Chapter 506: Chapter 506: Did You Know, I Have Adored You for a Long Time
Xu Yue blushed. She hadn’t expected Vice Director Xia to ask her something like that. As far as she knew, he never initiated conversations with women.
He wouldn’t even give them a second glance. But now, he was actually asking her a question.
She felt both flattered and flustered, her heart pounding. ’What does he mean by this?’
Xu Yue mustered her courage and looked up at him. His face still wore a smile, and when their eyes met, her face burned and her heart raced.
’Is this really the same stern and unsmiling Professor Xia?’
She couldn’t very well tell him that she’d asked his cousin about his preferences because she had a secret crush on him!
His cousin was her cousin-in-law and would tell her anything she asked. That was how she knew his preferences.
She thought about saying she’d heard it from a colleague, but none of the other nurses knew his preferences!
Panicked, Xu Yue could only blurt out a lie. "I... I... heard it from my uncle."
"Oh? In that case, your uncle must be quite capable to know my preferences."
The shyer the young nurse became, the more delighted Xia Qiuming was. He continued to tease her, finding it incredibly amusing.
He took in her every awkward movement and concluded that she was genuinely afraid of him.
Normally, whenever Gu Jiaojiao was around, Xia Qiuming’s gaze would be fixed on her as they discussed medical techniques.
Today, however, he had no interest in listening to Gu Jiaojiao and Professor Frank discuss medical techniques.
His full attention was on Xu Yue. He found her fascinating—far more so than he’d ever imagined.
Vice Director Xu, who was sitting across from them: ...
’It’d be a miracle if I knew Professor Xia’s preferences,’ he thought. ’What do I know?’
But everyone was hoping their niece would find someone she liked and get married. If he had to be the scapegoat, so be it.
So, Vice Director Xu turned to chat with Principal Shen about other matters. Ignorance was bliss.
"My uncle was just making a casual comment; he wasn’t certain. Aren’t you going to get some food for her?"
Xu Yue had only fabricated the story out of fear that her crush would be exposed. She wasn’t completely lovesick, so she quickly changed the subject.
She didn’t dare discuss Professor Xia’s preferences any further. He was far too cunning.
Xia Qiuming teased her with a smile, "Her? Who’s ’her’? Why should I get her food?"
He knew the girl was talking about Master Jiaojiao, but he deliberately chose not to tell her Jiaojiao was his master.
He just loved seeing her get flustered. He didn’t know when he’d become so wicked.
"The immortal to my left," Xu Yue whispered, leaning close to Xia Qiuming’s ear so Gu Jiaojiao wouldn’t overhear.
As she spoke, her warm breath ghosted across his ear. The sensation seemed to have a life of its own, rushing straight to Xia Qiuming’s brain.
His mind went completely blank, and a rush of heat surged through him. Fortunately, he recovered quickly enough that no one noticed anything was amiss.
Professor Xia had never experienced a feeling like this before. A scorching heat spread from his ear, where her breath had touched, through his entire body.
He deliberately mimicked her, leaning close to her ear to whisper back, "Why would she need my help? Haven’t you noticed the entire table is already getting food for her?"
Xia Qiuming did it on purpose, his warm breath blowing directly into her ear as he spoke.
Having harbored a secret crush on him for so long, Xu Yue trembled uncontrollably as his breath caressed her ear.
As if terrified her feelings would be exposed, she hastily ducked her head, feeling an unfamiliar heat rise within her.
Seeing the young woman’s trembling figure, Xia Qiuming was quite pleased with his handiwork.
"You, on the other hand, should eat more." As he spoke, Xia Qiuming picked up some food with his chopsticks and placed it in Xu Yue’s bowl.
His lips accidentally brushed against her earlobe, and it felt as if they had grazed her very heart.
"Ah..." Xu Yue cried out, unable to bear it. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the man she adored.
Seeing her cry out, Xia Qiuming was no longer flustered. He just smiled and said, "Don’t be so nervous. I was just getting you some food."
Xu Yue: ...
She wasn’t nervous. She was thrilled.
Her dream had come true. She had dreamed countless times of him kissing her.
Even though he had only grazed her earlobe by accident, the impact shattered her composure. She was so moved she wanted to burst into tears.
And indeed, tears of joy began to stream down her face. This, however, baffled the brilliant Professor Xia. ’Why is she crying?’
’Did I take my teasing too far? Does she hate me now?’
He couldn’t figure it out. But he didn’t press the issue; after all, they barely knew each other.
Although Gu Jiaojiao was discussing medical techniques with Frank, she had been watching the interaction between Xia Qiuming and Xu Yue out of the corner of her eye.
She saw Xu Yue’s happy tears and Xia Qiuming’s clueless, alarmed expression, and knew it was her cue.
She grinned and teased, "My goodness, Professor Xia gets the nurse a little food, and you move her to tears! Aren’t you going to wipe them away for her?"
Xia Qiuming: ...
’She was moved?’
’She doesn’t hate me?’
Hearing his master’s words, his body reacted before his mind could. His fingers were already reaching out to brush against her cheek.
He gently wiped the tears away and asked softly, "Are you really this happy because of me?"
"Mhm!" Xu Yue nodded several times, answering him honestly.
She looked at him with sincerity, her eyes as clear and pure as a mountain stream.
In them, he could see his own reflection, and his face was filled with a tenderness he didn’t recognize. ’Is that really me?’
Professor Xia felt like he was hallucinating. But her smile was brilliant, like a white rose in full bloom.
He knew his feelings for her were different. "Silly girl... were you really that moved? How about I get you food at every meal from now on?"
"Really? You’ll get me food at every meal? For that to happen, wouldn’t you have to marry me?"
The question tumbled out of Xu Yue’s mouth before she could think, just following the thread of his words.
"Hahahaha..." Principal Shen burst into peals of laughter. He was absolutely delighted.
The Xias were always complaining that he gave Xia Qiuming too much work, leaving him no time for dating. Well, look at him now!
"Hahahaha..." Vice Director Xu’s laugh was the loudest of all. His niece was finally going to get married off!
Gu Jiaojiao translated the happy exchange into another language for Professor Frank, who burst out laughing in excitement upon hearing it.
His own marriage may not have been a love match, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying the sight of two people in love finally getting together.
Professor Xia paid no mind to the teasing. All he wanted to do in that moment was pull her into his arms.
But with so many people around, he held back, afraid of embarrassing her.
Instead, he leaned close to her ear again and whispered, "Then I’ll marry you. I’ll be your husband, alright?"
She was silent for a few seconds. Then, she looked up at him, her eyes full of sincerity, and said, "Are you serious? You have to know... I’ve had feelings for you for a very long time."
Xu Yue met his gaze without flinching and gave him a brilliant smile, radiating youthful charm.
"Thank you," Professor Xia said, his voice thick with emotion.
