Sent to the countryside, I turned the health center into a top-tier hospital.

Cui Ying's father put his briefcase on the sofa, walked over, glanced at the dishes on the table, and then glanced at Chen Ping.

Chen Ping stood there and smiled slightly.

"Uncle, I'm staying at your house tonight. I'm sorry to trouble you," he said.

"What are you doing...?" Cui Ying's father asked, his face full of confusion.

"Dad, our health center is undergoing renovations, so they gave us a few days off," Cui Ying explained.

"Oh!" Cui Ying's father pulled out a chair, sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and took a piece of fish.

He didn't say anything, finished chewing the fish, and then took a sip of soup.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chair opposite him.

Chen Ping sat down.

Cui Ying sat down next to Chen Ping and put a piece of pork rib in his bowl.

Chen Ping seemed a little embarrassed. He didn't want Cui Ying to act so nice to him in front of Cui Ying's parents.

Cui Ying's father glanced at it, then said to the nanny, "Sister Zhang, go and get a bottle of Moutai from the wine cabinet."

The nanny nodded and took a bottle of Moutai and two wine glasses from the wine cabinet.

Cui Ying's father didn't ask Chen Ping if he could drink; instead, he opened a bottle of Moutai and poured it directly.

"Dr. Chen, this is 1982 Moutai, it smells very good."

Cui Ying's father handed a glass full of wine to Chen Ping!

Chen Ping got up and quickly took it, moving very carefully.

This small glass of wine probably costs over a thousand.

"Dad, didn't you even ask Chen Ping if he can drink? He..."

"It's okay, I can have a drink..." Chen Ping said with a smile.

When he was the purchasing director, he drank quite a lot. Although he didn't embezzle or accept bribes, he attended many drinking parties.

"Haha, what grown man doesn't drink?" Cui Ying's father laughed twice.

"Then you can't drink it, you're not in good health..."

Cui Ying snatched the wine glass from her father's hand.

Cui Ying's father looked helpless: "My dear daughter, I'm fine after having a drink..."

"Cui Ying, it's alright for your uncle to drink a little alcohol," Chen Ping said.

"Did you hear that? Dr. Chen said it's all fine, so hurry up and give it to me."

Cui Ying's father took the wine glass back.

"Dr. Chen, there are plenty of rooms in the house. You can stay for as many days as you like."

Cui Ying's father picked up his glass of wine, touched Chen Ping's glass to his, and before Chen Ping could speak, he tilted his head back and took a sip.

Chen Ping also picked up his glass and took a sip.

Fifty-two degrees, burning the throat.

Cui Ying's mother watched silently from the side, then placed a piece of broccoli in Cui Ying's bowl with her chopsticks.

"Who taught you this skill?" Cui Ying's father asked, putting down his cup.

"I figured it out myself," Chen Ping said.

"Not bad." Cui Ying's father nodded.

These two words, spoken by Cui Ying's father, carried considerable weight.

Cui Ying smiled and placed another piece of pork rib on Chen Ping's plate.

Cui Ying's father poured another glass of wine, and the two clinked glasses a second time.

Chen Ping drank first this time, downing half a cup in one gulp.

Cui Ying's father glanced at him, his lips twitched, and he also downed most of his glass.

The dishes on the table were gradually disappearing.

In the end, only a single, intact fish bone remained of the sea bass, the plate of spare ribs was emptied, and even the tomato and egg soup was completely finished.

The bottle of Moutai was empty; Chen Ping and Cui Ying's father had drunk the whole bottle.

Cui Ying's father's face was a little red; he had drunk quite a bit.

Chen Ping wasn't much better off; his face was flushed, the Moutai liquor was too strong.

After dinner, Cui Ying's parents sat on the sofa to watch TV, while Chen Ping stood up to help clear the dishes.

The nanny rushed over to take him, but Chen Ping waved her hand, saying, "I'll do it."

He put the dishes and chopsticks in the kitchen, turned on the tap, squeezed dish soap onto a sponge, and washed them one by one.

The oil stains on the plate were rinsed off with hot water, and the porcelain was spun around in his hands before being neatly arranged on the draining rack.

Cui Ying stood at the kitchen doorway, watching his back without saying a word or offering any help.

The sound of a television came from the living room. Cui Ying's father and mother were sitting on the sofa, with a cushion between them.

Cui Ying's mother said something in a low voice, and Cui Ying's father hummed in response but didn't reply.

"Uncle and Aunt, I'm going to rest now."

After finishing his work in the kitchen, Chen Ping politely addressed Cui Ying's parents, who were sitting on the sofa.

"Okay, Dr. Chen, you should get some rest. Just tell me if you need anything."

"That's what Cui Ying's father said."

Cui Ying's mother didn't say anything, but simply nodded at Chen Ping.

Chen Ping went upstairs, and Cui Ying followed him upstairs.

Seeing Chen Ping leave, Cui Ying's mother finally spoke up, "Old Cui, what should we do about this? We've brought him all this way. Dr. Chen may be a nice person, but he's five years older than Yingying, an orphan, and has no status or background..."

"Alright, that's enough. He's just staying at home temporarily. The two of them aren't officially dating. Dr. Chen is a reasonable person. He should understand the difference between him and Yingying after staying here for a few days," said Cui Ying's father.

"I hope so. I hope she doesn't end up taking advantage of my money and trick that silly girl Yingying. She's my only precious daughter."

Cui Ying's mother sighed, but she was still worried.

"I don't think Dr. Chen is that kind of person, don't worry..."

Cui Ying's father patted his wife on the shoulder, got up and left!

Meanwhile, in a room in a certain residential complex, the lights were still on!

Su Meng sat on the sofa with two suitcases spread out in front of her.

She opened the box, and the clothes inside were neatly folded: thick winter coats, spring and autumn jackets, and summer shirts.

Each item was washed clean and folded neatly.

She reached out and picked up the dark gray wool coat, which she had bought for Chen Ping's birthday three years ago.

She draped her coat over the back of the sofa and then pulled out a dark blue sweater with frayed edges on the cuffs.

She said she would buy him a new one, but he said no need, he could still wear it.

The scene from the daytime came to mind.

Cui Ying rushed out of the white Porsche, grabbed Chen Ping's arm, and pressed her whole body against him.

There was anxiety and fear in the girl's eyes, something Su Meng hadn't seen in her eyes for a long time.

That was love, a reckless and irrational love.

Su Meng had that look in her eyes before, back in medical school, when Chen Ping was still that poor student who wore a white shirt, rode a beat-up bicycle, and had to be careful about how he treated her to meals in the cafeteria.

When did it change?

Perhaps it was because her father opposed their relationship that she was caught in the middle.

Perhaps it was because her eyes were filled with too many things after she entered the health bureau.

Perhaps it was because Chen Ping was framed that she chose to believe the evidence instead of him.

Su Meng picked up her phone, and there was a message from her on WeChat: "I've put all your clothes from home in the closet, I haven't thrown them away. Come back and get them when you have time, it's getting cold soon, time to change things up for the season."

Chen Ping replied with a single word: "Mm".

She wasn't angry, she was just resentful.