Chapter 280: Love-Struck

Zhong Mingzhu was completely unaware of this; she still thought her nephew had grown up and become sensible.

The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, after a simple meal, Zhong Mingzhu rushed off to work, chatting and laughing with Ding Qiunan in the office.

The two of them were among the first group of doctors to be exposed to the "Embrace of Life" technique, and having received key training from the Hospital, they could be considered to have reaped the first wave of benefits.

"Sister Qiu Nan, could you tell me about this person, Zhang Ping'an?"

"Mingzhu, you..."

"Sister Qiu Nan, don't misunderstand. I just purely want to understand a bit. You say he's someone who doesn't understand Western medicine, so how could he discover this method?"

"Didn't Zhang Shu explain it all when he was in the conference room? Besides, it's possible that Zhang Shu and his wife discovered it together, and it's just inconvenient for him to say so."

"I only married into this Siheyuan two years ago, so I don't know much about Zhang Shu as a person. He counts as my matchmaker, and both he and his wife are very outstanding; they were very much in love in the past."

"Impossible. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine are completely unrelated. Most of Traditional Chinese Medicine is just fooling people."

"Mingzhu, don't get excited..."

"I'm not excited, I'm just discussing the matter as it stands."

"Ahem, what are you two doing? I could hear your voices from outside."

"Sorry, Dean Zhong, Mingzhu and I were discussing the Embrace of Life."

"Hmm~ mutual discussion is a good thing, but keep your voices down and mind the influence."

"Yes, Dean Zhong."

"Mingzhu, come with me for a moment."

Zhong Yan sighed imperceptibly. She had heard the conversation between the two clearly from outside just now; this little sister might truly have some different thoughts about Zhang Ping'an.

"Big Sister, why are you looking at me like that?" Inside the office, Zhong Mingzhu felt completely uncomfortable being stared at by her big sister.

"Sigh, Mingzhu, actually I have known Zhang Ping'an for a long time. My sister-in-law's illness was cured by him. He must have learned Traditional Chinese Medicine from his wife's grandfather."

"And his attainments must be very high. That Embrace of Life of his was very likely improved based on Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture points, but at this time, advocating Traditional Chinese Medicine is clearly inappropriate."

"My sister-in-law's family, including your brother-in-law, all hold him in high regard. Your third nephew also owes a lot to Zhang Ping'an's Medicinal Wine; the Medicinal Wine and tea leaves I brought home for Dad, Mom, and Big Brother were also things he handled himself."

"But Mingzhu, you are not a match for him."

"Why? Uh, I mean, you said he is so outstanding, so how come..."

Zhong Mingzhu was someone who dared to love and hate. Although she felt a bit embarrassed, she still asked boldly in front of her big sister.

Zhong Yan helplessly held her forehead. A moment ago she was acting like she looked down on him, and now she wasn't even pretending anymore.

"I know Ping'an to some extent. He is loyal and righteous, and he and his wife are childhood sweethearts. I can guarantee that even if my sister-in-law were to arrange a match for him, he wouldn't even know about it."

"And you don't like him; you're just curious. You have little contact with the opposite sex, so to you, he might just be fresh and different."

"Big Sister, what are you saying? I'm not talking to you anymore." Zhong Mingzhu was embarrassed after her thoughts were exposed and ran away.

"This girl..."

Zhong Yan frowned slightly, worried in her heart. Her younger sister had a temperament that wouldn't turn back until she hit a southern wall; she was afraid she wouldn't give up until she broke the curiosity in her heart.

Things went exactly as Zhong Yan had thought; Zhong Mingzhu now indeed wanted to understand Zhang Ping'an even more.

Time flew by to the day off again, and Zhong Mingzhu prepared to start waiting for the rabbit again. This time she had learned to be smart and brought lunch in advance.

As soon as Zhong Mingzhu entered the Library, she saw Zhang Ping'an reading. She grabbed a book at random and quietly leaned over, catching a glimpse of the pile of ideological education books and foreign language books in front of Zhang Ping'an.

