Chi Wu considered the matter: if he couldn't discuss it with Yingzi, he would have to talk to Yang Zhi. Cheng Ying couldn't possibly ignore her mother's wishes, could she? The crucial point really depended on Yang Zhi's inclination; ultimately, who she was willing to lie beside in death was the most critical factor. His father dared not speak up, so he might as well do it himself.

With his mind finally clear, Chi Wu moved much faster. He hoped for an answer that would allow him to approach his father. Otherwise, there would be further complications.

Cheng Ying saw the two children off to school, planting a kiss on her daughter’s cheek. Her young son piped up, “You kissed your sister first today; tomorrow, you should kiss me first.”

Cheng Ying remarked that it was all due to his father’s poor guidance; the child was already learning to compete. She tapped her son lightly on the head. “I only tapped you; your sister didn’t even argue.”

The two children’s eyes welled up with tears, and they were reluctantly led away by their sister.

Cheng Ying followed behind them until she saw both children safely handed over to their teachers, then drove herself to work.

Upon reporting to the hospital, even those who hadn't met Cheng Ying knew her name. Having never shown her face since starting work meant she must have significant backing. Furthermore, the hospital received holiday gifts sponsored by Cheng Ying’s family; even the janitorial staff had heard of this doctor.

Cheng Ming’s main frustration at the hospital was that no one called him Doctor Cheng Ming; they all referred to him as Cheng Ying’s older brother. The implication behind those words was boundless.

Although Cheng Ying hadn't worked at the hospital, she visited often enough. With elderly relatives and children at home, the hospital was a frequent destination.

A woman driving to work was truly a rarity in those days; most people still cycled to and from their jobs.

Cheng Ying dressed quite beautifully on her first day. Otherwise, Chi Wu wouldn't have been so worried at home. A beautiful woman arriving in a luxury car at the workplace created too much of a contrast, not aligning with the mainstream thinking of the era.

This resulted in few men or women daring to approach Cheng Ying on her first day. Perhaps she seemed unconventional, perhaps a bit too lofty.

Cheng Ying also felt burdened by her two children. If it weren't for the convenience of school drop-offs and pickups, and wanting the children to be more comfortable, she wouldn't have made such a high-profile entrance. Of course, Cheng Ying hadn't considered these issues. In her previous world, could one even get by riding a bicycle to work? Her planning was inadequate.

Cheng Ying felt rather dejected. It wasn't until lunchtime when she joined Cheng Ming in the hospital's small cafeteria that she met two colleagues—Cheng Ming’s sworn friends.

Cheng Ying felt her social skills were quite poor.

She hadn't offered Cheng Ming a single smile.

Cheng Ming’s friends were under immense pressure. The beautiful woman driving a car certainly had a temperament; her aura was too cold. This meal wasn't very enjoyable, and they kept signaling Cheng Ming.

Cheng Ming was also helpless. Cheng Ying being isolated like this was unprecedented. Seeing his talented and universally praised cousin treated this way gave Cheng Ming a secret sense of satisfaction; the dignity that had been suppressed for so many years was finally seeing some elevation.

But after all, she was his cousin, so Cheng Ming knew he had to offer some support: “What’s with the long face? Who are you showing it to?”

Cheng Ying, feeling down, replied with extreme annoyance, “Am I too beautiful? Why are all the women at the hospital hostile toward me? And the men’s gazes aren't great either; don't they appreciate beauty?” Although this remark was a bit narcissistic, it successfully bridged the gap.

Cheng Ming scoffed, “You have an inflated sense of self-importance. You know how good-looking you are, but do you realize how much? Besides, it’s better if no one admires you. You already have two children; what more do you want?”

Then, turning to his friends, he added, “No matter how beautiful she is, don’t get any ideas. She’s taken, and she has kids.”

Once the two men spoke, the friends nearby felt a wave of relief. So, the beautiful woman was approachable after all? She wasn't so unattainable?

The conversation immediately relaxed. Married women could tolerate having two male friends, as long as the discussions didn't run too deep.

Cheng Ying knew how to manage the situation—she had a jealous husband at home, after all.

When the group left the cafeteria after eating, one of Cheng Ming’s friends felt comfortable enough to joke with Cheng Ying: “Sis, your car is quite nice—looks powerful. You’re pretty fashionable even without your lab coat, but those shoes are too specialized. Are you trying to bridge the gap with us?”

Cheng Ming glanced down at Cheng Ying. Truthfully, Cheng Ying wore those shoes at home all the time and was used to them; she hadn't felt anything was wrong.

But once someone pointed it out, Cheng Ming noticed: “You didn’t dress up for work?” He said this with an expression of distaste.

Cheng Ying looked at her reflection in the window and had a sudden epiphany. She was a doctor, wearing a uniform, a white cap, and often a white mask over her mouth—though usually, she kept it off. But there were times she wore it. And then there was the white lab coat. The only part that differed was her feet.

Cheng Ying figured that from now on, she might have to distinguish colleagues based on height, build, and the shoes on their feet.

She recalled the shoes Chi Wu had given her that morning and thought how thoughtful he was.

Cheng Ying raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t angry, but her confidence was restored. Did someone actually care about her appearance? The incongruous Cheng Ying tossed her hair slightly. “I still have a lot of potential, don't I?”

