"Li Hua, they are your family, sooner or later, you will still have to go to them and we can't let you miss school more than you already have, so please..."

"But...But"

​​

"I can talk to your brother when he comes to pick you up, they are your family so you have to manage them but if things still don't change after that then we can still see each other, just come visit me at any time," she preferred and waited for her to accept her suggestion.

"Okay, but if they don't give me their attention this time, I am going to move out for real," she responded with resolution ringing in her voice, Yu Yan wasn't sure if it was going to work but talking her put of moving out after this might make all her effort go to waste.

"Alright," she responded then she stood up from the bench and held her by her hand until they reached the ward, she patted her hair after which she entered the ward.

She sighed and made her way back to her office, after passing by a group of surgeons who greeted her politely but looked at her as though there was something on their mind to ask her, she didn't need to ask to know what it is so to avoid unnecessary questions, she quickly moved along.

She pressed the elevator button to return to her floor, after the door opened, she placed her hands in her coat pocket and looked downwards but just as the elevator door was about to close, someone stopped it from closing, she raised her gaze only to see Alan Chen standing in front of her, she couldn't help but sigh deeply while he entered with a mischievous smile on his lips.

"Assistant director," she greeted with a stern look on her face.

"Yu Yan'a if someone sees your face right now, they will think I did something bad to you so please, relax your face," he remarked with his face facing his front but the smile on his lips only got broader.

"You shouldn't worry about that since there is no one here with us, after the elevator stops, I will put on a smile," she responded.

"Exactly, that is the point, only the both of us are here so why do you have to put on a frown on your face, am I that unpleasant to be with,"

"As we are still at work, I won't answer that question, after work you are free to ask me the same question again although I will prefer not to see you after work," she didn't plan to hide her discomfort being with him.

"If you say it like that then you really hurt my feelings but I will still change your view about me, that is my lifetime mission,"

"You are free to do as you wish,"

"I heard you brought your boyfriend to the hospital...". she closed her eyes and sighed deeply at the fact that she will have to explain their relationship again.

"You should know better than to ask that question, my only boyfriend is still undergoing his training abroad so please don't listen to what the rumours say," she answered, opening her eyes.

"You never know, Chen Kai might not be your boyfriend anymore in a month's time," he turned to her with his eyes fixed on her with a look she has always hated lurking around his gaze.

"What do you mean by that?" Yu Yan responded but she didn't want to face him.

"If that rumoured boyfriend of yours really takes Chen Kai's place in your heart then I don't think I will have any problem with overthrowing him," he answered with confidence resounding in his voice, she scoffed and turned to him.

"I promise you, that will never happen" the seriousness in her was too clear for him to understand but he still wouldn't relent.

"You can never be too sure of that, Huo Yu Yan," he responded with clarity

"I would prefer if you call me surgeon Yu Yan at work please," she replied with a fierce look in her eyes, making him bat his lashes.

Ding!

She turned around and walked out of the elevator, putting off the frown on her face, she bowed her head slightly as she greeted the staffs she met on the way back to her office, she could still feel her anger boiling because of Alan Chen but she didn't want to think about anything he said.

She hated it when he makes her feel insecure about her future with Chen Kai and when he constantly reminds her of the possibility of his parent's rejection, something she has always lied to herself about and she also knows that Chen Kai has always been avoiding the topic.

"Surgeon Yu Yan," A voice called from behind, she turned around to see who it was calling her then she realized that it is the team leader calling her.

"Team leader," she saluted as she walked closer to her.

"Why were you looking so lost just now?" Mrs Nanjing asked with concern written on her face.

"oh, it is nothing, I was just fantasising about something impossible," she lied

"Is that so...." she gave her a doubtfully look while Yu Yan tried to avoid her gaze but she could only smile to diffuse her doubt.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" She inquired to avoid the topic.

"Yes, actually there is a....you know what, let's talk in my office,"

"Okay," Yu Yan responded, wondering why her team leader is being so mysterious but she really hoped it isn't anything serious that would cause her or the team trouble.

As they arrived at the office, Mrs Nanjing took her seat in front of the table, while Yu Yan closed the door and walked into the office, she placed her arms on her thigh as she waited for the team leader to speak, seeing how nervous she is, Mrs Nanjing couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yu Yan, why are you being so nervous?"

"I am not nervous team leader, I am just anxious to know what you want to say since you are making it seem so mysterious," she bluntly replied earning another chuckle.

"Did I? sorry, I didn't mean to make it seem that way, please relax and take your seat," she responded, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of her office table.

"Okay ma," she replied and took her seat.

"I just wanted to inform you that we will be having a new general surgeon in my team so I just thought you all should be aware of this before he arrives,"

"Is he from another team or....?" they haven't had a new member ever since they started working at the hospital so she wasn't sure if she meant a newcomer like a fresh surgeon.

"No, he is not from another team but a newly employed general surgeon, his qualifications are too good for this job but he wants to get into this team, so you all should brace yourself and don't feel like you are inferior to him, alright?"

"Understood, team leader"

"You can go now,"

"When is the new member resuming?" Yu Yan asked, stopping when she had almost opened the door.

"I am not sure about that yet but it would be soon,"

She nodded her head and walked out of the office, while Mrs Nanjing swirled her chair around, wondering what it is going to be like with Han Chen in her team, the both of them go way back when he was still a trainee and she was his trainee mentor back then, with his skills, she still couldn't understand why he would fancy working at this hospital.

"Guys we are having a new general surgeon recruit in our team," Yu Yan disclosed as soon as she slumped on her seat in the office.

"Really!" An Ke exclaimed excitingly, if anyone, she has always wanted a new team member, especially a male general surgeon.

"How old is he, is he tall, handsome, is he fit?" An Ke questioned while imagining what her dream recruit would look like.

"Did I even say it is a male general surgeon, your imaginations really run wild, tall...handsome...fit" Yu Yan nodded her head at An Ke who ignored her scolding, she was now starting to pity the new recruit if he really turns out to be as An Ke described.

"When did the team leader say the recruit is resuming?" Li Chen asked

"The recruit is a male but she didn't tell me when he is resuming, she just said very soon and she said the new recruit's qualification is really good and superior to this team so I don't really know what to expect,"

"You see, I just knew it is a male, I have been wishing for a male recruit for years now and my wish has finally been fulfilled,", both of them shook their head at how she never changes.

"Li Chen, can you please inform Xiaomeng of this when you see her," Yu Yan requested, after their previous conversation, she has no desire whatsoever so speak to her at least not while she is still angry with her.

She really hoped that Xiaomeng took her warning, otherwise, she wouldn't know what to tell Chen Kai, even if she was sure that he would believe her, she still doesn't want to cause any problem while they are still apart.

"Why, did you two argue?" Li Chen asked, he knows that Yu Yan would never avoid speaking to Xiaomeng for not good reason.

"It is nothing, just tell her when you see her, team leader says we have to brace ourselves for the arrival of the new recruit but I get the feeling that he is a big shot,"

"It doesn't matter, team leader would never let someone who is not capable to enter the team no matter how much connection they have so I don't think we will be having any problem with that,"

"I really don't care about that, as long as he is handsome, everything else doesn't matter,". An Ke remarked with her hand cupping her face while she imagined her dream recruit.

Yu Yan and Li Chen glanced at each other before looking at her with a hopeless look knowing that she can't be saved.