25
- A Woman Dresses for the Man She Loves
As the city lights first came on, the night in Shanghai gradually began to brighten.
The neon signs on both sides of the shopping street lit up one after another. Red, blue, and golden lights spread across the damp asphalt. After dinner, crowds poured into the neighborhood from all directions. Some walked hand in hand, while others hurried past carrying shopping bags. From time to time, the sound of car horns and shopkeepers calling out to customers drifted through the streets.
Lin Xiuling walked alone among the crowds. She wore a simple and elegant suit, and her long hair fluttered gently in the evening breeze. As she passed a women's clothing store, several new dresses in the display window caught her eye. Her pace slowed. In the center of the display window, a bright pink dress stood out under the lights. Its soft skirt fell to the ankles, and the waist was fitted just right, making it both bright and elegant.
Xiuling stood behind the glass and looked at it for quite a while. Suddenly, she thought of the person she would see tomorrow.
Yang Wen-Hua.
Two years.
That name was like a fine needle hidden deep in her heart. Normally, she could not feel it, but the moment it was touched, it caused a faint, lingering pain.
She had once told herself that time would gradually fade everything. But now, she had not even truly seen him yet. Just thinking of the word “tomorrow” made her heart beat faster against her will.
Xiuling pressed her lips together, as if she felt somewhat helpless with herself.
“He's just an old classmate and an older schoolmate coming to Shanghai for a conference,” she reminded herself silently. “Don't think too much.”
Yet her eyes fell back on the bright pink dress.
After a moment of silence, she pushed open the door and walked into the store. The bell above the door rang with a clear, crisp sound.
Sales Clerk A immediately came over.
“Good evening, ma'am. Is there anything you're looking for?”
Xiuling raised her hand and pointed toward the display window.
“Could you take that pink dress down and let me take a look at it?”
“Certainly.”
The sales clerk opened the display curtain and carefully took the dress down.
Xiuling took the dress and gently rubbed the fabric with her fingertips. Its soft texture brushed against her fingers. She spread the dress out in front of herself, held it against her body, and then looked up at the mirror.
“I'd like to try it on.”
“No problem. The fitting rooms are in the back.”
Another female sales clerk walked over and smiled as she gestured for Xiuling to follow.
“Please come with me.”
Xiuling followed her into the fitting room.
A short while later, the fitting-room door opened.
Xiuling stepped out in the bright pink dress and stood in front of the full-length mirror. The woman in the mirror seemed somewhat different from the young woman who had treated villagers in the mountains two years earlier.
She was more mature.
She had also learned better how to hide her emotions.
Standing before the mirror, she slowly turned around. The skirt gently opened with her movement.
Suddenly, she remembered Danaiku two years earlier.
The morning mist.
The suspension bridge.
The mountain wind blowing through her long hair.
And Yang Wen-Hua's eyes, which had never truly opened themselves to her.
“Senior...” she murmured softly.
Then she shook her head.
“Why am I thinking about him again?”
She walked out of the fitting room.
Sales Clerk B looked at her, and her eyes immediately lit up.
“Miss, this dress really suits you.”
Xiuling smiled shyly.
“Really?”
“Of course.” The sales clerk looked her up and down. “Your proportions are excellent. Once the waistline is fitted like this, your whole presence comes through. And the bright pink really complements your skin tone. It makes you look youthful without being too flashy.”
Xiuling stood in front of the mirror and gently ran her fingers over the skirt.
She looked at her reflection.
“If I wear this tomorrow when I see him, will he notice?”
The thought had barely surfaced when she immediately rejected it in her mind.
“Lin Xiuling, what are you thinking?”
She quietly drew in a breath.
Two years ago, she had already made her feelings perfectly clear. It was her own choice to wait. It was also her own choice to come to Shanghai and build her career.
Now, she had her own clinic, her own career, and her own life. She should not tie her emotions to a man again.
But...
What if that man was Yang Wen-Hua?
Her hand unconsciously tightened around the skirt.
“Miss?”
The sales clerk's voice brought her back to reality.
“Hmm?”
“Would you like to take this one?”
