To be honest, before crossing over to the Marvel universe, Shi Xiaolei had quite liked that female celebrity named Bingbing.
It wasn't because she had performed in good movies or sung memorable songs that left a deep impression on him or moved him.
It was purely because her moderately voluptuous figure perfectly matched his personal preferences.
So now, seeing Dr. Wu who looked exactly like Bingbing, Shi Xiaolei instinctively gave her a few extra glances.
There truly wasn't any other meaning to it.
And this small episode was far from enough to affect the pre-surgery meeting.
But what slightly surprised Shi Xiaolei was that after the meeting, at the welcome party Stark had specially prepared for these doctors, this female doctor named Wu Jiaqi actually took the initiative to approach him.
"There you are, I've been looking for you."
"Why did you come outside? Was it too noisy in there?"
Partly because of Shi Xiaolei status as a compatriot and partly because she had her own motives, Wu Jiaqi greeted him with a tone suggesting familiarity.
"..."
Wanting to say 'Are we really that familiar?', but maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor because of her beauty, Shi Xiaolei replied:
"I don't really adapt well to this kind of setting. Dr. Wu, is there something I can help you with?"
The sea breeze disheveled her hair, and Wu Jiaqi instinctively raised her hand to tidy it:
"Nothing important. I just wanted to ask if we've met somewhere before?"
"During the meeting, you looked at me several times... Last year when I went back home, I met a childhood friend, and his expression was exactly the same as yours when you looked at me."
Feeling the awkwardness of being caught looking, Shi Xiaolei gave an embarrassed smile and raised his hand to scratch the back of his head.
"I don't think so."
"You look a bit like a friend of mine. That... I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself earlier. That was rude of me."
Unable to explain properly, he could only find a barely acceptable excuse.
"It's fine."
"What does your friend do? Do you have a photo?"
Shaking her head, Wu Jiaqi casually asked.
"Uh."
Not expecting a follow-up question, Shi Xiaolei felt somewhat helpless and had to use his trump card:
"I think she's an actress, but I'm not that close to her... We've barely spoken a few sentences. It's just one of those 'recognize each other's face and nod if we meet on the street' relationships."
And just like that, Shi Xiaolei killed the conversation.
Feeling slightly frustrated inside, but remembering that she hadn't achieved her purpose yet, Wu Jiaqi suppressed the urge to leave and continued searching for other topics to awkwardly chat with Shi Xiaolei.
One was a female doctor who had buried herself in medical studies for over a decade, with practically no domestic skills.
The other was a rough guy who ran a small restaurant and had never been exposed to medical knowledge.
Their life trajectories had absolutely no intersection, making it incredibly difficult to find a common topic they could discuss.
Add to that her inherently poor social skills.
Honestly, these fifteen minutes were excruciatingly awkward.
"Jiaqi, oh? Brother Shi is here too."
Finally hearing a third person voice, Shi Xiaolei felt immensely relieved.
His toes, which had nearly carved a map into the ground, suddenly relaxed.
"Dr. Wu, hello."
Returning Shi Xiaolei greeting with a kind smile, Dr. Wu came over to the two with a glass of juice in hand: "What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing much, just some trivial life matters."
Really not wanting to continue the previous topic, Shi Xiaolei quickly responded before Wu Jiaqi could speak.
Having taken the initiative, it became much easier to change the subject.
"Dr. Wu, how long are you planning to stay in America this time? I think I heard you mention in the meeting that after completing Tony surgery, you're heading to New York?"
"Yes."
"We do need to go to New York. Before Christmas, the Henryk Clinic under Oscorp is hosting an academic exchange conference, and I received their invitation."
Dr. Wu nodded.
Though called a clinic, it was actually a very powerful private hospital.
Affiliated with Oscorp, a company known for its biochemical technology, the Henryk Clinic technical level—from basic medicine to clinical medicine, and even cutting-edge technologies not yet visible to the general public—could be said to possess a technical accumulation even more profound than some officially established medical research institutions.
In a horizontal comparison, its status in the medical community was no less prestigious than the Mayo Clinic on Earth.
"Christmas? So you'll be staying here for over a month?"
Shi Xiaolei smiled.
"In that case, when you get to New York, you must give me the honor of treating you to a meal. Hehe, to be honest, I'm actually a chef by profession and have opened a small place in New York. It's currently undergoing renovations, and with nothing to do, I had the time to accompany Stark on this road trip. After his surgery is complete, my place should be reopening, and calculating the timing, it should coincide with your visit to New York."
"Is that so? I'll definitely come, and I might even trouble you for several days."
Dr. Wu agreed, his expression showing relief.
"Jiaqi is young, so she can handle steaks and pasta fine. But I can't. At my age, my stomach can't tolerate all sorts of stuff. If I had to eat Western food every day, I wouldn't last. Brother Shi, your words have helped me tremendously."
"I won't make promises I can't keep, but I guarantee you'll eat comfortably."
"To be honest, if you asked me to cook as meticulously as five-star hotel chefs, I truly don't have that skill. But when it comes to 'home-cooked flavors' I'm quite confident."
In good spirits, Shi Xiaolei smiled and made a commitment.
"That's exactly what I'm looking for!"
"Last time I came, one of my students took me to what was supposedly a high-end Chinese restaurant. Hmph, what kind of nonsense were they serving? Dishes came one by one, each with just a tiny portion, not even enough to feed a cat. And that 'General Tso Chicken'—what was that? There's no such dish in authentic Chinese cuisine. I prefer dishes with authentic flavors."
Dr. Wu emphasized the key point.
"Leave it to me."
"I'm just like you. I don't like their so-called 'modifications.' Dr. Wu, where are you from? I'll do some research and strive to prepare a table of dishes that best suit your taste."
Shi Xiaolei found himself increasingly aligned with Dr. Wu preferences.
"I'm fine with anything."
Dr. Wu politely replied at first, but seeing Shi Xiaolei determined attitude, he added:
"I'm originally from Guangzhou, but I've lived in Beijing for over forty years. I'm comfortable with both southern and northern cuisines."
"Can you handle spicy food?"
Shi Xiaolei nodded while continuing to ask: "What about sour or sweet flavors?"
"Spicy is no problem. When I was doing my graduate internship, I spent three years in Sichuan. As for sour and sweet flavors, I've grown less fond of them. At my age, those tastes have become a bit cloying for me."
"Alright, I understand."
When discussing food, Shi Xiaolei was noticeably more enthusiastic.
Without realizing it, they had been chatting for nearly half an hour.
It wasn't until 2B called that he reluctantly bid farewell to the two.
Watching Shi Xiaolei walk towards Stark, Wu Jiaqi felt somewhat disappointed and a bit confused.
"Teacher, weren't we supposed to discuss purchasing medication with him? Why..."
"No need to rush."
Dr. Wu shook his head.
"Everything needs to proceed step by step. This is just our first meeting; we're not familiar enough yet. After meeting a few more times and establishing a good relationship, it won't be too late to bring it up."
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist?you can read 20 chapters ahead on my P@treon [[email protected]/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)