Lin Qimian picked up her phone, intending to reply to Xu Yueliang.
Her backup phone kept lighting up nonstop. The admin in the Voyage Group was @-ing all members repeatedly, as though something major had come up.
Lin Qimian grabbed the backup phone and took a look.
Xu Yueliang had suddenly gone offline, leaving two fans who’d been watching the stream deeply unhappy. They vented a stream of complaints in the Voyage Group.
One griped about sticking with Moon for so long as a die-hard career fan, only for her to take breaks that were too frequent and abrupt, tanking her heat ranking.
Another lamented that no matter how hard fans hustled, it couldn’t offset the streamer dipping out without warning. A bigshot had showered the Live Streaming Room with gifts, gotten no thanks, and she’d just logged off.
Word was, rivals were already mocking them, claiming Little Moon had gotten famous and cocky, ghosting fans like a pro.
Someone even brought up 11 Bigshot, warning that if Little Moon kept this up, she’d lose her whale fans—just like 11, who hadn’t shown up much lately.
The admin had @-ed everyone to set the record straight: Moon had family issues lately and no choice in the matter. She didn’t want it this way either.
She didn’t want it this way. Lin Qimian’s gaze wavered as she stared out the car window.
Beneath the orange-red sunset, Xu Yueliang stood at the coffee shop entrance, head bowed over her phone. She looked so perfect, so radiant, that Lin Qimian suddenly doubted how much faith she could put in her earlier flights of fancy about “grand family ideals.”
People polished their memories, twisting them toward the fantasies they craved.
Lin Qimian reined in her wandering heart, curling her fingers tight and trapping it in her fist.
She had to keep herself in check, neither too forward nor too distant.
So when she messaged Xu Yueliang back, she skipped any mention of just handing over the item and calling it a night.
-【I’m just pulling up—in the parking lot across the street.】
The message had barely sent when Xu Yueliang’s head snapped up.
She knew the area like the back of her hand. Without a second’s hesitation, she headed straight toward Lin Qimian, phone pressed to her lips as she fired off a voice note.
“I’m coming right over~ Doctor Lin, drive safe~”
Doctor Lin’s car was parked rock-solid, its hood stone-cold.
What Doctor Lin really needed to watch was her own thoughts, brimming over like they were about to spill.
Xu Yueliang reached the car, and Lin Qimian lowered the window, giving her a wave.
Their eyes met, and Xu Yueliang broke into a smile so brilliant it made Lin Qimian’s eyes ache.
She jogged up, bending at the waist to peer in. “Doctor Lin, you must be beat. Nailed the timing on my end.”
Lin Qimian asked, “You just get here too?”
“Yeah, hopped off just now…” Xu Yueliang paused, waving a hand vaguely in some direction. “I live right around here.”
She ducked her head to rummage in her little backpack. “Brought the stuff…”
Lin Qimian cut her off and popped the passenger door. “Hop in.”
Xu Yueliang blinked, then beamed sweetly. “Sure thing.”
She darted around to the other side, slid in, and shut the door.
Lin Qimian’s car smelled of subtle perfume mingled with the rich, fresh aroma of food.
Xu Yueliang inhaled deeply the moment her butt hit the seat. “God, that smells amazing.”
Lin Qimian turned slightly toward her. “Take a guess.”
Xu Yueliang squeezed her eyes shut. “Feels like Pato House coffee bread. When it’s fresh from the oven, you can smell it a whole block away…”
Lin Qimian chuckled and reached back to grab it. “Spot on.”
Xu Yueliang’s eyes flew open at the sight of the food box thrust toward her.
It was neatly packaged, stamped with that familiar logo, wafting temptation.
“I got three kinds of jam,” Lin Qimian said. “All in there—pick your poison.”
Xu Yueliang’s eyes went wide. “Wait, you can buy the jam on its own?”
Lin Qimian nodded. “Yep. Just ask the Shop Boss.”
Xu Yueliang cradled the box, her incredulous look lingering as she asked oh-so-carefully, “Doctor Lin… you got this for me?”
“Yep,” Lin Qimian said.
Xu Yueliang stared at her, suddenly at a loss for words.
The car was cozy, the space between driver and passenger seat even cozier.
Against the dark interior, her pale gold hair and creamy skin made her stand out like a beacon.
Every lash, every breath, hit Lin Qimian’s eyes in crystal-clear slow motion.
Faced with Xu Yueliang in such sharp focus, Lin Qimian felt a sudden flutter of panic.
