Secretary Chi was a remarkably resilient person.
“It’s a bit serious,” Doctor Cen’s voice came from overhead, gentle and reassuring. “We’ll have to work the tension out today. It’ll hurt a bit.”
Chi Zhan’s fingers clenched slightly. He answered in a low voice, “It’s fine.”
He’d already been mocked by Zhou Yanxing yesterday. There was no way he could flinch again today. If Doctor Cen went and told Zhou Yanxing about this, he’d lose both dignity and pride.
Cool oil was smoothed over his back, gliding easily across the skin. It flowed down the shallow ridge of his spine, releasing a sweet scent as it spread. The cold helped dull the pain slightly.
That was the principle behind cold compresses, after all. The cold made pain temporarily “disappear.”
At first, Doctor Cen’s touch was light, more like he was easing the muscles into relaxation. The pale honey-colored medicinal oil moved thickly over his fair skin, the contrast between light and dark becoming more pronounced with every pass.
But as the minutes ticked by, what had been soothingly cold gradually morphed into something else—something subtly scorching and unsettling.
Just as his relaxed back began to tense again, there was a light smack—not hard, but not soft either.
“Don’t tense up. Try to relax a little.”
Chi Zhan wanted to bury his head in shame.
If this were a regular hospital with a stranger treating him, maybe it wouldn’t feel so humiliating. But the thought that Doctor Cen was Zhou Yanxing’s friend—and everything happening here might be relayed to Zhou Yanxing in vivid detail…
Time stretched endlessly.
This massage wasn’t going to be over anytime soon.
To be truly effective, the knots had to be kneaded repeatedly, the tissue pushed and pulled until circulation was restored and the medicinal oil fully absorbed. Only then could it work its magic.
But clearly, after the initial wave of cold, Chi Zhan had dropped his guard. The lowered vigilance dulled his sensitivity, which only made what followed harder to endure.
The skin beneath Doctor Cen’s palm had already begun to burn. The area surrounding the injury had taken on a faint pink hue, but Cen Chi didn’t linger. He continued with unwavering professionalism, focused entirely on the treatment.
This was his job. He wouldn’t exploit it for personal gain.
Besides… Secretary Chi already looked miserable enough.
His eyes were closed, lashes trembling slightly. A furrow creased his brow, as if the pain was too much to bear. A faint flush colored the tips of his ears and the corners of his eyes. Perhaps it hurt too much—he gripped his clothes tightly, the fabric already wrinkled from his clutch.
Yet even so, he clenched his jaw and didn’t make a sound.
Only his breathing quickened, just a little.
Who knew how long it lasted, but eventually, Chi Zhan heard Cen Chi speak, “It’s done.”
Chi Zhan let out a long breath.
Propping himself up on the bed, he was surprised to find the pain had eased considerably. The effect was almost magical.
Embarrassment forgotten, he quickly thanked Cen Chi.
Maybe Doctor Cen had seen how much he was hurting earlier, always trying to comfort him. It hadn’t seemed strange at the time, but thinking back on it now, Chi Zhan couldn’t help feeling a little awkward.
Cen Chi looked a bit tired after all that work. At Chi Zhan’s thanks, he merely shook his head.
“It’s my duty.”
Chi Zhan assumed he meant, ‘Zhou Yanxing asked me to do this, so I’m just following through’, and not anything more personal.
Clearly, he’d been overthinking things before… Doctor Cen really was a noble and professional doctor.
“Doctor Cen.”
A nurse knocked gently on the door and exchanged a few words with him. Since Chi Zhan was sitting nearby, he caught some of it—apparently another patient had arrived for treatment.
Chi Zhan glanced at the time. Over an hour had passed, and there were still patients waiting. He felt bad for taking up so much time. Cen Chi turned and looked at him just then, as if wanting to say something.
Chi Zhan caught the hint immediately.
“Don’t worry about me, Doctor Cen. You go ahead. I’m just about to leave anyway.”
He had no intention of freeloading. After all, they were both working people. Medical care was hard work, and Doctor Cen had massaged him nonstop for so long—Chi Zhan couldn’t just accept that kind of help without conscience.
We’re all struggling to get by. No one’s life is easy.
Cen Chi looked unexpectedly surprised.
“That’s not what I meant. You shouldn’t move around too much right now. It’s better to rest for a bit… If you’re not in a hurry, could you wait for me to come back? There’s something else I need to discuss with you.”
Chi Zhan, still a bit dazed, agreed. Only then did Cen Chi leave with a look of relief, while Chi Zhan sat there puzzled—What else could he want to talk about?
Chi Zhan asked a nurse about the consultation fee. She just smiled.
“You’re a friend of Doctor Cen’s. He specifically said not to charge you.”
No matter what Chi Zhan said, the nurse wouldn’t accept any payment. Instead, she brought him back to the consultation room, set out a tray of fruits and snacks, and told him to take his time and enjoy.
“……”
The hospital was in a prime location, but it was his first time here. Bored, he looked it up on his phone.
It turned out to be a private hospital, and the kind of place that catered to the rich and powerful. Money alone wasn’t enough to get treated here. As for Doctor Cen—he was an expert consultant, and a single session with him cost…
Chi Zhan’s jaw nearly dropped when he saw the number.
His entire month’s salary wouldn’t cover one appointment. And Doctor Cen had treated him at least twice now.
When Cen Chi returned, Chi Zhan had dozed off.
He hadn’t slept well the night before. The pain in his back had kept him tossing and turning, stuck in a half-dreaming state. But the massage had left him feeling comfortable and warm, and eventually, he couldn’t help slipping into deep sleep.
When he opened his eyes again, he was still groggy—until he met Cen Chi’s gaze from across the room. The man was sitting calmly, sipping tea and reading a book. That look snapped Chi Zhan fully awake.
The wall clock showed it was already noon.
He rubbed his forehead in frustration.
“Sorry, I must’ve fallen asleep. Did I keep you waiting?”
“I just got back too,” Cen Chi said, not a trace of reproach in his tone. “Getting enough sleep is good for your health.”
