Pei Zi had long expected that Zhang Ye would refuse.
Yet she was still unwilling to give up, thinking of testing the waters once more.
"I, a mere girl, am not even afraid, what are you afraid of? It's not like I'm asking to cohabit with you."
Ding-dong!
"Zhang Ye: We are not a good match."
Seeing this reply, Pei Zi's emotions, which had already calmed down, were instantly about to explode again.
She took a few deep breaths, patted her chest to comfort herself, "Forget it, forget it, I won't stoop to the level of a petty person."
She decided to stop beating around the bush with Zhang Ye and directly laid out her conditions.
"How about this, just treat it as me having just graduated and doing an internship, I'll pay you one thousand yuan in rent every month."
Pei Zi knew that Zhang Ye was very short of money right now.
She didn't believe that a charming and mature beauty would take the initiative to rent an apartment with him, help do housework for free, and even be willing to pay him money.
Could Zhang Ye still refuse?
Ding-dong!
"Zhang Ye: One thousand five hundred."
Pei Zi's expression stiffened, and her mental defense instantly shattered.
"Damn it!"
She grabbed the "Acupuncture Science" beside her and fiercely smashed it toward the door.
"Damn Zhang Ye! Raising the price on the spot, shameless!!"
Her pretty face flushed with anger, and she slumped onto the chair, her chest heaving violently.
At this moment, Bald Lu, who had just walked to the door, cautiously stopped in his tracks and looked left and right.
He originally wanted to come over to urge Pei Zi to hand in her materials for the professional title evaluation, and at the same time take the opportunity to apply some pressure so that she would have no choice but to "cooperate" with him.
But when he saw that Pei Zi's expression was ugly, her emotions were obviously abnormal, and she had even thrown her book away, he immediately changed his strategy.
What a great opportunity, he couldn't miss it!
Bald Lu hurriedly picked up the book from the ground and handed it to her with feigned concern.
"Dr. Pei, are you alright? Tell me who bullied you!"
Pei Zi raised her head to glance at him and let out a slight sigh.
She said, "Director Lu, the materials for the professional title evaluation have already been sent to your email."
"In addition, Bed 1 in Room 3 and Bed 4 in Room 5 need their dressings changed in an hour. I'm leaving work first."
Bald Lu was somewhat surprised: "You've already finished writing your materials?"
He had already asked the nurse and confirmed that Pei Zi had not worked overtime at all over the weekend these past two days.
Logically speaking, it was simply impossible for her to finish writing the materials.
He had originally planned to come and apply pressure today, give her a hard time first, and then put on a "magnanimous" posture to hypocritically help her revise it, while incidentally teaching her a lesson.
He didn't expect that she would submit it so quickly?!
Seeing that Pei Zi was about to leave, Bald Lu hurriedly called out to stop her: "Dr. Pei, wait!"
I have some connections with the president, and I am confident I can help you successfully pass the professional title evaluation.
I have experience in this matter; submitting the first draft directly carries a huge risk, so it's best to polish it a bit more."
His implication was very obvious: he was using the professional title materials to hold Pei Zi back.
The purpose was self-evident.
Pei Zi didn't even turn her head back, her tone indifferent: "No need."
She took off her white coat, took brisk steps, and walked out of the office without looking back.
Bald Lu watched her leave, his expression gradually darkening, and he cursed in a low voice: "Bitch, refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"
He angrily slammed the book back onto Pei Zi's desk, taking a few draft papers along with it, which fluttered and scattered all over the floor.
Hmm?
Bald Lu frowned, squatted down, and picked up the papers.
"Zhang Ye?"
His gaze tightened.
On these draft papers were entirely Pei Zi's handwriting, densely recording research and analysis on Zhang Ye's techniques.
Several professional books related to Traditional Chinese Medicine were also placed on the desk, and sticky notes were filled with all kinds of speculations.
Bald Lu narrowed his eyes, doubts rising in his heart.
