OFBL Chapter 31

“Yo-ho, so you’re angry now?!” Yellow Pineapple barked before rushing at Zhang Yuze with a clenched fist.

 

“Wait a minute.” Dr. Zhang said calmly, hooking his fingers to gesture at the other pineapples standing idly by. “All of you, come at me at once. I’m in a hurry.”

 

Xu Li’s eyes widened. “What the hell, boyfriend?! Do you have to show off this much?!”

 

However, Dr. Zhang snorted coldly, tilting his head slightly while saying: “I’m a black belt in Taekwondo. You should be grateful I went easy on you before.”

 

Upon hearing that, Xu Li swallowed hard, suddenly rethinking everything he thought he knew about his boyfriend.

 

The three pineapples exchanged looks thinking they had never encountered arrogance like that before. After a moment of hesitation, Yellow Pineapple made up his mind and screamed while they all charged: “Get him!”

 

However, right before engaging in the fight, Dr. Zhang glanced back at Xu Li to confirm the safety of his bag of eggs. Satisfied, he kept his hands casually tucked in his coat’s pockets as the fight began.

 

The first punch flew toward him. Dr. Zhang crouched, sweeping a leg out to connect with Green Pineapple’s shin. The man crumpled with a yelp, clutching his leg in pain.

 

Yellow Pineapple was not convinced of his opponent’s strength just yet, so he scolded his friend for being a waste. Cursing, he also lunged at Zhang Yuze, throwing a punch directly at his face. But Dr. Zhang tilted his head ever so slightly, letting the fist whoosh harmlessly past him before delivering a sharp elbow to Red Pineapple’s ribs.

 

It was as if Dr. Zhang had eyes in the back of his head. Every attack, no matter the angle, was dodged with precision. And in the process, he landed calculated strikes that left his opponents groaning on the ground.

 

By the end of it, his precious golden hands never left his pockets. The three pineapples lay sprawled in the snow, nursing their bruises and their egos, while Dr. Zhang calmly stomped the snow off his shoes.

 

“Holy shit…” Xu Li finally managed to say, utterly dumbfounded. If he’d known his boyfriend was that capable, he wouldn’t have spent so much time worrying about Old Bi’s revenge.

 

Humiliated, the pineapples scrambled to their feet, their frustration mounting. Yellow Pineapple, unable to land a hit on Zhang Yuze, redirected his fury to Xu Li, who was eagerly watching them jump around like monkeys. “Forget about him! Let’s go after Xu Li!” He groaned.

 

Hearing that, Xu Li’s smug grin vanished. “Wait, what?!” He asked, afraid he might be hearing things.

 

The three gangsters quickly pivoted around Zhang Yuze, their faces twisted with a vengeance while charging toward Xu Li.

 

“Zhang Yuze, help me!!!” Xu Li yelled while weaving through the snow to escape.

 

However, Dr. Zhang stayed put, watching the chaos unfold. “Didn’t you boast about being good at fighting back when I transmigrated? What are you running for now?” He asked with complete peace of mind.

 

“That was different!” Xu Li shot back, narrowly dodging a swing. “We were fighting on my bed then! I had the home-field advantage!”

 

Anyway, Zhang Yuze didn’t intend to save him. At this time, he was still in a good mood, good enough to watch the show. Anyway, it was impossible for Xu Li to die.

 

Yellow Pineapple shouted angrily as they chased him all over the place: “Can you two respect the fight?! What’s all this about time travelling and fighting in beds?! Are we shooting a historical drama now?! Should the Fourth Prince be ascending the throne next?!”

 

Both Xu Li and Dr. Zhang froze for a moment, baffled by the sheer absurdity and hilarity of that comment.

 

Finally, Xu Li managed to duck behind Dr. Zhang, panting heavily and clutching at his boyfriend’s belt. “I’m exhausted! You’re really going to let me die out here?!”

 

Zhang Yuze glanced at him nonchalantly, saying: “You look fine. Stop complaining.”

 

Turning to face the pineapples, Dr. Zhang moved slightly, blocking Xu Li from view. His tone was calm and unhurried. “So, are we still fighting?”

