“What’s wrong?” Chen Mo asked when he saw her dawdling.
Song Jia snapped out of her daze and scratched her forehead, “No, nothing.”
Chen Mo, feeling cold after removing his jacket, didn’t bother with her and entered the restaurant.
Song Jia followed, taking small steps to catch up.
The restaurant was a French bistro with dim, somewhat romantic lighting and soft love songs playing in the background, creating a quiet atmosphere ideal for first-time meetings.
Ye Mu had thoughtfully researched their tastes, ordering a variety of main courses and snacks that both enjoyed, so Chen Mo and Song Jia could start eating right away without waiting.
Sitting across from the man she had admired for a long time, Song Jia couldn’t help but blush. After sipping some red wine, she timidly initiated a topic, “I heard you started a new company this year. Are you busy with work?”
Chen Mo, cutting his steak with a fork and knife, replied with a cool demeanor, “Not too busy.”
Song Jia nodded and continued, “The person with you earlier, was he from your company? It seemed like you two are quite close.”
Chen Mo, looking down, said with little inflection, “Not really. I don’t get along well with that type.”
“Don’t get along?” Song Jia was puzzled, as it didn’t match what she had observed earlier.
Chen Mo’s expression remained indifferent, “Yes, we tend to argue after just a few words.”
He recalled recent conflicts and his face soured.
Seeing his reaction, Song Jia didn’t dare ask further and simply replied, “I see.”
Chen Mo responded coldly and then focused on eating the beef on his plate.
Feeling a bit hungry herself, Song Jia quietly ate her meal.
Since they were both not very social and lacked common interests, despite Song Jia’s efforts to engage in conversation, Chen Mo’s indifferent attitude caused the atmosphere to grow cold.
About ten minutes later, Song Jia, feeling awkward, fell silent.
They fell back into the earlier state of unfamiliarity, just like in the car.
Chen Mo seemed unaffected, slowly enjoying his French snails, which suited his taste.
Song Jia, who had a small appetite, felt bored after finishing her meal but couldn’t express it. She simply watched him eat from across the table.
Footsteps approached, and another pair of men and women sat at a nearby table.
Curious, Song Jia listened in on their conversation.
The woman at the table was quite direct, asking, “Do you have a house and a car? If not, let’s not continue.”
The man, slightly disheveled, replied, “I have a house and a car, but are you a virgin?”
The woman was taken aback and speechless.
The man sneered and continued, “Even if I didn’t have a house or car, I would get them eventually. But if you’re not a virgin now, will you be in the future?”
The woman’s lips twitched slightly, “I was a virgin before.”
The man raised an eyebrow, “If I had a house and a car in the past but lost them due to business failures, would you be willing to stick with me through tough times and make a comeback?”
The woman frowned, her eyes filled with disdain, “You don’t have a house or a car now. Only someone with a screw loose would marry you.”
The man smirked, “So what if you were a virgin? It doesn’t make any difference to me.”
The woman was upset, “If you love me, you should love me as a person, not just a part of me.”
The man responded, “If you love me, you should love me as a person too, not just my house and car.”
The woman bit her lip, “Are you a virgin?”
The man shrugged, “No.”
The woman, feeling frustrated, retorted, “Then why do you expect me to be a virgin?”
The man glanced at her coldly, “Do you have a house and a car?”
The woman replied, “No.”
The man looked at her disdainfully, “Well then.”
The woman, shaking with anger, couldn’t tolerate it any longer. She splashed water from her cup and, with a swift turn on her high heels, stormed out.
The man, now drenched and disheveled, muttered a curse and left a few banknotes on the table before exiting the restaurant.
Song Jia watched this unfold and couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat. She turned to Chen Mo, unable to control her curiosity, “Men with virginity complexes are the worst!”
Chen Mo remained silent, not responding.
Song Jia looked at him seriously and asked, “You’re a virgin, aren’t you?”
