed to integrate Western medicine to make progress. Moreover, with the abundance of medical talent in the Imperial Capital, her path to promotion became even more difficult.
She devoted herself to work day and night, making it burdensome to take care of Han Chen.
Unable to handle it, Liang Xinyun hired a live-in nanny to take care of Han Chen around the clock.
However, the nanny’s excellent care made Han Chen feel like a little master, and he missed out on many opportunities to learn various life skills.
The nanny catered to Han Chen’s every need, and he grew up in an environment of flattery and deference, gradually losing the instinct to initiate social interactions.
Even worse, during this time, Han Chen never truly enjoyed the complete love of his parents.
Liang Xinyun admitted to her negligence, but by the time she realized it, it was too late.
Han Chen was already in high school and would soon enter society. Continuing down this path was not viable.
Furthermore, as a professor, Liang Xinyun had been unable to achieve promotion in the Capital and eventually quit her job there. She brought Han Chen back to Dongjiang with her.
Competition was less fierce here compared to the Imperial Capital, and not long after she arrived, Dongjiang University Hospital granted her the title of professor.
The workload here was also not as busy as in the Capital. Although there were still on-call shifts, she had more flexibility and could take care of Han Chen while avoiding overlapping schedules.
Being away from the familiar environment could also help Han Chen develop.
But before Han Chen had a chance to change and mature, he fell into his first romantic relationship.
Puppy love is always awkward, and Liang Xinyun didn’t know how serious Han Chen was. However, she knew that with his current state, no girl would be willing to entrust her future to him.
At a young age, they didn’t understand the realities of life, and they could still have love even if they struggled with the basics.
But as they entered society and faced the challenges of life, Han Chen’s spoiled nature wouldn’t be tolerated by any girl.
But since it was his first experience with love, it had to be supported. Love was not a ferocious beast; at most, it would be an infatuation that would fade.
To Liang Xinyun, if someone could be interested in Han Chen, it would be a blessing. Zhou Mo was also beautiful and particularly likable. Liang Xinyun was satisfied in every way.