DSMIS CH26

Chapter 26: Actually, I Admire You Quite a Bit Too

The mention of instant-boiled mutton definitely tempted Doctor Shen. Jiang, the observant police officer, caught this fleeting moment of temptation:

“Do you still have outpatient clinic duty this afternoon?”

“No, just the morning today.”

“Then let me take you to an authentic copper pot instant-boiled mutton place. I’ve tried several, and this one is pretty good.”

Given Jiang Lin’s very cooperative behavior all morning, the lingering bit of sourness in Shen Xing’s heart hadn’t completely faded, but his previous inexplicable anger had mostly subsided. He grabbed his coat and stood up:

“Let’s go. First, we need to pick up your medicine.”

The two went to the pharmacy to pick up the medication Shen Xing had just prescribed before leaving the hospital. From inside the building, it looked like a bright, sunny day. However, once outside, the wind was fierce, and the snow that had accumulated overnight still blanketed the hospital courtyard, unthawed. The moment Shen Xing stepped out, the wind whipped loose snow right into his face. He immediately shrank his head into the collar of his puffy down jacket as the freezing wind pierced through his trousers. He couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Lin’s long down jacket with a hint of satisfaction.

He had taken the “Number 11 bus” (walked) to work that morning, so he followed Jiang Lin to his car upon leaving.

The copper pot instant-boiled mutton restaurant was located in the old town. The Land Cruiser navigated through a maze of twisting, turning alleys, struggling to avoid haphazardly parked electric scooters. Looking out the window, Shen Xing saw that the narrow alleys were lined not only with various restaurants but also with numerous ethnic handicraft shops. One shop, displaying a yellow-and-blue Tibetan-style blanket outside, immediately caught his attention. He kept his head turned to look back even after the car had passed it.

Jiang Lin turned his head and smiled:

“This street is an ancient street. There are many Tibetan and Lisu handicraft shops here. There’s a Tibetan milk tea shop at the intersection that’s quite unique. I’ve been there twice. If you still have room in your stomach later, I’ll take you there.”

Since arriving in Fulan County, Shen Xing had been working non-stop. His sphere of activity was strictly limited to his home, the hospital, and the public security bureau’s canteen. Even though Fulan County wasn’t large, he hadn’t explored it at all. Plus, he was genuinely hungry now. The mention of Tibetan milk tea instantly held a strong allure, and he nodded subconsciously.

They were lucky and snagged the last parking spot in front of the hot pot restaurant. Pushing open the door, the savory aroma of mutton washed over them. Shen Xing took off his coat and glanced at the menu:

“Oh wow, this smells authentic. Large tristar (lean meat), lamb tail fat… you order the rest, Hero.”

Jiang Lin smiled and took the menu:

“You know your stuff, Doctor Shen.”

He quickly rattled off their order to the waiter:

“Freshly sliced lamb neck, hand-cut lamb cucumber strip (tenderloin), a plate of crispy beef brisket, a vegetable platter, a portion of freshly made chili oil, and sweet garlic, please. Thank you.”

Hearing these dishes, Shen Xing knew his and Jiang Lin’s tastes aligned perfectly. When the charcoal-fired copper pot was brought out, Jiang Lin watched as the person across from him rested both hands on the table, staring unblinkingly at the pot. His eyes practically screamed, “Hurry up and boil.” He looked nothing like the incredibly serious Doctor Shen in his white coat at the hospital. Sensing the gaze, Shen Xing looked up:

“What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m just trying to get used to how you look when you eat.”

“Hmm?”

Jiang Lin poured him a cup of the newly served barley tea:

“When I walked into the outpatient clinic today and saw how serious you looked, I was actually a little nervous.”

Shen Xing narrowed his eyes slightly:

“You weren’t nervous because I was serious. Was that Gabapentin you had at home really for treating migraines?”

This guy was clearly feeling guilty because he had lied to him.

I really shouldn’t have brought that up. Hearing Doctor Shen bring up old scores, Jiang Lin quickly glanced at the pot:

“The water’s boiling. I’m going to go mix my dipping sauce.”

Shen Xing watched as the person across from him slipped away. The man standing at the sauce station had broad shoulders and long legs. His gaze couldn’t help but fall to those legs, remembering that the first time they met at the rest stop, it was those very legs he had noticed first. He suddenly felt thankful that those three surgeries had been successful; otherwise, a proud man like Jiang Lin would probably have had a very hard time recovering from such a blow.

When half the meat on the plates was gone, Jiang Lin poked at the chili pieces in his bowl with his chopsticks twice before finally looking up and speaking:

“Doctor Shen, I’m sorry. I didn’t actually mean to hide it from you earlier, it’s just… I didn’t know how to tell you at the time.”

For a very long time after finishing rehabilitation and being discharged from the hospital, he had wanted to pretend that everything was just like before—that he could still walk, drive, and live a normal life.

Shen Xing also looked up. Through the thick steam rising from the hot pot, he looked straight into the eyes of Police Officer Jiang sitting across from him. Severely injured patients often suffered more than just physical wounds, especially someone like Jiang Lin, who was left with permanent sequelae and could never fully recover to how he once was. He supposed Jiang Lin had no obligation to truthfully disclose his physical condition to him either. He licked the sauce from the corner of his mouth:

“This meal is on you.”

