Shi Wenli frowned, suddenly realizing something: "Dean Liu was going to introduce me to Yu Jianing?"
Wu Xiaofeng was stunned: "What do you mean? Is your current partner not Yu Jianing? Or wasn't it Dean Liu who set you up with Yu Jianing?"
Shi Wenli said: "It's not Yu Jianing. And Dean Liu didn't set it up."
"!!"
Wu Xiaofeng was momentarily speechless.
That night when Shi Wenli went to Dean Liu's house for dinner, Dean Liu had just asked about his marriage prospects. Before he could even say who he wanted to introduce, Shi Wenli politely declined, saying that Dean Jiang and the Vice Dean had also tried to set him up, but he hadn't seen any of them and wasn't considering it for now.
Dean Liu knew he had grown up in a broken family, so he didn't press.
But he never expected that Dean Liu wanted to introduce him to his college classmate, and he and Yu Jianing had always been on good terms.
Wu Xiaofeng finally pieced it together: "So you mean, you didn't even know who the blind date was and just refused outright? Come on, at least wait until Dean Liu finishes saying who it is before you refuse. Regret it now, don't you!"
He paused, then grew curious again: "So who is your current blind date? It's fine if you can't say."
Just then, footsteps came from the elevator.
Wu Xiaofeng turned his head and saw Xu Qinghe turning the corner.
Their eyes met, and both were startled.
Xu Qinghe: "..."
She had been caught red-handed.
Shi Wenli hadn't expected her back so soon. Half an hour ago, her dishes hadn't all arrived. Considering travel time, she wouldn't be home until at least 9:30, maybe even 10.
Xu Qinghe had eaten dinner at the restaurant across from the community. When she messaged Shi Wenli, the last dish had just been served. When she met Song Xintan, she learned he had been having headaches recently. The medicine he took at noon had helped a lot, but by evening the effect wore off, and he started hurting again during the meal. After eating, she told him to go home and rest.
On her way back, she had sent Shi Wenli a message, but he hadn't replied.
She never expected to run into Wu Xiaofeng at the door.
Shi Wenli was relatively calm. Since they'd been caught, he might as well admit it openly.
Before he could speak, Xu Qinghe said first: "Congratulations, Chief Shi. I happened to pass by your building, so I came up to ask for some wedding candy."
Wu Xiaofeng huffed inwardly: obviously here to gossip, but making it sound so innocent.
Shi Wenli simply opened the door wide: "Come in and sit. I do have candy at home. Have a piece before you leave."
Xu Qinghe: "Then I won't stand on ceremony. Let me share in Chief Shi's happiness."
Shi Wenli looked at her serious expression and couldn't help smiling.
He bent down, took her slippers out of the shoe cabinet, and placed them at her feet.
He then casually grabbed a pair of shoe covers and handed them to Wu Xiaofeng.
Wu Xiaofeng wasn't picky; he took them and put them on.
His mind wasn't on these trivial details; he was still thinking about the Yu Jianing matter.
By the sofa, there were several pink small yoga balls. The coffee table was covered with snacks girls liked, and there was a hair tie on the sofa armrest.
Wu Xiaofeng glanced around discreetly. It looked like they were already living together.
How many days had it been? Shi Wenli and his blind date were moving way too fast.
Shi Wenli took out some chocolates and first handed one to Wu Xiaofeng: "This really is my wedding candy."
Wu Xiaofeng took it: "Your girlfriend bought it?"
"I bought it myself."
Shi Wenli gave the remaining piece to Xu Qinghe.
Wu Xiaofeng unwrapped and ate a piece. Without avoiding Xu Qinghe, he gestured to Shi Wenli: "Check your class group quickly. Don't let them go congratulate Yu Jianing—that would be awkward."
He felt sorry for them: "You and Yu Jianing really have no fate. Even like this, you missed each other. Dean Liu should have just said one more sentence, that he was introducing you to Yu Jianing. Then you definitely wouldn't have refused to even meet."
But it was too late. He was already living with this current one.
Xu Qinghe didn't look at Shi Wenli. She lowered her head and silently bit into the chocolate.
She knew Yu Jianing. Only two people from Shi Wenli's year had chosen neurosurgery, and he had a good relationship with her.
So that dinner at Dean Liu's really was a blind date setup.
As for why Dean Liu didn't make it clear it was Yu Jianing on the spot, she understood his concerns.
Since they were classmates and had known each other for years, and with the knowledge that one party rejected marriage, Dean Liu would naturally be very cautious.
If they couldn't be lovers, they could at least still be classmates.
Better than not becoming lovers and also losing a classmate. Besides, they were in the same field, both outstanding in it, and would have many occasions to meet in the future.
Actually, she couldn't help thinking: if he had known the blind date was Yu Jianing, would he have agreed or refused?
After all, his relationship with Yu Jianing was also very close.
...
From the moment Wu Xiaofeng said those words, only one or two seconds had passed, but to Xu Qinghe it felt as long as an hour or two.