"But I have to go to work now, and I can't leave until I finish later," Chen Lili said.
Qi Lin smiled and replied, "Okay, I'll head home and tidy up first. Let me know once you've booked the movie tickets after you get off work."
Chen Lili nodded, and Qi Lin left the hospital.
As Qi Lin's figure disappeared, Shang Jia hesitated for a moment before approaching Chen Lili.
"Li Li, what happened just now was my fault. You know men in love tend to get jealous. I did that because I truly love you."
The two of them walked to a secluded corner, and Shang Jia quickly humbled himself to coax Chen Lili.
A smart man doesn't argue about right or wrong.
Now that Qi Lin has made Shang Jia look bad, there was no point in arguing further.
It was better to ask for Chen Lili's forgiveness to avoid deepening the misunderstanding between them.
Once their relationship was back on track, Shang Jia would figure out how to deal with that "piece of trash" Qi Lin.
Seeing Shang Jia's sincere attitude, Chen Lili seemed to soften a little.
She looked at him seriously, her beautiful eyes carrying a hint of sternness: "Shang Jia, I, Chen Lili, am not someone who easily changes her mind. Qi Lin is my savior, and I am only grateful to him. I hope you understand that."
Shang Jia quickly nodded: "I understand, I understand. I was just overthinking."
Seeing his willingness to admit his mistake, Chen Lili's expression softened: "Brother Lin will come back here to change his dressing. When he comes next time, I hope you two can get along peacefully."
Shang Jia raised three fingers in a pledge: "I promise."
With Chen Lili no longer angry, Shang Jia smiled and invited her again: "Li Li, we haven't gone on a date in a while. I heard there's a new movie coming out tonight, so I booked two tickets. How about we watch it together?"
The two had been dating for a few months, but Chen Lili was still quite reserved.
So far, they hadn't even held hands, let alone kissed.
The appearance of Qi Lin made Shang Jia feel insecure.
He planned to make his move tonight. No matter what, he was determined to take things further with Chen Lili and assert his claim.
When Chen Lili heard the invitation, she froze.
Qi Lin had just invited her to watch a movie, and she had agreed.
Now Shang Jia was inviting her to another movie. What were the odds?
"Uh…"
Chen Lili smiled bitterly to herself.
How was she supposed to watch a movie with two different people?
Seeing her hesitation, Shang Jia asked, confused, "What's wrong, Li Li?"
Chen Lili bit her lower lip lightly.
She couldn't break her promise to Qi Lin. She owed him her life and had to repay that debt first.
It seemed she would have to disappoint her boyfriend.
"I have family visiting tonight, and my parents specifically asked me to come home early for dinner. I'm sorry, Shang Jia..."
Shang Jia couldn't tell if Chen Lili was lying. He had no idea that she had agreed to see a movie with Qi Lin.
He understood that their relationship was still new, and Chen Lili wouldn't go against her parents for him just yet.
With a wry smile, he nodded: "Alright, let's plan for next time."
Chen Lili smiled at him sweetly: "You're always so understanding, Shang Jia."
Shang Jia wasn't sure if he should feel happy or sad. He couldn't go on the date, but at least she praised him.
After Chen Lili left, Shang Jia called his friend: "My girlfriend is busy tonight, so I've got an extra movie ticket for you."
His friend laughed: "Haha, I told you your girlfriend was unreliable. If you spent as much on your buddies as you do on her, you'd have us calling you 'dad.'"
Shang Jia chuckled: "Stop joking around. Which cinema are the tickets for?"
His friend replied, "Dadi Cinema, 8 PM. See you there."
When Qi Lin got home, his mother immediately started nagging.
"Where were you last night? You didn't come home, and you didn't answer your phone. Your father and I were worried sick."
Qi Wei, Qi Lin's father, was usually more relaxed. He set down his newspaper and said with a smile: "Our son is older now, dear. He's 24. We can't control him like when he was a kid. Maybe he was on a date with his girlfriend. Haven't you been wanting him to settle down and give you grandchildren? You can't expect him to meet someone if you're always checking up on him."
Hearing this, his mother paused, then seemed to agree.
"Have you eaten?" she asked.
Qi Lin pushed his sister, Xia Jian, aside playfully and said, "Not yet."
