But her reaction was precisely what Song Kai Cheng, observant as he was, caught as unusual.
She had truly changed, completely different from when she was in country B.
Could it be that there was really something here that made her linger?
"Any news on Yin Zhe yet?" Song Kai Cheng's heart churned with emotion, though his surface remained calm.
Shen Xi's eyes were filled with sorrow. "No. Not a single piece of news."
"Don't worry, wait a little longer. Perhaps there will be news soon." Song Kai Cheng didn't know what else to say about this matter and could only offer such comfort.
Back then, he had to return to the country on an urgent matter. While visiting his parents' graves, he happened upon Shen Xi's car accident. After saving her, he took her back to country B.
Half a month later, Shen Xi finally regained consciousness from her critical condition and mentioned Yin Zhe to him.
Only then did he send people to search for him in China, but by then, Yin Zhe had already gone missing.
At this moment, a waiter walked over to serve the dishes, and the two continued their conversation as they ate.
They talked from work to life, and then to their children.
Both of them wore happy smiles.
Suddenly, two handsome men walked up from the staircase on the second floor.
"Si Ye, what made you decide to treat me to lunch today? I'm truly flattered. You should be treating Shen Xi instead," Gu Lin said, glancing sideways at him with a smile.
"She has something to do this noon..." Before the words "has something to do" could even be uttered, Qin Si Ye's peripheral vision caught sight of Shen Xi, and his voice abruptly stopped.
She had told him she had something to do, and he had thought she had important matters to attend to at the hospital, even urging her not to overwork herself. He never expected she would be having lunch with her Kai Cheng Ge.
Qin Si Ye felt a pang of pain in his heart. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he was not as important in her heart as that man.
"What's wrong?" Gu Lin asked, noticing his unusual demeanor.
"Nothing. Let's go. We're late." Qin Si Ye immediately withdrew his gaze, pretending nothing was amiss, and walked towards the private room ahead.
Gu Lin followed his steps, and the two entered the private room and took their seats.
Seeing Qin Si Ye's sullen expression, Gu Lin immediately sensed something was amiss. "What did you just see? Why did your expression change so suddenly?"
"Nothing. Order your food quickly. Order whatever you want to eat," Qin Si Ye forced down his inner bitterness and managed to put on a smile.
"Alright." Gu Lin assumed he had seen a business rival and didn't inquire further. He picked up the menu, casually ordered a few dishes, and handed it to Qin Si Ye, "You order some too."
Qin Si Ye only ordered a steak and a cup of coffee before handing it over to the waiter beside them.
"Why do you think Shen Xi had something to do this noon?" Gu Lin suddenly remembered what Qin Si Ye had left unsaid and couldn't help but ask.
"She said she had something to do at noon and couldn't come out." Qin Si Ye gave a self-mocking smile.
Gu Lin said, "Shen Xi has indeed been very busy lately. Besides seeing patients in the outpatient department, there are also several patients in the inpatient department who require acupuncture treatment. Moreover, I heard that she has a relative who seems to be staying in our hospital as well."
Upon hearing this, the anger and bitterness that had just risen in Qin Si Ye's heart seemed to dissipate by half. She had indeed been too tired these past few days.
However, why did she have to lie to him?
Seeing him deep in thought, Gu Lin asked caringly, "What's going on between you two now? Have there been any developments?"
Slowly raising his head, Qin Si Ye asked, "She has agreed to let me pursue her. Does that count as progress?"
Two bright lights flashed in Gu Lin's eyes. "Of course it does. It means your sincerity has touched her. Si Ye, I'm truly happy for you. It seems you'll be able to win her over very soon."
"But why do I still feel that the distance between us is still so vast?" Qin Si Ye looked towards an unknown direction ahead, his deep eyes filled with melancholy.
Gu Lin thought for a moment and said, "That might be because your expectations are too high. In my opinion, it's already very good that Shen Xi accepted your pursuit in such a short period. You should be content."
Looking at him with sharp eyes, Qin Si Ye frowned and asked, "It's almost two months, and you still think this isn't long enough? Are you saying that the torment I've endured isn't enough, and it should be prolonged?"
"Haven't you heard people say that good things take time? Some people chase their girlfriends for several years."
Gu Lin smiled, looking at his casual attire and the baseball cap on his head, and couldn't help but ask curiously,
"What exactly did you two go through for her to agree to your pursuit so quickly?"