Xiuling raised her head and looked at herself in the mirror again.
This time, she did not hesitate.
“Yes.” She smiled slightly. “I'll take this one.”
The sales clerk immediately smiled.
“Good choice!”
Xiuling changed back into her own clothes and paid for the dress. A moment later, she walked out of the store carrying an elegant garment bag.
The night breeze blew toward her.
She stood on the sidewalk and watched the endless stream of people.
The shopping bag in her hand swayed gently with her arm.
She lowered her head and glanced at the bag. A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corners of her lips.
“Tomorrow...”
She did not say the rest aloud.
Because she herself did not know whether tomorrow would be a long-awaited reunion or a farewell that would make her heart ache once again.
She raised her head and looked toward the brilliant neon lights in the distance.
Then she turned and walked into the night.
And the bag containing the bright pink dress swayed gently in her hand, like an answer that had yet to be revealed.
- The Night Before the Reunion
It was late at night.
The villa district on the outskirts of Shanghai was gradually sinking into silence. From far away came the occasional sound of passing cars. One streetlight after another illuminated the roadside, casting the shadows of trees across the wide lawn.
Several warm yellow wall lights were glowing in the villa's living room.
Zhou Hong was bending over and mopping the floor. The mop slid back and forth across the marble floor, making a faint rubbing sound. She had always been efficient in her work. After finishing one area, she would habitually step back a few paces and lower her head to check whether any water marks remained on the floor.
Just then, light footsteps came from the staircase.
Zhou Hong looked up.
Lin Xiuling was coming downstairs.
She had already changed into the bright pink dress she had bought that evening. The skirt swayed gently as she descended the stairs. The soft light fell across her, adding a layer of vivid beauty to her naturally delicate features.
Zhou Hong's hand stopped on the mop.
Holding the mop handle with one hand, she looked Xiuling up and down.
Xiuling felt somewhat embarrassed under her gaze and instinctively tugged at her skirt.
“Auntie Hong.”
“Hmm?”
“Does this outfit... look good?”
Zhou Hong did not answer immediately.
She deliberately tilted her head and studied her for several seconds before revealing a meaningful smile.
“It looks good.”
Xiuling breathed a sigh of relief.
“Really?”
“Of course.” Zhou Hong leaned the mop against the side and folded her arms.
“But—”
She deliberately drew out the word.
Xiuling blinked.
“But what?”
“Why did you suddenly dress up so beautifully today?”
Zhou Hong smiled and stepped two paces closer. She reached out and smoothed a small section of fabric that had slightly turned up at Xiuling's shoulder.
“Do you have an important guest coming to the house?”
Xiuling froze for a moment.
She had originally intended to casually answer, “No,” but when the words reached her lips, she inexplicably stopped.
A familiar face appeared in her mind.
The man who had stood in the morning mist on the suspension bridge at Danaiku.
The man she had waited for two years, yet had never truly dared to expect.
She lowered her eyes, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
“Mm... I suppose so.”
Zhou Hong raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
Xiuling looked up.
“An older schoolmate from college. He's coming from Taiwan to Shanghai for a medical conference.”
“An older schoolmate?”
Zhou Hong deliberately moved closer and lowered her voice.
“Then this older schoolmate must be a handsome doctor, too, right?”
Xiuling could not help laughing.
“I suppose so.”
She paused, then added,
“He's a surgeon.”
“Oh!” Zhou Hong's smile grew even wider.
“A surgeon?”
She looked Xiuling up and down.
“Now I understand.”
Xiuling pretended to remain calm.
“What do you understand?”
“The boss specifically bought new clothes, and such a beautiful bright pink dress at that.”
Zhou Hong pointed at her.
“This older schoolmate can't be an ordinary guest, can he?”
Xiuling's cheeks flushed slightly.
“He's coming to Shanghai for a conference. He'll be staying here for a while.”
Zhou Hong deliberately drew out an “Ohhh.”
“I see.”
She prolonged her tone.
“So he's your boyfriend?”
“No!”
Xiuling answered so quickly that she froze herself.
Zhou Hong held back her laughter.
