Go on a blind date_1

By the time they got to Chunhua Garden, Nian Yuyu, as expected, got an earful from her mother.

"It's already dark, you might as well have come in the middle of the night."

Nian Yuyu didn't dare to make a sound and, while her mother went to the kitchen to serve dishes, she winked at her father, "Mrs. Nian has been quite fiery lately, hasn't she?"

Her father looked resigned to the situation, "Menopause."

"Now you're back, you can help me share some of the heat."

Nian Yuyu: "..."

"Not one of you knows how to lift a finger, waiting for me to wait on you?" Nian Yuyu's mother brought a plate of dishes to the table and gave the father and daughter a stern look.

Nian Yuyu shrunk her neck and together with her father, one grabbed the bowls while the other served the dishes.

Under the clear light that spilled a milky halo, the family of three finally sat down at the dinner table.

Her mother put a chicken wing into Nian Yuyu's bowl and asked nonchalantly, "After the New Year, you'll be twenty-four, any plans for the new year?"

Nian Yuyu bit into a chicken wing, which was soft and fell off the bone.

She played dumb, "Oh yes, working hard to make money!"

After speaking, she buttered up her mother with a smarmy smile, changing the subject, "Mom, this chicken wing is delicious!"

"Make me some more tomorrow before I go, I'll take them to-go," she said.

Seeing Nian Yuyu's carefree demeanor, her mother's frustration was stuck in her chest, not able to move up or down.

Nian Yuyu's mother worked at the local community office, where they liked to gossip about household trifles.

She had a nemesis there who had previously mocked Nian Yuyu for being an unemployed graduate, but then Nian Yuyu bought her own apartment, and her mother could finally hold her head high.

But before the new year, the other woman's daughter got herself a rich second-generation boyfriend, and started to boast in front of Nian Yuyu's mother.

Although Nian Yuyu's mother retorted at the time that Yuyu was still young, she couldn't stop thinking about it afterward.

She had been too busy over New Year's, but now that things had calmed down, she wanted to bring it up with Nian Yuyu.

"Enough with the act!" her mother snapped, "You're not young anymore, it's time to think about personal matters."

"You just stay at home drawing all day with no social life, how will you meet people your age!"

She paused, softening her tone a bit, "Actually, your Aunt Zhang's sister-in-law's nephew is your age. Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival anyway, why don't you young people meet and have dinner together?"

Nian Yuyu: "!!!"

"Mom! This is so sudden!" Nian Yuyu was overwhelmed.

She sent a pleading look to her father.

Her father returned a helpless glance.

Nian Yuyu: "..."

"Enough, I've already agreed with your Aunt Zhang." Nian Yuyu's mother banged the gavel, "The guy is also a doctor, young and successful, and he might not even be interested in you."

A doctor?

The image of Chu You emerged in Nian Yuyu's mind, and she was a few seconds slow to respond.

"His name is Li Beize, he works at the provincial hospital number two. I've just sent you his contact details." Her mother added another chicken wing to Nian Yuyu's plate and threatened her with a smile that was not quite a smile, "If you stand him up tomorrow night, watch your back."

Nian Yuyu stayed silent, bit into the chicken wing fiercely, venting the frustration that was bubbling inside her.

Outside the window, the night was deep, a crescent moon hung high in the sky, and the scattering stars twinkled delicately.

The night wind was biting, and the chill was piercing.

--

The next afternoon, not even three o'clock yet.

Nian Yuyu's mother dragged her out of bed, lifting the covers and scolding, "All day long it's eat, sleep, sleep, eat!"

"Get up quickly, change clothes, and do your makeup."

Nian Yuyu, hair in disarray, was on the brink of collapse, "It's only three o'clock!"

Mother Nian remained unmoved, "No more dilly-dallying, hurry up."

...

More than an hour later, Nian Yuyu left the house reluctantly.

The red lanterns hung for the New Year celebrations in the neighborhood hadn't been taken down yet, and today being the Lantern Festival, the decorations were even more festive and the atmosphere lively.

From her building to the neighborhood's main gate, Nian Yuyu kept a smiling face, politely greeting everyone obediently.

Once she stepped out of the gate of Chunhua Garden, she immediately let the smile fall from her face, rubbing her stiff cheeks while complaining to Jiang Jingyun via her phone.

Nian Yuyu: [The mother-daughter bond between my mom and me is about to run out.]

Jiang Jingyun: [???]

Nian Yuyu: [Everyone is celebrating the festival today, and here I am being forced on a blind date.]

Nian Yuyu: [Life is so bleak.jpg]

Jiang Jingyun knew about her blind date since last night and comforted her: [Think positive, what if he's a handsome guy?]

Nian Yuyu: [...Would you want this blessing if I gave it to you?]

Seeing the subway approaching with a whistle, Nian Yuyu sent another message: [Alright, enough chat, I'm off to the battlefield.]

After sending the message, she put away her phone and squeezed into the subway along with the crowd.

Chunhua Garden and the provincial hospital were on the same subway line, just a bit far apart.

When an hour later, Nian Yuyu emerged from the congested subway, she felt much more at ease breathing.

Staring across the street at the hospital's entrance, she had a moment of stupefaction. It had only been half a month since her last visit to the provincial hospital.

Little did she expect that, after half a month, she would return here, and even for a blind date of all things!

Vehicles streamed around her, with people coming and going.

Nian Yuyu took out her phone and sent a message to Li Beize, whom she had just added as a friend the night before.

After about ten minutes, a figure in a white lab coat appeared from the hospital's entrance, crossed the street, and walked towards her.

Nian Yuyu narrowed her eyes, her heart remaining calm.

"Hello, I am Li Mingran," said the crew-cut young man in the white coat as he approached Nian Yuyu, his handsome face apologetic.

"Hello, I am Nian Yuyu," Nian Yuyu replied, sculpting a smile that was neither servile nor overbearing.

"Let me take you to the hospital's canteen for a meal," Li Mingran said, relieved to see no displeased expression on Nian Yuyu's face.

Nian Yuyu nodded, "Sure."

Just on the subway, Li Mingran had suddenly messaged her about having to work overtime, saying they might have to cancel their meal that evening.

She was ready to go straight home, but he then suggested they should still meet and offered to treat her to a quick meal at the hospital's canteen.

At that moment, Chu You's stern face flashed in her mind and, as if possessed, she agreed.

"Miss Nian, this way please," Li Mingran said as he helped Nian Yuyu push open the canteen's glass door.

"Thank you," Nian Yuyu replied politely.

Walking into the canteen, the warmth hit her face along with the bustling noise, and the scent of various foods filled the air.

Li Mingran led her towards the service area and quickly introduced her to some of the canteen's specialty dishes.

"I'll just have a small portion of spicy boiled fish," Nian Yuyu said, picking a service counter with fewer people.

Ten minutes later, both of them found an empty table with their trays and sat down.

A languid male voice then sounded from behind them, "Dr. Li?"

Nian Yuyu looked up and saw Li Beize raising an eyebrow at them.

After seeing the man standing beside Li Beize, her heartbeat suddenly quickened. She lowered her head and just stared at her tray.

Li Mingran, sitting opposite her, had also noticed the two men and greeted them hesitantly, "Dr. Li... Dr. Chu."