Hearts in Turmoil

After her breakup with Jason Chen, Lily Zhao decided to go on the prowl for men. She was drunk and a bit reckless, clinging to a handsome stranger and refusing to let go. The man didn't put up a fight; he just replied with a casual, "You're quite bold." Lily moved closer, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "Let's go upstairs, then." The man finally moved her away from him slightly, in a casual voice. "I'm Jason's cousin." Lily paused, her haze of intoxication lifting slightly as she looked up at him. The man had distinctive features that she recognised as belonging to her ex-boyfriend's overachieving cousin. Ethan Li. He's already making waves in Eastport City's most prestigious hospital, despite being a medical professional still in his early twenties. He's a specialist in breast health. The last time she had a breast issue, he was her doctor. That day, he'd been wearing a mask, and he seemed pretty cold and detached. Even as he examined a sensitive area of her body, his gaze remained fixed. After the examination, he didn't say much to her, just nodded at Jason to show he was there. He was like a distant deity, untouchable and uninterested, someone to be revered from afar. Lily felt a sudden sense of respect for the doctor. She stood up straight and said, "Oh, hello." Ethan adjusted his tie and said, "I'll give Jason a call to come and pick you up." Lily replied, "We've broken up." Ethan gave a slight twitch of the eyebrow, as if he was thinking something over. After a moment, he said slowly, "Then I'll take you home." There was something in his gaze that made Lily stop for a moment, but she didn't think about it too much at first. It wasn't until the car stopped outside her apartment building and he didn't immediately open the door that she started to think again. Any man who wanted to avoid suspicion would have left by now. If he wasn't leaving, it meant he had something in mind. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and had to admit that Ethan was different from the typical spoiled rich kids. He had a strikingly distinguished demeanour, which made him stand out from the crowd. "Dr. Li," Lily said suddenly, "would you like to come up?" Ethan turned to look at her, loosening his tie a little, but he didn't say anything. Lily smiled. "I can tell you want to sleep with me." The man was quiet for a moment, then he let out a rare laugh. "Yes, I do." "Do you think you will?" … As Lily entered the password, Ethan wrapped his arms around her from behind. The coldness of his clothes made her think twice about her decision for a moment. Something about getting involved with him didn't feel right, but he was a very handsome man. She soon forgot her regret. Ethan was good at what he did, and they both enjoyed it. Afterwards, Lily reflected that although Ethan seemed reserved and disciplined, he was probably more experienced than the playboy Jason. Even with a stranger's body, he handled everything with ease. Before long, Ethan was up and dressed. In just a few minutes, she couldn't even remember the passion he'd shown just moments before. "Dr. Li?" she called. "Something came up at the hospital," Ethan replied, already halfway out the door. From her perspective, his retreating figure looked distant and detached. Lily wasn't sure why she said it, but she blurted out, "I've never done this before – I had a few too many tonight." "Hmm," he replied. "But you should still look after yourself." "You can't rely on beauty alone – it's not a sustainable approach." Lily knew exactly what he meant. Ethan had noticed that she was beautiful, but that was about it. After one night together, there was nothing more to it. Men like him had high standards, and there were plenty of women competing for his attention. He wouldn't be swayed by just anyone. Ethan went to the hospital to perform a minor surgical procedure. As he changed out of his scrubs, his colleague Daniel Jiang came over to him. "I saw you at the bar earlier." Ethan didn't respond. "I saw you and your 'sister-in-law' getting pretty close, like you were trying to become one," Daniel said, referring to how Lily had been clinging to him, kissing his jaw while Ethan didn't do anything to stop her. Ethan paused for a moment, then said in a flat tone, "She was drunk, didn't recognise me, and acted out." "You left together." With a woman like that, are you saying nothing happened?" Daniel asked, then gave himself a mental slap. "Oh, you're still hung up on that girl from abroad. I know how loyal you are…" Ethan interrupted, "We slept together." Daniel froze. "She threw herself at me, no strings attached – why not?" Ethan said, his tone indifferent. "Besides, Jason was just playing with her. Everyone knows that." To their circle of rich young men, Lily was just a toy. Only she believed she was in a serious relationship with Jason.