DBAG- Chapter 4

Chapter 04 He hates hanging out with people who are too lively

    Those words, which sounded as if they were meeting for the first time, made Chi Ke’s heart skip a beat. He immediately looked up at the other person.

    The original host had been working under Leng Yunting since graduation. There was no way he hadn’t met Ji Qian before—so why such a greeting?

    The doctor extended his hand casually, as if completely unaware of Chi Ke’s wariness. He was still smiling, and upon closer inspection, the curve of his lips seemed even more pronounced.

    …Just like a radiant sun on a sunny afternoon. Wasn’t he almost half-dead just a moment ago?

    Chi Ke reluctantly reached out his hand, thinking that this whole situation was ridiculous.

    The butler watching from the side thought they were just joking around and chimed in, “Dr. Ji has been away for more than a year for further studies and hadn’t come back since then. Assistant Chi was even talking about you last week, and now you don’t recognize him?”

    Chi Ke was surprised again.

    Though the butler was joking, there was a clear underlying meaning of protectiveness in his words. To put it bluntly, he was taking Chi Ke’s side and chastising Ji Qian for his ‘cold-heartedness’.

    Was the original host close with Butler Wu?

    “Ah…” Ji Qian didn’t seem embarrassed at all. Instead, he winked at Chi Ke, “Assistant Chi, it turns out that we were close?”

    A joke or two was fine, but this repeated attempt at intimacy was getting a bit overwhelming.

    Chi Ke pulled his hand back indifferently.

    Regardless of the original host’s relationship with the doctor, he personally didn’t like overly enthusiastic people. No matter how good-looking they were, he still didn’t like them.

    “I don’t know,” he said. “It’s been a long time. I forgot.”

    He could be pretty mean. If he wasn’t happy, he didn’t want others to be happy either.

    If someone felt uncomfortable talking to him, there was no doubt about it—he did it on purpose.

    Chi Ke’s original intention was to let this overly enthusiastic doctor know the limits and stop acting like a good brother. He didn’t expect that after he spoke, Ji Qian’s eyes would light up—brighter than a Ferrari’s headlights.

    “Forgetting is good. You should forget it,” Ji Qian said nonchalantly, withdrawing his hand and taking the lead in ushering them inside. “Hurry in, it’s freezing tonight… Assistant Chi, you should dress warmly. Your hands are ice-cold. It will be easy to catch a cold in this weather.”

    Chi Ke didn’t think Ji Qian was in any position to comment on his attire as he glanced at a pair of bare legs.

    Ji Qian noticed his gaze and cleared his throat for the second time that night, “I don’t usually dress like this. It’s a special case tonight. My fashion sense is actually pretty decent.”

    Chi Ke tossed him a pair of disposable slippers with a deadpan expression, “Oh.”

    Ji Qian was quick with his hands and even quicker with his words, “My outfit an hour ago could’ve been on a fashion runway.”

    Chi Ke: “Amazing.”

    But what does that have to do with me? Why would I care whether you’re wearing a fur jacket, leather, or even just underwear?

    Ji Qian stared at him for two seconds, seemingly unconvinced, and insisted, “I—”

    “Dr. Ji,” Chi Ke interrupted, unable to bear it anymore, “if Mr. Xu dies from his illness, everyone present here will be buried with him.”

    Ji Qian finally shut up.

    He went back to his sulky demeanor from earlier, dragging himself up the stairs like a lifeless zombie.

    After stepping up the stairs, he still wasn’t ready to give up and turned back. “Assistant Chi, I’m really not usually like this.”

    Chi Ke: “…”

    He almost wanted to snap, “Are you sick?” But when he looked up, his sharp eyes caught an almost imperceptible blush on Ji Qian’s ears.

    When the sound of the door closing came from the second floor, Chi Ke couldn’t hold back anymore. He raised a hand to press down the corners of his lips that had subconsciously curled up.

    He thought Ji Qian was just a shameless flirt, but it turns out he actually got embarrassed.

    The original novel’s description wasn’t entirely wrong—his innocence was probably real. But as for being ‘gentle and reserved’, ‘modest and low-key’, and ‘self-conscious and sensitive’…

    Well, that was still up for a debate.

    The author must have really loved the protagonists because so far, only the protagonist and his love interest matched their book descriptions. Everyone else had discrepancies, some more than others.

    Chi Ke was once again reminded that everything happening around him was no longer just words on a page—it was a real, tangible world.

    “Dr. Ji has changed a lot since coming back,” a middle-aged man with grey hair said as he placed a steaming cup of jasmine tea into Chi Ke’s hand, his voice filled with emotion.

    Chi Ke stared at him for a few seconds before saying, “Butler Wu, where are your glasses?”

    The man had swapped his suit for casual loungewear, and his signature monocle was gone. At first glance, Chi Ke almost didn’t recognize him.

