I wanted to talk to you alone for a second.

"Huh?"

"Did I hear that right?"

"What did Zhao Ruobing just say?"

All the doctors felt their glasses sliding down their noses, almost falling to the ground, at Zhao Ruobing's words. Even Ye Xiu was momentarily stunned.

"Dr. Zhao, who did you say you were looking for?" Dr. Li finally recovered from his shock, staring at Zhao Ruobing in disbelief.

"Dr. Ye," Zhao Ruobing ignored Dr. Li's question and kept her eyes fixed on Ye Xiu. "I'd like to speak with you privately."

Crack! If there was any doubt before, now it was clear to everyone. Zhao Ruobing had come specifically for Ye Xiu, and she wanted to talk to him alone.

All the doctors felt their glasses fall to the ground and shatter. How was this possible? Ye Xiu didn't even know Zhao Ruobing, right? They had no connection at all. Why would she seek him out?

Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief, their minds filled with confusion and questions.

"Alright," Ye Xiu didn't expect Zhao Ruobing to actually be looking for him, but after a brief moment of surprise, he nodded. Whatever her reason, he couldn't avoid it now, nor did he want to. He had nothing to hide.

"No way! Did I just witness that?"

"Someone tell me I was hallucinating! The Ice Queen knows Ye Xiu and wants to talk to him alone? This is unbelievable!"

As Ye Xiu and Zhao Ruobing disappeared around the corner, the shocked colleagues finally snapped out of it, exclaiming loudly.

"This is unreal! Ye Xiu is so sneaky! He knows the Ice Queen and never said a word!"

"Exactly, he's not as honest as I thought! In less than a month, he managed to connect with the Ice Queen without saying anything. He's been hiding his true self!"

The doctors who had been boasting about knowing the Ice Queen and telling Ye Xiu how impossible it was for him to be with her now felt their faces burning with embarrassment. They decided not to return to their offices just yet. Instead, they would wait for Ye Xiu and interrogate him about his relationship with Zhao Ruobing and teach him a lesson for keeping such a big secret.

"Dr. Zhao, what can I do for you?" Ye Xiu asked nervously as they reached a quiet corner.

"You're working in the respiratory department?" Zhao Ruobing looked at Ye Xiu with a complex expression. She was astonished to learn he was a doctor here, let alone in the respiratory department.

Upon hearing this, she almost thought her assistant was delusional. How could the person who flawlessly completed surgeries across multiple disciplines be a respiratory doctor?

It felt like a bad joke. A respiratory doctor with such incredible surgical skills? It made her question her own abilities and those of her surgical colleagues.

When she saw the information her assistant gathered and pulled up Ye Xiu's profile from the hospital system, she was stunned. Although she rarely thought about his appearance, she immediately recognized him from that surgery. His clear and bright eyes and distinctive smile were unmistakable.

"Yes, I am," Ye Xiu responded, feeling awkward under her intense gaze. "So, Dr. Zhao, why are you looking for me?"

"Why aren't you in surgery?" Zhao Ruobing asked, ignoring his discomfort and focusing on the burning question in her mind.

Ye Xiu's surgical skills were outstanding, yet he chose to work in the respiratory department. While Zhao Ruobing didn't share the common disdain some surgeons had for internal medicine, she did believe surgery offered more opportunities, higher income, greater job satisfaction, and higher challenges. Completing a high-risk surgery brought immense fulfillment.

Given the choice and excluding personal preferences, most people would choose surgery. Ye Xiu had the skills and interest in surgery; otherwise, he couldn't have achieved such perfection in surgical techniques. Zhao Ruobing firmly believed this.

Yet, despite his talent and interest, Ye Xiu chose a demanding, less lucrative field. Why?

"I wanted to improve my internal medicine skills," Ye Xiu said honestly.

"Improve your internal medicine skills? Do you want to be an all-round super doctor? Do you realize you're wasting your talent? Do you know you're being irresponsible to yourself and wasting societal resources?" Zhao Ruobing's anger flared at his answer.