Maybe in her mind, after she treated him to a meal, she wouldn't owe Ye Mo a favor—instead, he would owe her. Ye Mo had no fondness for girls who were so self-satisfied.
"So you think you owe me a favor and want to treat me to dinner, is that right?" Ye Mo said calmly.
"Yes, yes, exactly," Su Mei felt relieved that Ye Mo had finally understood her intentions.
"How much are you planning to spend on this meal?" Ye Mo's question made Su Mei freeze for a moment.
"Uh… I was thinking of going to Ju Wei Lou near campus. For two people, it should be about three hundred yuan," she replied, though unsure why Ye Mo asked.
"Oh? Do you have two hundred yuan in cash on you right now?" Ye Mo still showed no emotion.
Su Mei snorted inwardly. So that's it—acting all cool just to borrow money from me. That bouquet of flowers really must have been meant for someone else. He must be angry I took it. Still, she pulled out two hundred yuan, thinking, Well, since I'm already giving him money, maybe I don't need to buy him that dinner anymore. It's not like I expect to get it back.
Ye Mo took the cash and said blandly, "If the meal costs 300, I'd probably eat two-thirds of it, which is 200 yuan. Now that you've given it to me, that means you've already treated me. We're even. Don't bother me again." Then he turned and walked away.
"You—" Su Mei was speechless. She couldn't believe anyone like this existed. Her chest tightened in anger. Who does this guy think he is? A loser, and he still acts like he's all that. Did he forget he's a complete nobody?
What surprised Ye Mo was that even after eating at school, he hadn't noticed anyone suspicious following him. He didn't believe Zheng Wenqiao would just let this go. That guy must have serious patience.
As soon as Ye Mo returned to his residence, he saw Xu Wei pacing anxiously in the yard. Curious, he asked, "Xu Wei, what's going on? You're like an ant on a hot pan."
"Ye Mo, thank goodness you're back! Can you help me out? I have something urgent tonight, but I promised to cover a shift for Zhou Yun," Xu Wei rushed to explain as soon as she saw him.
"How can I help?" Ye Mo was puzzled.
"Zhou Yun asked me to cover her shift, but now I have an emergency. Could you go in my place? It's just a few hours—off duty by midnight." Xu Wei looked at him pleadingly.
Ye Mo's forehead creased. "I'm unemployed, and you want me to take a hospital shift? Are you running a fever?"
"You said you knew a bit of medicine, right? Honestly, you don't need to know anything. It's just the fever pre-check station. You hand the thermometer to patients, let them take their temperature, record it, and send them to register if they have a fever. I'll call Xiao Wu—she'll explain everything. You'll learn it in minutes," Xu Wei said eagerly.
Ye Mo looked at her speechlessly. Well, that really does sound simple. He didn't mind helping Xu Wei—she had treated him to dinner once, after all. "I'll help, but what if a supervisor shows up and finds out?"
"Don't worry, supervisors don't check the pre-check station—at night, they only visit departments. And with a mask on, no one will know who you are," Xu Wei assured him.
That's true, Ye Mo thought. Even if someone finds out I'm an imposter, it's not like I'll be punished—Xu Wei will be the one in trouble. Why should I worry?
Once Ye Mo agreed, Xu Wei handed him her hospital badge, shouldered her backpack, and rushed off while making a phone call. Her anxious expression showed she was really dealing with something urgent.
Just in case, Ye Mo took his small medical kit with him. He hadn't expected the kit he prepared for street stalls would first be used at a hospital.
As Xu Wei promised, Xiao Wu was waiting at the fever check station at Likang Hospital. When Ye Mo arrived, she pulled down her mask and waved. "You're Ye Mo, right? Put on this white coat. It's simple—just hand out thermometers and record temperatures. I'll handle everything else."
Ye Mo realized it really was that simple. There weren't many patients at night. Even without him, Xiao Wu probably could manage alone.
"It's mostly to avoid complaints," Xiao Wu explained with a smile. "If patients complain about understaffing, it's serious. Zhou Yun is still on probation. Most of the patients at night are kids with fevers and colds."
Ye Mo understood. The real reason he was needed was to avoid complaints from having only one staff member on duty. Otherwise, the absent staffer would be in big trouble.
Xiao Wu had a round face and two dimples when she smiled, making her look very friendly. Sure enough, after six o'clock, more patients began arriving—mostly children with fevers and colds. Just as she said, one person alone really wouldn't be able to keep up.
By 11 p.m., most people had gone home, and the hospital grew quiet. Ye Mo and Xiao Wu finally had time to rest.
Seeing it was calm, Xiao Wu said, "I'm going to grab a bite. I'm on the night shift. Want me to bring you something?"
Ye Mo shook his head—he wasn't hungry. Once Xiao Wu left, he took his medical kit and went to the restroom. He carried it with him because only he knew the true value of what was inside. The fever station saw a lot of foot traffic, and even at night, something could easily get stolen. Losing that kit would cost him days of effort and tens of thousands of yuan.
"Come with me. I need your help with something."
Just as Ye Mo exited the restroom, a middle-aged man in a white coat stopped him.
Ye Mo wasn't planning to respond, but the man's tone sounded like a supervisor. If he found out Ye Mo was just a stand-in, Xu Wei might suffer later. Fine, Ye Mo thought. I'll do her one more favor.
The man led Ye Mo to the emergency room and asked, "Which department are you from?"
Ye Mo hesitated. Judging from his age, if he named a department, the man might know someone there and expose him. So he began, "I'm actually—"
Before he could finish, the man's phone rang. As he answered, his voice quickly turned angry, and he shouted into the phone for a while. "Fine! Divorce it is! You shameless woman!"
After hanging up, the man tossed his coat aside, grabbed a bag, and left in a huff.
Ye Mo was speechless. This guy's a legend—arguing about divorce and leaving work before his shift ends. No wonder his wife wants to leave him.
As Ye Mo was about to leave, a nurse and a young woman in her twenties entered, supporting an old man in his sixties. Just from their hurried steps, Ye Mo could tell it was serious.
"Who are you? Where's Dr. Cui?" The nurse immediately questioned Ye Mo, clearly recognizing he wasn't Dr. Cui, even with the mask.
"Oh, he just left. I'm covering his shift. I'm helping—" Before Ye Mo could explain he was filling in for Zhou Yun, the nurse cut him off.
"Then help check this old man now! He's in severe pain and can't speak!" she urged as she helped the pale-looking man onto the bed.