Marriage at Thirty - Chapter 24

Two days later, the advisor and his group were leaving, and the Department Chief arranged for Fu Linling to see them off.

The advisor didn’t want to interrupt her work time, only letting her see them to the hospital entrance, and reminded her to work hard.

When Fu Linling returned to her post, she saw Auntie Wang had arrived. The last time she saw her was at the wedding banquet.

“Dr. Fu, how have you been? Are things going smoothly with Ran Ran?” Auntie Wang asked with a smile.

“Very well, thank you,” Fu Linling replied with a gentle smile. “Why are you here again today? Didn’t you get your teeth sorted out last time?”

“Mine are fine, but my old friend here also has some dental problems. So I brought her to see you. It took half a month to get an appointment; it wasn’t easy,” Auntie Wang said.

Fu Linling looked at the elderly woman next to her, asked for her name—she was the next patient—and had her lie down.

Auntie Wang wanted to stay and chat, but the nurse politely escorted her out to the waiting area.

After a while, Auntie Wang saw they were done and quickly slipped back in to chat: “You two aren’t living at Ran Ran’s place anymore, right?”

“No, she moved into mine,” Fu Linling said.

“I wondered why I hadn’t seen Ran Ran for so long. How is it? Wasn’t I a good matchmaker?” Auntie Wang asked proudly.

“Yes, thank you for being our Matchmaker,” Fu Linling said with a smile.

“Hehe, I knew it! Ran Ran is such a sweet girl, very likable. I knew you’d fall for her.”

The corner of Fu Linling’s mouth curved: “Mhm.”

Nurse Qin Shanshan came over with a medical record: “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing, nothing. We’re leaving now. We’re rushing back to make dinner,” Auntie Wang said cheerfully and left with her old friend.

“Speaking of which, the girl you were introduced to, Dr. Fu, was that Auntie Wang who introduced her?” the nurse asked while calling out the next patient number on the computer.

“Mhm.”

“You didn’t even bring her in to meet us! Lots of people are curious what she looks like.”

“You’ve met her.”

The nurse looked at her abruptly.

“At the KTV.”

Qin Shanshan thought back, her eyes widening in shock: “You mean that beautiful girl who sang really well?!”

“Yes, that’s her.”

“Oh my gosh, Dr. Fu, you’re very lucky in love!” Qin Shanshan exclaimed excitedly.

The curve of Fu Linling’s smile deepened: “Mhm.”

“But wasn’t that your classmate last time?”

“We were classmates, a long time ago. We hadn’t seen each other, and then we ran into each other at a blind date.”

“No wonder you got married so fast. You know each other well. You were unwed, and she was unwed. It was a case of a tortoise seeing a mung bean and immediately falling in love—oh no, I don’t mean you two are a tortoise and a mung bean!”

Fu Linling chuckled: “It’s fine.”

Qin Shanshan nudged her elbow, asking quietly and gossipy: “How far have you two gotten?”

Fu Linling adjusted her lab coat.

“Come on, tell me. Oh, please tell me.”

Finally, under the nurse’s persistent questioning, Fu Linling slowly spoke: “We kissed.”

The nurse’s burning eyes instantly froze: “Just… only kissed?”

“Mhm.”

The nurse clicked her tongue in wonder. She thought there was some hot news, but it turned out they had only kissed. And judging by Dr. Fu’s expression, she seemed quite proud of it.

Fu Linling was indeed very proud.

That kiss two days ago was her initiative. Lin Ran hadn’t pushed her away and had believed that she genuinely liked women.

Neither of them had brought up the ambiguous kiss afterward, but Fu Linling felt it was a small step forward.

At the very least, Lin Ran wasn’t repulsed or resistant to her kiss.

With a few more small steps, their relationship would advance further.

When she got home that evening, she noticed a few sanitary pads in the bathroom trash can. She came out and asked: “Ran Ran, are you on your period?”

Lin Ran was peeling garlic. Caught off guard by the question, she awkwardly replied with a “Uh-huh.”

“How are you feeling?” Fu Linling asked again.

“Just… a river of blood?”

“…” Fu Linling laughed softly. “I meant if you are in pain.”

“Oh, that. It hurts a bit, on and off, but it’s not a big deal.”

“Is the flow heavy?”

“Not very.”

“Then you still need to continue drinking the medicine during this time.”

Lin Ran groaned. She wished she had just fooled her.

The dishes that night were lighter. Lin Ran tried to request some chili sauce mixed in, but was ruthlessly rejected.

After dinner, Lin Ran went to the study, while Fu Linling took her laptop to the living room, preparing to start writing a paper.

The two were busy with their own things, not disturbing each other, which was quite comfortable.

Before bed, Fu Linling fed the fish and watered the greenery on the balcony before heading back to the bedroom.

