Chapter 139: Patience is Required

Elder Qi brought Zhong Yi and Shen Qing to his office and made a phone call. Not long after, an assistant brought up several dishes.

Zhong Yi rolled up his sleeves and walked over. "Old man... there’s something on your..." He glanced at Shen Qing, relieved that he had reacted quickly enough to cover his tracks.

"Teacher, I just found out you’ve been cooking for yourself on the side." Zhong Yi opened a container to reveal braised shrimp.

Elder Qi hummed haughtily. "Shen Qing, you two eat. I’m off to prepare for the reception of the delegates from Country R."

Shen Qing nodded. "Understood."

The assistant offered a smile to Shen Qing before following Elder Qi out of the office.

"Sister, eat something else first. I’ll peel the shrimp for you." Zhong Yi put on a disposable glove and picked up a large shrimp to start shelling it.

Shen Qing nodded and picked up her chopsticks to grab a piece of braised pork. Zhong Yi couldn't help but steal glances at her repeatedly.

"If you have something to say, say it," Shen Qing said, lifting her eyelids with a warning tone.

"Sister, who has been by your side these past few months?" Zhong Yi placed the peeled shrimp onto Shen Qing’s plate and looked up to meet her eyes.

Before the meal, he had asked if Gu Ting was pestering her, and his sister hadn't answered! Then, when he opened a bottle of water for her, she had actually said "thank you!" These two things had to be related, and the most likely truth was that the relationship between Gu Ting and his sister had taken a step forward.

*Aww—*

Shen Qing’s hand paused mid-air as she reached for food. Zhong Yi, observing her every move, felt his own heart skip a beat.

"Many people. From Class Three."

"Are they all from your class?"

Shen Qing hesitated for a moment. "Yes."

Zhong Yi let out a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease.

***

The experts from Country R were staying at the medical research group for a week of exchanges. Shen Qing ended up staying for the week as well, mainly because Elder Qi was afraid the machinery might malfunction again and stubbornly refused to let her leave.

During the day, Dr. Zeng would seek out Shen Qing to research new cutting-edge precision instruments together. At night, Shen Qing would tinker with various gadgets in the laboratory.

"Sister, here is the reagent you wanted." Zhong Yi pushed the door open to enter. Shen Qing was wearing a white lab coat, using tweezers to carefully pull small nails one by one out of a purple solution.

Shen Qing glanced at him. "Just set it on the side."

Zhong Yi placed the brown bottle on the table and walked over to watch her work. Shen Qing placed the small nails into the grooves of a round metal box, adjusted their positions, and moved on to the next.

"This is for you." Once she finished the last one, Shen Qing poured the reagent from the brown bottle into the purple solution, which quickly turned clear.

Zhong Yi took the small round box. "Sister, I haven't even used the last one you gave me yet."

"This one has more stopping power. Keep it for self-defense." Shen Qing poured the solution into the waste container, closed the lid, and went to wash her hands.

"Oh." Zhong Yi tucked the metal box into his pocket.

After washing her hands, Shen Qing took off her lab coat. Zhong Yi quickly tidied up the workbench and followed her out.

***

"Sister, are you heading straight back to Fancheng?"

"No, there is still some business to attend to."

"Oh."

Shen Qing had always been a lone wolf. Even back in Jiang City, she would often disappear for periods of time, so Zhong Yi never pried into things she didn't volunteer to share.

***

In the capital, the Gu residence was bustling today. Gu Mingjing had returned with her husband, Luo Ze, and was currently chatting with her aunt, Gu Yunsheng. Meanwhile, Luo Ze was upstairs in the study talking with Gu Mingyue and Gu Ting.

"Little Ting, are you still teaching in Fancheng?" When Luo Ze had visited during the National Day holiday, he had heard that Gu Ting was working as a teacher in Fancheng. He hadn't believed it at the time, but after hearing Gu Mingjing mention it for several days after returning home, he realized it was true.

Gu Ting sat on the sofa playing a game, his eyes fixed on his phone screen. He gave a perfunctory grunt in response.

Gu Mingyue looked at the man on the sofa and clicked his tongue. "Still haven't caught that girlfriend of yours?"

Gu Ting’s pursuit of a young girl in Fancheng was hardly a secret. With loudmouths like Dongfang Cheng and Mo Wuxie around, even the maid who bought groceries and cleaned the house knew that the youngest master of the Gu family had a burgeoning romantic interest.

Hearing Gu Mingyue’s comment, Gu Ting’s gaming slowed for a brief moment. He lifted his eyes to glance at the two men who were clearly enjoying the show. "She’s still young. One shouldn't be impatient."