Chapter 9 Rainy Season "If you're going to get married, consider me?..."

The three stared at each other for a few seconds, and then Tu Xia stepped forward as if to take off Lin Fei's clothes.

Lin Fei tossed aside his phone and blocked the phone with his hand: "Tu Xia, what are you doing? You can't have Shi Ge and you still want to take me for yourself!"

Tu Xia was an expert at undressing people; she had done it many times at home. Lin Fei was no match for her at all, and she quickly succeeded.

The clothes were pulled up to the ribs, exposing the wound on the lower abdomen.

"Isn't it beautiful? Director Fang said his stitching skills are excellent," Lin Fei boasted smugly.

Chi Xin glared at him. Even at a time like this, he was still in the mood to joke.

Tu Xia pulled her clothes up straight, her brows furrowing slightly: "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore." Lin Fei didn't like seeing her friend worry about her, nor did she like the atmosphere becoming heavy. "Alright, TuTu, I didn't take this little thing to heart at all."

"Shut up, okay? I'm here to check on you. All you have to do is say, 'Yes, it hurts, thank you.' If you say anything else that's neither here nor there, I won't hold back." Tu Xia was a firecracker that would explode at the slightest provocation.

With Liang Yanru absent, Chi Xin took her place as the most reasonable of the two: "Sister Tu Tu, don't be angry. My sister is an iron warrior, she's really fine."

"I'm so angry! Lin Fei, you should cherish your life! You've spent half of your salary from two years since graduation on medical treatment. I'm really impressed by you." Tu Xia almost started a fight, but forced herself to calm down because of Lin Fei's illness.

"I've tried my best to cherish my life." Lin Fei said this with a vow-like gesture, "Otherwise, you wouldn't see such a lively me now."

Tu Xia rolled up her sleeves: "What are you saying with that lousy mouth? Hurry up and spit it out!"

Chi Xin stepped between the two and warned Lin Fei, "Speak nicely to Sister Tu Tu, she's concerned about you!"

It's hard to understand how two people with such fiery tempers could become friends for over a decade. It's clear how hard it must have been for Leung Yin-yu, who often acted as a peacemaker.

Lin Fei knew when to stop, and it took him more than ten minutes to coax Tu Xia back to peace. It was only after He Jingshi's phone call that Tu Xia left; otherwise, he wouldn't have had a peaceful night.

Chi Xin stayed with Lin Fei at bedside tonight and found other people's personal belongings in the closet while tidying up.

"A man?" Chi Xin turned to look at Lin Fei. "You've hooked up with a new man? How old is he?"

“Chi Xin, I’ve noticed you always tend to think the worst of me. This is my cousin’s stuff from my maternal family in Gangdu. He came to Jiangdu these past few days… on a business trip and only stayed with me for one night.” Lin Fei crossed his arms, pretending to be angry. He didn’t want to reveal that Zhong Shuwen worked in Jiangdu, fearing that if his grandmother found out and made him take her home, she would definitely bring up the old issue of settling in Gangdu again.

She quickly changed the subject: "Even if it's not my cousin, so what if I hook up with a new man? Can't I pursue men who are older than me and more mature and stable?"

Chi Xin pursed his lips, unsure of what to say.

Lin Fei has a strange quirk—the "daddy issue." The information she researches suggests that women who lack a father figure or have problems with their fathers during their childhood may develop a particular preference for older men later in life.

However, she did not lack paternal love; she remembered her uncle treating her very well, so she couldn't understand how her illness came about. During her university years, she saw a psychologist twice, trying to get rid of the torment caused by the illness, but it didn't seem to help at all. She always hoped to enter into intimate relationships with men older than her.

She had worried that Lin Fei might be deceived, but it turned out she was overthinking it. Because she longed for a relationship while also fearing being hurt, her criteria for choosing a partner were almost harsh. If she couldn't get a sense of security from the other person, she would quickly eliminate those who didn't meet her criteria and move on to the next target.

Having read a lot of psychological materials on this type of illness, Chi Xin silently commented in his heart that Lin Fei had already tried to reconcile with the illness and was trying to find a balance in it.

Besides, who is Lin Fei? She'll definitely do everything perfectly. So what if she has some niche hobbies?

Lin Fei didn't notice the complex expression on Chi Xin's face when he looked at her; she was annoyed by Liang Yanzhe's response.

