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Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Behind The Gossip
As soon as Li Nuanchun set foot in the kitchen, Chen Yanmei followed her in, holding her child, and quipped, "You know, there isn’t a man in our compound who is as industrious as Dr. Si. The moment he gets off work, he’s busy with chores, running on both floors. My husband doesn’t run around as much in days as he does in one go."
Busy chopping vegetables, Li Nuanchun chuckled, "It’s normal for newlyweds to be so attentive to each other. When I just got married, my husband even helped me to empty the chamber pot in the morning. Dr. Si is the best looking in our hospital and his wife must surely match him."
Though Si Chen was from the countryside, he was talented and capable, and bound to have high standards when it came to choosing a wife; definitely better than Yu Shiya. Previously, everyone was speculating and joking about Si Chen and Yu Shiya. But then, while Si Chen was on leave, he got married out of nowhere, clearly suggesting he found someone better than Yu Shiya.
My husband mentioned while chatting last time, wondering why Si Chen hasn’t returned home to visit since getting married. He even speculated if the wife wasn’t attractive, but seeing how Si Chen was acting so warmly now, it was certain that his wife wasn’t half bad.
Chen Yanmei seemed displeased hearing Li Nuanchun’s praise for Si Chen’s wife. Rocking her baby in her arms she pouted, "I don’t know if she’s good looking or not, but certainly she lacks manners. She has been here all day but hasn’t shown her face or greeted us."
"Maybe the new bride is shy." Li Nuanchun chuckled and threw a few chili peppers into the pot, creating a puff of smoke that made her sneezes in succession.
The smoke made Chen Yanmei’s son cry and she complained, "You should have told me before putting chilli in." She then hurriedly left the kitchen, cradling her child.
Looking at Chen Yanmei’s retreating figure, Li Nuanchun spat out a dismissive noise. She did it on purpose, knowing well that Yanmei was always snubbing others, using her position as the deputy director’s wife. She gossiped about everyone in the building, even a dog passing by her wouldn’t get spared from her venomous tongue.
Why should it bother her if someone was good to their wife? Clearly, she was just envious and bitter.
...
After polishing off her meal, Tong Yao let out a satisfied burp. Si Chen took the dirty dishes away to wash. Tong Yao gathered her clothes and was thinking of taking a bath downstairs, but as soon as she started gathering her things, Si Chen put down the dishes, picked a tub and without uttering a word, left. In a few minutes, he returned with a tub filled with warm water.
Tong Yao gazed at him, puzzled, as he opened a wooden box and took out a grey towel and soaked it in the tub.
"You can’t get your injury wet, so you’ll have to wipe down instead."
After uttering those words, he took her change of clothes and walked out.
Looking at the steaming tub, Tong Yao’s heart warmed. This man wasn’t one for words or romantic gestures, but his actions were thoughtful. She was new here and didn’t know anyone. She didn’t feel like bathing in the public bathhouse.
To be honest, knowing that someone cared about her in this strange world was quite comforting.
All the inhabitants in the residential quarters knew about Si Chen’s wife coming over, so naturally he became the center of attention. The male doctors started joking and teasing him as soon as they saw him with clothes in his hand.
"Let’s not argue with Si Chen; Let him wash up quick and hurry upstairs to his wife."
"Been married for over a half month, you must be eager to get going, huh!"
"Don’t be shy. We’ve been there, too, haha..."
Knowing Si Chen’s personality, no one took the teasing too far. They laughed a bit and went inside the bathhouse, not noticing the group of women behind them.
A few young women, who came down together for the bath, started discussing about Si Chen and his wife the moment they stepped inside.
"We have no idea what Dr. Si’s wife looks like. He’s been running errands all day since she arrived. I even heard that he washes her lunch container. She seems quite lazy."
There were only two promising and handsome doctors in the hospital: One being Si Chen and the other Si Jun. Si Chen being dashingly handsome and capable, had a bright future ahead. Everyone speculated that he would end up with Yu Shiya. While no one would dare to compete with her openly, no one missed a chance to flirt with him behind her back. As of now, both of them were trumped by some outsider woman which left quite a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
"She is this sturdy rural woman." Said Guo Nan, a nurse who came out of the Inpatient Department with Si Chen during the day.
"What?" Qian Niannian, another nurse, couldn’t believe it. "No way! Dr. Si is such an accomplished man. He can’t possibly be with a rural woman!"
"I am not lying!" No sooner had she said that than she saw Yu Shiya entering with a tub full of water. She quickly urged her, "If you don’t believe me, ask sister Shiya. She has seen her too."
All the nurses turned their gazes to Shiya, "Sister Shiya, what little Nan said isn’t true, right?" 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓾𝒷.𝒸ℴ𝓂
Shiya smirked as she took off her clothes "It’s not nice to talk about people behind their backs. Be careful if word gets to Dr. Si."
She didn’t refute what Guo Nan said, neither did she confirm it, but the women believed Guo Nan’s words to be true. They quietly pitied Si Chen. They would have been fine if it was Shiya, but why did it have to be some country bumpkin?
What kind of taste did Dr. Si have?
...
Not long after Tong Yao had finished wiping herself down, a knocking came from the door. Thinking it would be Si Chen returning, she opened the door, only to find a thirty something woman with pale yellow skin, short ear-length hair, dressed in an earthy yellow checkered tunic coat and a man in his forties with glasses. Both were startled at the sight of Tong Yao.
The woman was the first to recover. She chuckled and praised, "Young lady, you’re very beautiful. My eyes can’t move away."
The man also chuckled and said, "Miss, you’ve just moved in and your place doesn’t have much furniture. We’ve got an extra table, I thought you could use it."
"Oh, thank you."
It was then that Tong Yao noticed a weather-beaten yellow table outside the house. She was about to ask for their help to get it inside the house when Si Chen’s voice came from behind.
"Dr. Dai."
Seeing Si Chen arriving, Dai Liwen chimed in, "Si Chen, good timing! This table is for two of you."
In reality, this table was originally a part of this room’s furniture, but since no one was living here, he had taken it. Now that the newlywed couple moved in, he suggested moving back the table because it would cost him his pride if they came asking for it.
"Thank you."
Si Chen, holding a tub of water, invited the two to sit for a bit but both declined.
"We won’t go in. You should bring the table inside and rest up!"
They knew well enough to not intrude during the honeymoon period.
Seeing the couple’s knowing smiles, Tong Yao blushed in embarrassment.
