Not long after Lin Mian hung up the phone, her phone buzzed and vibrated.
She glanced at the screen and felt slightly relieved.
This time it was Qin Li calling.
Lin Mian adjusted her emotions and answered the phone.
"Mian Mian, I heard you had a high fever. Shi Lin called me early this morning to ask for a day off for you. How are you now? Is your body okay?" Qin Li's concerned voice came from the other end.
Lin Mian quickly replied, "I'm much better now. I'll be able to return to work tomorrow. Master, you don't need to worry about me."
Qin Li chuckled helplessly, "I'm just concerned about your condition. If you're not feeling well, take a few more days off. There's no need to rush back to work. I'm not a slave driver, after all."
Lin Mian knew exactly what he meant. He was truly a kind person.
She smiled faintly and simply responded with an "Okay."
"Speaking of which, it's strange. Shi Lin isn't usually close to you, how did he end up knocking on your door last night? If it weren't for him, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Qin Li's tone carried a hint of curiosity.
Lin Mian squeezed her fingers together and subconsciously replied, "He probably... wanted to borrow something from me."
After all, they were neighbors, so it was normal for them to interact.
Even though it didn't fit Shi Lin's usual behavior...
But she didn't have any reason to lie about it.
"He's not the type to borrow things from others." Qin Li half-jokingly said, "Mian Mian, do you think he might have a crush on you?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Lin Mian's pupils involuntarily contracted.
She clenched her fingers, trying hard to sound normal, "No! Doctor Shi and I... we're not close, he wouldn't have a crush on me."
Qin Li chuckled, "I was just making a little joke, why are you so nervous?"
Lin Mian held her breath, "I... I'm not nervous."
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore." Qin Li changed the subject, "I still have a week before I can come back. I have some busy overseas business to attend to, so I need to stay longer here. You take good care of yourself in China, if you have any problems, just give me a call. Like what happened today, if it wasn't for Shi Lin, I wouldn't have known."
Lin Mian replied shyly, "It's okay, you focus on your work."
It was just a little cold, there was really no need to make a big deal out of it.
She even suspected that Shi Lin did it on purpose.
Intentionally trying to subtly show his presence in front of Qin Li, trying to reveal something.
Qin Li's voice on the other end slowed down, "Alright, it's a bit inconvenient this time, but next time, I'll take you abroad. You can take this opportunity to get a passport, as we will have many projects overseas in the future."
Lin Mian nodded, a hopeful light sparkling in her eyes.
She had never been abroad in her life.
Qin Li was truly her benefactor.
...
The following week went smoothly for Lin Mian.
Perhaps because of Qin Li's phone call that sent Linda abroad for assistance, Lin Mian worked on projects with other colleagues, and things went smoothly.
Shi Lin was busy with surgeries recently and didn't bother her much.
Instead, it was Lu Zhibai who, when he saw her, casually chatted with her.
"Miss Lin, you've just graduated, still very young, for some things... you need to be a little more cautious, careful not to be taken advantage of."
Lin Mian found his words inexplicable, "Dr. Lu, can you be a bit more clear in what you're trying to say?"
Lu Zhibai mysteriously smiled at her, "I'll leave it at that."
"..."
All secretive, he might as well not have said anything.