***
Mai Xiaomai then realized that her hand had instinctively clenched the knife and fork. She relaxed her grip and smiled, "Since that's the case, this meal is on you. Next time I have the chance, I'll treat you at another place! As for this gold card, I think I don't need it. I seldom eat out at places like this and prefer eating at home."
If You Bei, that foodie, knew she had just turned down such an opportunity to eat and drink to her heart's content at high-end places at any time, she would definitely strangle herself!
She herself felt it was a pity.
However, she wasn't the type to take advantage of others, especially since she had only just met Feng Qinglang and wasn't close to him. Accepting such a grand gift from somebody she barely knew wasn't right in principle.
"Alright then!"
Feng Qinglang didn't insist and took the gold card back, "Anyway, now that we're friends, I'll have plenty of opportunities to treat you to meals."
In Mai Xiaomai's eyes, there wasn't a trace of greed in him.
Such an independent and distinctive woman wouldn't covet these things.
Mai Xiaomai stood up and bid him farewell.
"Where do you live? I'll drive you home, it's also a way to give your aunt a proper explanation!" Feng Qinglang said earnestly.
"Thank you, but my home isn't far, and I'd like to walk by myself," Mai Xiaomai refused.
She knew if Feng Qinglang drove her home, her mother would definitely cling to him nonstop, wanting to find out about his ancestors for the past eighteen generations, and then she would suggest they go to the civil affairs bureau to get a marriage certificate the next day.
Feng Qinglang sighed with regret and told her to contact him when she was free.
*
Exiting the restaurant, the early autumn breeze was slightly chill.
Dressed too thinly, Mai Xiaomai shrank her neck slightly.
At that moment, Qiao Chutian and Lin Na passed by her.
Seeing Qiao Chutian looking at Mai Xiaomai, Lin Na quickly nestled against him and, pointing at a scarf shop in the distance, said in a coy voice, "Chutian, it's getting a bit chilly. Let's go over there and see if there are any pretty scarves to match, okay?"
"Hmm."
Qiao Chutian glanced at Mai Xiaomai and then, taking Lin Na's hand, walked towards the scarf shop.
Mai Xiaomai watched their retreating figures.
The two, hand in hand—one tall and handsome, the other petite and delicate—made a harmonious and warm sight.
This made Mai Xiaomai feel somewhat envious.
It was so easy for others to find someone to love, whereas she couldn't even find someone to marry on a whim.
She walked slowly along the road.
Even though it was already ten o'clock at night, the night markets of A City were still bustling with people, as lively as ever.
Not wanting to go home too early to face her mother's interrogation, she just wandered aimlessly...
Not knowing how long she had walked, she suddenly saw a black Lincoln parked ahead. The driver's door was open, and an elderly man was slumped over on the driver's side, his face purple-white with trembling hands resting on the steering wheel, looking like an emergency had occurred.
She hurried over and asked with concern, "What's wrong with you?"
The old man couldn't raise his head but looked at her with his eyes, his eyeballs constantly moving.
With her medical experience, Mai Xiaomai knew that the old man was experiencing a sudden angina attack, accompanied by a stroke...
In this situation, she had learned first aid.
She quickly dialed for emergency services, then leaned the man and his seat back and started to perform urgent resuscitation and acupressure massage...
This method was a proven emergency treatment many times over by her mentor, very effective, and had been tried out for wider use.
However, the average doctor doesn't have a good grasp of acupoints, and their techniques aren't refined enough to master this first aid method.
But Mai Xiaomai understood!
**