DSMIS CH37

Chapter 37: Captain Jiang’s Awakening

Shen Xing hadn’t expected Jiang Lin to show up. He couldn’t help but smile, pointing at the medical records in his hand to signal him to wait a moment. Jiang Lin gave an “OK” gesture and stepped out of the clinic.

Returning to the courtyard, he let the two furbabies out. Worried that Qianjin might get carsick, he had kept the rear window slightly open during the drive. Sure enough, the white furball wasn’t nearly as lethargic getting out of the car as it had been on the way back from Baoshan last time; the moment its paws hit the ground, it started doing zoomies around the courtyard. Afraid the Samoyed would pull a “drop the leash and vanish” act, he quickened his pace to grab hold of it. Heibao, on the other hand, was unhurried, taking a slow lap around the courtyard as if patrolling his territory.

Jiang Lin’s leg was aching a bit, so he couldn’t run around with them. Using their leashes, he tied the two dogs, who had just enjoyed a breath of fresh air, to a tree in the clinic’s courtyard. Then, he returned to the car, massaging his sore, swollen wrist while waiting for Doctor Shen to get off work.

After 11:30 AM, the crowd at the clinic gradually thinned out. When Shen Xing emerged from the building near noon, he saw the two furballs tied to the same tree. Heibao was lying under the tree, while his own Samoyed was sprawled out on its back, head resting comfortably on Heibao’s belly, its tail swishing back and forth. Seeing him come out, the Samoyed finally showed a sliver of conscience, scrambling up and barking excitedly at him.

Jiang Lin also got out of the car. Looking over, Shen Xing noticed Jiang Lin was wearing the exact same outfit from the first day they met—the windbreaker and combat boots. It made his proportions look impossibly perfect, like he’d stepped straight out of a manga. Shen Xing couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances. Feeling a bit better now, Doctor Shen was in the mood to tease: “Hero, what brings you here? Dressed so handsomely, too.”

Jiang Lin glanced down at himself: “I had nothing to do on Saturday. Didn’t you say you missed Qianjin? I brought him over for you to see, and to drop off some things. How are you feeling now?”

“Don’t even mention it. Yesterday, I threw up so much I questioned my existence. My head felt like it was going to explode. Even an IV drip of Mannitol didn’t help. In the end, ibuprofen saved my miserable life. I feel much better now, at least my head doesn’t hurt as much. Hey, where did you get this car?” He noticed the off-road SUV behind Jiang Lin; it definitely wasn’t his A6.

“I rented it. Where are you staying? I brought you some things.” “Oh, just in the courtyard of the village committee building next door.”

Shen Xing turned to lead him over, but Jiang Lin pulled him into the car, then untied the dogs and herded them in as well before driving the short distance to the adjacent courtyard.

Upon getting out, Jiang Lin opened the trunk. Shen Xing couldn’t resist poking his head in, only to see a box of canned yellow peaches, a case of Cola, a massive bag of snacks, and a highly familiar bag: “Wait, isn’t this the braised beef from that shop in Tianjin City? Didn’t we finish what you had at home?” He had been so afraid the batch Jiang Lin brought back last time would spoil that he packed it in small containers to eat at the hospital, even bringing a lunchbox to the county bureau canteen to eat with Jiang Lin. They had rushed to finish it all before he left for the free clinics. Where did this come from?

“That shop offers SF Express shipping. I added the owner on WeChat last time. It arrived just yesterday. But if your stomach is acting up, don’t eat too much. Just have a little taste for one meal.”

Looking at the packed trunk, that sense of vulnerability surged up in Shen Xing again. Though the distance from the county town wasn’t vast, the latter half of the road was treacherous. It had to be at least a four-hour drive. He had merely mentioned wanting canned fruit yesterday, and Jiang Lin delivered it directly to him today. “Hero, I’m a little moved.”

The muffled voice behind him made Jiang Lin’s hand, which was holding a box, pause slightly. Then he turned around and smiled: “You’d better stay put. You still have altitude sickness.”

Shen Xing wanted to carry a box, but Jiang Lin refused, stubbornly making two trips to haul everything into the room. On his last trip, he draped a long down jacket over his arm: “The forecast says the temperature will drop by 7 to 10 degrees tomorrow, and it’ll be even colder up here in the village due to the altitude. I noticed you only packed short jackets. If you don’t mind, wear mine for now.”

Shen Xing recognized it as the long black down jacket Jiang Lin always used to wear: “Then what will you wear? Your leg can’t catch a chill.”

Jiang Lin smiled: “I’ll be driving. It’s not like I have to stay outside. Didn’t you say you’d have to make house calls for villagers whose health is too poor to come to the clinic?”

Shen Xing realized he made a valid point: “Alright, then I’ll keep it. Let’s go, I’ll take you to mooch a meal.”

