In Binhai, mid-June was the rainy season.
It wasn’t raining tonight, but the sky was oppressively overcast.
Driven to the attic by the foul stench of durian, Yan Feifan stepped out onto the terrace and was immediately hit by the humid, stuffy air.
He walked to the railing, glanced at the glowing lights of Binhai University to the east and the residential buildings ahead, then turned his gaze back to Yu Suye beside him.
"Su Ye, if you want to eat durian, you don’t have to hold back."
Yu Suye smiled faintly. "For me, durian is a take-it-or-leave-it kind of fruit. Being with you is what’s most important."
"My favorite is a sweet, crisp apple."
After a pause, she asked, "Feifan, do you really not have any hobbies of your own?"
"Work is my hobby!" Yan Feifan replied directly.
Yu Suye leaned against the railing, looking ahead. "During my time at the family academy, we had to cultivate one sport and one artistic specialty from a young age."
"My sport was badminton. My artistic specialty was the piano."
"The piano?" Yan Feifan was a little surprised.
Yu Suye hummed in affirmation. "Back then, among the few of us girls, half chose the piano, and the other half chose the violin."
She lifted her hands, her fingers nimbly miming the playing of a few notes, then sighed softly. "I haven’t played the piano in years. I’ve probably forgotten most of it."
"I rarely play badminton anymore, either."
Yan Feifan suggested, "Su Ye, you could drag my sister to the badminton court. It would be a way to help her get some exercise, too."
"You’re not going to play badminton with me?" Yu Suye asked with a pout.
Yan Feifan said in all seriousness, "For a novice, a sport like badminton can easily injure the wrist and fingers."
"These hands of mine..."
Yan Feifan held up his right hand and said rather smugly, "Can’t get injured. The health of many patients depends on them."
Yu Suye couldn’t help but laugh. "Listen to you. Why don’t you get your hands insured for a few million?"
Yan Feifan grunted in agreement and said with great solemnity, "You’ve just reminded me. I really should consult an insurance company and see if they offer that kind of policy."
Yu Suye gave a soft scoff, then suddenly let out a little "Ah!" Her voice was full of excitement. "Feifan, your perspective sketches of the intraspinal tumor were incredibly realistic and vivid."
"You could take up drawing as a pastime and hobby."
She continued trying to persuade him, "Feifan, working day in and day out, year after year, will eventually wear us down."
"Using a hobby to soothe our pent-up frustrations will allow us to face tomorrow in a better state of mind and body."
Yan Feifan said casually, "When I’m in a bad mood and need to blow off steam, I go sing karaoke."
"Taking up drawing as a hobby, sketching internal organs, bones, tumors, and whatnot... that wouldn’t relieve much stress, would it?"
Yu Suye rolled her eyes. "Who told you to draw all that stuff that gives people immense pressure?"
"If you draw some flowers and plants, beautiful scenery, or handsome men and pretty women, you’ll naturally relax."
"I’m not very good at drawing those things you mentioned."
Yan Feifan admitted honestly, then added, "Nude sketches of beautiful women and handsome men, though, I can do that."
Yan Feifan’s words made Yu Suye’s face flush red.
The lighting on the terrace wasn’t all-encompassing, so Yu Suye turned her face into the shadows.
"Feifan, you have a great foundation in sketching. You’ll get the hang of it with a little practice."
"As for the beautiful woman’s nude body..."
Yu Suye paused, then hummed as quietly as a mosquito, "When you’ve practiced your drawing skills and gotten really good, I’ll be your model..."
Those words instantly made the atmosphere on the terrace a bit charged...
Looking at Yu Suye, who had her head lowered and didn’t dare to meet his gaze, Yan Feifan couldn’t help but lick his lips.
Just as he was about to speak, he heard the pitter-patter of footsteps.
The sound of those light, quick steps was clearly Tian Yu’s.
Sure enough, before she even arrived, Yan Feifan heard her voice, along with the "Jasmine" ringtone from a phone.
"Mr. Yan, Mr. Yan, phone, phone..."
Yan Feifan took the phone from Tian Yu’s other hand—the one not holding a piece of yellow durian flesh—and waved her away with disgust, signaling her to leave quickly and not pollute the environment.
He glanced at the phone. It was a call from Director Chen Yu...
"Feifan, your girlfriend Su Ye did a fantastic job. That guy took the bait and contacted me."
"No matter how many times I refused, telling him it was just a concept still in the theoretical and experimental stages and that the clinical surgery would be extremely risky..."
"He insisted, again and again, on joining our trial."
"Just now, he pressed his thumbprint on the agreement. We just have to wait for him to recover a bit, and then he can be our guinea pig."
After a short pause, Chen Yu added over the phone, "Of course, I didn’t go too far."