Chapter Thirteen: Longing for Home

She hurriedly whispered to Li Hongzhi before anxiously entering the restroom to find Lin Xiaoyan.

Li Hongzhi glanced over, then quickly left.

“Director, that patient just left!” Nurse Zhang looked at the now empty restroom, resenting Lin Xiaoyan, and immediately reported to the director.

...

Lin Xiaoyan was now seated inside Dr. Yang’s car, her whole body trembling, her mind swirling with the recent ordeal.

Before her vision problems began, she had always believed the world was peaceful and bright.

Even when reading about car accidents, medical disputes, or home invasions on the news, she would simply sigh and move on—never experiencing anything like this firsthand.

Experiencing it personally was an entirely different feeling.

Right now, all she wished for was for her eyes to heal quickly; she never wanted to “see” such scenes again!

She was just an ordinary person; this kind of special ability was better suited for someone else.

Seeing Lin Xiaoyan trembling, Yang Lin said nothing. He drove to a nearby milk tea shop, stepped out, and bought her a cup of warm milk tea.

“Here, drink this to warm you up and calm your nerves.” He placed the milk tea gently into her cold hands.

Feeling the warmth in her hands, Lin Xiaoyan finally snapped back to reality. She looked at the cup, then up at Dr. Yang, overwhelmed with gratitude.

“Thank you, Dr. Yang. If it weren’t for you today, I...” Her voice faltered. She gave a bitter smile, unable to fully comprehend what had happened to her.

If she told others, they might genuinely think she was delusional.

Yang Lin drove on attentively, smiling as he heard her words. “You’re welcome. If anything happens in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. And if you ever feel unwell, don’t go to Aier Hospital—go to a public hospital instead.”

Lin Xiaoyan nodded. “Okay, I understand.”

The car pulled up beneath the building where Lin Xiaoyan rented her apartment. As she prepared to say goodbye, Yang Lin suddenly stopped her.

“Wait, let me check your eyes.”

She quickly sat properly and faced him.

Yang Lin retrieved his medical kit from the backseat. He turned on the interior light, donned gloves, and began examining her eyes.

“Have you been staying up late?” he asked softly.

“Yes, I had insomnia last night and didn’t sleep well...” Lin Xiaoyan replied timidly.

After a thorough check, Yang Lin packed away his tools. “It’s likely due to staying up late. Until your eyes recover, you must avoid staying up late. Staying up activates the brain nerves and affects the eyes. Even healthy people show immediate eye symptoms after late nights. So, try not to stay up late anymore.”

He took out several bottles of medicine, marking them with a pen. “Use these according to my instructions. Start with this eye wash as soon as you get home. After that, apply these drops—three drops each time. Use them whenever you can throughout the day, and before you sleep.”

After explaining everything, he packed the medicine into a bag and handed it to Lin Xiaoyan.

She accepted it gratefully. “Dr. Yang, thank you. I... I don’t know what to say. Truly, thank you so much today. How much are these medicines? I can transfer the payment to you...”

Yang Lin smiled warmly. “No need to thank me or send money. These are inexpensive at any pharmacy, and since I got them from the hospital, they cost even less.”

“Go home soon, be careful these days, lock your door at night, and contact me if anything happens.”

He took out his phone. “I’ll add you on WeChat. Just accept the friend request. If your eyes have any problems or you need any help, you can reach out anytime.”

Looking at Dr. Yang, Lin Xiaoyan felt a surge of warmth. In this unfamiliar city, she hadn’t expected to meet such a kind doctor, such a good person.

She sincerely thanked him once again.

Back at her apartment, after locking the door behind her, she sat down on the floor, overwhelmed with homesickness and longing for her mother.

She felt this place was too dangerous, and she wanted to go home.

With that thought, she picked up her phone and called her mother via voice message.

“Hello, Yan Yan, are you off work?” Her mother’s voice came through the phone, and suddenly Lin Xiaoyan felt a wave of sorrow swell within her. Her eyes reddened, and she fought back tears, not wanting her mother to notice anything wrong.

“Yes, I just got off work. Mom, have you eaten yet?”

“Yes, we just finished. Your brother took us out for hot pot. Haha, I have good news for you—your sister-in-law is pregnant! Next year, you’ll have a nephew!”

Hearing this, Lin Xiaoyan’s heart filled with joy. “Really? That’s wonderful! Then you have your hands full now. You should start preparing things slowly so there’s no rush when the baby arrives.”

“Yes, that’s what your sister-in-law said too.”

Suddenly, her mother hesitated. Lin Xiaoyan asked what was wrong.

“Well... Yan Yan, are you coming back or not? Your sister-in-law said if you don’t come back, it feels like a waste to leave your room empty...”

Hearing this, Lin Xiaoyan’s face paled. Her heart ached bitterly, yet she forced a smile.

“Sure, I’m not coming back anyway. Arrange it however you want.”

“Yan Yan, you...”

Hearing her mother’s troubled voice, Lin Xiaoyan replied lightly, “Mom, it’s okay. I only stay home a few days a year anyway. It’s a waste to leave the room empty. You can tidy it up as a nursery. When I make a lot of money, I’ll buy my own place to live!”

“Haha, alright, when you buy your house, I’ll come live with you.”

“No way! By then, you won’t want to leave your grandson. You’ll be too busy to live with me.”

“Haha, that’s true. When the child grows up, there’ll be school pickups and drop-offs to handle...”

...

Forcing a smile, she ended the call. Staring at the black screen of her phone, tears streamed down her face.

Actually, when she first heard that her sister-in-law wanted to turn her room into a nursery, she was very angry.

But considering her sister-in-law was pregnant now, she couldn’t cause trouble for her family because of herself.

Lin Xiaoyan felt deeply troubled, unsure to whom she could confide her grievances and everything that had happened these days.

She slowly got up. It was already nine o’clock. She quickly took a shower and applied her medication.

Home was temporarily unreachable. Her goal now was to work hard and earn money!

Someday, she hoped to truly buy her own house.

To have confidence and security.

Lin Xiaoyan cleared her mind and tried not to think of anything else. She needed to sleep soon because life must go on. Tomorrow, she had to work and earn a living...