In the end, it was agreed that Xu Kaiqing and Peter would come to Linhuai.
As soon as Xu Kaiqing ended the call, he turned to tell Old Peter.
“Oh! I can’t wait! Can you show me a picture of ‘Chou’ first? Is he as wise, open-minded, gentlemanly, and handsome as I imagine?”
Xu Kaiqing’s expression turned instantly odd. His response was vague: “Well… you’ll know when you see them in person.”
“Oh, Xu, are you trying to be mysterious? Like how you never know what vintage a wine is until the cork is pulled…”
“Can you talk like a normal person?”
“God as my witness, I am speaking to you with the utmost sincerity. Even if you don’t take it seriously—or think I’m not taking it seriously—I truly am. Understand?”
“……”
Jiang Fuyue took an afternoon nap and woke up at 4:00 p.m.
She got up, washed up, and pulled a knitted sweater from the wardrobe, pairing it with cropped jeans that revealed her fair ankles.
She didn’t wear makeup, just a layer of primer—her skin was so clear it practically reflected light.
At eighteen, youthful beauty trumped any skincare product.
At 4:30, she stepped out. Xie Dingyuan’s car was already parked outside the villa.
He hadn’t noticed her yet, head lowered and focused on his phone.
She walked over, bent slightly, and knocked on the car window. Only then did he look up.
In that instant, the man’s pupils contracted.
The loose-knit sweater dipped forward as the girl bent down, revealing not only her snow-white collarbone but also a soft curve just below it…
Xie Dingyuan quickly averted his eyes as if burned.
But that fleeting glimpse lingered vividly in his mind, refusing to leave.
Jiang Fuyue knocked again—several times. He didn’t unlock the door, even though he clearly saw her earlier…
She kept knocking.
Finally, Xie Dingyuan snapped back to reality and hastily unlocked the car.
“You okay?” The girl bent and slid into the seat.
The neckline dipped again…
The man quickly looked away. This time, at least, he didn’t see anything.
He exhaled in relief.
“Are you hot?” Jiang Fuyue asked.
“…I’m fine.”
“Then why are you sweating so much?”
“……”
In the end, Xie Dingyuan couldn’t come up with a reasonable excuse, so he simply said nothing.
Jiang Fuyue didn’t pry either, letting it slide.
They drove off to Jiang Ji.
A long line snaked from the main entrance all the way to the underground parking lot entrance. To avoid causing a commotion like last time, the two entered through the back door.
Soon after, the other four arrived as well.
Old Bai had not only washed his hair but also shaved and changed into clean clothes—he looked refreshed and revitalized.
Old Jin and Ding Yu had clearly tidied up too. Liu Guan, shockingly, was dressed in a “hip-hop” style sweatshirt with ripped jeans, half his face hidden under a baseball cap. Surprisingly, it suited him—he looked kind of cool.
Without their lab coats, they looked like any regular group of guys on the street.
As for Xie Dingyuan, he wore a white button-down shirt fastened all the way to the top. It wasn’t a formal occasion, so he skipped the tie. The casual pants added a touch of ease, but his innate precision and discipline couldn’t be hidden.
Jiang Fuyue was sizing them up—and they were sizing her up too.
Never mind how Xie Dingyuan was looking; after all, along the way, he had pretty much… ahem… seen what he should and shouldn’t have.
But for the rest of them, it was the first time seeing Jiang Fuyue without her lab coat. That tall, slender frame, that narrow waist, those long legs—she was a living clothes hanger!
The blue knit sweater was simple yet elegant. The jeans were the perfect length, exposing just enough of her snowy-white ankles, and her feet were clad in crisp white sneakers.
She looked just like the school beauty stepping out of a youth drama!
Old Bai was already dazed. Ding Yu elbowed him a few times, but the guy didn’t even flinch.
“Ahem!” Even a loud cough didn’t work.
Ding Yu: “…” Sure, she’s pretty—but you can’t stare like that!
Just when Ding Yu was at a loss, he looked up and met Professor Xie’s dark, stormy gaze. A chill shot down his spine, and he instinctively reached over and gave Old Bai’s thigh a hard pinch.
“OWW!” Old Bai yelped, head snapping back. “Ding Yu, are you nuts?!”
Ding Yu gritted his teeth. “Look at you—pathetic! Your eyeballs were about to pop out! Didn’t you see Professor Xie’s face had already turned black?!”
Old Bai’s gaze wavered. “I-I was just looking…”
“Then you should show some restraint too!”
“Oh.”
Xie Dingyuan waved Jiang Fuyue over. “Come here.”
She was about to sit next to Liu Guan, but upon hearing that, she picked up her bag and sat down beside Xie Dingyuan.
The corners of the man’s mouth lifted immediately, his joy plain to see.
Cao Dou personally came in to take care of them and asked if they were ready to start the meal.
Xie Dingyuan nodded. “Serve the dishes.”
