Ning Qi has been somewhat absent-minded these days.

Today is Friday, and she has no plans for the afternoon. She sits in her office, staring dazedly at the city outside the window.

Anning Building is located at the busiest section of downtown, with floor-to-ceiling windows on the thirty-ninth floor, offering a view of the entire city. She likes this height, likes the feeling of looking down from above. The bustling crowds, the endless flow of traffic—everything feels so distant, yet so close.

Her gaze passes over the towering buildings and falls in an indistinct direction far away. That’s where Sanbo Hospital is located, she knows, although she can’t see it from here.

In fact, she has driven past there many times, sometimes deliberately taking a detour, sometimes finding an excuse to pass by. Each time she passes, she slows down the car and glances in the direction of that building. Just a glance, then she continues on.

She’s never gone inside.

It’s not that she doesn’t want to, she just doesn’t dare to.

Her phone rings; it’s her brother Ning Yu calling.

"Sis, do you have time tonight? Let’s have dinner together."

Ning Qi says, "I have time. What do you want to eat?"

Ning Yu says, "I’ll pick the place. I’ll pick you up at six."

After hanging up the phone, Ning Qi checks the time—two hours to go. She leans back in her chair, closes her eyes, and images from many years ago emerge in her mind.

Back then, her father was seriously ill, staying at Sanbo Hospital.

That was the first time she met Yang Ping.

Her father was in the late stage of liver cancer, and by the time it was discovered, it had already spread. They visited the best hospitals in the country, and the experts had similar opinions: no chance for surgery, only maintenance through chemotherapy and radiation. Her father was a strong-willed man, never bowed his head all his life, but that time she saw tears in his eyes.

Later, her father was hospitalized at Sanbo Hospital for three months. The severe pain made his life worse than death, and none of the pain relief methods could alleviate it, until Yang Ping accurately implanted a miniature pain pump at the nerve root to stop the pain.

During those three months, she almost went to the hospital every day. Sometimes accompanying her father for treatment, sometimes seeking Yang Ping for an understanding of the illness. Gradually, she developed a faintly different feeling towards Yang Ping.

She saw him patiently care for every patient, saw him pore over thick literature for a case, saw him resting against the wall exhausted after coming down from the operating table, saw him at a loss when a patient’s family pulled him crying.

She saw a true doctor.

On the day her father passed away, Yang Ping was also there. Her father departed peacefully, held her hand, and slowly closed his eyes. She cried so much she couldn’t speak, and Yang Ping stood by her side, gently patting her shoulder.

After her father passed away, her contact with Yang Ping didn’t end. Occasionally sending messages, holiday greetings, slowly they became best friends. She knew her feelings for him were different, but she had never spoken about it. Later she realized that feeling was called unrequited love.

Then came Ning Yu’s illness.

Ning Yu suddenly was diagnosed with a brainstem tumor while performing in Japan; he suddenly fainted on stage and was sent to the University of Tokyo Hospital, where the tumor was discovered. Holding the diagnosis paper felt like the sky was falling.

The brainstem is a surgical no-go zone, so the hospital response was the same as the University of Tokyo Hospital: the location is too deep, the risk too high, almost no chance of successful surgery, not recommended.

Finally, she thought of Yang Ping.

She called him, her voice trembling. She said, "Professor Yang, my brother... can you help me?"

Yang Ping listened to her words, hesitated for a few seconds, and said, "Send the scans for me to see."

She sent the scans, then waited about half an hour. Half an hour later, Yang Ping called her, "There’s potential for surgery! I’ll be the chief surgeon; I’m the only one in the world who can do it."

She asked, "What’s the chance?"

Yang Ping said, "About eighty percent."

Eighty percent! Others said the success rate was close to zero, Professor Yang said eighty percent, Ning Qi was moved to tears.

She said, "Thank you!"

"Where is he?"

"At the University of Tokyo Hospital."

"Okay, I’ll take a team over; you don’t need to worry, I’m here."

I’m here, once again when she was alone and helpless, Yang Ping gave her the greatest support.

On the day of the surgery, she waited outside the operating room for a long time; she sat on a bench in the hallway, motionless, her eyes fixed on the door of the operating room.

When the door opened, she almost couldn’t stand up.

Yang Ping came out, with mask marks on his face, looked at her and said, "The surgery went smoothly, the tumor was entirely removed, his life is saved, and his nerve function is preserved."

She cried and threw herself into Yang Ping’s arms, giving him a kiss.

That was the first time she’d cried since her father’s passing, not because of sadness, but because of overwhelming joy.

Ning Yu recovered well; within a month, he could walk on his own; three months later, he returned home smoothly and is now able to work and live normally. Every time she sees him bouncing around, she thinks of Yang Ping.

It was him who saved her brother’s life.

It was also him who made her understand what it means to like someone.

But she never said anything.

It’s not that she didn’t want to say it, but she couldn’t.

She knows Yang Ping has someone he loves: Xiao Su, gentle, quiet.

She understands that look.

So she didn’t say anything.

He probably will never know.

Sometimes she wonders what would have happened if she had told him back then? Perhaps there was a chance, perhaps they wouldn’t even become friends. But it was just a thought; she never tried.

Because she knows, for some people, keeping them in your heart is enough.

At six in the evening, Ning Yu arrives on time to pick her up.

The siblings went to the restaurant they frequently visit and got a quiet private room. Ning Yu ordered a table full of dishes, all her favorites.