The moment Zayne's bathroom door closed, Nana sprang into action.
Operation: Find Hidden Macarons - ACTIVATED
*Husband think he's SO smart. Hiding MY macarons. MY cookies. But I'm SMARTER. I'm a DETECTIVE now. Detective Hamster!*
She opened his sock drawer.
Socks. Just socks. Perfectly folded. Color-coordinated. Boring.
*Too obvious. He KNEW I'd check here first.*
Next: His underwear drawer.
She rifled through it carefully (all boxer briefs, organized by shade - black, dark grey, navy).
No macarons.
*NOTHING! Where are they?! Does he EAT them at work?! Does he DESTROY them?!*
She checked his hospital coat hanging on the door.
Pockets: Stethoscope. Pen light. Small notebook. Badge.
No macarons.
She POUTED, sitting on the floor in defeat.
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Zayne stood under the hot water, SMILING.
*She's searching. I can hear her opening drawers. Checking pockets. She's so predictable. Adorable, but predictable.*
*The macarons are in the medical textbook on the bookshelf. The one titled "Advanced Cardiac Pathophysiology - 3rd Edition." She'll never look there. Too boring. Too medical. Perfect hiding spot.*
He continued washing his hair, extremely pleased with himself.
*I'm a genius. A tactical genius. She'll never—*
Knock knock.
"HUSBAND!" Nana's voice came through the door. "ARE MY MACARONS IN THERE?!"
* She thinks I'm EATING them in the SHOWER. This woman.*
"No, hamster. I'm bathing."
"CAN I CHECK?!"
"Absolutely not."
*She'll flood the bathroom searching for pastries. This is a legitimate concern.*
Zayne emerged, dressed in his usual three-piece suit, ready for work.
He found his wife POUTING on the couch. Arms crossed. Lower lip jutted out. The ULTIMATE cute attack stance.
*Tactical pouting deployed. Threat level: High. Resistance: Minimal.*
He walked over, leaning down to give her the goodbye kiss—their morning ritual.
But the moment his lips touched hers, she GRABBED his chest, arms wrapping around him, deploying MAXIMUM CUTENESS.
"Husband," she whimpered, looking up with BIG EYES. "I just want ONE. Just one macaron. One cookie. And I'll be SO GOOD. No farting! No bicycle riding in hospitals! I PROMISE!"
...
*The eyes. She's using THE EYES. Combined with physical contact. And verbal negotiation. She's learning. Adapting. This is psychological warfare.*
He pinched her cheek gently, trying to maintain composure.
"That's what you said last time."
"But THIS time I MEAN it!"
* She meant it last time too. Then ate sixteen macarons in one sitting and rode a bicycle through my workplace. Her promises have a 0% success rate.*
He studied her face—flushed, eager, so earnestly trying to negotiate for sugar.
* I'm a weak man. Especially for her. This is a documented weakness. My family knows. I know. She DEFINITELY knows.*
An idea formed.
He leaned closer, voice dropping low. "You want something sweet?"
She nodded frantically. "YES! Please!"
"I can give you something sweet."
Her eyes LIT UP. "REALLY?! Where—"
He kissed her.
Not the gentle goodbye peck.
A REAL kiss.
His mouth claimed hers, tongue parting her lips, tasting her thoroughly. She made a surprised sound that melted into a whimper.
*Alternative sweetness provision method: activated. This is a win-win scenario. She gets sweet. I get to kiss my wife. Economics.*
He activated his Evol slightly—just enough to make his tongue cold.
She GASPED against his mouth, the contrast of cold and warm making her shiver.
*Ice Evol: Not just for surgery anymore. Apparently also for making my wife forget about macarons.*
His tongue explored slowly, deliberately, alternating between cold and warm. She whimpered, gripping his shirt, completely melting into him.
When he finally pulled back, there was a string of saliva connecting their lips. He wiped it away gently with his thumb.
