I'm in love

Dr. Zhao called Andy immediately. His hands were shaking slightly, and he almost pressed the wrong number several times. When he finally got through to Andy, Dr. Zhao took a deep breath, but he was still very excited.

"Hello!" Andy's voice came from the other end of the phone.

Zhao Qiping tried to calm himself down and asked, "Is it true?"

Andy replied with some confusion: "What is true?"

Zhao Qiping gritted his teeth and raised his voice slightly: "Does Qu Xiaoxiao have a new target? I just saw a photo of her and a man on WeChat Moments...Isn't this true?"

Andy was silent for a moment, then said softly, "It's true."

Hearing this answer, Zhao Qiping felt like he was hit hard in the heart, and he felt that his world suddenly became dark and gloomy. He didn't know how to face this fact, nor did he know what to do next.

Zhao Qiping: I’m finally free! I finally don’t have to sneak out the back door after get off work anymore… I… who is that man?

Andy: "He is one of my partners. He helped a lot when I sent Fan's parents back to their hometown last time. I don't know how they got together."

Andy: "It seems like they are still having dinner together now..."

Zhao Qiping: "Oh! Got it, thank you..." He responded to Andy and put down his phone thoughtfully. He was in a complicated mood, and after hesitating for a moment, he finally decided to call Qu Xiaoxiao.

At this moment, Qu Xiaoxiao had just finished a sumptuous dinner with Bao Yifan. Just as she was about to leave the restaurant, her cell phone rang suddenly. Seeing that the caller ID was Zhao Qiping, she was not surprised at all, but instead showed a barely perceptible smile.

Qu Xiaoxiao: "Hey, why did you suddenly remember to call me? Do you miss me?" There was a hint of teasing and intimacy in her voice.

Zhao Qiping was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Well... I have something to ask you. Just now Andy said that he saw you having dinner with someone else. Is that true?"

Qu Xiaoxiao chuckled and deliberately dragged out her tone as she replied, "Yeah~ I'm just having a meal with my friends, what's the big deal? You care about me so much, are you jealous?"

Zhao Qiping's face flushed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He pretended to be calm and said, "Don't joke, I'm just asking casually. What did you eat?"

Qu Xiaoxiao blinked mischievously and said, "Of course it's delicacies from land and sea! And top-quality red wine, it's delicious! Do you want to come over and try it together?" She knew that Zhao Qiping didn't like such luxurious occasions, but she still teased him on purpose.

Zhao Qiping shook his head helplessly and said, "No, I have something else to do. By the way, how is your work recently? Is it going well?"

Qu Xiaoxiao sighed and complained, "Oh, don't mention it! I've encountered some troublesome clients recently, which is really a headache. But it doesn't matter, I will find a way to solve it. What about you? Are you busy in the hospital?"

Zhao Qiping comforted her and said, "It's the same for me. I have a lot of patients to take care of every day. But this is our job. We have to stick to it no matter how hard it is." The two chatted about work for a while, and the atmosphere gradually became relaxed.

Finally, Zhao Qiping said, "Okay, I won't disturb you from resting. Go home early and be safe."

Qu Xiaoxiao smiled and said, "I know! You too, don't be too tired. Bye~" After hanging up the phone, Qu Xiaoxiao's mouth corners rose, and a warm feeling surged in her heart. On the other side, Zhao Qiping quietly looked at the phone screen and fell into deep thought...

"Hello, hello...Qu Xiaoxiao..." Zhao Qiping held the phone, his voice filled with helplessness and doting.

"Just wait for me, little devil..." The corners of his mouth rose slightly, as if he had already imagined the other party's reaction after hearing this sentence.

Zhao Qiping changed his clothes and drove to Ode to Joy. He parked the car and was about to enter the building when he was stopped by Xiao Zheng, a property manager on the first floor.

"Hello, sir. Who are you looking for?" Xiao Zheng asked seriously.

Zhao Qiping smiled and explained, "I'm Qu Xiaoxiao's friend. I've been here so many times. Don't you know me?"

Xiao Zheng shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, sir. We have clear rules here. Unless the owner calls or brings you in personally, we really can't let strangers in. This is also to ensure the safety of other residents. Please understand."

Zhao Qiping scratched his head helplessly. He knew that what Xiao Zheng said made sense, but he really wanted to meet Qu Xiaoxiao now. He thought about it and decided to try again.

"How about this, Xiao Zheng. Can you help me contact Qu Xiaoxiao and tell her I'm waiting for her here?" Zhao Qiping asked.

Xiao Zheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, I'll give it a try. But if Miss Qu still doesn't agree to let you in, I can't do anything about it."

Zhao Qiping smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you, Xiao Zheng. Thank you for your help."

Xiao Zheng picked up the phone and dialed Qu Xiaoxiao's number. However, there was a tone on the other end indicating that no one answered the call. Xiao Zheng looked at Zhao Qiping apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, sir. Miss Qu may not be at home or may not have heard the call. How about you go back first and she will contact you when she comes back?"

Zhao Qiping sighed, thinking that he might not see Qu Xiaoxiao today. But he still didn't give up, and decided to wait downstairs for a while, maybe she would come back soon?

So Zhao Qiping walked to the chair next to him and sat down, and began to wait patiently. As time passed, he couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. Was this trip really in vain? Just as he was thinking about it, he suddenly heard a familiar laugh coming from not far away.

At this time, Guan Juer came back from get off work and happened to meet Zhao Qiping. Zhao Qiping asked her for help, saying that he wanted to go to the property, but he needed someone to lead him up. After hesitating for a moment, Guan Juer decided to take him up.

After entering the elevator, Zhao Qiping suddenly asked, "You live in 2202, right?" Guan Juer was a little surprised and replied, "How did you know?"

Zhao Qiping smiled slightly and explained: "I saw you at the concert that day. Yanyan and Miss Fan were also there... and the person who competed with me for the record, was it you too, right?" Guan Juer listened and nodded slightly.

Zhao Qiping couldn't help but sigh: "I really didn't expect that Xiao Qu would have friends as tasteful as you, Yanyan and Andy." Hearing this, Guan Juer responded modestly: "I just have some hobbies, which are far from yours."

Guan Sui'er: "Didn't you break up with Xiao Qu? Why are you still here to see her?"

Zhao Qiping: I can’t really explain it. Before, she kept pestering me, and I felt annoyed. But now… I just realized now that intelligence cannot completely control the brain. This may be the legendary "slut-shaming".

Guan Sui'er: "But you two are completely different. You like reading and listening to concerts, while she likes going to bars and playing... How could you..."

Zhao Qiping: How could I be with Xiao Qu? I don't understand. Sometimes, I find her annoying. She does things in an exaggerated and inappropriate way. Sometimes, she doesn't even have the most basic kindness.