Xiuling lowered her head and gently pinched the skirt between her fingers.
“Not... not yet.”
“Not yet?”
Zhou Hong caught the hesitation in her words, and her smile grew even wider.
“So there must be a story between you two?”
Xiuling did not answer.
She walked to the center of the living room and glanced at herself in the full-length mirror.
The woman in the mirror wore light, elegant makeup. The bright pink dress complemented her fair skin and gave her a little more femininity than usual.
Suddenly, she felt somewhat dazed.
“If Wen-Hua sees this dress, will he like it?”
The thought had barely appeared when she immediately reproached herself inwardly.
“Lin Xiuling, what exactly are you expecting?”
Two years ago, she had told him herself that she was willing to wait.
But he had also told her just as clearly that there was still another woman in his heart.
A woman named Ci-En.
A ten-year promise.
And now, the deadline was almost here.
Xiuling drew a slow breath.
Zhou Hong stood beside her without urging her.
After a while, she finally asked gently,
“Boss, do you really like this older schoolmate?”
Xiuling turned around.
She looked at Zhou Hong and did not deny it.
“I really do like him.”
After saying those words, she actually felt a little lighter inside.
“But...” Her voice dropped.
Zhou Hong did not press her. She simply waited quietly.
Finally, Xiuling said,
“There is already someone else in his heart.”
Zhou Hong frowned slightly.
“His first love?”
Xiuling looked at her in surprise.
“How did you know?”
Zhou Hong smiled and pointed to her temple.
“A woman's sixth sense.”
She walked over to the sofa and sat down, then patted the seat beside her.
“Come, sit for a while.”
Xiuling sat down as well.
Zhou Hong looked at her, her tone becoming more serious.
“A woman dresses for the man she loves.”
She pointed at the dress Xiuling was wearing.
“If a woman is just having an ordinary friend come to her home, would she go out of her way to buy a new outfit?”
Xiuling lowered her head and looked at her skirt.
She did not answer.
Zhou Hong continued,
“You already have the answer in your heart. That's why you bought this dress today.”
Xiuling smiled bitterly.
“I just... wanted to look a little prettier.”
“For him?”
Xiuling fell silent.
This time, she did not deny it.
Zhou Hong sighed softly.
“So that woman is very important?”
“Mm.”
“He's waiting for her?”
“Ten years.”
Zhou Hong's eyes widened.
“Ten years?”
Xiuling nodded.
“They dated in high school. Later, that girl became ill and was taken to Canada by her parents for treatment. Before she left, she asked my senior to wait for her for ten years.”
“So...” Zhou Hong slowly understood. “They aren't together now?”
“No.”
“But your senior is still waiting?”
“Mm.”
Xiuling's eyes turned toward the window.
Outside, the shadows of the trees in the courtyard swayed gently in the night breeze.
“The ten-year deadline... is almost here.”
Her voice was very soft, as if she were telling someone else's story.
But only she knew that throughout these two years, she had actually been waiting for an answer.
Waiting for that woman to come back.
And waiting for Yang Wen-Hua to finally turn back toward her.
Zhou Hong looked at her, and there was more sympathy in her eyes.
“Your senior really is devoted.”
Xiuling smiled bitterly.
“That's why I like him.”
“Then you still have a chance.” Zhou Hong reached out and patted the back of her hand.
“The ten-year deadline is almost here, isn't it?”
Xiuling did not answer immediately.
She knew Zhou Hong was right, but love had never been a race.
Just because that woman did not come back did not mean Xiuling would necessarily have him.
And just because the ten-year deadline arrived did not mean he would necessarily let go of the past.
What she was truly afraid of was waiting until the end, only to discover that he had never turned back.
“I don't know,” Xiuling said softly. “I only know... I don't want to pressure him.”
Zhou Hong looked at her and suddenly smiled.
“What about Dr. Zhao?”
Xiuling froze.
“Dr. Zhao?”
“Yes, Dr. Zhao Xiaodong, the one who often sends you flowers.”
Zhou Hong nodded toward the vase.
“He's making it very obvious that he's pursuing you.”
