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To be honest, Xiang Ge hadn’t expected Zhou Xingyan to agree so readily.
She had already prepared a calm and slightly regretful expression in case of rejection, along with an escape plan. So when the man smiled and said, “Alright,” she was momentarily stunned.
The unexpected smoothness of events made her start to wonder if there was something wrong with what she had just said.
After carefully reviewing her words, she found no errors. Deciding it was simply because Zhou Xingyan was in a good mood today, she smiled appropriately for the situation: “Then could Dr. Zhou leave me your phone number?”
Zhou Xingyan recited a string of digits.
Xiang Ge nodded, unlocked her phone, and dialed the number one digit at a time.
Vibrations and faint ringing sounded as the man pulled out his lit-up phone from his trench coat pocket. On the screen was her caller ID.
Xiang Ge’s lips curved slightly upward, ready to hang up.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Xingyan’s long finger suddenly tapped the screen, answering the call and holding the phone loosely to his ear.
He raised his head, black eyes staring directly at her, lips curling slightly, his voice cold and low: “Are you sure about this?”
Xiang Ge’s phone remained connected, the seconds ticking away on the call timer. She licked her lips, unblinking: “Now that you’ve answered, I’ll have to pay for the call.”
“…”
Zhou Xingyan hung up without expression.
Xiang Ge continued smiling: “Dr. Zhou, will you reimburse me for the call charges?”
Zhou Xingyan put his phone back into his pocket, about to speak.
A clear male voice called his name from behind.
He turned around.
A group of people approached from the elevator direction. The man at the front quickened his pace toward them.
Xiang Ge stood behind Zhou Xingyan, tilting her head to look at him.
The man clearly paused when he saw her.
Today, Xiang Ge wore a khaki knitted long dress with brown vintage flat shoes, revealing her slender instep and a section of gleaming calf.
She was tall, and although her loose dress didn’t reveal much, her entire presence was slim, elegant, and outstanding.
The man glanced at the indifferent person standing in front of her, his gaze deep and meaningful: “No wonder Dr. Zhou just—”
“Are you not on duty today?”
Before he could finish, he was quickly interrupted by Dr. Zhou.
The man closed his mouth, looking at him mysteriously: “Lin Meimei is on duty today.”
At the mention of Lin Meimei, Xiang Ge’s mind immediately tensed.
During a previous visit, she had specifically learned from a nurse that there was only one female doctor in orthopedics.
Undoubtedly, it was the same one who had refused to see patients during lunch break a few days ago.
Xiang Ge remained composed, innocently curious as she tilted her head: “What did Dr. Zhou do just now?”
“Nothing much.” The man smiled at her. Seeing the item in her hand, which doctors were all too familiar with, he knew without unrolling it what it was: “Dr. Zhou’s patient?”
Xiang Ge’s gaze dropped briefly before realizing she hadn’t handed over the commemorative banner yet. She pursed her lips and confidently extended it: “As a token of gratitude.” After pausing, she added earnestly: “I personally—” but stopped abruptly, quickly correcting herself: “Supervised its making.”
Zhou Xingyan accepted it, thanking her softly.
Xiang Ge raised her eyebrow, smiling teasingly at him: “Then I’ll take my leave. Dr. Zhou, wait for my call.”
Zhou Xingyan nodded, watching her press the elevator button and disappear behind the slowly closing doors.
In his hand, the rolled-up banner still seemed to carry her warmth and scent.
After the elevator door closed, Liang Shengxi finally let out a “tsk tsk,” shaking his head at him: “‘Dr. Zhou, wait for my call’? Since when does Dr. Zhou give out his number to patients?”
Zhou Xingyan ignored him.
“And is it based on looks? It shouldn’t be, since Lin Meimei is also beautiful, yet she hasn’t managed to make you fall for her. There’ve been plenty of pretty girls asking for your contact info before.”
Liang Shengxi finished speaking, then thought about the girl’s face again. Indeed, she was beautiful, especially dressed up, achieving a stunning first impression.
