A Lady's Practice

Chapter 1: Origins

The winding mountain path of Daqing Mountain, a treacherous road with its eighteen sharp turns, seemed especially desolate on this winter day. A lone off-road vehicle snaked its way upwards, the only sign of life against the snow-kissed landscape.

"Doctor Bai, why didn't you just stay in the city for the night? Wouldn't it be easier to drive up tomorrow morning?" The driver, a young man with a thin, sun-darkened face that spoke of a childhood spent in the mountains, was quite chatty.

He navigated the sharp turns with ease, stealing occasional glances at the woman seated beside him in the passenger seat.

The woman wore a white down jacket, her hair styled in loose curls and tied casually at the back of her head. Her makeup was subtle—just enough to accentuate her features. She hadn't bothered with hairpins or earrings, but to the young driver, she appeared more sophisticated than any of the flashy city women he'd seen in television dramas.

"She's definitely from the big city," he thought to himself. "You can just tell by the way she carries herself."

"I've got a patient waiting for surgery," Bai Yuxuan explained, her gaze lingering on the snow-covered cliffs before turning to smile at the driver. "I managed to gather everything I need today, so I'll head back and be ready for the surgery first thing tomorrow. Otherwise, the poor man will have to wait another day."

Her smile was warm, her face soft and graceful, her large dark eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. The driver felt his heart skip a beat—those dimples she revealed when she smiled were unexpectedly charming.

"How old are you this year, Doctor Bai?" The question escaped his lips before he could stop himself. Realizing how rude it sounded, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Me? I'm getting old," Bai Yuxuan replied with a chuckle, her gaze flicking toward him playfully. "When I was your age, I was just in my third year of university."

The driver quickly did the math. He himself had joined the army young, but his sister had started university at eighteen, so with four years to complete it, she would have graduated by twenty-two, maybe twenty-three at most.

"You can't be older than twenty-two or twenty-three!" he exclaimed, grinning. "How can you say you're old?"

Bai Yuxuan pressed her lips together, stifling a smile. She knew the young man had just done the mental arithmetic.

"Do I really look that young?" she teased, her fingers lightly brushing her face. "I studied for eight years, you know."

The driver blinked in surprise, glancing over at her. "Eight years?"

"I'm twenty-seven already," she admitted with another smile.

The driver chuckled awkwardly. "That's not old at all. You can't call yourself old!" He paused, then hesitated before asking, "Are you married, Doctor Bai?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the driver wanted to slap himself. What was wrong with him today? He barely knew her, and here he was, asking such personal questions!

But Bai Yuxuan merely smiled and turned her head to look out the window again, seemingly unbothered by the inquiry.

"Not yet," she answered lightly.

"You're such a catch, Doctor Bai. You'll have to take your time and find someone really special," he added quickly, trying to redeem himself.

She laughed softly but didn't reply, and the driver took it as his cue to stay quiet. He focused on the road ahead, biting his tongue to avoid any further blunders.

As the mountain scenery sped past the window, Bai Yuxuan's thoughts wandered. The driver's mention of marriage had stirred memories and emotions she'd been trying to bury.

Twenty-seven was an awkward age in the small county they were driving through. Here, it was considered old for a woman to remain unmarried, but back in the city where Bai Yuxuan lived, marriage at this age was far from urgent. Of course, if she were in a stable relationship, it might be time to start thinking about settling down—before turning thirty, perhaps.

But things had changed now. Her boyfriend was getting married soon, just not to her.

That tired old phrase from romance novels—"He's getting married, but the bride isn't me"—had become her reality. How painfully ironic.

Bai Yuxuan shifted in her seat, leaning her head against the headrest. She sighed inwardly.

"Why did you have to go there, Moon?" His words echoed in her mind, the familiar pet name for her adding a sting of bittersweet nostalgia.

"You studied in Beijing, did your clinical internship in Beijing, and after graduation, you stayed on as a resident doctor. You've already been assisting in surgeries for two years. Director Guo values your skills; he's even letting you lead surgeries. In less than three years, you'll be fully independent in the operating room…" His voice had been so frustrated.

"You want to learn more, I get that. But I never stopped you from going abroad for further training. So why? Why must you go to some remote mountain area? What can you possibly learn there?"

"I'm telling you, going abroad is like polishing your credentials. But going to some backwater village? That's a waste of your talent. You're smart and capable but don't throw away your time. Three years—three years in the countryside, Moon. Do you know how much that will set you back?"

Her mind replayed his words, every argument, every desperate plea.

"And your father… after what happened to him, why are you still listening to his advice? He's ruined his career, and you're going to ruin yours by following his ridiculous ideas about honing your skills in the 'grassroots' sector. This talk about learning the real art of medicine in rural areas—it's nonsense! Our profession values technical skills, not some hollow reputation. You'll throw away everything you've worked for—"

"And finally, we're done, Moon. We're just… done."

Bai Yuxuan closed her eyes, letting out a slow, measured breath as the sound of the car engine hummed in her ears. His words had been hurtful, but ultimately, they boiled down to that last statement: they were done.

A year ago, her father's career had ended after a tragic mistake in surgery left a patient paralyzed. The medical malpractice lawsuit destroyed not only his practice but also his once-bright future in the medical community. And in a field like theirs, reputation was everything.

Bai Yuxuan let out a bitter chuckle. Marrying that other woman certainly made more sense for her boyfriend—well, ex-boyfriend—now. After all, what was a five-year relationship worth in a world where even love had a price tag?

She sighed again, shaking her head at the thought.

"Doctor Bai? Doctor Bai?" The driver's voice pulled her from her reverie. She turned toward him.

"Are you feeling carsick?" he asked, concern written all over his face.

"No, no, I'm fine," she replied, offering him a reassuring smile. "Just got lost in thought."

"We've got a satellite TV system in the car," he said brightly as if suddenly remembering. "Our county magistrate loves watching TV during rides like these. Want to give it a try?"

Before she could decline, he had already turned on the small screen in the dashboard. A flickering image appeared, accompanied by the cheerful sound of a news anchor's voice.

Bai Yuxuan smiled appreciatively, though she wasn't interested in watching TV. The background noise was a welcome distraction, filling the silence that had settled in her chest.

"...and in today's archaeology news, an unexpected discovery was made during an excavation. Experts were astonished to find a perfectly preserved tomb beneath what appeared to be an ordinary mound…"

"Found treasure!" The driver's excitement was palpable. "I love these tomb-raiding shows. They always find something amazing."

Bai Yuxuan couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm, though she cast a sideways glance at the screen. The image now showed a group of animated experts standing before an ancient stone gate, their faces lit up with the thrill of discovery.

The car lurched to a stop, and Bai Yuxuan nearly knocked into the dashboard.

"We're here," the driver announced with a grin.

They had reached the end of the drivable part of the mountain road.