He said he would come to pick her up with Zhong Shuwen.

Lin Fei buried her head in the blanket.

I wondered if something unexpected had happened that might have hindered Zhong Shuwen, since she was always making a fuss and delaying her from performing.

However, she rarely spends too much time on anything, preferring to let things take their course.

Chi Xin quickly ran out of time to think about anything else; she suddenly noticed something.

"Why are your relatives from Gangdu here? Are they here to take you back?"

"Huh? Maybe. He's currently on exchange in Jiangdu for a while, and my grandfather must have sent him to talk to me about it." Lin Fei hadn't thought about it too much. To her, her grandfather was her grandfather, and she didn't confuse him with Zhong Shuwen. It's the 21st century; there's no need for guilt by association.

Chi Xin gave a muffled "hmm" and then fell silent.

The lights in the room were turned off, and the two lay on the bed.

After a long while, Lin Fei turned to Chi Xin and asked with a smile, "Are you really afraid that if I go to live in Hong Kong, I'll cut off all contact with you?"

"You're overthinking it. If you really do that, I'll consider it a waste of my grandmother's time raising you." Chi Xin was a little annoyed, and his words became sharper.

Lin Fei wasn't angry at all, and laughed heartlessly: "Just say you can't bear to part with me, there's no need to use Grandma as a shield."

"Whatever." Chi Xin turned his back, refusing to speak further.

Lin Fei also fell silent.

The ward quieted down, but the sounds of the emergency room outside could be heard, creating two worlds—one of chaos and the other of tranquility.

"Are you really sure you can do it?" Chi Xin's voice gradually lowered, tinged with barely perceptible melancholy.

Lin Fei: "Don't worry, you and A Yao won't have the chance to inherit anything from our Lin family, but I'm going to hold on to it tightly."

"I don't care." Chi Xin snorted a few times, and it wasn't hard to hear the rising tone at the end.

My cousin has a temper that flares up quickly, but she's also quick to appease her.

Lin Fei smiled silently.

I slept soundly until dawn.

After breakfast, Lin Fei urged Chi Xin to return to school, then called Liang Yanru and persuaded her to stay at the hospital after a long time. They agreed to have a meal together at her house sometime.

After ruling out all possible unforeseen circumstances, she finally changed out of her hospital gown and the first thing she did was rush to the nearby pet hospital to see her cat.

Lin Fei considered the feasibility of adopting a cat last night, but she hadn't dealt with her house in Shanghai, and she hadn't decided where to settle in Jiangdu, so it was simply impossible.

Upon entering, I noticed a new photo on the wall in the "Pet Adoption" section; it was the little tabby cat she had brought over yesterday.

She realized she wouldn't have the chance to adopt it, but she wanted to buy it three vaccinations and some food.

Unexpectedly.

The receptionist told her that someone had already booked the cat's three vaccinations, rabies vaccine, and a year's worth of deworming. They also said that the cat's food was not available for purchase because they had a partner supplier.

Besides her, the only other person who knew that the cat had been sent here was Liang Yanzhe.

This action... is the same as when he deposited a sum of money for her at the convenience store.

Lin Fei stepped outside and saw the kitten patting the glass of the French windows, seemingly calling her back. She smiled but didn't dare stop, afraid that she might impulsively go back and take it with her. They had finally escaped being homeless, and she couldn't let the kitten stay homeless with her.

When Zhong Shuwen returned to the ward, she had already packed all her belongings and completed the discharge procedures.

Cai Cai came to see Lin Fei off, looking very reluctant to part with him.

"Cai Cai, we have WeChat, it's easy for us to meet." Lin Fei was afraid that Cai Cai would say "come again next time," she still valued her life.

Cai Cai nodded: "You must take care of yourself."

In the end, it was Lin Fei who comforted Cai Cai.

Zhong Shuwen stood aside and watched. After they finished saying goodbye, she couldn't help but say, "You're so kind and caring to everyone, why can't you be kind to me?"

“Cousin, don’t say such sour things on such a good day. If you hadn’t persuaded me to go back to Hong Kong, I would have praised you to the skies right now.” Lin Fei exposed him without any mercy.

Zhong Shuwen choked for a moment, then said, "Alright! Let's go, let's go."

Lin Fei didn't see Liang Yanzhe, nor did she ask any further questions, otherwise it would seem too deliberate.