She straightened up, putting some distance between them, and threw in a couple lines to cover her tracks. “Dinner hour snuck up on us, right? I was out running errands anyway, grabbed a bunch. Your favorite happened to be in the mix.”
“Ah…” Xu Yueliang responded softly.
Lin Qimian pointed to the back seat. “Take a look—see if there’s anything else you like…”
Xu Yueliang didn’t turn around. She shook her head rapidly. “That’s enough, that’s enough. Thank you, Doctor Lin.”
“Bread goes best with a light fruit tea,” Lin Qimian said. She opened the mini-fridge and pulled out a cup of milk tea. “Try this one.”
Xu Yueliang’s eyes went wide. “!!!”
“Don’t like it?” Lin Qimian asked.
Xu Yueliang clutched the bread box. “No, it’s not that. I just… how can I…”
“What time did you eat lunch?” Lin Qimian asked.
“Twelve,” Xu Yueliang replied.
“And dinner?”
“Not yet.”
Lin Qimian poked a straw through the lid and handed it over. “Here.”
Xu Yueliang fumbled in a panic, setting the bread box on her lap before taking the milk tea with both hands.
Condensation beaded on the cup, but Lin Qimian had thoughtfully lined it with a napkin. The temperature was perfect, the flavor just right.
Xu Yueliang stared blankly at the milk tea. “Doctor Lin… you mean I should eat it… in the car?”
“Mm-hmm,” Lin Qimian said.
She added, “If you’re not in a rush, we could find a café and sit down instead.”
“No, no need to go to any trouble!” Xu Yueliang said quickly. “I can eat here. I’m just worried about making a mess in your car…”
“It won’t be a problem,” Lin Qimian assured her. “Here, let me cut the bread for you.”
“Ah, okay,” Xu Yueliang said.
Lin Qimian was incredibly attentive. She sliced the bread into neat, bite-sized pieces right in the box, spread on the jam Xu Yueliang had chosen, and handed it back with a little fork.
Xu Yueliang took a sip of milk tea, then a nibble of bread. She chewed cautiously at first, but once it was in her mouth, her lips curved in delight as she savored it. Her cheeks puffed out, and her eyes crinkled into happy crescents.
Lin Qimian glanced at her, and a hidden wave of familiarity washed over her—impossible to suppress.
Not long ago, to repay the favor of 11 grinding those PK battles for her, Xu Yueliang had recorded a video of herself eating bread without using her hands.
Lin Qimian hadn’t watched it many times, but whenever she did, it was in the quiet of night, when the longing for Xu Yueliang struck without warning.
Now, it was quiet too.
In the enclosed space of the car, just the two of them, the scenes overlapped, blurring the lines of time and space in an instant.
Lin Qimian leaned against the car door and lowered her gaze.
Xu Yueliang swallowed a mouthful and asked softly, “Doctor Lin, aren’t you eating?”
“I’ve already eaten,” Lin Qimian said. She turned and grabbed a mandarin orange, peeling it carefully. “This ponkan’s pretty good. It’ll give you some extra vitamins.”
Xu Yueliang said, “Doctor Lin, I’ve eaten so much of your stuff already.”
Lin Qimian smiled. “Have you?”
“Yeah! When I got my tooth pulled, when I came with Weiwei for her checkup, and now again…”
“Not enough,” Lin Qimian replied, thinking of all the snacks that kept appearing in her desk drawer every few days—endless little gifts from her fairy. “You need to eat more.”
Xu Yueliang grinned. “Hee hee hee. Doctor Lin, do you think I’m too skinny? I am kinda thin, but I weigh more than I look. I’ve got muscles.”
Lin Qimian looked over, and Xu Yueliang immediately set down her fork. “Don’t believe me? I’ll show you.”
“Go ahead,” Lin Qimian said.
Xu Yueliang raised her left arm. “Hah—!” She struck a bodybuilder’s front double biceps pose.
She flexed with all her might, her neck tendons taut, her collarbone sharp enough to balance a pen on.
But her long-sleeved puff-sleeve dress covered everything up tight. No matter how much she bulged, nothing showed.
“Aw.” Xu Yueliang eyed her arm and frowned. “I shouldn’t have worn this. You can’t see a thing.”
Lin Qimian laughed, thoroughly amused.
Xu Yueliang wasn’t giving up. “Doctor Lin, just pinch it. Really, it’s super hard!”
Lin Qimian lifted her hand, still gloved in a disposable plastic one. “Can’t. My hands are dirty.”
“Aw—,” Xu Yueliang sighed, lowering her arm.
She went back to eating and sipping. Once she was nearly done, Lin Qimian separated the peeled mandarin segments and offered them over, wrapping up this simple dinner in the car.
