He added, "And the vase too."
Xu Qinghe was stunned.
It seemed she had just realized that the two of them would eventually get married.
Once the flowers were arranged, Shi Wenli put the vase back in place.
He hadn't forgotten her wanting to feel his sweater, so he stepped closer to her. "Didn't you want to see how thick my sweater is?"
Now that his coat was off, it wasn't as inconvenient as it was outdoors, and her hands wouldn't freeze.
Xu Qinghe hadn't expected him to remember such a small thing.
She had intended to touch the cuff, but found it hugged his wrist, so she instead lifted the hem of the sweater. Still, her fingers accidentally brushed against his pants.
Only up close did she notice the ribbed texture, the lines layering the fabric distinctly.
The material felt soft and smooth to the touch.
It wasn't very thin, but it couldn't be called thick either.
A slightly loose black men's sweater always evoked feelings of restraint, maturity, elegance, and a certain spousal vibe.
And he possessed all these qualities in full measure.
Xu Qinghe let go of the hem. "It feels warm."
Shi Wenli said, "I bought it abroad. I was in a hurry when I left and forgot to pack a sweater."
Xu Qinghe picked up the thread. "You really were in a hurry. When I found out, you were leaving the next day, and I didn't even have time to treat you to a meal."
"You did treat me, actually. The day before I left, you bought me a coffee, didn't you?"
Shi Wenli tidied up the table and sat down beside her.
He thought about how during his training, he hadn't had the chance to contact her. "What about you? Besides working overtime, what else kept you busy this past year?"
Xu Qinghe said three things occupied most of her life: "First, work; second, sleep." She smiled. "The third thing? I won't tell you."
Shi Wenli assumed, "You want me to guess?"
It wasn't for him to guess.
She simply couldn't tell him.
She couldn't just say the third thing was missing him.
Xu Qinghe played along. "See if you can guess."
Shi Wenli seriously thought about what else could take up her time every day.
As he thought, almost instinctively, he picked the most beautiful strawberry from the bowl and handed it to her.
"Studying cases?" That seemed the most likely answer.
Xu Qinghe took it without thanking him politely.
She took a small bite of the strawberry. "Studying cases is already part of work."
Shi Wenli continued thinking while picking out nice strawberries for her.
"Matching your Crocs and surgical caps?"
Xu Qinghe laughed. "What kind of image do you have of me in your mind? Don't overthink it—just say it directly."
"An anesthesiologist who likes wearing nice surgical caps, is diligent, and outstanding."
Shi Wenli added, "Also one of the anesthesiologists I most want to partner with."
Xu Qinghe knew his favorite partners were their director, Zhao Mingde, and the head of the neurosurgery anesthesia team—both already experts in their field.
She hadn't expected to be one of his most desired partners.
"Thank you for the recognition, Director Shi."
Shi Wenli couldn't immediately figure out the third thing. "I'll think about it slowly and tell you when I do."
Xu Qinghe didn't press him. "Don't bother—you won't guess it."
Shi Wenli said, "If it's not related to your hobbies or the hospital, I really won't be able to guess."
Xu Qinghe didn't respond.
He could never guess that it was about him.
Shi Wenli shifted the topic. "Are you off tomorrow?"
Xu Qinghe swallowed her strawberry and nodded with an "mm."
Shi Wenli had a full morning shift tomorrow—this week's outpatient duty.
"Where do you want to go in the afternoon?" he asked.
Xu Qinghe pointed at the table. The place she wanted most was right here.
No matter where they went on a date, it would be crowded. She just wanted to be somewhere with only the two of them.
Even if they did nothing but chat, that was fine.