I was a surgeon.

To be exact, I was a newly graduated intern surgeon.

Today, it was my turn in the clinic. The thought of having to deal with the cold and self-disciplined Dylan gave me a headache.

This morning, he borrowed my phone to look something up. He saw my search history.

"How to date with hemorrhoids..."

His face turned pale, and then he looked at me strangely.

1

After barely making it through the day, Dylan suddenly called out to me.

"Anna, come here!" he said.

I awkwardly turned around. "Um, what is it? Mr. Jones, I have plans tonight..." I said.

"Come here and lie down!" he ordered.

He looked serious. He grabbed me without giving me a chance to argue and pulled me behind the curtain, then pushed me onto the bed.

"First, I want to tell you that having hemorrhoids isn't something to be ashamed of! You're a surgeon too. I don't need to explain this to you, right?" he said.

"No! No!" I shook my head out of habit. Wait... What was going on?

He couldn't possibly think that I have hemorrhoids, could he?

I wanted to explain, but Dylan didn't give me a chance.

"And about dating! We'll talk about that after your examination!" he said.

After he spoke, he grabbed my waist and easily flipped me over.

"Take off your pants first!" he demanded.

My face flushed red.

This situation had nothing to do with whether I was a surgeon.

Common sense and decency told me to avoid looking...

"No! Mr. Jones... Dylan! If you keep pulling my pants down, I'll scream harassment! You don't want to ruin your reputation, do you?" I said.

Dylan froze for a moment. I took the chance to roll off the bed and ran out of the exam room, cursing under my breath.

...

I hadn't even left the hospital when I got a series of frantic calls from my mom.

"Anna! It's so late. Why aren't you here yet?" she asked.

"I... I had to work overtime," I said.

I couldn't exactly tell her that Dylan thought I had hemorrhoids and insisted on examining me, right?

"You just graduated. Don't start working overtime like those senior doctors. Your main task is to take care of your family and make babies! Iris and I are both waiting for grandchildren!" she said.

"Make babies, make babies... How am I supposed to make babies by myself?" I asked.

"That's your problem! Hurry up, everyone's here and waiting for you!" she said.

"Got it!" I said.

I had arrived. I saw Dylan walking out of the hospital doors as I got in.

Without his white coat, Dylan looked like a completely different person in his suit.

...

Today was the weekly family dinner.

I rushed to my mother-in-law, Iris Evans' house, and her and my mom's eyes lit up.

"Anna's here.

"Anna, come here and see what I've prepared for you," Iris said.

Iris mysteriously pulled me into the kitchen and uncovered a pot of something dark and murky.

"Look! These are legendary supplements. I specially asked a practitioner to prepare this for you two. It's been simmering all afternoon. If you don't finish it tonight, you're not allowed to go to bed!" Iris said.

My jaw nearly dropped. "Mom, can I even drink this stuff?" I asked.

"Yes, I heard it's very potent! But don't worry, I've already prepared a room for you tonight. If anything happens, I'll be here!" Iris said.

I secretly sighed in relief. It's a good thing I had some foresight.

I was about to tell Iris that Dylan had to work late tonight...

But I saw Dylan, who wasn't supposed to be here, push open the door and walk in.

He still had his usual cold expression, treating everyone the same.

"Dylan, didn't I ask you to pick up Anna on your way here? Why are you arriving separately again? You're married now. It's not like you're sneaking around in a secret relationship," Iris said.

Dylan glanced at me. "Ask her," he said.

I shrugged innocently.

Yes, we were married!

Although we were married, we were like strangers.

Dylan married me as a matter of convenience. I married him with long-held intentions.

In my heart, he was the man I had fallen in love with at first sight, the one who would stay with me forever!

But I hid it so well that he didn't know.

2

At the dining table, the two mothers sat on either side, launching a two-sided attack.

Iris said, "Dylan, I know you are busy. But no matter how busy work gets, you've got to seize your youth, right? Look at Anna. She's still young, but you're already older. If you don't hurry, your abilities in all aspects will decline!"

Dylan glanced at me, looking slightly embarrassed. "Ahem..."

Iris said, "See? Now you even choke on your words. That's a sign of aging!"

My mom said, "You're both doctors, so you definitely know more about this than I do! I've heard that men can only have daughters when they're still strong and healthy!"

Iris said, "I'm not asking for much. This year, work hard and at least give us a granddaughter to start with! As for a grandson, that can come later, next year or the year after..."

"Two kids in three years! Mom, and you say that's not asking for much?"

Dylan rarely showed such a surprised expression.

The two fathers couldn't get a word in and silently clinked their glasses.

Since we got married, every weekly family dinner turned into a baby-making drama. So, we got used to it.

I had a small appetite. After eating a little, I was almost full.

Then I saw Iris bringing out that pot of supplements from the kitchen.

"Here comes the dessert made especially for you two!"

Dylan said, "Mom, it smells so strongly of herbs, and you call this dessert?"

Iris said, "Bitter hardships lead to sweet rewards! This is good stuff. Do you think I would harm you?"

Iris pouted and glanced at her husband, Adam Jones.

Adam immediately winked at Dylan. "Dylan, listen to your mom!"

Dylan was cold and distant, but he was very filial. Even his marriage was arranged according to Iris' wishes.

How could he go against his elders on such a small matter?

Iris and my mom didn't take their eyes off us until we finished the soup, then hurried us upstairs to sleep.

