Chapter 109: Chapter 107: The Vinegar Jar is Overturned

Su Tang was taken aback by the question, but she soon nodded candidly. “Yes, I’m married.”

Her gaze was gentle yet distant—the polite demeanor she reserved for strangers.

As Su Tang spoke, the color instantly drained from Mu Tianrui’s face. His hand tightened slightly, and his eyes, behind his glasses, were filled with unconcealable disappointment.

He opened his mouth, but it took him a long moment to find his voice. “Oh, I… I see… I’m sorry, I should have asked first. That was presumptuous of me.”

For a man she barely knew to ask her out for a meal like that was indeed presumptuous.

Su Tang smiled and shifted the commemorative banner to the corner of her desk. “It’s alright. A meal really isn’t necessary. Taking care of patients is my duty, and I’m just happy your grandfather is recovering so well.”

With things put so plainly, it would be rude for Mu Tianrui to insist.

He managed a weak smile. “Well, you must be busy. I won’t disturb you any longer.”

With that, he turned and left, looking somewhat rushed.

Watching his dejected figure disappear through the doorway, Su Tang let out a soft sigh of relief.

’She wasn’t a little girl anymore. How could she not see what Mu Tianrui was thinking?’

’The young man looked so gentle and refined, but he couldn’t hide the admiration in his eyes. Thankfully, I made myself clear. It’ll save trouble down the road.’

She looked down to organize her case files, pushing the little episode to the back of her mind. She still had a mountain of work to get through.

Four or five days passed, and the hospital exam Lu Xiao was taking was scheduled for the upcoming weekend.

Lu Xiao said he would pick her up tonight so they could go over together tomorrow. That way, Su Tang wouldn’t have trouble finding the place.

Just as she was thinking about it, the phone on her desk suddenly rang. It was an external call, transferred by the hospital’s main switchboard.

“Hello, Doctor Su. This is Mu Tianrui.” The voice on the other end of the line held a hint of hesitation.

“I wanted to ask about the time for my grandfather’s check-up today. Is there anything we need to prepare beforehand?”

Su Tang gave him the specific time and some instructions, adding at the end, “He’s getting on in years, so it would be best if someone came with him.”

“I’ll be with him.”

Mu Tianrui paused, then continued in a low voice.

“Doctor Su, I know you’re married, and I was presumptuous before. But my grandfather really wants to thank you. He’s old and stubborn—I can’t talk him out of it. So… how about a simple meal after his check-up? It’ll just be him and me. We won’t take up too much of your time. Would that be alright?”

He sounded so sincere and was being so humble that Su Tang found it hard to refuse again.

Su Tang was still hesitating into the receiver when her office door was pushed open from the outside.

Lu Xiao stood in the doorway, dressed in his crisp service uniform. The moment his eyes fell on her, Su Tang felt an inexplicable tension run down her spine.

He had clearly heard the conversation on the phone. His gaze fell to the hand she was holding the receiver with, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

’He looks… unhappy.’

“Then… alright. We can talk after the check-up.”

Su Tang hastily ended the call with Mu Tianrui. When she turned to Lu Xiao, a bright smile was already on her face. “How did you get here so fast?”

Lu Xiao didn’t respond. He strode to her desk and looked down at her, his dark eyes like a bottomless lake.

“Who was that on the phone?”

“Just that patient’s family member from last time, Mu Tianrui. His grandfather has a check-up today.”

Su Tang walked over to Lu Xiao. Seeing the look on his face, she didn’t need to guess to know he was jealous.

Lu Xiao grabbed her wrist, his grip firm and unyielding.

“Did he call to ask you to dinner?”

Su Tang looked up at him and only then realized his expression was much darker than usual. His unhappiness was written all over his face.

“Yes. His grandfather insists on thanking me. I’ve already turned him down several times, but he’s an old man and…”

“If his grandfather wants to thank you, I can go in your place.”

Lu Xiao cut her off. His tone was impassive, but the sour note of jealousy was unmistakable. “Or, I could go with you.”

Su Tang couldn’t help but laugh at him. “What are you getting involved for? A grandfather and his grandson invited me. Wouldn’t it be awkward if you came along?”

She was playing dumb, deciding to tease Lu Xiao by deliberately shooting down the idea.

“Awkward?”

Lu Xiao’s brow furrowed. He leaned down, his nose nearly touching her forehead, and his voice was a low growl, tinged with gritted-teeth frustration.

“And it’s not awkward for me to let another man fawn all over my wife?”

He didn’t bother to hide his feelings, laying them out plainly.

’He’d knocked over more than a few vats of vinegar by now; the sour smell of jealousy was everywhere.’

“What are you thinking?”

She pushed against his chest. “Mu Tianrui is just being grateful. Besides, I already made it clear to him that I’m married.”

“I even told him my husband is a soldier right here on this base. I made myself perfectly clear, didn’t I?”

“If you made it so clear, why does he keep asking you out?”

Lu Xiao raised an eyebrow, the jealousy in his eyes practically spilling over.

“Something felt off last time when you told me he gave you that banner. I could just imagine the way he was looking at you, his eyes glued to you. I’m no fool.”

Su Tang wanted to laugh. When Lu Xiao got jealous, he was just like a child.

“But it’s his grandfather who’s inviting me, not him.”

But Lu Xiao wasn’t about to let her off the hook. He reached out and pinched her cheek, his voice laced with a hint of grievance.

“Tangtang, you’re just too amazing.”

The light calluses on his fingertips brushed against her cheek, making it itch.

Su Tang looked at his profile and thought that this side of Lu Xiao was, strangely enough, a little cute.

“So… should I tell him I’m not going?” she asked tentatively.

Only then did Lu Xiao’s expression soften slightly. He was like a big, proud dog, wanting to nod but keeping his face stern.

“You don’t have to be the one to tell him.”

He released her hand, turned, and picked up the external phone on her desk, dialing the number for the switchboard.

“Connect me to the last external line that called Doctor Su. That’s right, Mu Tianrui.”

Su Tang stood there, stunned. Watching his back, she shook her head in resignation.

’When his jealousy flared up, he really didn’t mess around.’

The call connected quickly. Lu Xiao’s voice was calm as he spoke into the receiver, betraying no hint of his anger.

“Mr. Mu, this is Su Tang’s husband, Lu Xiao. She has other plans today, so we won’t be able to join you for the meal, but we appreciate the sentiment. As for your grandfather’s check-up, the hospital has arranged for a more suitable doctor to handle it.”

Without waiting for a response, he hung up decisively. Turning back to Su Tang, the icy expression on his face had mostly melted. He reached for her hand. “Let’s go. I’m taking you to dinner tonight.”

As he pulled her out the door, Su Tang couldn’t help but ask, “Your tone just now… you sounded like you were interrogating a criminal.”

Lu Xiao looked down at her, a smile finally rippling in his eyes, but his words were still stubborn. “You don’t need to be polite when you’re dealing with someone who’s coveting your wife.”

Sunlight streamed through the corridor window, bathing their clasped hands in a warm, golden light.

Su Tang looked at his earnest profile and sighed softly. ’This vat of vinegar… I’m afraid it’s going to get knocked over a lot from now on.’

“So, Deputy Commander Lu, were you getting a little jealous just now? You’re so cute when you’re jealous.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep