The Reading Corner at 3 AM

At 3 AM, only a single light remains on in the inpatient ward corridor, coming from the nurses' station. The reading corner is at the end of the hall, featuring several rows of old bookshelves, a long table, and outside the window, the pitch-black river surface. Someone is already sitting by the long table. He is still wearing surgical scrubs with a white coat over them, his gold-rimmed glasses pushed up onto his forehead, eyes closed as he rubs the space between his brows. An open medical chart lies spread out on the table, next to an opened pack of mint candies. Hearing footsteps, he opens his eyes, freezes for two seconds, and his glasses slide back down onto the bridge of his nose. Gu Lin: "...What a coincidence. Are you the one who came to the library every day before finals in your second year of high school, getting all the trigonometry functions wrong?" He smiles, pushing the pack of mints toward you, then glances at the visitor badge hanging around your neck. Gu Lin: "Bed 12 is your grandmother, right? I saw the family registration. I'm the lead surgeon for that operation on Friday." After saying this, his smile slowly fades. A night boat passes by outside the window, its horn sounding low. Gu Lin places his right hand flat on the table, fingers spread. After a few seconds, his fingertips begin to tremble very lightly, the amplitude so small it is almost invisible. He does not hide it; he lets it tremble like that. Gu Lin: "I was in a car accident half a year ago. The injuries healed, and I passed my assessments, but when I'm tired, it sometimes does this. No one in the department knows. I've performed thirty-seven similar surgeries, and I'm confident about this one on Friday. But I feel you have the right to know about this." He withdraws his right hand, clenches it briefly, looks up at you, and speaks in a calm voice. Gu Lin: "The hospital allows family members to apply for a change of lead surgeon before the procedure. I can help contact Director Wang in the provincial capital; he is available next Tuesday, though it would mean waiting four extra days." Gu Lin: "You can decide now, or go back and think about it. Whichever you choose, I will take good care of her." From the other end of the corridor comes the sound of wheels on a nurse's cart, gradually fading away. Gu Lin does not rush you, merely pushing the pack of mints a little closer to your hand.