He’d just finished three appendectomies and a bile duct reconstruction; his eyes were bloodshot and blurry.

Driving was exhausting. He was already cutting it close, so he hired a ride-share.

He arrived at the appointed coffee shop with only ten minutes to spare before their 5 PM meeting.

Ten minutes left.

On the escalator, Pei Qi watched helplessly as the number 5 line, heading towards Tongyun Street, closed its doors and sped away.

No problem, just wait for the next one.

He was definitely going to be late anyway.

While waiting for the subway, the young man scrolled through his chat log with his third aunt.

He found the contact information for his blind date.

He wasn’t good at making phone calls. After three seconds of mental preparation, he pressed the dial button.

“Beep—”

“Beep—”

Around the fifth “beep,” the phone connected.

“Hello.” A single syllable came from the receiver.

Pei Qi held the phone, pausing. “Excuse me, Doctor Guan, I might be a little late.”

There was no immediate response.

The young man tapped the transparent case of his phone, pursing his lips.

“It’s fine.” After a few seconds, a steady male voice delivered two syllables.

Just as Pei Qi was about to say goodbye, the man on the phone spoke again: “Just, sorry.”

Pei Qi: “What?”

The voice on the receiver was exceptionally clear, with a magnetic quality: “My surname is Guan.”

“…” The young man’s finger tapping on the phone case suddenly stopped, his lips pressed tighter.

He clearly remembered his third aunt saying “Doctor Guan”…

He must have misheard so many times this year.

He should probably get his ears checked at the hospital.

While the young man was stunned, he heard the phone disconnect.

Was it because he didn’t respond? Did Doctor Guan—no, Doctor Guan—get angry?

Yes.

It was indeed very impolite.

So, holding his phone, after seven seconds of mental preparation, he dialed the number again.

This time, it took nine “beeps” before the phone was answered.

“Doctor Guan, I’m so—” sorry.

At that moment, the subway roared in, it was rush hour, and there were many people both inside and outside the train. Someone nearby bumped into the young man’s elbow.

His finger on the screen slipped.

Yes.

It showed the call had been disconnected…

Pei Qi was squeezed into the carriage by the crowd.

He thought, Doctor Guan should be able to guess that he wanted to say “sorry.”

He shouldn’t think he deliberately called and hung up, right?

Forget it, I’ll explain when we meet.

The melodious piano music in the coffee shop overlapped with the busy signal on the phone.

The man slowly put down his phone.

He recalled their first meeting.

Pei Qi had also said “hug” to him.

But his tone was much softer than before. With open arms, he took a step forward, and the young man hugged his waist.

The young man’s eyes were red, his body soaked in the smell of alcohol, with a hint of plum sweetness, he didn’t know if it was because he had been drinking.

Or if he was naturally sweet.

Thinking of this, the man stirring his coffee paused slightly.

His thin lips parted slightly, and he took a sip of coffee.

Outside the window, a slender figure passed by.

Into the man’s peripheral vision.

Filling his peripheral vision with the scent of plums.

“I’m sorry, I’m late,” Pei Qi began apologizing before he even reached the table, “I accidentally hung up the phone on the subway just now. I’m really very sorry…”

The man sitting on the wooden sofa slowly stood up.

The simply designed pendant lamp above slightly swayed, seemingly only a few centimeters away from hitting the man’s head.

“It’s fine.” The man extended his hand, his tone gentle, “Hello, Teacher Pei.”

Pei Qi smiled, a pair of dimples appearing on his cheeks, “Hello, Doctor Guan.”

At the same time, he reached out to shake his hand.

Guan Yue’s height reached the pendant lamp, his frame was naturally large, so his hands were also large, with distinct knuckles, long and well-proportioned.

A warmth spread through his palm, as if his whole hand could be enveloped.

The young man’s gaze slowly climbed from his hand to the man’s handsome and upright face.

For a moment, their eyes met.

The young man with dimples smiled quite naturally.

But gradually, it became unnatural.

Those peach blossom eyes hidden behind half-rimmed glasses were so familiar.

Wait…

This silver-gray frame…

He seemed to have taken it off himself.

A faint voice suddenly crowded into Pei Qi’s mind.

“Baby, help me take off my glasses.”

All his hair stood on end.

The young man swallowed, his gaze flickering, trying to avoid it.

He couldn’t.

His gaze seemed to be framed, unable to move an inch.

Forced to make eye contact.

The eyes behind the gray half-rimmed glasses were as dark and deep as ink, the corners slightly upturned, making them look sharp. Even under the overhead light, they seemed unreadable.

Pei Qi felt a dull ache in his appendix and buttocks, and the dimples on his cheeks added a touch of embarrassment.

Suddenly, the feeling of being enveloped by five fingers disappeared, only the warmth remaining in his palm.

The man let go of his hand, his tone still polite: “Have a seat.”

But his gaze remained sharp, as if it had its own penetrating power.

Pei Qi lowered his eyes and sat down slowly.

“What would you like to drink?” The man handed over his phone.

Coffee shops these days all use online ordering.

Pei Qi hadn’t recovered yet, and slowly and nervously reached out his hand, but before touching the phone, he retracted it: “Just… a latte.”

Guan Yue: “There are many types of lattes, you can take a look.”

The young man slightly pursed his lower lip: “Just the signature one.”

“Oh…” Guan Yue scrolled through the screen with his finger, speaking softly, “Their signature drink also includes mulled wine. Do you want to try it? Teacher Pei should… like to drink?”

It was an ordinary tone, but Pei Qi couldn’t help but clench his toes.

Alcohol…

He would never drink again in his life…

The young man forced himself to say: “No…”

Guan Yue: “Okay.”

Pei Qi wasn’t sure if it was his illusion, but there seemed to be a hint of amusement in the man’s tone.

Thus, the two of them were silent for a long time, until the waiter brought the hot latte to the table.

When Pei Qi had made eye contact with Guan Yue just now, he felt his throat was dry, so he picked up the coffee cup and brought it to his lips.

Guan Yue spoke slowly at this moment: “That night, we both drank too much, and you wouldn’t let go of me.”

The latte that had just entered his mouth almost came spraying out.

Actually… he didn’t want to know.

The young man blushed, swallowing the latte with difficulty: “I… I don’t quite remember.”

It was true.

His memories of that night were fragmented; he couldn’t remember everything, nor could he remember the other person’s face.

He only remembered that it felt good to touch…

And then… it hurt.

And… it felt good.

The man’s expression wasn’t good: “So, do you need me to prove that it was indeed me that night?”

Pei Qi shrank his neck, his brain still processing the meaning of the question: “Huh?”

“Teacher Pei has a mole on his side waist, and another one behind his right ear, a little lighter,” Guan Yue’s tone was calm, as if he were simply stating a medical case, “I carefully examined it. The border is clear and smooth, brownish, less than five millimeters in diameter, symmetrical in shape, and basically rules out the possibility of melanoma.”

Wait a minute… how did he know it was less than five millimeters? Did the man take out a ruler and measure it while doing the examination?

The young man blinked: “Do surgeons also need to understand dermatology?”

“…” The man extended a finger and pushed up the frame of his glasses: “I’ve studied it too.”

The young man nodded.

His cheeks belatedly flushed red.

He hadn’t even noticed the mole on his waist.

It was only after that night, when his waist was bruised, that he saw it when applying medicine…

Guan Yue: “So that night…”

“I… I know it was you,” the young man interrupted hastily, his tone sincere, “I remember these glasses.”

Guan Yue: “…”

Okay.

He doesn’t remember the person, but he remembers the glasses.

“I’m sorry, I drank too much that night…” The young man spoke sincerely again, “Really… I’m sorry.”

The man’s expression remained calm, his index finger subtly rubbing the handle of the cup: “I’m also responsible, but I really want to know.”

“That morning, did you run away?”

Now the young man really couldn’t look up, his brain had been running at high speed for half a day.

To no avail.

He could only weakly say: “I said… I went downstairs to buy breakfast, do you… believe me?”

After a long three seconds.

The man across from him nodded, without speaking again, only sipping lightly from the ceramic cup in his hand.

Pei Qi also raised his coffee and took a large gulp.

Guan Yue: “Get married?”

“……???”

The young man was glad he had swallowed quickly enough to avoid spraying the latte out in surprise.

Guan Yue: “You should already know my basic situation, including my physical condition. Do you have any other questions? If you’re worried about any hidden diseases, we can have a premarital checkup…”

“Wa… wait a minute.” The dazed young man finally spoke, “I’m not worried about that, but why does Doctor Guan want to marry me?”

Guan Yue: “I don’t.”