chapter 9 Ex-girlfriend

Theodore Zhao was left speechless, his disbelief evident. 'Is this what she calls a taste?'
Esme Su caught him staring and snapped, "What are you looking at?"
"I didn't expect you to be quite low-maintenance," he mused.
Theodore casually lit a cigarette.
Esme Su, often perceived as unapproachable, was surprisingly easy to get along with once she dropped her guard.
This realization sparked in him a glimmer of hope for their married life ahead.
Esme, feeling both embarrassed and irritated, shot back, "Easy to maintain? Do I look like a stray pet to you?"
She couldn't resist reminding him, "Who said I needed your support? Remember what I said earlier!"
Theodore, flicking his cigarette, replied, "I remember. I'll play the role of your husband for a month. After that, we'll go our separate ways."
"Don't get any ideas about me," she warned. "This marriage certificate is just to silence my family. There's no future for us."
Theodore, unfazed, smiled and asked, "What if you end up falling for me?"
"Falling for you? Are you joking?" she scoffed.
Esme Su was speechless for a while. If she hadn't been angry with her family, which of her eyes would have set eyes on this guy?
As for falling in love with him?
Stop dreaming!
Theodore chose not to argue further. A month might seem brief, but feelings were unpredictable.
Upon settling the bill, Esme attempted to pay, but Theodore brushed it off.
Afterward, she grumbled, "Fine, this time it's on you, but next time we go out, we're splitting the bill."
Theodore understood her gesture; it was about setting boundaries, ensuring they wouldn't get too entangled.
"Hey, are you even listening?"
Esme's frustration grew as he seemed to ignore her.
"There's no need to argue over this," Theodore said firmly. "As long as we're married, it's my duty to provide."
Esme was taken aback. His somewhat old-fashioned view on gender roles surprised her.
In this day and age, such ideas felt outdated.
After all, women were equally capable.
The more she thought, the more she bristled, yet she didn't correct his reference to her as his wife.
With a hint of sarcasm, she said, "Oh, how noble. Then why don't you take me out for Western cuisine?"
Theodore scratched his head, admitting, "I can't afford that."
Esme was momentarily taken aback by his blunt honesty.
"So, your idea of providing is taking me out for street food every day?" she continued, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Theodore felt a surge of annoyance. Was it her mission to trample his dignity?
Yes, he wasn't as wealthy as Charlie Wei.
But why hadn't she gone with him, if Charlie was so great?
But these were thoughts he dared not voice aloud. With Esme's fiery temperament, it would only lead to a fallout.
Theodore wasn't intimidated by her, but quarreling with your wife.
Especially one you'd just married, was neither dignified nor productive.
Realizing her words might have been too harsh, Esme saw Theodore's face turning pale, but was too proud to apologize.
The mood grew tense, and they returned to the car in silence.
The previous sports car crashed, and the Audi A4 in front of them was the one she usually used for transportation.
Esme, a bit stiffly, said, "You go your way, I need to head to the office."
As she was about to leave, Theodore received a phone call, his expression turning grave.
Esme Su was about to get in the car, but when she saw the serious look on Theodore Zhao face, she changed her words again, "Theodore?"
Theodore Zhao turned around and left, "Sorry, I have something to do."
Esme was taken aback by the seriousness in his eyes.
Faced with the assassin's threat yesterday, no matter how dangerous the situation was, he was overwhelmed and his expression remained unchanged.
But at this moment, she actually saw panic on Theodore Zhao's face.
Esme Su pulled him out of nowhere, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"I want to go to the hospital!"
Theodore Zhao turned his head, the bloodshot eyes in his eyes startled Esme Su.
"It's hard to hail a cab here, take my car," she offered, handing him the keys.
At this time, Esme Su didn't care to keep having a cold war with him, and hurriedly took out the car keys from her bag.
Theodore nodded and got in the car.
Esme, on impulse, joined him, asking, "Which hospital? Do you know the way? Do you have money?"
Theodore, about to respond, was interrupted as she climbed into the car, "I'll come with you."
Upon entering the car, she found Theodore staring at her, bewildered.
"Why are you just standing there? Aren't we in a hurry?" she asked.
"Thank you," Theodore said earnestly.
Esme, momentarily flustered, quickly composed herself, "Don't misunderstand. It's just my way of thanking you for lunch."
Theodore smiled knowingly, "I understand."
Half an hour later, they arrived at the hospital.
Esme Su ran a few steps before barely keeping up. Before she could get closer, she saw a man walking forward, "Theofore, why are you here?"
"How's Mom?"
Theodore's face was full of anxiety. Before he could walk to the ward, he was stopped by a woman.
The woman, noticing Theodore's attire, remarked, "Mom is okay. If I didn't say this, you probably would have been hiding somewhere, right? Look at you Theodore. Well-dressed and still complaining about being broke?"
Theodore didn't respond, relieved to hear his mother was okay.
But the woman was relentless, "Since you're here, let's discuss the surgery costs."
Theodore looked at his eldest brother in surprise.
The woman stopped Theodore Zhao's gaze and said, "Don't look at your brother. Although mom's retirement and pension are always managed by us, you as the second eldest son, can't shirk your responsibilities, can you?"
