Li Yun and An Luchang performed the surgery on Chen Bingbing with Chief Lim on Friday. It was an easy procedure, but anyone who had watched the video would disagree.

Li Yun inserted the endo-cutter and camera into the special single incision port already inserted on the belly button. He had practiced with just the endo-cutter, but he was not confident that he would be able to navigate into the abdominal cavity. It was like a temporary blind patient using the cane for the first time. It was possible, but not easy.

With Qivi and the camera view of his endocutter, he located the appendix with ease. He clamped onto the appendix, leaving only the tiniest vessel to track the location and to hold it into place. He clamped the endocutter onto the specimen, using it like a forcep, and pulled the specimen out of the belly button.

It was the first time Chief Lim had an astonished look on her face, but it was hidden behind the mask. The kid was terrifying. The camera angle looking to the appendix was obstructed, but he looked unconcerned, and he wasn't even phased at the potential of cutting the wrong anatomy.

Typically, there would be three laparoscopes, one with the endocutter to cut and staple the specimen, a forcep to remove the specimen, and a camera to view the sight. A fourth scope was often needed if the surgeon couldn't see where to make the proper cut. However, Li Yun only needed two tools, reducing the size of the incision.

After the surgery, Chen Bingbing was cleared for discharge and was allowed to leave with her father. Mr. Chen wanted to give Li Yun and An Luchang red envelopes, but they both naturally declined.

"Doctor Li, Doctor An, is it possible to invite you both for dinner?" Chen Bingbing asked before leaving.

It was not uncommon for patients to invite doctors out for dinner. An Luchang said no immediately. Li Yun wondered if An Luchang was an idiot.

"I will have to decline the offer, I am driving back home for the weekend," Li Yun explained. "My girlfriend and I are house hunting."

"Aah, I see, then I will try to invite you another time when you're free," Chen Bingbing said as she left with her father.

"You have a girlfriend, or did you just lie to avoid a dinner date?" asked An Luchang.

"Why did you say no?" asked Li Yun. "She could have taught you how to be more tactful."

An Luchang rolled his eyes. "You were using me as a meatshield."

"And you are a poor one. I should have brought Lui Jing, or even Yang Kang."

"You have a girlfriend then, considering you're worried about having a beautiful woman interested in you."

"She's really not my type," Li Yun thought that Chen Bingbing was genuine but he also thought she suffered from white knight syndrome. Once the novelty wore off, a relationship with no common ground would break apart. Whether he was in a relationship or not, he would never consider dating her.

There was also a problem with her being a Chen. Even for a branch family, they still have powerful connections. Mr. Chen probably did Li Yun a favor after saving his daughter. However, they made no contact with him, so it meant he had little use for them back then. After he operated on Governor Ping's father with unusual methods, people were starting to see his potential uses. He didn't like the idea of being used.

"You didn't answer my question," An Luchang remarked. "Your avoidance suggests that you do have a girlfriend."

Li Yun regretted teaching this guy face reading. He wanted to warn An Luchang about mentioning in the group chat, but he wasn't sure of An Luchang's response. He stopped himself from saying anything. An Luchang wasn't the type to gossip. That was the main reason why Li Yun preferred An Luchang over Lui Jing and Yang Kang, he wasn't a busybody. He was surprised Xuxu hadn't mentioned anything either, but he bet it was because Rouxi had asked her.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"I never said I didn't have a girlfriend," Li Yun rebutted.

"Are you really house hunting?" asked An Luchang.

"No, just checking real estate pricing," Li Yun was going with Rouxi to look at different houses, but they were all haunted houses.

****

"You have a very perverse sense of taste," Rouxi said as she showed him the third house in a rural area.

Li Yun wondered if she meant his reason for dating her or the choice of houses; probably the houses. They had toured two houses already. In both instances, Li Yun had felt the chilling atmosphere, but the vibration was very weak and he wasn't able to gather any information from it.

