Allergy
Allergy and Immunology Department
“In washing red dates, it won’t be inconvenient.”
A slightly cold voice, carrying a hint of teasing laughter, entered Lu Yinxi’s ears.
Lu Yinxi’s brain stalled for a few seconds, then she reacted, gave a heavy humph, pressed the red hang-up button, and hung up the phone.
Scoundrel! Scoundrel!
Playing tricks again!
She was so angry that she spun around several times on the spot, and by the way, self-reflected, why did she think of the sound of bathing when she heard the sound of water?
The memory of the business trip to City C in January was pulled out. Lu Yinxi recalled the transparent bathroom in the hotel of City C, and the enticing sound of water in the bathroom.
——Those fragmented memories led her to such a misconception.
Lu Yinxi patted her cheeks, patting down the temperature that was about to smoke, redialed Jian Qing’s phone, and whispered, “Liar.”
Jian Qing put on the wireless Bluetooth headset, watered the green plants on the balcony, and said leisurely, “Just now, I was indeed washing dates.”
The implication was that Lu Yinxi herself had misunderstood.
Lu Yinxi retorted angrily, “You just laughed secretly, it was on purpose, you liar.”
The green leaves on the balcony were covered with fine water droplets. Jian Qing looked at the lush green, feeling very good, did not bother with Lu Yinxi’s childish scolding, and changed the topic to ask, “What are you doing?”
Lu Yinxi sat on the sofa, her fingertips boredly poking the sofa, “Nothing, we finished the dinner, some are singing karaoke, some are playing poker, I just played two rounds of Werewolf with the senior brothers and sisters and now I’m resting in my room. What about you, what are you doing?”
Compared to Lu Yinxi’s string of words, Jian Qing only uttered two words, “Watering flowers.”
“You still have leisure and elegance.” Lu Yinxi lightly hummed, “I met your third sister today.”
Jian Qing calmly responded with a hum.
Lu Yinxi asked, “Why aren’t you surprised?”
Jian Qing said, “I guessed it.” With provincial leaders attending, Jian Yan would naturally be there. Because of her relationship, Jian Yan would definitely look for Lu Yinxi, “What did she say to you?”
Lu Yinxi recounted everything in detail, “She talked to me about your car, inquired about my age, said I was 5 years younger than someone, I asked ‘5 years younger than whom,’ and she told me to ask you. Dr. Jian, would you care to answer?”
Jian Qing put away the watering can and walked to the sink to wash her hands.
After nearly half a minute of silence, she finally answered, “Five years younger than my sister. If she were still alive, she would be 25 this year.”
Separated by mountains and rivers, Lu Yinxi couldn’t see her expression, and the voice she heard was difficult to discern in terms of emotional tone. It wasn’t sad, nor was it indifferent; it was as calm as if she were talking about someone else’s story.
“I also told you that my personality is 25…” Lu Yinxi’s voice suddenly carried a hint of dejection, “Did you see me as your sister?”
This person didn’t have a first love or a white moonlight, but she had a deceased sister. In the end, she still became someone else’s substitute.
Jian Qing softly explained, “Yinxi, it’s not the same. I can tell the difference. You are you, she is she, you are independent individuals.”
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Lu Yinxi responded with a low “Oh”: “You had already guessed that Jian Yan would come to find me, and you must have also guessed that I would be provoked by her to come and question you. Were these words also prepared in your mind long ago?”
Jian Qing acknowledged with a hum, not denying it.
Lu Yinxi lightly hummed, “Then can I still trust you?”
“By asking this, you already trust me.”
Jian Qing didn’t need to see Lu Yinxi’s expression. With her meticulous mind, she seemed to be able to guess Lu Yinxi’s general psychological activities.
Her little thoughts were seen through completely. Lu Yinxi gave up struggling and didn’t play the psychological game of attacking the east to make a move in the west1 anymore. She honestly said, “Then I will temporarily trust you.” After a pause, she muttered softly, “Even if I don’t trust you, you won’t lose anything.”