Could it be that Zhang Ye really had some skills?
He remembered that when Zhang Ye treated Li Wei for gout, the effect was indeed quite good.
But he had always believed that it was just a coincidence.
After all, before Zhang Ye's massage, he and Pei Zi had already given medicine to Li Wei, and the efficacy of the medicine happened to take effect at that time.
But now, seeing how attentive Pei Zi was to Zhang Ye and how she left in such a hurry, he felt a vague sense of unease in his heart.
He stared at the sticky notes on the desk, his expression sinking as he sneered in a low voice—
"Zhang Ye, you were the one who ruined my good deed first."
He quickly took off his white coat and said to the nurse on duty: "I have an emergency at home and need to go back. If there are any problems, have the doctor from the next-door department help."
Ten minutes later.
At the hospital entrance, inside a taxi, Bald Lu watched a black Audi A4 slowly drive out of the underground parking lot.
He narrowed his eyes: "Driver, follow it."
Cuimingyuan, North District of Jiangcheng.
An apartment of one hundred square meters that could sell for around five million was precisely Pei Zi's residence.
Bald Lu frowned, watching her car drive into the residential compound.
"Could it be that I was overthinking?"
He muttered in a low voice and shook his head again.
Muttering to himself: "It seems I overestimated Zhang Ye's status in her heart..."
"Or, directly make it impossible for him to get by in Jiangcheng."
Night, nine o'clock.
Zhang Ye and his old man were sitting in the shop.
Zhang Zhenghong didn't know what he had gone off to do, and had only come back to find him today.
The father and son drank alcohol while eating crispy spiced duck, braised pig's head meat, and a cold vegetable dish.
Zhang Zhenghong raised the wine bottle, his gaze meaningful: "Drinking it means you've agreed."
"Agreed to what?" Zhang Ye was dumbfounded.
"Bring a girlfriend home for the New Year."
Zhang Ye almost spat out a mouthful of wine, amused and exasperated: "Ah? When did you say that? Dad, the New Year is almost here, where am I supposed to go find a girlfriend."
Fall in love?
Ever since breaking up with Lin Yan, Zhang Ye's interest in relationships had greatly diminished.
If it were back in his university days, given his personality at the time, if a charmingly mature and sexy woman like Pei Zi took the initiative to throw herself at him, he would have long gone with the flow, taken her down without hesitation, and eaten her up completely.
But now, when it came to relationships, he only followed the "three nos" principle: not taking the initiative, not refusing, and not taking responsibility.
Bringing a girlfriend back home for the New Year was something he couldn't do, but letting him bring a few girls back instead was not a problem.
He was living quite carefree by himself right now; why bother letting a relationship tie him down?
Rather than wasting time on a relationship destined to break up, it was better to be smart, save that romantic cost, and spend it in more "worthwhile" places.
The expenses saved every month could be completely chosen according to demand and adjusted at any time.
Changing to a new teacher every week, experiencing different techniques, and incidentally helping them make up for their lonely inner hearts...
Why not do it?
Dating? Who still plays this old-fashioned game!
Who knows, the "only one" you are coaxing with all your heart might already be "Baby" number 88 in someone else's WeChat moments circle.
Being carefree is fine, being a playboy doesn't matter, but you just can't be tied down by this thing called romance!
Once his career stabilized in the future and his pockets bulged, he would have young and gorgeous girlfriends to date every year, so there was no need to waste his energy in these few years.
Zhang Ye thought to himself, but on the surface he remained as calm as a breeze, showing no fluctuations whatsoever.
Seeing that he wasn't speaking, Zhang Zhenghong leisurely picked up a piece of pig's head meat and chewed on it.
He casually said: "I'm not asking you to find one right now, I mean before the New Year."
As soon as his voice fell, the light at the entrance of the shop suddenly brightened.
A beam of cool-white matrix LED headlights instantly illuminated the entire front of the shop.