Dr. Chi’s Mission: Seduce Officer Su - Chapter 4

On the way to the hospital cafeteria, two figures, one in fluorescent attire and the other in a white coat, walked one behind the other, maintaining a subtly awkward distance.

Su Qiao stood a head taller than Chi Jue, their height difference weaving an undeniable professional chemistry that was both pleasing to the eye and perfectly matched. Anyone who saw them couldn’t help but sneak a second glance.

But Su Qiao wasn’t much of a talker. Restlessly rubbing her fingertips against her pant legs, she struggled to find words to break the silence, all while tiptoeing cautiously to avoid saying the wrong thing.

Chi Jue, hands tucked into the pockets of her white coat, regretted her decision. “Is treating you to the cafeteria for lunch a bit too casual?”

“Good afternoon, Professor Chi.”

“Hello, Professor Chi.”

“…”

“Director Chi, I heard the cafeteria food is great today. Better hurry before the line gets long.”

Passing interns greeted her politely, and soon colleagues from other departments joined in, their cheerful salutations shattering the quiet atmosphere.

Everyone couldn’t help but sneak curious glances at the strikingly gorgeous and poised female police officer, not wanting to miss out on any gossip.

It was common knowledge in the hospital that Chi Jue, director of orthopedics, was notoriously single. From the hospital director down to the inpatients, everyone had tried setting her up on blind dates.

After all, with her affluent background, successful career, and delicate features, she was a highly sought-after prize.

Chi Jue responded with a faint nod, then turned to Su Qiao, worried she might mind the attention. “Maybe… we should eat out instead?”

Su Qiao paid no mind to the onlookers. She had been staring absently at Chi Jue’s straight back, and the sudden turn caught her off guard, leading to a brief, accidental eye contact.

“Why did you secretly slip me candy?”

The response was completely off-topic.

Dr. Chi tilted her head in confusion. “Huh?”

“Um… Qiaoqiao gave me one too, so I thought I’d share one with you.” Su Qiao belatedly realized how abrupt her question sounded and quickly pulled out a piece of candy, offering it to Chi Jue.

“Officer Su, were you the type to daydream in class? I was asking if you wanted to change where we eat.” Chi Jue teased with a laugh but still accepted the candy, tucking it into her pocket instead of eating it right away.

“The cafeteria is fine. I heard the meals are planned by nutritionists, healthier and cleaner than outside food.”

Chi Jue: “…”

Dead. The conversation was officially dead.

Both women, harboring budding feelings, restrained their true selves in an effort to leave a perfect impression, only to make the atmosphere more awkward.

Su Qiao scratched her head anxiously, scrambling for a topic but unsure what to say without stepping on a landmine, after all, she knew very little about Chi Jue.

“Dr. Chi, how old are you?”

Wow. After all that deliberation, she came up with that, carefully tiptoeing right into a conversational minefield and committing a cardinal sin.

Chi Jue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “How old are you?”

“Did I… ask too abruptly?” Su Qiao’s voice grew softer.

Amused by her silly, pitiful expression, Chi Jue covered her mouth as she laughed. “Should I say you’re naive and clueless about romance, or just that you speak without thinking? Ah, never mind, it’s fine if you’re a bit foolish (I like it that way). I’m almost 35.”

Su Qiao suddenly clapped her hands enthusiastically, as if cheering her on. “What a coincidence! I’m almost 30.”

Chi Jue stared at her in disbelief, her eyes practically sparkling with incredulity, as she raised one eyebrow higher than the other. “Seriously, how is this a coincidence?”

Su Qiao replied with unshakable confidence, “We’re both in our thirties, isn’t that a coincidence?”

“Three years is a generation gap, and rounding up, that makes two gaps. Can people that far apart even be considered the same age?” Chi Jue couldn’t help but think to herself. Little brat, when I was learning my ABCs, you were just learning to say ‘Mom.’

Afraid that Dr. Chi might mind the age difference, Su Qiao quickly backtracked, “Then let me turn back time, please play along with me.”

Chi Jue let out a shaky laugh. “Turn back time?”

How did this girl manage to have such a cool, composed exterior while radiating such a simple, almost silly innocence?

But she was so adorable, she still wanted to pinch her cheeks. They must feel incredibly soft.

“Dr. Chi, how old are you?”

“I’m almost 35.”

“What a coincidence! I’m almost 35 too!” Su Qiao hurriedly gestured the number with her hands, only letting out a sigh of relief when she saw Dr. Chi’s face break into a warm, spring-like smile. “I’m glad you don’t mind.”

