Chapter 21: The Mature Beauty and the Food Blogger

After leaving the Mingde Hall Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, Bai Bing hurried into her Aurora Blue Audi A4L.

She pressed down on the accelerator and sped off to her appointment. Before long, she arrived at the location agreed upon with her best friend, Li Ziqi: the Wanda Shopping Plaza in the CBD of Lu County.

After parking in the underground garage, Bai Bing pulled out her iPhone: "Hello? Xiao Qi, I'm here. Where are you?"

"I just arrived too. Come up to the third floor, table number eight at the Han Palace Feast."

A few minutes later, as soon as Bai Bing reached the entrance of the Han Palace Feast, she saw Li Ziqi standing up and waving at her frantically.

"Hey! Over here, Bing-jie!"

Bai Bing walked over calmly.

"Xiao Qi, have you ordered the food yet?" Bai Bing asked.

"Of course, don't forget what I do for a living. If I hadn't, this place is so popular that we’d be waiting forever," Li Ziqi said, a hint of smugness on her pretty face.

Bai Bing gave a faint smile. "Look at you, so full of yourself. You’re just the most popular food blogger in our county; if you’re so capable, why don't you try competing with a real industry leader like Li Ziqi instead of acting like a knock-off?"

"Oh, stop it, I don't have those kinds of skills," Li Ziqi said, playfully sticking out her tongue.

"By the way, speaking of skills, I actually met a doctor today who really has them."

"Oh? Is that the bald middle-aged man you took time off to see today? That doesn't sound right, Bing-jie. I remember you complaining before that he wasn't very good," Li Ziqi said with a confused look.

"Pfft! How could it be him? It’s someone new... well, actually, not exactly new—I’ve seen him before, but I thought he was just an apprentice at the time and didn't pay any attention to him. But looking closely today, he’s actually quite handsome, and his medical skills are just—wow, it’s like magic!" Bai Bing said, rambling a bit incoherently.

Li Ziqi was a bit lost, but she caught the words "handsome guy" clearly.

Swallowing her anticipation, she asked eagerly, "A handsome guy? How handsome?"

Bai Bing rolled her eyes at her. "Xiao Qi, can you focus on the important part?"

"Oh, the important part is... how old is this handsome guy?"

Bai Bing was almost rendered speechless. With a darkened face, she said, "The important part is that his medical skills are superb. Look, I couldn't even move my neck when I woke up this morning, but after one acupuncture session with him, I'm completely fine."

After saying this, Bai Bing specifically turned her fair, slender, swan-like neck to show it off.

"Alright, alright, Bing-jie, I know your neck is beautiful, stop trying to show it off in front of me," Li Ziqi pouted.

"You..." Bai Bing wanted to snap at her, but seeing Li Ziqi's innocent, baby-faced expression, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Suddenly, she had a brilliant idea.

"Forget it! I was planning on playing matchmaker, but it seems there's no need." Bai Bing purposely dangled the bait.

"Matchmaker? What do you mean?" Li Ziqi took the bait immediately.

"What else could I mean? Obviously, I was going to help you and that handsome young doctor get together!"

Li Ziqi was about to cheer "Long live Bing-jie," but she suddenly thought better of it, her expression shifting from sunny to overcast.

"Bing-jie, you're teasing me, right? If he’s really such a handsome guy, would it ever get to my turn? You’d have snapped him up yourself! If you encounter a handsome guy and don't take him, how could you live up to your reputation as an 'Imperial Sister'? I bet he’s probably a total eyesore."

"Hey, why don't you trust me? I secretly took a photo of him before I left. Here, let me show you, see if he’s handsome or not." As she spoke, Bai Bing pulled out her iPhone and flipped to her recent photos.

Li Ziqi hurriedly leaned in, grabbed the phone, and scrutinized it carefully.

Delicate features, a tall and sturdy build, and a unique temperament radiating from his expression.