It really was a fine mandarin—thin-skinned and plump. As she pulled it apart, the membrane tore, exposing the juicy flesh that burst with sweetness.
Lin Qimian’s fingers, pale and slender like scallion stalks inside the clear plastic glove, pinched a full segment.
Xu Yueliang froze for a second at the sight right in front of her face. Then she leaned in and bit it straight off.
She swallowed the big piece down and squinted in satisfaction.
Lin Qimian watched her, then her own fingertip—and suddenly pulled her hand back.
She dropped the remaining segments into the box Xu Yueliang was holding, then peeled off her glove, pushed open the door, and stepped out to grab a huge bag from the back seat.
Inside the bag were all the snacks she’d bought today, along with several boxes she’d stocked up at home, just waiting to be fed entirely to Xu Yueliang.
It was a full bag, bursting with color—just looking at it lifted the spirits.
Xu Yueliang saw her step out of the car and hopped out right after.
She was still chewing on a juicy piece of fruit, but she’d already tidied up the trash from her snack. She jogged over to Lin Qimian’s side and mumbled through a full mouth, “Doctor Lin, do you need help carrying stuff? I can…”
Lin Qimian hefted the bag’s weight and eyed her. “Can you handle this?”
Xu Yueliang swallowed her bite, brimming with confidence. “No problem—my muscles aren’t just for show!”
Lin Qimian thrust the bag into her hands.
Xu Yueliang’s arms dipped for a moment before she hoisted it triumphantly overhead. “Piece of cake!”
Lin Qimian said, “Take it home.”
“Huh?” Xu Yueliang blinked in surprise.
Lin Qimian explained, “We had an event at the hospital—tons of leftovers. I can’t eat it all. Help me polish it off.”
“Oh.” Xu Yueliang grinned. “Now that’s a favor I can do for you, Doctor Lin. I’m just a little food bucket—pour it all in…”
Lin Qimian raised an eyebrow. “Who calls themselves a food bucket and bothers with the ‘little’?”
Xu Yueliang’s face turned pink as she laughed. “Aiya, it just sounds cuter that way.”
You know you’re cute.
Lin Qimian watched her for two seconds before wrapping up their encounter. “Is your place far? I can drive you if it is.”
“Not far at all—I can make it on my own.” Xu Yueliang edged closer to Lin Qimian and jutted out her hip. “Doctor Lin, my hands are full. The name badge is in my bag—mind grabbing it?”
Lin Qimian glanced down. Her fingertips barely grazed the zipper as she tugged it open and fished out her name badge.
She didn’t dare touch anything else.
Xu Yueliang eyed the bag. “Handed over one name badge and scored all this food…”
Lin Qimian couldn’t resist inching forward just a bit more. “No big deal. You can treat me to dinner next time.”
She met Xu Yueliang’s gaze and added, “If it won’t cut into your schedule.”
Xu Yueliang’s eyes sparkled as they locked on hers. “Would it cut into yours, Doctor Lin?”
Lin Qimian shook her head. “No.”
Xu Yueliang’s smile bloomed wide.
It really was a beautiful smile. Lin Qimian had seen right through Xu Yueliang’s game—she loved flashing it like this. Back in Middle School, during her streams, anytime she was having a good chat with someone. She aimed it at everyone when she was happy.
That smile made you feel special, like you were the center of her world, her happiest moment.
Over and over, it bewitched the heart.
And yet Lin Qimian was more than willing to fall for it. She even wanted to build it higher.
“Playing with Moon is so much fun,” she said. “Watching Moon eat looks delicious.”
Xu Yueliang’s shyness hit right on cue, creeping up her cheeks and ears, even misting her eyes.
She wanted to grin even wider, more triumphantly, but she reined in her glee. Emotions flickered across her face until she finally burst out, “Got it!”
She waved goodbye and took two steps backward. “See you next time, Doctor Lin!”
With that, she turned and dashed off, heavy bag in tow.
Lin Qimian watched her go until she vanished around the corner.
Back in the car, the air still held traces of snack crumbs and Xu Yueliang’s lingering fragrance.
She rubbed the fingertips of her right hand, easily summoning the memory of that fresh citrus tang… and the glide of Xu Yueliang’s lips.
Indescribably soft, like a morsel of jellied fruit begging to be devoured.
Her phone lit up with a message from “Jiaojiao.”
Lin Qimian swiped it open with that same fingertip and read Xu Yueliang’s texts.
-【I love hanging out with Doctor Lin too!】
-【Cat cat launches countless hearts.gif】
