Lu Qiming had an impeccable sense of timing. Following his suggested schedule, Qian Duoduo and the two elders arrived at the CT room at exactly 3:15 PM.
The waiting area outside was filled with people— men and women, old and young. Some were patients waiting for CT scans, others were family members accompanying them.
Lu Qiming walked in front, supporting the old man.
“Xiao Lu, judging by your accent, you’re not from Nancheng, are you?” Grandpa Qian asked with a warm smile.
“My hometown is Beiyuan,” Lu Qiming replied. “I’ve been in Nancheng for a few years now.”
“Planning to settle here for good, or do you have other plans?” Grandpa Qian asked, testing the waters with his own thoughts in mind.
“I plan to make a home here in Nancheng.”
“That’s great.” Upon hearing that, Grandpa Qian’s smile grew even brighter. “Nancheng is a wonderful place— beautiful scenery, good climate, and lower living costs compared to Jingcheng or Yuncheng. It’s very livable.”
Behind them, Grandma Qian was quietly sizing Lu Qiming up.
She patted her granddaughter’s arm, which was linked with hers, and whispered, “Look at how well your grandpa and Xiao Lu are getting along.”
Qian Duoduo originally didn’t want to take up too much of Lu Qiming’s time and had planned to find a chance to let him go.
But seeing how naturally the old man and he were hitting it off, she said nothing more.
She thought, Lu Qiming wasn’t a local, and his family must be thousands of miles away.
Maybe the kindness of her grandparents reminded him of the warmth and affection he hadn’t felt in a long time…
Being a soldier wasn’t easy.
Qian Duoduo sighed softly in her heart.
Meanwhile, Grandma Qian was growing increasingly fond of the young officer.
She couldn’t help but praise, “These days, it’s rare to see young people so patient and gentle with the elderly.”
Qian Duoduo smiled and teased her grandma, playfully boasting, “Grandma, I’m young too. I’m really good to you and Grandpa.”
“Listen to you.” Grandma Qian looked at her with a doting smile and said softly, “Of course I know how good you are to us. You’re the most thoughtful and filial. But Xiao Lu is different— he’s not family, yet he’s kind to us. That’s not just being filial—that shows he’s a truly good person.”
Qian Duoduo pondered for a moment and nodded. “That’s true. You can tell he’s a genuinely nice guy.”
Grandma Qian’s eyes lit up. “Then maybe you two could—”
“Good people are worth being friends with.”
Grandma Qian was at a loss for words and fell silent.
Just then, a young female doctor in a white coat walked out of the CT room and called out, “Anyone else needs to hand in their form?”
“Here!” Qian Duoduo quickly handed the form over.
The doctor glanced at the appointment details. “Qian Shuhua, right? Please take a seat and wait. We’ll call your name when it’s your turn.”
Lu Qiming found a few empty seats, helped Grandpa Qian sit down, then glanced in the direction of the hot water room and said, “I’ll go get some hot water for you.”
“No need, no need,” the old man waved him off. “I’m not thirsty.”
“Exactly! Xiao Lu, you’ve been running around all day. Sit down and rest,” Grandma Qian chimed in.
“It’s fine. I’ll be right back.”
Seeing him already walking off toward the hot water room, Grandma Qian quickly patted her granddaughter’s arm and urged her, “Why are you still sitting there? Go help him. There are four of us— do you think he has three heads and six arms?”
“Alright, got it.” Qian Duoduo snapped out of it and hurried after him.
Each floor of the hospital had a hot water room, located next to the restrooms— a small, standalone space with a row of sinks and a large water dispenser inside.
When Lu Qiming entered, a family member was inside washing a lunchbox. Chopsticks and utensils clattered noisily, water splashing everywhere.
He bent down and took a few disposable cups from the cabinet beneath the dispenser.
“Let me do it.” A soft female voice suddenly spoke up behind him, sweet and gentle, each word as light as a whisper.
Lu Qiming’s hand paused, and he turned slightly.
Qian Duoduo had appeared behind him without him noticing.
Whether it was the heating or something else, her porcelain cheeks were tinged with a faint blush, and there was a trace of awkwardness in her eyes.
“It’s just water. Miss Qian, you don’t seem to trust me very much,” Lu Qiming said calmly as he pressed the red button to dispense hot water.
“It’s not that…” Qian Duoduo felt awkward, her voice dropping a little as if guilty, “You’ve really gone out of your way for us today.”
