Flower City's Peerless Divine Doctor

The private room was buzzing with life.

Wen Yao nestled in Li Chen's arms, ignoring the gossip around her.

Perhaps, in her naïve heart, Li Chen had already become her entire world.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Han Ling kept glancing over, her eyes filled with ever-growing envy. Recalling what Wen Yao had told her, she felt utterly flustered and somewhat tempted to action.

"Senior!" She lifted her glass and looked towards Li Chen.

"Come on, let's drink!" Li Chen, sensing her loneliness, laughed heartily and picked up his glass.

They clinked glasses and chugged.

The two of them knocked back three or four bottles of beer in no time.

A tipsy flush crept across Han Ling's face, and her sparkling eyes began to blur.

Naturally pretty and reserved, she now exuded a rare seductiveness under the influence of alcohol, looking so pitifully charming that Li Chen felt both pity and fascination.

He put down his glass, and as his hand fell back to the sofa, it accidentally brushed against a delicate wrist beside him.

His heart suddenly quickened its pace.

An inexplicable urge surged through his mind; his hand covered the trembling wrist, holding it firmly.

Both turned their heads at the same time.

Their eyes met.

Han Ling panicked, instinctively trying to withdraw her hand, but Li Chen held on tightly.

After a futile struggle, she gave up and let Li Chen hold her hand, caressing it.

Li Chen was thrilled.

Wen Yao was in his arms, yet he was secretly holding her best friend's hand. Seeing Han Ling stop resisting, as if submitting, gave him a strange thrill.

He thought that the agony of a long-distance relationship couldn't be easy to bear. Han Ling must be yearning for a warm embrace too.

Just then, the raucous private room went silent for a moment.

Wen Yao noticed something too and sat up from Li Chen's arms.

Li Chen turned his head and saw a guy holding a bouquet of roses, walking towards Han Ling.

"Han Ling, I've liked you for a long time. Be my girlfriend!" The boy knelt on one knee, raising the bouquet.

The surrounding crowd, a mix of guys and girls, stood up and began to cheer and watch.

Han Ling sat there, her hand still held by Li Chen, hidden deep in the couch, her heart pounding rapidly. She suppressed her emotions and calmly said, "Zhang Tao, I've told you before, I have a boyfriend, I really can't accept..."

"But..." The boy obviously wasn't making his first confession, showing some reluctance.

"There are no 'buts'. We are classmates, friends, but we can't be boyfriend and girlfriend. I hope you won't make it difficult for me anymore," Han Ling said firmly.

"I won't give up," the boy said with a pained smile, unwilling to concede.

Then he retreated to a corner and began to drink sullenly.

Li Chen was surprised to witness a confession unfold right before his eyes.

He looked again at Han Ling, pondering her tone just now, but why hadn't she resisted him?

Could it be...

A possibility crossed his mind, yet it seemed so incredible.

After a while, it was getting late, and since they had classes the next day, they left with some reluctance.

"Brother Chen, Lingling seems a bit down today. I want to take her for a talk..."

"Sure! You're good friends; it's right to comfort her."

The recent intimacy had quietly pleased Li Chen, so naturally, he had no objections to such a request.

He hailed a cab, and the three of them headed to the rented apartment.

Han Ling didn't handle her liquor well. After a few bottles of beer, she was somewhat tipsy.

Wen Yao couldn't support her by herself, so Li Chen helped from the other side, nearly carrying her in his arms as they went upstairs.

"Brother Chen, I suddenly remembered I left something at school. You take care of Lingling for a bit; I'll be back soon."

They had just arrived when Wen Yao hurriedly left again.

Li Chen didn't know what the girl was up to, so he stayed behind.

"Senior, thank you for this!"

After drinking some water, Han Ling felt much better. Her eyes were cast down on her pretty face, displaying shyness.

Demure and fragile, with a hint of timidity, it stirred something in Li Chen again.

Remembering her passive behavior at the KTV, an urge overcame him, wanting to embrace her.

But then he hesitated.

After all, she was Wen Yao's best friend, and the young girl was so attached to him. If he really slept with her, how would he face Wen Yao?

He was torn inside.

"Han Ling, which university does your boyfriend attend?" Li Chen changed the subject.

"He's in Shanghai City," said Han Ling with a bitter smile.

"That's quite far..."

"Yeah, we can barely see each other once a semester, only occasionally during the New Year holidays when we return home. Sometimes, I feel having a boyfriend is almost like not having one at all."

Han Ling's face showed a bittersweet smile. "Actually, I'm quite envious of Yaoyao, for finding a good man like you, senior. I think she's really lucky."

Li Chen's heart trembled suddenly.

His guess was right; Han Ling did like him, otherwise, she wouldn't have submitted so easily at the KTV.

Looking into those admiring eyes that shone with timid affection, his heart skipped a beat.

This wasn't a confession, but it was close to one.

A lone man and a woman, who could stand this?

His head heated in the moment, Li Chen spread his arms wide, and hugged the delicate figure next to him into his embrace.

...