"Section Chief Zhang, you've come to read too?" Zhong Mingzhu observed for a while, then said in a low voice, trying to use as calm a tone as possible.

"Hmm, it's you." Zhang Ping'an looked up and saw a face that looked peaceful and prosperous; it seemed to be Ding Qiunan's colleague.

"Is Section Chief Zhang interested in foreign languages?"

"Oh, I'm just reading casually." Now he didn't dare to speak recklessly, and every time he took a foreign language book, it was tucked inside several ideological and political books.

"I thought Section Chief Zhang was interested. I even studied Gaulish when I was in university."

Zhang Ping'an felt a slight stir upon hearing this. He did want to find someone to ask about Gaulish pronunciation, but once he thought about how this girl's clothing was unusual—most likely a high-ranking cadre's child—Zhang Ping'an extinguished the thought.

"Oh, impressive." He then buried his head in his book and ignored her further.

"..."

Zhong Mingzhu was somewhat speechless. She was, after all, a great beauty; there were plenty of people chasing her in high school and university. How was she ignored here? This instead stirred up her competitive spirit.

"Section Chief Zhang doesn't know my name yet, right? I'm Zhong Mingzhu, Sister Qiu Nan's colleague." Zhong Mingzhu also reached out her hand at the same time.

"Oh, hello. I am Zhang Ping'an, Ding Qiunan's uncle." Zhang Ping'an shook her hand, then continued reading.

"..."

Zhong Mingzhu was now very certain that this Zhang Ping'an was doing it on purpose, deliberately choking her with his words. It must be that her big sister had said something to him.

"Zhang Ping'an, are you doing this on purpose? You jerk!" Zhong Mingzhu said, then left in a huff.

"Huh?"

Zhang Ping'an looked blank. He just simply didn't want to get involved with these high-ranking cadre children; how did he get scolded?

Zhong Mingzhu's voice just now hadn't been quiet, and many people were looking at Zhang Ping'an with strange eyes. Zhang Ping'an smiled awkwardly; there was no way he could keep reading, so he borrowed a few ideological and political books at random and slipped away.

"Damn it, ran into a lunatic. A perfectly good mood has been ruined."

Zhong Mingzhu didn't go home either, but went angrily to her big sister Zhong Yan's house, preparing to ask what exactly she had said to Zhang Ping'an.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Little Aunt, you're here." Xu Kun was very happy. This little aunt was about the same age as him, and the two had been like biological siblings since they were young.

"Xiao Kun, is your mother home?"

"She is, she's in the study organizing things. Mom, Little Aunt is here."

"Mingzhu, why did you come?"

Zhong Yan knew that this little sister usually stayed home to read or went to the school Library; she rarely came to her place unless there was something up, and her expression today wasn't right either.

"Big Sister, did you say something to Zhang Ping'an?"

"Huh? Say what?" Zhong Yan clearly didn't understand what Zhong Mingzhu meant yet.

"It is, it is my business..."

Xu Kun stood to the side, his mouth agape in shock; so Zhang Ping'an was involved in this too? There was a huge scoop hidden in here.

"No, Mingzhu, what are you talking about? I can barely keep up with the work at the Hospital, why would I go talk to Ping'an? You didn't go find him, did you??"

"Big Sister, you, you really didn't say anything to him?"

"I haven't seen him since the Hospital meeting, what on earth happened?"

"Oh my!" Zhong Mingzhu felt her face burning hot; she stomped her foot and ran out of the Xu Family home.

"Hehe, Mother, Auntie and Brother Zhang, they..."

"Go, go, go, don't come over here and add to the chaos."

Zhong Yan's brows were tightly locked; if she had initially thought her younger sister was just curious, she now feared that she really had those kinds of feelings for Zhang Ping'an.

Furthermore, her younger sister's behavior just now seemed to indicate she had been rebuffed by Zhang Ping'an, and she had come to hold Zhong Yan accountable, thinking it was because of something Zhong Yan had said to him, only for Zhong Yan to deny it.

"This is going to be troublesome..."