Dr. Chi’s Mission: Seduce Officer Su - Chapter 24.2

She gently bit her lower lip, the tip of her nose tinged with helpless, desolate red. A damp, chilly wind swept toward them, yet it couldn’t disperse the intense, lingering silence between them.

She sniffed her dry nose and forced a faint, indifferent smile, exhaling a puff of white mist between her lips. “Alright, it’s up to you.”

That lightly spoken “alright” lent this aloof, superior woman a touch of fragility, and even her loosely cascading curls seemed imbued with a disheveled loneliness.

She stuffed her hands into her coat pockets, tightening the lapels as much as she could, but it still couldn’t ward off the chill emanating from within. Her resolute, departing figure appeared increasingly frail.

What had she done wrong to be treated so coldly? Unable to find a clear answer or pinpoint the cause, she held back her sorrow, suppressing the urge to cry.

Su Qiao watched the receding figure with desolation, the pain deepening with each step the other took.

How she wished she could chase after her, firmly take Chi Jue’s hand, and without a word or a thought, simply walk away quietly together.

But as she lowered her gaze to her own feet, they felt as if weighted with lead, too heavy to lift, utterly unable to take a step forward.

At this moment, with nothing left to lose, even her courage had deserted her.

“Dr. Chi.”

A warm, steady call drew both their gazes forward.

Standing not far away was a man in a flaxen-gray wool coat. Though a pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on his tall nose bridge, they couldn’t conceal the depth of his bright, deeply set eyes behind the lenses.

His figure was tall and upright without appearing bulky, his appearance could be described as slick and polished, with neatly trimmed sideburns. Had he been born in the Republican era, he would have been the image of an elegant, handsome talent with overseas education.

Meeting Chi Jue’s puzzled gaze, the corners of his lips curved into a gentle and refined smile, his aura radiating an approachable warmth that felt non-intrusive.

Chi Jue suppressed her melancholy and tilted her head slightly toward the man, signaling that she didn’t recognize him.

The man’s demeanor remained reserved and appropriate, as befitting a gentleman.

Unwilling to keep the lady waiting, he took the initiative to approach and state his purpose: “Hello, Dr. Chi. My name is Yu Ensong.”

From his brief self-introduction, Chi Jue already understood who he was. She nodded politely and replied, “Hello.”

“It’s quite abrupt of me to show up here to meet you without giving any prior notice.”

Chi Jue feigned ignorance and asked, “It’s no trouble at all. What brings you here, Dr. Yu?”

Yu Ensong was momentarily taken aback by the form of address. After a brief pause, he said with surprise, “You know who I am?”

“If I’m not mistaken, you’re the talented cardiac surgeon who studied abroad, the one President Xiao mentioned.”

“What a clever lady.” Yu Ensong remarked generously, well aware of the importance of complimenting women without coming across as frivolous.

Chi Jue was not one to hastily judge strangers, so she casually changed the subject: “How did you know I was at the Traffic Police Headquarters?”

“President Xiao has been trying to set us up. He’s been calling me off and on lately, urging me to find time to meet you. I believe matters like blind dates should respect your wishes, but I couldn’t refuse his goodwill either. Coincidentally, I had the afternoon off today, so I thought, ‘Why not seize the day?’ After all, it seems our schedules rarely align. When I rushed to Renmin Hospital, I found out you were here filming a promotional video. I apologize for coming here on my own accord. I hope I haven’t disrupted your plans?”

Yu Ensong’s humility was on full display for Chi Jue, softening the presumptuousness of his unannounced visit. His meticulous and logical explanation was hard to refute, as the reasons he provided were well-founded.

Chi Jue nodded in understanding, almost certain that his next words would be an invitation to dinner.

Just as she was about to decline, a fluorescent figure passing by her side made her reconsider.

As she had anticipated, Yu Ensong extended the invitation: “Dr. Chi, would you be willing to join me for a meal? If you’re not in the mood for food, we could also find a café or a cocktail bar to sit and chat. Nothing more, just making the most of this rare free time we have.”

“Sure, I know a very authentic jianghu private kitchen. Can you handle spicy food, Dr. Yu?” Chi Jue agreed cheerfully, her voice slightly raised, not too loud, but clear enough for someone two steps away to hear.

“Jianghu cuisine? That sounds delicious. Coincidentally, I quite enjoy spicy flavors.” Yu Ensong hadn’t expected Chi Jue to accept the invitation. In his eyes, such a beautiful woman shouldn’t be unattached, and he had assumed she would be hard to approach. Yet, her every smile and gesture radiated a gentle and humble charm that was truly refreshing.

“I drove here. What about you?” Chi Jue said, quickening her pace to match Su Qiao’s stride.

“Thinking we might have a drink tonight, I took a taxi.”

“Then you can ride in my car. I’ll trouble you to drive, and I’ll navigate.” Chi Jue handed the car keys to Yu Ensong, raising her voice again. “That private kitchen is on the city’s pedestrian street. I wonder if you’ve been there before?”

“What’s the name of the restaurant?” Yu Ensong replied politely, never imagining that this entire conversation was meant for someone else’s ears.

“Yu Zhou Chang Wan.” Chi Jue smiled gently, her gaze drifting toward a figure in the distance.

