When we graduated from school, we must all have read plenty of job-hunting posts. In them, there was definitely one point that said: you must give the interviewer a good first impression, because to a large extent, it determines whether you will be hired.
It was not only interviews. In life, relationships between people also began with first impressions. If maintaining relationships between people was compared to a game, then those with good first impressions of each other were playing on easy mode, while Lin Yao and Yan Lüji were playing on hell mode.
“Oh, right, Doctor Lin. I heard that TCM doctors are general practitioners and can treat all kinds of illnesses, right?” Since Yan Lüji and Lin Yao were not speaking, Xiao Dong could only find a topic himself.
“That’s not completely accurate. In hospitals, TCM is still divided into departments. After all, everyone has their own area of expertise. But in ancient times, TCM doctors really were general practitioners,” Lin Yao answered. “Even now, for most illnesses, if you register with the TCM internal medicine department at a hospital, they can basically diagnose them.”
“So does that mean, as long as it’s a common illness, you can treat it all by yourself?” Xiao Dong asked. “There’s no need to be like Western medicine, where ear pain goes to ENT, allergies go to dermatology, and children with fevers go to paediatrics?”
“Yes,” Lin Yao replied with a smile.
“Old Yan, look. Doctor Lin is really impressive.” Xiao Dong wanted to ease the relationship between the two of them.
“Shouldn’t whether a doctor is impressive or not be proven through medical skill? Is this how you interviewed the health-care physician?” Yan Lüji glanced at Xiao Dong and said sharply.
“…” Director Xiao, who was usually silver-tongued, was suddenly at a loss for words.
“What do you mean?” Lin Yao set her chopsticks down with a snap.
“What do I mean?” Yan Lüji raised his head and asked.
“You…” Lin Yao felt a breath stuck in her chest, so angry that even her words stopped flowing smoothly. “You’re pointing at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree.”
“Sorry, I’m very busy. I don’t have the time for that.” Yan Lüji lowered his head and continued eating.
“You… you…” The feeling of being rendered speechless by him was truly enough to make her choke with anger.
Seeing that the two of them had started fighting again after only a few sentences, Xiao Dong could only brace himself and step in to extinguish the flames of war. He changed the subject and said, “Aiya, today’s Dongpo pork is really delicious. It’s especially flavourful. Old Yan, you should try some too. Don’t just keep eating those vegetable leaves.”
“I’m not eating it.” Yan Lüji put the Dongpo pork Xiao Dong handed him back in front of Xiao Dong. “I don’t want to eat greasy food recently. Just looking at it makes me feel a little nauseous.”
“I remember you used to be a carnivore. What’s wrong with you lately? Your complexion isn’t good either. Are you sick?” Xiao Dong asked with concern.
“No. I just don’t have much appetite.”
“You haven’t been eating much recently, and now you feel like throwing up when you eat something greasy. What exactly is wrong with you?” Xiao Dong turned to Lin Yao uneasily. “Doctor Lin, does he seem off to you? Is there any problem?”
“He feels like throwing up when eating greasy food?” Lin Yao said.
“Yes. What kind of situation is this?” Xiao Dong asked.
“Someone who used to really like meat dishes suddenly starts wanting to vomit at the sight of greasy food one day. This matches one particular condition especially well,” Lin Yao said with a serious face.
“What condition?” Xiao Dong looked nervous.
Yan Lüji also raised his head and looked over.
“It’s… pregnancy! Hahahaha.” Under the two men’s nervous gazes, Lin Yao burst out laughing, rocking back and forth with delight.
Yan Lüji’s face darkened with anger. He picked up his half-finished tray, placed it in the return area, and left the cafeteria directly.
Lin Yao had finally avenged herself, and she turned back feeling refreshed and pleased, only to see Xiao Dong looking at her expressionlessly.
Oh no. Just now, she had only been thinking about getting revenge and had not considered Xiao Dong’s feelings. Director Xiao had been sincerely worried about his friend’s health, and she had teased him for no reason.
Lin Yao smiled awkwardly and apologised, “Sorry. I couldn’t hold back just now. Actually, well… Director Yan’s lack of appetite is probably caused by insufficient sleep.”
“As long as he rests properly and exercises more, he’ll naturally recover. There’s no major problem.” Although Yan Lüji’s complexion was much better than yesterday, his face was still pale and puffy, he lacked expression, and when he spoke, his voice lacked energy. One look was enough to tell that it was physical fatigue caused by long-term lack of sleep.
