Chapter 42: You Are the Company You Keep (Requesting Monthly Tickets!!!)

The next morning, Guan Ju'er got up early to wash up. Qiu Yingying and Fan Shengmei were still asleep; it wasn't until Guan Ju'er had changed her clothes that the two of them emerged from their room, yawning.

"Huh? Guan Guan, aren't you off work today? Why are you up so early?" Qiu Yingying asked curiously.

Feeling a bit nervous, Guan Ju'er gave a quick reply and hurried away: "Oh, I have some materials to look up. I'm heading to the library."

Neither Fan Shengmei nor Qiu Yingying suspected anything.

Guan Ju'er took the elevator all the way down to the underground garage. As she was looking around, she suddenly heard a horn from her front right and saw that Qin Hao had already started his car and was waiting for her.

Guan Ju'er jogged over and, out of habit, sat in the passenger seat.

Qin Hao found it somewhat amusing. "What's the rush? You could have just walked over. It wouldn't have made a difference if it took a few more seconds."

Guan Ju'er simply smiled without speaking. She just wanted to be with Qin Hao as early as possible; even if it was just for a few extra seconds, the feeling of being together was different.

"Hungry? I'll take you to breakfast first," Qin Hao said, lightly pressing the accelerator.

At a tea house.

"Qiu Yan, these soup dumplings are delicious! You should try one," Guan Ju'er said, her cheeks bulging as she didn't forget to recommend them to Qin Hao.

Qin Hao nodded with a smile. "Alright, slow down. No one is going to snatch them from you."

At the dining table, Guan Ju'er was like a hardworking little squirrel, only reluctantly putting down her chopsticks once she was feeling a bit too full.

"Phew, I haven't eaten this satisfyingly in a long time."

Qin Hao handed her a tissue and smiled. "If you like it, I'll bring you here whenever we have time in the future."

"Ah, that would be too much trouble. It's such a long drive. Besides, it's hard to go back to being frugal once you've tasted luxury. Let's not," Guan Ju'er said, shaking her head immediately upon hearing this.

Qin Hao gently took Guan Ju'er's soft little hand, gave it a squeeze, and said softly, "As long as you like it, it's not a trouble. You certainly don't eat a proper breakfast when you're working. Since it's the weekend, you should make up for it. If you ruin your health, how am I supposed to face your parents later?"

Guan Ju'er's face instantly flushed red. It wasn't just because of the hand-holding—after all, they were already officially boyfriend and girlfriend, so holding hands was no big deal—it was because Qin Hao's sudden mention of her parents gave her the illusion that she was about to meet the in-laws.

"Then... alright." Guan Ju'er remembered Qin Hao saying before that a boyfriend is meant to be "troubled." In truth, she also wanted more private time alone with him.

While Qin Hao was settling the bill, Guan Ju'er suddenly noticed something and asked curiously, "Qiu Yan, have you noticed that the people coming here for breakfast seem to be mostly middle-aged or elderly? It seems like we're the only two young people."

After swiping his card and signing the receipt, Qin Hao showed it to her and explained, "The reason is simple. The average consumption here is over a hundred yuan. While young people can afford it, there's no necessity. You can fill your stomach at a street-side breakfast stall for a few yuan. Most people who spend money here are locals; they have both money and leisure. For them, a tea house is an important social venue in addition to being a place to eat."

Guan Ju'er looked around and indeed saw people sitting in groups of three or five, chatting animatedly.

"You know so much," Guan Ju'er said, looking up at Qin Hao with admiration.

Qin Hao shrugged, took Guan Ju'er's hand, and smiled. "It's nothing really. It's just a habit of careful observation developed from working in social media over the years."

When they arrived at the hospital, Zhao Qiping was already waiting at the entrance.

"Did you get it done?"

In a big city, getting an appointment with a specialist is no easy task, so Qin Hao had called Zhao Qiping last night to ask for his help with the registration.

Zhao Qiping rolled his eyes. "If I couldn't even handle a small matter like this, you'd torture me to death this weekend. Don't worry, I've booked you an appointment with our best attending ophthalmologist."

Qin Hao nodded and then introduced the two.

"Guan Ju'er. 'Guan guan ju jiu, zai he zhi zhou.' A lovely name. But don't let this guy trick you; he's no gentleman," Dr. Zhao teased.

Qin Hao said crossly, "Hey, that's going too far. Saying that right in front of me... looks like you've been getting a bit too full of yourself lately. How about checking out a boxing gym or some bone-setting massage this weekend?"

"I'm saying it precisely because I'm in front of you. Otherwise, wouldn't I be a petty person talking behind your back? Come if you want; I'm not afraid of you. I'm an orthopedic surgeon myself, I don't need it!" Dr. Zhao said, completely unaware of the gravity of his words.

Watching the two bicker, Guan Ju'er couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. She hadn't expected that this seemingly serious Dr. Zhao would be so much fun.

Afterward, the three went to the ophthalmology department. Guan Ju'er felt a bit nervous, so Qin Hao patted her shoulder comfortingly and whispered

"Don't be nervous. It's just an examination. As for whether or not to have surgery later, we'll just follow the doctor's professional advice."

Guan Ju'er nodded gently, but her heart was still racing. She was terrified the doctor would say it couldn't be cured. After all, Qin Hao's conditions were so excellent, while she felt like an ugly duckling.

The doctor was a middle-aged man in his forties. Seeing Dr. Zhao bring someone in, he gave a slight nod of greeting and then began examining Guan Ju'er, asking about her condition.

Afterward, he issued some orders for Guan Ju'er to undergo an eye scan.

After the examination, Qin Hao took Guan Ju'er to hand the scan results to the doctor. The doctor took one look and nodded.

"Your condition is suitable for laser correction. However, any surgery carries risks. You can take some time to consider it before making a decision."

Guan Ju'er asked, "Doctor, if I have the surgery, will I be able to take off my glasses?"

Ever since Qin Hao told her she was very beautiful without her glasses, Guan Ju'er had developed a strong desire to remove them. When she woke up and washed up this morning, she had even stood in front of the mirror for a long time, discovering that she did indeed seem a bit more beautiful.

"Of course. Moreover, myopia is a very common issue nowadays. Our hospital has deep technical expertise in this area. The success rate of the surgery is very high now. Young people like yourselves are at the optimal age for the procedure."

Guan Ju'er did not hesitate further. "Okay, I'll do it."

The ophthalmology surgery schedule was very full. For a patient with a mild case like Guan Ju'er, the appointment was scheduled for two weeks later—and that was only because of Zhao Qiping's influence.

Guan Ju'er actually felt a secret sense of relief; the surgery would cost over twenty thousand yuan, and she felt too embarrassed to use Qin Hao's money.

"Dr. Zhao, I've really troubled you this time..."

Before Guan Ju'er could finish, Zhao Qiping leaned in and whispered, "If you really want to thank me, go control your man. Tell him to go easy on her. I don't want to be sent to my own department to have my bones reset; it would be too embarrassing."

Guan Ju'er burst out laughing and looked at Qin Hao, only to find him staring at Zhao Qiping with a look of mischief. She then said with a beaming smile

"Dr. Zhao, don't talk nonsense. He's very gentle; how could he ever strike a blow?"

Zhao Qiping's face instantly filled with a sense of utter despair. "Truly, one becomes like those they associate with. I shouldn't have held any expectations for this guy's girlfriend."

"Haha~~~"

(End of Chapter)