Luo Jingyi woke up before her alarm buzzed. Glancing at the digital clock on the side, it was ten to six. She lounged longer, staring at the ceiling for some time as she reviewed her schedule for the day. Today was her first day in Medlife, and if truth to be told, she was excited. She hadn't worked in a hospital setting for a week, and she was missing the action and the fun of it. "What kind of first day will I have?" She asked loudly.
A generic ringing tone answered her question. Reaching her phone, she answered after checking the caller's name. It was Yun Jinghan.
"Did you miss me?" That was Yun Jinghan's first question as soon as Luo Jingyi greeted him. Yun Jinghan laughed when she answered no. "But, I miss you." There was a hint of hurt in his voice.
Yun Jinghan's actions were foreign to Luo Jingyi. Her past life experience had shattered her heart and gave her trauma. But since she already decided to give the relationship a chance, she would do her part as well. She couldn't go on like this. "Hmm- it's getting cooler lately, wear more warm clothes. I need to get ready. Bye." Luo Jingyi ended the call without hearing a response.
Luo Jingyi felt embarrassed...and awkward. She threw the covers and ran to the bathroom.
Yun Jinghan stared at his phone for a long-time. His wife was the type of who didn't like to show her emotions easily, so he was giving her time to get accustomed to him. But the reminder was beyond his expectation. A happy smile slowly tugged at the corner of his lips. It seemed his wife was melting.
Luo Jingyi emerged minutes later with a towel wrapped around her head. By now, she had forgotten the episode after ruminating over it. Scanning the neatly arranged clothes, Luo Jingyi opted for simple attire: trousers, a blouse, and a pair of flats. She didn't want to attract much attention, so it was an excellent choice.
Assistant Wan thought the world was unfair. Her boss had it all: appearance, skills, and money. She couldn't help herself from admiring her more. When she received the employment contract a few days ago, she was practically jumping in joy. Her job was an entry-level assistant at a branch hospital under New Life Healthcare Corporation, and never in her wildest dreams did she imagine working for Luo Jingyi.
Assistant Wan wondered as to what made Luo Jingyi hire her. It was only temporary, but this didn't matter to her. All she wanted was to help Luo Jingyi while Miss Song was away. Assistant Wan was indebted to Luo Jingyi for keeping her mother alive. Luo Jingyi saved her mother from dying when no doctor wanted to operate on her. One, it was a dangerous operation that could lead to table death. Two, her family couldn't afford the staggering cost of operation and hospital bills.
At that time, Luo Jingyi was visiting the hospital, and when she discovered her mother's case, she operated on her despite the hospital director's refusal. Assistant Wan saw her as an angel who came to save them. After working some time in the hospital industry as an assistant, she discovered that treating another doctor's patient without permission was a risk to a doctor's career. It was a direct violation of the Medical Treatment Law. Losing one's license was a severe repercussion. From then on, Assistant Wan promised she would do her best to repay the gratitude.
Assistant Wan put on a smile. "I made breakfast. Please have some first. I don't know your preference, so I made two sets." Assistant Wan's mother heard of her working for Luo Jingyi and repeatedly reminded Assistant Wan to make tasty meals for the doctor. Hence, Assistant Wan left her sister's apartment early and went to buy the ingredients she needed. Good thing, the penthouse's kitchen was equipped. She prepared congee, steamed stuffed buns, and French toast.
Pulling a chair, Luo Jingyi sat and chose the bowl of congee. Breakfast was important to Luo Jingyi because she needed the fuel to get going through the day. Once she is busy, lunch and dinner are forgotten.
Luo Jingyi ate unhurriedly. Her actions were with grace. She tends to savor the food first before swallowing. "It's delicious." Luo Jingyi liked Assistant Wan's congee. Assistant Wan substituted the water with beef stock, so it was tastier.
"I learned the recipe from my mother." Assistant Wan beamed. Her mother taught her how to make meals at an early age so she could cook for her younger siblings when their parents weren't at home. "Do you remember her?"
If Assistant Wan asked that question two days ago, she wouldn't. But since she went over her temporary assistant's profile last night, she found out who Assistant Wan's mother was. Her mother had a tear in the innermost layer of her heart, and the hospital was afraid of the high risk involved with the surgery. She recalled that the hospital director nearly had her license for her insistence on performing it. Luckily, the patient survived, and solving the case helped boost that small hospital's name. She thought that the world was really small. "How is she?"
Assistant Wan told Luo Jingyi that her mother was doing well, and she still ran the small restaurant near the hospital. Luo Jingyi nodded, and silence pervaded in the room.
When Luo Jingyi finished eating, she spoke, "You don't have to follow me in MedLife. Report to the head office. Mrs. Huang would show your temporary office."
"Will I be reporting to her directly?" Mrs. Huang was the Operations Manager of NewLife Healthcare Corporation, so Assistant Wan was wondering about the chain of commands. In fact, she didn't know that Luo Jingyi owned NLHC until she signed the non-disclosure agreement days ago. She initially thought Luo Jingyi was only a specialist.
"No. You will report to me. Did you check the email I sent you last night?" Seeing Assistant Wan nod, Luo Jingyi continued, "Follow that. There are many pending projects on Miss Song's hands; thus, you will work with Mrs. Huang. She will help you."
Song Hua's job as an assistant wasn't as simple as making coffee, photocopying, or filing documents. There's the Management Specialist, the President, and Vice President to run NLHC, but everything had to go through Luo Jingyi first. That was Song Hia's role, to fill in the void while she was busy in the hospital. So her job scope was equally the same as Ji Min, the Vice President of NLHC. It is going to stay that way until Luo Jingyi completed what she must do for the original.
"I will try my best not to disappoint you." Assistant Wan promised.
Luo Jingyi smiled. "Don't try. Do it."
…..
Assistant Wan drove Luo Jingyi to Medlife. As per Luo Jingyi's instruction, she pulled over in front of the back entrance. By now, Assistant Wan had a bit of an understanding of her boss. Luo Jingyi never wanted too much attention.
Leaving a reminder to drive safely, Luo Jingyi got off. Luo Jingyi entered the small gate on the side, which was left open. A quick look at the guardhouse told her it was empty, but there was evidence of it being occupied. When the hospital was first built, this was the original exit point of vehicles. When the ownership of the hospital changed, that was after Luo Xiaofei was kicked out from the board that they built a bigger and more ostentatious gate on the other side. The old gate then was only used for kitchen staff and the delivery of supplies for the kitchen.
Luo Jingyi made her way through the concrete pavement that stretched from the garden to the emergency entrance at the back. Memories of the original sprang out like everything happened yesterday. Most of the original's childhood was spent running around the hospital. The hospital's staff were her sitters, and the patients were her friends.
The original was friendly and helpful. It wasn't until she was sent to live with Han Peng that she became very timid. She had to stay with her father because Luo Xiaofei became busier as the hospital's operation grew. The original hated staying with her father so she would sneak out and return to the hospital. Han Peng wouldn't even notice she was gone until he got informed by the nannies. Then she was dragged back home and locked.
Luo Jingyi sighed. 'It would have been best if she stayed with her mother.' Luo Xiaofei, in her opinion, was very much similar to her own mother. They both have a compassionate personality.
Luo Jingyi continued walking until she reached the main building. As she neared, her heartbeat raced. Luo Jinyi had a feeling she was about to enter the warzone. There was excitement too. It was surging in every fiber of her being.
"What secrets do you hold?" Luo Jingyi voiced out, staring at the big buildings in front of her.