An Annoying Encounter

About five minutes later, Zhao Siming resumed his seat, though his feet trembled uncontrollably.

"Junior Brother, I rushed here unprepared this time. But I have a set of custom-made silver needles at home. They're extremely durable and will surely help you," he assured.

"Thank you, Brother!" Xiao Chen expressed his gratitude.

"We're brothers, there's no need for formalities. You rest up, and I'll see you tomorrow," Zhao Siming said, rising and lightly patting Xiao Chen's shoulder.

"Why wait until tomorrow? Why not tonight?" Xiao Chen protested, eager to start his recovery immediately.

"Because I need to check on my legs first; I'm not sure what's wrong," Zhao Siming explained.

The protagonist Xiao Chen hesitated before speaking, "Senior Brother... Take care of yourself."

"I'll take my leave then. See you tomorrow," Zhao Siming said as he limped towards the door, only to encounter Lin Beifan.

"Dr. Zhao, are you leaving already?" Lin Beifan asked in surprise.

Smiling, Zhao Siming replied, "Mr. Lin, yes, I'm heading out now. I'll come back to check on my junior brother tomorrow."

"Before you go, there's something I need to discuss with you," Lin Beifan interjected.

"What is it, Mr. Lin? Please, go ahead," Zhao Siming responded politely.

"It's about your junior who are currently hospitalized here. I've already paid for their medical expenses in advance. Since you're here now, could you help me settle the bill? It amounts to a total of 500,000 yuan. Thank you," Lin Beifan said with a smile.

Zhao Siming sighed inwardly, "Junior Brother, you're right. He truly is insufferable."

Reluctantly, Zhao Siming handed over the 500,000 yuan to Lin Beifan.

Gratefully accepting the money, Lin Beifan happily drove to Song's Hospital.

Song Yuqing was taken aback to see Lin Beifan. "What brings you here?"

"You mentioned inviting me to dinner, so here I am! Don't be rude!" Lin Beifan retorted.

"But you've come too early; it's not time for me to finish work yet," Song Yuqing replied, checking the time.

"You're busy, I'll just hang around here for a bit. No worries!" Lin Beifan replied, settling into his seat and idly playing with his phone.

Song Yuqing changed her coat and grabbed her bag. "Let's go!"

Surprised, Lin Beifan asked, "Aren't you working anymore?"

"I'm off today, and thanks to you, the most bothersome issues have been resolved. What are you still doing here? It's okay to take a break once in a while," Song Yuqing teased.

"Let's go then! Where are we eating today?" Lin Beifan inquired eagerly.

"Follow me; I'll take you to a place with delicious and affordable food!" Song Yuqing replied.

"Alright!" Lin Beifan agreed, pocketing his phone.

And with that, the two of them left for their dinner outing.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a modest restaurant nestled in the heart of the old street.

Surveying the quaint surroundings, Song Yuqing couldn't help but express her surprise. "I never expected you, Young Master, to choose such a place."

"What's wrong with coming here? This restaurant has been serving up delicious dishes for 20 years, and the taste hasn't changed a bit. It's amazing! We're lucky we came early; otherwise, we might not have gotten a table!" Lin Beifan chuckled.

"Really now, do you frequent this place often? Tell me the truth, do you often bring girls here?" Song Yuqing asked, half-jokingly.

Shaking his head, Lin Beifan replied earnestly, "No, you're the first."

Hearing his response, Song Yuqing felt a hint of warmth wash over her.

"If it were any other girls, I'd take them straight to the hotel!" Lin Beifan joked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Song Yuqing's expression froze, then turned into a glare.

"Haha! Just kidding! But seriously, you're the first woman I've brought here for dinner," Lin Beifan reassured her with a serious tone.

In both past and present lives!

Feeling flustered under his gaze, Song Yuqing tried to divert the conversation. "Alright, enough of your nonsense. Let's just order some food!"

And so, they proceeded to order their dinner.

It must be said, the food at the modest restaurant was both authentic and affordable.

They enjoyed their meal together, having a delightful time.

After a while, Song Yuqing set down her chopsticks, announcing, "I'm full. You can finish up."

Surprised, Lin Beifan questioned, "Why eat so little? Is the food not to your liking?"

Resentfully, Song Yuqing replied, "I'm trying to lose weight."

Realizing he might have inadvertently hurt her feelings with his comments from the previous day, Lin Beifan tried to console her. "Actually, I don't think it's healthy for a woman to be too thin. Like a bamboo pole, she might topple over with a gust of wind."

Song Yuqing retorted, "But don't all men prefer slim women?"

Shaking his head, Lin Beifan admitted, "I can't speak for other men, but I prefer women with curves. Your current figure is just right, and I like it a lot. So, please don't lose weight."

Song Yuqing's heart raced at his words. Was this a confession?

Attempting to conceal her emotions, she snapped, "You're not one to talk! What does it matter to you whether I lose weight or not?" Then, she busied herself with the remaining dishes in front of her.

Lin Beifan was taken aback. "What are you doing?"

Grabbing her chopsticks, Song Yuqing responded matter-of-factly, "I'm eating! Only when I'm full can I have the energy to lose weight!"

Lin Beifan nodded in understanding. "That's very sensible. Here, have a chicken leg. Take care of yourself."

"Thank you! If I manage to lose weight, I'll save some for you!" she replied with a hint of playfulness.