A few days later, Du Xiaosu was conducting a monograph on healthy habits and weight loss regimens of celebrities when she suddenly thought of Shao Zhenrong. She immediately contacted the hospital, tactfully requesting for a specialist to provide a detailed explanation on the topic of losing weight and staying healthy in order to criticize popular misconceptions about weight loss as well as thoroughly detail the effects of dieting on the nervous system in order to caution the ignorant people of the world against its impacts.1
The hospital was very supportive and receptive. âAll right. Weâll have Deputy Director Lu of the neurology department write a short piece for you.â
Du Xiaosu felt quite dismal after hearing this. Who knew that neurology and neurosurgery were separate spheres of neuroscience? Her attempt had failed.2
Zou Siqi helped Du Xiaosu come up with ideas. âWhy donât you just register for a check-up? Ask for that handsome3Â Shao Zhenrong to check you out.â
Du Xiaosu rolled her eyes in response. âUse your common sense. Heâs a neurosurgeon. Unless I had a brain tumor or needed craniotomy, I wouldnât ask for him. Regular patients donât go to neurosurgeons. Stop cursing me.â
Zou Siqi let out an admiring gasp. âJust thinking about those white coats that doctors wear . . . it even sounds handsome . . . like the The White Tower!4 Oh, Du Xiaosu, you must get him! That way, he can introduce me to one of his handsome colleagues!â
âWipe the drool off your chin,â retorted Du Xiaosu with disgust.
What really caught Du Xiaosu off guard was the phone call she received from Shao Zhenrong within the next few days. âAre you free tonight? May I ask you out to dinner?â
A sudden elation washed over her, causing the next words to tumble from her hurriedly, âI have time. I have time.â
Du Xiaosu thought she heard him chuckle at the other end of the line and found that she could picture his smile exactly, from his elegantly arched brows to his lightly upturned lips. It was just like the image that was currently displayed on her desktop. Switching the projection, she found that the following photos were also of him: following the professor while making rounds, clustered among a group of white-robed doctors, and more. He was still as eye-catching as ever in the crowd, perhaps because of his tall, straight-backed figure. In the moment he turned and caught sudden sight of her, his expression was at first one of surprise. As he lowered his eyes, they seemed to contain a flicker of a smile, rather like the initial melting of ice in springtime that reveals the blooming of the greenery.
The reservation was at a restaurant located near the hospital. He was waiting for her by the side of the road when she arrived. There was a note of apology in his voice as he said, âI hope it wasnât too much of a bother for you come so far. I actually returned to the country at the beginning of the year. Iâm more familiar with the areas surrounding the hospital. The dishes served here are great, so I wanted to invite you here to taste them.â
The restaurant served authentic local Shanghainese5Â private house dishes6Â in an old-fashioned bungalow.
The narrow stairs were dimly lit, but the waiter smiled gently and spoke softly. The music was lovely as well.
They were seated in a tiny box, perhaps one that had served as the houseâs pavilion for a long time. Nevertheless, it had been remodeled quite well. Despite its small size, the space did not feel cramped. In fact, with two people dining, the atmosphere felt far more intimate.
Du Xiaosu devoured Aishaâs Signature Crab & Shrimp Cakes with relish. Meanwhile, Shao Zhenrong didnât eat as much. Whenever Du Xiaosu was engrossed in eating, she would completely disregard7Â everything else. It wasnât until the last dessertâa complimentary jasmine tea puddingâwas served that Du Xiaosu remembered that she had a question to ask him. As usual, she finished her food in a couple of bites before asking, âRight, why did you invite me out for dinner?â
The dainty jasmine flower tea pudding, nestled tremulously in the exquisite plating, resembled translucent amber under the glow of the lights. Gently pushing his plate of pudding toward her, he said, âHappy birthday!â
She sucked in her breath, then let out an âah!â of pleasant surprise. After a momentâs pause, she smiled. âEven I forgot my birthday! How did you remember?â
âWhen you donated blood last time, you filled out your ID number on the form.â
He had even gotten her a present, one that came in a very large box. He had hidden the box beforehand. Now, he revealed the box and handed it to her. As it turned out, he had planned everything that had happened tonight.