As she passed the study, she glanced inside and saw Lin Ran searching for something in front of the bookshelf, standing on her toes to reach the items on the very top.

“What are you looking for? Do you need help?” Fu Linling asked, walking behind her.

Lin Ran was startled. When she turned, she lost her balance, and Fu Linling quickly steadied her with both hands.

They were very close. Lin Ran had washed her hair, and a few strands brushed against Fu Linling’s chest.

Their eyes met.

They were speechless for a moment. Time seemed to stretch.

Lin Ran’s gaze slowly dropped to her chest, looked at her hair, then looked up at Fu Linling, and pointed to a red book on the top shelf: “This one. Could you get it for me?”

Fu Linling reached up, took it down, and handed it to her.

“Thank you.”

“No need to be so polite.”

“Mhm…”

The two stood there for a moment until Lin Ran asked: “Aren’t you going to sleep yet?”

“Oh, right. I’m going to sleep. You should rest early too,” Fu Linling said.

“Okay, good night.” Lin Ran watched her leave, took the book, sat down, absentmindedly flipped through it, and then smelled herself. She felt she didn’t smell as sweet as Fu Linling, and decided to use Fu Linling’s body wash next time.

The next afternoon, Lin Ran finished her grooming, settled into the sofa, and opened her phone to look for food online when she suddenly heard the sound of the door opening.

Fu Linling walked in, carrying a cloth bag, and changed her shoes by the entryway.

“Why are you back at this hour? Is something wrong?” Lin Ran stood up and asked.

Fu Linling usually ate at the hospital during lunch and rarely came back. The two only saw each other in the evenings.

“I packed some food. Go wash your hands; it’s time to eat.”

Fu Linling placed the bag on the dining table and took out three or four glass lunch boxes, plus a small thermos bowl.

She had gotten the link for the glass lunch boxes from a colleague, but the hospital was busy recently with the advisor’s group visiting, so they hadn’t been put to use yet.

Lin Ran went to wash her hands, came back, and asked again: “Why did you come back today? Where did you pack this from?”

“I was afraid you’d secretly order spicy hot pot again, so I packed some from the cafeteria,” Fu Linling handed her the chopsticks. “Hurry up and eat while it’s hot.”

Lin Ran felt guilty but also a little touched: “Dr. Fu, you’re so nice.”

“I don’t want those herbal medicines to go to waste,” Fu Linling smiled, pouring the soup from the thermos bowl and placing it beside her.

Lin Ran saw it was pork rib and lotus root soup: “I don’t eat lotus root.”

“Then don’t eat it, but drink the soup.”

“…” After struggling for a moment, Lin Ran picked up the bowl and drank two sips.

“Such a good girl.”

Lin Ran’s expression of distress instantly vanished, and she chuckled: “Are you talking to a child?”

“I am, aren’t I? I don’t think you’ve grown up at all,” Fu Linling smiled.

“You’re looking down on me.”

“No, I’m complimenting you. After all these years, you’re still a young girl.”

Wow—oh.

This compliment truly made Lin Ran feel wonderful. She didn’t even mind the lotus root soup as much anymore, drinking most of the bowl—a miracle.

After eating, Fu Linling put the dishes in the kitchen: “I’ll wash them when I get back tonight. I’m going to take a quick nap.”

“Go ahead, go ahead.” Lin Ran didn’t dare make noise and deliberately lowered her voice.

Twenty minutes later, Fu Linling got up to go back to the hospital. As she passed the kitchen, she found all the dishes on the counter had been washed.

“Well, aren’t you industrious.”

“I suspect you’re insulting me,” Lin Ran feigned anger.

“No, I mean it sincerely.” Fu Linling smiled, raised her hand, but stopped herself just in time. She turned to leave for work as if nothing happened.

Lin Ran stared at the closed door—What was she going to do just now? Was she trying to touch my face?

Lin Ran looked down at her outfit. Since they started living together, she was almost always at home, wearing loungewear every day, barefaced. She was a little too unconcerned with her image.

She went back to the room, communicating with a client while applying some light makeup.

Over the next few days, Fu Linling continued to pack food from the cafeteria. The two of them ate lunch together, took a short nap, and then Fu Linling went to work.

After her period ended, Lin Ran specifically told her. To her surprise, Fu Linling still brought food back from the cafeteria the next day.

“You should just eat at the cafeteria. You don’t need to specially look after me. My period is really over,” Lin Ran said.

“It’s okay. Who knows if you’ll eat properly otherwise. The cafeteria food might not taste great, but it’s healthy and can help regulate your diet,” Fu Linling said.

Lin Ran looked at her, feeling a warmth in her heart.

