Chapter 3: 02 | The Little Mermaid
There was no denying that the rush of air that touched her face once she removed her surgery mask was the best thing to happen after spending hours in it; as if she finally regained her ability to breathe again. To finish her task, she disposed of all the surgery gears before greeting the family that was anxiously waiting just outside.
After she informed them about the successful surgery, they gratefully thanked her. Their relieved smile washed away her wariness, dimples cutting deep into her cheeks when they gratefully thanked her for what she had done to their beloved son. Taking off her green scrubs, she cast it into the designated spot and headed straight into the changing room.
'Good work today, Doctor Tsai.' Meiying smiled as she turned around at the pat on her back. Tian Xiulin released her hairdo and waved it slightly, taking off her nurse uniform and taking out her clothes from the locker.
'You too, Nurse Tian. What can I do without you?' After putting on her blouse, Meiying combed her hair with her finger. Another figure came into the view and it was hard not to admire Xiulin's beauty once she undid her nurse-bun, revealing her shiny long wavy hair that framed her fairness. Meiying tightened her lips, grabbed her standardised dark brown locks, and pulled the tips as if doing so would make it slightly wavy.
'Hm? Do you mean — what can I do without my little Meiying?' Meiying laughed outright at Xiulin's playful sarcasm.
'Can I have dinner with you, Xiulin? It feels like forever since we did.' Meiying hooked her arm around Xiulin's. That aside, she needed to blow off some steam for things that happened the past weeks.
'How can I refuse that?' Xiulin winked at her. Together, they mirrored each other's steps as they walked towards the exit. It had been seven years since they graduated yet they never grew up from the silliest things they did since university. Despite being two years her senior, Xiulin didn't want to be called 'jie' since they met for the first time and still treated Meiying like her younger sister.
The warm steam hit her face, filling her smelling sense with the smell of her childhood. The transparent and thin noodle smoothly slid through her throat and there was nothing more rewarding than drinking the hot and thick pork broth that entirely warmed her body. The Misua stall was located just three blocks from the hospital and always packed with people who wanted to get the nostalgic taste for it had been established since 1965. It was also their favourite place to eat; so much that the owner remembered their exact order: extra broth for Meiying and no mushroom for Xiulin.
With Xiulin, a day without exchanging messages felt like they hadn't been in contact for a decade. While they were busy chatting, the other people were paying attention to the news about the foreign military aircraft that crossed over their country's defence zone. Some people murmured their anxiety, some others didn't care. When the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party was speaking, Xiulin for once stopped talking and actually listening, continued when the news ended.
'… it was hilar bile duct cancer stage 3. It was pretty obvious seeing it from the CT scan but Dr Kim kept insisting that it wasn't.' Meiying clamped her misua and hungrily sipped it. 'Then Dr Li managed to convince him at the second meeting. He insisted on the possibility of removing it. It was already past the point of removal by general surgical procedures. Cirrhosis has developed so the patient would need a transplant — a living donor liver transplant.'
'This patient, isn't he the president of Daeguk Corp.? That Do Seung-hyeok?' Xiulin's lips immediately dropped in the most amusing way when Meiying nodded. 'He has three wives, hasn't he? Doesn't he have any of his family volunteers?'
'I-don't-care about his personal problems.' Meiying shrugged. 'Anyway, we can't wait until he arranges this with his family. Dr Li and I have done our best to speak with the family representative. If someone cares enough to volunteer, we will be back in a month.'
Xiulin chuckled while shaking her head. 'So ironic. He's so rich yet …'
'That's something money can't buy.' She had expected Xiulin to laugh at this.
'Funny to hear that from your mouth, money lover.'
'So far my love for money never betrays me.' Meiying faked a psychotic laugh, placing her palm in front of her mouth. 'And look at what you have when you're loving a human.'
'Happiness?' Meiying twitched her lips while Xiulin sweetly smiled.
'Mr Do and his wife used to be famous for their harmonious marriage life. He only has six months left, but look at them now. His wife doesn't even care. His children don't even come to the hospital. They just wait until … yeah.' She didn't continue when Xiulin widened her eyes.
