Life is Like a Journey – Chapter 50
by Little PandaVolume 1: Rise
Ambiguity
Sincere affection and gentle intimacy
Lu Qingshi carried the cardboard box back home. With one hand holding her phone to check cat care instructions, she busily went in and out, arranging the kitten’s new nest.
Looking around, there didn’t seem to be a suitable place. The balcony was too cold at night and too hot during the day. The study was definitely not suitable as the kitten would need to be fed milk at night. So that only left…
Lu Qingshi, with a pained expression, pushed open the bedroom door and moved out the human skeleton from the corner.
Gu Yanzhi put down the cardboard box and came to help, steadily supporting it with one hand: “I’ll do it. By the way, do you have a baby bottle at home?”
…
What’s that thing?
Lu Qingshi shook her head: “I don’t have one.”
Gu Yanzhi raised an eyebrow in surprise but said nothing. She helped her move the human skeleton to the balcony, then brought a baby bottle from her own home.
“It’s the one Hamburger used when he was little. Don’t mind it; just make do with it for now.”
Lu Qingshi washed it clean and sterilized it with boiling water, then mixed some milk powder and fed the kitten. The kitten clung to her wrist, suckling contentedly, smacking its lips constantly, and occasionally licking the back of her hand. The ticklish sensation made the doctor slightly narrow her eyes, her expression somewhat pleased.
Gu Yanzhi’s gaze fell on the back of her hand: “What happened to this hand?”
Lu Qingshi glanced at it casually: “It’s nothing. A patient bit me.”
Gu Yanzhi immediately became anxious, grabbing her hand to examine it closely: “Did you disinfect it? It’s so deep, the skin is broken. Does that patient have any infectious diseases? Have you checked?”
The barrage of questions made her both amused and exasperated. As a doctor, even if she couldn’t treat it immediately, she would have taken all precautions afterward.
Whether it was good luck or something else, usually drug addicts, especially those who inject intravenously, have some infectious diseases due to sharing needles or various other reasons. This young patient, however, was an exception, with everything normal in his body.
“I’ve done all that. Don’t worry.”
Gu Yanzhi sighed in relief: “That’s good.”
Lu Qingshi noticed she was still holding her hand and slightly raised an eyebrow: “Instructor Gu has confirmed. Can you let go now?”
“Oh!” She snapped out of her daze and released her hand as if burned, a blush rising on her fair face.
Fortunately, the doctor didn’t pay much attention to her reaction and continued feeding the kitten. Looking at her gentle profile, Gu Yanzhi broke the silence: “Um… Qingshi, let’s give it a name.”
“I was thinking, Ragdoll cats should be quite expensive. It might be someone’s lost pet. I just brought it home like this; the original owner might be worried…”
Lu Qingshi said while stroking the kitten’s fluffy head.
Gu Yanzhi pondered for a moment: “Well… how about we put up a notice in the neighborhood? If no one comes to claim it within a month, it means you and the kitten are truly destined for each other.”
The kitten licked her palm with a smack, and Lu Qingshi smiled slightly: “Alright, then let’s call it Potato for now.”
“Your naming is too casual,” the fire instructor chuckled.
Lu Qingshi gave her a sidelong glance: “You’re the same.”
Even such a majestic shepherd dog like Hamburger could be named after fast food by her, more common than a mongrel.
Gu Yanzhi had a flash of inspiration: “Let’s call it French Fries instead. It’ll make a perfect pair with Hamburger. Maybe they can play together in the future.”
Lu Qingshi looked up at her, her lips slightly mocking: “Potato is a cat, Hamburger is a dog. Why are you so insistent on pairing them up?”
Gu Yanzhi crouched down and took the kitten into her arms: “What’s wrong with cross-species? Even same-sex couples can…”
Lu Qingshi looked at her with interest: “Can what?”
She suddenly stopped talking, her ears turning red under her gaze: “Nothing.”
Lu Qingshi’s curiosity was piqued, and she pressed on: “What is it exactly?”
Gu Yanzhi stiffened her neck, the scene of Qin Xuan kissing Xiang Nanke flashing through her mind: “They can still be intimate with each other all the same.”
She tentatively looked at Lu Qingshi, whose face remained open and unbothered, showing neither disgust nor particular interest.
“That’s true.”
As a doctor, she had seen a lot and wasn’t homophobic. Sexual orientation itself is fluid; no one knows who they’ll meet the next day or who they’ll fall in love with.
However, “love,” this human instinct, was too luxurious for her.
For some reason, Gu Yanzhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t understand where this feeling of unburdening came from, but her eyes were tinged with a smile.
“Then it’s decided. French Fries, French Fries,” she teased the kitten’s chin with her index finger. The kitten nestled in her palm, meowing: “See how satisfied French Fries is with the new name.”
“No, it sounds awful,” Lu Qingshi frowned. She sat cross-legged on the carpet, but Gu Yanzhi suddenly leaned in, bending slightly, drastically reducing the distance between them.
Close enough that the fine hairs on her face were visible, her hot breath with a fresh lemon scent brushed against Lu Qingshi’s face. This far exceeded the safe distance Lu Qingshi had set, and her internal alarms went off. Yet somehow, she found herself lost in those amber eyes, slightly dazed.
“Dr. Lu, I’ve saved you twice. Shouldn’t you show some appreciation?”
She had been too busy lately, and her relationship with Gu Yanzhi had become so harmonious that she hadn’t thought about this for a while. Indeed, she should properly thank her. So, she cleared her throat and inconspicuously sat back a little.
