Marriage at Thirty - Chapter 22

Fu Linling suffered from insomnia.

Since reuniting with Lin Ran, the frequency of her insomnia had increased, and the duration of her sleeplessness had grown longer.

She had taken the drawing from Lin Ran and had been holding it, staring at it for the better part of the day.

While she felt happy about the words Lin Ran had said, she couldn’t help but recall her student days.

She was always the first to arrive at the classroom and the last to leave, with almost no recreational activities; all her time was devoted to her studies.

She also envied others who could go out and play, but she didn’t know what the future held, so she could only do as her teachers and parents told her—only studying offered a future.

Even though some people mocked her for only knowing how to ‘study dead books’ and called her a bookworm. Now, however, she was truly grateful for that studious bookworm she once was.

She could now work in a respectable profession she loved, earn a good income, settle down in a big city, and achieve success in the secular sense. Moreover, she was now tall, her appearance was more than acceptable, and she was even married to Lin Ran.

Everything she possessed now was due to her hard work back then.

Lin Ran was right; she should be proud of herself.

“Dr. Fu, is there some good news?” Nurse Qin asked.

“Why do you ask?” Fu Linling stood nearby, watching Lin Song operate. Simple procedures were assigned to the interns for practical experience.

“Nothing, I just feel like you’re in a great mood today, smiling to yourself every now and then. It’s obviously something happy,” the nurse said.

“Am I?” Fu Linling looked at the other interns.

One exceptional male intern nodded and asked: “Yes, are you thinking about our mentor’s wife?”

Hearing this, the others burst out laughing and quickly covered their mouths.

Fu Linling swept her gaze over them, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. Without confirming or denying it, she said: “You seem quite idle. The next patient is yours. Are you ready?”

“No problem, I was the one who took the mold for that patient last time.”

As she spoke, Fu Linling lowered her head, then pressed down on Lin Song’s shoulder: “My turn.”

Lin Song’s face immediately went pale. He stepped aside and watched her operate.

When the shift ended, Fu Linling briefly addressed their individual issues, and when her gaze landed on Lin Song, she said: “It’s good to strive to do a job well, but we are dealing with patients. Being so focused on the situation inside the teeth and rushing to achieve results while ignoring the patient’s pain response is unacceptable. Also, you need to concentrate. Don’t get so nervous because I’m watching that you can’t focus on the task at hand.”

Lin Song lowered his head.

A few days later, a group of personnel arrived at the hospital for an exchange and study program. The team was led by Fu Linling’s Ph.D. advisor, who brought several young doctors to learn.

The advisor was delighted to see Fu Linling and introduced her to the others with pride and satisfaction.

Fu Linling hadn’t seen her advisor in a long time and was naturally happy. She had intended to invite him out for a meal, but the Department Chief had already organized a dinner, scheduled for that evening.

All the doctors in the department came, and with the advisor’s team, they needed a very large private room to fit everyone.

Fu Linling checked the time and sent Lin Ran a message on WeChat: [I have a dinner engagement tonight, so I won’t be home to cook. Eat without me.]

Ran.: [No problem

Fu Linling looked at the emoticon and found it adorable, the corner of her mouth lifting in a slight arc.

“Linling, Fu Linling.”

Fu Linling heard her advisor calling her and quickly looked up and answered.

The advisor asked about her current situation, mainly focusing on work, and said: “I’ve read the paper you published. It’s very good.”

The Chief followed the advisor’s lead and praised her: “Linling is the youngest and most attractive associate chief physician in our department. It’s truly something to be proud of that you mentored such an excellent student.”

The advisor chuckled: “She is indeed very reliable. Guiding her was no difficulty at all. She’s grounded and ambitious. Anyone who mentored her would have the same result. I was just lucky.”

Fu Linling replied: “I’m the lucky one. It’s all thanks to your mentorship.”

The advisor laughed.

The Chief then added: “She’s also married now.”

“Really?” The advisor was a little surprised but pleased. “Why didn’t you mention this? Such a big event as a wedding, and you didn’t invite me?”

“We didn’t have a wedding; we just simply invited our two families for a meal,” Fu Linling explained.

“Young people nowadays just want to keep things simple,” the advisor smiled. “Who is your husband? A colleague?”

Everyone else immediately fell silent, unable to answer for her, and looked toward Fu Linling.

Fu Linling said: “Advisor, she is a woman; she is my wife.”

“I would never have guessed…” The advisor was slightly surprised, but his excellent manners allowed him to quickly accept the unexpected fact. He smiled again: “If your junior mentees knew, they would be utterly astonished.”