Adhering to the principle of moving slowly to minimize altitude sickness, Shen Xing led Jiang Lin step by slow step to the village committee’s small canteen. In terms of lavishness, it certainly couldn’t compare to the county bureau’s canteen, but thankfully, the food was piping hot. Seeing him, Drolma quickly asked if his altitude sickness was better. “Much better. I took some medicine, and my head doesn’t hurt anymore.” He suddenly turned to Jiang Lin: “Hey, didn’t you get altitude sickness on the way up?”

“After arriving in Fulan County, I followed a team down to the villages to spread anti-fraud awareness. I’ve already adapted.”

After Shen Xing finished eating, Drolma rushed him to go rest and inhale some oxygen, as the afternoon consultations would start at 2 PM.

While walking down the stairs, Shen Xing noticed a slight stiffness in Jiang Lin’s leg movements, and his hand briefly gripped the handrail. He quickly grabbed his arm: “Does your leg hurt?” They had hung up the video call at almost 10 PM last night. For him to arrive before noon, considering he had to buy things and rent a car, he must have gotten up incredibly early and driven all the way here. Jiang Lin released the handrail: “It’s alright.”

“‘Alright’ means it hurts. Come on, I have medicated plasters in my suitcase. Let me put one on for you.”

Shen Xing forcefully dragged him back to his room. Afraid the exertion would trigger Shen Xing’s altitude sickness again, Jiang Lin quickly said: “You lie down and get some oxygen. I can put it on myself.” “It won’t take but a minute. You came all this way today, so you can’t go to the hospital for your physiotherapy anyway.”

Jiang Lin replied: “I’m heading back this afternoon. I’ll make it to the hospital tomorrow.”

Shen Xing rolled up his pant leg and pressed the back of his hand against it. As expected, it was icy cold, and the swelling was more pronounced than usual. A finger press left a distinct pit. He slapped the medicated plaster on and said: “Don’t go back today. Driving for another whole afternoon will make your leg swell up like a steamed bun. Just stay here tonight. Rest up and leave tomorrow morning.”

Stay here? Jiang Lin subconsciously scanned Shen Xing’s room. One TV, one desk, one chair. Most importantly, there was only one bed, even if it was a double.

Following his gaze, Shen Xing also noticed the issue. This village likely didn’t have an inn, and even if it did, the conditions wouldn’t be great—certainly not better than here. He had checked earlier; the village committee building only had two empty rooms. He occupied one, Lobsang the other. There definitely wasn’t a spare room for Jiang Lin.

He patted the bed and looked up at Jiang Lin: “The bed is big enough, it should fit both of us. If you don’t mind that I didn’t shower yesterday and likely won’t be able to today, how about we make do for the night?”

Jiang Lin gave a small smile: “I don’t mind. I’m just afraid Doctor Shen might mind himself.”

Shen Xing rubbed his nose and genuinely took a sniff of himself: “You’re right. I feel like I’ve gone sour. Hey, come lie down for a bit too. The longer you stand, the worse your leg will get.” With that, he patted the pillow next to him. Jiang Lin looked at the pillow beside Shen Xing, his heart skipping a beat. In their line of work, staying up late and squeezing onto a single sofa in the office wasn’t unheard of. Back then, he never felt there was anything weird about two grown men squishing together. But knowing the person lying in bed was Doctor Shen… he felt an inexplicable, indescribable awkwardness. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it; it just didn’t feel as casual. It took him a long moment to squeeze out a single sentence: “I haven’t changed my pants.”

He had noticed Shen Xing always changed into loungewear as soon as he got home. It definitely wasn’t right to lie directly on his bed in pants he’d worn outside.

Shen Xing naturally saw he hadn’t changed pants, but the problem was, there were no spare pants for him to change into here. Did Jiang Lin absolutely refuse to sit on the bed without changing? Remembering that he was likely wearing long johns underneath, Shen Xing tentatively suggested: “How about you take off your outer pants?”

The two stared at each other, one sitting and one standing, eyes wide. Jiang Lin’s hand gripped his belt buckle. Taking his pants off in front of Shen Xing made him feel incredibly uncomfortable no matter how he looked at it. For a moment, the very air in the room seemed to solidify.

Shen Xing also sensed the awkward atmosphere, but then it struck him: Is he being coy? He decided to be magnanimous: “Oh come on, it’s not like you’re naked underneath. Besides, I’m a doctor. What haven’t I seen? Just take them off.”

To alleviate Jiang Lin’s embarrassment, he even reached out directly to tug at his belt. Jiang Lin looked down, his gaze locking with Director Shen’s large, clear eyes, his breathing suddenly losing its rhythm: “I… I can do it myself.”

The moment Shen Xing grasped the belt, he also felt like his brain had short-circuited. His fingers stiffly let go: “Okay, you do it yourself.”

He turned away, pretending to adjust the oxygen concentrator. Seeing him turn around, Jiang Lin quickly undid his belt, stripped off his outer pants, got onto the bed, and pulled the edge of the blanket over himself.

Fortunately, the midday break wasn’t very long, and Shen Xing soon had to head out to provide free consultations for the villagers. He took off the nasal cannula and climbed out of bed, his previously muddled brain seeming slightly clearer now: “I have to go to the clinic. Just rest in the room this afternoon. Keep your leg elevated. I’ll call you for dinner when I’m off work.”

