Chapter 43: A Meal in the Rain Part 4

When Ming Li and Zhu Hanxing were alone, they mostly just played on their phones. They didn’t have that much to talk about besides their current lives. But with Lu Shuang there, it was different. She was like a walking gossip machine, and a vivid one at that. She was so engaging that even Zhu Hanxing felt tempted to share some industry secrets before remembering she still had to work in entertainment and kept her mouth shut.

With Lu Shuang around, time passed quickly. Ming Li checked the time and said goodbye.

Lu Shuang waved reluctantly. “Come play with me again next time, Sister Li!”

She had already gone from calling her Ming Li to Sister Li.

Once they were out of earshot, Zhu Hanxing rubbed her ears. “Who is that? She talks more than I do.”

Ming Li uttered a few words: “Gu Qingshuang’s secret admirer.”

Zhu Hanxing: “?”

Thinking back to how Lu Shuang had looked at Ming Li with such admiration, Zhu Hanxing’s lip curled. “If you hadn’t said anything, I would’ve thought she liked you.”

Ming Li shrugged. “Maybe my personal charm is just that great?”

Zhu Hanxing glanced at her. “True.”

No one who spent time with Ming Li ever ended up hating her. Zhu Hanxing was the ultimate authority on that fact. After all, she used to be someone who fought with the whole world and hated everyone, especially wealthy young misses. Ming Li was the sole exception.

When Zhu Hanxing and Ming Li went to pick up Mingyue, they saw a familiar figure standing outside the room—Gu Qingshuang. She was on duty today, and it was nearly time for her shift to end.

Ming Li and Zhu Hanxing walked over. Zhu Hanxing gave her a beaming smile. “Doctor Gu, we meet again.”

“Hello,” Gu Qingshuang said. “Mingyue told me you were coming, so I stopped by.”

There was no doubt she had come for Mingyue. Ming Li greeted her, “Are you off work?”

“I’ve finished seeing all my scheduled patients,” Gu Qingshuang said. “I can leave.”

Some people were already heading to the cafeteria for lunch. Ming Li looked at her. “What about the afternoon?”

“Rounds. I have surgeries at four and six. And you?”

“I’m going to the office after we check on Mingyue. I have a meeting,” Ming Li said.

The two went back and forth with casual questions, their tones very peaceful. Over the last few days, they had somehow developed a habit of checking in on each other’s schedules. At first, it had just been a polite question, but since they really didn’t have much else to talk about, they had started with these daily trifles. Even the atmosphere at home had improved significantly.

Zhu Hanxing watched them out of the corner of her eye before turning her gaze to the door, a thought forming in her mind.

When Mingyue came out, her face lit up with a smile the moment she saw Gu Qingshuang. She called out clearly, “Sister Gu!”

Zhu Hanxing: “…Even her own sister can’t compete with Sister Gu.”

One had to admit, Mingyue knew which leg to cling to. She had picked the one who could cure her. Now that Mingyue could speak, she rarely used sign language. There were still words she didn’t know, but she would watch mouth shapes to learn. Zhu Hanxing was patient, teaching her over and over again.

Since it was lunchtime, Zhu Hanxing wanted to take them out to eat, but Ming Li suggested the cafeteria. The food there was actually quite good, and more importantly, Gu Qingshuang had to do her rounds soon. Mingyue also wanted to go to the cafeteria. Three against one—Zhu Hanxing had no choice but to follow.

On the way, Gu Qingshuang and Mingyue chatted animatedly. Zhu Hanxing walked behind with Ming Li, whispering, “What’s the situation between you two?”

“What do you mean ‘what situation’?” Ming Li asked.

“You two have a situation.”

“…”

The Chinese language was truly profound. Ming Li understood her meaning but gave her a side-eye. “It’s not what you think.”

“Well, there’s definitely something,” Zhu Hanxing said earnestly. “I think I can go back and accept a script for a ‘marriage first, love later’ drama now.”

Ming Li: “?”

“I believe in ‘marriage first, love later’ again,” Zhu Hanxing said.

Ming Li ignored her nonsense.

Once they reached the cafeteria, the four of them found a secluded table. Gu Qingshuang had a hospital meal card and took Mingyue to get food, calling Ming Li to join them. Ming Li asked Zhu Hanxing what she wanted, and Zhu Hanxing told her to just get whatever, since Ming Li already knew her dislikes.

While getting the food, Ming Li naturally picked out three dishes for Zhu Hanxing. Gu Qingshuang glanced at her tray and recommended the signature dishes: braised pork ribs with radish, mouth-watering chicken, and shredded pork with green peppers. Ming Li looked at her thoughtfully, saw the expectant look in Gu Qingshuang’s eyes, and smiled. “I’ll take those three.”

Gu Qingshuang’s lips curved upward, looking satisfied. Mingyue also picked out her favorite dishes.

When the three returned, Zhu Hanxing smiled at the familiar silver tray. “It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten in a cafeteria. It’s almost nostalgic.”

The three dishes on her tray were the same as Ming Li’s. She scanned them and her brow furrowed. “This food…”

“Just eat,” Ming Li said.

Zhu Hanxing pursed her lips and, as if accepting her fate, began picking every piece of radish out of her tray and piling all her pork ribs onto Ming Li’s tray.

Gu Qingshuang, sitting next to Ming Li, watched their interaction with a deep frown. “This is…”

“Sister Li doesn’t eat radish,” Zhu Hanxing said naturally. “White radish, carrots, water radish—she won’t touch any of them.”

Ming Li gave an awkward smile. “I didn’t like them in the past.”

“Listen to you,” Zhu Hanxing scoffed. “You still don’t like them now.”

During their last meal together, Ming Li had accidentally taken a bite of radish and nearly gagged.

Gu Qingshuang looked at the mountain of pork ribs on Ming Li’s tray, noticing a single piece of radish mixed in. She reached out with her chopsticks to pick it up, but Ming Li blocked her with her own chopsticks.

Gu Qingshuang’s eyes met hers.

Ming Li picked up the radish and placed it on Zhu Hanxing’s tray, saying gently, “You don’t like radish either. Why force yourself?”

Zhu Hanxing looked between the two of them. “…?”

So?