Blushing, Xia Jian stood up and teased him: "Serves you right! I cooked a whole meal last night, and you didn't even show up."
Last night, to thank Qi Lin for helping her secure a full-time position at work, Xia Jian had prepared a special meal, but Qi Lin had disappeared.
Qi Wei gave Qi Lin a knowing look and asked, "So, tell me, which girl were you out with last night?"
Qi Lin, grinning, tossed him a cigarette and lit one for himself.
"There's a teacher at our school. She's beautiful, with long legs and black stockings. She's gentle and approachable. We spent the night on the rooftop, watching the stars."
Qi Wei stared at him in disbelief: "Are you serious?"
But then, Qi Wei's expression shifted to skepticism: "Wait a minute, how could a teacher from such a prestigious school be interested in you? You're broke and don't even have a degree!"
Qi Lin laughed: "Do you even know what true love is? I've helped her several times. It's called a slow burn, Dad!"
Qi Wei seemed intrigued: "Have you met her family yet?"
At this, Qi Lin sighed: "That's the problem. We're in love, but her family disapproves. They even said they'd cut off my hands and feet if I kept seeing her."
Qi Wei was shocked: "Her family sounds crazy! Who's against your relationship?"
Qi Lin's face turned serious: "Her husband."
Qi Wei froze, then threw a slipper at him: "Get out of here, you brat!"
---
The rice is cooked.
During the meal, Cabbage noticed her husband's embarrassment and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you? You were fine just now, but now you have that mocking look. Who upset you?"
Qi Wei glanced coldly at Qi Lin: "Ask this little brat."
Noticing the curious glances from the two women, Qi Lin suppressed a smile and retold the story.
"Pfft! Haha, Qi Lin, you little rascal, how could you come up with such a mischievous story!"
Xia's cheeks were rosy, and she was holding her stomach while laughing. She looked so cute that Qi Lin even wanted to take a playful bite.
Cabbage couldn't help but laugh, but as an elder, she quickly scolded Qi Lin: "Thankfully, it's just a story. If you really dare to bring someone else's wife home, let's see how I deal with you!"
In Qi Lin's mind, he couldn't help but think of Wang Yunzhi and the pretty young woman next door, Tang Yubao.
What would my mother think if she knew these two beauties were connected to her?
"Sister Xia, please help me."
Tonight's dinner was quite rich, and all of Qi Lin's favorite dishes were on the table.
Picking up a piece of juicy, oily braised pork, he handed it to Xia'er.
Xia Jian's pretty face looked slightly startled: "Help? What do you need help with?"
Qi Lin smiled and said, "I don't want to eat the fatty part; you can bite it for me."
Xia Jian: "…."
Has the sun started rising in the west today?
If she remembers correctly, she used to make Qi Lin eat the fatty meat for her.
Now, is this kid daring to ask his sister to help him eat fat? Bold!
"Qi Lin, say what you just said again if you dare!"
Xia Jian bit her lip, glaring at Qi Lin with her beautiful eyes.
Qi Lin sighed: "Oh, the world is upside down! Yesterday, someone risked their life jumping into the water just for a family member, and—uh!"
Qi Lin's mouth was covered, his face flustered.
Qi Wei and Cabbage, who were listening closely, looked at Xia Qian in confusion: "Who jumped into the water and for whom? Let him continue!"
"No, it's nothing. He's just rambling."
Yesterday, Qi Lin had rescued three children who had almost drowned in the river.
Since the Qi family had only one child for three generations, if his aunts and uncles found out, it would create a big fuss.
Xia Jian's beautiful eyes softened as she looked at Qi Lin, her previous arrogance replaced by a pleading expression.
"I'm begging you, don't mention what happened yesterday. Why don't I help you with the fat?"
Qi Lin's eyes twinkled with amusement.
Eat the fat?
What he really wanted was to one day eat something grander—perhaps a geoduck.
Qi Lin signaled for Xia Jian to let go of his hand.
She quickly removed her hand.
Facing his parents' curious stares, Qi Lin smiled and said: "I was just talking about something I saw on the news. Someone acted heroically yesterday."
Cabbage glanced at Qi Lin: "You young people are so secretive with your codes and language. I can't keep up."