I received Liang Yanzhe's message only after I got home.

Mr. Liang: [Sorry, I had an emergency surgery and couldn't leave. I just finished. Are you home yet?]

Lin Fei felt dissatisfied after reading the message.

It wasn't that she was dissatisfied with Liang Yanzhe; it was just the nature of his profession. If he didn't prioritize saving patients in a crisis, she would truly be dissatisfied.

What I'm dissatisfied with is the current progress.

Too slow.

She doesn't like protracted battles.

They began to consider other possibilities.

-

After resting at home for two days, Lin Fei, who was forced to eat a bland diet, couldn't stand it anymore and went out to eat at the mall. Zhong Shuwen put down her work and followed her, worried that she would eat out of revenge. She even came up with an absurd excuse - a local friend recommended a good restaurant and she wanted to take her to try it.

A long queue had formed outside the store she wanted to go to, and the joy on Zhong Shuwen's face disappeared.

Despite not being familiar with the local area, he insisted on hosting a dinner party, but he misjudged the timing, leaving Lin Fei to wait with him.

Lin Fei, who was only thinking about food, said, "I'll go get a number."

Zhong Shuwen thought she should try another store; now the queue would take an hour.

He was about to speak when a gentle, deep voice interrupted him.

"Awen?"

When Zhong Shuwen saw Liang Yanzhe, he didn't know how to respond. All he could think about was the question Lin Fei had asked him in the hospital room that day, and he didn't know how to address him properly.

Lin Fei didn't know what was bothering him, so he reminded him, "Big brother, you should be polite when you go out."

Zhong Shuwen glanced speechlessly at her cousin beside her and greeted her, "Mr. Liang, what a coincidence, what are you doing here?"

"My sister arranged a gathering for me, and I'm waiting for someone." Liang Yanzhe sat near the door, his computer screen displaying work messages waiting to be processed.

Lin Fei thought of the blind date she had mentioned that day.

Wow, that's fast! Only a few days have passed...

Today, Liang Yanzhe's outfit leaned towards a mature yet youthful style. The cuffs of his brown shirt were casually rolled up, revealing his well-defined wrists and his slender figure. The soft light from the overhead lamp fell on his black hair, and the light reflected off his refined gold-rimmed glasses, making it difficult to discern the emotions in his dark eyes. However, one could see a slight curve at the corners of his lips, a faint and gentle smile.

Just as Zhong Shuwen was about to suggest they go to another clinic, Lin Fei asked, "Dr. Liang, is the person you're waiting for still coming?"

Liang Yanzhe was taken aback by her directness and paused for a few seconds before smiling and saying, "It's hard to say. I've been assigned to a large table. Why don't we join each other?"

"It's too much trouble for them," Zhong Shuwen whispered, his intuition telling him that they shouldn't eat together.

"Cousin, I'm hungry." Lin Fei walked straight to where Liang Yanzhe was.

It's lunchtime now, and I don't know how much time it would take to find another restaurant.

Faced with Liang Yanzhe's offer, Zhong Shuwen followed him so as not to disappoint Lin Fei.

After taking their seats, Lin Fei sat quietly in the corner listening to their conversation, as if Zhong Shuwen hadn't been the one who had resisted sharing the table.

Their conversation covered a wide range of topics, from economics to current affairs, from relatives to friends, all within their own circle. She couldn't join in the conversation and was preoccupied with the matters she needed to handle upon returning to Haishi in a few days.

The waiter handed over the tablet for taking orders, which Liang Yanzhe took and passed to Lin Fei.

She paused for a second.

He continued to chat and laugh with Zhong Shuwen as if it were just a gentlemanly act out of good manners, without any deliberate intent.

"Order whatever you like, we can all eat that." Zhong Shuwen took the tablet and shoved it into Lin Fei's arms.

Lin Fei quickly ordered a few items and handed them back to Zhong Shuwen.

After ordering, the waiter came over with a basket and brought each of them a warm hand towel.

Liang Yanzhe also gestured to give it to Lin Fei first.

"How did you end up at this restaurant?" Zhong Shuwen asked. Liang Yanzhe replied, "Didn't you ask for restaurant recommendations in the group chat last night? I happened to see this and thought I'd give it a try."

"You're just peeking without saying anything!" Zhong Shuwen asked again. "How did you get a number for a large table when you're all alone?"