"Sweet enough?" he asked, voice rough.
She was DAZED. "Your mouth is... cold and warm... at the same time... that's so... how..."
*Distraction: Successful. Macaron request: Forgotten.*
He held out his palm, concentrating for a moment. Ice crystals formed, shaping into a delicate jasmine flower—perfect in every detail, glittering in the morning light.
*Jasmine. From the Tower of Secrets myth. She doesn't know the full story—how in every lifetime I fall in love with her, only to watch her die. How the jasmines in the tower represented every version of her I've loved and lost. How this time, THIS lifetime, I get to keep her.*
He placed the ice flower in her palm carefully. "For you."
She cradled it like precious treasure, eyes SPARKLING. "It's so PRETTY! And cold! Like a real flower but MAGIC!"
*She's happy. Over an ice flower. This costs me nothing but a bit of Evol energy and makes her THIS happy. Why didn't I do this sooner?*
"I'll bring you lunch!" she announced, already forgetting about the macarons. "Lots of food! For you AND your friends! No bicycle this time! I PROMISE!"
*The 'no bicycle' specification is concerning. What alternative transportation is she planning?*
"Just... walk normally. Like a regular person."
"I WILL!" She waved enthusiastically, still holding the ice flower. "Bye husband! Love you!"
He kissed her forehead. "Love you too, hamster. Behave."
*She won't behave. But at least she forgot about the macarons. Temporary victory achieved.*
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Zayne was reviewing a patient chart when Nurse Martha approached, grinning.
"Dr. Li, your wife is here."
* She's here. Walking. Like a normal person. This is progress. This is—*
"She brought enough food for the entire floor."
* Of course she did.*
He headed to the main floor, expecting to see Nana with shopping bags.
What he saw instead:
His wife.
Carrying FIVE lunchboxes.
THREE bags of fruit.
TWO CAKES.
And on her shoulder—
"Is that a SQUIRREL?!" Dr. Greyson's voice carried across the lobby.
...
* That's Mr. Fluffytail. The squirrel. The SQUIRREL is in my HOSPITAL. ON MY WIFE'S SHOULDER.*
Mr. Fluffytail chittered happily, perfectly balanced, holding an ACORN.
*Deep breath. Clinical assessment. Wife: Present. Food: Excessive. Rodent: Unauthorized. Situation: Peak chaos.*
Nana spotted him and BEAMED. "HUSBAND! I brought food for everyone! And look! Mr. Fluffytail wanted to come!"
She said this LOUDLY. In the LOBBY. Where PATIENTS were waiting.
An elderly woman gasped. "Is that a SQUIRREL?!"
A child pointed. "MOMMY! SQUIRREL!"
* My professional reputation is being destroyed by a rodent. This is fine. Everything is fine.*
He walked over calmly, face neutral. "Nana."
"Yes, husband?"
"Why is there a squirrel on your shoulder."
"He FOLLOWED me! I didn't KNOW he was there until I got on the bus!"
*She took PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION with a SQUIRREL. Bus passengers saw this. This is now PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.*
Mr. Fluffytail chittered, then JUMPED from her shoulder to Zayne's.
* The squirrel is on me. The squirrel is ON ME. I'm a chief cardiac surgeon with a squirrel on my shoulder in front of my colleagues.*
Mr. Fluffytail held out the acorn, chittering insistently.
"He wants to give you the acorn!" Nana translated. "It's a GIFT! For being a good husband!"
*I'm receiving romantic gifts from a squirrel. This is my life now.*
The nurses were GATHERING. Phones were out. Pictures were being taken.
"Dr. Li has a pet squirrel!" Nurse Chen whispered.
"No, it's his WIFE'S squirrel friend!" Martha corrected.
* It's NOT our squirrel. It's a WILD ANIMAL that my wife BEFRIENDED through CHAOS.*
Dr. Greyson was LAUGHING. "First bicycles, now squirrels! Mrs. Li, you're making this hospital more interesting!"