“Really?” Xiao Dong confirmed.
“Mm.” Lin Yao nodded.
Only then did Xiao Dong relax. Then he carefully looked left and right, as if making sure Yan Lüji had already left the cafeteria. Only then did he mysteriously lean closer to Lin Yao, slap the table, and laugh.
“Actually, that really was funny just now.”
“Right?”
“Hahaha…” The two of them laughed across the table until tears nearly came out.
==
When it was time to get off work, Xiao Dong still remembered that Lin Yao had mentioned at lunch that Yan Lüji needed to exercise more. So he picked up his car keys and went straight to Yan Lüji’s office.
“Old Yan, time to get off work.” Xiao Dong knocked on Yan Lüji’s desk.
“What are you planning?” Yan Lüji glanced at his friend and asked.
“We haven’t been to the gym in a long time. Want to go together today?” Xiao Dong said. “Look at you. Even the muscles on your arms have gone soft.”
“The gym?” Yan Lüji refused. “No need. I prefer running in the park.”
“Let’s go to the gym for an hour or so first, then go play billiards with Xiang Chong and the others. How about it? You were busy with the case recently, and we haven’t gathered in ages.”
Yan Lüji looked at Xiao Dong, seeming to hesitate over whether he should go.
“Stop thinking about it. Let’s go.” Xiao Dong directly closed the laptop in front of Yan Lüji.
Yan Lüji could not out-argue Xiao Dong, so he had no choice but to stand and follow his friend out.
Xiang Chong, Fanzi, Xiao Dong, and Yan Lüji had been friends for many years. Each of them was a figure in their own field—
They were all elites in their own fields, and all single. When the four of them had nothing to do, they would often gather to drink and play ball.
At the billiards room they usually went to, the group chatted while playing. Xiao Dong could not hold back and told them what had happened in the employee cafeteria at noon, making Fanzi and Xiang Chong laugh until their stomachs hurt.
“Is it really that funny?” Yan Lüji rolled his eyes.
“Aiya, this is the first time I’ve seen Old Yan get roasted by a girl…” After Xiao Dong said this, he immediately corrected himself. “No, it’s the second time he’s been roasted by the same girl.”
“The second time? What was the first time like?” Xiang Chong asked with a laugh.
“The first time was even more explosive. Look at Old Yan’s left arm.” Xiao Dong pointed at Yan Lüji.
“Left arm?” As Fanzi spoke, he reached over to pull up Yan Lüji’s sleeve. Yan Lüji dodged and refused to let him, but Xiang Chong held him down from the side. The two of them forcibly rolled up Yan Lüji’s sleeve. Then, a huge, complete, extremely clear bite mark appeared before everyone.
“This… what strong teeth,” Xiang Chong could not help praising.
“Her appetite is good too,” Fanzi nodded. “She actually wanted to gnaw on a tough bone like Old Yan.”
“Let go.” Yan Lüji shook the two of them off.
“You didn’t see it. At that time, that girl went ‘awoo’ and bit down. I was stunned on the spot,” Xiao Dong said, laughing loudly.
“Are you that happy seeing me suffer?” Yan Lüji asked.
“Is that happiness? That’s novelty. It’s rare to see such rich expressions on your face.” Xiao Dong took the opportunity to say, “But Old Yan, honestly, shouldn’t you reflect a little? You’re too ungentlemanly towards women.”
“Did you come here to play ball or gossip about me?” Yan Lüji asked.
“Both, of course.”
“Exactly.”
The three of them happily high-fived over their mutual understanding.
“But to be honest, it seems like it’s been a long time since we heard any stories about Old Yan and a woman,” Fanzi said, raising an eyebrow in reminder.
“Eh… that’s true.” Xiang Chong guessed with great interest, “Could it be that Old Yan’s love life is blooming again?”
“No way. My cousin also likes Doctor Lin. If that’s really the case, I’ll be in a difficult position.” Xiao Dong said worriedly, “Both sides are my brothers. How am I supposed to choose?”
“Get lost!” Yan Lüji gave the three bad friends an eye-roll.
How could he possibly fall for that crazy girl?
**Author’s Note:**
Crab: Hehe… everyone really loves raising flags.
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