He looked exactly like the man of her dreams, a perfect one-to-one replica. At that moment, she felt her girlish heart beginning to melt.

Li Ziqi smacked her lips and said, "Tsk tsk tsk! He really is handsome, and his vibe is exactly my type. But I still don't get it, Bing-jie. Why are you being so kind and offering him to me?"

Bai Bing feigned a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes at her. "Sigh! If I weren't a few years older, do you think I'd let a little flirt like you have him? But since 'charity begins at home' and you're my best friend, I thought of you first!"

"Did you ask if he’s single?" Li Ziqi asked urgently.

"No," Bai Bing shook her head.

"Then it’s all for nothing. Someone who looks that good must already have a girlfriend," Li Ziqi felt a wave of disappointment.

"No, he doesn't," Bai Bing said firmly. "Don't you trust my instincts? Based on my assessment, not only is he single now, but he has never even had a girlfriend."

Bai Bing couldn't help but be confident about this. After all, having been an "Imperial Sister" for so many years, she had seen plenty of men. She might not be an expert in everything, but she definitely had a say in judging whether a man had ever been with a woman.

"Wow! This is a rare gem! Bing-jie, tell me where he works, I'm going to go pursue him right now!" Li Ziqi's eyes were filled with hearts; she clearly trusted Bai Bing's judgment.

"Look at you, so impatient! But I have to warn you, this doctor is a bit eccentric. For instance, it's 2022, and he’s still using an old-fashioned burner phone—he doesn't even have WeChat."

"He’s that unique? That makes me want him even more!" Li Ziqi was so excited her heart was racing.

"Fine. I’ll send you his phone number and the photo. Based on my analysis, a guy like him probably prefers a pure, innocent girl. If you go see him, you’d better dress down—don't show up looking like a flamboyant butterfly like you are today."

"Right, and I forgot to tell you, his name is Zhang Jing. I mentioned to him before I left that you have a gynecological issue you need him to treat."

"A gynecological issue?" Li Ziqi's face fell instantly. "I'm a pure, untouched girl, how could I have an issue like that? Bing-jie, are you helping me or ruining my reputation?"

Seeing that she was genuinely upset, Bai Bing laughed, "I'm just teasing you. I actually said you had irregular periods. Didn't you tell me your cycle is always a bit off?"

"It is, but... is it really appropriate to bring that up the first time we meet?" Li Ziqi was clearly hesitant.

"Then what do you suggest? Should you intentionally sprain your neck and ask him for acupuncture?"

Li Ziqi waved her hands frantically. "No, no, no, I won't do that."

"His acupuncture is very gentle, it doesn't hurt at all."

"That won't work either. Bing-jie, you don't know, I've been afraid of needles since I was a kid. I never even go to the hospital for IVs," Li Ziqi said, looking terrified.

"This won't work, that won't work—then you figure it out yourself. I’ve done all I can for you," Bai Bing said, sounding impatient.

Li Ziqi reached out, threw her arms around Bai Bing's neck, and acted coy. "Good sister, I know you're the best to me, better than my own sister. This concerns my lifelong happiness, you can't just abandon me."

"I must have owed you in my past life. Alright, tell me, what else do you want me to do?" Bai Bing shook her head helplessly.

"Bing-jie, you have so much dating experience, don't keep it to yourself. Teach me everything!"

Pestered by Li Ziqi, Bai Bing had no choice but to offer some half-baked advice. Truth be told, she had already realized something clearly: Zhang Jing was absolutely not someone a little girl like Li Ziqi could conquer.

Of course, even if she were to go for him herself, it would be a tall order. Moreover, aside from his looks, Zhang Jing clearly lacked the personality to take care of a woman. Showing him off in front of a best friend was one thing, but if she were actually looking for a boyfriend or a husband, she certainly wouldn't pick someone like him.

She was an "Imperial Sister," not a doting, over-maternal older sister. She was looking for a man who would worship her—and it was quite obvious that Zhang Jing was definitely not that kind of man.