“Why would I mind? By the way, I still don’t get it… What’s this about a ‘Detective Bear’ plushie?”

“That’s me, ” Su Qiao was about to explain her job transfer when a sudden ringtone cut her off. “Sorry, I need to take this call.”

“Go ahead.” Chi Jue stood by, watching Officer Su walk a short distance away. For some reason, even though she said she didn’t mind, she still felt a twinge of discomfort over their age gap.

On the other end, Su Qiao quickly hung up the phone, her expression no longer as cheerful as before. She hurried back to Chi Jue and explained, “There’s a case I need to take over. I have to report back to the Criminal Investigation Center right away. I’m sorry, I can’t have lunch with you.”

“Go ahead. We can always have a meal another day. The case is more important.” Though the sudden farewell left Chi Jue feeling disappointed, she didn’t let it show on her face. “So… you were never actually a ‘Traffic Police Bear’ plushie?”

“Yeah, I was originally a detective. Due to various reasons, I was transferred to the Traffic Police Division for two years. Today was supposed to be my last day as a traffic officer, but the case seems urgent, so they called me back half a day early.”

“A detective… No wonder, you know Captain Ji… Let me walk you to the entrance.”

“No need, you should go eat. If you’re too late, all the good dishes might be gone.” Su Qiao joked lightly, her earnest eyes lingering reluctantly on her beautiful face before she gritted her teeth and turned to head toward the gate.

But she hadn’t taken more than a few steps before she couldn’t resist glancing back at the person behind her.

In that instant, she froze mid-step.

Chi Jue still stood there, hands tucked in her pockets, refusing to leave. Her gaze remained fixed on Su Qiao, her eyes carrying a subtle, unspoken care as she watched her go, until they met her sudden, backward glance.

The next moment, as if by mutual understanding, they both hurried toward each other with an unstoppable urgency.

“Um…” Su Qiao fumbled for her phone while exclaiming, “I still haven’t saved your number.”

Chi Jue quickly took the offered phone, typing in her number as she sped through an invitation: “There’s a great restaurant that serves bold, spicy dishes. If you can handle spicy food, I’d like to take you there.”

“When?” Su Qiao leaned in closer, her clear eyes brimming not just with delight but with a blazing anticipation.

Chi Jue didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she dialed the number and waited until her own ringtone sounded before handing the phone back to Su Qiao.

This time, she didn’t linger. Turning toward the cafeteria, she said, “Hello, can you hear me clearly?”

Su Qiao watched that intriguing figure gradually recede into the distance, then turned to leave as well. “Mm, you still haven’t answered me, when?”

Who would have thought Officer Su would be so fixated on the timing of the invitation? Chi Jue let out a soft, low laugh. “Why not seize the day? How about today? I’ll wait for you to solve the case, and you can wait for me to finish work.”

Su Qiao got an answer beyond her expectations. She tried to suppress the corners of her lips from curling upward, but it seemed futile, so she simply let her smile grow unrestrained. “No matter how late?”

“Well, let me tell you a joke.”

Over the receiver, Dr. Chi’s voice wasn’t as cool and detached as usual. Instead, it was warm and bright, like the winter sun.

Su Qiao paused for a moment, then her eyes curved into a smile. “Alright.”

Troublesome, I can never keep up with this fascinating woman’s whimsical train of thought.

“A little pig, a little cow, and a little lamb went to a convenience store together. The little pig and the little cow got beaten up, but the little lamb didn’t. Can you guess why?”

“Hmm…” Su Qiao hummed for a long time but couldn’t come up with anything. “I can’t guess.”

Chi Jue laughed and teased, “How can such a silly Officer Su solve cases?”

“Then please, clever Dr. Chi, tell me the answer.”

“Because the convenience store is open 24 hours, it never closes (on the lamb)! So, no matter how late, I won’t impose a curfew on Officer Su.”

That light, airy phrase, “no curfew”, brushed past the door to Su Qiao’s heart and turned into a blazing fireball, burning from the tips of her ears all the way down to her neck.

Even with her thick riding gloves on, she couldn’t cover up the lingering heat by her ears.

The sky over Zhouhai was as blue as freshly dyed silk, dotted with a few cotton candy-like contrails that made one want to pluck one and pop it into their mouth.

Her cheeks flushed with shyness, Su Qiao parted her lips and sighed softly, “Dr. Chi, it’s such a beautiful, sunny day today.”