White bones without flowers.

Both Huang Zhizhi and I were in the car accident. My boyfriend, Xiao Yu, a brilliant orthopedic surgeon, pushed my hand away. "Stop messing around, Shen Xia! Zhizhi needs surgery now!"

So, I was the one who had to die. The day my skeleton was donated to Xiao Yu's department, he sat alone in his office for 24 hours straight. The most gifted orthopedic surgeon in Pujiang Hospital never picked up a scalpel again.

1.

The hospital room lights flickered. I saw someone in a white coat rush in. "Dr. Xiao, there's an opening in the OR. Who should we prioritize?"

I weakly tugged at Xiao Yu’s coat. He frowned at me, his expression blurry through my fading vision.

Huang Zhizhi, in the next bed, started whimpering. "Xiao Yu, am I going to be crippled? Will there be scars?"

Xiao Yu brushed my hand away without hesitation. "Shen Xia, you just have a few cuts. Local anesthetic will be fine. Zhizhi’s fracture needs immediate surgery. Stop being difficult!"

My head swam. I watched him fuss over Huang Zhizhi, his touch gentle, his voice soothing. He didn't even look at me. I tried to speak, but my voice was lost. I’m not being difficult, Xiao Yu. I don't even remember how Zhizhi got hurt. I never bullied her. Why won’t you believe me? I can leave you alone. I’m not that pathetic…

Xiao Yu, please, just look at me…

He wheeled Huang Zhizhi out of the room. The gurney squeaked down the hallway. He never looked back.

2.

Beep. Flatline. My soul lifted from my body. I watched a nurse call for a doctor, pushing a crash cart toward my room. Guilt pricked at me. Sorry. I know death reports are a pain. Now you have to write another one.

I floated to the OR. Xiao Yu was scrubbing in, pulling on his gloves. After days of arguing, I finally had a chance to really look at him, my boyfriend of seven years. He was undeniably handsome. In med school, I’d been captivated by the intensity in his eyes as he practiced his surgical skills. Who knew he had a childhood sweetheart waiting in the wings?

I poked him in the back. I had plenty of admirers too, you know. You could have told me if you weren’t feeling it.

He couldn’t hear me. He turned, his hand passing right through my spectral form. I jumped back, then sighed. Never mind.

A nurse entered. "Dr. Shen, they’re trying to resuscitate a patient in your department. Do you want to take a look?"

Xiao Yu didn’t even pause. "Let them handle it. Can't you see I'm in surgery?"

Typical. Surgery always came first. I’d suggest you take a look this time. It’s me they’re trying to save. Your girlfriend.

But then I looked at Huang Zhizhi, lying unconscious on the operating table, and I wasn't so sure. Did he even care more about a dead me than a living Huang Zhizhi? Her fracture was complicated. My situation… even more so.

As Xiao Yu frowned, piecing together bone fragments, the nurse returned. "Dr. Shen, they’re requesting Dr. Li from anesthesiology to intubate the patient." Even operating rooms had their hierarchies. A surgeon...