Chapter 46: Going on a Blind Date

"Grandpa, why are you here?"

Seeing her grandfather, Xu Qiushuang's eyes flashed with surprise, and she quickly released the hand she was holding with Fang Ziyan.

"I was just wondering why you haven't come back so long after getting off work, so I came to pick you up," Xu Qiang said with a loving smile in his eyes.

Then, he looked over at Fang Ziyan.

Fang Ziyan's heart skipped a beat, knowing it was time for him to step up.

He quickly walked over and said with a smile, "Hello, Grandpa, I am Fang Ziyan."

Xu Qiang nodded, looking at Fang Ziyan with a warm, cheerful gaze. "Not bad. Thank you for walking our Qiushuang back."

"I am her boyfriend, so this is what I should do," Fang Ziyan explained.

Xu Qiang nodded again, just smiling at him without saying anything further.

Fang Ziyan paused, realizing it was time to say goodbye. With no other choice, he said, "Well, Grandpa, I've safely brought Teacher Xu back, so I'll be heading off now."

"Alright, be careful on your way back," Xu Qiang nodded once more.

"Take it easy on the road, and let me know when you get home."

Compared to Xu Qiang, Xu Qiushuang was much more enthusiastic.

She waved her hand vigorously. After watching Fang Ziyan leave, she turned and said, "Grandpa, you suddenly waiting here scared me a little. Fang Ziyan and I aren't quite at the stage of meeting our parents yet."

Xu Qiang looked at Xu Qiushuang with a trace of doting indulgence as he walked her home.

"I heard that this young man split from his family and is renting a place outside with just his mother and younger sister?"

"Yes, but Fang Ziyan is a doctor, and he even saved Qiuyeh. Being a doctor is a wonderful profession with a very bright future," Xu Qiushuang quickly explained.

However, Xu Qiang didn't listen to her defense. Instead, he said earnestly, "Qiushuang, you're not that young anymore, and being in a relationship just wastes your time. If you truly want to marry, you need to marry someone who can give you a good life."

"I know Fang Ziyan's family situation. If you really marry him, will you have a comfortable life?"

"Your marriage is the most important thing in your grandparents' lives."

"If you marry him and can't live a good life, are you trying to be the death of your grandparents?"

As these words fell, Xu Qiushuang felt as though she had been struck by lightning. She raised her head in disbelief.

"Grandpa, what do you mean by that?"

"I don't agree to you marrying him," Xu Qiang shook his head. "I've also had a matchmaker bring a young man from a good family to our doorstep."

"He's a doctor too, and his family background is much wealthier than Fang Ziyan's."

"Go meet him and spend some time with him," Xu Qiang explained slowly.

Hearing this, Xu Qiushuang was completely dumbfounded.

"Grandpa, but I genuinely love Fang Ziyan!"

"Silly girl, can love put food on the table?" Xu Qiang persuaded earnestly.

"Fine, if you refuse to break up with him, keep talking for now and wait a little longer. But you should at least meet the person I'm introducing," Xu Qiang said, shaking his head slowly as he turned and walked toward home.

Xu Qiushuang followed behind in a daze, unsure of what to do next.

Meanwhile, Fang Ziyan had returned home.

Along the way, he kept pondering Xu Qiang's reaction.

It seemed the old man wasn't very satisfied with him.

And understandably so—he was renting a home, and he was merely an intern doctor.

Right now, his status probably really wasn't worthy of Xu Qiushuang.

Since that was the case, he needed to work hard.

The practicing physician's practical skills examination was coming up soon, and two months after that would be the written exam.

Once he passed them all and obtained his practicing physician certificate, he would officially transition from an intern to a full-fledged doctor.

Naturally, his salary would increase as well.

Thinking of this, Fang Ziyan let out a soft sigh.

He couldn't afford to wait; he had to seize every single minute.

Xu Qiushuang liked him, so he had to step up and provide what a real man should.

With this resolve, Fang Ziyan pressed his lips together and walked into his house.

Inside, Zhixia had already finished her homework and was lying on the bed reading a storybook.

Nearby, Jiang Xu was doing some handiwork under the lamplight.

In the dim light, she even had to squint and bring the work close to her eyes to see clearly.

That was terrible for her vision.

Fang Ziyan couldn't help but yearn for the white fluorescent lights of later eras.

Such soft lighting wouldn't strain the eyes at all.

"Why are you back so early? Didn't you have dinner together?"

A smile appeared on Jiang Xu's face when she saw Fang Ziyan.

"We had some snacks and watched a movie."

"I even met her grandfather today," Fang Ziyan answered honestly. "Though it seemed like her grandfather wasn't very fond of me."

He scratched his head; this wasn't something he could hide.

Jiang Xu sighed softly.

"Our family's circumstances aren't great, but if we work hard, things will change."

"Still, don't get your hopes up too high. You and Teacher Xu might not actually end up together," Jiang Xu advised from the perspective of someone who had been through it.

Yet, these words sounded rather grating to Fang Ziyan's ears.

He scratched his head again. "Alright, I know."

"You two should get some rest early tonight. Don't stay up late, or you'll ruin your eyes."

"I have to go to work tonight for the night shift. You guys sleep well and don't worry about me."

With that, Fang Ziyan walked back to the outer room.

Looking at Fang Ziyan's retreating figure, Jiang Xu let out a soft sigh.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Is Teacher Xu not going to become my second sister-in-law?" Zhixia asked from the side.

Hearing this, Jiang Xu shook her head and offered no explanation.

That evening, Fang Ziyan woke up early to get ready for his shift.

The night shift ran from 2:00 AM to 8:00 AM.

During this time frame, if one were lucky, there wouldn't be many patients.

In Jiang'an City, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and the People's Hospital were not very far apart.

Most of the time, emergency calls tended to be dispatched to the People's Hospital instead.

Sitting in the office, Fang Ziyan pondered distressfully about the situation with Xu Qiushuang.

Could the two of them really make it work?

He couldn't figure it out, nor did he want to dwell on it.

True to form, no new emergency patients came in during the night shift, leaving him lost in thought the entire night.

It wasn't until the next morning, just as it was time for the shift handover, that he was surprised to find Gu Tao—the person supposed to take over from him—was nowhere to be seen.

Gu Tao was a student of Jin Mingcheng, and Jin Mingcheng was the head of the Emergency Department.

Because of this backing, even if Gu Tao was late, no one dared to say much.

Cao Chong waved his hand helplessly, gesturing for Fang Ziyan to head home and rest first.

Fang Ziyan nodded. By the time he got off work now, Xu Qiushuang would basically already be at school, so walking her to work was out of the question anyway.

However, just as Fang Ziyan changed out of his scrubs and prepared to leave, he saw Gu Tao rushing in hurriedly.

Catching sight of Gu Tao, Emergency Department Director Jin Mingcheng frowned. "Why are you late?"

"Hehe, Uncle, I took some time off for a blind date," Gu Tao chuckled.

With a smirk, he glanced sideways at Fang Ziyan, lifting an eyebrow as if flexing in triumph.