Check-up

Shi Yen went to visit her private doctor, who also ran a hospital within the heart of the city.

Dr. Su Xiang was a beautiful lithe woman with honey-brown eyes and a delicate face. She and her husband were the ones that treated her the night Master Wong found her half-alive.

Dr. Su's husband was a Prince of the Underworld, and she was his accomplice, blended in the medical industry as regular people. But no one else knows what they are beneath a lab coat and a stethoscope around their necks. That's how the Black Society works—you never know who works in the underworld.

Dr. Su Xiang performed a thorough check-up and physical examination while asking her a few questions.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I feel perfectly fine," replied Shi Yen.

The doctor smiled. "No issues? Are you still engaging in physical activity?" she asked while Shi Yen removed her shirt, displaying the faint scars on her arms and back.

"I've kept away from martial arts for the first two months. Master Wong then helped me ease back into it," replied Shi Yen.

The doctor then observed her scars. "They've healed remarkably well," she said, kneading into skin. In the mirror, Shi Yen noticed that they are hardly noticeable, unless you look very up-close.

Dr. Su then stepped away from her, approaching her clipboard. "I'm glad everything seems to be great. It's truly…exceptional. But then again, your body was in perfect form before the incident," she said, jotting down some notes.

Shi Yen glanced at the records, where her name and past medical history appeared: Concussion, multiple stab wounds, broken rib, and mild amnesia.

"Do you remember anything about the night we took you in?" asked Dr. Su.

Shi Yen shook her head. "They keep coming in small fragments. I only remember seeing smoke and fire as of now. That's all." She then creased her brows, trying to remember. "I just feel like I'm missing a huge part of something…something important. It bothers me that I can't remember it."

Her doctor frowned. "Don't stress. Your memories may return. But it was a good thing you've laid low. You don't remember who inflicted these injuries on you, and if you did, it could cause more stress…even nightmares. Just take it slow."

"All right," replied Shi Yen, releasing a shuddering breath. She then faced the doctor, severe and deep. "I've meant to ask this before, but do you know who I am?"

Dr. Su flashed a nervous smile, but she kept her composure. "My husband told me that we're not allowed to talk about this," she said, pondering over it. "But that night, we treated you. I've had my speculations. Miss Shi, I promise that your secret is safe with me. You saved my husband's life once. I won't ever forget it."

"I didn't do much," replied Shi Yen, not wanting to hear about her 'good' deeds. She expected it. With the extent of her injury, Dr. Su might have guessed what her past was. She was unconscious when they took her in, clad in her Queen uniform.

"How is your husband?" Shi Yen questioned, to keep her mind off the subject.

Dr. Su gave out a wide side-smile. "He's at home taking care of our son."

Shi Yen's eyes widened her eyes in the shape of saucers. "I didn't know you had a child."

"Hm. I was pregnant when I treated you, but I wasn't showing. My husband and I now rotate between our roles at the hospital and with parenting."

Shi Yen shot her a sad smile. "I'm happy for both of you."

"Thank you," Dr. Su replied with a mild flush.

That confirmed it. Dr. Su and her husband wouldn't betray her. They were great people. And now Shi Yen knows not to ask them for help if she needed it.

She would never ask someone with a child for help, regardless if they owed her, regardless if they are a part of the Underworld, a place difficult to escape from. If you have a tattoo of one of the organizations, then you are branded. But Shi Yen hated upholding people to their debts since she understood the feeling of owing.

"Is there anything else I can help you with today?" She asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Shi Yen thought about it. "Can you tell me everything I need to know about birth control?"

…

In the evening, Shi Yen went home after work, greeting Shizi and taking her outside to play. She threw her a toy and Shizi returned it to her, and they went back and forth at it.

She turned, catching a glimpse of Yuan Shun in his office space. He left the blinds open, facing backward against the window. He was working on his computer while speaking over his cellphone.

He was wearing normal clothes, with his hair tousled over his eyes. Shi Yen found herself walking towards the window, near his back door to look at him.

Yuan Shun ended the call, placing his phone aside. His screen lit up, and there was a picture of her as his wallpaper—the one she sent him the day she saw her campaign. Shi Yen flushed. It was so corny, and yet it made her feel happy.

She walked in through the back door, surprising Yuan Shun as he turned to face her with startled eyes. He released a breath, grinning at her wide.

He pulled her towards her, and she fell on his lap, wrapping her arms around him.

"You're home," he said.

"Hm," she replied, kissing him.

"What did you do today?" he asked her.

"I went to a doctor's appointment, and then I went to work after," she replied.

"Is everything all right?" he asked her,

"Yes," she replied. "It was just a check-up, and the doctor assured me that everything was fine."

He smiled. "Good."

Yuan Shun then resumed his work with her still seated on his lap. He appeared to be stressed, but he was good at hiding it. She then jumped from his lap, walking to stand behind him.

She then pressed his shoulders with her palms, massaging and kneading his skin. She moved around his neck and towards his back. Yuan Shun loosened his grip on the keyboard, leaning into her touch.

"Do you have a lot of work that needs to be done?" she questioned.

"Yes," he responded softly, feeling how her fingers ran over his skin, rough with gentle attention. "I didn't expect there to be a huge backlog of work for the bank and…"

"And Shi Group?" she questioned. "Don't be afraid to talk about it around me. The company is yours."

Yuan Shun frowned. "You know…I've been looking for someone to fill in a role within the administration team at Shi Group," he told her. "It's not fair of me to ask, but I'd love it if you worked with me. You know more about Shi Group better than anyone else."

Shi Yen's mouth parted wide open. She paused her movements on him. He asked her to work with him, not for him, and that was something she'd never expected. "Really?" she questioned, eyes wide.

"Yes," he replied. "My grandfather will disapprove if he finds out. But I don't care. I should never have taken anything from you."

Shi Yen released her grip on him, turning to sit on his lap again to hug him. "I didn't expect this." She grabbed his face. "This is so exciting. I won't disappoint!"

He kissed her. "I know you won't."

She squeezed him tight, pecking his cheek before she went back outside to find Shizi.

Yuan Shun leaned in his chair, watching them enjoy the evening air. His grandfather may throw a shit storm at him, but he realized what he needed to do for both the company and for his unlabelled relationship with Shi Yen. He only hoped that he was prepared for all the risks.