Lin Fei moved quietly, also wanting to know why.

Liang Yanzhe smiled gently and joked, "Actually, I came here for a blind date, but the other person had something come up and couldn't make it."

"That's enough, are you kidding me? Who would stand you up on a blind date?" Zhong Shuwen said. "Who's pressuring you?"

"Grandma".

“She said she wouldn’t relinquish power unless both my sister and I got married. If she angered my sister, she might come and cause trouble if she doesn’t get elected president at the next shareholders’ meeting. So she’s urging me to make a decision quickly so she can fight for a say.” Liang Yanzhe sounded somewhat helpless, which didn’t seem like a lie.

Zhong Shuwen sighed, "Your family's division of labor is really amazing, completely reversed from other families. The younger sister manages the company, while the older brother manages the research and development."

The Liang family is a family of doctors, a group of elites, either doctors or elites in the pharmaceutical industry. Besides the business acumen of the company's operators, their biggest backing for dominating the market is their elite research team.

Liang Yanzhe did not hold back in praising his sister: "In business, I am indeed slightly inferior to her."

Zhong Shuwen chuckled. He had heard a little about the business genius in the Liang family. If you didn't have some skills, you couldn't beat her at doing business.

Lin Fei learned about the Liang family's situation from his friend Liang Yanru. The family was deeply entrenched, but he wasn't interested in the power struggles of these large families and focused on eating.

"I heard you're going back to Haishi? How long will you be gone this time?" Zhong Shuwen suddenly steered the conversation back to Lin Fei.

Lin Fei doesn't have a clear plan yet: "I don't know yet, I'll probably stay for a while."

It takes at least half a month to pack up and move out.

Lin Fei's and Liang Yanzhe's eyes met in the air for a few seconds, and she frowned slightly.

Why do I see a hint of complexity in his eyes?

"Oh right, you're on vacation, you'll be going back to Haishi sooner or later." Zhong Shuwen had almost forgotten that Lin Fei was working, mainly because she had been living too relaxed lately.

Lin Fei didn't reply and finished the juice next to him.

After Lin Fei put down his cup, Zhong Shuwen suggested, "It's getting late, we should head back."

Lin Fei came to a conclusion.

If the talkative Zhong Shuwen were there, she wouldn't have had a chance to say more than a few words to Liang Yanzhe. The topics he brought up were all things she didn't know, so she couldn't respond or join in their conversation.

Zhong Shuwen quickly walked to the service desk and paid the bill first.

Lin Fei took a step to follow, but as she passed Liang Yanzhe, she couldn't help but tilt her head slightly to the side.

The man must have noticed her little movement, because he chuckled softly with a nasal tone: "Feiwen, you left something behind."

His sudden shout caused Lin Fei to freeze for a few seconds.

This was the first time he had called her that since they met.

A nickname so long ago that she had almost forgotten it.

A nickname that only he would use.

I thought he had forgotten what happened in the past...

Lin Fei grabbed the keys that had fallen on the table, forgot to say thank you, and ran away quickly.

She made an excuse that something came up and refused to go home with Zhong Shuwen, instead walking towards the mall entrance alone.

A torrential downpour had started outside, and the subway entrance, just ten meters away, had trapped her. She stared blankly at the dark sky, her heart heavy and her breathing labored.

She gripped her phone tightly, and all the pent-up emotions burst forth at that moment. She turned and ran back to the restaurant.

When she came to her senses, she was already standing in front of Liang Yanzhe.

He looked up from the endless stream of work messages and stared at her.

Behind the lenses were a pair of gentle, dark, gleaming eyes.

Many years later, when she looked back, she didn't know what she was thinking about—whether it was the answer she couldn't get back then, or the situation she couldn't let go of now.

She was captivated by his gentlemanly manners and impeccable conduct, but she lacked the patience to wait for him to approach her, and couldn't even be sure that someone like him would ever approach her.

Waiting is useless; if Lin Fei wants something, she will fight for it!

And so, she made an absurd yet daring decision.

She suppressed the turmoil in her heart and asked earnestly:

"Mr. Liang, if you're thinking of getting married—would you consider me?"

A note from the author:

----------------------

[Shy] The next chapter is a confession session, giving Dr. Liang a little shock within the circle, hehehe.

Still 66, love you all! [Starry eyes]