Xiuling followed her gaze.
The bouquet of flowers sat quietly in the vase.
After a moment of silence, she said,
“Dr. Zhao and I really do get along well as friends.”
“Just friends?”
“Mm.” Xiuling nodded. “At least for now.”
“You haven't given him any promises?”
“No.” Her tone was calm. “I don't want to accept someone else's feelings while I still have another person in my heart.”
Zhou Hong looked at her and remained silent for a long moment.
Finally, she smiled and nodded.
“I understand.”
She stood up and picked up the mop again.
“Then, as your housekeeper, I'll wish you luck tomorrow.”
Xiuling also stood up.
“The afternoon after tomorrow.”
“What?”
“My senior won't arrive until the afternoon after tomorrow.”
“Oh!” Zhou Hong suddenly realized.
“Then I have even more to prepare.”
She carried the mop toward the other side of the room, speaking as she walked.
“The guest room needs to be cleaned again. The sheets need to be changed, and the bathroom needs to be cleaned thoroughly. And what do people from Taiwan like to eat?”
Xiuling could not help laughing.
“You don't have to go that far. He's just here for a conference.”
Zhou Hong turned around.
“Just here for a conference?”
She smiled meaningfully.
“Boss, do you believe that yourself?”
Xiuling froze.
A moment later, she smiled too.
“Auntie Hong...”
“All right, I won't ask anymore.”
Zhou Hong turned around and continued mopping the floor.
“Anyway, I can tell that this Dr. Yang must be very important to you.”
Xiuling stood in the center of the living room, gently running her fingers over the skirt of the bright pink dress.
She did not answer.
Outside, the night was deep and dark.
But in her heart, a light was quietly coming on because of someone who was about to arrive.
She simply did not know whether that light would illuminate a long-awaited love, or reveal the disappointment she had refused to face for two years.
She knew only one thing:
Two years had passed. At last, she was going to see Yang Wen-Hua again.
It was around noon in the commercial district...
- Dinner Invitation Before the Confrontation
Sunlight slanted through the glass windows into the clinic, making several green plants in the display window shine brightly. It was lunchtime, and the sound of car horns and pedestrians chatting could be heard faintly through the glass door.
The door to the examination room opened. Lin Xiuling walked out first, still holding a medical record in her hand. Zhang Dongmei followed behind her, quietly discussing the afternoon appointments with the nurse.
As the two women reached the reception desk, Xiuling suddenly stopped.
Standing beside the reception desk was a man.
Zhao Xiaodong.
He was wearing a well-tailored suit and holding a large bouquet of flowers. When he saw Xiuling, he immediately smiled and walked toward her.
“Xiuling.”
He held the flowers out to her.
“These are for you.”
Xiuling looked at the bouquet without reaching out to take it.
The brief silence made the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
Seeing this, Zhang Dongmei quickly reached out and took the flowers.
“Dr. Zhao, I'll put them in a vase for the boss.”
“Thank you.”
Zhang Dongmei carried the bouquet toward the display window and turned her back to the two of them as she arranged the flowers.
Although her head was lowered, her ears were practically standing straight up.
Here we go again.
She muttered silently to herself.
Dr. Zhao was now sending flowers almost as regularly as the clinic received its supplies.
Zhao Xiaodong paid no attention to what Zhang Dongmei was doing. His eyes remained fixed on Lin Xiuling.
“Are you free this evening?”
Xiuling placed the medical record in her hand on the reception desk.
“What is it?”
“I'll pick you up for dinner.”
His tone was so natural, as if it were something they had already arranged.
But Xiuling gently shook her head.
“Xiaodong, how about another day?”
“Why?”
“I need to go to the supermarket with Auntie Hong this evening to buy a few things.”
The smile slowly disappeared from Zhao Xiaodong's face.
“Buy things?”
“Mm.”
“Does it have to be today?”
Xiuling looked at him.
“Mm.”
Zhao Xiaodong was silent for several seconds. He stared at her as if he were trying to find the real answer in her expression.
“Xiuling, what's wrong with you lately?”
“Nothing's wrong.”
She answered too quickly.
