Starting with dissecting ghost stories

"Um......"

Around 6 a.m.

Shen Yuan slowly opened her eyes in the room, but her eyelids felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and her throat was so dry it felt like it was about to burst into flames.

She groggily turned on the light, intending to go out for a drink of water, only to find a glass of water on her bedside table.

She couldn't quite tell if she had left the water glass there before going to bed, but she sat up, picked up the glass with both hands, and took a few sips.

What time is it...?

Shen Yuan didn't know what time it was. She even forgot to look at the alarm clock next to her. She just listened to the sounds from the living room outside and guessed that it should be the time for Shen Xing to get up. Her brother was making breakfast now.

Let me sleep a little longer...

All she could think about was sleeping a little longer, so she lay down and fell asleep.

Just a few minutes later, Shen Yuan opened her eyes again. This time she felt a little better and looked at the alarm clock next to her.

6: 11.

Today is Monday, and we need to go early for the morning flag-raising ceremony.

But I'm so sleepy.

Let me sleep a little longer...

Shen Yuan closed her eyes again.

She didn't know how much time had passed until she felt the room getting warmer, and then she suddenly opened her eyes and looked at the alarm clock beside her.

10:33......

10...10:30?

I just slept a little longer than usual!

Shen Yuan suddenly rolled over and got out of bed, but still felt a little dizzy and lightheaded.

Why didn't he wake me up?

Oh right... I think I said before that I didn't need him to call me.

Shen Yuan stumbled out of the room. When she reached the door, she realized she hadn't changed out of her pajamas. She hurriedly walked back towards the room, but just then, she noticed the breakfast on the table and a note.

Note?

In the past, Shen Xing would always leave breakfast or money behind.

Driven by curiosity, Shen Yuan walked to the dining table and saw the neat handwriting on the note.

It seems you caught a cold from me. I've called a sick leave for you; you can go to school this afternoon.

Remember to eat breakfast.

On the table was breakfast covered with a food cover. Shen Yuan lifted the cover and saw that the breakfast was still warm.

A bowl of congee with preserved egg and lean pork, a cup of water containing a pale yellow liquid, a few steamed buns, and a cup of soy milk.

Do you feed pigs?

Shen Yuan picked up the glass of water, which was still warm, and took a small sip.

It has a slightly sweet taste; it's honey water.

She took another sip.

For some reason, Shen Yuan felt that the dizziness had lessened slightly.

...He must not know what he wants to eat, which is why he made so much breakfast.

Making breakfast for yourself every day, isn't it tiring...?

Shen Yuan sat down at the dining table, her legs together. After a long while, she reached out and began to eat the breakfast on the table.

Perhaps... I should trust him more.

Shen Yuan had never been able to escape the shadow of her parents' passing, but this morning, as she fell ill, she finally felt the reality that "she still has family."

She also felt ashamed of the malice she had shown towards Shen Xing before, which she didn't know was a mixture of "jealousy" and other emotions.

She scooped up a spoonful of porridge, put it in her mouth, and paused, stunned.

Shen Yuan never understood why anyone would make a tasteless congee with preserved egg and lean pork, nor did she understand what was so delicious about bland food.

It's exactly the same as the porridge my dad used to make.

"Clatter".

A drop of salt water added to the bland porridge adds a touch of flavor.

Perhaps it was because he was thinking of the time when his parents were still alive, or perhaps it was because he was saddened by Li Xiaohua's disappearance.

The girl silently shed tears as she ate the entire breakfast on the table, which she had just complained was "pig-feeding" in quantity.

...

Yucai Middle School, Medical Clinic.

"Why did you change the painting again, Dr. Shen? Wasn't the previous one quite good?"

Director Wang of the Academic Affairs Office stood with his hands behind his back, holding a thermos in his hand. He looked up and down at the five paintings on the wall with his back to Shen Xing.

They all seem to be the same old human muscle diagrams, with printed text indicating the name of each muscle.

"Don't you like it? I can change it." Shen Xing stood up, smiling apologetically.

"No need, I think it's fine, it looks very professional." Director Wang seemed quite happy today. He smiled and shook his head, then turned to Shen Xing and said, "You can put some famous quotes in the blank space below, so that students can remember some famous sayings when they see them."

"Okay, Teacher Wang, I'll print some out after school at noon and put them in the blank spaces," Shen Xing replied with a smile.

At the same time, Shen Xing also had some doubts.

Director Wang doesn't usually come here; the two only exchange polite greetings when they bump into each other in the corridor or at the entrance of the administration building.

"Hey, don't call me Teacher Wang, just call me Old Wang." Director Wang waved his hand.

"Then you can just call me Xiao Shen." Shen Xing replied smoothly.

Shen Xing handled office relationships very well, but seeing Director Wang suddenly start building rapport, there must be something else going on.

Director Wang: "Oh, right, I just remembered something."

really......

Shen Xing glanced discreetly at the black briefcase under his seat. There were some things he needed to take to the office at noon, and he couldn't chat with Director Wang here for too long.

After thinking for a moment, Director Wang looked at Shen Xing and asked, "Xiao Shen, you don't have a medical practitioner's license, right? You only have a provincial health care training certificate."

This is......?

"Yes." This kind of thing can't be faked; he really doesn't have a medical license.

He got in through connections and a training certificate. Graduates of forensic medicine programs cannot take the medical licensing exam; there are regulations against it. Shen Xing only has a chief forensic examiner certificate.

Logically speaking, he shouldn't have been able to become a school doctor, but he got in through his father's connections and a training certificate.

Although more than 80% of school doctors in this city do not have medical licenses, medical resources are scarce in small cities, and finding a licensed school doctor is no easy task. After all, some school doctors are not on the payroll and their salaries are low.

If someone were to investigate and falsely accuse him, Shen Xing would have no choice but to resign, or he might even be convicted of practicing medicine without a license.

"Director Wang, what happened?"

Shen Xing subtly revealed a hint of nervousness to gauge the other party's reaction.

"It's nothing, I just wanted to remind you to see if you can get a work performance certificate from your former employer, clearly stating that you returned to your hometown to take care of your sister, and also writing that you 'possess basic medical skills.' It's not a big deal," Director Wang said with a smile.

Is this a reminder to myself? Or...?

Shen Xing suppressed his doubts for the moment and expressed his gratitude.

Director Wang glanced at his watch and joked:

"Sigh, I have to go home for lunch, or my wife will nag me again..."

"By the way, Xiao Shen, you're not married yet, right?"

Shen Xing was slightly taken aback when he heard this.

The topic shifted so quickly that it caught Shen Xing off guard.

"Yes... that's correct." Shen Xing nodded.

"How's it going? Don't you have a woman you like? Why didn't you find one when you were in the provincial capital?" Director Wang seemed to be getting gossipy.

"You know my previous job was busy, and the girl didn't like it," Shen Xing said, feigning helplessness.

"So, how about it? Interested in talking to someone? Uncle Wang can introduce you to someone." Director Wang finally revealed his true intentions.

It turns out the matchmaker has arrived.