Soon, the table was filled with various dishes, large and small. The creative presentations caught everyone’s attention, and the rich aroma aggressively invaded their noses.
Even Old Bai could no longer focus on Jiang Fuyue—he just stared at the food, gulping nonstop.
Cao Dou said, “All the dishes are here. Please enjoy.”
Old Bai couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed his chopsticks and picked up a piece of pork rib. The meat was tender and smooth, with a sweet and sour flavor that exploded on the palate. There was even a subtle hint of plum wine, enough to make someone feel half-drunk.
“Holy cr*p! What kind of ribs are these? Tastes like sweet and sour, but way more layered…”
“This soup’s so fresh, and the color’s beautiful. Try it.”
“And that one over there—so translucent. Is it garlic pork slices? But there’s no garlic…”
Everyone began eating seriously, chopsticks flying.
For a while, the only sounds at the table were surprised exclamations and the gentle clinking of dishes and bowls.
Seeing that everyone had eaten enough, Xie Dingyuan got up to pay the bill.
After he left, Jiang Fuyue headed to the restroom.
She washed her hands, and just as she turned the corner, a woman in a staff uniform walked toward her.
Jiang Fuyue glanced casually at her and then looked away.
But just as they passed each other, something flashed in her mind. Her steps halted abruptly, and she turned around sharply.
The woman’s slender back was already walking into the main hall.
Wasn’t that Jiang Hua’s mistress?!
Why was she at Jiang Ji, and dressed like a server?
Jiang Fuyue immediately changed direction and followed her.
Unexpectedly, just as she turned the corner, she bumped right into Xie Dingyuan, who had just come back from paying.
A faint scent of pine engulfed her. Her face landed squarely against the man’s chest, and from a distance, they looked like they were hugging intimately.
“—Tsk!”
Xie Dingyuan forcibly suppressed the sudden flutter in his heart and lowered his head to steady the girl by the shoulders.
So slender—he could feel the bones with just a light squeeze.
“Did that hurt?”
Jiang Fuyue covered her nose, eyes welling up reflexively.
Hearing his question, she waved a hand. “I’m fine.”
“Let me see?”
He moved her hand away and looked carefully. “Hmm, not bad. At least your nose isn’t crooked…”
Jiang Fuyue rolled her eyes. “Lame.”
With that, she turned and headed back toward the private room.
As for that woman—if she was working at Jiang Ji, it’d be easy to find her later. No rush.
“Hey, I was just joking,” Xie Dingyuan caught up, “You mad?”
“Yeah, I’m mad.”
The man looked a little flustered.
The next second, she added, “Just kidding.”
Xie Dingyuan looked helpless.
After the celebration dinner, Old Bai and the others suggested going to KTV. They didn’t even bother asking Xie Dingyuan and went straight to Jiang Fuyue.
It wasn’t that they were deliberately ignoring the big boss—it’s just that after all these years, they knew he never joined in on this kind of thing. So why bother asking?
Jiang Fuyue said, “Nah, you guys go ahead.”
They didn’t insist.
Xie Dingyuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Yeah, better to avoid those smoky, noisy places.
He stood up. “Let’s go home.”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t move.
Xie Dingyuan: “?”
“You go ahead. I’ll wait till closing and leave with my dad.”
Xie Dingyuan opened his mouth, then said nothing.
In the end, he muttered, “…Alright, I’ll go.”
“Mm.”
Jiang Fuyue walked him to the back door. “Be careful on the road.”
The man suddenly stumbled.
“Hey—” Jiang Fuyue quickly caught him. “What’s wrong?”
A slight flush rose to Xie Dingyuan’s cheeks, as if he were tipsy. “Feeling a little dizzy…”
“Cr*p,” Jiang Fuyue suddenly remembered something, “Did you drink the Four Joy Soup earlier?”
Xie Dingyuan: “Two bowls.”
Uh…
Jiang Fuyue: “There was fermented rice wine in it.”
“Wait… I think it’s kicking in again…” The man squinted, raising a hand to his forehead, looking quite wobbly.
Jiang Fuyue quickly stepped in to support him. “Hey, are you okay?”
Xie Dingyuan leaned onto her shoulder.
The fresh scent of orange blossom mixed with amber enveloped him. He wasn’t dizzy at all, but in this moment, it felt like he was.
Jiang Fuyue looked around, thinking to call Old Bai and the others for help—but they had all vanished.
“Hang on, I’ll call a few staff to help—”
“No need,” Xie Dingyuan stood up straight and rubbed his temples. “I just need to sit for a bit and I’ll be fine.”
“Alright. You definitely can’t drive like this. I’ll help you back to the private room?”
“Okay.”
Jiang Fuyue took his hand and placed it over her shoulder.
Xie Dingyuan froze. The tips of his ears quickly turned red.
Drama King Dog Xie has entered the scene.
