Chapter 248 Are There Any Other Rewards?

A few days before the New Year, Kangren Hospital was filled with an atmosphere that was both busy and festive.

Several pots of moth orchids had appeared on the nurses’ station counter. Their purple petals stubbornly released a faint fragrance amidst the sharp smell of disinfectant.

A red-headed official notice from the hospital administration was posted on every department’s bulletin board:

To strengthen team cohesion and celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival, the hospital has decided to hold a New Year gala for all staff on the evening of the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.

“Each department must submit one performance. This is a mandatory requirement!”

In a small meeting room in the administrative building, Director Huang, who was in charge of organizing the gala, stood with hands on hips, his booming voice loud enough to pierce through three floors.

Below him sat the heads of various departments, all wearing bitter expressions.

Yin Siyao had already been zoning out for ten minutes, his handsome brows furrowed so tightly they could probably kill a fly.

A chorus?

No way. Half the department was tone-deaf. The last time they sang during a team-building event, they almost startled patients in the emergency ward awake.

A skit?

Who would write the script? Who would organize rehearsals? And most importantly—who would act?

Let Dr. Zhang cross-dress as an old lady?

At 185 cm tall, he’d look more like a reformed bandit in women’s clothing.

Yin Siyao mentally went through everyone in his department, rubbing his temples, feeling more exhausted than after performing three consecutive surgeries.

“Director Huang…”

One department head timidly raised a hand. “Our department is full of older doctors and nurses. The average age is over forty-five…”

“You want us to perform a group recitation of The Health Preservation Manual?”

The room burst into laughter.

Director Huang glared. “What’s so funny? This is about showcasing the many talents of our medical staff!”

“Singing, dancing, skits, crosstalk—anything is fine. It needs creativity and should reflect your department’s characteristics.”

“Then what should the emergency department perform?”

The emergency director joked, “How about Racing Against Time? Or a live CPR demonstration?”

“That works!”

Director Huang’s eyes lit up. “Add some music and it’ll make a great stage play!”

Emergency director: “……”

He really wanted to slap himself.

The meeting ended amid Director Huang’s passionate speech and everyone else’s lifeless expressions. Yin Siyao dragged his heavy steps back to the orthopedic office.

He had barely sat down when a young nurse poked her head in. “Director Yin, Director Huang’s assistant just called again asking if we’ve decided on our performance.”

Yin Siyao waved a hand. “Got it. We’ll reply tomorrow.”

The nurse added quietly, “Last year we ranked second to last. Director Huang said if we’re at the bottom again this year, next year’s department budget will be cut in half.”

Yin Siyao: “……”

That really hit where it hurt.

Once the door closed, Yin Siyao slumped into his chair.

Orthopedics—one of the busiest departments in the hospital.

Doctors were either performing surgeries or on their way to perform them. Nurses were constantly on their feet changing dressings, providing care, and writing reports.

Asking these people to find time to rehearse a creative performance that also reflected their department’s characteristics—this was practically impossible.

Several ideas flashed through his mind:

A skit titled One Hundred Uses of Steel Plates?
A parody song The Bones’ Confession?

Better not.

Last year, their department performed a poetry recitation titled The Oath Beneath the Shadowless Lamp, deeply moving and tear-inducing.

But on stage, Dr. Zhang somehow recited “We lift the weight of life with our hands” as “We lift cafeteria bowls with our hands.”

The audience burst into laughter, and their score was disastrous.

Thinking about it made Yin Siyao feel his migraine coming on again.

Just as his head started to ache, his phone rang.

It was Leng Keyan.

“Are you off work? I’m waiting for you at the hospital entrance.”

Yin Siyao glanced at the time and realized it was already 6:30 PM.

He packed up and headed out. At the hospital gate, he saw Leng Keyan’s low-key black sedan parked by the roadside.

Since winter break began, Leng Keyan had naturally moved into Yin Siyao’s home—under the excuse of “personally taking care of his boyfriend.”

He studied at home during the day, cooked meals on time, and unfailingly picked Yin Siyao up from and dropped him off at work, rain or shine.

Yin Siyao had protested multiple times, saying he wasn’t a child and didn’t need to be taken care of—but his protests were ineffective.

“Why so late today?”

As soon as Yin Siyao got into the car, Leng Keyan leaned over like an eager puppy and kissed his cheek.

Yin Siyao had gotten used to the intimacy, but he still instinctively glanced outside, his ears turning red. “Had a meeting. About the New Year gala.”

“New Year gala?”

“It’s a hospital tradition. Every department has to put on a performance before the Spring Festival.”

Leaning back in his seat, Yin Siyao closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “Director Huang made it mandatory. It has to be creative too. I’ve got a headache just thinking about it.”

Leng Keyan glanced at his tired profile, his gaze soft. “Is it that difficult?”

“Not exactly difficult—just no time and no manpower.”

Yin Siyao sighed. “The department’s been insanely busy lately. The head nurse is on leave because of a sick family member, and everyone else is working nonstop. I can’t bring myself to ask them to stay overtime for rehearsals.”

The car stopped at a red light.

Leng Keyan turned to him with a smile. “Don’t worry about it. Leave it to me.”

Yin Siyao opened his eyes and looked at him suspiciously. “What can you do? Can you act in a skit or dance like a girl group?”

Leng Keyan grinned, revealing two small canine teeth, his expression carrying a youthful cunning and confidence. “Anyway, I can handle it. I guarantee we won’t be at the bottom—maybe even make it into the top three.”

Yin Siyao stared at him for a few seconds.

Although Leng Keyan was young, he had always been reliable. He had never gone back on his word.

Last time, he had resolved the bumper incident quickly—maybe he really did have a solution.

“Alright,” Yin Siyao raised an eyebrow. “If you really pull this off, I’ll give you a big red envelope for the New Year.”

Leng Keyan’s eyes lit up. “Are there any other rewards?”

“What reward do you want?”

“Not sure yet,” Leng Keyan blinked. “I’ll tell you when I think of one.”

The light turned green, and the car continued forward.

Yin Siyao didn’t think much of it. He closed his eyes again to rest, not noticing the meaningful smile at the corner of Leng Keyan’s lips.

When they got home, dinner was already prepared.

Three dishes and a soup—all of Yin Siyao’s favorites.

They ate quietly. After dinner, Yin Siyao planned to go to the study to read some papers, but Leng Keyan stopped him.

“Don’t start working right after eating. Relax a bit.”

He guided Yin Siyao to the living room. “Watch some TV, take a break.”

Yin Siyao sighed helplessly and sat down on the sofa.

A noisy variety show was playing on TV.

After a few minutes, Yin Siyao’s mind began to wander again, still occupied with the gala performance.

After washing the dishes, Leng Keyan walked over, bent down, and placed one arm against the back of the sofa behind Yin Siyao—forming an intimate enclosure around him.