Chapter 256 253. Meeting
Su Peng had barely slept all night.
His family dog had been with them for over a decade, practically a member of the family. The dog was old and had fallen seriously ill, though fortunately, the hospital’s prognosis was relatively optimistic. Worried about sudden complications, and since the Su family wasn't short on cash, they simply had the dog admitted to the pet hospital to be watched over by professional doctors.
Usually, he stayed up late with An Han anyway, but after a nearly sleepless night, his dark circles were even more pronounced than usual.
Outside, the sky had brightened. Su Peng got out of bed, yawned, and sent his customary "Good morning" to An Han. He waited a moment, but when he didn't get a reply, he didn't think much of it—An Han usually didn't wake up until around ten.
He wanted to vent his frustrations to her, but he worried his negative emotions would rub off on her, making her already unpredictable moods even worse.
"Dad, I’m heading to the hospital to check on Wang Cai," he called out toward the study as he left his room.
"The hospital doesn't open until ten. Let's go together then."
"Alright."
Su Peng’s father was named Su Guangyu. He had started as a young migrant worker in the city but managed to catch the right wave of opportunity; now, he was a well-known local entrepreneur.
Once his temporary work was finished, it happened to be ten o'clock. Walking out of the study, Su Guangyu saw his son standing by the window playing with his phone. He instinctively lightened his steps, sneaking up behind Su Peng to peek at the screen.
His eyesight was quite sharp; he immediately spotted the contact name.
"An Han?"
Su Peng jumped, startled, and hurriedly hid his phone.
"Your little girlfriend? You haven't even brought her home for us to see," Su Guangyu said with a chuckle, seeing his reaction and immediately understanding. He threw an arm around Su Peng’s shoulder.
"Nothing's official yet."
"Then you’d better hurry up and confess. If someone else snatches her away, it’ll be too late for tears."
Su Peng didn't want to discuss his private life with his father anymore, so he changed the subject. "It’s ten. Heading to the hospital now?"
As he spoke, he sent a message to An Han: I’m going to the pet hospital. Talk later.
Which hospital? An Han replied curiously.
Chongkang. It’s probably the best pet hospital around here, just a bit pricey.
Oh~
Putting his phone away, Su Peng looked at Su Guangyu’s gossipy, curious expression and sighed helplessly. "You should worry more about Wang Cai."
"Didn't the doctor say it wasn't a big deal?"
The father and son walked out of their small villa, found two shared bikes on the street, and began cycling toward the hospital. The hospital wasn't far—located in the narrow streets of the old town where parking was scarce—so they didn't bother driving.
An Han flipped nimbly off the hotel bed. While searching for the address of Chongkang Hospital on her phone's map, she quickly pulled on her clothes.
I have to dress pretty...
She was about to put on leggings when her gaze fell on her trench coat.
No, I have to wear the trench coat!
She wanted to show off her newly acquired "Mature Older Sister" (Yu-jie) vibe in front of Su Peng. Seeing the reaction at the class reunion last night, her mature style was clearly a head-turner. Plus, since this was a surprise, changing her style would definitely make Su Peng’s shocked face look even more ridiculous.
Humming a little tune, she threw on the trench coat and her white sneakers before excitedly leaving the hotel room.
Since she was going to the hospital, she would probably see Su Peng’s dog, the victim of that "unforeseen disaster." She decided to buy a gift for the dog as an apology...
Even if the dog wasn't human, the System was definitely a dog (jerk).
There was a small pet clinic near the hotel. An Han went inside to buy a bone-shaped chew toy just as her ride-share arrived. Sitting in the car, she was already anticipating Su Peng’s expression.
It would definitely be fun—that look of pure shock would be way more entertaining than her usual pranks.
About twenty minutes later, An Han stepped out of the car in high spirits. she looked at Chongkang Hospital across the street, then turned around and walked into a Shaxian Delicacies shop.
Food first. Plus, she could stake out Su Peng from inside the shop.
"Boss, peanut butter noodles and wonton soup, please."
Sitting at the table, An Han rested her chin on her hand, watching the hospital across the street. She looked forward to Su Peng’s stunned face while considering where they should go for the next day or so.
She had to be home by tomorrow evening, otherwise, she wouldn't be able to explain things to her parents. That gave her a day and a half... basically a mini-vacation.
After searching the nearby attractions, she felt that going to an internet cafe with Su Peng sounded more fun... or maybe a VR experience center. Script-based murder mystery games (jubensha), which had become popular lately, were also an option. There was even a game museum nearby that supposedly housed almost every console since home gaming began.
But... where is Su Peng?
She had finished her meal and paid the bill, but nearly an hour had passed since Su Peng said he was heading to the hospital. She looked across the street again with doubt. She hadn't taken her eyes off the entrance even while eating; it was unlikely she’d missed him.
"Is there another hospital with the same name? A chain?"
But when she searched earlier, she hadn't seen a second one on the map. Since the boss had already cleared her table, An Han didn't linger. She walked to the street corner, glancing back and forth at the cars, looking for a Toyota Crown or some other high-end car.
Meanwhile, Su Peng was only just lazily arriving in the neighborhood on a shared bike, following his father. He had just gone for morning tea at a Cantonese restaurant with his dad, who wasn't in any hurry at all, though Su Peng’s mind had been on the hospitalized Wang Cai the whole time.
"Dad, pedal faster."
"You’re more worried about that dog than I am."
Su Guangyu had a bit of a beer belly and was feeling sluggish after the big meal. He gave a lazy yawn. "You’re just too anxious. If there were a problem, the doctor would have called us."
"I just want to see if he's better."
As he spoke, Su Peng’s gaze, which had been fixed on the road ahead, was suddenly drawn to a tall girl in a trench coat on the sidewalk. Though he couldn't see her face, he felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity.
Maybe a former blind date? But if it were a girl with such a tall build and mature aura, he should have a strong impression of her. After all, mature types usually had... a larger presence.
"See someone you know?" Su Guangyu followed his gaze and spotted the girl. "Her hair is a bit short."
Su Peng’s heart skipped a beat. That short hair... but while An Han could be quiet or cute, it was unlikely she would have that kind of aura.
The father and son stopped their bikes in front of the hospital. Besides, at this distance, An Han would have noticed him already.
Just as he dismissed the thought, the girl happened to look up. As if by telepathy, their eyes met across the ten-meter-wide road, locked in a distant gaze.
Su Peng couldn't control his expression—a mix of shock and joy. His heart rate spiked instantly.
An Han’s face turned bright red. She had been about to dash impulsively into the road, but she suddenly froze.
"She really has become more mature and steady," Su Peng thought with a sigh of relief. "At least she didn't just bolt across traffic."
An Han, however, was so embarrassed she almost wanted to run away.
That middle-aged man... that’s clearly Su Peng’s dad!
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!