Much too quickly.
The corner of Zhao Xiaodong's mouth twitched slightly.
“You rarely turned down my invitations before.”
Xiuling said nothing.
He took a step forward.
“Is it... that senior of yours?”
Xiuling's brows drew together slightly.
She had known this day would come sooner or later.
She just had not expected herself to feel such intense irritation simply because of a name.
“We've always been good friends who get along well,” she said calmly. “And my senior doesn't come to Shanghai very often.”
Zhao Xiaodong stared at her.
“So when he comes, I have to step aside?”
“I didn't mean that.”
“But that's exactly what your attitude means.”
His voice dropped.
Beside the display window, Zhang Dongmei's hands stopped for a moment.
She looked at the last flower in the vase, pretending she had not heard anything.
Xiuling, meanwhile, gently closed her eyes for a moment.
She did not want to discuss relationships at the clinic.
Even less did she want Zhao Xiaodong to drag Yang Wen-Hua into the conversation.
“Xiaodong, stop.”
“Why can't I say it?”
Zhao Xiaodong's emotions began to rise.
“You suddenly became so distant. Isn't it because of that senior of yours?”
Xiuling's expression darkened.
“I said, don't bring it up again.”
The air between them instantly froze.
Zhao Xiaodong looked at her, disappointment and unwillingness in his eyes.
“Fine.”
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his voice.
“Then let's find somewhere to sit down and talk, okay?”
Xiuling glanced down at her watch.
She still had afternoon appointments. If they continued to argue, the situation would only become more awkward.
She raised her head, clear impatience already showing on her face.
“Tonight really won't work, Xiaodong.”
Zhao Xiaodong did not back down.
“Then now.”
Xiuling froze.
“Now?”
“Let's find somewhere to eat. I want to have a good talk with you.”
His tone sounded less like an invitation and more like a request for one final confirmation.
Xiuling looked at him.
In fact, she knew what Zhao Xiaodong wanted to talk about.
Her feelings.
Her answer.
And Yang Wen-Hua.
She suddenly felt a little tired.
Why do you want me to make a choice right now?
She had never promised him anything.
She had not deceived anyone, either.
But matters of the heart seemed to have never followed reason.
Did she owe Zhao Xiaodong an explanation?
Perhaps.
But what she truly owed was an honest answer to herself.
She did not love Zhao Xiaodong.
At least for now, there was still only one person in her heart.
The man who was about to come from Taiwan to Shanghai.
At the thought of him, her heart suddenly gave an uncontrollable beat.
She did not want to admit that she had actually begun looking forward to their reunion.
“All right.”
Xiuling finally relented.
She picked up the handbag from the desk, her expression still somewhat unpleasant.
“Let's go.”
Zhao Xiaodong visibly relaxed.
“Where?”
“That Japanese restaurant nearby.”
She glanced at the clock in the clinic.
“I only have my lunch break. I have to come back to work after we eat.”
Zhao Xiaodong nodded.
“Okay.”
Xiuling walked to the door and pushed open the glass door.
The bell above the door rang with a clear, crisp sound.
She walked outside.
Zhao Xiaodong followed closely behind her.
The two of them soon disappeared into the crowd on the sidewalk.
Beside the display window, Zhang Dongmei finally turned around.
She looked in the direction they had gone, then lowered her head and glanced at the flowers in her hands.
After a moment, she could not help letting out a soft sigh.
“Sigh...”
She placed the last flower into the vase.
“Looks like there really is a love rival this time.”
- Japanese Restaurant in the Commercial District
In Shanghai that afternoon, sunlight passed between the gaps of the high-rise buildings and slanted across the sidewalk.
The glass windows of the Japanese restaurant reflected the people walking along the street. When the door opened, the curtain swayed gently, and a faint woody fragrance mixed with the vinegary aroma of sushi rice drifted toward them.
Soft jazz was playing inside the restaurant. The seats by the windows were filled with office workers having lunch.
A server led Lin Xiuling and Zhao Xiaodong into a small private dining room near the street-facing window.
The two sat cross-legged facing each other.
