When Lu Chen arrived at the hospital, he threw down a hundred-yuan bill and rushed inside carrying He Suyan.
Fortunately, they were in a big city, and the on-duty doctors quickly whisked He Suyan into the emergency room.
Lu Chen finally exhaled in relief. He ran back and forth, handling He Suyan's hospital admission procedures. By the time everything was done, the sky was already bright.
After paying the hospitalization fees, Lu Chen had only about a hundred yuan left. Sitting quietly outside the operating room, he waited, his thoughts restless.
Some time passed before a nurse emerged from the operating room. Lu Chen hurried to her, asking, "Nurse, how… how is my girlfriend?"
The nurse gave Lu Chen a surprised glance before responding, "She's stable for now. Oddly, her wound stopped bleeding on its own, though it hadn't clotted. If it hadn't stopped bleeding like that, even with timely treatment, there wouldn't have been much we could do."
Lu Chen, filled with relief, asked, "So, she's safe now, right?"
The nurse, her cheeks tinged with red as she noticed Lu Chen holding her hand, nodded. "Yes, she just lost a lot of blood. With some rest, she should wake up in a few days."
Realizing his blunder, Lu Chen quickly released her hand. "That's good… that's good."
The nurse, her expression somewhat perplexed, said, "The patient has extensive burn scars, and judging by the condition of the wounds, they're recent. Severe burns like these are nearly impossible to treat fully. As her boyfriend, you should try to comfort her and prevent any further attempts at self-harm. To be honest, it's rare to see someone as devoted as you nowadays, staying by her side despite everything."
After the nurse left, Lu Chen gave a bitter smile. He had no identification for He Suyan, so when processing her admission, he had claimed to be her boyfriend. Who knew that would lead to this kind of misunderstanding?
Not long after, the operating room doors opened, and the doctors who had worked on He Suyan walked out. Lu Chen thanked each of them and followed a nurse into the private ward where He Suyan had been placed.
Though Lu Chen knew the cost of a VIP ward was steep, he still chose it to protect He Suyan's privacy and prevent her identity from being exposed.
Once the nurse left, Lu Chen sat by the bed, gazing at He Suyan's still pale face, his eyes filled with guilt. He gently stroked her short hair and whispered softly, "Suyan, why did you do this? Why try to end your life?"
As he sat lost in thought, a knock came at the door. Lu Chen called out, "Come in," and glanced toward the entrance.
A tall woman with an ethereal, icy beauty walked in. She was wearing a white doctor's coat, which cinched at her slim waist. Though the coat was a bit oversized, it still hinted at her curvaceous figure. The neckline of the coat was low, revealing a glimpse of her fair skin, and her slender neck was flawlessly smooth. Her hair was tied up neatly, exuding a sophisticated yet cold aura. This woman was as breathtaking as He Suyan and Liu Jie, a true beauty.
Lu Chen had seen his fair share of stunning women, so after a brief moment of surprise, he composed himself and asked, "Where's the other doctor?"
Xue Luan was the star doctor of the hospital. At 25, she had already earned her PhD in medicine and had only recently been assigned to this hospital. Xue Luan was a genius, something rare in the medical field where success usually required years of experience. For most, attaining a PhD would take until they were in their forties or fifties, but Xue Luan's brilliance had proven her an exception.
Having dealt with countless men who ogled her, Xue Luan was used to the lecherous gazes she often received. However, Lu Chen's reaction was different—he only spared her a glance before calmly addressing her, without any further interest. This left her feeling unexpectedly irked. Could it be that her appearance was no longer attractive compared to a woman who was disfigured by burns? Even if He Suyan had once been a celestial beauty, with such extensive injuries, she was now just a shadow of her former self.
Despite her internal irritation, Xue Luan couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration for Lu Chen. After all, a man who could remain devoted to his girlfriend despite such disfigurement was a rarity in the bustling, often superficial modern city.
Although Xue Luan's thoughts raced, only a moment had passed. She gave Lu Chen a curious look and said evenly, "I'm the attending physician for Miss He Suyan." Her voice was clear and melodic, carrying a subtle resonance that echoed softly in the quiet room, like a mountain spring trickling through a valley.
Lu Chen, accustomed to the gentle voice of Liu Jie, found Xue Luan's tone cold, as though she had descended from a snow-capped peak. Where Liu Jie's words made one feel as though they were basking in the warmth of a spring breeze, Xue Luan's voice was crisp and distant, evoking two extremes. Both women were stunning, but their auras couldn't have been more different.
Still, Lu Chen harbored no inappropriate thoughts toward this exquisite doctor. His voice calm, he said, "I thought Suyan was out of danger. Why does she still need an attending physician?"
The more indifferent Lu Chen seemed, the more Xue Luan found herself unsettled. A faint scent, delicate and floral, began to permeate the room, mingling with the sterile smell of disinfectant. She stepped closer to him, her flawless features only inches away, and said in an almost confrontational tone, "Miss He has extensive burns, and I specialize in burn treatment. From now on, I'll be her attending doctor."
Feeling the pressure from her icy demeanor and presence, Lu Chen's expression flickered with surprise. To his astonishment, he realized this woman was a cultivator, something exceedingly rare in modern times. His father had often told him that there were few cultivators left in this era.
Though curious, Lu Chen remained unfazed by Xue Luan's ethereal beauty. "I see," he replied evenly, "but you must already know how difficult it is to treat burns of this extent."
Standing so close that Lu Chen could feel her breath on his skin, he could clearly see the smooth, porcelain skin of her neck, as if carved from jade.