She tore open the present to find that it was a soft and small piggy pillow, a tender shade of pink. The raised nose was absolutely adorable.
âIt reminds me of you, so I got it for you,â he said with a grin.
Say what?
Nevertheless, she felt very happy. The present hadnât been extravagant, but she really liked it.
After they finished their meal, he insisted on sending her home. He hadnât driven his own car out, but they practically had to traverse half the district, so the two of them took the light rail. As it wasnât rush hour, the car was virtually empty. They sat side by side. She cuddled the soft little pig and felt a warmth spreading within her. As someone who loved to talk, she was unusually quiet tonight, sitting placidly beside him. He didnât speak much either.
When the light rail came to a halt and they exited to descend the escalator, he smoothly took her hand in his warm palm. She could hear the pounding of her own heart. He didnât release her hand.
Her neighborhood wasnât far from the metro station. The two of them strolled at a leisurely place. Still, just like all things, the walk eventually came to an end.
âWeâre here,â she said as they entered the apartment complex.
Only then did he release her hand. With a soft smile, he said, âGo on. Iâll give you a call tomorrow.â
âOkay.â
âNo matter how busy you are with work, you must remember to eat. If youâre too hungry or you go hungry too often, youâll get a digestive disorder.â
âHey, hey, Doctor Shao. How come you canât speak three sentences without directing back to your profession?â
He began to laugh. âWait for my call tomorrow,â he said to her.
Du Xiaosu couldnât help but laugh along.
âXiaosu?â Someone called her name in the dimness. Du Xiaosu turned around. Once again, she was pleasantly surprisedâthis time by her parents. âDad! Mom! Whyâd you come?â
Mrs. Du contained her smile as she first appraised her daughter, then turned to appraise Shao Zhenrong. âYour dad was in the area for a meeting. I remembered that today is your birthday, so I came along.â
Du Xiaosu, who was still a child at heart, ran into her fatherâs arms and exclaimed, âDad! You didnât even give me a call first!â
Du Maokai laughed heartily as he hugged his daughter back and said, âIf I had called, then it wouldnâtâve been a surprise! Who wouldâve thought that you werenât even home? Weâve been waiting for you this whole time.â Her fatherâs eyes twinkled as he, too, appraised Shao Zhenrong.
Du Xiaosu appeared to be feeling somewhat awkward in front of her parents, acting very unlike her usual8Â demeanor. âThis is Shao Zhenrong. He sent me home.â
Du Xiaosu then introduced her parents to Shao Zhenrong. âThis is my dad. This is my mom.â
Mrs. Du was all smiles as she said, âLetâs all head up. Itâs awfully cold here. Shao9Â Zhenrong, why donât you have a cup of warm tea with us?â
Du Xiaosu felt embarrassed. What were the odds of bumping into her parents right after their very first date? They had hardly even exchanged more than eight words between themselves. Who knew what he would think of this situation?
Since Du Xiaosu rented her apartment, it was not particularly large. Even though it was slightly messy, it had a very cozy and comfortable feel to it.
As she headed to the kitchen to make tea, she heard her parents ask, âShao Zhenrong, where do you work?â
Shao Zhenrongâs response was met with a âwow!â from Du Maokai.
âYour hospitalâs neurosurgery department is considered the best in the nation. My former boss underwent surgery there. Young man, you are doing very well for yourself, you have a great future ahead of you.â
âI actually just started working at the hospital. Right now, Iâm still shadowing a professor and continuing my studies. I still have a lot to learn,â said Shao Zhenrong.
Du Xiaosu was cheerfully serving the tea when her mother posed another question. âShao Zhenrong, judging by your accent, youâre not from here?â
âMom! Why do you sound like youâre checking his household10Â registration?â Du Xiaosu rebuked.