'Oh, my … It's sad to see that they used to be so much in love and it became like this, isn't it?' Xiulin twirled her hair around her index finger. 'I mean … do love fade so easily?'
'That's love, Xiulin. The pain will never end.' Xiulin immediately clamped her mouth as she agonisingly held back her laughter while Meiying quickly raised her map over her clothes. 'Don't burst on me, Xiulin. This coat is brand new.'
'Oh my gosh! Who would've thought you would quote Zhu Bajie of all people!' Tears escaped from the corner of Xiulin's eyes as she still covered her mouth. 'But still, why are you so against marriage?!'
'You know what I've learnt from a fairytale-like 'The Little Mermaid?'' Meiying rested her head on her palm.
'You must do everything for love?' Sometimes, she was wondering how she could become Xiulin's best friend because they shared an exactly opposite opinion when it came to this.
'First, a happy marriage is a fairy tale. Second, don't sign a contract without reading it properly. Third, don't give up what's important to you for the man you don't know. And fourth, the most important of all, you'd end up dying if love is all you're chasing.'
'We'd die without love, Meiying!' Xiulin rubbed Meiying's left shoulder. 'You can't keep shutting yourself from romance forever!'
'If you ask me to choose between love and career, I choose both because I love my career.'
Xiulin chuckled. 'That's so mundane, Mei.'
'I'm just being realistic. Love wouldn't feed your tummy.'
'I still wish that you can meet your significant other, Mei.' Meiying slowly turned her head in Xiulin's direction, doubling the size of her eyes upon seeing something on her ring finger, which sparkled that matched the smile plastered on Xiulin's face.
A diamond engagement ring …
'W-wait … Didn't you just break up with Liu Kang?'
'Oh, gosh, Mei! That was half a year ago!'
'But still — ' Meiying excitedly screamed, turning every head that walked past them, 'But you were just — oh! No, no, no!' She harshly shook her head. 'Xiulin, are you sure?! You can't just marry a guy you met less than a year!'
'He's the one, Mei! I'm pretty sure of it!' Xiulin's cheeks were blushing with excitement. 'He's so different from the others! I feel like seeing forever with him.' Before Meiying could utter a word, Xiulin added, 'When you meet yours, I'm pretty sure you'd feel the way I feel right now, Mei. Not now, but someday!'
Would that day ever come?
Meiying was truthfully against Xiulin's engagement news but it wasn't her decision if Xiulin had made up her mind. Throughout the time she knew Xiulin, she never saw her glowing as much as she did. Her brown eyes' sparkle could easily put the diamond ring to shame; her dimple looked as if it could no longer sustain the sheer joy emitted in her smile.
Taking a deep breath, Meiying threw her arms around her best friend. 'I wish you happiness, Xiulin. Congratulations … for both of you.'
'Thanks, Mei! I really hope you can find your guy soon so I can rest in peace!' Xiulin giggled as she held Meiying back so tightly.
'Don't say that, idiot!' Tian Xiulin responded in a giggle. 'So, who is this lucky guy?'
'I'll introduce you in person when you're free. I love him so much, Mei …' Suddenly her phone rang and Meiying immediately knew who that was, simply from seeing the smile that was simpered on her lips.
'I can't wait to see him, Xiulin. Be careful on your way home!'
'Bye, Mei! Send my regards to uncle!' Xiulin waved back as she headed into the train station. Even after she blended with the crowds, Meiying could still see the imaginary pink aura around Xiulin. She was clearly in seventh heaven thus making Meiying question herself if she would ever be experiencing that kind of feeling?
The moment she turned around, her phone rang. Her cheeks were almost hurt from smiling upon seeing the name.
'Now, that's my guy …' Then she picked up her phone.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
RikkaLiao
RikkaLiao Misua read as Mianxian in Mandarin, which is a very thin variety of salted noodles made from wheat flour in Mandarin. It’s not the same with rice vermicelli although they look almost the same. Misua is usually served in various ways, either stir-fried or broth. I’m favouring broth of course, especially during the rainy season or winter.
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