 

The gangsters hesitated, exchanging nervous glances. Yellow Pineapple shoved Green Pineapple forward.

 

“You go.”

 

Green Pineapple recoiled: “Why me?!”

 

“You’re the big brother! Isn’t it your job to take charge?!” Yellow Pineapple shot back.

 

“Yeah, but you were the one who took this job from Old Bi! You deal with it!” Green Pineapple retorted.

 

As for Red Pineapple, he could only sigh, clearly exasperated: “You’re both embarrassing!”

 

Zhang Yuze shook his head. “Well, if that’s all, I’m heading home.”

 

The pineapples immediately stepped aside, waving him off. “Safe travels, brother. Take care~!”

 

Xu Li trailed behind Zhang Yuze as they walked home, staring at the three gangsters retreating in shame. “Boyfriend, your moves… They were incredible. I think I just fell for you all over again. I might have turned into a smitten idiot on the spot.”

 

Poor Dr. Zhang gave him a sideways glance, contemplating whether to kick him back into the snowbank or not.

 

And so, the crisis was simply avoided and both of them went back home in confusion. Especially Xu Li… He really didn’t expect his boyfriend to pick up the “cool man script”, able to clean up three gangsters all by himself. Looking at his bandaged arm with difficulty, he finally said: “If I had known you had this skill, I wouldn’t have helped you block that knife. Didn’t I just give my arm away for free?!”

 

Zhang Yuze glanced at him, asking: “So you finally realize that you’re stupid?”

 

However, Xu Li suddenly perked up, waving his good arm and saying: “It’s a good thing! I can’t bear to see another man touch my boyfriend, so it was worth it!”

 

“There’s something wrong with you.” Dr. Zhang scolded him.

 

…………

 

Back home, the entire living room was in disarray, with bags and boxes strewn everywhere.

 

“What’s going on here?!” Zhang Yuze asked, feeling flabbergasted.

 

However, Shen Mo didn’t even look up from his luggage before answering: “I heard the fight. Old Bi must know I’m here now, so I’m leaving before he shows up.”

 

Dr. Zhang raised a brow. Overreacting much?! And anyway, shouldn’t you call the police when you hear people fighting?! What’s up with your “escaping first” mentality?!

 

But he didn’t argue. If Shen Mo wanted to leave, that was fine with him. A quieter home sounded just perfect.

 

As for Xu Li, he watched silently, knowing full well that Old Bi hadn’t connected the dots about Shen Mo living there. Still, he figured Shen Mo leaving now was for the best. Better to avoid any unnecessary trouble later.

 

When Shen Mo finally left, trudging into the snowy night with his belongings, Zhang Yuze sighed. “Honestly, he’s the only person I’ve ever met who could ruin his own life this spectacularly.”

 

Xu Li, busy changing the dressing on his arm, hummed in agreement. “If you hadn’t helped him back then, he would have fallen even worse. But I think he’s always seen you as his safety net. That’s why he keeps on coming back.”

 

“Well, he’s wrong.” Zhang Yuze answered while donning an apron and heading to the kitchen with the pig’s heart and groceries. “I bent over backward for him in college. Fighting his battles, covering for him at parties… He didn’t appreciate it then, and I’m not doing it now. He made his bed, he can lie in it.”

 

Leaning against the kitchen counter, Xu Li smiled wryly. “Both Shen Mo and my mother are all about extremes. One of them is the martyr of love, while the other tortures others with it. Either way, it’s exhausting.”

 

Dr. Zhang glanced over. “And how’s your mom doing? Still fighting with your dad?”

 

Xu Li shrugged before answering: “More or less. My dad ran off with his mistress years ago. Now he’s old, broke, and alone. That woman kicked him out, took the house, and left him with nothing. He came crawling back to my mom, begging for help. She told him to get lost.”

 

“Good for her.” Zhang Yuze said while chopping vegetables. “He didn’t lift a finger to take care of you two. He doesn’t deserve her pity.”

 

Xu Li chuckled, tossing the peeled garlic onto the cutting board, and gave Zhang Yuze a flying kiss while joking: “Sometimes I think we were meant to be. You’re so blunt it’s refreshing.”

