Dr. Chi’s Mission: Seduce Officer Su - Chapter 30.2

Chi Jue sighed inwardly at the tragedy of a life cut short but, not wanting to dampen the mood, teased Su Qiao instead: “Seems like you take more after your dad.”

Su Qiao grumbled discontentedly, “If only I were as beautiful as my mom. Genetics really didn’t do me any favors.”

“You’re quite good-looking, but…” Chi Jue held the photo next to Su Qiao’s face, her eyes curving into smiles. “Mom’s genes really didn’t do you any favors.”

“Ah, can’t you say something insincere to flatter me?” Su Qiao took the photo and returned it to its place, shifting the topic to Chi Jue. “Actually… I overheard your conversation in the restroom, but I didn’t mean to. You were in there for so long, I got worried… What I meant to say was… do you not have a good relationship with your family?”

“Confessing without being pressed, quite adept at ‘leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist,’ aren’t you? Are you trying to get to know me?”

“Yes, I am. Very much so.” Su Qiao resembled a child who had just admitted to doing something ‘wrong,’ now pleading for forgiveness while eagerly anticipating Dr. Chi’s initiative.

Chi Jue mimicked the tone of ‘Little Bear’ from the Jianghu restaurant: “You already know my name and workplace, you could easily dig up everything about me~”

“That’s not the same! Investigating you privately would be passive. What I want is initiative, I want you to take the initiative to share.”

“Share? Is your professional habit acting up again, interrogating a suspect?” Chi Jue was amused by Su Qiao’s indignant demeanor. Who ever heard of someone making demands so righteously?

“Hmm… It’s fine if you don’t want to share. It’s all about willingness, after all.” Su Qiao pretended not to care, but her pitiful, whining expression betrayed her.

The dull ache in her back came and went intermittently. Chi Jue wanted to lean against something, so she rested against ‘Little Bear’s’ sturdy arm. “What aspect do you want to know about?”

“Well… for the sake of fairness, let’s start with family, since you just learned about mine.”

Chi Jue thought to herself, This kid has no ambition! The opportunity is handed to her on a silver platter, and all she wants to know is my family? Doesn’t she want to know my dating standards?

She shook her head helplessly, wondering if Su Qiao’s head was made of iron. Why was she always so slow on the uptake?

“I don’t know how to define my family. To be honest… I’m quite envious of you.”

Chi Jue’s envy was genuine, one might even say she was somewhat jealous.

In her eyes, Su Qiao’s family circumstances were modest, so modest that the house was small, and her grandmother was petite too. Yet, the warmth and closeness of their relationship surpassed her imagination.

She couldn’t fathom how two people relying on each other could fill their lives with so much happiness.

In her mind, the Chi residence was vast, so vast that passersby would often marvel at it. In comparison, the Chi family was so populous, yet so emotionally detached that even sharing a meal felt unsettling.

“Why would you think that?” Su Qiao subtly shifted her arm behind Chi Jue’s back to make her more comfortable.

“I have an older brother, groomed by my parents as the heir. A-Jin is the youngest sister, raised in privilege since childhood. As the second child, I feel like an unnecessary presence sandwiched between them. It’s like during holidays when elders pick gifts for the children, they remember the preferences of the eldest and youngest vividly, while the extra child is just an afterthought, a perfunctory gesture. During the busiest years of my parents’ company, they insisted on keeping my brother and sister by their side. With no energy left to care for me, I was sent to live with my grandmother.”

“My grandfather passed away early, and my grandmother lived alone in the old family estate. Deep-rooted traditional beliefs trapped her in the past. She believed that since I wasn’t a son, any children I might have after marriage wouldn’t carry the Chi family name. As a result, she raised me with the old-fashioned virtues of ‘three obediences and four virtues’.”

“In those years, no one ever told me to learn to stand up bravely for my ideals, nor did anyone try to understand, from my perspective, what I truly wanted or didn’t want.”

“Amid the suffocating maze of rules and doctrines, the only person left to guide me was myself.”

“As I approached high school age, my parents brought me back to Zhouhai to continue my studies.”

“My life felt like a lump of clay, molded however they saw fit. They never asked if I was comfortable with it, only assuming that whatever they gave me was the best, and that I should kneel in gratitude and accept it.”

“So, my rebellion erupted suddenly. Behind their backs, I applied only to a medical university, the one and only time I risked my entire future to defy my family.”

“Do you understand that feeling? When I did something so unimaginable, it wasn’t until the acceptance letter lay on the table that my parents finally realized what I had done.”

“They didn’t ask me why I made that choice. They didn’t even know my college entrance exam scores. Instead, they firmly believed I was merely seeking a pitiful scrap of their attention. And so, I was labeled the ‘troublesome child’.”

“Troublesome? I had become practically invisible, yet I was still branded with such a label. How laughable.”

“Later, to assert his authority as the head of the family and to punish me for my defiance, my father cut off my financial support.”

“I went to university alone, carrying my bags, embarking on a path without my family’s blessings or applause, a journey that was lonely, long, and arduous.”

“Studying medicine was incredibly difficult. Four years, then another four. Endless exams, credits to earn, research projects to complete, and scholarships I couldn’t afford to lose.”

