Chapter 30 Afternoon Tea for Everyone

Time flew like a shooting rabbit, with wind and rain urging it along.

Over the past month, Song Jingmo had turned himself into a surgical machine. On average, he performed at least two surgeries a day, sometimes three or four.

This was tough on Leng Keyan, who not only had to write internship reports and grind through professional books preparing for various exams, but also had to assist in the surgeries.

By the end of each day, he was completely exhausted, too drained to speak a word.

After a month of this, he had visibly lost weight, his clothes hanging looser than before.

A bright, cheerful little dog had turned into a weary, bedraggled little dog.

It was as miserable as it could get.

Yin Siyao couldn’t bear it. She packed meals for him three times a day and brought them to the office, even helping with reports from time to time.

Chewing his food, Leng Keyan looked completely spiritless, clearly suffering from too many sleepless nights.

“Jingmo must be out of his mind, scheduling so many surgeries—all high-difficulty ones. I’ll go talk to him later,” Yin Siyao said.

“You’re the best, Teacher Yin. If only I’d chosen you as my mentor from the start,”

Leng Keyan whimpered like a little dog, tears brimming as he looked at Yin Siyao. “Can I still change mentors now?”

Yin Siyao patted his fluffy head tenderly. “Jingmo has more academic achievements. You’ll benefit more following him than me.”

Compared to Song Jingmo, she was far behind in both research results and paper publications.

“But if this keeps up, I’m afraid I’ll die young.”

“I’m not married, I’ve never been in love, I haven’t even held a girl’s hand,”

Leng Keyan cried miserably.

Who said university life was easy? His university life was even worse than senior year in high school.

Yin Siyao sighed. “Tonight I’ll help you organize the surgical materials.”

Swallowing his food, Leng Keyan looked at him gratefully. “Luckily Teacher Yin is here to help. Otherwise, I’d have frozen to death under Teacher Song’s icy gaze.”

Several nights, just as Yin Siyao was about to leave, she would see Leng Keyan still struggling to revise surgery reports.

For some reason, her heart would overflow with kindness, and she’d stay to help. Over time, it became a habit; sometimes, she even helped Leng Keyan write internship reports behind Song Jingmo’s back.

Song Jingmo turned a blind eye to this; if he really couldn’t tolerate it, the three of them would get scolded together.

With this “revolutionary friendship,” the two grew closer, and anyone unaware would think Leng Keyan was Yin Siyao’s intern.

“You flatter me. It’s not that exaggerated,” Yin Siyao said, peeling an orange and carefully placing the segments aside.

“I’m not flattering. You’re beautiful and kind, Teacher Yin. Teacher Song is beautiful too, but a cold flower on a high mountain—so beautiful it’s intimidating.”

Leng Keyan tilted his head, looking at Yin Siyao.

The man lowered his gaze, carefully peeling the white strands off the orange.

His skin was as pale as jade, lips slightly red with a smile that seemed to bleed vivid color when he spoke. Like a fallen angel, beautiful yet fragile, with an indescribable, deadly allure.

Feeling his gaze, Yin Siyao looked up. “What are you staring at?”

Snapping back to reality, Leng Keyan scrambled to explain: “My mom used to peel oranges for me like this too.”

“Feeling homesick?” Yin Siyao fed him a segment. “In a month it’s the May Day holiday. The hospital will give a few days off—go home if you want.”

He accepted the segment, dazed, holding it in his mouth until it melted.

After finishing his meal, Yin Siyao had been gone for over ten minutes, yet Leng Keyan still savored the taste of that orange.

Sweet. So delicious.

Teacher Yin smelled nice too—orange-scented body wash, slightly sweet.

The thought of working overtime again tonight wiped away his good mood.

He slumped in his office chair, thinking of ways to recharge.

Why not reciprocate with a treat for Teacher Yin?

But when he opened WeChat to check his balance, he sighed.

Then he had an idea. He messaged Lu Er:

“Uncle, this past month has been killer—working overtime every day. Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

At the time, Lu Er was filming in H City. Seeing Leng Keyan’s complaint, he replied:

“What do you want to eat? I’ll have Bai Zhi order you some afternoon tea.”

“Get me a pretty dessert, too, and make it a large portion.”

To make sure Bai Zhi wouldn’t order the wrong thing, Leng Keyan even sent a picture.

“Bai Zhi,” Lu Er called his assistant, “order the afternoon tea as requested.”

Then he added: “Order one for everyone in the department. One unsweetened, no-milk Americano each; the rest is up to you.”

He and Song Jingmo were on bad terms. If he only ordered for the two of them, it would look awkward, as if he still had lingering feelings.

Orthopedics Department Office

When the delivery guy arrived with over a dozen delicate afternoon tea boxes, the whole office erupted in excitement.

“Wow! Who’s so generous?”

“Mr. Lu ordered them, saying thank you for taking care of Mr. Leng,” the delivery guy read from the order note.

Leng Keyan proudly raised his chin. “Uncle Lu really cares about me!”

He took his own beautiful gift box and quietly went to Yin Siyao’s office.

“For me?” Yin Siyao looked surprised. “Isn’t it a bit much to show favoritism?”

Leng Keyan said: “Uncle Lu ordered it especially for me. I can give it to whoever I like.”

“But your mentor is Jingmo…”

“Teacher Song doesn’t like sweets. His coffee is always a surprisingly bitter Americano.”

Yin Siyao was convinced. “Alright, shall we eat together?”

The two shared the treats, and before long, the box was empty.

“Do you like it?” Leng Keyan’s dog-like eyes stared at Yin Siyao. “If you do, I’ll have Uncle Lu order more tomorrow.”

Perhaps from the sugar rush, Yin Siyao looked delighted. His whole face seemed to glow like morning clouds. “Too expensive—let’s just have it occasionally.”

He had eaten these desserts before; a small box of eight pieces cost nearly 200 yuan—quite pricey.

“No worries, Uncle Lu is rich anyway,” Leng Keyan said generously.

Lu Er gave him 30,000 yuan in pocket money that month, though he spent most on limited-edition collectibles, leaving him a bit short.

Next month, when he was rich again, he wouldn’t have to trouble Uncle Lu.

As long as Yin Siyao was happy, what’s a little money?

Meanwhile, in H City, Lu Er sneezed. Who was thinking of him—or scolding him?

Song Jingmo returned to the office and looked at the unsweetened Americano on his desk with a complicated expression.

One for everyone.

Lu Er really didn’t want any connection with him—so he gave everyone a cup.

“Jingmo, don’t you want an Americano?” Liao Xubai leaned over. “I’m controlling sugar—want me to swap it for you?”

Looking at the coffee on the desk, Song Jingmo hid his bitterness, maintaining a calm facade: “Take it if you want.”

If everyone has one, it’s fine to leave it.

Liao Xubai took it without hesitation, smiling and delighted.