Zhou Xingyan smiled: “There are different ways to ask for contact info.”
Liang Shengxi raised an eyebrow: “I feel like it depends on the person. So how did your little enchantress ask for it?”
Zhou Xingyan gave him a glance: “None of your business.”
“I retract my statement.” Liang Shengxi raised his hands in surrender.
Zhou Xingyan said nothing further, both men waiting at the elevator entrance. After a brief silence, Liang Shengxi spoke again: “You’re not taking the banner to your office?”
Hearing this, Zhou Xingyan looked down at the item in his hand: “Hmm, no need.”
Dr. Liang was genuinely shocked this time. What was going on? This guy looked like he was planning to take it home?
He tilted his chin, smirking mischievously, full of gossip: “Since you’re not leaving it, why wait for another elevator ride?”
Zhou Xingyan ignored him.
“Then open it and take a look?”
Finally annoyed by his questioning, Zhou Xingyan hissed: “Are you a woman?”
The two were university classmates, so Liang Shengxi was completely unfazed: “What’s written inside? Why are you so resistant? Are you treating this banner like a love letter?”
Zhou Xingyan thought, considering it was her, it might very well be.
In high school, after winter break, Xiang Ge began pursuing him.
The young girl was in her first year, already showing signs of becoming a top student within half a semester. While other girls cautiously passed love letters secretly avoiding teachers, she pursued him openly and brazenly.
Waiting at the student council office, teasing him at the cafeteria entrance, even performing a play during the school anniversary based on their love story.
During the Monday flag-raising ceremony, the girl with silver-gray streaks in her hair stealthily climbed onto the flag platform, draped in the school flag, her fair skin glowing, her eyes laughing brightly.
Under the watchful eyes of teachers, students, and vice principals, she held a microphone in one hand and a piece of paper in the other, solemnly declaring: “A love poem for our senior Zhou Xingyan, hoping he can feel my tidal wave of affection.”
The students below erupted in cheers and whistles.
The vice principal and academic director angrily approached the flag platform, shouting up at her red-faced: “Which class are you in! Get down here immediately!!”
Xiang Ge: “The sea ah! It’s all water!”
Her homeroom teacher arrived at this point: “Xiang Ge! Get down here! I’m calling your parents!!”
Xiang Ge remained unfazed: “A horse ah! It has four legs!”
Zhou Xingyan stood in the crowd below, watching the spirited girl on the flag platform, his lips curving upward bit by bit.
An inexplicable sense of joy.
The man lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the rolled-up banner in his hand, unaware that a smile had crept onto his lips.
Liang Shengxi was stunned, waving his hand in front of him twice.
Zhou Xingyan looked up just as the elevator arrived. He stepped in, considerately pressing the door-open button.
“You still have some humanity left.” Liang Shengxi muttered, stepping in partially before Zhou Xingyan released the button. As the elevator door slowly closed halfway, his index finger leisurely pressed the door-open button again.
Liang Shengxi hurried inside, gritting his teeth: “Does your enchantress know what kind of devilish behavior her Dr. Zhou exhibits privately?”
Zhou Xingyan chuckled: “She knows more than you do.”
“…”
Liang Shengxi rolled his eyes dramatically.
When Zhou Xingyan returned home, he casually placed the item on the coffee table and went to shower.
After finishing, he poured a glass of warm water, towel on his head, walking into the living room. Sitting back on the sofa, his gaze fell on the banner on the coffee table.
Holding the glass, he stared at it pensively for a while before placing it on the table and leaning forward to pick up the rolled-up item. He unrolled it.
It was a standard banner, red background with yellow fringe edging.
Two rows of yellow characters ran across it, rhyming neatly when read from right to left—
“Goddess of Childbirth displays her skills
Medicine cures all, joy descends upon birth”
“…”
Zhou Xingyan tossed the banner onto the coffee table, leaning back into the sofa, letting out a cold laugh.
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