Chapter 17.1 - Kudzu Flower 葛花
illa: Our Dr He and Shen Xifan first kiss is coming >.<
On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Shen Xifan took her little niece to the bookstore to buy books. The little girl, just in fifth grade, acted quite mature, scoffing at the young adult novels, "Childish, boring, I don't even read them. Why are there so many people older than me crowding around there!"
Sure enough, the young adult fiction section was packed with people squatting, standing, sitting—all sorts of postures. After wandering around the sea of books, Shen Xifan sighed, "I'm at that awkward age where nothing seems to suit me!"
But when it came time to pay, her niece was puzzled, "Auntie, didn't you say there were no books for you? Why did you buy so many?"
Caught off guard, she hurriedly packed the books, "No, no, I'm going abroad soon, so these are all textbooks!"
Her niece looked at her incredulously, muttering softly, "You bought all Chinese medicine books, who are you trying to fool?"
As they exited, the crowd was overwhelming. She had bought many books and had to carry them in her arms. Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder, "Shen Xifan, do you need help?"
She turned around and immediately became flustered, "Oh, Happy New Year, He Suye. This isn't heavy, no need to trouble yourself." After speaking, she dared not look at him, her face slightly reddening.
Meanwhile, He Shouzheng chimed in from the side, "The sister looks really burdened, Uncle, how can you just stand by and watch!"
Only then did she notice the exquisitely dressed little boy standing next to He Suye. Her eyes lit up, and she inwardly marveled at the exceptional genes of He Suye's family. The boy looked like a golden child, and she imagined He Suye must have been just as adorable in his youth.
She instantly took a liking to the child. He Shouzheng didn't shy away from her enthusiastic gaze and smiled at Shen Xifan, "Sister, you're so pretty, just like Audrey Hepburn, whom I adore!"
When He Suye was young, he was never this sweet with words, he was sure of that. But the fact that a 25-year-old woman could be made so happy by a little kid’s words was truly a helpless situation.
She couldn’t hide her emotions, smiling widely, “He Suye, he’s so cute!”
He Suye patted He Shouzhen’s head, then looked at the book in Shen Xifan’s hands. He took one book out, and with his hand helped her lift the others, flipping through a few pages before asking, “This book looks good, can I borrow it for a few days?”
Shen Xifan quickly nodded, “It’s fine, take it! Keep it as long as you want!”
On the bus, Shen Xifan kept thinking, holding those traditional Chinese medicine books, frowning.
Would He Suye notice her feelings? She wanted to learn some Chinese medicine knowledge to avoid embarrassing herself in front of him, feeling quite ashamed even though her embarrassment was justified. She wanted more topics to talk about with him, even though he was always so patient in listening to her chatter on. She wanted—she wanted to get closer to him, to understand his world.
The areas she had never explored before, with pleasant names of herbs like Magnolia, Lobelia, Tussilago; with magical uses—apparently not just water, but wine, vinegar could also be used as a medicinal carrier, and even steaming, frosting, tempering, and fermenting were possible; medicine that cured all ailments—external influences, lung diseases, digestive issues, blood and qi imbalances—all could be treated. Chinese medicine was a mystical field, a treasure passed down through millennia, a gem of the Chinese people.
Meanwhile, He Shouzhen was staring blankly at Shen Xifan’s departing figure. “What’s the pretty lady’s name?”
He Suye was stunned, bent down to pinch his round face, “What, did you forget to talk to the lady earlier?”
He Shouzhen retorted, “Uncle, your tone makes me think you’re jealous!” Then he grabbed the book and curiously asked, “Hey, we have this book at Grandpa’s house! Why are you borrowing it?”
He chuckled, pulling He Shouzhen’s hand, “Adults’ matters, little kids should mind their own business, He Shouwu!”
This year was truly lucky for Shen Xifan. It wasn’t her turn for hotel duty, which allowed her to relax at home, preparing her materials for studying abroad.
Although hotel management was a stable career, she didn’t dislike it; in fact, she enjoyed it. She liked standing on the hotel lawn, gazing up at the sky, with sunlight streaming through the transparent windows, guests coming and going, each with their own demeanor. Though it was tiring and guests often complained, every time she solved a problem, she felt satisfied.
Shen Xifan had applied to over 20 universities, from the best like Las Vegas and Cornell to the University of California. She had once dreamed of studying at Cornell, but the entry requirements included three years of hotel management experience, so she immediately threw herself into work.
However, now she was praying to be accepted into the University of Pennsylvania.
But was this really okay? Clearly, she still had unresolved issues with his past, and had told herself not to fall too deeply, deliberately avoiding He Suye. Yet, she still couldn’t stop thinking about him, still found herself interested in studying Chinese medicine.
What a clueless person she was! Her emotional life was a mess, and she couldn’t figure out what to do, no matter how hard she thought.
Her recommendation letter for studying abroad had been written by General Cheng. Somehow, the news had leaked, and now everyone at the management level knew.
Lin Yishen was the first to come find her, his face pale with anger, asking, “Why didn’t you let us know you’re going abroad?”
At that moment, Shen Xifan was eating an extra meal at the staff restaurant, and a piece of the sweet and sour ribs’ bone got stuck in her teeth. She winced in pain and bared her teeth. “Senior Brother, is it too late to know now?”
Lin Yishen sat down across from her, sighed, and said, “Junior Sister, you’re always so headstrong. You just do whatever comes to mind.”
Shen Xifan rubbed her cheek while picking at the large bones. “Senior Brother, I’m serious. Studying abroad is my dream. I won’t be at peace until I fulfill it. I’m definitely not fooling around, trust me!”
He smiled helplessly. “I’m not actually angry. It’s just that you caught me off guard. It’s really difficult to process…”