The third house they visited belonged to a couple who was murdered by an intruder. It was another of one of the unsolved cases. The house had been abandoned for quite some time, and since it was in the rural area, no one was interested in buying it. Walking into the entrance, the eerie chill seeped into Li Yun's spine, causing him to shiver. He had chosen not to wear the lei ting in order to better sense the yin spirits.

Li Yun looked around the house. It wasn't a very large house, but it was the biggest one in the area. The dark curtains had blocked any light from entering, and the lights weren't working due to the power being cut off a long time ago. The darkness made the house seem bigger than it actually was. Li Yun pulled open one of the curtains, pouring light into the living space, which had white clothes and cobwebs covering all the furniture and corners of the room.

The sound of tapping creatures scattered from the ceiling above as soon as light appeared, echoing throughout the room. A mouse with glowing eyes peered down from above the wooden stairs. Li Yun looked at Rouxi to see if she was okay. The woman looked like she was bored.

"Is your next mission ghost hunting?" asked Rouxi.

"Mission?" Li Yun thought. She was sharp, but he bet it was likely his cousin blabbing on about his childhood's stories. Dating a relative's friend was a bad idea.

"You can't sense the chill in the room?" Li Yun asked instead of answering her.

"No, why?"

Li Yun wondered if Rouxi was like the owner of the Caoben's herbal shop, Pao Lie, who didn't believe in ghosts and spirits. The dark vibration didn't have any effect on her. He looked up the stairs and activated spirit detection. There was a slight vibration from above. As they walked up the stairs, the chilling aura grew stronger with every step on the creaking treads. The chill felt stronger than the well. Was it because the people in the well knew that they might die and they felt less grudge?

From the top landing, Li Yun paused and looked down the hallway. The third furthest door entering the bedroom was the source of the dark vibe. Li Yun felt uncomfortable looking at the room. In the meanwhile, Rouxi continued walking down the hallway and peeked into the first room, a decent size bathroom that worked well for the haunted house atmosphere.

"This actually doesn't look bad with proper lighting and paint," Rouxi remarked.

She continued to the next door, which led to a small linen closet. As she was about to open the door leading into the bedroom, Li Yun grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Rouxi asked seeing that Li Yun was more tense than usual.

"I didn't get a close look at you today," Li Yun joked as he hugged her closer. She had a short bob and colorful clothing on, radiating a sparkling peach charm which was in stark contrast with the grey darkness of the hallway. Li Yun resisted the urge to kiss her. "How do you manipulate your aura?"

"It's a natural talent."

It was an extremely difficult talent to cultivate. Chen Bingbing had to volunteer in order to cultivate a supportive aura, but even then, it couldn't suppress her direct aura. Li Yun could suppress his aura, but he couldn't switch it by will unless he readied his mind to be in character. Much like a method actor, he needed to create a character and it took some time before his aura changed.

Li Yun wanted to know if she had other talents but prevented himself from prying. He released her and walked in front to open the door to the bedroom. A strong vibration smashed against Li Yun's body, clunk! Clunk!

"Yun!" Rouxi cried out, bending down to reach for Li Yun as he collapsed onto the floor. The hard crashing sound of his knees onto the floor frightened her. She had reached out just in time before his body collapsed, but he was much heavier than her. Rouxi lowered his body flat on the floor and felt his wrist. No pulse.

"Yun!" Rouxi cried out again, nudging him to wake up. His face paled and his body perspired in a cold sweat. She placed her head to his chest, still no beat. "Calm down, think back to the swimming lesson."

As she placed her hand on his chest, a hand wrapped over hers. She looked up to see that Li Yun was awake.

"Rouxi, I'm fine," Li Yun slowly got up and looked at Rouxi who was about to tear up. "So you do get scared."

She wanted to slap him, but considering he had just collapsed, she butted her head on his shoulder.

"Sorry," Li Yun whispered into her ears and hugged her tightly.

Rouxi felt his hands shivering on her back and waist. She knitted her eyebrows together, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here."