Morning sunlight slowly slipped through the hospital curtains.
Su Yan opened her eyes slowly, her head still heavy.
"Doctor Lei…?" she whispered softly.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
She slowly turned her head and noticed something on the table beside her bed.
A small breakfast box.
A glass of water.
And neatly arranged medicine.
Su Yan blinked in surprise.
"He left this for me…?"
Her fingers gently touched the warm container.
For some reason… her heart felt strangely warm.
Outside the room, in the quiet hospital hallway, two figures stood talking.
"You stayed up all night for your neighbor?"
Dr. Lin Mei crossed her arms, watching him carefully.
Lei Jun adjusted the sleeve of his white coat.
"She had no one else here."
His answer was simple.
Calm.
But Lin Mei knew him well enough to notice something different.
He was never this attentive to ordinary patients.
Inside the room, Su Yan slowly stood near the door.
Through the small gap, she could hear their voices.
"They seem really close…" she murmured softly.
For a moment, she felt like she had stepped into a world that didn't belong to her.
Suddenly, the door opened.
Lei Jun looked slightly surprised to see her standing there.
"You should still be resting," he said calmly.
Su Yan looked at him for a moment… then smiled shyly.
"Thank you… for taking care of me."
For a second, time felt strangely still.
Lei Jun looked away slightly.
But inside his chest, something unfamiliar stirred.
Why do I feel relieved… seeing her smile?
The hospital discharge papers rested quietly on the desk.
Su Yan stepped out of the hospital, breathing in the fresh air.
After days of medicine and hospital smell, the outside world felt strangely refreshing.
Her phone suddenly rang.
"Mom?"
Her mother's cheerful voice immediately filled the call.
"Su Yan! I arranged a blind date for you tonight."
Su Yan froze.
"A blind date…?"
"Yes! The man is a doctor. Very handsome and responsible."
Su Yan sighed softly.
"Mom… I just got discharged from the hospital."
"That's even better! Doctors take good care of people."
Before Su Yan could protest, the call ended.
Across the city, another phone rang.
Lei Jun had just finished writing patient notes.
"Mom?" he answered calmly.
"Jun! You must go to the blind date tonight."
Lei Jun frowned slightly.
"A blind date?"
"Yes. The girl is very kind and works at a private company."
"I'm busy."
"No excuses!"
The call ended immediately.
Lei Jun sighed quietly.
That evening…
A quiet café glowed under warm lights.
Su Yan nervously stirred her coffee.
"Blind dates are always awkward…"
At that exact moment, the café door opened.
Footsteps approached her table.
"Sorry, I'm late."
The voice felt strangely familiar.
Su Yan slowly looked up.
Her eyes widened.
"…Doctor Lei?"
Lei Jun froze as well.
"…Su Yan?"
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence between them felt almost unreal.
Of all the people in the city…
Their parents had arranged a blind date between two neighbors who already knew each other.
And somehow…
Neither of them knew whether to laugh or panic.
The café felt… too quiet.
Not peaceful.
Not calm.
Just—
Painfully awkward.
Su Yan sat stiffly, her hands wrapped tightly around her cup.
Across from her, Lei Jun calmly sipped his coffee as if nothing unusual had happened.
But everything was unusual.
"…Doctor Lei… you're my blind date?!"
Her voice had already exposed her shock.
"…Looks like it."
That was it.
No surprise.
No reaction.
Just… acceptance.
"Our parents really didn't tell us anything…" she murmured, still trying to process it.
Lei Jun nodded slightly.
"They tend to act independently."
Independently?!
Su Yan almost laughed.
This was basically a setup!
"This is so embarrassing…" she whispered, lowering her gaze.
Silence.
A long…
Heavy…
Uncomfortable silence.
Clink.
The sound of his cup touching the table felt louder than it should.
"So…" she forced a smile.
"You agreed to a blind date?"
"My mother forced me."
Immediate answer.
No hesitation.
Su Yan blinked.
"…Same."
They looked at each other.
For the first time—
They both sighed.
Another silence.
But this one felt… slightly lighter.
Then—
VIBRRR…
Both their phones buzzed at the same time.
They froze.
Slowly—
They looked down.
"Mom"
Displayed on both screens.
They exchanged a glance.
A silent agreement.
"Don't answer," Su Yan whispered.
"…Agreed."
But the phones kept vibrating.
Relentless.
Persistent.
Just like their mothers.
Su Yan panicked.
"They're going to call non-stop!"
Lei Jun calmly stood up.
"Come with me."
"…Huh?"
Before she could react, he gently pulled her wrist and led her toward a quieter corner of the café.
Hidden.
Away from curious eyes.
"Answer now," he said.
They both picked up.
And instantly—
"HOW IS HE?!"
"IS SHE PRETTY?!"
Their mothers' voices exploded through the phones.
Su Yan winced.
Lei Jun slightly frowned.
"…We're talking," he said calmly.
"YOU MUST GET ALONG!"
"DON'T COME HOME WITHOUT PROGRESS!"
Click.
Both calls ended at the exact same time.
Silence again.
Su Yan slowly looked up at him.
"…Did we just get threatened?"
"…Yes."
They stared at each other.
And then—
For the first time—
A small, helpless laugh escaped from Su Yan.
Lei Jun didn't laugh.
But…
His expression softened.
Just a little.
"…This is troublesome," he said.
"…Very," she agreed.
Another pause.
Then—
Quietly—
"…Should we cooperate?" he asked.
Su Yan blinked.
And without realizing it—
She nodded.
And just like that—
Their "agreement" began…
Not with romance—
But with survival.