“Deal.”

“Then we’re even.”

Jiang Lin visibly relaxed a lot:

“Should we order a bit more?”

Shen Xing blinked:

“Hero, I’m not the kind of person who takes advantage of a situation to extort people. Why don’t we wait and add more when we go get that Tibetan milk tea later?”

They both burst out laughing:

“Alright.”

However, upon leaving the hot pot restaurant, Shen Xing felt like his stomach had expanded into a sphere. He burped as he walked out the door:

“Hero, I don’t think I can fit any milk tea right now.”

“Then let’s walk for a bit. There are a lot of small shops on this street we can browse.”

Shen Xing hesitated. Jiang Lin’s legs were still slightly swollen; it was best for him not to walk too much right now. Just as he was about to use the cold weather as an excuse to avoid walking, the person beside him saw right through him:

“Doctor Shen, this entire street is less than 800 meters from end to end. Going all the way back to the hospital now to rent a wheelchair for you to push me in doesn’t seem very cost-effective.”

Shen Xing rubbed his nose:

“You really are a police officer, your eyes are sharp. Then let’s walk. If your legs hurt, don’t hold it in. Tell me.”

Jiang Lin nodded obediently, just like he did in the hospital.

Shen Xing headed straight for the shop with the Tibetan-style blanket he had seen on the way in. Pushing the door open, a fresh scent of Tibetan incense wafted over them. Various blankets hung around the room, their color schemes exuding a strong Tibetan flavor. The shop owner was an older Tibetan Ajia (older sister/auntie). Currently, she was sitting in the deepest part of the shop, weaving a blanket about a meter wide. Her hands moved with practiced skill. Seeing them, she smiled and greeted them in heavily accented Mandarin.

Shen Xing couldn’t help but ask:

“Did you weave all these blankets yourself?”

“Some of them were woven by my daughter and sister, they’re in the shop too.”

Shen Xing was a little surprised. Before coming in, he just thought they looked nice and assumed they were mass-produced goods from Yiwu. He pressed a hand onto Jiang Lin’s shoulder, pushed him down onto a stool to the side, and then began his immersive appreciation of the goods.

The small shop was very friendly to people with social anxiety, as everything had a clear price tag, ranging from coasters for a few dozen yuan to blankets costing hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands. After a while, he leaned close to Jiang Lin’s ear and whispered:

“Hero, can we haggle here?”

This question stumped Police Officer Jiang. He pulled out his phone:

“Give me a second.”

He quickly sent a message to a local colleague. Less than five minutes later, he received a reply and put his phone away:

“Did you find something you like?”

“The one in the middle, what do you think?”

Jiang Lin looked up and saw the blanket he was pointing at. The size seemed just right to go under the coffee table in Shen Xing’s living room. The color scheme was complex but exquisite. The price tag read 9000. He asked softly:

“It’s beautiful. Are you sure you want it?”

Shen Xing nodded solemnly. He loved this blanket; he felt like even eating instant noodles while sitting on it would feel like happiness. Then, he watched Jiang Lin stand up. And then, he witnessed the entire process of Police Officer Jiang haggling. In the end, the blanket with a price tag of 9000 was sold for 5500, and the shop owner even threw in four coasters for free. The whole process was smooth as flowing water, leaving Shen Xing dumbfounded.

Shen Xing was still in awe of Jiang Lin as he scanned the QR code to pay. It wasn’t until he saw the shop owner take the blanket down, clean it, and wrap it in cloth that he finally snapped back to reality.

The male shop owner came out from the back and offered to help them carry it to the car. As they walked out, Shen Xing was still somewhat in disbelief. If he had haggled, he would have knocked off a thousand at most. If the owner sold it to him for 8000, he would have felt like he got a steal. Who knew Jiang Lin would open his mouth and ask, “Will you sell it for 4500?”

He leaned closer to Jiang Lin, their down jackets brushing against each other, and whispered:

“Hero, your haggling skills are on par with my mom’s.”

Jiang Lin leaned close to his ear as well:

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Actually, I had off-site guidance.”

He showed Shen Xing the chat with the local colleague he had messaged earlier. Shen Xing saw the reply:

“Start by offering half price. If you close the deal at two-thirds, you didn’t lose out.”

“No wonder. You started right off by asking if they’d sell for 4500. You really need to know the market to buy things here. It’s a good thing I brought you today, otherwise I would have lost two or three thousand with tears in my eyes. The milk tea is on me later.”

“We agreed it’s my treat. No fighting over the bill.”

“Then I’ll treat you next time.”

“Deal.”

Along the way, Jiang Lin noticed that Shen Xing was genuinely interested in these roadside handicraft shops. He was always touching this and looking at that, as curious as a cat.

For the next hour, Shen Xing’s routine was to push Jiang Lin into a chair the moment they entered a shop, then browse on his own, and collect him when it was time to leave. Actually, he didn’t just collect him when leaving; whenever he bought something, he’d pick up an extra one for Jiang Lin.

