Chapter 221 - 189: Seems Like an Old Friend’s Here (5)

Su Mo handed a glass of water to the man on the sofa, then smiled and asked, "Have you eaten? Should I make a bowl of noodles for you, too?"

Xuan Qing took the glass from her and said softly, "Sorry to trouble you."

"It’s no trouble."

Su Mo turned and went into the kitchen. She took some greens from the fridge, washed them, and got busy.

A video call request popped up on her phone.

She casually answered it, and a handsome, sunny face appeared on the screen.

The man’s cheerful voice rang out, "I’ve been a bit busy these past few days and haven’t had a chance to call. Is your clinic doing okay?"

Su Mo smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it’s fine."

"Once I fly back to South City, I can help you out. Did you get the things I sent you?"

"International shipping is always a bit slow. No rush. Have the things I sent you not arrived yet, either?"

The person on the other end of the video chattered on, and Su Mo listened patiently, occasionally offering a few words in response.

Suddenly, a voice sounded from behind her. "Doctor Su, where’s the hot water?"

Su Mo turned her head and pointed to a corner, indicating he could help himself.

As Xuan Qing was leaving after pouring his water, his gaze unintentionally swept over the face on her phone.

’It really is that familiar face.’

He turned and walked out with his glass, pondering, ’It seems her relationship with Long Yan hasn’t reached that stage yet.’

In the final moments of her battle with Jiang Wu that day, Long Yan’s fate on the Life Plate had been sealed. It was she who, with all her strength, had severed his predestined lifeline just before the Life Plate was destroyed.

For a long time after, Xuan Qing often wondered if the outcome would have been different had she not had that thought at the last second.

But there were no "what ifs" in this world. Even if given another chance, she would have done the same.

As he was opening the door, he vaguely heard the person on the screen ask, "Is he one of your patients?"

Su Mo shook her head and chuckled. "A neighbor."

After a moment’s thought, she added, "A friend."

When Su Mo came out with the cooked noodles, Xuan Qing was reading a newspaper, and Big Orange was curled up asleep beside him.

"Thank you." Xuan Qing reached out to take the chopsticks she offered.

They ate in silence. When they finished, he felt it was about time, so he stood up to leave.

Su Mo walked him to the door. He suddenly turned to look at her, his tone serious. "Since we’re friends, Doctor Su, feel free to come to me whenever things are inconvenient for you."

"For example, when the clinic gets too busy, you can call me. Whenever you need anything at all, you can find me."

Su Mo was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. "Okay..."

"I’ll come pick up Big Orange tomorrow morning. I can bring him to my workplace."

Su Mo: "..."

Big Orange suddenly ran over from the sofa, MEOWING, and rubbed against Xuan Qing’s pant leg.

It seemed to really like his suggestion.

Su Mo narrowed her eyes slightly and nodded. "Fine."

...

The days passed one by one, ordinary and warm, yet filled with a burgeoning sense of anticipation.

In two months, Little Jiu finished filming a movie. Although it was just a supporting role, it was the largest part she had ever landed.

Today, she finally had some free time and arranged to meet Fu Ying at Su Mo’s clinic.

"You’ve worked so hard these past two months while I was gone, Sister Ying. I’ll treat you to a meal to make it up to you!"

Fu Ying snorted with a laugh. "Maybe you should invite Xuan Qing, too. After all, he’s the one who’s been busy these past two months, not me."

With that, she pointed at the fruit in front of them. "Right at mealtime, a lavish lunch gets delivered. Whenever he’s free, he helps Su Mo walk the cat. On weekends, he even comes over to do free labor! And he’s here to pick her up right on time after work. Tsk, so thoughtful and considerate, it’s impossible to refuse."

Little Jiu’s eyes lit up as she listened. "Is he in love with Su Mo?"

Fu Ying shot her a look. "Is that even a question?"

Su Mo, having just washed her hands, walked over and narrowed her eyes. "What bad things are you saying about me now?"

Little Jiu shook her head. "Nothing! Just that Xuan Qing is in love with you."

Su Mo picked up a piece of fruit from the plate, took a bite, and said with narrowed eyes, "Mm, I think he’s in love with me, too."

"So what do you think?" Little Jiu asked excitedly.

Fu Ying flicked her on the forehead. "What is there to think about? With such an outstanding Enchanting Demon, you have to keep the good stuff for yourself!"

Su Mo finished her fruit and walked away with a grin.

Sure enough, right as work ended, Xuan Qing’s car arrived.

Watching Su Mo get into the car, Fu Ying chuckled. "His strategy is ruthless. He’s seamlessly integrated himself into Su Mo’s life. By the time you realize it, his presence is everywhere, and it’s an addiction you can’t quit."

Little Jiu smiled, her eyes crinkling. "That’s good, too. This way, I won’t have to worry about Su Mo when I get busy. But I still really like her childhood friend. I wonder when he’s coming back. With his job, he just disappears when he gets busy. Otherwise, he should have been the one with the home-field advantage, right?"

"He should be back soon. Don’t worry, he’s more anxious about it than you are!"

...

Su Mo and Big Orange were having dinner at Xuan Qing’s place tonight. He was cooking.

It had been like this lately. When she wasn’t busy, she would cook. If she was, he would prepare things in advance.

Su Mo played with the cat for a while. Big Orange then scrambled out of her arms and knocked something over on the coffee table.

She casually picked it up. It was a bottle of suppressants.

Adult Enchanting Demons normally go into estrus once every two or three months.

However, Xuan Qing’s estrus cycles seemed to be more frequent than average, and his dosage was higher than that of a typical Enchanting Demon.

When Xuan Qing came out with a dish, he saw Su Mo holding his bottle of suppressants, examining it.

His eyes darkened slightly, as if annoyed with himself for not putting it away properly.

Su Mo calmly put the bottle down, looked up at him, and said nonchalantly, "Maybe it’s time you got into a relationship."

The moment she looked up, her eyes met his deep, bottomless gaze.

An inexplicable, charged current seemed to stir in the air.

Su Mo looked up and asked him, "Don’t you have anything you want to say to me?"

But the man across from her suddenly froze, his obscure, unreadable eyes fixed on her.

For a moment, he felt as if his blood was flowing backward. A buzzing filled his ears, and even his breath caught in his throat.

He couldn’t be sure what she really meant by that.

Su Mo waited a moment before sighing. "Let’s just eat."

’Maybe I was overthinking things.’

’How awkward...’

She got up, slipped into the kitchen, brought out all the dishes, and then dug into her meal.

Several times, Xuan Qing looked at her, wanting to speak but stopping himself. It seemed she wasn’t in the mood to hear him talk right now.

After dinner, Su Mo helped clear the dishes, then picked up the cat and went home.

Xuan Qing turned his head and discovered a new bottle of suppressants on the coffee table.

Her scent seemed to linger in the air, a faint trace that easily unsettled his heart.

He put down the bottle and strode quickly toward the bathroom.

After a burst of RUSTLING, he glanced at the mess in the trash can, looked at his reflection in the mirror—the corners of his eyes flushed red—and took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

His estrus periods hadn’t always been this frequent. It only started after he met her.

He couldn’t control the feelings growing wild and unrestrained in his heart, and so he couldn’t properly suppress the instinct-driven estrus, either.