    Luckily, he still remembered his voice.

    “With Master Leng and Mr. Xu both away, what’s the point of wearing them?” Butler Wu noticed his confusion and said, “You forgot? I’m not nearsighted. I only wore glasses because of Mr. Xu.”

    Chi Ke: “?”

    Apparently, last July, when Xu Lemin first arrived at the Leng family house, he took one look at Butler Wu and said, “Brother Yunting, why doesn’t your butler wear a suit and monocle like the ones on TV? This isn’t right.”

    Then, Leng Yunting immediately had Madam Wang [mfn]probably a part of staff[/mfn] fetch a suit within ten minutes and affectionately told Xu Lemin, “From now on, he will.”

    After hearing the full story, Chi Ke: “…”

    Sorry, he underestimated how delusional those two were.

    “Dr. Ji forgot about it too. You two are really…” Butler Wu sighed and shook his head. “You’re both so young, yet your memories are worse than mine.”

    “You’re in your prime, naturally sharper than us,” Chi Ke replied smoothly as he sipped his tea.

    He was good at socializing when he wanted to be, so he casually steered the conversation. “How has Dr. Ji changed?”

    “Dr. Ji used to be so quiet,” Butler Wu reminisced. “The young master of the Ji family was always soft-spoken, extremely gentle, never losing his temper. No matter how much Master Leng yelled at him, he never got angry. But now…”

    “President Leng, I’ve completed the task you assigned me,” Ji Qian’s voice rang out as he descended the stairs. His speech was as fast as a bullet, enthusiastic, cheerful and falsely exaggerated, “Of course, I took it seriously. How could I not? It was a whopping 36.9°C! Just 0.3 degrees away from a fever! How could I not treat it with utmost caution? Not only did I personally assess him, but I even held a video consultation with my senior colleagues and former professors. Everyone was so serious—we skipped meals and sleep, dressed in full suits in front of our cameras. After an intense discussion, we all agreed that Xu Lemin will be perfectly fine to go on a date with you tomorrow morning.”

    Anyone could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

    Chi Ke chuckled and said, “Seems like he’s been possessed.”

    “Exactly!” Butler Wu sighed with a helpless smile, “But it’s probably for the best—this is how a true young master should be. Speaking of which, Assistant Chi, you’ve changed too.”

    Chi Ke didn’t comment.

    He chose not to dwell on the topic and instead greeted the approaching Dr. Ji, “How is Mr. Xu?”

    “He was already asleep when I went to check in. Completely healthy.” When talking about his patient, Ji Qian’s tone became more professional. “His breathing is still a little heavy, so he should avoid greasy, salty, and spicy foods for the next few days. Continue the prescribed medication for two more days. If he goes out in the morning, make sure he dresses warmly and avoids strenuous activity to prevent excessive sweating. It’s nothing serious.”

    “I’ll relay this to President Leng.”

    Chi Ke thought: Indeed, no matter how unreliable someone may seem, they always become cautious when it comes to the person they like.

    If it weren’t for these medical instructions, he would have almost forgotten about this private doctor’s hidden affection for the protagonist.

    But at the end of the day, Chi Ke wasn’t interested in anyone outside of the original owner, let alone their tangled emotions.

    He glanced at the new work notification he had just received and nodded at Ji Qian, “Since my supervision here is done, I’ll be heading out. I still need to finalize the amusement park’s bills and contracts.”

    “In such a rush?” Ji Qian hadn’t expected him to be so business-like. “Not even staying for a drink?”

    “I’m on a tight schedule. Next time.” Chi Ke declined with the typical phrasing of a corporate worker.

    Ji Qian let out a dry “Oh” and didn’t push further. “Then, let me give you a ride?”

    Chi Ke glanced at Ji Qian’s slippers and thought to himself, ‘I’m not that reckless’. Shaking his head, he refused again, “I drove President Leng’s car.”

    Ji Qian, as if afraid Chi Ke would disappear in a blink, suddenly reached out and grabbed his suit sleeve.

    “Doctor, is there something else?” The action was a bit abrupt but not intrusive enough to cross any boundaries. Chi Ke was puzzled but not repulsed and allowed him to hold on.

    Ji Qian hesitated before speaking. “Assistant Chi, were you always this cold to me?”

    Chi Ke smiled and echoed Ji Qian’s own words back to him, “Doctor, we’re meeting for the ‘first time’ today.”

    If they had truly been friends, Chi Ke would have taken the matter seriously.

    But he could tell—they weren’t close at all.

    If they had been, Ji Qian would have immediately noticed the change in ‘Assistant Chi.’ As a friend, his first instinct should have been to probe, to be on guard—not to casually joke around like this.

    Just now, Chi Ke had even double-checked his work WeChat. He wasn’t even there in his chats. Their prior interactions had been solely through phone calls and emails.