That affection was no longer a secret. It felt like she had become a puppet in Jian Qing’s hands, and Jian Qing’s every word and action could easily stir her emotions.
The person on the other end of the phone was silent for a while, then calmly and seriously said, “No, the loss would be great.”
So serious that it seemed like stating an undeniable fact.
This sentence was not a love confession, but it was more powerful than a love confession.
Lu Yinxi’s lips unconsciously lifted, and her heartbeat gradually accelerated.
She held the phone, lay down on the sofa, and stared at the ceiling for a while without saying anything.
Jian Qing on the other end also didn’t speak again.
The two of them quietly listened to each other’s breathing.
After a while, Jian Qing walked into the study and said, “I need to write my thesis.”
There was no need to hang up; she just needed to be quiet.
But Lu Yinxi wanted to be considerate and not disturb her: “Okay, then you get busy. I’ll hang up. Goodnight.”
Jian Qing let out an almost inaudible sigh and replied, “Goodnight.”
After truly hanging up the phone, Lu Yinxi felt that saying goodnight was too early; it should have been saved for bedtime.
If she said it now, there would be no reason to seek her out later.
Lu Yinxi regretfully patted her head and prepared her clothes to go to the bathroom to wash up.
The next day, the opening ceremony for the filming.
Lan Zhou wore sunglasses, covering most of her face, and also covering the red blood vessels in her eyes. Using a cold as an excuse, she wore a mask.
In spring, when the grass grows and the orioles fly, the ceremony was held under a sycamore tree.
On the shore, offerings were made to Guan Yu2 and the God of Wealth, along with various tributes, incense, and candles.
The producer, director, leading actors, supporting actors, and staff took turns offering incense.
The wind blew, and sycamore flowers fluttered down. Lan Zhou sneezed several times.
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Lu Yinxi considerately helped her remove the petals that had fallen on her hair and asked, “Teacher Lan, do you have a cold?”
Lan Zhou sniffed her nose: “It seems I really caught a cold. My nose is so itchy. By the way, Xiaolu, I had someone send your clothes for washing. They will be delivered to you tomorrow. Thanks for last night.”
“Teacher Lan, you’re welcome.”
Lan Zhou said, “Just call me Sister Lan Zhou. The seniors over there are the real teachers.”
With seasoned actors around, she didn’t dare call herself a teacher.
Lu Yinxi readily complied: “Okay, Sister Lan Zhou.”
Lan Zhou engaged her in conversation, asking about her age, school, and internship experience at the hospital. Lu Yinxi answered each question with a smile.
In the play, they were close friends living under the same roof, so it was good to get familiar with each other.
As Executive Producer Old Liu passed by, Lan Zhou pulled him over and asked, “How many meat and vegetarian options are in the crew’s boxed meals?”
He laughed and said, “What boxed meals? Come on, I’ll treat you to Lanzhou noodles.”3
Lan Zhou’s nose itched again, and she sneezed, laughing as she pushed Old Liu away: “Go away, I’m not going to cannibalize myself.”
She had the nickname “Noodles” since she was young, and the crew, being familiar with her, called her “Noodles, Noodles” directly.
(LP: Mistranslated ‘Noodles’ as ‘Ramen’ in a previous chapter.)
Old Liu quickly changed his address: “Oh dear ancestor, please don’t get sick. Our film is counting on you.”
Lan Zhou took off her sunglasses, rubbed her itchy eyes, and said, “I really have a bit of a cold. My nose is a bit blocked. I’ll have my assistant buy me some medicine later. Don’t worry, it won’t delay the filming. I can still hold on even with a 40-degree fever (Celsius; 104 degrees in Fahrenheit).”
“40 degrees, even if you want to hold on, we wouldn’t dare let you. Alright, take good care of yourself, drink plenty of hot water.”
