Chapter 504: Chapter 504: The Iron Tree Blossoms
Gu Jiaojiao had originally planned to go home and cook something nice to treat Su Shuochi and herself.
They’d been so busy with studying and work lately that the couple hadn’t had a proper candlelit dinner in a long time.
But seeing the Director and the others being so enthusiastic, especially with Professor Frank still buzzing with excitement and seeming like he had much more to say to her, she changed her mind.
So she nodded and agreed. "Okay, let’s go eat together. Director, could we ask that young nurse to join us too?"
The Director had only invited Frank, her, and Principal Shen. The other instructors had already taken the students back to the school.
Just as the Director was about to ask which nurse she meant, he heard Xia Qiuming say, "Of course. I’ll go get her."
Then the Director watched Vice Director Xia’s back disappear around the corner of the hallway.
He watched Xia Qiuming’s retreating figure, shaking his head with a smile as he joked, "Could it be that our resident iron tree is finally about to blossom?"
"Director, what do you mean? Could it be what I think it is?"
"What you’re thinking? No way! How could that be possible?"
"You never know!"
"Director, don’t you go scaring us."
"Yeah! We’re faint of heart; we can’t take the shock."
"Vice Director Xia is always so serious. Would any woman even want to marry him?"
"Ha, that’s where you’re wrong. The line of women who want to marry him would stretch from our hospital to outside the city."
"You’ve got to be kidding. Then why is our Vice Director Xia still single?"
"That’s because his standards are high."
"He’s like an Immortal among men. What are we? You should know your place."
"Right, right, his standards are way too high. We mere mortals shouldn’t even be part of the comparison."
"We all know how strict Vice Director Xia is about work. He usually scares the female doctors and nurses half to death."
"But today, he actually offered to get a young nurse for dinner, and even went to get her himself!"
"What does that tell you? How can we not let our imaginations run wild? Aren’t you all curious who she could be?"
"Curious. Extremely curious."
"HAHAHA... You all!" The Director let out a hearty laugh, not bothering to stop the surgeons from gossiping.
He was also very curious, and besides, he was quite concerned about Vice Director Xia’s marital prospects.
Since the Director was laughing, the surgeons laughed along even louder.
Gu Jiaojiao also laughed openly, while complaining internally: ’The way you’re all gossiping, it’s hard to believe you’re surgeons!’
Just as everyone was laughing merrily, Vice Director Xia actually returned with the young nurse in tow.
The young nurse wore a white crew-neck sweater and black flared trousers under a sky-blue nurse’s coat.
A faint smile graced her face, and her bright eyes sparkled with life. Standing next to Vice Director Xia, she was a damned perfect match for him.
Everyone stared at the beautiful young nurse, stunned into a momentary, dead silence.
Although she was pretty and sweet, there was a trace of noble grace in her features.
Her skin was fair and her features were exquisite. If you looked closely, you’d even notice she resembled a movie starlet.
But she lacked a starlet’s delicate air, exuding instead a sense of resilience and stubbornness.
It was this unique temperament, one that other girls lacked, that could no doubt stir the heart of an Immortal like Vice Director Xia.
She stood beside Vice Director Xia with such natural grace that everyone couldn’t help but sigh internally. ’Damn, they’re a perfect match.’
No one noticed Vice Director Xu, whose eyes were glazed over for several long seconds.
’Some young nurse? Isn’t this his own picky niece, the one who’s been on countless blind dates but never found anyone good enough for her?’
’Could the person she likes be the unattainable Professor Xia?’
’How dare she?’
A long moment later, he finally snapped out of it and asked in disbelief, "Yue... this... is she the young nurse you were asked to find?"
"Yes, she is." Xia Qiuming didn’t know why everyone was staring at him in horror, but he answered affirmatively nonetheless.
Teacher Jiaojiao had called her "the young nurse" to her face, so there was no way he could have gotten it wrong.
’He had only ever been interested in medical research. Let alone women, not even men had ever caught his attention.’
’But the moment this young nurse arrived at the hospital, he had noticed her. Because whenever she saw him, she was like a mouse that had seen a cat.’
’Xia Qiuming had always considered himself an amiable person. Most women who saw him would feign swooning at his feet like lovesick fangirls.’
’But she would just lower her head whenever she saw him, looking terrified. That, in turn, had piqued his interest.’
’Then he learned that she was the same little baby girl who had burst into tears the moment she saw him after she was born.’
’He had been eight years old that year, a restless age. He had gone with his grandfather to attend the 100-day celebration for the Xu Family’s granddaughter.’
’He saw Grandpa Xu carrying a chubby, red-cheeked baby over to his own grandfather. He reached out and poked the baby’s cheek, and she immediately started wailing.’
’He’d been so scared he didn’t know what to do. From then on, he stopped being so mischievous and dedicated himself completely to his studies.’
’So when he found out that this young nurse was that very same baby, he became even more curious to see how she would act around him now.’
’So whenever he had free time, he would wander past her. Of course, he never initiated a conversation, and she continued to act like a mouse that had seen a cat whenever she saw him.’
’Could she really still have memories from when she was an infant?’
’This question utterly baffled Xia Qiuming. He asked several of his close friends about it, but they all just shook their heads and said nothing.’
’But he could tell they were all holding back mischievous grins.’
’Today, he had deliberately chosen her to greet Professor Frank and the teachers and students from the school with him.’
"Someone like her can’t possibly be an ordinary nurse. Which prominent family is she from? She’s so beautiful."
An earnest-sounding exclamation interrupted Xia Qiuming’s thoughts. He shook his head and grumbled inwardly: ’No matter the profession, there’s always a goofball.’
"Come on, let’s hurry to the cafeteria to eat. The Director specifically told them to prepare extra dishes today," Vice Director Xu said loudly.
The smile on his face was impossibly radiant, like a sunflower turning toward the sun.
"Let’s go eat. Professor Frank hasn’t had lunch yet; he must be hungry." The Director immediately turned and headed toward the hospital cafeteria.
It wasn’t that Xia Qiuming hadn’t noticed everyone’s strange looks, but he truly didn’t understand them.
So he pretended not to see, simply glancing at his watch before saying calmly, "I’m hungry too. Let’s go eat."
Gu Jiaojiao, Principal Shen, and Professor Frank walked in a line at the very front, with the other surgical chiefs and physicians following behind.
Xu Yue stood awkwardly beside Vice Director Xia. She wanted to walk with her uncle, but she didn’t dare make any sudden moves.
After all, it was Vice Director Xia who had brought her over. He was usually so stern, but the way he was looking at her right now seemed almost gentle, making her unable to resist stealing a few more glances at him.
’This man... he was still just as captivating as ever.’