    “Right, first time meeting…” Ji Qian let go and smiled helplessly. “So, do you kind of dislike me?”

    Sharp.

    Chi Ke shook his head and answered honestly, “We’re just not familiar.”

    “I see. President Leng said Assistant Chi has a gentle personality. I thought maybe you disliked me…” Ji Qian murmured before brightening up again. “As long as you don’t dislike me. Assistant Chi, we’ll get to know each other better over time.”

    [He dressed plainly, out of place in this city of fashion. He always kept his head slightly lowered, making some unruly strands of hair fall over his forehead. His voice was soft, as if afraid to attract attention. Every movement seemed like an attempt to shield himself from the scrutiny of the outside world.]

    That was how the novel described Dr. Ji.

    Yet the man in front of him—casual and lazy in demeanor—wasn’t just different from the description; he was completely unrecognizable.

    Chi Ke disliked dealing with people who were too full of life.

    They were unpredictable, prone to throwing plans into chaos. And he had no patience for ‘uncertainties.’

    Before he could respond, a sudden ringtone blared through the air—

    ‘I want to fly forward~ I am a rose waiting for love~!’

    “Excuse me, I need to take this.” Ji Qian quickly fished out his phone, cutting off the Phoenix Legend song. “Mm, mm… Alright, give me a report. Prep the operating room. I’m heading over now. Should be there by three.”

    His brows furrowed as he listened, his tone all business. He didn’t waste a single extra word, nor did he spare Chi Ke another glance as he strode toward the exit.

    Only as he passed by did he softly murmur, “Assistant Chi, there’s heavy fog tonight. Drive safely. See you next time.”

    His voice was light, but because of the proximity, Chi Ke could feel the faint warmth of his breath against his ear.

    It tickled. He tilted his head slightly and lowered his voice as well. “Dr. Ji, driving in slippers is unsafe.”

    “Huh? Oh… Right.” Ji Qian was caught off guard, momentarily stunned. He reached the doorway, then suddenly doubled back and shoved a bandage into Chi Ke’s hand. “Almost forgot this. I’m always careful—I wasn’t actually driving in slippers. I have proper shoes. Thanks for your concern, Assistant Chi.”

    Chi Ke: “…”

    Who was concerned about you?

    He looked down and belatedly realized that the bandage he had put on his paper-cut finger had fallen off. A tiny red mark was left on his fingertip—barely noticeable, even to himself.

    As the Ferrari’s deafening engine roared to life outside, Chi Ke unwrapped the bandage and applied it, then picked up Leng Yunting’s Porsche keys and left the villa.

    …

    By the time Ji Qian finished the surgery, the sky had already turned a pale shade of dawn. The first rays of sunlight spilled through the horizon, casting a gentle warmth over everything.

    He rubbed his sore neck, and before he could react, someone popped up beside him and started massaging his shoulders.

    “Sorry, senior. You’re about to resign, and we still had to drag you in for an all-nighter.”

    “My resignation hasn’t been approved yet, and they still owe me half a month’s salary. So for now, I’m still a doctor here. It’s not ‘helping out’—it’s my job.” Ji Qian waved him off. “And with that strength? Feels like you’re just scratching an itch.”

    “Heh, too exhausted… no energy left,” the doctor collapsed into a chair, completely drained. “Senior, I really admire your stamina. Aren’t you tired? You’re still smiling.”

    “Of course I’m tired,” Ji Qian slumped into another chair, closing his eyes. “But… I’m in a good mood.”

    “Hm?” The other guy perked up instantly. “What happened? Won the lottery last night?”

    “Heh,” Ji Qian lifted one eyelid lazily. “I just met someone interesting.”

    “Oooohhh? Love at first sight? A gorgeous beauty?”

    “Get lost. What love at first sight? It’s a guy. Just someone I found intriguing… and a little relatable.” Ji Qian shot him a glare and kicked him away.

    “Che.” The guy rolled his chair in a circle before scooting back over. “So… is he handsome?”

    Ji Qian: “…”

    As if recalling something, Ji Qian suddenly grinned. “Yeah. A ridiculously, insanely, outrageously handsome guy.”

    Chi Ke’s face wasn’t just handsome—it was the kind of beauty that struck like a lightning bolt. Raw, unfiltered, undeniable. A kind of handsomeness that burned itself into your memory at first glance.

    Especially his eyes.

    Chi Ke’s eyes were impossibly calm and deep, like an ocean before a storm—vast, silent, yet brimming with an unseen turbulence.

    Last night, though the wind was faint, it carried sound. But in that moment, Ji Qian heard nothing.

    Just the heavy, rhythmic echo of his own heartbeat.

    For a fleeting second, time seemed to freeze—

    Like two kindred souls finally resonating on a deserted island.

    In that instant of looking into each other’s eyes, as he gazed into those surging, shadowed waves, a strange wave of sadness washed over him.