However, the weather was getting hotter. She looked at the bright sun outside and felt bad thinking about Fu Linling riding her electric scooter back and forth every day at noon. She said reluctantly: “It’s too sunny. You really don’t need to specially come back at noon. I promise I’ll eat properly.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Lin Ran suggested a feasible alternative: “You could cook a little extra the night before, and I can just heat it up in the microwave for lunch.”

“No leftovers. It’s not good for your health.”

“…”

Truly high standards and strict requirements.

Lin Ran pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked: “Doesn’t your meal card allow three meals a day? I could just go to the cafeteria and eat with you.”

Fu Linling finally looked up. She seemed to think this was a good suggestion but worried: “The cafeteria is full of hospital people. Will you feel uncomfortable?”

“I’m just going for a meal. Besides, I’m the doctor’s family member. Why would I be uncomfortable?” Lin Ran said.

When Fu Linling heard the phrase doctor’s family member, the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up: “Okay, then come to the cafeteria.”

The cafeteria hours were fixed. If Lin Ran could commit to going to the cafeteria, their lunch time would be more or less set. Combined with Fu Linling cooking dinner on time, at least two out of their three meals would be regular.

The two agreed to meet directly at the cafeteria. As soon as the workday ended, Fu Linling decisively took off her lab coat and rushed to the cafeteria with her meal card. She didn’t see Lin Ran at the main door.

She walked to the entrance, scanned the room, and saw her. Lin Ran was wearing a sun-protection jacket and sitting at a table with a few people, chatting.

Fu Linling walked toward that table. A colleague across from Lin Ran looked up and smiled: “Ms. Lin, Dr. Fu is here.”

Lin Ran turned around, her eyes curving into a smile when she saw her. She stood up to go get food with her.

“How long have you been here?” Fu Linling asked her.

“I just arrived. I saw a few familiar faces, the ones I met at the KTV last time, so I said hello,” Lin Ran said, tilting her head and whispering in her ear: “I also brought some fruit and quickly won them over.”

No wonder there was such a big bag of fruit on that table.

Fu Linling looked at her slightly proud expression and smiled: “That’s you, the Social Butterfly.”

Lin Ran proudly raised an eyebrow.

Eyes were cast from all around. News of Dr. Fu marrying a woman had already spread, but most people hadn’t met her wife.

Seeing her bring a beautiful girl to the cafeteria for lunch naturally sparked curiosity.

The two got their food and walked back to the original table. Just then, a greeting came from a distance: “Dr. Fu, who’s the beauty next to you?”

Everyone else stretched their necks, watching their movements.

Fu Linling looked at Lin Ran, then replied clearly and calmly: “She’s my wife.”

The cafeteria immediately buzzed with different sounds. Facing the attention of the crowd, Lin Ran smiled gracefully: “Hello everyone. My name is Lin Ran, and it’s a pleasure to meet you all. I often hear Dr. Fu mention you, and I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time. Let’s hang out if we get the chance.”

Everyone laughed and agreed.

Qin Shanshan, who was at their table, teased: “Dr. Fu, the slow-witted one, actually managed to find someone so articulate.”

“No, no.” Lin Ran sat down and turned to Fu Linling. “Dr. Fu isn’t slow-witted. She just isn’t good at expressing herself, right?”

Fu Linling met her gaze and smiled: “Thank you for finding such a high-level excuse for me, but changing the words doesn’t change the fact that I’m not articulate.”

“That’s not true. Does a slow-witted person call me ‘darling’?” Lin Ran whispered.

But the volume was enough for the people across the table to hear. They all looked at Fu Linling, their expressions priceless.

“Oh my, oh my!” Qin Shanshan got a mouthful of public affection but wasn’t satisfied. “Dr. Fu, are you secretly so passionate? Do you dare to call her that right now?”

Fu Linling glanced at Lin Ran, who had a mischievous smile.

She had called her ‘darling,’ but the context was that they were watching a movie at home. There was a cheesy line where the male lead kept saying ‘darling,’ and Lin Ran kept making fun of the male lead’s deliberate breathy voice.

Lin Ran had practiced it a few times and then asked Fu Linling to try it.

Fu Linling casually repeated the phrase: “Darling.”

“See! It has to be in that natural tone to sound good!”

“Dr. Fu, say it, come on,” Qin Shanshan egged her on. “Look, Ms. Lin is really looking forward to it!”

Fu Linling looked at Lin Ran again.

Lin Ran gave her a triumphant hook of the lip, as if certain she wouldn’t say such a sappy word in front of so many people. Just as she was about to let her off the hook, she started to smooth things over: “Actually—”

“Darling, eat your food properly.”

The entire table let out various cries of surprise.

Lin Ran was slightly stunned. She turned to look at Fu Linling, as if she had misheard, and said in disbelief: “Say that again?”

“Darling.” Fu Linling placed the soup in front of her, smiled, and gently tapped her head: “Time to eat.”