Five days later, Lan Zhou’s cold showed no signs of improvement. She had a runny nose, sneezed, had an itchy nose, and her eyes were also itchy, making them teary from rubbing.
During a break, she sat in a recliner drinking water and taking cold medicine. Lu Yinxi noticed something was off, walked over, and said, “Sister Lan Zhou, go to the hospital and get checked. This doesn’t seem like a cold.”
Lan Zhou asked, “Then what is it?”
Lu Yinxi carefully observed her face and asked, “Do you have some red rashes on your face? Are you covering them with foundation and concealer?”
“A little bit, you can’t see it without looking closely. I thought it was just pimples from staying up late.” In the crew, sleep time is very limited, and it’s common for actors to break out due to lack of sleep. She instinctively reached out to scratch, “Now that you mention it, it does feel a bit itchy.”
Lu Yinxi grabbed her hand, stopping her action: “Don’t scratch it yet. It looks a bit like an allergy. Come on, let’s go to the hospital and check it out. Stop taking the cold medicine for now.”
Lan Zhou, afraid of being photographed by paparazzi going to the hospital, threw over a hat designed for pregnant women, feeling a bit hesitant.
Lu Yinxi said, “Don’t worry, I’ll drive you and your assistant to the hospital in my car. The paparazzi won’t recognize my license plate. I know some underground passages at the hospital that can help us avoid the crowd.”
Lan Zhou raised her eyebrows in confusion: “You…”
She was somewhat puzzled as to why Lu Yinxi was being so nice to her.
Lu Yinxi smiled gently: “Sister Lan Zhou, I’m not being nice without a reason. I need to go to the hospital to see a friend, and I’m just giving you a ride along the way.”
“This gentleman, in our allergy and immunology department, we deal with allergic diseases such as spring pollen allergies, mango allergies, seafood allergies, and rashes. However, for the condition of liking to steal underwear, I really, really can’t treat that. You need to go to the psychology clinic next door and register for a consultation.”
In the allergy and immunology department, a female doctor was patiently explaining to a patient in front of her.
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The patient stood up, cursing as he left: “I waited all afternoon only to be told I registered for the wrong department? The allergy and immunology department4 doesn’t deal with perversion but allergies? What a stupid name!”
The female doctor maintained a smile on her face. This was the third time this month she had to explain the scope of the allergy and immunology department to a wrongly registered patient.
She pinched the corners of her mouth, forcing her smile down, and called the next patient in.
Two women entered the examination room and closed the door. One of them took off her mask and said, “Doctor, please keep my consultation confidential.”
The female doctor softly exclaimed, “Wow, a big star, please sit down. It is every patient’s right to request confidentiality from their doctor.”
Lu Yinxi had escorted Lan Zhou and her assistant into the allergy and immunology department examination room. She herself took the elevator and, without a word, went directly to the second section of the oncology department.
Jian Qing happened to be coming out of a patient’s room, getting ready to end her shift.
She was wearing a well-fitted, clean white coat with a stethoscope around her neck. Walking down the corridor, she ran into Lu Yinxi head-on.
She stopped in her tracks.
Lu Yinxi looked at her, her eyes sparkling: “Doctor, my heart feels a bit uncomfortable. Can you listen to it for me?”
Footnotes
- Attacking the east to make a move in the west: A Chinese idiom meaning to create a diversion to mislead someone. It is a strategy from Chinese military tactics.
- Guan Yu: The Chinese god of war. He is venerated for his martial valor and loyalty through temples across the country of China as well as Korea. Besides being a deity, Guan Yu is a historical figure who lived in the late 100s and early 200s during a time of civil war in China.
- Lanzhou noodles: A famous type of Chinese noodle dish originating from Lanzhou, a city in Gansu province.
- Allergy and Immunology Department (变态反应科): A medical department that specializes in allergic and immune responses. The term “变态” in Chinese can mean “perversion” or “abnormal,” but in this medical context, it refers to abnormal reactions of the body.
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