Ye Li was still lying quietly on the sofa. Niu Shurui gave him a complicated look before sitting down at her desk to work through the piled-up files. She also messaged her next patient, explaining the situation and canceling the appointment.

However, only a few minutes later, Assistant Zhao called. Startled, Niu Shurui immediately returned to the adjacent treatment room. "Hello, Assistant Zhao," she said softly.

"Doctor Shu, I've arrived at the clinic."

Niu Shurui blinked, bewildered. She couldn't believe how fast he'd gotten there. His tone earlier had suggested he still needed quite a bit of time.

She glanced at the lower half of Ye Li's body. The tenting there had subsided considerably.

Estimating the time, she said cautiously, "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you'd be so efficient. I just took on another… task. I’ll need about half an hour."

Silence hung on the other end of the line. Niu Shurui waited, her mind racing, trying to figure out how to salvage the situation if Assistant Zhao insisted on seeing Ye Li immediately.

Thankfully, after a moment, Assistant Zhao spoke again. "I understand. Doctor Shu, there's no need to apologize. I wasn't clear. I'll see you in half an hour then."

Relieved, Shurui went back to her office to touch up her makeup, carefully concealing the red mole beneath her left eye. It wasn’t that she disliked it. On the contrary, she’d always been quite pleased with its delicate placement.

However, at some point, she’d started attracting unwanted attention. Strangers would approach her, often making suggestive comments about how beautiful her mole was. While some were harmless, many were… crude.

She’d puzzled over it until one day, looking in the mirror, she realized something had shifted in her expression. The mole, combined with the subtle curve of her eyes, now projected an unconscious allure.

Recalling the things people had said, she thought, perhaps it’s the mole.

So, she began covering it with makeup. Sure enough, the unwanted attention decreased dramatically.

It had become a habit, a daily ritual of concealment.

Half an hour later, Assistant Zhao knocked on her office door precisely on time. Seeing Ye Li actually asleep on the sofa, he was still a little incredulous. He’d imagined this scene on the way over, anticipating shock, yet seeing it in person was still unbelievable.

He looked at Shurui, his perception shifting. Perhaps she really was different from other doctors, perhaps she could actually cure Ye Li.

Assistant Zhao lifted Ye Li onto his back. Seeing him struggle slightly, Niu Shurui accompanied them downstairs. As she returned, the receptionist called out, "Doctor Shu, there are flowers here for you."

Flowers? She walked over, casually asking, "From a patient?"

The receptionist shook her head mysteriously, a playful smile on her face. "No, they're roses."

She produced a massive bouquet of red roses from beneath the counter. Niu Shurui stared at the extravagant display, too large to hold in two arms. "Who sent these?"

"They didn't say," the receptionist replied, "but the florist specifically asked me to tell you to look at the card. The answer might be there."

Niu Shurui pulled the card from the bouquet. Scrawled across it in bold, arrogant lettering were three words: “Officer Jiang.”

The quotation marks were prominent. Niu Shurui knew instantly who had sent them.

She didn’t dwell on his motivations. It was probably just a fleeting amusement, a reaction to her having seen through his “Officer Jiang” charade.

It’ll pass in a few days, she thought, tossing the card into the trash. She then pulled several stems from the bouquet and offered them to the receptionist. "Here, these are for you. Thank you for holding them."

The receptionist accepted them with a smile. As she lowered her head to inhale their fragrance, admiring Niu Shurui’s generosity, she witnessed a surprising sight. Niu Shurui continued to dismantle the bouquet, distributing roses to everyone on the first floor, many of whom were patients struggling with their mental health.

She watched Niu Shurui crouch down, speaking softly and gently to them, a halo of kindness seemingly surrounding her.

She thought, even as a woman, she enjoyed interacting with Doctor Shu. If she were a man, she’d be hopelessly in love.

Somehow, the recent office gossip sprang to mind. She’d seen Dr. Qiao standing outside Dr. Shu’s office for over an hour, seemingly in some kind of timeout, while Dr. Shu remained unmoved inside.

Although they’d never publicly acknowledged their relationship, everyone considered them a couple. This sudden shift in their usually close dynamic had sparked rumors of a fight. Knowing Dr. Shu’s gentle yet resolute nature, it was entirely plausible she was giving him the silent treatment.

She’d also seen Dr. Qiao storming out of the building a few days ago.