“What do you want me to do? I’ll do my best within my capabilities.”
Having obtained her promise, Gu Yanzhi slightly narrowed her eyes and smiled, looking a bit like a cunning little fox.
Only then did Lu Qingshi belatedly realize that she seemed to have made some significant verbal commitment. But Gu Yanzhi was upright and wouldn’t possibly make outrageous demands for money or property, although she could afford it.
“Anything is possible?”
Words spoken are like water spilled; they can’t be taken back. The doctor could only brace herself and say, “Mm-hmm.”
Gu Yanzhi knelt forward a step. She was half a head taller than Lu Qingshi, with slender shoulders and a narrow waist, suddenly blocking most of the light. Lu Qingshi found herself enveloped in her shadow.
Half of her face became obscure, only her pupils growing increasingly bright, reflecting Lu Qingshi’s slightly panicked expression.
Their gazes met, and in Gu Yanzhi’s eyes, Lu Qingshi saw admiration, approval, sincere fondness, and tender affection.
The doctor’s throat moved, her chest rising and falling, and she even unconsciously licked her slightly chapped lips.
Gu Yanzhi’s gaze followed her movement, sweeping across the bridge of her nose, landing on her thin lips, and lingering there for a long time.
She seemed to rarely use lipstick; her lip color was as pale as cherry blossoms. Now, as she breathed, her lips parted, revealing her teeth as she gently bit her lower lip.
Her gaze was somewhat bewildered, somewhat innocent, with the shirt collar unbuttoned to the third button.
She had never seen anyone blend coolness and allure, two completely different styles, so naturally and perfectly.
“Qingshi…” she sighed, calling out her name.
Lu Qingshi suddenly bit her lower lip hard, her fingertips unconsciously gripping the carpet’s fibers tightly, which was bound to be futile.
She didn’t know where this somewhat ambiguous atmosphere came from. There had never been any inappropriate behavior between them, yet just the way she looked at her made her unable to move.
The story of “in a sea of people, my world only has you” – she never believed it before.
Gu Yanzhi slowly reached out towards her. Lu Qingshi suddenly became nervous, her breath catching, not daring to breathe, afraid of disturbing something.
That hand was long, clean, strong, with distinct knuckles. She dared not blink, staring intently at her movements, ready to protect herself at any moment.
Her target seemed to be her lips, lightly brushing past them. Lu Qingshi’s mind buzzed, and she instinctively reached out to push her away, but her wrist was grasped. From above her head came a voice tinged with amusement.
“What are you thinking, Dr. Lu?” At the same time, she lightly flicked her forehead and withdrew her hand.
“Its name will be French Fries, and that’s final.”
That romantic atmosphere instantly vanished without a trace, as if it had been a dream.
Lu Qingshi casually grabbed a sofa cushion and threw it at her: “Get out!”
Yu Gui was on night shift, slurping instant noodles while studying intently. Hao Renjie yawned as he passed by her: “I’m off duty, Yu Dork. See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow,” she waved goodbye to him and continued writing furiously, muttering to herself. Suddenly, a nurse pushed open the door.
“Dr. Yu, go check the isolation ward. The patient’s condition has worsened.”
“Okay,” Yu Gui didn’t even bother to wipe her mouth, grabbed her stethoscope, hung it around her neck, and ran out following the nurse.
The isolation ward housed the patient who had overdosed on drugs. The police officers guarding the door only let Yu Gui pass after she showed her credentials.
She picked up the examination report by the bed and called Lu Qingshi with one hand: “Dr. Lu, bed fifteen’s liver and kidney functions have deteriorated. I’m afraid he won’t make it through tomorrow.”
“Alright, start the emergency treatment. I’ll be there right away,” she stuffed the kitten into Gu Yanzhi’s arms and started putting on her clothes to leave.
“What’s wrong?” Gu Yanzhi stood up to see her off.
“A patient is in critical condition. Yu Gui might not be able to handle it, so I need to go to the hospital.”
She put on her shoes and looked back at the kitten in Gu Yanzhi’s arms: “I’ll have to trouble you to take care of French Fries for tonight.”
The other’s lips curved into a pleased smile: “No problem.”
The emergency treatment lasted most of the night. At four in the morning, after a multi-department medical evaluation, it was confirmed that the patient had died of multiple organ failure.
When Xiang Nanke received a call from the Medical Affairs Office of Renji Medical University, she leapt out of bed, cursing under her breath, “F*ck!”
Another lead had been lost.
Watching the ventilator being removed from him, even though she had seen life and death before, Yu Gui still felt a bit lost and melancholic, leaning against the wall in silence.
Lu Qingshi, rubbing her slightly sore neck, walked past her, checking the time – just enough to have breakfast before making rounds.
In the corridor, armed police officers approached. Xiang Nanke strode up briskly and grabbed her collar: “Dr. Lu, didn’t I tell you to do everything possible to ensure his safety!”
Lu Qingshi brushed off her hand, smoothing out her wrinkled white coat: “I also said that I couldn’t guarantee it.”
“You…” Xiang Nanke was furious, her usually gentle eyes turning red. Her subordinate held her back.
“Forget it, Captain Xiang. Let’s take him back to the station for an autopsy first.”
“Forensic expert, go in and examine the body!” The police officer in a navy blue uniform behind her responded and was about to enter with a toolbox.
Lu Qingshi turned around: “Have the family members been notified? Have they agreed to an autopsy? If not, I can’t let you take him away from the hospital.”
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