“I’ve been in Nancheng for a few years, but aside from colleagues at work, I don’t have many friends.” He finished filling a cup, slid an extra cup over it for insulation, and began filling the second one. His tone and demeanor were casual and natural. “Your grandparents are very kind to me. It’s no trouble at all— you don’t need to keep saying that.”
Qian Duoduo smiled, then asked, “What do you want for dinner? My treat.”
“No need.” Lu Qiming paused briefly and glanced at her pretty face. “You’d better head back. What if your grandparents run into some kind of emergency?”
“If anything happens, they’ll call me.” Qian Duoduo replied. Seeing him place the two cups of hot water on the counter, she reached out to pick them up. “Are these ready? I’ll take them back.”
Lu Qiming handed her a third cup. “That one’s yours. The other two are for your grandparents—I’ll carry them.”
Qian Duoduo took the cup from him, blinking curiously. “There’s a difference between the three?”
“The other two are a bit hotter.”
“Why?”
“Older people have lower metabolic rates, and as humans age, their sense of taste gradually dulls. Their preferences for water temperature are different from younger folks.” As he spoke, Lu Qiming picked up one of the cups and turned toward the door.
Following behind him, Qian Duoduo was surprised. “I never noticed that before. No wonder they never drink store-bought beverages. You’re really thoughtful.”
Lu Qiming smiled. “Thank you.”
Back in the waiting area, Lu Qiming handed the hot water to the two elders.
They had left in a rush earlier, and neither Grandpa Qian nor Grandma Qian had brought their thermoses.
After several hours at the hospital, they were understandably tired. A cup of hot water lifted their spirits considerably.
Not long after, the same female doctor who had collected their form earlier came out of the CT room again, glanced at the appointment slip in her hand, and called, “Qian Shuhua?”
“Here,” Grandpa Qian replied.
Qian Duoduo quickly put her cup down and went in with Grandma Qian to help the old man.
Before the scan, the doctor reminded them, “Take off your coat and remove all metal accessories. Do you have a heart stent or anything like that?”
“No.”
“Alright, lie down. Family members, please wait outside.”
A few minutes later, the CT scan was done. They all went into the room together to help the old man up and help him put his padded jacket back on.
Lu Qiming asked the doctor, “When will the report be ready?”
“For emergencies, before 8 PM tonight. For outpatient, by 2 PM tomorrow. You’ll need to come back tomorrow,” the female doctor said, then stepped out to call the next patient. “Li Chunxiu…”
Grandma Qian frowned and muttered, “The result won’t be ready until tomorrow? That means we’ll have to register again?”
“It’s fine, Grandma.” Qian Duoduo smiled, reassuring her. “I’ll come pick up Grandpa from home tomorrow afternoon. I’ll take him to the hospital. You can rest at home.”
“Alright then.”
After discussing the plan for tomorrow, Qian Duoduo led the two elders to the elevator, getting ready to send them home.
“No need to send us. Your grandpa and I will just take a cab,” Grandma Qian kept signaling her with her eyes, and said in a low voice, “Didn’t you say you wanted to treat Xiao Lu to dinner? You two go on.”
“Who eats dinner this early? I’m not even hungry yet.” Qian Duoduo muttered, then turned to Lu Qiming with her clear dark eyes. “Are you hungry, Mr. Lu?”
Lu Qiming shook his head. “Not hungry.”
Grandma Qian, helpless with her precious granddaughter, raised her hand to soothe her chest.
One more word from this little troublemaker and she feared she might have a heart attack.
“Well then,” Grandpa Qian cleared his throat and said, “Xiao Lu, aren’t you still waiting to pick up some medicine? Just stay at the hospital. After Duoduo sends us home, she can come back and meet you.”
“Alright.” Qian Duoduo had no objections. “Let’s go with that.”
She fished out her car keys from her bag, waved to Lu Qiming, and smiled with her eyes. “We’ll head off first, then. See you later, Mr. Lu.”
Lu Qiming stood up too. “I’ll walk you out.”
“No need.” She declined politely. When she looked up at him, her lashes cast shadows like soft mist under moonlight. “See you in a bit.”
“See you in a bit.” Just four casually spoken words, but it was a promise in disguise.
Lu Qiming was momentarily dazed. The surroundings and time itself seemed to freeze, and he forgot what he was supposed to say next.
After a moment, he finally nodded calmly at her. “Alright. See you in a bit.”
