Yesterday they were colleagues joking and laughing; today they were blind date partners. How could it not be awkward?
After thinking for a long time, she sent a cliché opening: [Busy?]
As soon as the message was sent, Shi Wenli called.
The moment she answered, Xu Qinghe’s heart raced.
She happened to be near the barbershop at the entrance of the neighborhood. The owner seemed obsessed with a few old songs, playing them on loop all year round.
Five or six years had passed, and the playlist had never changed.
But today, she didn’t even notice those familiar melodies she had heard a thousand times.
On the other end of the line, Shi Wenli spoke first with a hint of apology. “For something like a blind date, I should have contacted you first.”
He quickly added, “I just got out of surgery.”
He hadn’t even reached the locker room and was still in his scrubs.
Xu Qinghe didn’t care about these formalities.
“It doesn’t matter. Whoever contacts first is the same.”
Both of them deliberately softened their tone, trying hard to act natural.
But after being colleagues and friends for years, the sudden change in relationship was hard for even Xu Qinghe to adjust to immediately.
She quietly steadied herself and then said, “The director only told me about the blind date tonight. I never imagined he would set us up.”
That was the truth.
She hadn’t even dreamed of it.
And especially since Shi Wenli had rejected the good intentions of both Dean Jiang and the vice dean.
Shi Wenli said, “I didn’t expect it either.”
As she spoke, Xu Qinghe walked through the community gate.
Away from the barbershop’s looping songs and the street noise, she didn’t know what to say next, and the call fell into silence.
Usually, no matter what she talked about with him, her mind never went blank.
Luckily, she quickly picked up the conversation. “I didn’t expect the director to set us up because, in his eyes, I have a bad temper and you’re so easygoing. No one would usually put two people with such opposite temperaments together.”
On the other end, Shi Wenli reached his locker in the changing room.
As he opened the locker, he replied gently, “Maybe in Director Zhao’s eyes, two such personalities are actually a good match.”
Xu Qinghe paused. Such a rare opportunity—if she didn’t seize it, she would miss it completely.
So she gathered her courage and followed his words: “So I decided to follow the elder’s advice and find a boyfriend like you.”
Luckily, it was a phone call; if they were talking face to face, she wouldn’t have been able to say something so straightforward.
Seeing her so open and direct, Shi Wenli also lost his reservations.
Earlier, he had worried that after so many years of friendship, it would be hard to break through that barrier.
He gave a clear answer, his voice carrying a gentle smile. “Then I’ll congratulate myself on no longer being single.”
In just a few minutes, they had completed the blind date process over the phone.
As for whether it would be awkward to meet tomorrow, Xu Qinghe no longer had the mind to worry about that.
Shi Wenli asked her, “Are you off normally this week?”
Even though the blind date process was over, a formal meal was necessary.
Xu Qinghe guessed what he was planning. “We don’t need to be so formal. When I feel like eating something, I’ll definitely drag you along. I wanted hotpot a few days ago, and you already had it with me. I don’t have any particular craving recently.”
Right now, eating a big meal was the least important thing to her.
“Hurry and finish work and go home.” She hung up first.
When she got home, her parents were chatting in the living room as usual, waiting for her.
Seeing the smile in his daughter’s eyes, Xu Bingduo’s anxious heart eased. Zhao Mingde had already informed him that the two children were willing to meet.
With their existing relationship, if they were willing to go on a blind date, it was basically settled.
He had promised Zhao Mingde that if the two children successfully made it to marriage, he would definitely ask him to be the witness.
Xu Bingduo couldn’t contain his joy and asked about the situation between his daughter and Shi Wenli. “Have you arranged a time to meet for a meal?”
“We’ve already talked. We’ve confirmed our relationship.”
“That’s great, that’s great!”
Xu Bingduo was rarely this excited, and he hurriedly asked, “So are you going to try dating, or follow the blind date process and have the parents meet next?”
He only wanted to secure happiness for his daughter as quickly as possible.
His daughter must have been longing for this day for a very long time.
“Dad, Shi Wenli and I haven’t started dating yet. We’ll decide the next steps after some time.”
As for the parents meeting, she would see what Shi Wenli thought.