For example, a small prayer wheel keychain, a miniature tea bowl ornament, and Tibetan-style woven seat cushions—he got one for himself and one for Jiang Lin.

After browsing for over an hour, they had a bountiful harvest, and Shen Xing finally had some room in his stomach. He turned around and said:

“Let’s go, Hero. I can drink milk tea now.”

This Tibetan milk tea shop was indeed as unique as Jiang Lin had described, with a distinct Tibetan style. The interior decoration wasn’t a homogenized, commercial Tibetan theme, but clearly featured many genuine antiques. The owner was also Tibetan, and the milk tea was boiled fresh. After the two sat down, Shen Xing watched the owner make milk tea in a copper pot, while Jiang Lin looked down, fiddling with the trinkets Shen Xing had just given him. He normally didn’t have much interest in knick-knacks like this, but he found these few small items quite cute.

Shen Xing wanted to laugh at the sight of him and waved a hand in front of his eyes:

“Hero, the milk tea is ready.”

Only then did Jiang Lin look up. The shop used wooden bowls made from some unknown type of wood. Holding the bowl with both hands, Shen Xing looked at the man across from him, who kept fiddling with the prayer wheel, and smiled:

“I really wish the young doctor who did the outpatient clinic with me could see you now. He practically worshipped you today, Captain Jiang.”

After a long pause, he tilted his head, looked at him, and added:

“Actually, I admire you quite a bit too.”

Although he didn’t know exactly what had happened seven months ago, looking at Liu Xiaohu lying in bed and the scars covering Jiang Lin’s body, he could tell how brutal that operation must have been. The greatest malice he had encountered growing up was nothing more than a few medical disputes; he had never truly seen the dark, gloomy side lurking beneath the sunlight.

Shen Xing had very beautiful eyes, and his focused gaze was incredibly bright. When Jiang Lin met that gaze, he almost felt slightly scorched by it. He couldn’t quite find the words to respond, and his fingers subconsciously spun the prayer wheel again. Realizing what he was doing, he felt a bit silly. He put down the prayer wheel, picked up his bowl just like Shen Xing had, buried his face in it, took a sip, and said:

“There’s nothing to admire.”

They were sitting at a small round table. Shen Xing suddenly moved from his seat across the table to sit right next to Jiang Lin:

“Captain Jiang, I secretly looked up your police rank the other day.”

Jiang Lin licked a drop of milk tea off his lip and turned his head:

“Why did you look up my rank?”

“That day I noticed your rank was only one level lower than the highest-ranking old man there. I was curious, so I looked it up. Have you… been injured before?”

Jiang Lin’s rank was far ahead of his peers; this probably wasn’t the first time he had earned an early promotion due to meritorious service.

Hearing this, Jiang Lin’s inner radar pinged, thinking Doctor Shen was asking about his medical history. He thought back carefully:

“Yes, but nothing major. Flesh wounds.”

Afraid Shen Xing would think he was brushing him off, he added:

“Knife wounds, blunt trauma from clubs, that sort of thing. The most severe was a slight internal contusion. I recovered very well.”

Shen Xing was a bit speechless at his use of “slight.” Was an internal organ contusion considered merely “slight” to him?

By the time the two left the milk tea shop and drove home, the sky was already getting dark. After getting out of the car, Shen Xing refused to let Jiang Lin help him carry the blanket, insisting on lugging it up himself:

“Don’t use your hands. Just help me carry these two bags.”

“I won’t use my left hand, I’ll help you lift it with my right. The carpet is too long, it’ll be hard for you to carry it on your shoulder.”

In the end, Shen Xing couldn’t win the argument. The two of them wrestled the carpet home, and Jiang Lin only left after helping him lay it out.

Shen Xing was absolutely enamored with his new rug. After taking a shower and changing into his loungewear, he couldn’t wait to sit cross-legged on the carpet. He grabbed his laptop, ready to draft a detailed rehabilitation plan for Jiang Lin, intending to consult with colleagues in relevant departments later. He worked on this for over three hours. Around 8 PM, his stomach started to rumble. He rummaged through his snack box and suddenly saw the instant noodles he had stockpiled. The craving was undeniable.

He grabbed two packets of instant noodles and stood up. While boiling water, he thought of Jiang Lin, wondering if he had eaten dinner yet.

He picked up his phone and sent a message:

“Hero, have you eaten dinner?”

Before the water boiled, the reply came:

“No. Are you hungry?”

“Do you want to eat Shen’s Deluxe Beef Noodles? Come over if you do.”

Less than two minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Shen Xing dropped the noodle cakes into the pot and hurried to open the door. Standing outside was Jiang Lin, wearing light grey loungewear:

“Come in, the deluxe beef noodles will be ready in a minute.”

It wasn’t until Jiang Lin entered and followed him to the kitchen that he realized Doctor Shen’s “beef noodles” were Kangshifu (Master Kong) instant beef noodles. Then, he watched as Doctor Shen started adding ingredients: Spam, sausages, an egg, and a handful of small bok choy. When Shen Xing turned around after adding the final handful of bok choy, Jiang Lin met those sparkling eyes and immediately affirmed:

“Deluxe, truly deluxe.”