*
The old couple were pleased with Lu Qiming’s help and liked his steady, reserved personality.
On the way home, they launched a new round of subtle persuasion on Qian Duoduo.
Qian Duoduo didn’t argue with them, just smiled and nodded throughout, saying little.
After leaving her grandparents’ old residential complex, she sat in the car, took a sip of milk tea, and pulled out her phone to send Lu Qiming a WeChat message.
Qian Duoduo: [Have you decided what you want for dinner, Mr. Lu?]
Lu Qiming replied: [You don’t have to treat me.]
Lu Qiming: [Whatever Miss Qian wants to eat, I’ll treat you.]
Qian Duoduo: [Pfft.]
At this point, Qian Duoduo genuinely found this PLA officer kind of adorable.
She suddenly felt like teasing him a little. Her slender fingers, still with freshly done nails, slowly tapped out a reply: [I’m treating you because you helped me run errands and looked after Grandpa this afternoon. Why are you treating me?]
This time, Lu Qiming took a few seconds before sending a message: [To thank you for introducing me to the doctor. Mr. Shao is very responsible.]
Qian Duoduo: […]
Now she was certain— Lu Qiming had definitely never dated before, and probably hadn’t interacted much with women.
If it were one of her other blind dates, that kind of question would’ve gotten a more flirty reply, subtle or not.
But this one— despite having a face that screamed “stay away” with an air of natural authority— sometimes acted so obediently that it made you want to mess with him.
Qian Duoduo tapped her chin in thought for a moment, then replied: [Alright then. I’m craving Hunan food today. Is that okay with you?]
Lu Qiming: [That’s fine.]
Qian Duoduo: [There’s a place downtown with pretty good flavor. Do you want me to come back to the hospital and pick you up, or should I send you the address and you go on your own?]
In truth, she was just being polite—she already knew Lu Qiming had driven when he came to find her that morning.
Sure enough, Lu Qiming’s reply matched her expectations: [I’ll go on my own.]
[OK, I’m heading out now.]
[Got it.]
After wrapping up the WeChat chat with the PLA officer, Qian Duoduo gave Zhao Jingxi a quick call, telling her to sort out her own dinner, then drove away from the old neighborhood.
Winter nights fell early. By 6 PM, the mirrored facades of skyscrapers were already devouring the golden light of sunset, streetlights flickering on as the city center filled with office workers of all kinds.
Caught in the rush hour traffic, Qian Duoduo stopped and started all the way, finally arriving at the Hunan restaurant at 6:45 PM.
After parking, she followed the directions Lu Qiming had sent and made her way to a private room.
Knock knock, the server rapped on the door and pushed it open.
Qian Duoduo walked in with her bag and saw Lu Qiming already there.
She took her seat with an unhurried air and offered a slightly apologetic smile. “Sorry, traffic was a bit heavy. Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”
“I just got here too,” Lu Qiming said, and reached out to pour her some tea.
The heating in the private room seemed to be on full blast.
After sitting for a bit, Qian Duoduo felt sweat gathering on her back. Feeling too warm, she simply took off her coat and set it aside.
“Have you ordered yet, Mr. Lu?” she asked casually while adjusting her clothes.
Lu Qiming looked at her, noticing the faint blush on her cheeks.
Beneath the coat, she wore a light gray, close-fitting crew neck top— just the right thickness.
Her slender white neck was exposed, collarbones elegant, waist slim. Every line was breathtakingly graceful.
A sudden, intense wave of heat surged through him from the inside out.
Lu Qiming inexplicably felt parched. He picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip, looking away as he spoke with a voice that had turned a little hoarse. “Not yet.”
His Adam’s apple moved with a swallow, the lowered line of his jaw neatly concealing the tension.
He’d never realized before just how difficult it could be to spend time with a woman.
The storm in his chest was already raging, but outwardly, he had to stay calm and composed, as if nothing was wrong.
Maybe it really was true—before a wildfire breaks out, the world always seems especially quiet.
The person across from him was still entirely unaware.
“Could I see the menu?” Qian Duoduo looked up at the server with a soft smile.
She was beautiful, and her eyes curled slightly when she smiled, giving her a naturally alluring look.
The young waitress blushed faintly under her gaze, her ears and cheeks tinged red.
“The paper menu hasn’t been updated…” she stammered a little, face flushed. “You can scan the QR code on the table to order. It’s more complete.”
