When the Side Character Gets a System and Travels through Difference Worlds-Chapter 135: Yi Ru 19

But that kind of personality wasn’t bad, either. Given her dear son’s disposition, if the girl was also the gentle, silent type, would the two of them just sit together without a word?

Since Yi Ru wasn’t averse to Ji Wang, Lin Yun and her mother-in-law didn’t say much more. Matters of the heart were for the young people to figure out themselves. All they had to do was wait quietly.

So, the moment dinner ended, the grandmother pulled Ji Yun and Lin Yun away, leaving Ji Wang and Yi Ru to stare at each other.

Ji Wang was a bit straight-laced, but he wasn’t a fool. On the contrary, he was extremely intelligent. Many people said that dating was all about emotional intelligence, but Ji Wang disagreed. ’Doesn’t dating require a high IQ, too?’

Yi Ru found this amusing. She glanced at Ji Wang. "Do you have to go to the hospital tonight?"

Ji Wang paused. "I took the day off. The hospital won’t call unless there’s an important surgery."

In other words, he had no other plans for the evening.

Yi Ru got the hint and smiled. "I heard there’s a performance nearby tonight. I’ve never seen it before."

Ji Wang glanced at Yi Ru’s high heels. "Then let’s go together. I’ve never seen it, either. But before we do, I think you’ll need to change your shoes."

Yi Ru was surprised. "You were born and raised in G Province, and you’ve never seen this kind of performance? It’s quite famous online."

"Perhaps... I’m too busy," Ji Wang said, getting his bearings. "If a doctor can’t devote all their energy to honing their skills, their abilities will be quite limited."

Yi Ru smiled. "Aren’t you a bit too hard on yourself?"

"Perhaps," Ji Wang said nothing more, leading her through a winding series of streets to a shopping mall. "The back of your heel is rubbed raw. I think you need a pair of... slippers."

Yi Ru didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. A guy taking a girl shoe shopping was a scene she had seen countless times in TV shows, but this was the first time she’d ever seen—or personally experienced—a guy taking a girl to buy slippers.

He had said slippers, but after a lap around the store, Ji Wang returned with a pair of white, open-backed sneakers. Yi Ru smiled; she had actually thought he was going to bring her a pair of ordinary, run-of-the-mill flip-flops.

Ji Wang lowered his gaze to watch Yi Ru slip on the sneakers, clearly understanding the look she’d just given him. "I do have a basic sense of style. If... if I had actually brought you a very plain pair of flip-flops, what would you have done?"

Yi Ru thought for a moment. "I would have put them on. After all, I’m the one who gets to be comfortable, and I’m not the type to worry about what other people think. But you probably would have lost a few points in my book for being too dense and a little dull."

A flicker of amusement crossed Ji Wang’s eyes. "I’m glad I didn’t lose any points, then."

After bagging the high heels Yi Ru had taken off, Ji Wang carried them for her, fully demonstrating his gentlemanly side. Yi Ru didn’t object. While her initial impression of him was good, she knew that if they were to become a couple, they would need much more observation and time together.

Unfortunately, they had only taken a few steps out of the mall when Ji Wang’s phone rang. Yi Ru watched as his expression grew increasingly serious. She already had a hunch, and sure enough, a moment later, Ji Wang spoke. "I’m sorry. There’s an emergency surgery at the hospital..."

Yi Ru was perfectly calm. "Then you should hurry. The patient comes first."

Ji Wang gave her a look. "Alright. I have to go."

He thrust the bag into Yi Ru’s hands, turned, took a few steps, and then broke into a light jog, disappearing around a corner. Yi Ru glanced in the direction he had gone before leisurely continuing toward the site of the outdoor performance.

She did have a good impression of Ji Wang, but she wasn’t going to abandon her original plans over a budding fondness. Even though she was curious about his job and what it entailed, that could all wait. Right now, she just wanted to enjoy the show.

By the time Yi Ru found the performance area, the show was already halfway over, but she wasn’t disappointed. Since the stage was surrounded by a crowd, she decided to go to a nearby teahouse. The second floor faced the stage directly, offering a crystal-clear view.

Soon, the tea and snacks she had ordered arrived. Yi Ru ate her snacks, drank her tea, and enjoyed the performance down below, her fingers occasionally tapping along to the music’s beat. She was clearly in a good mood.

She was watching the view, unaware that she herself had become part of someone else’s.

"Zhao Zhao, what are you staring at?" Song Sen waved his left hand in front of Zhao Zhao’s face. He’d been talking to him, but the guy had actually zoned out.

Zhao Zhao snapped out of it and took a sharp breath. "Look over there. Isn’t that Yi Ru?"

"Yi Ru? That name sounds really familiar," Song Sen muttered, following Zhao Zhao’s gaze to where he could see Yi Ru in profile. The sight of her side profile was all it took for the memories to come rushing back.

"It is her! What’s she doing here?" Song Sen was baffled. "I heard she’s doing really well for herself these days."

He had been there when Yi Ru was on the show, and he was one of the male contestants who hadn’t turned his chair for her. In truth, all the male contestants kept in touch. Yi Ru had been so outstanding back then, yet not a single person had turned for her. After the episode aired, they had all faced considerable public criticism.

The relationship expert on the show had later torn into them, bluntly pointing out their lack of courage. In any case, Yi Ru had left a deep impression on Song Sen. He remembered she was from the water towns of the Jiangnan region, so what was she doing here?

Zhao Zhao said, "Her career has always been successful. I heard Moyan is the exclusive title sponsor for a show on G Province Television. From a female contestant to a title sponsor... She’s moved up so fast. How many years has it even been?"

Song Sen smirked. "Brother Zhao, how do you know all that? Don’t tell me you’ve been keeping tabs on her. You even asked her back then if she would have accepted if you’d turned your chair for her. After all, you’d never turned for any other contestant."

Zhao Zhao chuckled. "I did think she was exceptional back then. And looking at her now, she’s still just as exceptional, still possessing that same captivating charm."

"It’s more than just that," Sui Chao chimed in with a laugh. "Look, in the short time she’s been sitting there, several guys have already gone over to hit on her."

Xu Yuchen said, "Speaking of which, Sui Chao even danced with her back then. Too bad she wasn’t interested in him. So, Sui Chao, do you still have a thing for her?"

Sui Chao stared at Yi Ru for a long moment. "It’s just like Brother Zhao said. She has a charm that can captivate anyone. I can keep it under control when I don’t see her, but the moment I do, my heart starts racing."

"But Brother Zhao, how do you know so much about her?"

Zhao Zhao replied, "I work in brand marketing, so naturally, I have to be aware of these things. Moyan’s marketing strategies have always been very unique. It’s only reasonable for me to follow them."

Xu Yuchen added, "That’s true. That scene of her galloping in on a horse, dressed all in red... it’s like it’s still right in front of my eyes."