"You fell yourself? On purpose?"

For a moment, Lin Jie was at a loss, scratching his head in confusion. He asked angrily, "Miaomiao, what exactly happened?"

He huffed, "I also found that you're becoming less and less obedient!"

"Do you think that since your eyes are better now, and you have someone to rely on, you can indulge yourself, and want to become a carefree, freely roaming young girl again?"

"No way, I've always been well-behaved, okay?"

Lin Miao retorted unhappily, playing with her fingers, and said softly, "In the afternoon, I went shopping with Tingting and somehow ended up at Donghua Hospital!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Jie's face turned even darker.

Donghua Hospital is located in the southwest of Binhai City, and taking the subway there from here would take at least an hour. It was clearly a deliberate trip. How could she just accidentally shop her way there?

"You're still not giving up, wanting to see that person in person, right?"

Lin Miao didn't deny it, nodding directly, "Things like age can be faked and altered. I think it's necessary to see for myself!"

Hearing her say this, Lin Jie wanted to tell her that if that person was really mother, she would have changed her name along with her age. But such words won't help someone who is stuck in a mental loop.

Lin Jie's tone softened a bit and he said, "You saw that person, right? And you confirmed it, right? What was your intentional fall about?"

"Through searching and inquiries, I saw her!"

Lin Miao said with her head down, "I wanted to talk to her but didn't have an excuse! When she passed by me, I got anxious and deliberately fell on the ground."

"She was kind, helping me up, using cotton swabs to disinfect and treat my knee injury, and she even inquired attentively if I had other discomforts..."

"Her warmth and care made me feel like I was being concerned by mom."

"But, she isn't..."

Lin Miao raised her head, her eyes red, looking at Lin Jie, saying, "I know she's not! I wish she were, but I can feel that she isn't my mom..."

Saying this, she threw herself into Lin Jie's arms, crying sadly!

Lin Jie sighed deeply, holding her tightly in his arms.

She was, after all, a twenty-year-old child. Previously, compelled by life's hardships and pressures, she had to act strong to support a small family. Now that circumstances have improved, unmet needs and desires are surfacing.

After crying for a few minutes, Lin Miao calmed down somewhat, breaking away from Lin Jie's arms, wiping the tears from her face, and asking sheepishly, "Brother, am I being childish?"

"It's not childish, it's a normal emotional need!"

Lin Jie didn't know how to console her, so he looked at the snowflakes falling outside the window and said, "Miaomiao, do you know what is the most enjoyable thing to do on a snowy day?"

"What is it?" Lin Miao asked, puzzled!

Lin Jie solemnly said, "Sit in a warm and bright room, eat hot pot, and watch pedestrians outside braving the snow!"

Lin Miao immediately laughed, "I didn't expect brother to have a dark side too!"

"It's not dark, it's merely a sense of pride and satisfaction! Before, we were the pedestrians braving the snow; others felt a sense of superiority and happiness from us."

"And now..."

Lin Jie said proudly, "Now we too have the right to feel this. Tonight, we are having hot pot!"

The two busied themselves with preparing the hot pot!

They had plenty of vegetables at home and some hot pot base, but no sliced mutton.

The only meats were ribs, a black chicken, a fish, and some meatballs. In this weather, they were too lazy to go out and decided to chop up the ribs, chicken, and fish to cook and eat!

To cater to Lin Jie's whimsical humor, they even moved the small dining table closer to the living room's large window!

Just as everything was ready and the broth was almost boiling, An Kexin arrived uninvited!

She unceremoniously sat on the other side of the small dining table, placed the drawing tube she brought with her aside, looked at the steaming broth and the snow outside, and laughed, "Eating hot pot on a snowy day is the most fitting thing. You even thought of appreciating the snow, how romantic!"

"Heavy snow, garden, pavilion, two or three close friends, a beauty playing music! In such a setting, eating hot pot is truly romantic!" Saying this, Lin Jie dumped a plate of ribs into the boiling broth.