Both Cabbage and Qi Wei grew bored and returned to their food and TV.
Qi Lin handed the braised pork to Xia Jian with a mischievous grin.
Xia Jian's cheeks turned pink, but she kept her promise.
Her delicate lips parted, revealing her white teeth as she bit into the plump, tender braised pork.
As the fat and lean meat separated, oil smeared her lips, making them even more enticing.
"You know how to act cute."
A small hand caught the oil, preventing it from dripping. To break the tension, Xia Jian gave a playful smile.
Qi Lin savored the lean meat with a satisfied look, closing his eyes as if tasting something exquisite: "Hmm~ Sister Xia Jian's way of preparing braised pork is truly special!"
His smug expression made Xia Jian's face burn with embarrassment.
She quickly glanced at Cabbage and Qi Wei, afraid they might sense the tension between her and Qi Lin.
Luckily, both were absorbed in their soap opera and noticed nothing.
After everyone was full from dinner and wine, Qi Lin made his way to the door to change his shoes.
"Mom, I have something to do tonight. I might not come back."
Cabbage, washing the dishes, rushed over. "You just got home, and now you're leaving again?"
But it was too late. The door had already closed, and Qi Lin's fading voice came from outside: "A girl invited me to a movie. She might even be your future daughter-in-law."
In the living room, Xia Jian sat in her nightgown, reading some documents. Her eyes briefly flashed with a complex emotion, but she stayed silent.
---
"Brother Lin, I've booked the tickets! I'm waiting at the Dadi Cinema."
"OK, I just had dinner. I'm heading out now. See you in ten minutes."
After putting on his helmet, Qi Lin sent a message back to Chen Lili on WeChat.
At the entrance of the Dadi Cinema, pedestrians bustled about. It was lively.
A stunningly beautiful girl, delicate and graceful, stood on tiptoes, looking around for someone.
She wore a light brown trench coat and a black tube skirt that hugged her slender legs.
Her calves had a pale, glowing hue, almost blindingly white.
On her small feet, she wore a trendy pair of black-and-white leather shoes with buckles.
The striking girl, who rarely appeared on TV, now stood on the busy street, drawing the eyes of passersby, with some even approaching her for her WeChat.
But she rejected all of them.
"Hey, beauty, who are you waiting for?"
Suddenly, Chen Lili felt a tap on her shoulder, and it startled her.
When she turned around and saw it was Qi Lin, her eyes lit up with joy.
"Brother Lin, why did you get here so fast?"
Her sweet voice melted the hearts of the guys who had failed to flirt with her or had been watching from a distance.
You see, Qi Lin had shown up in his security guard uniform.
What?! How could a beautiful goddess like her be dating a security guard?
"Universal Motorcycles, baby! They're taking over!" Qi Lin joked, patting his bike.
"Pfft!"
Chen Lili giggled, unable to hold back her laughter.
Qi Lin looked her up and down: "Hey, did you change your clothes? Why aren't you wearing white stockings? I was kind of looking forward to seeing those silk trousers."
Chen Lili's face flushed red.
She hadn't expected Qi Lin to notice she wore white stockings under her work clothes.
It wasn't that she was trying to be seductive—white stockings shaped her calves nicely without standing out too much beneath her pants and coat. She simply liked how they looked.
"I have to disinfect my hospital clothes after work. It's not polite to meet people in them," she explained.
Qi Lin chuckled. "I'm just teasing. Honestly, your legs look beautiful even without stockings. They're so bright."
He really had no filter.
Chen Lili quickly changed the subject: "The movie's about to start. Let's head in."
As they approached the cinema to scan their tickets, Qi Lin held her arm and glanced to one side.
"Lili~"
"What's wrong, Brother Lin?" she asked curiously.
"I'm hungry and craving snacks. Also, I could use a Hey Tea."
It turned out Qi Lin had spotted the snack counter at the cinema's entrance.
Chen Lili couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, stay here. I'll get it for you."
The guys in line nearby were speechless.
Then, one of them gave Qi Lin a thumbs up: "Bro, you're amazing!"
They couldn't believe what they were seeing—a security guard with a beautiful girlfriend who even bought snacks for him.
It was truly the ultimate lesson in living the "soft life"!