The people around her looked dumbfounded. What did that have to do with the previous topic? The beautiful woman was slightly off-kilter.

Cheng Ming sighed, “She’s acting up again. Ignore her.” He sounded completely unconcerned.

Cheng Ying retorted, “You’re the one acting up!” Then she turned to her new colleagues. “I’m doing this to better serve the people, to dedicate myself completely to my work. These shoes are less slippery!”

With that, she turned and headed to her office.

The friend leaned toward Cheng Ming and whispered, “Our sis has high aspirations. Look at her dedication; aren’t you proud?”

Cheng Ming looked at his friend. He believed everything Cheng Ying said. This person was teachable, perhaps too honest. “You believe everything she says? Do you know what we brothers call her?”

The friend inquired respectfully, “I’m eager to know.”

Cheng Ming declared, “The Great Deceiver Cheng,” and then walked away without a backward glance.

The friend muttered to himself, “There must be internal conflict between those two.”

Another colleague chimed in, “It doesn’t look like it. Mingzi usually answers the phone saying it’s his sister or brother-in-law calling.”

The friend concluded, “We need to watch these two a bit longer,” and then left.

That evening, colleagues leaving work together saw the seemingly bickering siblings getting into the same car. Cheng Ying had to placate Cheng Ming because she needed to pick up the children; she couldn't handle both tasks alone.

The teacher had deliberately separated the two children into different classes to avoid confusion. With a son who already competed for attention, deciding who to pick up first was a real problem.

Cheng Ming would essentially be getting a free ride home every day from then on.

A common scene at the hospital became watching the Cheng siblings verbally spar throughout the day, only to leave together affectionately in the evening. People truly couldn't decipher the nature of their sibling bond.

Chi Wu was also frustrated. The benefits of picking up his wife and children had been usurped by Cheng Ming, who was the type of person whose good deeds went unappreciated.

Cheng Ying specialized in proctology. This was a field she chose for herself, as she felt her family was meant to study this—a family legacy, coupled with some unspoken intentions.

When she first started, as a new doctor, Cheng Ying had few patients.

But as she grew familiar with people at the hospital and her patient load increased, Cheng Ying began to regret her choice. The anticipation of something is always lovely, but watching a round, perfect moon versus observing the cratered surface of the actual moon are two completely different sensations.

Cheng Ying felt she had made a mistake; after only a few days of work, she was already experiencing burnout.

Consider proctology: accompanying a doctor during an anal fistula procedure or treating a case of rectal prolapse effectively ended Cheng Ying’s aspirations as a surgeon. She decided she should revert to integrating Chinese and Western medicine—perhaps developing her grandfather's herbal remedies on a grander scale? After all, that was backed by five thousand years of medical heritage.

Surgery, she felt, was too unsightly.

Moreover, Cheng Ying believed the anti-inflammatory herbs in her personal spatial dimension were quite effective; this could be a way to give back to society. Perhaps her special space could indeed serve a purpose.

Her initial enthusiasm for proctology had completely vanished, along with any bizarre notions she once held.

After work, having seen to the needs of her two little tyrants, she told Chi Wu, “I used to think things were quite aesthetic, but seeing the reality, I realize that everything imagined is better.”

Chi Wu perked up, sensing hidden meanings in her words. His wife had harbored some aesthetic longings he didn't know about. “What do you mean?”

Cheng Ying immediately realized she had let something slip. Telling Chi Wu about her past fascination with... that sort of thing would be courting disaster. “Did I say anything?”

Chi Wu stared at Cheng Ying like a searchlight and then spoke earnestly, “Yingzi, focus on your work. The three of us are proud of you. But you still need to be careful. Being a doctor is a high-risk profession. You face patients every day; who knows what illnesses they have? Are they contagious? Even a common cold, one drop of spit, and you could catch something, right? The three of us can’t afford to lose you.”

Cheng Ying felt deflated just hearing that. Could she die from a mere cold? “Are you wishing ill upon me?”

Chi Wu insisted, “If not for yourself, you have to think of the children, right? You can’t come home without holding the kids. If our Yaya gives you a kiss and you happen to carry the influenza virus, wouldn’t that break your heart? And the baby cries if you even take cold medicine.”

Cheng Ying frowned at Chi Wu. “Get to the point.”

Chi Wu concluded, “Remember to wear a mask at work. Protect yourself and protect your family.”

He then gave Cheng Ying a flirtatious look. Cheng Ying rolled her eyes at him, finding it rare that he’d constructed such an elaborate argument. “Thank you. I’ll remember. For your better health.”

Chi Wu fell asleep feeling relieved.

Cheng Ying thought to herself, This way, you can rest easy. You treat me like a celestial being. But it was impressive that Chi Wu could come up with such a devious suggestion, all under the guise of caring for her health and the family’s well-being. Why didn’t he suggest she do it for world peace? The advertising slogan was quite catchy, though.

No matter how frustrated Cheng Ying felt, she still had to go to work, especially after significant time off. Cheng Ying believed she needed to be humble now. Even if she planned to open a private hospital later, she needed to diligently learn management concepts here and get to know excellent doctors from various departments. Otherwise, when it came time to poach talent, she wouldn't even know where to start looking. R1152