Chen Mo’s face stiffened. After a long pause, he finally said, “Does it matter?”
Song Jia lowered her long lashes and bit her lip, “It does matter. I have a serious cleanliness obsession.”
Chen Mo pressed his lips together, shifted his Adam’s apple, and remained silent.
After about three minutes, he cleared his throat and said, “No, I’m not.”
Song Jia was momentarily stunned, not expecting this answer. Her eyes showed disappointment as she murmured, “I see…”
Usually, women don’t dwell too much on this matter. Most consider a man’s experience as something that improves with practice, the more skilled, the better.
But Song Jia was different. Having had a unique childhood, she hoped for a partner who shared her values of self-restraint.
Her initial admiration for Chen Mo was not only due to his handsome appearance but also because he had focused on his studies in college and had never dated, making him a model of abstinence. She hadn’t expected that even her ideal man wasn’t immune to worldly concerns after entering society.
Song Jia was a bit unhappy and, with her sleeves rolled up and head bowed, stopped talking.
Chen Mo, observing her, said in a low, magnetic voice, “Maybe we’re not suitable for each other.”
Song Jia wrestled with her emotions. While she liked Chen Mo, she wasn’t willing to compromise her standards for him. But after years of admiration, was she really going to let this opportunity slip away?
Seeing her silence, Chen Mo took it as a tacit acceptance and stood up to settle the bill. “It’s late. I’ll take you home.”
Song Jia bit her lip and stood up with him.
The biting cold of the late-night wind made them shiver as they got into the car. Throughout the drive home, neither of them spoke.
When they arrived at her destination and it was time to get out, Song Jia spoke softly.
“What do you think of me…”
Chen Mo moved his lips, his fair, handsome face expressionless, “You’re great.”
Song Jia’s eyelashes fluttered, “Then…”
Before she could finish, she was abruptly interrupted.
“But I don’t want to be in a relationship right now,” Chen Mo said, gripping the steering wheel with calm, unruffled eyes.
Song Jia pressed her lips together, reluctant to give up easily, “Why?”
Chen Mo looked out at the night through squinted eyes. Perhaps the stillness of the night made him speak his true feelings, “I’ve been dumped too many times. I’m a bit tired.”
He often mocked Ye Mu for being dumped by someone, but he too had experienced it. Since graduation, he had had three girlfriends, all of whom had broken up with him for various reasons. Sometimes, he truly didn’t understand women.
Song Jia instinctively said, “I won’t.”
Chen Mo, looking exhausted, pinched his brow and said, “The last person said the same thing.”
Song Jia earnestly promised, “I swear, really, I won’t.”
Chen Mo stared straight ahead with a cold, indifferent expression, trying to evade, “I’m not a virgin.”
Song Jia looked down, her face showing subtle distress, and said softly, “It’s okay. I’ve thought it over. I just want to try.”
Chen Mo didn’t want to set himself up for pain and rejected her, “No.”
Song Jia’s eyes reddened, her voice slightly choked, “Just give it a try.”
Chen Mo, who couldn’t bear to see a girl cry, handed her a tissue and remained silent, frowning.
Seeing his expression, Song Jia sensed a hint of softening and cried even harder.
Chen Mo’s frown deepened.
The girl cried sadly in the car until her voice grew hoarse.
After a long silence, Chen Mo finally spoke, “We’ll talk about it later.”
This meant he was willing to stay in touch, which was a form of compromise.
Song Jia, sensing the opportunity, wiped her wet eyes, slightly lowered her lashes, and responded softly, “Okay.”
Chen Mo tilted his head slightly and opened the car door for her.
Song Jia leaned out, her gaze lingering with reluctance.
Chen Mo averted his eyes, stepped on the gas, and drove off into the distance.
Song Jia stood in the cold wind, clutching her small bag, watching him leave. Her wavering heart inexplicably grew resolute.
— She was determined to pursue this man.
