The Moonlight

e.”

Cao Jin handed her the menu, saying, “That’s nothing.
Take a look and order whatever you like.”

It had been over a month since Xu Qingyan had last seen him, and every time she encountered this person, his face would inevitably bear signs of injury.
This time, his face seemed fine, but his left hand had bruises.

“What happened to your hand?” she asked.

Cao Jin sniffed and downed his glass of wine in one gulp, feeling a moment of relief, before saying, “It’s nothing, just a minor incident.
It’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

“Drinking is harmful, and you’re still injured.”

“I know, Dr.
Xu.
Let’s eat quickly.”

Cao Jin turned up the heat on the hotpot, and soon the broth started bubbling.
Xu Qingyan didn’t hold back and ate heartily.

Cao Jin poured himself another glass of sake and refilled Xu Qingyan’s tea.
He said, “In a few days, the news will be out.”

“What news?”

“Hehe.”

Captain Cao seemed to be delighted.

“We’ve caught this,” Cao Jin lowered his voice and raised his middle finger at Xu Qingyan.

Xu Qingyan: “……”

Cao Jin expression changed as he realized his blunder, “Oops, that’s not what I meant.
I meant the third-in-command, haha! We’ve chopped off one of their arms, let them be arrogant, let them continue trafficking drugs.”

Cao Jin had many confidential tasks, and he wouldn’t reveal too much about them.
However, Xu Qingyan learned from some news that their joint task force was investigating an international drug trafficking case.
Although she didn’t know the details, according to Captain Cao, capturing the third-in-command meant they were either severely injured or dead.

Cao Jin laughed with excitement, “They’re still under interrogation.
I don’t think we can uproot them completely this time, but it’s enough to make them suffer.
I have to admire us; it’s not easy, you know? We’ve been undercover for so many years, and now we’ve caught a big fish.”

Xu Qingyan understood the hardships and dangers of Cao Jin’s job.
Without a strong belief, it would be impossible to persevere.

Cao Jin muttered to himself, “Lately, the gangs are getting restless.
I think both sides will engage in a full-blown war.
Perfect timing.
Let’s take advantage of the situation.”

Xu Qingyan’s brow twitched involuntarily.

In the past, Cao Jin occasionally mentioned his work tasks, but she would dismiss them without much thought.
But now as she listened, it sent shockwaves through her heart and made her pulse race.

They devoured twelve slices of salmon, two plates of cod fish, three plates of foie gras sushi, four plates of jumbo prawns, and a whole pot of hot pot.
Despite the feast, Cao Jin still felt unsatisfied, while Xu Qingyan was already feeling a bit overstuffed.

Setting down her chopsticks, Xu Qingyan declared, “I need to use the restroom.”

This Japanese restaurant was not particularly spacious, but its decoration was simple yet elegant.
What made it stand out was its authenticity, with a strong Japanese influence.
The head chef and assistants were all Japanese, and the ingredients were air-shipped directly from Japan, ensuring the utmost authenticity in their cuisine.
According to Cao Jin, he had reserved this spot a month in advance.
Xu Qingyan silently thought it would be best not to tell Ling Qiao about this place; otherwise, this foodie might end up monopolizing Cao Jin’s reservations.

The restaurant had two floors.
There was a long line forming outside the women’s restroom, while there was no one waiting outside the men’s restroom.
As the woman’s restroom door remained closed, a man walked out from the men’s restroom.
Xu Qingyan’s gaze swept across and suddenly froze, forgetting to breathe for a moment.

The person seemed oblivious to her presence as he washed his hands at the sink.
When he turned around, his gaze met Xu Qingyan’s, and after a brief hesitation, he immediately smiled, “Have we met somewhere before?”

With a hint of embarrassment, Xu Qingyan replied, “At the hospital.”

After pondering for a moment, the person’s face lit up with recognition, “Dr.
Xu.”

Xu Qingyan looked at him, her mind lagging behind for a moment, her face couldn’t help but broke into a smile.

“How coincidental.
The medicine you prescribed for me last time worked wonders.
Thank you,” she said.

Cheng Ran was dressed in a simple T-shirt with a casual suit jacket over it.
With his naturally rosy lips and white teeth, he appeared elegant and refined, resembling a fresh college graduate.

Cheng Ran, clearly more relaxed than Xu Qingyan, immediately engaged in conversation.
“I struggle with skincare.
How many days a week do you have consultations? I can make an appointment with you.”

Xu Qingyan hesitated.
“For skincare, you might consider consulting a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner.”

Cheng Ran interjected at the right moment.
“I don’t have much patience for the old-school methods of traditional Chinese medicine.
I want to learn about everyday skincare routines.”

Xu Qingyan didn’t see any problem with that and replied, “I have regular consultations from Monday to Wednesday, but it’s for general patients.”

“That might be a bit inconvenient for me.
I’m unavailable from Monday to Wednesday.
How about this?” Cheng Ran took out a business card from his pocket.
“Shall we exchange contact details?”

Xu Qingyan hesitated.
She wasn’t a particularly sociable person, and when it came to patients, she always sought a clear conscience.
After all, there was a doctor-patient relationship to consider, and it might not be a good idea to having too much personal interaction outside of that.
This situation had never occurred before. 

However, when Xu Qingyan met those phoenix-like eyes again, her heart fluttered as if someone had gently squeezed it, causing her to instinctively nod.

She also shared her contact number with Cheng Ran, who immediately entered it into his phone.
Before leaving, he shook his phone at her and said, “I’ll be in touch.
Goodbye.”

Cheng Ran went straight upstairs.
After he left, Xu Qingyan lowered her gaze and looked at the business card: CEO of Borui Biotech Co., Ltd., Cheng Ran.

A CEO at such a young age.
Quite an impressive title. 

In this world, there truly existed two individuals who bore such an uncanny resemblance.
If it weren’t for the fact that he had no knowledge of her existence, she would almost be convinced that this person was him.

As Xu Qingyan returned to her seat, Cao Jin had already indulged in another round of food and was now leaning back in his chair, leisurely savoring the flavors.

Xu Qingyan safely tucked away the business card, wondering if Cao Jin had caught sight of Cheng Ran from near the entrance of the restroom.
Initially, she had considered sharing her encounter with Cheng Ran, but swiftly dismissed the idea.

After all, he was just someone who resembled another person closely.

After satiating his hunger and quenching his thirst, Cao Jin wrapped up their conversation and turned his attention to a different matter. 

“How long has it been since you last went home? Find some time to go back and visit.”

Xu Qingyan lifted her teacup, took a sip, and gently placed it back without saying a word.

Cao Jin knew that Xu Qingyan was much more stubborn than she appeared.
But Shen Yuanchu was his closest brother, wasn’t he feeling any sorrow?

One must always look forward in life and not remain fixated to a single tree, unable to move on.

“Are you done eating? Let’s go.”

Noticing Xu Qingyan’s obvious indifference, Cao Jin helplessly ran his hand through his hair and had no choice but to give up.

Captain Cao, the respected police officer who usually had his way with everyone, found himself powerless in front of Xu Qingyan.

The two of them walked towards the entrance, with Xu Qingyan leading the way and Cao Jin following behind.
Meanwhile, on the second floor, Cheng Ran happened to be descending the stairs.
He abruptly stopped in his tracks and raised his hand, signaling the person behind him to stop as well.

Wu Ju asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

As Cheng Ran remained silent, Wu Ju looked ahead and happened to see Xu Qingyan walking out of the door.

Cheng Ran’s gaze lingered on Xu Qingyan for a moment, and he also noticed Cao Jin.
Then, he smiled mysteriously and said, “Nothing, let’s go.”