Chapter 8

As she fell silent as expected, she decided it was best not to speak at this moment. She picked up the crab claw that Wen Jingran had placed on the clean side of her plate and took a quiet bite.

At that time, Ruoyue no longer reached out to Old Master Ying for pocket money. With limited funds, she purchased a discounted flight ticket to return to City S, departing around eleven o'clock at night

It is rare to see Wen Jingran drinking as promised; most of the time, the image he holds in her mind is that of a doctor dressed in a white coat, both aloof and professional.

She squinted her eyes contentedly, took the orange juice beside her, and took a small sip.

As agreed, I exchanged for two small bags of game coins from the smiling waiter, weighed them, and then walked over to present the game coins before his eyes

The other party took it, smiled and glanced at the appointment, then returned their gaze to Wen Jingran, shaking their pocket: "Doctor Wen, may I borrow a light?"

Thus, the person who should have been enjoying the fragrance of the begonia flowers while soaking in the hot springs to aid digestion, resignedly traversed through most of the Dongju Mountain Hot Spring Resort to the entertainment area in the west to find someone

Originally, she had a poor appetite tonight and hardly ate anything. However, in the latter part of the dinner, she managed to fill herself up somewhat with crab meat and orange juice

After a hearty meal and drinks, amidst the slightly intoxicating aroma of wine, the usual reservations among colleagues seem to have diminished significantly

Zhen Zhen went to the airport to pick her up

When Wen Jingran drank that glass of red wine on an empty stomach, the effects of the alcohol slightly surged.

He paused for a moment, then raised his eyes to look at Ruoyue

There are also nights when one does not return home

That was several years ago, specifically in which month I can no longer recall, I only remember it was during the winter break of my university years

He reached into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes, his fingers slightly curled as he gently tapped one side of the cigarette box, knocking out a cigarette. Immediately, he squinted slightly and handed that cigarette over her shoulder to the male colleague sitting next to her.

With this thought, she couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile, first taking out a game token and putting it into the coin pusher. Watching the token clatter and tumble all the way down, with a crisp sound of "clang," her eyes brightened as she turned to him: "I'll put in another token. If I can push down a game token, will you return the room card to me, okay?"

Therefore, his memories of being drunk are particularly clear and profound

At first, due to the presence of several esteemed elders with high status, the dinner gathering began with a serious discussion on academic matters and the exchange of case studies. Occasionally, someone would stray off-topic, merely expressing their astonishment at certain exceptionally typical family members.

After the dinner party concluded, I escorted the old gentleman back to his room as promised. Standing in front of my own room, feeling the emptiness of my pockets, I couldn't help but cover my face and let out a deep sigh of despair.

At first, he was impatient, but gradually, as she put aside her pride to coax him, he finally relaxed his brow slightly and revealed a hint of a smile. Though it was faint, like a leaf drifting into the center of a lake, the ripples it stirred in the depths of his heart were still akin to surging waves.

Naturally, the only individual at the table who was not affiliated with S University Affiliated Hospital became the focus of everyone's concern.

If all goes as expected, that lighter is still there

Wen Jingran instinctively reached into his pocket; apart from a cool hotel key card, unexpectedly, he did not find his lighter.

The old gentleman cleared his throat lightly

As agreed, there was no rush to go over.

Once the atmosphere becomes relaxed and casual, it becomes quite easy to give rise to some personal topics

Zhen Zhen's courage was instantly frightened away, and she looked back and forth at Wen Jingran and Ying Ruyue in a fluster, stammering as she asked: "Does this count as being caught in the act?"

As scheduled, I went out in the afternoon to check the timing

Her eyes were bright, gazing at her without missing a beat, and then she cast a glance at the wet tissue beside her hand

Wen Jingran was currently cracking a crab claw. His fingers were long, and whether it was due to years of disinfection, the skin on his hands resembled white jade. At this moment, those fingers, which were always immaculate, were stained with a hint of the golden luster from the crab claw, making them appear particularly enticing.

He took the two naive girls to the washbasin in the restroom, left the frightened pair aside, turned on the cold water, splashed his face with water to barely maintain his composure, and sent each of them back one by one

As expected, when I glanced over, I saw the old gentleman calmly retracting his gaze that had fallen here, and he said with a serious expression: "As expected, her temperament is not steady enough. If she really takes a position at the affiliated hospital, do train her thoroughly."