“Okay.” Qian Duoduo picked up her phone and scanned it. “So I can just place the order online, right?”
“Mhm.” The server nodded.
“Got it. Thank you.”
“I’ll leave you to order then. If you need anything, just press the service bell.” With that, the girl left the private room.
Thud. The solid wood door closed gently behind her.
Qian Duoduo scrolled through the menu on her phone with her slender fingers, casually asking, “Mr. Lu, do you have any dietary restrictions?”
Unnoticed, Lu Qiming had already finished the cup of tea in his hand.
He didn’t look at her. His eyes were naturally lowered, and his calloused fingertips unconsciously traced the smooth rim of the porcelain cup. “No,” he replied.
“What about spice level?” Qian Duoduo continued, eyes still on her phone. “This place lets you customize that— there’s extra spicy, medium spicy, and mild.”
“I’m fine with anything,” Lu Qiming said. “Just go with your own preference.”
Qian Duoduo looked up at him. “I have a pretty high tolerance for spice. Last time I came here with friends, we ordered everything extra spicy. Are you sure you can handle that?”
Lu Qiming paused for a beat before replying, “I can give it a try.”
Qian Duoduo said, “I thought people from Beiyuan didn’t really eat spicy food? Isn’t the cuisine there on the milder side? Or am I remembering wrong?”
“It’s not completely off-limits.”
“Alright then.”
After confirming, Qian Duoduo first selected “extra spicy” for the spice level, then thought better of it, unchecked the option, and switched to “medium.”
“Is there anything you especially want or don’t want to eat?”
“I’m not picky.”
In other words, she could order whatever she wanted.
Stir-fried beef and chopped chili fish head were the restaurant’s signature dishes.
Qian Duoduo quickly checked them both off, then added a sour and spicy chicken offal dish and a bowl of vegetable soup.
Once the order was placed, she had nothing to do, so she opened WeChat Moments and started scrolling idly.
After a while, she suddenly asked, “Mr. Lu, do you not post on Moments much?”
Lu Qiming’s fingers curled slightly. “Rarely,” he replied calmly.
“No wonder. I’ve had you on WeChat for a while and never once seen a post from you.” Qian Duoduo paused, curious. “Is it because the military has rules about social media?”
“As long as it doesn’t involve classified information, there aren’t any special restrictions.”
Her large eyes blinked, and she propped her chin on her hand. “Then why don’t you post anything?”
“Nothing worth posting,” Lu Qiming said, lifting his gaze to meet hers.
His life was dull and repetitive.
A third of the year went to missions, another third to preparing for them, and the remaining time was split between the office building, cafeteria, and dorm— day in and day out, the same routine.
Qian Duoduo had only brought up the topic of social media casually and didn’t really intend to dig into it. After his response, she let it go and quietly took a sip of water.
Just then, her phone chimed with a few new WeChat messages.
Zhang Xuelan: [Sweetie, I heard from your grandma that Lu Qiming went to the hospital with you today. Your grandparents can’t stop praising him. You should spend more time with him. thumbs up emoji]
Zhang Xuelan: [Are you two having dinner together right now? What did you order? Don’t just pick your favorite dishes.]
After reading the messages, Qian Duoduo replied to her mom with a long string of ellipses and turned off the screen.
To be honest, aside from his identity as a soldier, Lu Qiming was a decent guy. But just decent—as in friend material.
She and he were a textbook case of “clashing vibes.”
He had this cold, upright, almost intimidating air that made her feel on edge around him, like her whole body didn’t quite know how to relax.
How was anyone supposed to have a sweet, romantic relationship under those conditions?
Qian Duoduo took another sip of tea, then another, trying to mask her awkwardness.
But just then, the PLA officer across from her suddenly seemed to remember something.
“Oh, right,” Lu Qiming said.
Qian Duoduo’s attention snapped back. She looked at him, puzzled, a trace of confusion in her delicate expression.
“I got this,” Lu Qiming said. Like performing a magic trick, he reached down to his side and pulled out a bouquet of flowers, placing them in front of her.
The bouquet was simple and elegant, the colors soft— eleven lavender-pink Manta roses.
For a moment, Qian Duoduo didn’t react. She gave him a polite smile and complimented, “These are really pretty.”
“I heard that girls feel happier when they receive flowers,” Lu Qiming said, his deep, cool black eyes calm and still, like starlight reflected in a river. “This is for you, Miss Qian.”