Lin Xiuling placed her handbag beside her and lowered her head to look at the menu, her expression somewhat distracted.
But her mind kept returning to the person who was about to come from Taiwan to Shanghai.
Yang Wen-Hua.
Whenever she thought of his name, something seemed to gently touch her heart.
The morning mist on the Danaiku suspension bridge two years earlier seemed to rise again from the depths of her memory.
She had once confessed her feelings to him so directly.
Yet his answer to her had always been—
Wait.
Ten years.
Now, the ten-year deadline was almost here.
“Ma'am, what would the two of you like to order?”
The server stood beside the table and asked with a smile.
Lin Xiuling came back to herself and flipped through the menu.
“Assorted sushi and miso tofu soup.”
She closed the menu and set it aside.
Zhao Xiaodong, however, deliberately took his time looking through the menu, occasionally glancing at her over the top of it.
“Assorted sashimi, grilled sweetfish, two servings, and two small bottles of sake.”
Lin Xiuling looked up.
“You ordered that much?”
“We don't get to eat together often. Of course we should have a more substantial meal.”
“You ordered it, so you'll have to finish it yourself.”
She spoke calmly.
“I'll keep it simple. I still have to hurry back to see patients.”
The corner of Zhao Xiaodong's mouth lifted slightly.
“All right.”
He turned to the server.
“Let's start with these dishes, and give me one bottle of sake.”
“Certainly. Please wait a moment.”
The server collected the menus and left.
The private dining room suddenly became quiet.
Outside the window, traffic moved slowly. The sounds of chopsticks touching dishes and quiet conversation in the restaurant only made the silence between the two of them more obvious.
Lin Xiuling picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip.
She knew Zhao Xiaodong had not invited her to dinner simply to have a meal.
From the moment he had appeared at the clinic carrying flowers, she had already sensed it.
Sure enough, Zhao Xiaodong spoke first.
“Xiuling.”
“Hmm?”
“Have you been avoiding me lately?”
Lin Xiuling put down her teacup.
“When have I?”
Zhao Xiaodong smiled bitterly. His fingers gently rubbed the rim of the teacup.
“You rarely turned down my invitations to eat before. But these past few days, you've kept turning me down.”
Lin Xiuling did not answer.
She lowered her head and watched the tea gently ripple in the cup.
She actually knew the answer.
It was just that once certain words were spoken, there would be no turning back.
Zhao Xiaodong gazed at her.
“Is it because of that senior of yours?”
Lin Xiuling's brows furrowed slightly.
“Xiaodong...”
“I guessed right, didn't I?”
“Don't make wild guesses.”
“Then tell me I'm wrong.”
His tone was no longer as relaxed as before.
Lin Xiuling raised her eyes to look at him.
Their gazes met across the table.
After a moment, she gently exhaled.
“Xiaodong, you're jealous, aren't you?”
Zhao Xiaodong froze for a moment, then laughed at himself.
“That's right.”
He leaned back against the cushion.
“I'm jealous.”
His frank admission left Lin Xiuling unsure of how to respond.
Zhao Xiaodong lowered his head and looked at his hands.
“These past two days, I suddenly feel as if you've pushed me very far away.”
Lin Xiuling was silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
“I've always thought of you as a good friend I get along well with.”
Her voice was soft but very clear.
“And I think I've already made my feelings clear to you. Right now... we're not boyfriend and girlfriend.”
Zhao Xiaodong nodded.
“I know that.”
He paused, then smiled somewhat helplessly.
“I heard that several men are pursuing you at the same time. With everything you've got going for you, of course you can take your time choosing.”
“That isn't the issue.”
Lin Xiuling raised her eyes.
“I haven't thought about settling down in a relationship so quickly.”
That was what she truly thought.
She did not want to accept a relationship hastily simply because of Zhao Xiaodong's enthusiasm and initiative.
Besides, someone had already quietly taken that place in her heart two years ago.
It was just that the man himself still had no idea.
Zhao Xiaodong looked at her and suddenly asked,
“Then what I'm curious about is... your senior who's coming from Taiwan.”
