Sent to the countryside, I turned the health center into a top-tier hospital.

Chen Ping stood in the courtyard, looking at the closed door. The sincerity on his face gradually faded, revealing the coldness beneath.

He turned around and looked at Cui Ying's window.

The curtains were drawn, but the light was on, and a warm, dim yellow light shone through from behind the curtains.

The door opened a crack, and Cui Ying peeked out. Her hair was loose, and she was already wearing her coat, with the buttons neatly fastened.

Her face showed shock and fear, but the moment she saw Chen Ping, all of that vanished, leaving only an unfinished sentence.

"Are you alright?" the two asked at the same time.

Chen Ping smiled, and Cui Ying smiled too.

"Did he come into your room?" Chen Ping asked.

"No," Cui Ying shook her head. "He had just leaned against the window when you arrived."

"That's good."

Cui Ying came out of the room and stood next to Chen Ping, looking in the direction of Fang Hai's dormitory.

The lights were off, the door was closed, and it was as quiet as if no one was there.

"You hit him, won't he cause you trouble?" Cui Ying's voice was a little worried.

"He dares to cause trouble?" Chen Ping sneered. "If he dares to mention tonight's incident, I'll ask him why he was peeking through your window in the middle of the night. Can he explain himself clearly?"

Cui Ying thought for a moment, then a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"You shouted 'Catch the pervert!' really loudly just now," Cui Ying said with a smile.

"If he doesn't shout loudly, how will he know he's been discovered?" Chen Ping smiled. "But don't worry, he won't dare to do it again."

How did you know?

"Because he's afraid." Chen Ping's lips curled up slightly. "He's afraid I'll tell everyone what happened tonight. If word gets out that a cadre from the city was peeping through a young girl's window in the middle of the night, his career will be over."

Cui Ying looked at him, "Chen Ping."

"Um?"

"You're so mean."

Chen Ping paused for a moment, then laughed: "You just realized?"

Cui Ying smiled too, her eyes crinkling into crescents, her smile as beautiful as it had been under the moonlight that night.

"Go back to sleep, you have to go to work tomorrow," Chen Ping said.

"Hmm." Cui Ying turned and took two steps, then stopped, turned back, and said, "Chen Ping."

"Um?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Chen Ping smiled. "I'm a man. Isn't it only natural for a man to protect a woman?"

Cui Ying chuckled and pushed open the door to go inside.

The door closed with a click of the bolt, which sounded reassuring this time.

Chen Ping stood in the courtyard and glanced in the direction of Fang Hai's dormitory. The lights were still off and the door was still closed.

He withdrew his gaze, turned around and went back to his room. He sat down on the edge of the bed without turning on the light.

A creaking sound came from the bed next door.

"Chen Ping," Cui Ying said with a smile.

"Um?"

"The way his glasses flew off when you hit him was hilarious."

Chen Ping laughed: "You saw it?"

"I was looking out the window," Cui Ying said with a laugh. "He looked like a mosquito that had been swatted flat."

Chen Ping laughed out loud.

"Good night," Cui Ying said.

"Good night."

Chen Ping lay down and stared at the ceiling.

There was no more sound from next door, but he knew she wasn't asleep either.

The two were separated by a wall, each lost in their own thoughts. Neither spoke, but they both knew the other was there.

…………

The next morning, Chen Ping was woken up by Zhao Guosheng's loud voice.

"Section Chief Fang! Section Chief Fang! I've bought you breakfast, meat buns from Old Zhou's house, still warm!" Zhao Guosheng called out from the door of Fang Hai's dormitory.

Chen Ping opened his eyes, stared at the ceiling for a second, and then smiled.

He sat up, put on the dark blue T-shirt, walked to the door, and instead of going out immediately, he opened the door a crack and looked out.

Zhao Guosheng stood at the entrance of Fang Hai's dormitory, carrying two plastic bags, one containing steamed buns and the other containing soy milk.

His back was bent, and his face was full of smiles, like an old eunuch serving his master.

He knocked on the door, waited two seconds, and then knocked again.

"Section Chief Fang? Are you up?"

A rustling sound came from inside the door, followed by Fang Hai's voice, as if he were speaking through something: "Dean Zhao, just leave it at the door, I'll get it myself in a bit."

Zhao Guosheng was taken aback for a moment: "Section Chief Fang, please open the door and I'll hand it in to you. It's still warm; it'll get cold if you leave it at the door."

"No need, no need, just leave it at the door." Fang Hai's voice was a little urgent, with a hint of panic that he didn't want anyone to see.

Zhao Guosheng stood at the door, holding a steamed bun in his hand, unsure whether to leave or stay.

He scratched his head, placed the plastic bag on the ground by the door, and then squatted down to straighten it, afraid it would tip over.

He stood up, intending to knock on the door again, but then lowered his hand halfway up.

"Well... Section Chief Fang, please eat it while it's hot." He turned and left, turning back every few steps, his expression a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

Chen Ping closed the door, leaned against it, and laughed so hard his shoulders shook.

The sound of Cui Ying's laughter came from next door, muffled and suppressed, like it was coming from under the covers.

He pushed open the door, walked to Cui Ying's door, and knocked.

The door opened, and Cui Ying was already dressed, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, a ponytail, and her face was clean, but there was a faint dark circle under her eyes, indicating that she hadn't slept well last night.

"Did you hear that?" Cui Ying asked softly, glancing towards Fang Hai's dormitory.

"I heard you," Chen Ping said in a low voice. "The steamed buns were left at the door, but no one came out."

Cui Ying covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling into two crescent moons as she laughed.

She opened the door and came out; the two of them stood in the yard.

Fang Hai's dormitory door was tightly shut, and the plastic bag at the door lay quietly on the ground, untouched.

"His face is so ugly, he probably can't show his face to anyone," Cui Ying said softly.

"My glasses are broken too, so I can't see the road clearly," Chen Ping added.

"You said these buns are getting cold, so they probably won't taste good anymore?" Cui Ying said, looking at the buns on the ground.

"Hmm, it definitely won't taste good!" Chen Ping nodded!

The two looked at each other and then laughed.

Then Cui Ying picked up the steamed buns and soy milk on the ground and took them into her dormitory!

Chen Ping followed them inside, and the two whispered to each other as they ate the steamed buns and soy milk!

"Stolen food always tastes the best..." Cui Ying wiped her mouth, her face full of satisfaction.

"I remember when I was little, the watermelons we bought weren't sweet; the ones we stole from the field were the sweetest."

Chen Ping also said with a smile!

The two walked towards the front yard while talking!

In the front yard, Zhao Guosheng stood in the middle of the yard, holding a bag of steamed buns in his hand, his expression still showing that puzzled look.

He saw Chen Ping and Cui Ying walking over and greeted them, "Dr. Chen, Cui, come and have breakfast. I bought some steamed buns."

"Dean Zhao, didn't you buy this for Section Chief Fang?" Cui Ying asked.

"Section Chief Fang left it at the door; I bought a few extra." Zhao Guosheng scratched his head. "I don't know what's wrong; Section Chief Fang won't open the door, and his voice sounds off. Is he still recovering from drinking too much last night?"

Chen Ping and Cui Ying exchanged a glance, both wanting to laugh but holding it in, their expressions somewhat strange.