Zhao Shuyao's face flushed, and she suddenly remembered what Xiang Liang had said last night. She coughed and ordered for him.
"One latte, no milk, no sugar, and an iced Americano, right?"
Xiang Liang chuckled, his laughter clear, bright, and gentle. "Right."
"Here's your receipt."
Xiang Liang took the receipt and found a seat near the counter.
The nine o'clock morning sun fell upon the man, making him look resplendent and almost otherworldly.
"Wow, Yaoyao, is that your boyfriend? Do you know him? He's so handsome!"
"As expected, handsome guys only hang out with beautiful girls. Yaoyao, your boyfriend is so handsome!"
Zhao Shuyao smiled awkwardly. "He's not my boyfriend..."
She had a husband, though their marriage was in name only, and they were close to divorcing.
She was, after all, a married woman.
"Oh, we all understand. Your boyfriend is so handsome, you should have told us earlier! You almost made us think he was a celebrity!"
"Wait, this handsome guy looks familiar. Isn't he that renowned internal medicine doctor... Xiang Liang?!"
"No way! The famous Xiang Liang, who became a chief physician at such a young age?!"
A group of female colleagues gathered together, chatting animatedly.
A famous chief physician?
No wonder so many young and pretty nurses at the hospital wanted Xiang Liang's WeChat!
Zhao Shuyao mused as she prepared the iced Americano.
She placed it in front of Xiang Liang. The man followed her hand with his gaze, all the way up to her eyes, and then met them with a faint smile, his charming eyes radiating softness.
"Thank you. The coffee you make always tastes sweeter."
Zhao Shuyao chuckled. "Coffee is better when it's bitter. Otherwise, it tastes strange."
Xiang Liang raised an eyebrow but didn't say much more.
After Zhao Shuyao returned to the counter, several girls grabbed her arm.
"Yaoyao, are you seriously a straight arrow? Your boyfriend is flirting with you, and you replied like that! That's not right, we'll teach you..."
The female colleagues chimed in, one after another, teaching Zhao Shuyao how to talk.
Zhao Shuyao put her hand to her forehead. "He's not my boyfriend."
"Really? I don't believe you unless he says it himself."
The girls were all convinced that Xiang Liang was Zhao Shuyao's boyfriend.
"You guys wait."
Zhao Shuyao walked directly towards Xiang Liang and said something. Xiang Liang glanced over, then followed Zhao Shuyao.
Xiang Liang stood in front of the girls and said faintly, "Zhao Shuyao is my girlfriend. Please take good care of her in the future."
Zhao Shuyao had been expecting Xiang Liang to clarify things, but she hadn't expected him to say that.
"Xiang Liang!" Zhao Shuyao was exasperated, almost blurting out, "I'm married!"
"Baby, I know you're shy, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'll come to accompany you for a while every day. Oh, and... you blocked me last night because you were angry. Remember to add me back."
Xiang Liang took out his phone, waved it, and then walked away with the iced Americano.
Zhao Shuyao stood there stunned, watching Xiang Liang walk away.
When she finally reacted and wanted to chase after him, he was already gone.
A group of female colleagues crowded around her. "Yaoyao, you lied! He admitted it himself."
"You treat us like outsiders! You're dating such a handsome boyfriend but you won't admit it."
Zhao Shuyao was speechless. Xiang Liang! I'm not done with you!
Now, even if she jumped into the Yellow River, she couldn't clear her name!
"No... I just didn't want my relationship to affect my work!"
Zhao Shuyao checked her phone after work and found a verification message.
The profile picture was in black and white, vaguely showing Xiang Liang's profile. The WeChat name was a simple symbol. Who would have thought such an ordinary WeChat avatar belonged to such a handsome man?
Zhao Shuyao clicked to accept.
Thinking that Xiang Liang might still be busy at this hour, Zhao Shuyao was about to type a scolding message when the man sent a voice message.
"I just finished a surgery. I'm coming to pick you up. Don't move, wait for me."
Zhao Shuyao was stunned after listening to the voice message.
Pick her up?
She almost believed she was Xiang Liang's girlfriend.
"Don't come. I can go back myself..."
Zhao Shuyao had just finished typing her message, but before she could send it, she saw a familiar car slowly stopping in front of her.
The car window rolled down.
It was Xiang Liang.
The man sat in the car, smiled at her, and asked, "Aren't you getting in?"
Zhao Shuyao gripped her phone tightly. "What do you want?"
"What do you think?" Xiang Liang's eyes were filled with amusement.
If he weren't so handsome, he might have been called creepy. But such a smile on such a handsome face only made people feel pleased and refreshed.
"I'll go back myself!" Zhao Shuyao stubbornly refused and turned to leave.
After walking a hundred or two hundred meters, Zhao Shuyao turned around and saw Xiang Liang's car still following her.
"What do you want!"
Zhao Shuyao was furious.
"I don't mind driving you home." Xiang Liang rested his hand on the steering wheel, his other hand on the car window, a smirk playing on his lips, exuding a hint of roguish charm.
Zhao Shuyao gave up resisting. "Fine! You win!"
She obediently opened the rear passenger door.
"The passenger seat."
Xiang Liang's gentle tone held a hint of command.
Zhao Shuyao instinctively opened the passenger door and sat down.
After closing the door, she finally realized.
Wait, why was she getting into Xiang Liang's car?
Click.
Xiang Liang locked the car doors, stepped on the accelerator, and the car roared to life, merging into traffic.
It was too late for her to regret it.
"Where are you taking me?" Seeing that they were driving in the opposite direction of the hotel, Zhao Shuyao panicked, clutching her seatbelt tightly.
Could it be that the hospital needed organs, and this man had set his sights on her?
"What do you think? What can we do at this time?"
"It's too early to do *that* at this time!"
"What are you thinking about?" Xiang Liang chuckled. "I'm taking you to dinner. Where do you want to go?"
Zhao Shuyao's face turned red.
She had been tricked by this man.
"If you didn't have something in mind, how would you know what I'm thinking? You're thinking about it too, so why are you saying I'm thinking about it!"
There was some logic to her words. Xiang Liang smiled helplessly and focused on driving.
They parked at Xintiandi.
It wasn't very crowded at this time. Zhao Shuyao walked half a step behind Xiang Liang on his left.
She had been to the mall after returning to the country, but she wasn't familiar with it and almost couldn't keep up.
Xiang Liang deliberately slowed his pace to wait for her. Zhao Shuyao followed him step by step into a Sichuan restaurant.
By the time they came out after dinner, it was past six o'clock. The sun was setting, and the crowds were gradually increasing.
Zhao Shuyao almost couldn't keep up. The next second, her hand was held by Xiang Liang.
Zhao Shuyao's heart skipped a beat.
She wanted to pull her hand away, but Xiang Liang held on tightly, and she couldn't break free.
As they exited the mall, Xiang Liang said softly, "Wait for me."
Then he turned and walked away.
"Hey..."
Zhao Shuyao watched the man disappear into the crowd.