Xiuling's eyelashes trembled slightly.
Zhao Xiaodong caught the subtle reaction.
“My instincts tell me he's different.”
Lin Xiuling did not answer.
A bus passed outside the window, and sunlight swept quickly across the glass.
She remained silent for a long time.
Finally, she said softly,
“Xiaodong, I admit it.”
Her fingers unconsciously tightened.
“Senior Wen-Hua is currently the only man who... has truly touched my heart.”
The smile on Zhao Xiaodong's face instantly froze.
Although he had already guessed the answer, actually hearing her say it still felt as though someone had slammed a fist into his chest.
He quickly concealed his emotions and deliberately put on a teasing expression.
“Wen-Hua?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Your senior's name sounds pretty literary!”
Lin Xiuling's expression immediately darkened.
“Xiaodong, I don't like your expression or your tone right now.”
Zhao Xiaodong froze.
A few seconds later, he dropped the smile.
“I'm sorry.”
He lowered his head and lightly tapped his fingers on the table.
“That expression just now... was probably an instinctive reaction to facing a love rival.”
Lin Xiuling said nothing.
Zhao Xiaodong took a deep breath.
“Tell me about your senior Wen-Hua.”
He raised his head, trying to make his tone calm again.
“I want to know what he has that makes you unable to let him go after all these years.”
This time, Lin Xiuling did not answer immediately.
She looked out the window.
She remembered the suspension bridge.
She remembered the mountain mist.
She remembered that man standing in the middle of the suspension bridge, his lonely back like a tree that refused to bow to anyone.
She also remembered what she had once said—
“It's only two years. I can wait!”
She simply had not expected that she really would wait for two years.
And once she started waiting, it lasted two years.
Lin Xiuling withdrew her gaze.
“I don't want to talk about him in front of you.”
“Why?”
“Because you'll meet him very soon.”
Zhao Xiaodong froze slightly.
“You mean...?”
“He's coming to Shanghai.”
“What is he coming to Shanghai for?”
“To attend the medical conference hosted by your hospital.”
Zhao Xiaodong's expression immediately changed. Along with his earlier jealousy, a hint of curiosity suddenly appeared.
“I see.”
He leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful.
“Then I definitely have to make friends with him.”
Lin Xiuling glanced at him.
“You'd better not do anything stupid.”
“Don't worry.”
Zhao Xiaodong smiled.
“I just want to meet the man who could make our Dr. Lin wait for so long.”
Just then, the private dining room door was gently pushed open.
Two servers walked in carrying trays.
“Sorry to interrupt you.”
One exquisite plate of sushi, sashimi, and grilled sweetfish after another was placed on the table. The sake was also set down in front of them.
“If you'd like to order anything else, please press the service button. Please enjoy your meal.”
The two servers bowed and left.
Zhao Xiaodong picked up the sake bottle and poured himself a glass.
“When will your senior arrive?”
Lin Xiuling picked up her chopsticks.
“Let's eat.”
“Xiuling—”
“Don't talk about him.”
She picked up a piece of sushi, deliberately keeping her expression calm.
“I'm in a hurry.”
Zhao Xiaodong looked at her.
He suddenly understood that if he kept asking, she would only become more resistant.
So he did not ask anything else.
He simply raised his glass and quietly watched her.
Lin Xiuling took two bites before finally noticing that his gaze had never left her.
She looked up.
“What are you doing?”
Zhao Xiaodong gently swirled the glass in his hand and smiled with a hint of helplessness.
“I'm not in a hurry.”
“So?”
“Just quietly watching you eat.”
Lin Xiuling rolled her eyes at him.
“Boring.”
She lowered her head and continued eating her sushi.
Zhao Xiaodong said nothing more.
He simply looked at the woman he had loved for such a long time.
For the first time, he felt so clearly that—
Some feelings cannot be won simply through effort.
And the man who was about to fly from Taiwan to Shanghai might be the true rival he would have to face.
Outside the window, the city's traffic continued to stream endlessly along the streets.
A struggle for love that had not truly begun yet was also quietly drawing back the curtain in this peaceful Japanese restaurant.
