Mysyery

Chapter 12: Unexpected Challenges (Part 2)

"Hello, hello??????" Ning Beibei called out into the phone a few times but heard no response. "Really," she muttered, shrugging her shoulders and walking into the café.

The streets and alleys of Binjiang City are filled with various types of cafés: "Starbucks," "UBC Coffee," "Left Bank," "Dio Coffee," and so on. Their names are quite abstract. Every afternoon, the business in these cafés begins to pick up.

In an elegant and warm room, with a comfortable and soft sofa, the faint sound of a piano, slanting sunlight falling on the shoulders, and the person sitting behind the aroma of coffee. The coffee is bitter but not astringent, strong but not cloying, with a subtle fragrance that is captivating without being frivolous

Ning Beibei is a regular at the café, but today she came as a companion.

The editor-in-chief's husband was driving home late at night when a large truck approached from the opposite direction. The truck driver, suffering from fatigue, collided with the editor's husband's car. The truck was sturdy, and the driver was unharmed, but the editor's husband's car was wedged into the truck.

The specialist performed the surgery on the editor-in-chief's husband. The surgery was very successful, and that very night, he woke up. He was able to speak, move his limbs, and his mind was clear.

The editor-in-chief was overjoyed and arranged for someone to send a gift to the specialist, but the specialist did not accept it. She then invited him to dinner, but he also declined. However, after the hospital director of Binjiang Hospital persistently persuaded

Ning Beibei is an expert at livening up the atmosphere, able to be both casual and elegant. She has a particular knack for getting along with strangers right away, so the editor-in-chief brought her along.

The specialist, Dr. Qin, was very punctual. They had just been seated for a short while when he arrived. The moment Ning Beibei saw him, her heart skipped a beat and suddenly missed a half-beat.

"It's him, it's him," a voice in her mind whispered repeatedly. This specialist was precisely the kind of mature man she found irresistible. She had imagined someone like him but had never encountered him before.

Dr. Qin appeared to be around forty years old, though he looked even younger than his actual age. He took off his overcoat, revealing a light gray sweater underneath. From its design and material, it was clear that the sweater was expensive and meticulously crafted, fitting him perfectly. His tall and sturdy

He introduced himself as Qin Lang and then smiled slightly. His smile was gentle and modest, and he didn't have the typical antiseptic smell often associated with doctors.

Ning Beibei blushed, her heart racing, and she found herself tongue-tied, completely losing her usual trendy demeanor.

When the editor-in-chief introduced her, Qin Lang looked up and asked, "Miss Ning, do you know Chi Xiaoying?"

"Uh, yes, I know her. She's my best friend. Dr. Qin, do you know Xiaoying?" Ning Beibei asked, extremely surprised.

Qin Lang did not answer directly. "Is her husband named Xuan Xiao?"

"Yes," Ning Beibei nodded, guessing that Qin Lang might be a friend of Xuan Xiao.

"How are they?" Qin Lang asked as the waiter brought over the coffee. He took the ladies' coffees first, gesturing politely to them before finally taking his own.

Ning Beibei swallowed hard, unsure of which aspect he was referring to, and cautiously replied, "Um, they're doing well."

Qin Lang smiled, took a small sip of his coffee, and then turned to the editor-in-chief, softly asking about her husband's condition after being discharged

Ning Beibei, on the other hand, quietly observed Qin Lang. With each glance, her heart sank a little deeper.

Love is strange; it happens without warning. This was just a stranger she had just met, yet she felt as if she had been waiting for him for a long time. She clutched her chest, and her eyes involuntarily filled with tears.

No woman wishes to remain single forever; she simply hadn't met the right man. Lovers were merely for exchanging physical and emotional comfort, to stave off loneliness, nothing more, and could not be relied upon deeply. She longed for a partner who was stronger than her in every way—age, personality, and of course, financially. She desired someone who would adore her

"Dr. Qin, being in Binjiang must mean you can't attend to things at home," the editor-in-chief said with concern, refilling Qin Lang's coffee.

Qin Lang thanked her, saying, "My parents are in good health, and I have a younger brother with them."

The editor-in-chief, thinking like a housewife and quite nosy, asked, "If you don't mind me asking, did your wife and children come to Binjiang with you?"

Qin Lang looked up, his eyes suddenly deepening. "My daughter is ten years old and lives with her mother in the UK."

The editor-in-chief immediately fell silent, feeling awkward about asking further. Couples living on opposite sides of the globe were either divorced or on the verge of it; otherwise, how could they bear to leave such a young child behind? Doctors, unlike other professions, could work anywhere in the world.

Ning Beibei, listening from the side, couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. The timing, the setting, and the circumstances—all factors seemed to be in her favor.

Her phone rang. "Xiaoying?" she said, nodding to Qin Lang before turning away to take the call.

Qin Lang chatted with the editor-in-chief, but his gaze kept drifting towards Ning Beibei. He could catch bits and pieces of her conversation, and a gentle smile played at the corners of his lips

Ning Beibei turned around. "It was Chi Xiaoying," she said to Qin Lang.

"You two seem to be really close. Is she also dining out?" Qin Lang raised an eyebrow and signaled to the waiter.

"She's the perfect housewife, always staying home obediently," Ning Beibei said.

"No, let me," the editor-in-chief said hurriedly as she saw the waiter hand the bill to Qin Lang.

"There is no reason for a lady to pay the bill," Qin Lang said with a smile, taking out his wallet to settle the bill. He then turned to Ning Beibei, "I have to go across the river to visit my aunt tomorrow morning, so I'll leave for now. Let's arrange for you and Xiaoying to have dinner with me another day."

"Sure!" Ning Beibei quickly took out her business card and handed it to Qin Lang with both hands. "You can call me anytime."

Qin Lang nodded.

The editor-in-chief, feeling very apologetic, escorted Qin Lang to the door, continuously expressing her gratitude.

Wow, Ning Beibei thought with admiration when she saw Qin Lang’s impressive off-road vehicle. The "Land Rover" Range Rover is the highest-configured and most expensive model among the four major series of Land Rover. It is the most luxurious off-road vehicle on the domestic market, coming from the long-established British empire and known as a "noble steed." It doesn’t have a rugged exterior or exaggerated engine noise; instead, it is elegant and understated, with immense power beneath its restrained exterior. Such a vehicle is truly fit for the aristocracy, not like those who, despite driving Mercedes or BMWs, merely project a nouveau riche image.

Truly, the vehicle reflects its owner. Ning Beibei was so captivated by Qin Lang that she was completely smitten. She vowed to herself that she would definitely win him over.

Qin Lang bid farewell politely, and the "Land Rover" drove through the colorful neon lights, fading into the vast night.

Qin Lang bid farewell politely, and the "Land Rover" drove through the colorful neon lights, fading into the vast night.

"Stop staring; your infatuation is practically showing in Chinese," the editor-in-chief teased, giving Ning Beibei a sidelong glance.

Ning Beibei laughed heartily, unreserved and unabashed.

The editor-in-chief was eager to get home to her husband, so the two parted ways. Ning Beibei quickly called Chi Xiaoying, hoping to gather more information about Qin Lang.

"That little Xiaoying, she actually turned off her phone," Ning Beibei heard the soft, sweet voice of the automated message on the line. She snapped her phone shut with a pout.