"Alright," Shen Xi replied crisply after a moment of thought.
Though she didn't want to agree to his request and had listed many reasons, this man had resolved them all.
To have managed to change fourteen times to ten was, in itself, a small victory.
Regardless, the "thanks" she owed him would eventually have to be repaid.
If she repaid it now, at least she knew what to do. If she waited for the future, who knew what more unreasonable demands he might make.
Seeing her agree, Qin Si Ye's face instantly lit up with a happy smile. He raised his juice, "Come, Shen Xi, let's have a toast."
Looking at his smug expression, Shen Xi's heart skipped a beat. She suddenly felt like she had been tricked by him again.
Just moments ago, she had been celebrating being freed from the "shackle" of treating him to a meal, only to now walk into another "restraint" he had set.
After finishing their meal, as they exited Xiang Heyuan, Qin Si Ye glanced at his watch and said with a faint smile, "Let's go. Take me back to the company first."
Hearing this, Shen Xi blinked her beautiful peach blossom eyes and tilted her head, asking him, "So, can this be considered the first time?"
Qin Si Ye's gaze turned slightly cold as he looked at her for a moment, then abruptly took her small hand and walked towards the car, "Yes."
Shen Xi followed him, trotting to catch up and forcefully pulling her hand away. She warned him sternly, "Mr. Qin, I can drive you to work, but you can't get grabby."
His footsteps paused slightly. Qin Si Ye looked back, meeting her sharp gaze, and sighed helplessly, "Alright."
Getting into the car, Shen Xi immediately started the engine, turned on the navigation, and drove towards Qin Si Ye's company. wΑp.kanshu伍.net
Qin Si Ye sat in the passenger seat, secretly watching Shen Xi's slightly annoyed yet completely focused little face. He was suddenly reminded of a line from "Ode to the Lotus": "Its fragrance purifies from afar, it stands tall and clean, to be admired from a distance but not profaned."
He couldn't help but sigh again in his heart. For him, Shen Xi was not someone to be admired from afar, but someone close at hand whom he still couldn't touch.
To think of himself, a healthy thirty-two-year-old man who had never interacted with women before, finally meeting a woman he wanted to approach, to possess, yet could only watch.
How could his life be so bitter?
But then again, being able to watch her up close every day was already his greatest progress at this stage.
Upon returning to the hospital, with twenty minutes to spare before work started, Shen Xi immediately called Xie Yifei to inquire about her health.
Learning that she had improved, Shen Xi was finally relieved.
At five in the afternoon, as she walked out of the outpatient clinic, preparing to leave work and pick up her children, she met Qin Si Yue walking towards her with a smile.
"Si Yue, what are you..." Shen Xi asked curiously, seeing that she wasn't wearing a white coat and had a black leather bag slung over her shoulder.
According to hospital regulations, it wasn't her usual dismissal time yet.
"Sister Xi, I need to take leave for something. My car broke down, and I wanted to catch a ride with you." Qin Si Yue walked over and affectionately linked her arm.
"Of course. Let's go then." Shen Xi readily agreed.
As soon as they got into the car, Shen Xi smiled at her, "How are things going with Officer Han lately? Any progress?"
Lately, she herself had been busy with many things and had to take frequent leave.
And Qin Si Yue's workload had also increased after her promotion to head of radiology, so their opportunities to have lunch together had significantly decreased.
A few days ago, during a meal, she had confided in Shen Xi about helping Han Haoming solve a case. They had a certain level of contact because of it, and Shen Xi heard they had even had dinner together once.
But in the past few days, Shen Xi wondered if there had been any greater progress.
Her asking this was not out of gossip, but out of concern.
Admittedly, Qin Si Yue's taste was indeed good. Compared to that Dr. Wei, Han Haoming was a better fit for her.
"Sigh, don't even mention it. Ever since that incident, I haven't seen him in ages.
Several times I've tried to ask him out for dinner, but he's always refused, citing overtime. I don't know if he's really working overtime or just pretending." Qin Si Yue said dejectedly, pouting her lips.
"Police work is indeed very busy; overtime is common. Perhaps he's telling the truth." Shen Xi patted her hand and started the car, driving forward. "Where are you headed?"
"The Northern City Branch of the Public Security Bureau," Qin Si Yue replied.
"Ah? You're not going there specifically to find Han Haoming, are you?" Shen Xi exclaimed in surprise, glancing at her. She remembered Han Haoming worked there.
She had gone there with him when Chenchen went missing.