Before he could reply, she added, "I know you have just been discharged from the army and don't have much money on hand, but I heard that the hospital has some kind of rehabilitation plan. As long as mom enrolled in, the surgery fee will be fully reimbursed!"
Theodore clarified, “We don't qualify.”
The woman dismissed his concerns, "That's all bluffing. I heard your brother was saying that our mother's attending doctor is your ex-girlfriend. Just a word from her should do the trick, right?"
Esme, overhearing this, felt a pang of jealousy.
Ex-girlfriend?
A woman's instinct made her heart tighten!
In the bustling hospital corridor, Theodore was oblivious to Esme's presence.
He was about to say something to his sister-in-law when his eyes paused slightly.
Esme's gaze followed Theodore's to a woman approaching them.
The woman was wearing a white coat and holding a file folder in her hand. Because she was wearing glasses, her appearance could not be seen clearly.
But in terms of figure alone, even Esme Su had to admit that it was indeed pretty good, the kind that most women would envy.
Even wearing the white coat, it was not difficult to see that she has a very good figure. When walking, her body leans forward slightly, giving people a strong sense of oppression before she gets close.
When she got closer, Esme Su finally saw her appearance clearly.
Willow leaf curved eyebrows, especially the pair of reddish thin lips, coupled with a white coat and black frame glasses, for ordinary men, it is definitely considered a beauty in the category of mature lady.
However, Esme Su had absolute confidence in herself. Even if she was a bit lacking in figure compared to the other woman, she was convinced that with her looks and temperament, she could utterly outshine her at first glance!
Thinking this, Esme suddenly found the whole situation absurd and amusing. She wasn't a romantic rival of this woman, so why bother comparing?
Yet, seeing Theodore Zhao lost in thought, an unexplainable sense of irritation welled up inside her.
Then, her gaze fell on the name badge on the woman's chest: Ava Shu, Chief Physician of Neurosurgery.
Ava Shu had also noticed Theodore Zhao at the same time, slowing her pace before coming to a halt.
Neither of them spoke first, creating a dull and somewhat awkward atmosphere.
The sister-in-law, quick-witted, greeted, "Dr. Shu, are you here for another round of checkups?"
Ava Shu paused for a moment before regaining her composure, "Yes, how's the patient? Are their diet and mood normal?"
After briefly inquiring about the patient's condition, she turned to Theodore Zhao and asked uncertainly, "Are you here to see me?"
This time, it was the sister-in-law's turn to be surprised. "Didn't Theodore tell you?"
Ava Shu tucked her hair behind her ear, puzzled, "Tell me what?"
Pointing inside, the sister-in-law said, "I'm Theodore Zhao's sister-in-law, and the patient in bed 82 is my mother-in-law."
Ava Shu felt a wave of embarrassment. She and Theodore Zhao indeed had a memorable romance.
They had planned to marry after his military service.
Unexpectedly, a family issue arose, and their relationship ended before they could even meet each other's parents.
Now, learning that the patient inside was Theodore Zhao's mother, she was at a loss for what to do.
Quickly regaining her composure, Ava Shu said with a slight smile, "I see. Don't worry, sister-in-law. Theodore Zhao and I are friends. I will take extra care of your mother's condition."
Esme Su slightly pursed her lips. Seeing Ava Shu's apologetic demeanor, she guessed that Theodore Zhao was the one who had been dumped.
Even though she felt Theodore Zhao wasn't good enough for her, the thought of him being hurt by Ava Shu still irrationally annoyed her. He really was hopeless!
At that moment, a group of people emerged from the neighboring ward.
Leading them was a male doctor, personable and composed, his elegance accentuated by a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
The man, sensing the tension, wrapped his arm around Ava Shu's waist, his gaze shifting towards Theodore Zhao.
"Ava, you have friends visiting?"
He had seen a deeply hidden photo in Ava Shu's wallet, and if he wasn't mistaken, it was the man standing before them.
However, back then, Theodore Zhao was in military uniform, looking dignified and impressive, a stark contrast to the suit-clad man he saw now.
Ava Shu's body stiffened slightly, then she forced a smile and introduced, "Yes, I ran into a friend."
"Hello, I am Ava's boyfriend, Director of Neurosurgery, Luca Cui."
After Luca finished speaking, he extended his hand politely, exuding an air of superiority.
The sister-in-law, discerning the undertones, slightly pursed her lips. He is just a doctor. What's the big deal? Theodore even served as a soldier!
"Hello, Director Cui."
Theodore Zhao responded, withdrawing his hand from his pocket, only to accidentally drop his phone, shattering the screen and adding to the awkwardness.
Esme Su, watching from a distance, covered her face in embarrassment. 'Theodore Zhao, you are so embarrassed!'
"Isn't he just the ex-girlfriend's current boyfriend? Why be so undignified? A total defeat!"
Hearing Ava Shu's explanation, Luca smiled more relaxedly, shook Theodore Zhao's hand firmly, and said, "Oh, so you're Theodore Zhao. I often hear Ava talk about you. Let's have dinner together later; I think we'll have a lot to discuss."
He had indeed heard of Theodore Zhao, who, after leaving the military, hadn't found a proper job and was now working as a security guard in an upscale residential area.
However, his attire today seemed inconsistent with that of a security guard. Could it be that he had dressed up specifically, still harboring hopes for Ava?