“Unexpectedly, it was my grandmother who came to my rescue during my most financially strained period. On her deathbed, she left nearly all her inheritance to me.”

“I’ve never been good with finances, but fortunately, Gu Shinian managed everything meticulously for me. That’s how I attained the material comfort you see today.”

“Finally, I’ve broken through. I no longer live under the shadow of the Chi family. Even if the family went bankrupt, even without the wealth my grandmother left me, I could still support myself well.”

“I proved to my father that, as my own guide, my all-or-nothing choice was the right one.”

Chi Jue’s explanation came to an abrupt halt. The tip of her nose flushed red, and her tone, once resolute, gradually grew choked with emotion.

This was the first time she had torn down the façade of her achievements and shared those hidden, arduous years with someone else.

How could someone like her ever forgive that ridiculous and pitiable family?

Su Qiao had endured many hardships herself, so she empathized deeply with the hidden world Chi Jue had revealed. It turned out that Dr. Chi, who always seemed aloof and detached, wasn’t born into the clouds as she had imagined.

She could hardly fathom how Chi Jue had climbed step by step, treading a ladder strewn with thorns, to reach that wall of shining accomplishments.

Her heart ached with a dull pain, and a fierce determination to protect Chi Jue welled up in her eyes.

Setting aside reason and restraint, she turned and wrapped her arms tightly around Chi Jue, who had endured so much. She wanted to pour all her warmth and happiness into Chi Jue’s weary soul.

“As long as you’re willing, you can treat this place as your home. You’ll feel the care of elders, the deliciousness of home-cooked meals, simple and pure companionship, and my protection.”

Chi Jue never showed weakness in front of others, but the warm, spring-like promise whispered in her ear made her heart ache with a sudden pang.

It was the stirrings of emotion at play. She had always yearned to be someone’s favorite, but throughout the long years, no one had ever shown her what a home should feel like. Yet, Su Qiao had sketched the shape of happiness for her at just the right time.

“Dinner’s ready! Go wash your hands!” The spirited call of the little old lady echoed from outside the door, making the sense of happiness feel tangible in that moment.

“Let’s go eat.” Su Qiao didn’t dare lift Dr. Chi too forcefully, afraid of disturbing her injured body, and tried hard to lighten the somber atmosphere. “Let me tell you, Grandma’s Laba congee is absolutely delicious. Before Dr. Tong called, I was just sneaking a taste at home.”

Chi Jue’s tears turned to laughter, the faint blush at the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose softening her features. That smile was imbued with life. “If the food is as good as you say, I might just have to come over for meals often.”

“Come as often as you like! Don’t bring anything, just bring your appetite. I guarantee Grandma will have you plump and healthy within a month!”

By the time they reached the dining table, Grandma had already served them both bowls of Laba congee.

The steaming dishes filled the air with an enticing aroma.

The little old lady deliberately sat right next to Chi Jue. “Don’t mind the simple fare, dear. It’s all Qiaoqiao’s fault for not telling me earlier, or I’d have whipped up a few more substantial dishes for you.”

“Grandma, please eat. The food is more than enough already.” Chi Jue took small sips of the congee, the savory, salty flavor of the cured meats lingering on her tongue. She’d had it before, but perhaps because her mood was different now, it felt especially appetizing.

“Xiao Chi, how old are you this year?” Grandma asked while piling more food onto her plate, already subtly probing.

“Ahem…” Su Qiao sensed where this was going and coughed frantically.

Under the table, the little old lady stomped on her foot several times.

Su Qiao winced in pain. “Ouch!”

Chi Jue looked concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s too hot! Ooh, ahh!”

She thoughtfully pulled out a tissue and handed it to ‘Little Bear,’ chiding gently, “Slow down, no one’s rushing you.”

“Don’t mind her.” Grandma shot a fierce glare and continued loading Chi Jue’s plate. “Do you have a partner?”

Chi Jue could easily read between the lines and smiled faintly. “I’m a few years older than Su Qiao, and I’m single.”

“Single! Being single is great!” The little old lady nearly jumped up to dance in celebration.

Su Qiao’s face was practically buried in her bowl, silently cursing, What’s so great about that, huh?!

“Someone as outstanding as you must have plenty of suitors. It’s good to be picky, marriage is a lifelong matter, you have to choose the right person.” Topics of love and marriage were usually awkward, but for some reason, coming from the little old lady, they carried a touch of humor.

Seeing how her hopeless granddaughter wasn’t making any moves, she decided to take the lead herself. “Our Su Qiao is the same, thirty years old and never been in a relationship. Do you think there’s something wrong with her? Which department should she see if she goes to the hospital?”

Chi Jue stifled a laugh, thinking to herself that ‘Little Bear’ was still a pure-hearted warrior with a blank slate, quite a treasure to find. She was tempted to reply, “Orthopedics, maybe they have some unconventional remedy to fix that.”

Out of respect for not being too casual with elders, I could only reply politely, “Let her be. Respect, understand, and bless her.”

“What do you think of Qiaoqiao?” Grandma knew how to subtly pave the way for her granddaughter and quickly added, “Do you know any suitable single young men around you?”

Su Qiao felt like she was dying over and over again at the dinner table. Could she even eat this meal in peace?!