An Kexin sighed and said, "You were right initially, but the hot pot ruined the mood. In such a setting, sitting around a clay oven with tea would be more fitting."

"But, Lin Jie, to achieve that scene, you'd first need a villa with a private garden!"

Lin Jie mixed a small bowl of seasoning and handed it to An Kexin, casually saying, "I can't afford such a villa, just waiting for your An Family to give me one."

"When Anlin Hospital develops, you'll have money to buy one!"

An Kexin seemed a bit hungry, first cooking some vegetables to eat, then drinking a bowl of hot soup, and after a satisfied sigh, said, "Today I spent the entire day discussing cooperation matters with Boss Xu and Boss Ye, couldn't even eat lunch properly!"

Lin Jie asked for confirmation, "Are these two really interested in investing in the hospital?"

An Kexin nodded, "Most of the talks concluded today, tomorrow we will discuss specific investment details. Within three to five days, we'll sign the formal investment agreement."

"If all goes well, our Anlin Hospital will gain extra funding of eighty million. With this money, we can be more flexible in purchasing equipment and bringing in talent."

It's good for the hospital's development, Lin Jie was also happy, casually asking, "Did they propose any special or excessive conditions?"

An Kexin gave a somewhat embarrassed smile and said, "For hospital shares, they didn't make unreasonable demands. There are one or two special conditions, though..."

"Boss Ye has a son, who is in his second year of high school with poor grades, hoping we can pull some strings to send him to Binhai University!"

"This matter, asking uncle to pull some strings wouldn't be hard. But Boss Xu's requirement is a bit, a bit..."

Seeing An Kexin hesitated to speak, Lin Jie guessed, asking, "Boss Xu's request has something to do with me?"

"Yes, it has something to do with you!"

An Kexin quickly explained, saying, "You can refuse this request; it's up to your decision."

"What's the request, tell me first!" Lin Jie said nonchalantly!

An Kexin said quietly, "Boss Xu hasn't hidden it, he frankly told us he has a woman outside."

"And this woman has a brother, because of local poor schooling conditions and a subpar performance in college entrance exams, he ended up in a medical vocational school."

Hearing it's just a medical vocational school, Lin Jie frowned.

Nowadays, it's relatively easy to enter college, so if he only got into a medical vocational school, there's an issue with intelligence or diligence?

Lin Jie didn't think anyone could be as lucky as him, to have a presence like Shen Lanruo.

He didn't interrupt An Kexin, continuing to listen, "According to Boss Xu, this brother-in-law is quite obsessed with medicine, after watching your assessment process, he greatly admires you."

"Boss Xu's idea is, can his brother-in-law follow you and learn for a while?"

Lin Jie asked confusedly, "Why not arrange for him to further his studies at Binhai University Medical School?"

An Kexin said hesitantly, "From Boss Xu's words, this guy is determined to be your surgical assistant."

Lin Jie was taken aback.

Surgical assistants come in many types; one is as a successor, kept by the side for careful training.

Many assistants are just assistants, aiding in surgical auxiliary tasks, even wiping the surgeon's sweat and feeding during operations, considered as surgical assistants.

Thinking of this, he said quietly, "I'll say more once I've seen him!"

At this time, Lin Miao took a piece of rib and put it in Lin Jie's plate, saying, "Brother, Kexin, the ribs are ready, stop chatting and start eating!"

Halfway through the hot pot, An Kexin relaxed back against the chair, glanced at the drawing tube she brought, reached for it.

"Lin Jie, this is from Du Feixue for you, painted by her grandfather, called 'Son of the Plow Ox.' She said it's simply a gift of congratulations, no other meanings attached!"

Thinking of Li Donghai and his wife's circumstances, Lin Jie understood the grudges with the Du Family; from then on, he'd interact with them as ordinary people.

Thinking this, Lin Jie said softly, "Then I'll accept it, please thank her for me!"

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