At 9:40 in the evening, the black curtain of night swept in, dotted with twinkling stars.

"This parking fee is insane, it's almost as much as my train fare from Han City back to En City." Lu Cheng grumbled as he scanned the code to exit.

Mu Nanshu replied, "Thirty a day is expensive in En City, but it's okay in some areas of Han City."

"But having a car is still convenient after all." Mu Nanshu sat calmly in the passenger seat, looking out the window.

"The scenery here at the train station has changed a lot from before, it wasn't like this in the past."

Mu Nanshu did her undergraduate studies in Shanghai, and at that time, there was no train connection in Long County. Student discount tickets only covered the route from Shanghai to En City, whereas Lu Cheng's discount covered from Han City to En City.

Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu traveled together, but sometimes Mu Nanshu would buy a ticket to Shanghai but get off in Han City, or Lu Cheng would extend his journey directly to Shanghai...

"Do you want to get out and buy something to eat? I wonder if that store selling braised duck sternums is still around." Lu Cheng asked as he turned on the right indicator.

Their memories were only bits and pieces, of food, drinks, and not much else.

Everyday memories are rather fragmented.

"Maybe not, fried and braised isn't as good as going back to Long County for a barbecue." Mu Nanshu shook her head.

Lu Cheng turned off the indicator: "I'll just follow the navigation back then."

"Alright!~" Mu Nanshu yawned.

Actually, she often stayed up late, but staying up doesn't mean Nanshu isn't tired, she usually forced herself to stay awake for study and work.

The journey from En City to Long County can be completed on the highway, taking less than two hours.

Lu Cheng first dropped off Mu Nanshu at her home in the Integrity Square District, helped her upstairs, and even made the bed with her.

"You rest first, I'll go back to work."

"It's already 11:42, just in time to reach the ward by midnight." Lu Cheng glanced around. The floor still needed cleaning, but he really didn't have time.

"Go ahead, can you handle staying up for your shift?" Mu Nanshu asked.

Lu Cheng waved nonchalantly and didn't stay long, "Hey, in our line of work, who cares whether you can handle it or not? You just tough it out."

Mu Nanshu watched Lu Cheng's departing figure without asking him to stay. After he disappeared through the door, she began cleaning.

This time, doing the project seriously in Long County would mean staying for a few months or even half a year.

This was the first formal project she'd participated in since starting work, it had to be done well to report back to the lab and the institution.

Currently, she's a full-time researcher, able to set her own vacation time, but required to produce results.

Papers and project applications count as output.

As long as you have enough output, no one cares if you sleep at home every day.

"..."

"Brother Han, sorry to trouble you, got a bit delayed by things so I'm back late."

"I'll treat you to a meal another day." Lu Cheng said as he entered the doctors' lounge, where Han Xiaoping was lying on the bed reading a novel.

Han Xiaoping bounced up, courteously replying, "Brother Lu, you're back, no need to be so polite, it's just resting anyway."

"You don't know, Brother Lu, while you were on leave, our ward got a bit chaotic, quite a few emergency patients were asking where you'd gone."

"They grumbled a lot when they heard you were on leave."

Han Xiaoping gave a thumbs-up, "Brother Lu, you're amazing, you really made tendon suturing our county's specialty."

Tendon injuries are an emergency issue, and before getting injured, no one cares which doctor does it well. But once someone is injured, they'll ask around through connections to find out which doctor does good suturing.

This is only natural.

But Lu Cheng happened to be on leave for study, also a legitimate reason, as skills are learned, not inherent.

"Did anyone argue?" Lu Cheng asked Han Xiaoping with a smile.

"Arguing is a legitimate reason too, can arguing bring you back?"

"The hospital sent you out for technical training, all formal procedures, arguing won't solve any problem."

"By the way, recently Peng Kun in orthopedics has also been doing pretty good tendon sutures."

"Though similar to how you used to do, the tendon areas he's familiar with are quite narrow, but Professor Chen said the surgery quality is good." Han Xiaoping remarked.

Lu Cheng knew Han Xiaoping might be worried that orthopedics would take away the emergency department surgeries, so he replied, "Doing well is good, I can't handle shifts every day alone, it's better if more people master this skill."

"Brother Han, you should head back." Lu Cheng said politely.

Han Xiaoping walked out, only to turn back with his square-headed frame, "Brother Lu, when you get a chance, could you privately teach me sometime?"

"Though I don't learn as quickly as Tian Zhuang, I've put in effort, seems like I'm just a step short."

Lu Cheng nodded back, "Sure, Brother Han, you can send me any questions directly, I'll reply once I see them, if a private session is needed, we can make time."

"Thanks, Brother Lu." Han Xiaoping said, cupping his hands smilingly before exiting, letting go only to point at the takeout bag by the window.

There were two takeouts, one was coffee, the other was Big Bowl Rice, from the same place Lu Cheng and Professor Chen Song often ate.

Lu Cheng's skills, Tian Zhuang hadn't picked up, but Han Xiaoping and Du Daihua had grasped the 'essence'!

Or rather, the two didn't need to learn much, they weren't far behind Lu Cheng, it's all about interpersonal skills, as long as one isn't too tricky, anyone can learn the basics.

With the food already laid out, Lu Cheng couldn't refuse.

Having not eaten much at dinner, he didn't want to waste food, so he ate while video chatting with Mu Nanshu, watching her clean, a classic late-night indulgence.

As a result, Mu Nanshu also ordered takeout, grumbling at Lu Cheng in the process.

Hearing the complaints, Lu Cheng was happy rather than angry, at least this was the Nanshu he remembered quite well.

Generous and cautious, it's about maintaining and not just sustaining friendships.

...

After hanging up, Lu Cheng was about to open a book when the nurse Yao Lina hurriedly knocked on the lounge door.

"Lu Cheng, come out quickly!"

"The police called saying they're bringing over eight people... Zeng Huanqi on duty already notified Director Lin and others, orthopedics are moving too..." Yao Lina rushed her words as she hurried away.

Long County is located in North Xiangxi, with a fierce local culture, frequent arguments and fights, and many years ago, group fights with knives were common.

At a certain time period, workers with Xiangxi identity were blacklisted for work in other regions, employers wouldn't hire them.

Since strict crackdowns, this culture has dissipated a lot, but it occasionally happens!

Now, seven or eight people were sent all at once.

After hearing this, Lu Cheng hesitated only for two seconds before quickly phoning the on-duty doctor in orthopedics, while running, he quickly shouted, "Xiang Kuihua, emergency department, the police are bringing over eight injured people, quickly call Director Peng and Director Liu..."

"Damn, okay!~" Xiang Kuihua didn't dare delay and quickly hung up to respond.