"Mom, would you like a bite?" The woman slurped some noodles, her mouth making loud smacking sounds. "The doctor said I should eat light these days, you forgetful girl." The elderly woman lying on the hospital bed sighed repeatedly. The woman said nonchalantly. An Yin peeked around, but the curtain was drawn so tightly she couldn’t see what was happening beside them. Just then, Aunt Chen, who was playing on her phone outside, walked to the foot of the bed. Mindful of the man’s presence and his intimidating demeanor, she restrained her tone, "What do you want for lunch?" The woman’s sharp tone was unpleasant to hear. Always meek, An Yin turned her head, glaring angrily at the woman, "What my mom wants to eat is not your concern." "You little brat..." Aunt Chen blurted out a curse, but stopped when she saw the man looking at her with a stormy expression. Instead, she said, "You think I want to care? If it weren’t for Mr. Su’s instructions, I wouldn’t want to be here all day long." The main issue was the meager salary, Aunt Chen thought resentfully. An Yin mumbled, just about to speak but was cut off by An Ying. "Aunt Chen, we don’t need you here today, please leave." An Ying didn’t want Aunt Chen to reveal too much in front of her daughter. Bao Shaojin stepped forward, staring down at Aunt Chen with an overwhelming presence. The man’s cold eyes regarded her as if she were an inanimate object. Ultimately, Aunt Chen conceded and left, tail between her legs. Bao Shaojin watched the woman leave, then stood directly behind An Yin. "Thank you." An Ying looked at him, slowly expressing her gratitude. "No need to be so polite, Aunt An." Bao Shaojin responded. An Ying noticed the noble and aloof demeanor that permeated the man’s every gesture, leading her to speculate that his identity was not ordinary. If that were true, then his relationship with her daughter... She felt a faint pain in her forehead and closed her eyes to rest. Seeing Mrs. An suddenly close her eyes, An Yin looked anxious. "I’m fine." An Ying slowly opened her tired eyes, "Just a little sleepy." In fact, her head hurt a bit, but An Ying didn’t want her daughter to worry. "Then you rest for a while, I’ll stay here with you." Bao Shaojin noticed An Ying’s complexion and knew she was lying, but didn’t expose her. "I’m stepping out for a bit, I’ll be right back." Bao Shaojin bent down, whispering to the little girl. The man was so close that An Yin was enveloped in his scent, and she blinked rapidly, dumbfounded, "Oh." Bao Shaojin was only gone for a few minutes. When he returned, he was accompanied by a doctor in a white coat. An Yin was momentarily stunned before standing up, "Hello, doctor!" she greeted politely. An Yin noticed the doctor’s hair was entirely white, giving him an ethereal, sage-like aura. Resting her eyes on the bed, An Ying saw the newcomer and quickly noticed the nameplate on the doctor’s chest. The words "Deputy Director" were very conspicuous. "Hello, young lady." The Deputy Director smiled at the lovely young girl, then looked at the equally beautiful woman on the bed, "Mrs. An." Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾·𝗇𝖾𝗍 "Deputy Director." An Ying gazed at him with composure. The Deputy Director heard the address and laughed heartily, glancing down at his nameplate, "Mrs. An, you have keen eyes." Since her hospitalization, An Ying had never seen the man before, and his sudden appearance made her direct, "Is there something you need from me, Deputy Director?" An Yin, looking at the doctor in the white coat, felt an instinctive fear, nervously watching him, dreading bad news. Bao Shaojin, noticing the girl’s agitation, strolled over to her side, "Don’t be afraid." The man’s deep and magnetic voice in her ear provided An Yin’s anxious heart with a modicum of comfort. The Deputy Director and An Ying also noticed the commotion on their side. In contrast to An Ying’s silent demeanor, the Deputy Director’s look at Bao Shaojin conveyed several degrees of disbelief and surprise. However, being seasoned in life’s tempests, he knew how to control his expression. After the initial shock, the Deputy Director looked at the young girl with added consideration. Again, An Ying repeated, "Deputy Director, is there anything you need from me?" After a moment’s pause, the Deputy Director replied, "I’m here to inform you that a nurse will come soon to take you to my side." An Ying looked puzzled, "What do you mean?" "I’ve taken over your case." The Deputy Director stated solemnly. "Doctor, has my mother’s condition worsened?" An Yin asked urgently, alarmed by the doctor’s serious tone. "No need to worry." The Deputy Director, noting the puffiness of the young girl’s eyes that suggested she had been crying earlier, explained, "It was young Jin’s request." Both An Ying and her daughter turned to look at Bao Shaojin. "Aunt An, Uncle Qin is an authority in orthopedics. For the sake of your health, please don’t decline." Bao Shaojin’s deep eyes reflected a proud aura. An Yin wanted to say something, but considering her mother’s health, she dared not refuse Bao Shaojin’s suggestion. She even hoped her mother would immediately agree to the doctor’s request. An Ying’s eyes, bright as autumn water, settled on Bao Shaojin, her heart already with an answer, "Thank you for your kind offer, but it’s really not necessary." How could Bao Shaojin not perceive her distance? The Deputy Director sensed the awkward atmosphere and sighed, "If you come to a decision, feel free to find me." "Thank you, Uncle Qin." The Deputy Director cast a meaningful glance in Bao Shaojin’s direction before leaving. As the door to the ward closed, A noise of chattering discussions could be heard nearby. "Was that the Deputy Director?" "Tsk tsk, I tried booking an appointment with him last time, but the lady at the counter said the Deputy Director no longer sees patients, focusing entirely on research. I didn’t expect he’d personally take on a case." "And yet they’re not grateful?" "Mom, what do you think their identity is?" "You brat, just eat your noodles already. You spend all day gossiping." "Well, I take after you. Our neighbors say there’s nothing you don’t know on our street." "You brat, are you trying to anger me to death?" the elderly woman said, both angry and ashamed. The woman finally shut her mouth and obediently ate her food. Their voices were so loud that everyone in the ward could hear them. Listening to others’ banter, An Yin lifted her head dejectedly, softly suggesting, "Mom, could you move to the Deputy Director’s care?" The young girl’s eyes sparkled, and her fair, delicate face wore a pleading expression. In her heart, nothing was more important than her mother, especially seeing how her face had grown thinner than before. An Yin felt a pang of sadness, causing her intense discomfort.