Shao Zhenrong smiled earnestly. âItâs all right. Uncle and Auntie, I am indeed not from here. My parents live in Beijing. I studied at Fudanâs Medical School for my undergraduate degree, then studied in the UK at Edinburghâs Medical School. After completing my masterâs degree, I returned to the country at the beginning of the calendar year. I havenât known Xiaosu for very long. In fact, today was the first time I officially asked her out on a formal date. I think sheâs very cute. Iâd like to respectfully request your permission to pursue her. I sincerely hope that you will approve of my relationship with Xiaosu.â
These remarks rendered Du Xiaosu stunned and speechless.
At last, Du Maokai released a jolly laugh and patted Shao Zhenrong on the shoulder. âNot bad, not bad, young man. Du Xiaosu is lucky to have encountered someone as amazing as you.â
Du Xiaosuâs mother smiled broadly as she said, âYou know, our Du Xiaosu is not so hard to get. Sheâs very soft-hearted. With a little bit of effort as well as diligence and vigilance, she wonât be able to escape from you.â
Du Xiaosu wanted to sigh12Â to the heavens. What kinds of parents did this? Only a few minutes had passed, yet they had already roped him in. Was Shao Zhenrong really such a handsome young talent?
âMy parents are just trying to look out for me, which is why they acted that way,â Du Xiaosu said as she escorted Shao Zhenrong down the stairs.
Shao Zhenrong smiled. âI know. My mother is like that too. I think all parents in the world act that way.â He reached out to take her hand in his, paused for a moment, then said, âXiaosu, I felt very happy tonight.â
Du Xiaosuâs cheeks flushed. She had always thought that she was thick-skinned and therefore unsusceptible to blushing, but perhaps because of the heat emanating from the palm of his hand like a small iron, she felt as his grip had the power to smooth out every delicate matter of the heart. At that moment, there were a lot of things she wished to say, but she didnât know where to start. In the end, she simply said, âI did too.â
Upon returning to her apartment, she was met with matching grins from her parents. Feeling rather embarrassed, she began to act flighty. âDad, mom, it seems as if the two of you are concerned that I wonât be able to make a match on my own at all. You even spoke on my behalf.â
Du Maokaiâs attitude was one of utmost seriousness. âXiaosu, this Shao Zhenrong is truly amazing. His profession and his education and all that are actually secondary concerns. Whatâs most important is that he is of solid and stable character.â
Du Xiaosu felt her heart soar but continued to express discomfort. âYou were able to evaluate his character from such a brief encounter?â she purposely retorted.
âWell, of course,â said Du Maokai. âIt is entirely possible to assess someoneâs character just by examining the minutiae of the personâs many actions. Have I ever been mistaken? This young man was raised well. He is polite as well as sincere in his interactions. If you are really able to be in a relationship with him, consider yourself lucky.â
âYou donât think that badly of me, do you?â Du Xiaosu whispered.
Du Maokai squeezed her cheek and burst into laughter. âOf course, my daughter is not bad at all. Otherwise, why would Shao Zhenrong be so anxious to express his intentions to us on the spot?â
Du Maokai continued to have meetings in the area for the next two days. Du Xiaosu switched shifts with one of her colleagues in order to accompany her mother shopping. Shao Zhenrong rushed over after work as well to dine with Du Xiaosuâs parents.
He had always been a thoughtful person. He was very attentive to both Du Xiaosu and her mother. When he departed, even Du Xiaosuâs mother was very satisfied, saying to Du Xiaosu, âNow, your father and I can rest assured.â
âMom!â
âYou have such a stubborn temperament as well as fickle disposition. You were doing just fine before, yet you resigned and came all the way over here. In addition to that, being a reporter is not an easy occupation. Working alone and running all over the placeâyour father and I are always worrying about you.â
Du Xiaosu felt a shred of guilt as she recalled her own capricious resolve at the time. Softly, she murmured, âMama.â
âThe saying13Â does go once bitten, twice shy. However, that Lin Xiangyuan was definitely not worth you giving up your job and coming here all alone. Nevertheless, you are still young, so itâs good that you experienced independence. Regardless, Dad and I will always support you,â Du Xiaosuâs mother said.