She was filled with anticipation, yet dared not hope too much, silently praying in her heart that the one who had been ignoring her would do something in response.

Su Qiao deliberately slowed her steps. When she heard Chi Jue was having dinner with a stranger who had suddenly appeared, she gritted her teeth so hard her cheeks ached, waves of bitterness washing over her chest. And when she learned the restaurant was the very one they had once agreed to visit together, her jealousy completely boiled over.

She pursed her lips, trying to convince herself not to do anything rash, but her ears perked up, not missing a single detail, the address and the restaurant name were firmly etched in her mind.

As Chi Jue brushed past her and headed straight for the Cadillac, the air was left tinged with the familiar, soothing scent of cedarwood.

Chi Jue’s fragrance could calm her nerves, but in an instant, the visual impact of their interaction overwhelmed her.

She could do nothing but watch helplessly as Chi Jue settled into the passenger seat, while the gentlemanly man raised his hand to shield the car’s roof, ensuring his date wouldn’t bump her head.

By the time the Cadillac had completely vanished from sight, Su Qiao’s once-straight posture gradually slumped.

So, when Chi Jue didn’t care about her, she truly was nothing more than a speck of dust.

She clenched the helmet in her hand so tightly that the veins on the back of her hand bulged, the vessels in her neck and temples standing out starkly.

A heavy, suffocating fear of loss gripped her heart.

She swallowed her bitterness, feeling both ridiculous and pitiful. It was her own cowardice that had ruined everything, yet here she was, putting on the act of the abandoned.

Su Qiao, who are you pretending for?

She questioned herself, why was she blaming Chi Jue for the prejudices others held against her?

The world was wrong, she was wrong, but Dr. Chi was not, because the one in the right could never be wrong.

She quickened her pace, her breath growing slightly ragged, and let out a low, frustrated curse: “Damn you, An Jiaqin!”

…

Chi Jue led Yu Ensong into the rustic restaurant.

The decor leaned toward a classic wooden style, with dim lighting and scattered patrons. Apart from the clinking of dishes, the conversations were not particularly noisy.

Yu Ensong had intended to ask the server for a private room, but before he could speak, Chi Jue had already guided him to a booth by the window.

She turned back with a smile and explained, “Let’s sit here. There’s no need for a private room for just two people.”

How could there not be a hint of calculation? It was merely to catch a glimpse of the figure she longed to see in the world outside the window.

Yu Ensong naturally didn’t object to the arrangement and shrugged agreeably. “Sounds good. I’m fine with anything.”

After they sat down, he asked the server for hot water to wash the dishes and busied himself with the sanitizing task.

Chi Jue held the menu but had no appetite. After hesitating for a moment, she passed it across the table. “Order whatever you’d like. I don’t have much of an appetite and won’t be able to eat much.”

Yu Ensong held the dripping wet dishes in both hands, signaling it wasn’t convenient to order. “Don’t you come here often? Order a few signature dishes you like for us to try.”

Chi Jue suddenly realized that without the person she wanted to impress, her interaction with the man before her had lost some of its enthusiasm. It turned out that having dinner with the wrong person was even more excruciating than she had imagined.

But then it occurred to her, she had agreed to this date herself, so she had to endure it even if it pained her. At least she could give President Xiao some explanation later.

So, she ordered a few signature dishes, then picked up her glass and looked around, deliberately avoiding letting her gaze fall on Yu Ensong.

Sensing the growing awkwardness in the air, Yu Ensong steered the conversation toward work, after all, it was the crucial link that connected and helped them understand each other.

He felt grateful he wasn’t someone who struggled with words. “Actually, I’m quite curious, why did you choose orthopedics? It’s a field with certain physical demands, and it’s pretty rare to see female doctors in it.”

“There wasn’t any particularly special reason. I was assigned to it during major selection.” Chi Jue replied, not attributing her choice of medicine to any grand ideals. Back then, she was still young, and every decision had to be made under her father’s watchful eye. When she secretly applied to medical school, she felt that just getting accepted would be a stroke of luck, so she didn’t have the luxury of being picky.

“In that case, you must work out, right? After all, a single surgery in your field is more physically draining than what we typically handle.”

“I go to the gym occasionally, but most of my energy is spent on back-to-back surgeries. Lately, I’ve been mentoring a group of students, and after work, I still have academic research to do. I really don’t have much time left for anything else.”

Yu Ensong understood this kind of lifestyle all too well and couldn’t help teasing, “Being busy is a common ailment in our profession. That’s why it’s understandable that people like us are still single at this age.”

Chi Jue left an excellent impression on him, excellent in every aspect. Beyond her professional achievements, there were the relatively objective evaluations from others and her demeanor and conduct after interacting with her. As for her cool temperament and striking appearance, those were just unexpected bonuses.

Uninterested in his subtle shift toward personal matters, Chi Jue responded indifferently, exchanging words with him half-heartedly.

She rested her chin in her hands and turned her head to gaze at the passersby outside the window.

Among the coming and going figures, she couldn’t find the person she longed to see. The hope in her eyes gradually dimmed as time passed.

Little Bear, why haven’t you come to take me away yet?