Super Doctor - Chapter 159

Xiao Dao was being very obedient now. After helping Xu Ze finish his tasks, he promptly shut off the external monitor. Seeing Xu Ze enter the virtual space, he grinned and asked, “Xu… how’s that little beauty doing? She’s quite cute, huh…”

“…” Xu Ze gave a wry smile. Xiao Dao was great in every way except for his habit of prying into matters involving pretty girls. Helpless, Xu Ze replied, “What else? She’s at my place now, sleeping in my bed, refusing to leave…”

“Huh? Sleeping in your bed again?” Xiao Dao blinked, then let out a sly chuckle. “Heh… not bad, not bad… You’re definitely way better than Tao Jun…”

Xiao Dao was about to say more, but seeing the mix of embarrassment and irritation on Xu Ze’s face, he wisely decided not to push his luck. Changing the subject, he said, “Let’s keep practicing the guitar today… You’ve absorbed some of Tao Jun’s experience and are already about 70-80% as skilled as he was. With a bit more effort and a few more days of practice, you’ll be there…”

“But I should remind you—you still don’t have your own piano or guitar. You’ll need to make time to buy them. If you want to improve further, the virtual space won’t cut it… You’ll need to play real instruments to make progress and surpass Tao Jun.”

“Plus, that’s the only way to get the best training effect for your mental energy. Right now, the virtual simulation only gives you less than half the real thing’s benefits.”

Hearing this, Xu Ze silently considered his options. If what Xiao Dao said was true, he really would need to buy those instruments. A guitar wasn’t a problem, but a piano might be beyond his budget—even an average one cost tens of thousands, and he wasn’t sure if it’d be suitable. To maximize his mental training, he’d probably need something even better.

But there was a music store at Bailian Shopping Mall… If he had time, he’d go check it out in the next day or two.

Xu Ze spent another night practicing the guitar in the virtual space, waking up promptly at six in the morning.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Tao Yiyi still curled up with his pillow, fast asleep. Her delicate face wore a faint smile, and she looked completely at ease lying beside him.

Seeing her like this, Xu Ze couldn’t help but think of Sun Lingfei. Unconsciously, he compared the two in his mind, then sighed inwardly. They were both exceptional in their own ways—it was hard to say who was better.

But in his heart, Sun Lingfei was probably the most beautiful… simply because he was in love with her now.

Xu Ze quietly got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. By the time he finished washing up, Tao Yiyi still hadn’t woken. After a moment’s thought, he grabbed a tracksuit from the wardrobe, changed in the guest room, then stepped out for a light jog along the lakeside.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Tao Yiyi’s eyes fluttered open. A mischievous smile crept onto her face.

She sat up, hugging the pillow to her chest for a moment, inhaling its scent before reluctantly putting it down. Barefoot, she padded to the bathroom.

On the sink, she found a new toothbrush and a cup carefully placed for her. Remembering how Xu Ze had slept peacefully beside her last night—never crossing any lines—she couldn’t help but smile. Xu Ze… he’s really so handsome, so good…

After freshening up, she returned to Xu Ze’s room and pushed open the floor-to-ceiling window leading to the balcony. Her eyes widened in surprise—below was the stunning North Lake.

“It’s so beautiful… even prettier than Tianyang Mountain!” Delighted, she gazed at the lake veiled in morning mist. Then her eyes caught a familiar figure jogging along the shore, and her gaze grew distant.

Xu Ze picked up speed as he ran, his strides powerful as he cut through the mist, his figure disappearing into the haze.

His breathing remained steady, but his pace quickened. Watching the cherry blossom trees blur past, he nodded in satisfaction—his physical condition was better than ever.

Yesterday, during the fight, he’d realized his body had grown significantly stronger. Testing it today confirmed it—his agility and speed were both outstanding.

He completed the lakeside loop faster than usual, slowing only slightly when passing other early risers. By the time he returned home, he’d shaved a quarter off his usual time.

A light sheen of sweat on his skin, Xu Ze opened the door, expecting Tao Yiyi to be awake. Instead, an enticing aroma greeted him, making his empty stomach growl.

Hearing the door, Tao Yiyi peeked out from the kitchen, smiling brightly. “You’re back… breakfast will be ready soon!”

Seeing her in an apron, bustling about, Xu Ze felt a warmth in his chest—but it was quickly replaced by a resigned shake of his head. He grabbed fresh clothes and headed for the shower.

When he emerged, two steaming bowls of noodles waited on the table, each topped with a golden fried egg and sprinkled with scallions—irresistible.

Tao Yiyi set down a small plate, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Xu Ze, his damp hair tousled, looking effortlessly handsome. “Breakfast is served.”

Xu Ze sat, inhaling deeply. “It smells amazing.”

“Try it… I haven’t cooked in a while, so I’m not sure how it turned out,” she said, a hint of shy pride in her voice.

“Just the look and smell tell me it’ll be great.” He took a bite, chewed, then nodded enthusiastically. True to his expectations, it was delicious. He dug in heartily, mumbling between mouthfuls, “So good…”

Watching him enjoy her cooking, Tao Yiyi beamed. She nudged the plate toward him. “I saw some dumplings in your fridge—steamed a few in case you were still hungry.”

“Thanks… I’ll finish the noodles first.”

By the time breakfast ended, it was past seven. Checking his phone, Xu Ze said, “I’ve got work. Do you want to rest here a bit longer, or head to school?”

“I’ll go to school later. You go ahead—I’ll clean up.” She glanced at his empty bowl, smiling.

“Alright, I’m running late. Just lock up when you leave.” With that, he was off.

As the door closed, Tao Yiyi’s smile faded. She sighed softly. “Xu Ze… is Sun Lingfei really that special?”

Today was a night shift, but doctors still had morning rounds—handling their inpatients before resting in the afternoon and returning for the night.

Xu Ze’s workload was light. After a few days, he and Director Qu had stabilized their three patients: one with pulmonary heart disease, another with bronchitis, and Old Wang with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Compared to his colleagues, who each handled seven or eight patients, he had it easy.

The upside of the ER was that these were observation cases—no lengthy admission reports, just daily checks, prescriptions, and progress notes.

The downside? High patient turnover. Severe cases were transferred to inpatient departments; mild ones discharged after a few days. The constant flow made the ER hectic.

At the hospital, Director Qu had grown confident in Xu Ze. Though technically on duty, the director mostly stayed in his office, leaving Xu Ze in charge. He’d even pre-signed a stack of prescriptions, so Xu Ze could prescribe without constant approval.

That afternoon, Xu Ze napped in the on-call room rather than going home, squeezing in another ten hours of guitar practice in the virtual space.

For the night shift, Director Qu remained diligent—trusting Xu Ze but staying available for consultation.

The night was busy. Xu Ze admitted two patients: one with coronary heart disease, another with a stroke.

The coronary case was stabilized and sent to cardiology. The stroke patient went for a CT scan—results showed a cerebral infarction, not a hemorrhage. No surgery needed—just thrombolysis in neurology. Early intervention meant good recovery odds.

Just as Xu Ze wrapped up, the ER across the hall erupted in chaos. Ambulances brought in six or seven patients—a multi-vehicle accident, all seriously injured.

Watching the stretchers roll in, Xu Ze sighed. The ER surgeon was alone—he’d be overwhelmed. As an internal medicine resident, stepping in was tricky…

But standing by while patients might die? That was something Xu Ze’s conscience couldn’t allow.