Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Earlier, at the hospital entrance, I had been in such a rush that I tripped over a speed bump.

At the time, I was so focused on whether Ranran was hurt that I didn’t notice I’d scraped a layer of skin and flesh off my own palm and arm.

Dr. Zhao had a rugged face but a heart of gold.

As he helped treat my wounds, he couldn’t help but nag a little.

“Even if it’s for the sake of the child, you have to take care of yourself first, right?

“Look at how thin you are. When the child gets a bit bigger, you won’t even be able to carry her.”

I looked down at myself.

The jacket I bought five years ago was worn and dusty, with threads fraying at the collar and cuffs.

My arms were so thin they were practically just bone; my entire being radiated an overwhelming sense of haggard exhaustion…

Ever since Ranran was born, I had been running from place to place seeking medical help for her. I had hardly slept a full night’s rest in years.

A while back, I ran into a high school classmate in Nancheng. She was shocked by my appearance, saying she almost didn’t recognize me.

“I will,” I said, trying to muster some energy. “Thank you, doctor.”

“I’m going to disinfect it now. It’ll sting a bit, so bear with me.”

Ranran was nestled in my arms, her eyes fixed on Dr. Zhao’s movements.

When she heard the word “sting,” she suddenly turned over and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Mama.”

She kissed my eyes and said in a milky voice, “Kiss it, no more ouchie.”

Before, whenever she had to get an injection, I would always cover her eyes and kiss her cheek to distract her.

So, in her world, “pain” was something that could be replaced by “kisses.”

“Mm, now that Ranran has kissed it, it really doesn’t hurt anymore.”

I switched hands to let him apply the medicine, holding Ranran tighter with my free arm.

“Your daughter is so cute.”

Dr. Zhao’s voice suddenly took on a high-pitched, playful tone.

“The little one’s name is An Ran, right? What a beautiful name. You’re such a good girl, knowing how to look out for your mama at such a young age.

“How old is our Ranran this year? Are you almost ready for kindergarten?”

Ranran blinked her eyes and answered seriously.

“Mama… hurts too.

“Ranran… three.

“No… Ranran… go hospital.”

Ranran had started speaking a bit later than most children. Even now, her speech wasn’t very fluid, and she preferred to pop out words one by one.

Dr. Zhao packed up his medical kit and reached out to pat Ranran’s head.

“Ranran will get better. Then you can go to kindergarten and play with the other children.”

He then turned to comfort me.

“Don’t worry, my junior fellow will be back soon. We’ll discuss Ranran’s situation in detail in a moment.

“Oh, right. My junior is Dr. Gu-Gu Cong.”

No wonder; he and Gu Cong seemed quite close.

Once Dr. Zhao started talking, I could hardly get a word in edgewise.

“Don’t be fooled by the fact that he’s a few years younger than me; his SCI publications are several times mine.

“When I first met him in Germany, he was three years behind me. Six years later, the kid actually graduated with his PhD at the same time as me!

“An old professor in our faculty is the most famous big shot in cardiology. He’s terrifyingly strict with everyone, but he’s only ever pleasant to Gu Cong. Not only did he take him on as his final disciple, but he also snatched him up for his own research institute right after graduation.”

I wasn’t particularly surprised.

I remembered that in high school, Gu Cong got a perfect score on every single biology and chemistry test.

The teachers for those two subjects would practically glow whenever they saw him.

“Speaking of which, do you and my junior know each other?”

Dr. Zhao’s eyes darted back and forth.

“Why do I feel like the atmosphere between you two is a bit… off?”