I still remember as promised, even when he was intoxicated and no longer wished to speak, that pair of eyes could still easily intimidate others.

Her gaze was as deep as a candle flame just extinguished, faintly glowing with a cluster of embers before it went out. It was a direct stare, penetrating all the way into the depths of her eyes

"West District of the Club." Wen Jingran took out a cigarette and placed it between his lips, mumbling, "The crabs are a bit cold; eating so much will upset your stomach. The West District of the Club is an entertainment area where you can digest your food."

At such a time, one would certainly not dare to let Zhen Zhen stay out all night alone. Even if feeling extremely tired, one would still grit their teeth and accompany her to the bar.

Wen Jingran stood in front of a gaming machine in the arcade, staring intently through the glass at the coin pusher as it moved back and forth, as if merely gazing at it would cause the game coins to drop.

As promised, I set down the crab shell while wiping my greasy fingers with a wet wipe, and smiled, saying: "I don't want to be too far from home; I have already submitted my resume to the affiliated hospital of S University."

She remembered that in the afternoon, the match she used to light the aromatherapy candle had become damp and would not ignite when placed beside the hot spring pool. At that time, Wen Jingran kindly offered his lighter to help her light the scented oil candle and casually placed the lighter next to the aromatherapy lamp

Over the years, she has only grown in bust size, but not in intelligence

As expected, he awkwardly touched his nose

As expected, calm: "Not just that."

As agreed, I am truly afraid that Wen Jingran will report me to Old Master Ying, so I dare not go home at this hour. Yet, I do not want Wen Jingran to notice anything amiss, so I have been trying hard to persuade him all the way.

In the dish beside her bowl, there is always freshly peeled tender crab meat, and the orange juice at her side is always refilled just as it is about to run low

Zhen Zhen was quite worried, fearing that Wen Jingran would report her to the old master, or that with just a few words, she would be implicated, which would mean she would be unable to enter the Ying family's door for an entire winter vacation

The person weighing the game coins in their hand slightly raised their head and glanced at her: "Is the wager for the loss determined by me?"

Many people chimed in, with some recommending the hospital's welfare measures and working environment, while others teased Wen Jingran, saying: "Now that the junior sister has arrived, you, as the senior brother, must support her."

Having eaten and drunk to satisfaction, I felt quite pleased as promised, and I generously expressed my gratitude to Wen Jingran: "Thank you, Senior Brother"

Tonight's Wen Jingran seems somewhat different from the person she knows, and she wonders if it is due to the effects of intoxication, even though he appears to be sober and rational at this moment

That gaze looked as if a lighter had been taken away from her

Although Wen Jingran said nothing, the depth of that gaze was both simple and profound

He inexplicably uttered a sound, but did not take it seriously

Later, when others spoke, she could no longer hear them

As agreed, he immediately understood and generously handed over the entire pack of wet wipes

He slowly placed the crab claw, which had been stripped of most of its shell to reveal a complete cluster of crab meat, onto the side of the plate in front of her that had already accumulated quite a few crab shells, and then raised his eyes to look at her

However, it is unclear when the shift occurred, transitioning from the occupational risks faced by doctors to their current employment situation.

A person who is usually so astute, it turns out that when intoxicated, he behaves just like a mischievous child.

Wen Jingran's colleagues are warm-hearted and adept at creating a lively atmosphere, even in this clearly gossip-driven environment, they make Ruoyue feel no sense of rejection whatsoever

That sense of achievement is almost comparable to receiving a scholarship every time as promised

Those eyes, as deep as ashes after a fire, appeared fierce under the flickering light and shadow, as if they could open their mouths and devour her at any moment

But it is evident that Wen Jingran was heavily intoxicated that night

But what does this have to do with her

Then Wen Jingran smiled, curling his lips, and with narrowed eyes, he looked past her towards the back: "I didn't bring a lighter"

Zhen Zhen has been playing the role of a subordinate at the police academy for a long time, and she is already quite frustrated. Upon receiving her notice, she headed straight to the bar, declaring her intention to celebrate a coming-of-age ceremony with a different significance.

The entertainment area in the West District is located very close to the public hot spring pool, featuring a game room specifically separated for children, as well as jade mahjong for adults to enjoy

Unexpectedly, I encountered Wen Jingran

He is composed and restrained, rarely engaging with things that would cloud his judgment

The crab claws are plump, and the moment they enter the mouth, they leave a lingering fragrance on the palate