"How shameful, failing to recognize your own husband," Xiaohui squeezed in from behind the man, launching right into a lecture. "You're a college graduate for goodness sake, can't you at least recognize your husband?"
"..."
Tong Yao felt so embarrassed she wished she could transform into a butterfly and flutter away on the spot. Her gaze returned to Si Chen's face, meeting his indifferent eyes. She regretted not asking Lin Fengying for a picture of Si Chen before leaving home. She wished she could crawl into a crack in the ground, she'd never been so mortified in her life.
If only she had seen a picture, she wouldn't have misidentified him!
"Ahem ahem." The now aware Si Jun stood up, his fist against his lips, masking the embarrassment on his face with a couple of coughs, he said to Si Chen, "So you're my future sister-in-law!"
Si Chen's usual nonchalant demeanor revealed no sign of embarrassment. As if in his eyes, this was nothing remarkable. He nodded at Si Jun, "Busy with emergencies at the hospital since our wedding day and haven't been able to go home."
Tong Yao: "..." So Si Chen overheard their conversation at the door and was explaining why she mistook someone else for him?
Si Jun laughed and said something that seemed quite meaningful, "No wonder."
Tong Yao: She wanted to escape Earth.
"You can get back to your things, I'll take her to get dressed."
Si Chen casually took the medical record from Si Jun's desk, glanced at Tong Yao, his tone sounding somewhat cold: "Come with me."
The queued patients at the office entrance still weren't entirely sure what had just happened, watching curiously as the group disappeared.
Si Chen walked ahead in silence, Zhang Lijuan trailing behind him. Xiaohui and Tong Yao walked together. As they did, Xiaohui gloated, "Did you see? The look on my brother's face wasn't good, he must have been angry. He will probably oust you and go back with us."
Without Tong Yao to care for her brother, he would be a freeloader in town. Her brother would surely not let Tong Yao stay in town.
Seeing her take pleasure in her disaster, Tong Yao felt annoyed and rolled her eyes saying: "Your brother is already pushing thirty and has finally found a pretty wife. But he wants to send her back home after the first meeting. Who's the silly one, him or you?"
"You..." Xiaohui had no retort and due to her brother walking ahead she didn't dare speak too loudly so she could only stare angrily.
Tong Yao showed a victorious smile, but then suddenly Si Chen turned around and she quickly lowered her head feeling guilty. Had he heard what she said?
Zhang Lijuan saw Si Chen turn and thought he was going to look at her, the sudden excitement made her heart flutter. But his gaze passed right over her to look behind. Feeling a pang of disappointment, she saw that Si Chen handed Xiaohui the prescription that Si Jun had written for her.
"Go pay and get the medication."
Xiaohui reluctantly took the prescription and went downstairs, wondering why she forgot to get money from her big brother and if the money she had was enough.
Under Si Chen's leadership, the two arrived at the department. He pulled out a chair for Tong Yao to sit in and helped clean her wound, which looked like a mouth, red, swollen, ghastly and oozing blood. Tong Yao winced in pain, Si Chen glanced at her silently. His movements lightened a bit and he looked very concentrated.
After carefully cleaning the wound, he applied some anti-inflammatory ointment and then helped her bandage the wound.
Watching Si Chen's careful demeanor, Zhang Lijuan felt a bit uncomfortable and intentionally said, "The sister-in-law seems to be quite afraid of pain. I was cut by a sickle once and never made such a big fuss."
"Is that so?" Tong Yao was never one to suffer a loss and retorted immediately, "Did you get such a big gash and did it leave a scar? What type of ointment did you use? Do recommend it to me."
"I... I forgot." Unprepared for Tong Yao's quick response, Zhang Lijuan seemed a bit guilty.
Hearing their conversation, Si Chen interrupted, "With injuries like these, she's suffering no injustice."
Tong Yao: "..."
Zhang Lijuan was delighted. Was this Si Chen standing up for her?
Since she met him, Si Chen has been avoiding conversation with Tong Yao, presumably because he doesn't like her very much.
Of course, after considering it, Xiaohui did tell Si Chen that Tong Yao had eloped with another man. The fact that Si Chen had not laid a hand on his wife is already commendable. It would be strange if he did like Tong Yao.
Xiaohui quickly returned with the medication. After receiving the medication from Xiaohui, Si Chen pulled out twenty yuan from his pocket and handed it to Xiaohui, instructing in a neutral expression, "You all should go and eat some lunch, then go home sooner."
"Brother, we'll go first then."
The medicine only cost three yuan, Si Chen gave her twenty, so she profited seventeen yuan. She could buy quite a bit with that while shopping later. With her spirits lifted, Xiaohui didn't bother with Tong Yao and just wanted to hurry out with Zhang Lijuan for shopping.
"We're leaving now! So, sister-in-law..."
Before she had even finished speaking, Zhang Lijuan was interrupted by Xiaohui who dragged her out of the department.
"Oh! Let's not worry about her. With my brother here, she can't get lost. Let's go grab lunch and shop."
The room was left with only Tong Yao and Si Chen inside. She felt uncomfortable, whereas Si Chen just seemed like his regular self. He picked up the steel pen and wrote a few powerful characters on the medicine packaging.
"Take it as instructed after meals."
Tong Yao finally remembered, Si Chen immediately bandaged her wound before, not even using stitches. "Don't I need stitches?"
Si Chen slightly shook his head, "No need, stitches would leave marks. You did not injure any tendons or bones, rest for a while, then use some scar removal ointment, scars fade faster." Girls like to stay pretty. She should be no different.
Tong Yao blinked, "..." Was he worried about a scar on her arm? No wonder everyone loves having acquaintances at the hospital, it sure has benefits!
Si Chen opened the medicine packaging and took a vintage enamel cup from the table and left the room. He came back shortly with a cup of warm water.
"First, drink the medicine."
His voice was cold, like treating any normal patient, the tone very formal, containing no hint of affection or intimacy. It wouldn't even pass as normal friends, let alone a couple. But given a thought, it makes sense. Apart from the marriage certificate, weren't they still like strangers at their first meeting?
After obeying and drinking the water, Tong Yao belatedly realized that the enamel cup she had just used was Si Chen's. Past or present, this was her first time sharing a cup with a man, it felt kind of strange. Would it be too late to throw up the water now?
Seeing that she had finished drinking, Si Chen took the cup and placed it on the table, he picked up the bag that held Tong Yao's clothes and the medicine, speaking expressionlessly, "I didn't know you were coming, so I didn't apply for a couple's accommodation. You should rest in the dorm for a while, I'll arrange something when I get off work."
"Oh, okay."
Tong Yao followed him in a daze, through numerous turns to the hospital's family house, it was silent all the way. It wasn't until Si Chen closed the door and left that she was finally able to clear her head.
It's all because he was too handsome, she was left feeling muddled, forgetting to think and was led here in a daze. Thinking back on her reactions since she saw Si Chen, she wanted to give herself a slap. She was someone who had seen the Four Heavenly Kings, why did she act like a fool when she saw Si Chen?
Ah!
How humiliating.