Chapter 345: The Importance of Experience
Five minutes later, Xie Yiren’s message came in, telling Zheng Ren to meet at the usual basement parking spot at Zone D.
The whole emergency department, be it the wards or the operating room, knew about Zheng Ren and Xie Yiren’s budding relationship. However, Little Yiren was still hiding in her own world, unwilling to face the truth.
Zheng Ren happily went down to the basement parking.
He made sure his eyes were wide open as he searched for the curvaceous Volvo XC60.
“Weyh! Here!” Xie Yiren wound down her car window and called out.
It was 20 meters away and he failed to spot it. Sweat dripped from his forehead.
‘I will succeed next time, next time!’ Zheng Ren thought to himself.
“Yiren, where are you looking at?” Zheng Ren asked.
Xie Yiren drove out of the car park. “There’s only one nearby.”
Zheng Ren was puzzled and Xie Yiren continued, explaining, “The IMAX, of course.”
Oh, so that was what she meant.
Did it mean that 2D and 3D cinemas were nothing in Xie Yiren’s eyes?
“The surround sound and cinematic effects are amazing. Back when IMAX was not available in Sea City, I would drive to Provincial Capital to watch movies,” Xie Yiren told Zheng Ren as she drove.
The country’s first IMAX theater opened in Sorcery Capital when Xie Yiren was still in school. She fell in love with its atmosphere and effects. When Sea City got their first IMAX theater, she was ecstatic.
A third-tier city like Sea City only had one IMAX theater and Xie Yiren quickly became its loyal patron.
Zheng Ren listened attentively to her. Time passed them by gently.
Once they reached the cinema, Zheng Ren felt his anxiety work its way up.
Xie Yiren scanned the barcode to retrieve their tickets. She went downstairs and got them two ice cream cones.
“It’s half price for the second cone. Every time I come to the movies alone, I would get two despite not being able to finish the second one. It’s a bit of a waste.” Xie Yiren chuckled. She handed Zheng Ren a cone and began nibbling at her own.
Zheng Ren did not know what ice cream flavor it was. The scene was playing out in a different fashion from what he had imagined. Life was not his to control.
He had thought to arrive at the cinema late so they could walk into the theater while it was dark.
He should have spent more time making the rounds, perhaps checking up on the ICU as well. That would have taken up some time.
He would take this as a lesson for the next time they came to the movies.
The ice cream was mediocre when compared to the faint smell of perfume on Xie Yiren’s body, and Zheng Ren soon found himself intoxicated.
“Let’s go!” Xie Yiren suddenly stood up.
“It’s starting?”
“Yes.”
Zheng Ren trailed behind Xie Yiren, his mind in a daze. She was wearing a white cap with two pom-poms that wiggled as she walked. She was adorable.
They entered the theater. The room was brightly lit, a stark contrast to what he had imagined.
Xie Yiren led them down the aisle, a youthful spring in every step.
Row 7, seat number 17 and 18. They took their seats.
Zheng Ren noted the armrest between the two seats and sighed.
This would be a learning experience for him. He would summarize all the learnings today and make sure history did not repeat itself.
Xie Yiren’s ice cream was gone. She had her cap in her lap and was toying with the two pom-poms.
How Zheng Ren wished he could be the pom-poms in her hands.
The lights in the theater dimmed as the movie started.
Zheng Ren did not pay attention to the movie. Instead, he was surreptitiously moving his arm. He wanted to rest his arm around Xie Yiren’s shoulders and pull her into his embrace.
At that moment, he realized the importance of the advice Su Yun had given.
Hypothetically speaking…
If he moved his arm over and Xie Yiren did not pull away, the biggest barrier between them would be the armrest.
Should he then remove the armrest?
Would that be too eager?
The gentle and unrushed atmosphere would be broken by that abrupt action.
At that moment, Zheng Ren had a measure of respect for the experienced Su Yun.
That guy ought to have gone through a lot of relationships to be able to distill such knowledge.
When Yang Lili’s condition was better, Zheng Ren would have to consult Su Yun on the matter.
These thoughts occupied his mind as the movie played onscreen. He was oblivious to its plot.
He had abandoned the desire to get Xie Yiren into his arms. Instead, he focused on breathing the air that carried Little Yiren’s scent. It calmed his wildly beating heart.
Unfortunately, fate had scheduled an interruption.
Less than an hour into the movie, Zheng Ren’s phone buzzed in his pocket, snapping him out of his daze.
The number was from the emergency department. He answered the call.
The movie was at its climax and the booming sound effects effectively muted the caller.
He nudged Xie Yiren and signaled that he was going out to answer the call. He ducked down as he hurriedly made his exit.
“What’s happening?”
“Oh, okay. I’ll be back as soon as possible. Get gynecology to consult.”
He ended the call.
He turned and found Little Yiren closing the theater door.
“An emergency case?” Xie Yiren asked.
“Yes, a 17-year-old girl with lower abdominal pain. A B-scan ultrasonography was inconclusive and they’re asking for me to have a look,” Zheng Ren said apologetically.
Xie Yiren gave him a sweet smile and put on her cap. She shook her head and the two pom-poms bounced in response.
“Come on, let’s make haste.”
Zheng Ren put aside his earlier musings and focused on his job.
They jogged to the car and quickly strapped themselves in.
This time, Xie Yiren’s driving was no longer the slow crawl that Zheng Ren had gotten accustomed to. He felt the car’s acceleration push him deeper into his seat.
Like a feral dog unleashed, the Volvo XC60 tore down the streets as it made its way to Sea City General Hospital.
Zheng Ren headed straight to the emergency department, forgoing a change of clothes.
Meanwhile, Xie Yiren went to the operating room and waited for Zheng Ren’s call.
In the emergency rescue room, a young, pale-faced girl was clutching her abdomen in pain.
The gynecology department chief resident, whom Zheng Ren knew, was present.
There was no time for pleasantries. Zheng Ren asked, “What’s your diagnosis?”
“Could be an ectopic pregnancy but the family and the patient denied any form of sexual contact,” the gynecology chief resident whispered.
Zheng Ren questioned the sonographer. “What did the ultrasound show?”
“The blood vessels don’t seem to be branching from the ovaries, though the pain is radiating from that area. I don’t think it’s a gynecological problem.”
There was a disagreement between the two departments. Zheng Ren got the patient to lie flat on her back. The patient’s pants were pushed down to reveal her lower abdomen. He applied the ultrasonic couplant and personally performed the ultrasound.