 

“Ha!” Dr. Zhang replied dryly, not looking up. “Now that Shen Mo’s gone, when are you leaving?”

 

Xu Li grinned, leaning in close. “Never. You’re stuck with me forever.” He whispered dangerously close to his ear.

 

“Get out of here!” Zhang Yuze muttered, though there was no bite to his words, already used to his approach.

 

…………

 

Two days after his last encounter with Li Chao, Zhang Yuze arrived at the hospital and changed into his white coat. His first task was to find his new surgical assistant, as there was a minimally invasive stent surgery scheduled for that morning. And so, he wanted Li Chao to participate and get familiar with the team dynamics.

 

Li Chao’s temporary office was on the 17th floor, coincidentally the same office space Xu Li used to occupy. As Dr. Zhang reached the stairwell, the elevator doors opened, and Li Chao emerged, his expression calm and collected.

 

“Oh, good morning, Dr. Zhang!” Li Chao greeted him with his ever-so-polished smile.

 

“Morning.” Dr. Zhang replied, preparing to discuss the surgery. However, before he could even say another word, Li Chao turned to the nurse’s desk, handing his coffee mug to a surprised Zhao Xiaole. “You there!” He said casually. “Go make me a cup of coffee. Add milk and sugar.”

 

Dr. Zhang stopped in his tracks.

 

Usually cheerful and outspoken, Zhao Xiaole now appeared subdued. She accepted the cup with a nervous nod and hurried off to the tea room.

 

Watching her retreating figure, Dr. Zhang felt a twinge of discomfort.

 

“These young ones just need more discipline.” Li Chao remarked lightly, his tone dripping with condescension. “Give them tasks to build character. Does Dr. Zhang need coffee to start the day?”

 

“No, thank you.” Dr. Zhang replied, his tone curt. “I’m used to doing things by myself.”

 

Li Chao either missed the edge in his words or chose to ignore it entirely, answering: “Ah, I see,” with a smile that made others think they were having a pleasant conversation. “I noticed there’s a heart bypass surgery scheduled for this morning. Is that correct?”

 

“Yes.” Dr. Zhang confirmed, his expression still neutral.

 

“Excellent. I look forward to working with you.” Li Chao said smoothly. “If I happen to have a misstep, I ask for Dr. Zhang’s understanding.”

 

Dr. Zhang nodded blankly, already feeling the effort it took to maintain a professional facade weight heavy on his consciousness.

 

“Oh, by the way….” Li Chao added casually, “My father, you know him, he’s the dean at the Rocket Military Hospital. He would like to invite the cardiology surgeons here to dinner soon. I wonder if Dr. Zhang might be available to join us?”

 

Dr. Zhang frowned slightly, instinctively wary. Everyone in their field knew about Li Chao’s influential father, but an invitation like that seemed… Calculated.

 

Still, declining outright would only lead to further entanglements, so he forced a polite response: “I’ll attend. Please thank your father for the invitation.”

 

Li Chao’s smile widened, pleased by the answer. “Wonderful. I’ll confirm the details with you at noon.”

 

As he turned to leave, Li Chao caught sight of Xiao Jie rushing by carrying a heavy stack of patient files. “You there!” He called once again, stopping him mid-stride. “After the surgeries today, come by my office to remind me of the schedule. Understood?”

 

“Yes!” Xiao Jie replied quickly, lowering his gaze and nodding.

 

Satisfied, Li Chao walked off without another word.

 

Dr. Zhang watched the scene unfold, his unease deepening. He now understood why both Zhao Xiaole and Xiao Jie had been so resentful toward their new colleague… Li Chao’s behavior was clear: he wielded authority like a weapon, belittling those below him, and seeking favor from those above him.

 

Classic nepotism at its finest, Dr. Zhang thought grimly.

 

Still, maintaining harmony among colleagues was important, even with someone like Li Chao. Perhaps it would be worth having a private conversation to address his behavior later on. Dr. Zhang made a mental note to find the right moment to speak with him. After all, it was better to handle those matters professionally.

 

But by noon, that resolve was tested. Bad luck finally came for Dr. Zhang, leaving him unable to smile at all.