Afraid that walking too much would trigger his altitude sickness again, Jiang Lin was about to get up: “Let me drive you over. Save you a few steps.”

Shen Xing laughed: “Hero, it’s less than 200 meters in total. I can walk. You sleep soundly, alright?” With that, he changed his clothes and left.

Jiang Lin stared at his pants draped over the back of the chair, still feeling somewhat dazed. He raised a hand to touch his face; it felt a little hot. He wasn’t a reckless teenager in his teens or early twenties anymore. If he still hadn’t realized his feelings for Shen Xing weren’t entirely pure by now, he would truly be an idiot.

Even long after Shen Xing left, Jiang Lin remained propped up in bed in the same position, his mind entirely filled with the image of Shen Xing pulling at his belt just now. After finally managing to usher the “belt-pulling Doctor Shen” out of his head, his mind’s eye was flooded with every interaction he’d had with Doctor Shen since they met. When exactly had these feelings started? Was it the first time on the national highway when he smiled and called him “Hero”? Or when he found out about his injuries and sternly ordered him to seek treatment? Or perhaps that day when he said he also admired him quite a bit?

For the first time, Jiang Lin discovered he could remember every single detail of interacting with one person with crystal clarity.

“Awooo.” His train of thought was broken by the newly awakened Samoyed. The white furball had been flattened like a pancake sleeping next to Shen Xing’s bed earlier; now, it had scrambled up and was barking. Heibao, who was lying at the door with his back to the room, pricked up his ears upon hearing the bark, his ears twitching before he turned his head. The Samoyed happily trotted over, rubbing its large, fluffy face against Heibao’s neck. Heibao closed his eyes for a moment, then lowered his head and rubbed back in response.

Jiang Lin watched the fluffy ball and broke into a grin, suddenly hallucinating Shen Xing’s face superimposed on the dog’s. He hurriedly raised his hands to rub his face. I must be losing my mind.

Shen Xing’s workload that afternoon was heavy. Perhaps news had spread through the village that the doctor from the big city could cure any illness. Word of mouth among the villagers was far more effective than the village committee’s notices. There were noticeably more people in the afternoon than in the morning, meaning Shen Xing had absolutely no way of finishing on time.

Perhaps the crowded clinic exacerbated the lack of oxygen. By nearly 6 PM, Shen Xing’s face began to flush red, and his breathing grew rapid. The effects of the ibuprofen were also wearing off, and the needle-like pain in his head slowly began to resurface. Sensing his deteriorating condition, Drolma started telling the people outside in Tibetan that this was it for today, and Doctor Shen would still be here tomorrow.

Seeing that Shen Xing hadn’t messaged him by the time he normally got off work, Jiang Lin knew he wasn’t finished. He got dressed and went to the adjacent courtyard, arriving just in time to see Shen Xing being supported out by Drolma and Lobsang. He immediately hurried over: “Doctor Shen.”

Knowing he was Shen Xing’s friend, Drolma let Jiang Lin take over supporting him: “His altitude sickness still hasn’t cleared up. The medicine’s effect has probably worn off. I’ll come give you an IV drip after dinner.”

On the other side, Lobsang looked at Doctor Shen, then at Police Officer Jiang. He didn’t quite understand why Captain Jiang had appeared here, but being tactful, he asked nothing, simply helping escort Shen Xing back to his room.

Jiang Lin sat on the edge of the bed, poured a cup of warm water, and handed it to him: “How do you feel?”

Shen Xing’s face was flushed, his breathing a bit rapid, and he had the nasal cannula back on. He had reverted to the listless cat from last night: “I feel like a fish that just got hooked and thrown onto the riverbank.”

You clearly look like a cat, Jiang Lin thought to himself. “Drink more water. I’ll go to the canteen and bring dinner back for you. Lie down.”

Not daring to walk around much anyway, Shen Xing simply nodded. His head was heavy and throbbing, and he couldn’t help but bury it deeper into the pillow. Jiang Lin barely suppressed the urge to ruffle his hair, quickly standing up to leave. “Wait, Hero. I’m hungry. Give me a piece of beef first.”

Jiang Lin picked up the bag of beef by the window, pulled out a disposable glove, selected a slice of beef, and fed it directly to Shen Xing’s mouth. Shen Xing’s entire body felt as limp as noodles right now, so he didn’t mind the feeding posture, simply opening his mouth to snag the beef. Jiang Lin waited for him to swallow before offering a second piece. Shen Xing suddenly felt something was slightly off. He looked up at the person beside the bed: “Hero, the way you’re doing this looks exactly like you’re feeding a dog.”

Jiang Lin smiled: “Our Heibao eats on his own.”
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Author’s Note:

Captain Jiang: Our Heibao eats on his own.
Director Shen: Great, I’m not even as good as a dog [Pity]
The Samoyed is cute like Director Shen, and Heibao is reliable like Captain Jiang.