Du Xiaosu felt the backs of her eyelids burn with tears as she reached out to embrace her mother. Neither of them spoke for a long moment.
It was the first time in two years that her mother had brought up the topic of Lin Xiangyuan in front of her. She hadnât expected herself to react in this almost indifferent way. She had thought that she still cared.
Back then, she had been young and thoughtless and arrogant, which was why she had decided to move so far away. Perhaps she had been in love with Lin Xiangyuan. After all, theirs had been a schoolyard romance beneath the shade of the sycamores along Shanghaiâs French Concession. She sorrowfully remembered that boulevard and their youth. Yet, she may not have been in love with Lin Xiangyuan at all. Perhaps, instead, she had merely loved those pure and bright years.
After their split, she had arrived in this distant city all alone, choosing to work a job that was completely different from her major. Her initial intention was to avoid any further interaction with things past, hoping to have a chance to start over and wanting to see if she could break ground. Moving forward, she had gradually realized that being an entertainment reporter was very challenging. The occupation required resilience and hard work. As a result, she found that she had grown a lot as a person.
âYou must be one of the most dedicated entertainment reporters out there,â Zou Siqi said. âYou hardly ever get a chance to see Doctor Shao. If I had such a great boyfriend, I wouldâve packed my bags and tied the knot as soon as possible.â
âHeâs even busier than I am. Thatâs why we hardly ever get to see each other,â Du Xiaosu responded casually. âNot to mention the fact that I aspire14Â to represent the nationâs entertainment reporting industry in showing the world that we are worth more than people think!â
It was one of those rare occasions when she was able to knock off early. However, that day, Shao Zhenrong still had to perform a surgery, so Du Xiaosu had plans to eat out with Zou Siqi.
Du Xiaosu was on her way to the restaurant when she received a call from Mo.
âWhere are you?â
âIâve already clocked out. Iâm getting ready to eat.â
âWhat do you mean, youâve already clocked out? Xianyang got tipped off that Xu Youâs flight will arrive very soon at around six oâclock. Hurry over to the airport right now. We must get this exclusive.â
âWhat? Isnât she with crew in Xiâan shooting outdoor scenes? How come sheâs flying over here all of a sudden?â
âThatâs why Iâm telling you to head over and keep an eye out. Thereâs definitely something to be had from this.â
Hanging up, Du Xiaosu had no choice but to first give Zou Siqi a call. âSomething came up. I have to go to the airport.â
Zou Siqi, who never let this kind of gossip slide, demanded, âWho is it?â
âXu You, coming with neither word nor warning. Something is definitely up.â As Du Xiaosu spoke on the phone, she raised her wrist and glanced at her watch. âThereâs no point in waiting for me. Why donât we find another time?â
âItâs okay! No problem. Iâll wait for you. I want to hear fresh gossip. Hurry up, okay? Make haste for the sake of the nationâs entertainment reporting industry!â said Zou Siqi.
Du Xiaosu began to chuckle, then realized that she was about to run out of time. As it was the weekend, she was afraid that there would be heavy traffic. She took the subway first, then switched to the maglev. After all the rushing about, she finally made it to the airport just as the sky was beginning to darken.
Du Xiaosu promptly jogged all the way to the VIP terminal and made it just in time to see a graceful woman with a willowy figure exit. Walking alone and pulling a small suitcase, the woman wore large sunglasses and a silk scarf covered most of her face.
Du Xiaosu wasnât entirely sure if this was indeed the celebrity she was looking for. These kinds of female stars were often very pompous, yet Xu You was not accompanied by a manager or an assistant. Her traveling solo was a rare sight to behold.
Du Xiaosu remained silent as she fished her phone out of her pocket, pretended to send a text message, lowered her head, and subtly swayed over.