Nana giggled, handing out lunchboxes to the nurses. "I made extras! Well, the chef made extras! I supervised!"
*She's distributing food like a tiny chaos Santa Claus. Everyone is CHARMED. The squirrel is still on my shoulder. I can feel it judging me.*
Mr. Fluffytail chittered again, more insistent.
"He says—" Nana paused, listening to the chittering, "—he says you work too hard and need to rest more!"
* I'm receiving medical advice from a SQUIRREL via my WIFE'S translation. My medical degree is WEEPING.*
"Tell him thank you," Zayne said flatly, because what else could he say?
Nana chittered back at Mr. Fluffytail.
The squirrel chittered a response.
She GASPED. "He says you're welcome and also he likes your hospital because it's warm!"
*The squirrel is comfortable here. This implies FUTURE VISITS. This is a threat.*
"Nana, you can't bring squirrels to hospitals—"
"But he FOLLOWED me! I didn't invite him!"
Mr. Fluffytail chittered indignantly, as if to say: *"She's telling the truth!"*
*I'm being ganged up on. By my wife and a rodent. In my workplace. This is a new low.*
Nurse Martha was taking PICTURES. "This is going in the hospital newsletter!"
"Please don't—" Zayne started.
"TOO LATE! Already sent to the editor!"
*My image—chief cardiac surgeon with squirrel on shoulder—will be PUBLISHED. My mother will see this. My ENTIRE FAMILY will see this. I'll never hear the end of it.*
Nana handed him a special lunchbox. "This one's yours! I made sure it has all your favorites!"
*She supervised the preparation of my favorites. Brought enough food for the entire floor. Apologized to the nurses about the bicycle incident. Brought a squirrel ACCIDENTALLY. Her heart is in the right place. Her execution is catastrophically flawed.*
He patted her head with his free hand (the other was supporting Mr. Fluffytail, who refused to leave).
"Thank you, hamster."
She BEAMED. "See? No bicycle!"
"You brought a squirrel instead."
"But that's BETTER! Squirrels don't have wheels!"
*Her logic is flawed but I can't argue with it. Technically a squirrel IS better than a bicycle in a hospital. The bar is underground but she cleared it.*
Mr. Fluffytail finally jumped back to Nana's shoulder, mission apparently complete.
"We should go!" Nana announced. "Mr. Fluffytail says he's hungry! Bye everyone!"
She waved, and the ENTIRE FLOOR waved back.
"BYE MRS. LI!"
"BYE MR. FLUFFYTAIL!"
* They're saying goodbye to the SQUIRREL. My colleagues are on FIRST-NAME BASIS with a RODENT.*
After she left, Dr. Greyson sidled up beside Zayne.
"Your wife is a treasure."
"She's a menace."
"A treasure menace."
* Accurate medical diagnosis.*
Nurse Martha appeared. "Dr. Li, the newsletter editor wants to title the photo 'Chief Surgeon Receives Acorn From Hospital's Unofficial Therapy Squirrel.'"
*Therapy squirrel. Mr. Fluffytail has been promoted to STAFF STATUS.*
"Can we not—"
"Already approved! It's WHOLESOME!"
*Sigh #872. My dignity is gone. But my wife is happy. And I have a good lunch. And apparently a squirrel thinks I work too hard. This is. This is fine.*
He opened the lunchbox.
Inside: All his favorite foods. Perfectly arranged. With another note: *"Don't work too hard! Mr. Fluffytail is watching! Love, your hamster wife! 🐹🌰💕"*
* She drew a squirrel emoji. With an acorn. The attention to detail is concerning and adorable.*
Meanwhile - On The Bus
Nana sat with Mr. Fluffytail on her shoulder, munching on the one macaron she'd found in the medical textbook after Zayne left.
*Found the hiding spot! Waited until he left! I'm SO smart! Detective Hamster wins!*
Mr. Fluffytail chittered.
