Xu Qinghe checked the time of the message—ten minutes ago.
She replied as she walked: [Just finished. Heading to the cafeteria.]
Shi Wenli hadn't reached the cafeteria entrance yet. [Then our schedules line up. When you arrive, I'll find you.]
Her surgical cap was distinctive, making it easier for him to spot her.
After confirming their relationship, they were about to meet face-to-face for the first time.
With each step forward, Xu Qinghe's breathing involuntarily quickened.
Using her phone screen as a mirror, she predictably reached down to pull her surgical cap lower, trying to cover her ears as much as possible.
Whenever she argued with a surgeon, she never blushed or had a racing heart, and almost no one could out-argue her.
Only in front of Shi Wenli did she find it hard to stay composed, often blushing to the ears.
On the way to the cafeteria, she subtly adjusted her expression under her mask to appear nonchalant.
When she passed colleagues who had finished their meal and were heading back, she nodded with a slight smile.
They sensed she was in a good mood but couldn't pinpoint what was different about her.
Meanwhile, in the surgical cafeteria.
Shi Wenli was carrying his tray, looking for a seat. Not far away, Jiang Yang waved at him.
"Brother Shi, over here!"
Shi Wenli followed the sound and saw Jiang Yang, but he didn't head that way.
Across from Jiang Yang sat a woman with a high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, striking features, and wearing the same dark green scrubs.
Shi Wenli didn't recognize her. He assumed she was a new doctor who joined during his overseas training or a new visiting doctor in cardiac surgery, completely unaware that she was Qi Ruo, the blind date candidate introduced by Dean Jiang not long ago.
Seeing him standing there without moving, Jiang Yang quickly pointed to the empty seat beside him, signaling for him to sit.
Shi Wenli casually pointed in another direction. "I'm going to find Dr. Xu."
Jiang Yang didn't insist and gave him an "OK" gesture.
Just as Shi Wenli looked for an empty seat, a soft call came from behind: "Director Shi."
It was Xu Qinghe calling him.
Her voice was a bit distant, cutting through the noisy crowd.
As soon as she entered the cafeteria, Xu Qinghe spotted him.
Even if the entire cafeteria was filled with green scrubs, if she tried, she could always recognize him at a glance.
Shi Wenli turned around.
She happened to reach him.
Xu Qinghe didn't look at his face; her eyes landed on the tray in his hands, pretending to see what he had gotten. "So many good dishes today?"
The cafeteria was bustling with people and noise, but she could only hear her own rapid heartbeat.
Shi Wenli steadied himself slightly, handed her his tray, and said in his usual tone, "Find a seat first. What do you want to eat? I'll get it for you."
Only then did Xu Qinghe look up. Since he was close, she had to tilt her head to meet his gaze.
They locked eyes for just a moment before she lowered her gaze back to the tray. "I'll eat yours."
Shi Wenli smiled. "Alright."
He thought she just didn't want to bother deciding what to eat.
Colleagues passed by in an endless stream, none noticing that they were different from usual.
Xu Qinghe didn't deliberately seek out a quiet corner; there was an empty table nearby, and she sat down directly, surrounded by colleagues.
Afraid of being noticed, she didn't wait for Shi Wenli and began eating slowly with her chopsticks.
It was the most refined meal she had ever had in the cafeteria.
On the other side, Shi Wenli got a completely different set of dishes.
He greeted colleagues along the way and walked straight toward Xu Qinghe.
When he sat down, Xu Qinghe first noticed his long, well-defined hands.
Then she looked at the dishes on his tray. Two of them were ones she usually liked but didn't have on her own tray.
Shi Wenli gestured to the two compartments she didn't have. "Help yourself to whatever you want."
Xu Qinghe nodded. "Okay."
In the past, when they sat together for meals, they never tried each other's food or invited the other to taste.
After a moment of hesitation, she finally reached out her chopsticks and picked up a shrimp ball from his tray.
After chewing slowly, she also took a few strips of eggplant with soy sauce from his plate.
They hadn't fully adjusted to the change in their relationship, and such an act was undoubtedly ambiguous.
As she ate the eggplant, she instinctively raised her left hand to pull at her surgical cap to cover her ears. Midway, she suddenly remembered that she had already tucked her ears in on the way to the cafeteria.