The woman walked out of the airport without looking around at her surroundings. It was only then that Du Xiaosu noticed a silver-gray Jaguar parked in the driveway. The woman continued walking until she reached the car. As she stood by the side of the car, the driver disembarked to open the door for her. The woman finally removed her sunglasses and bent over at the waist, revealing a hint of a smile. Sighting this signature smile, Du Xiaosu was certain that it really was Xu You.
Upon seeing Xu You lean over to intimately kiss the man sitting in the backseat, Du Xiaosu frenziedly pressed the button. Although the image quality was probably not the best, Du Xiaosu couldnât care about that at the moment.
As Xu You quickly got into the car, the chauffeur closed the door for her. The silver-gray Jaguar drove away ostentatiously.
Du Xiaosu considered hailing a taxi to tail the car. After thinking about it, she knew that she wouldnât be able to catch up. Besides, she had already taken the photos, so with peace of mind, she packed up and went to meet Zou Siqi for dinner.
When Du Xiaosu arrived at the restaurant and saw Zou Siqi, she immediately felt pangs of hunger overtaking her. Zou Siqi had already ordered Du Xiaosuâs favorite iron plate fried sea melon seeds. Without another word, Du Xiaosu buried her head in the food and began to eat with relish.
âHey, donât exhibit self-destructive behaviors like this. Even if you didnât manage to photograph Xu You, gossip is an everyday thing. You can never run out of opportunities for exclusive content,â said Zou Siqi.
âWho said I didnât manage to take pictures?â Du Xiaosu spat out sea melon seed shells as mumbled around a mouthful of food, drawing her phone from her pocket and handing it to Zou Siqi.
âIf you captured photos, why are you depressed?â said Zou Siqi.
The dish was so spicy that Du Xiaosu had to inhale rapidly before she could respond. âIâm not depressed. Iâm hungry.â
Zou Siqi found it all very amusing. âI thought you were trying to channel your grief into appetite again.â After taking the phone from Du Xiaosu and adjusting the photo on the screen, Zou Siqi released a whistle. âHot15Â damn! Who is this man?â
Upon hearing Zou Siqi say this, Du Xiaosu craned her neck and glanced at the image projected on the phone screen. One of shots was captured very clearly: the better half of the personâs face had been photographed, as he had tilted his head slightly to talk to Xu You. His expression was not particularly intimate, nor did he bear a smiling countenance. His dark gray overcoat set off his striking brows, almost eye-catching16 in their coldness. Hot damn, indeed. She examined the image closely. âWhy does this person look somewhat familiar?â
âIs he a celebrity as well?â Zou Siqi was full of spirited vigor when it came to these kinds of things. âA celebrity plus a movie star? This news is going to explode!â
Du Xiaosu looked at the photo for a long while before finally releasing a breath or relief. âAh, no wonder I thought this person looked familiar! He resembles Shao Zhenrong.â
Zou Siqi chuckled merrily. âOther people look at their lover and see Xi Shi. Meanwhile, you see your lover everywhere. When you catch sight of a man with fine facial features, you think that person looks like your Doctor Shao.â
Du Xiaosu rolled her eyes at Zou Siqi. âI know youâre jealous.â
Zou Siqi exaggeratedly mimed clutching her heart. âYes, Iâm dying of jealousy.â Then, in all seriousness, Zou Siqi said, âYou have to help me find out who this man is immediately. When the time is right, I must do everything in my power17Â to have him, no matter the outcome, lest I spend every single day envying you.â
âMo has an acquaintance who will help investigate the owner of the car. Weâll know who it is at that point,â said Du Xiaosu to Zou Siqi. âWell, this time I captured the exclusive content. After a few days, when I get my bonus, Iâll invite you out for dinner.â
Zou Siqi was studying the photo very carefully when she suddenly spoke. âItâs not that I want to put you down or anything, but I think your bonus might not be as imminent as you think. Who knows? This photo might end up getting âdrowned outâ as well in the end.â
âWhy do you say that?â Du Xiaosu was utterly at a loss.