A red bed, rose petals, silk pajamas. It looked like a wedding night setup.

The back of that silk nightgown was covered in lace patterns.

If I had hemorrhoids, they'd be visible at a glance...

Ugh! How could I be thinking about hemorrhoids at a time like this?

If I didn't run now, the supplements' effects would kick in. I wouldn't be able to escape.

Just thinking about it made my face flush and my heart race.

"Um, Dylan, my stomach feels like it's on fire. We should go to the hospital and get my stomach pumped!"

Dylan passed by me expressionlessly and started clearing the rose petals off the bed.

Dylan said, "Why would we get your stomachs pumped? Mom said it was a supplement from a practitioner, not poison."

I got anxious and said, "I know it's not poison! But do you even know what that supplement is supposed to do?"

"What does it do?"

His cold voice reached my ears like a hook, making me feel itchy all over.

Oh no, the supplement seemed to be kicking in!

He was still in his usual black shirt, buttoned up neatly as always.

His whole aura was still as cool and untouchable as ever.

But I still saw a shimmering light in his eyes, and my desire rose again.

I swallowed hard. If this kept up, I might actually pounce on him.

...

Just then, there was a rustling sound at the door.

"Shh..."

"I wonder if they're using the things I prepared. How come there's no sound at all?"

"I spent so long picking out that nightgown. Anyone who sees it would feel their heart flutter. They wouldn't be able to control themselves..."

We were speechless.

Dylan also heard the noise outside the door. He picked up the nightgown and looked at it.

Then he casually placed it on the sofa and sat on the bedside to start reading.

"Dylan, are you okay?"

I asked. I was unable to hold back, staring at him.

"What could be wrong?" Dylan didn't even look up, continuing to read his book. "You go take a shower first. I'll go after you're done."

"Alright."

3

I quickly took a shower. I came out wrapped in a bathrobe.

Dylan put down his book. He took off his gold-rimmed glasses. He went into the bathroom.

I didn't know if he did it intentionally, but the glass door wasn't fully closed. There was a gap left open.

Orange light leaked through the gap. It carried an indescribable warmth and ambiguity.

Oh my God!

What did I just see!

Transparent water flowed over his broad, tan shoulders. It was filled with a strong sense of masculinity.

I took a deep breath. I felt the blood rush to my head.

I was going crazy!

I had lived twenty-six years. My knowledge of a man's body was limited to textbooks, educational videos, and some BL comics I secretly read with my roommates.

Seeing it in person like this was my first time!

I felt something churning in my stomach. I rushed into the bathroom without thinking.

"Dylan, I'm sorry! I really can't take it anymore..." I said.

He turned around in surprise.

"I can't hold it anymore..." I said.

To avoid something even more embarrassing, I had to pull down my pants under his intense gaze. I sat on the toilet.

I covered my face with both hands. I wished I could disappear into a hole.

I never imagined I would have diarrhea in front of the OCD Dylan.

There was only a thin misted glass between us. He could not only hear the sounds but even smell it...

"Are you okay," he asked.

I peeked through my fingers and saw Dylan come out. He stood in front of me, wrapped in a towel.

The veins on his waist and abdomen were like knotted branches, extending upward.

Combined with his fair skin, it wasn't jarring at all. Instead, it was enticingly seductive.

"Are you okay," he asked again.

His cool voice now carried a sticky wetness.

"Diarrhea after taking medicine is normal.

"You usually crave cold things. You ate ice cream and cold drinks this afternoon. That's why the reaction was stronger. You'll be fine after a few trips to the bathroom.

"Also, your hemorrhoids might hurt. You'll have to bear it..." he added.

I didn't want to talk to him!

He obviously drank more than I did. Why didn't he have any reaction?

...

After a restless night, I had no energy when I got to work.

While I was dozing off at the nurse's station, I accidentally overheard some gossip.

"Look at this, Dylan looks so handsome even in candid photos. I want to slide down his nose..." one nurse said.

"You? Forget it! You'd flatten his nose!" another nurse replied.

"I heard Dylan is already thirty-eight. He's at that prime age. Why doesn't he interact with women more?" someone else added.

"Do you think he might not like women?" one of them speculated.

"Maybe he has some secret reason..." another guessed.

Listening to their serious gossip, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Pfft!"

The nurses all looked at me.

"Ms. White, why are you laughing? Don't you like Dylan too?" one nurse asked.

I was startled. I wondered if the secret marriage had been discovered.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Your eyes are practically glued to him. Of course, you like him," one nurse said, laughing. "Besides, who in our hospital doesn't like Dylan, other than those who are already married?"

"Is it that obvious?" I asked.

I only peeked at him a couple of times.

And they noticed?

"Ms. White, you're with Dylan every day in the clinic. You have more chances to interact with him than we do. Tell us, do you feel excited? Nervous? Flustered?" one nurse asked.

"I..."

They probably wouldn't believe me if I said no.

After all, Dylan was the hospital's most desired man.

"Of course I do! Countless times!" I joked.

"Ms. White, we think you're flirting, but we have no proof..."

"Ah! Ms. White, you wouldn't be sneaking around with Dylan, would you?"

"What are you saying... I'm just imagining things like you are! He's Dylan! He's so aloof, and he's a germaphobe. There's no way he would be with me..."

Before I could finish, I saw the nurses run away.

When that happens, it usually means the person we were gossiping about has arrived.

Oh no! Did he hear everything?