Fu Linling was famous in school for being both a beauty and an academic star, yet she had absolutely no dating rumors and never went on a date. Everyone had assumed she was dedicating her life to medicine. Thus, hearing the news of her marriage, the advisor was genuinely happy for her.

The table was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation. As they were all in the same profession, they had plenty to talk about. Due to the advisor’s presence, the younger doctors who came to study also enjoyed talking to Fu Linling.

Alcohol, naturally, was consumed.

As the dinner neared its end, the Chief asked everyone how they were getting home, and one by one, everyone said they had their partners or boyfriends/girlfriends coming to pick them up.

Fu Linling usually just took a taxi home, but today she suddenly felt a little envious of her colleagues and wanted to experience having her partner pick her up.

She sent Lin Ran a message: [I’ve had some alcohol. Could you please come and pick me up?]

Ran.: [Right now?]

Fu Linling: [Mhm, is it convenient?]

Ran.: [It’s convenient. Send me the address.]

After sending her location, Fu Linling looked up, staring intently at the Chief, her eyes shining.

The Chief: “?”

It was the advisor who asked with concern: “Linling, how are you getting back? Is your wife coming to get you?”

“Yes, she is! She’ll be here right away!” Fu Linling answered with a hint of excitement, even eagerness.

The people picking up their partners arrived one after another, and people steadily started to leave, until only a few colleagues and the advisor’s group remained.

After the Chief settled the bill, everyone went downstairs together.

The advisor was staying at a hotel and called a car. While waiting, Fu Linling chatted with her advisor for a few minutes.

“Dr. Fu.”

Fu Linling heard someone call her from behind, turned her head, and saw it was Lin Ran. A smile instantly spread across her face, but then she suddenly froze when she saw the other woman’s arm.

Lin Ran suddenly had two tattoos on one arm: a very noticeable whale on her bicep and a small cat on her wrist.

As she approached, the crowd was first stunned by her appearance, and then they noticed her tattoos, curiously examining her.

“Linling, who is this?” the advisor asked.

“This is my wife, her name is Lin Ran,” Fu Linling introduced Lin Ran to everyone, and then briefly introduced the people there to Lin Ran.

Lin Ran recognized a few of the people, having seen them before at the KTV, but the others she was meeting for the first time. Upon hearing that they included the Chief and the Ph.D. advisor, she struggled to maintain her smile.

If I had known this gathering was full of such important figures, I would have at least changed into a long-sleeved shirt before leaving the house!

Fu Linling said goodbye to everyone, then got into Lin Ran’s car and drove away under the varied gazes of the crowd.

“That…” Lin Ran glanced at the older doctors in the rearview mirror, swallowed, and asked cautiously, “Dr. Fu, did I embarrass you?”

“Embarrass me how?” Fu Linling turned her head, her gaze instinctively falling on her arm.

“The tattoos. They probably think I’m a bad kid, right?”

“You are not a bad kid.” Fu Linling leaned closer, curiously looking at the tattoos. “Did you get these today? Can you get this effect with just one session? Why is there no sign of a wound?”

“They’re not tattoos; I drew them myself using dye I bought,” Lin Ran said.

“Drawn? They look so real?”

“Mhm. Have you heard of Henna tattoos?”

“No.” Fu Linling looked it up online and quickly learned the basics.

“But your colleagues and leaders don’t know they’re drawn. It’s over, it’s over. I must have left a bad impression on them, and now they’ll start doubting your judgment,” Lin Ran worried.

“What are you talking about?” Fu Linling laughed softly. “Can one tattoo negate a person’s character? They won’t have that kind of stereotype. Even if they do, then I don’t need to be close friends with them.”

At a red light, Lin Ran stopped the car and turned to ask: “What about you? Do you find my tattoos pleasing to the eye?”

Fu Linling raised her hand and gently touched the whale on her arm. She looked up: “Could you draw one for me too?”

Lin Ran was astonished: “You want one?”

“Mhm, it’s my mid-life rebellion.”

Lin Ran burst out laughing: “Sure! Where do you want to draw it? But you’re a doctor, so it definitely can’t be in a conspicuous place.”

“Let me think.”

“Actually, there’s a place that’s the least conspicuous and safest.”

“Where?”

“Your chest.”

Fu Linling looked at her sly smile and twitched the corner of her mouth: “All right. Would you dare to draw it for me?”

Lin Ran choked slightly. She hadn’t expected Dr. Fu not only not to blush this time but to tease her back.

“As long as you dare, I dare.”

The moment they closed the door upon arriving home, Lin Ran laughed: “Take off your clothes, Dr. Fu.”