Lu Cheng suddenly smiled and asked, "If you wanted to go to the State People's Hospital, why didn't you go there in the first place?"

Mu Nanshu shook her head, "It's not like that."

"I thought you were in Han City, I thought you would be waiting for me in Han City, so my first stop back was Han City, and I limited all my resumes to Han City."

"I thought, knowing you, you would definitely still be at Zhongnan Hospital... but when I went there, all I found was a 'doctor' who knew you..."

Mu Nanshu continued, "I may have been too presumptuous."

"I used to think that once I helped you inquire, everything would be settled. With your grad school exam scores back then, you should have been accepted for sure, right?"

"Why did it turn out that way? They all said it was fine." As the years passed, Mu Nanshu's voice still showed a hint of vulnerability as she explained to Lu Cheng for the first time the things she had done secretly.

Lu Cheng's exam scores could be checked in advance; Mu Nanshu was in Shanghai, and as an undergraduate at Fudan University, she could easily inquire about the results.

She did find out the result but didn't tell Lu Cheng, fearing he would feel too assured of passing the interview and neglect it.

However?

Lu Cheng studied earnestly for the interview, yet he still wasn't selected.

Lu Cheng remained silent, shaking his head, "I don't know either, but after all these years, the specific reasons don't seem that important anymore."

"Just consider it a trial."

"As the ancients said, when heaven bestows great responsibility on someone, they must first..."

The story of Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu doesn't have many ups and downs; their memories consist of subtle and delicate moments.

Perhaps a youth without regrets has few specific things worth reminiscing about.

The two started studying together since elementary school, and there were no 'romantic thoughts' at first!

During adolescence, both excelled academically, staying close, and as long as they studied diligently, the teachers remained silent. Even if the headteacher or political educators saw them, as long as they weren't holding hands at school, they wouldn't 'advise' them.

In high school, from the first year onwards, Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu were often part of the 'first batch' with scores above 620.

Long County was just a small county, unlike the prestigious schools in Sha City where 985 institutions were everywhere, so to many high school teachers, Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu studying and eating together in the cafeteria were seen as "positive" mutual encouragement in academics.

Once in college, Lu Cheng went to Han City University, while Mu Nanshu went to the Fudan University that Lu Cheng most wanted to attend, yet nobody thought they were on different levels...

Mu Nanshu's parents didn't tell her to stay away from Lu Cheng, but Lu Nanjia and Tian Hui would occasionally wonder if Lu Cheng was aiming too high.

Mu Nanshu responded, "What great responsibility has nothing to do with ordinary people like us."

"Just the hardship on the mind."

"Take me for instance, nearing my doctoral graduation, it's almost taken half my life. I thought you were doing better than me, as we hadn't contacted each other for so long, around me..."

"So I didn't dare to contact you rashly before returning home, without knowing the details." Mu Nanshu said.

"I could only focus on graduating first, after all, my parents worked hard to earn their money, it didn't just fall from the sky."

In Mu Nanshu's eyes, Lu Cheng was more outstanding than her, having already been 'retained in the hospital,' and maybe even married with children.

Later, Mu Nanshu enquired and learned about Lu Cheng's matchmaking events.

"But you still sent me those things. Didn't you think I wanted to make a name for myself as well?"

"This was your first impression of me, wasn't it?" Lu Cheng said with a calm smile.

Mu Nanshu nodded, "Yes."

For a long time afterward, neither of them spoke much, just eating and watching, eating and watching...

The term 'emotion' is never about dramatic ups and downs.

Some past events that don't seem like stories to others are the unique youth known only to the two of them.

Mu Nanshu's eyes didn't shy away from Lu Cheng's gaze, so Lu Cheng could clearly see her pupils.

Her eyes were long and narrow like peach petals, the corners slightly curved and upturned, with a subtle blush around them, and her pupils were watery.

One might say, the natural charm of peach blossom eyes is captivating, especially when they smile, like crescent moons.

However, Mu Nanshu seemed unable to fully control these eyes; at that moment, besides clarity, they carried a hidden sense of grievance amid the smile.

The original suggestion for Lu Cheng to choose Huashan Hospital for his graduate studies was set by Mu Nanshu...

Lu Cheng thought for a moment, then smiled, "Union Hospital is quite good, though the competition is fierce, it's at least fair."

"Working in a prefecture-level city hospital, you'll encounter many unimagined obstacles."

"Prefecture-level city hospitals don't focus on publications or research, not the best place for you."

"Since your job is settled, just settle down for now, the rest, I'll..."

Lu Cheng initially intended to say that he would handle it directly but hesitated, only after clearly realizing his own capabilities did he honestly add:

"I'll figure something out!"

Two months ago, Lu Cheng didn't dare to say such things to Mu Nanshu, as back then, Lu Cheng was too inadequate, unable to understand the meaning of the documents Mu Nanshu sent him.

So Lu Cheng didn't dare to say anything, but now, Lu Cheng didn't think those things were unattainable, at least not in the next five to eight years.

Even eight years later, Lu Cheng would only be thirty-eight, still not considered old. Professor Chen Song and others were around that age, still young in the medical field...

Mu Nanshu scooped up some kelp sprouts, placing them in the communal bowl to cool, looking down briefly before raising her head to say, "If it's difficult to navigate at a prefecture-level hospital, can't you help me out?"

Mu Nanshu's tone was earnest, with a small light brown mole at the corner of her right eye hidden by her half-closed eyelid.

Her eyelashes, like crow feathers, cast a butterfly-wing shadow on her lower eyelid under the fluorescent light.

Mu Nanshu meant that as a research-oriented individual, if it was tough at a prefecture-level hospital, she hoped Lu Cheng could support her.

Distance is a very real issue, something both deeply felt long ago.

From Han City to Shanghai, if the train wasn't delayed, the shortest time would be eight hours and fifty-two minutes, the longest fourteen hours and fifty-seven minutes.

Delays add extra time.

If not for this, Mu Nanshu wouldn't be planning with Lu Cheng to settle in Shanghai, each continuing their work.

Lu Cheng replied openly, "No, no, no, Mu Nanshu, you should know me, I'm not shy about living off someone else."

"If you can help me soar, I certainly won't let go!!"

Mu Nanshu looked at Lu Cheng, her tone wistful, "Lu Cheng, you're different now."

"The old you wouldn't speak like this."

There was a certain disparity in their family backgrounds, though Lu Cheng hadn't explicitly mentioned it, it did matter to him before.

"Haha... People definitely change."

"In my youth, I was arrogant and ambitious."

"After entering society, I realized a simple truth: one must embrace opportunity when it comes!" Lu Cheng made a gesture as if to reach for Mu Nanshu.

Mu Nanshu quickly turned away, wrinkling her nose with slight disdain.

Only then did Lu Cheng restrain his actions, "You've changed a lot too, we're all growing."