Chapter 3: The Hair Removal Cream from Dr. Pei

“Thank you, Dr. Pei.”

The ointment felt icy cool on her hand, and Li Yunchu indeed felt much more comfortable.

She stood there without moving, took a deep breath, and said, “Dr. Pei, if later on… if my mother and Aunt Pei ask about the blind date, could you…”

She didn’t know how to put it.

It would be awkward to say at the dining table that she had rejected Pei Siyue, but if she used the excuse of wanting to have children, she felt like she might as well move to another planet.

“Hm?”

Pei Siyue waited for her to speak.

“Could you… could you say that we just felt we weren’t quite compatible?”

Li Yunchu thought this was the most tactful answer she could give.

Pei Siyue didn’t seem like a petty man; he probably wouldn’t hold a grudge over a blind date…

“No.”

Li Yunchu looked up in disbelief. “Why not?”

She didn’t think it would be a disadvantage to him; in fact, it might be beneficial for both of them.

After all, Pei Siyue surely didn’t want to marry just because of a blind date.

“My perspective differs from Miss Li’s. I think we are very suitable.”

“Miss Li has been on many blind dates; she should have the intention to marry.”

“I am a doctor with a permanent position and stable work, meeting the job criteria you look for in a partner. Aunt Li is well aware of my family background.”

Li Yunchu forced a smile. She knew very well that Pei Siyue was excellent in every regard.

But why would someone so perfect need to go on blind dates?

“Dr. Pei… I’ll go inside to help now.”

She avoided the question and intended to leave, but then she heard the man’s voice.

“Wait a moment.”

She hesitated and turned back, afraid Pei Siyue might say something else, but he simply extended his hand, offering two items.

One was the ointment box, and the other was a slightly larger jar.

She pressed her lips together and accepted them. “This…”

“Hair removal cream. This one shouldn’t cause any allergies.”

Li Yunchu’s breath caught. She hadn’t expected Pei Siyue to prepare hair removal cream for her.

“Thank you, Dr. Pei…”

The man was already walking inside. Li Yunchu stared at the two jars in her hands, one large and one small, as if still warm from his touch.

…

Pei Siyue could feel the young lady behind him hadn’t followed.

His usually calm expression flickered with emotion, and even the corners of his mouth began to lift involuntarily.

Had he just performed well enough?

He almost thought she wouldn’t accept it.

Tsk... It felt like he had brushed her hand back; how could it be so soft? It felt like her bones were made of silk.

Good thing he had applied hand cream beforehand; otherwise, his calloused fingertips from daily workouts might have reddened the delicate skin on her hand.

His lips felt dry. He had almost been unable to resist smoothing the cream on her hand himself.

But no, he mustn’t appear like a rogue.

At the blind date, he’d thought she would like men who looked dashing and a bit roguish, but he seemed to have tried too hard.

God knew how much he regretted it. So when he saw her call was from her after confirming it several times, he even washed his face and checked himself in the mirror.

She seemed to be growing more beautiful by the day; he wondered if she would like someone like him.

…

At the dining table:

“I never expected Siyue to be among Yunchu’s blind date candidates, though I did hear about a doctor.”

Mrs. Pei looked at Mrs. Li reproachfully. “How many blind dates have you arranged for Yunchu? What’s going on? She’s still young.”

Mrs. Li didn’t argue back, a tinge of sadness flickering in her eyes. “Yunchu is already 26 this year. Her father passed away early. I just want to find her someone steady, so she can live a peaceful life from now on, and I can rest easy.”

Pei Siyue glanced at his mother beside him.

Mrs. Pei immediately smiled brightly. She hadn’t spoken so kindly to anyone else in her life, but seeing her son’s lackluster demeanor and how his eyes hadn’t left the young lady the whole time since sitting there, she decided to take the initiative.

“Ah, you’ve worked hard raising Yunchu all these years.”

She changed the subject, “Our Siyue is now at the First Hospital, his job is stable, though he’s a bit awkward with words…”

Pei Siyue sat calmly.

Li Yunchu felt awkward all over. She had been on many blind dates, but for some reason, facing Pei Siyue made her involuntarily nervous.

Maybe because…

He knew about her arm hair?

“Siyue has been smart since he was little; I always thought Yunchu wasn’t quite good enough for him.”

“That’s not something to say. Yunchu is such a wonderful girl. I don’t have daughters, but I adore Yunchu.”

The meal left Li Yunchu somewhat choked.

She kept sneaking glances at Pei Siyue.

The man’s gaze was steady, seemingly indifferent to the two mothers’ conversation.

Li Yunchu recalled what he said to her earlier; perhaps he simply believed she was a very suitable marriage partner.

…

Blind dates did feel like this sometimes, with a sense of straightforward valuation—everyone choosing the best match that corresponded to their own worth.

Pei Siyue was indeed a quality man, a doctor…

And likely earned well.

Li Yunchu had always found faults with her blind date prospects because she didn’t want to marry so soon.

But now, finding fault with Pei Siyue was impossible.

After the meal, Li Yunchu found an excuse to retreat to her room.

She saw the two jars on her desk and picked up the larger one.

Pei Siyue had said it wouldn’t cause allergies, so he must have realized her hand irritation was allergic, not a burn.

He… was quite thoughtful.

Li Yunchu took the jar, which contained a small spoon inside, convenient for scooping out the cream without using her fingers.

She tried a bit on the back of her hand; after a few minutes, nothing happened, and it even felt quite soothing.

Relieved, she began applying the hair removal cream to her arms and legs.

Just then, a knock came from outside.

Startled, Li Yunchu hurriedly put the items away, threw on a jacket, and went to open the door.

Her mother stood there, accompanied by Pei Siyue.

“Mom, you…”

“Yunchu, have a good chat with Siyue. Your Aunt Pei and I ate too much and want to take a walk to digest. We’ll be back soon.”

Mrs. Li said this as she gently pushed Pei Siyue inside, then closed the door to Yunchu’s room.

Li Yunchu was stunned, and it took her a moment to find her voice. “Dr. Pei… please… have a seat.”

She pulled over a chair, her body stiff.

“Sorry to bother you. It’s just Aunt Li and my mother…”

He wore an apologetic expression, but Li Yunchu didn’t blame him.

“No… it’s just my mother. She always worries about my marriage. The apology should be mine, Dr. Pei.”

Li Yunchu felt the hair removal cream had smeared onto her clothes and pants.

“Dr. Pei, I… I just applied hair removal cream. I’ll go to the bathroom to take care of it. You… I’ll be out soon.”

She said that and hurried into the bathroom like she was escaping.