"Yes, husband will be mad later," she told him. "But the macaron was SO GOOD!"
*Chitter chitter.*
"You want one? Okay!" She broke off a piece for the squirrel.
The bus driver watched in his rearview mirror as a young woman shared macarons with a squirrel, having a full conversation.
"I don't get paid enough for this."
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The editor looked at the photo: Dr. Li, pristine in his suit, with a squirrel on his shoulder, holding an acorn, while his tiny wife beamed beside him.
"This is GOLD," she whispered. "Pulitzer-worthy content."
She typed the headline: "Love In The Time Of Acorns: Chief Surgeon's Wife Brings Joy (And Wildlife) To Akso Hospital"
"This will go VIRAL. The hospital's social media engagement will SKYROCKET."
She hit publish.
Within three hours, it would be the most-shared hospital newsletter in the city's history.
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Zayne walked through the door to find his wife on the couch, humming happily, watching a K-drama.
"Good day?" he asked carefully.
"VERY good! Everyone loved the food! And Mr. Fluffytail made new friends!"
*The squirrel made friends. With medical professionals. This is our life.*
"Nana."
"Yes, husband?"
"Did you find my macaron hiding spot?"
She FROZE. "...No?"
"The medical textbook on the bookshelf is not where it should be."
She looked GUILTY. "I... I may have... checked there... after you left..."
*She found them. After I left. Premeditated macaron theft. This is a new level of strategic planning.*
"How many did you eat?"
"...One?" She held up a finger. "Just ONE! Like I promised! And I shared with Mr. Fluffytail!"
*She shared with the squirrel. The squirrel has now tasted macarons. He'll want more. This is how squirrel addiction starts.*
He walked over, sitting beside her. "And the rest?"
"Still there! I was GOOD! Only one!"
*She exercised self-control. This is. This is actually impressive. Character growth. Only one macaron stolen instead of all of them.*
"Good girl," he said, pulling her into his lap.
She BEAMED. "Does this mean no punishment?"
"You brought a squirrel to my hospital."
"That wasn't ON PURPOSE—"
"You're now famous in the hospital newsletter."
"...Am I?"
He showed her his phone. The newsletter photo. Her and Mr. Fluffytail and him with the acorn.
She SQUEALED. "WE'RE FAMOUS! Mr. Fluffytail will be so HAPPY!"
* She's excited about rodent fame. This is her priority. Not the fact that I'm now known as 'the surgeon with the squirrel.' Her priority is Mr. Fluffytail's happiness.*
"Nana."
"Yes?"
"No more bringing animals to the hospital."
"What about butterflies? They're small!"
"NO."
"Ladybugs?"
"NO."
"What if Mr. Fluffytail FOLLOWS me again—"
"Then you turn around and walk him HOME."
She pouted. "But he wanted to visit..."
* The squirrel WANTED to visit. She's ascribing desires and intentions to wildlife. This is my wife.*
He kissed her forehead. "I appreciate the lunch. And the ice flower survived until noon."
"REALLY?!" She perked up. "I kept it in the freezer before I left!"
* She preserved the ice flower. In our freezer. Between the frozen vegetables and ice cream. This is. Actually very sweet.*
"Next time, just bring lunch. No vehicles. No animals. Just you and food."
"I can do that!" She paused. "...Probably."
* 'Probably' is the best I'll get. This is acceptable.*
"Sigh #873."
But he was smiling.
(#31.)
Meanwhile - Mr. Fluffytail's Tree
Mr. Fluffytail returned to his branch, where Mrs. Fluffytail waited.
"How was the human building?"
"WARM. And the tiny human gave me SWEET FOOD. It was DELICIOUS."
"You're becoming domesticated."
"I don't care. The sweet food is WORTH IT. We're going back."
"...Fine. But I'm coming next time."
"Deal."
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To be continued.