Chapter 55

"Take a guess."

Wen Xihan frowned at Ruan Xinyi’s teasing smile and shot her a sidelong glance. "Say it if you want to. If not, forget it."

"Hey, sister." Ruan Xinyi quickly caught up to her, looking innocent as she explained, "Didn’t you say I could decide for myself?"

"I'm not telling you because I want to keep it a surprise. At least that way, you’ll be curious. If I tell you now and you suddenly lose your appetite, wouldn't that ruin the whole point?"

"..."

Wen Xihan’s steps faltered for just a moment. The more she listened to Ruan Xinyi’s words, the more she felt that this annoying little brat was implying something—that she was unreasonable and prone to making a fuss.

And she wasn’t curious at all! She had simply asked what was for dinner. But somehow, once the words passed through this little troublemaker’s mouth, they became something completely different!

She shot Ruan Xinyi an exasperated glare before quickening her pace toward the hotel entrance.

But after just a few steps, she stopped.

The car had been ordered by Ruan Xinyi, and she had no idea which one it was.

Ruan Xinyi quietly stood beside her, hesitating before asking, "Are you mad, sister?"

Wen Xihan frowned slightly, watching a few cars slowly pull up by the curb. She immediately denied it. "No."

"Really?" Ruan Xinyi didn’t believe her.

Wen Xihan clenched her molars. "I'm not that petty."

"Am I that petty?"

Ruan Xinyi: "???"

She swallowed nervously and replied in a soft, sticky voice, "No..."

Come on, even if she was, she wouldn’t dare admit it to Wen Xihan’s face. That would be asking for trouble!

Wen Xihan’s lips curved into a smirk, her tone carrying a hint of danger. "Oh? Is that so?"

Ruan Xinyi shivered under Wen Xihan’s cool, piercing gaze, feeling as if all her little thoughts had been completely seen through. She swallowed and forced an awkward smile. "Y-yes..."

"Heh." Wen Xihan let out a cold chuckle, clearly not believing a word of it. She lifted her pale chin slightly, her voice crisp and cool. "Has the car arrived?"

Ruan Xinyi quickly scanned the parked cars nearby, looking uncertain. "Not yet... I think."

But just as she finished speaking, her phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

"Mm, it’s here now."

Ruan Xinyi answered the call, her tone polite but distant. "Hello, good evening..."

Wen Xihan, who rarely saw Ruan Xinyi acting so formal, glanced at her several times, pretending not to be paying attention.

After confirming the pickup location with the driver, Ruan Xinyi noticed Wen Xihan’s glances.

But by then, Wen Xihan had already turned away, her cool side profile looking as indifferent as ever—like nothing in the world could interest her.

After hanging up the phone, Ruan Xinyi cleared her throat and searched for something to say. “Sister, are you hungry?”

Wen Xihan: “…”

She turned her head away and replied, neither cold nor warm but somewhat perfunctory, “I’m fine.”

Fine?

That meant she was a little hungry.

As a dark gray sedan approached with its turn signal blinking, Ruan Xinyi glanced at the license plate. When the car came to a stop, she opened the rear passenger door and gestured for Wen Xihan to enter.

Wen Xihan rolled her eyes at her before getting in, sitting as close to the opposite door as possible to maintain a considerable distance from Ruan Xinyi.

Ruan Xinyi found it amusing but refrained from laughing. She shut the door and sat properly.

The driver glanced at the rearview mirror and asked, “Last digits XXXX?”

“That’s right.”

Upon confirmation, the driver started the car and followed the GPS directions to their destination.

Ruan Xinyi rolled the window down slightly, then reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a bottle of yogurt. Twisting off the cap, she gently nudged Wen Xihan’s hand with her pinky finger, offering it to her.

Wen Xihan lifted her eyelids slightly, glanced at the yogurt, and shook her head.

However, Ruan Xinyi didn’t take no for an answer and simply shoved the yogurt into her hand. Then, mimicking Wen Xihan, she scooted to the opposite side of the seat as if avoiding some terrifying beast, maintaining a noticeable distance.

Wen Xihan: “…”

Her chest rose and fell slightly. After a moment, she reached out her hand. “Give me that.”

“Huh? Which one?” Ruan Xinyi asked, confused. But seeing that Wen Xihan had no intention of returning the yogurt, she felt a little relieved.

“That.”

Wen Xihan pointed to Ruan Xinyi’s slightly clenched hand. “The cap.”

“…”

Letting out an awkward chuckle, Ruan Xinyi, unfazed, opened her palm, revealing the yogurt cap she had been holding.

“Thanks.” Wen Xihan took the cap, then sipped the yogurt at a leisurely pace. A faint white stain appeared on her upper lip.

“N-no problem.” Ruan Xinyi flushed slightly, suddenly looking as clumsy as a love-struck teenager.

Wen Xihan gave her a strange look but said nothing. After taking a few more sips, she twisted the cap back onto the bottle.

The car fell into an odd silence.

After a few minutes, still holding the yogurt, Wen Xihan pressed her tongue lightly against her cheek and suddenly asked, “Aren’t you drinking?”

“Ah.” Ruan Xinyi smiled warmly. “I only brought one bottle when I left.”

“You go ahead and drink it, Sister. It’ll take another half an hour to get there—I don’t want you to go hungry.”

Hearing this, Wen Xihan gave her a deep look, as if she wanted to say something but held back.

Ruan Xinyi, however, acted completely oblivious, as if she hadn’t noticed Wen Xihan’s hesitation. She pulled out a pack of milk candy from her bag and handed them over. “If it’s not enough, I have some candy too.”

She grinned in a slightly silly way, making it impossible for Wen Xihan to detect any hidden motives.

Wen Xihan’s fingers gradually tightened around the plastic packaging, creating a faint rustling sound. She tugged at the corner of her lips. “Thanks.”

Ruan Xinyi beamed. Her voice was soft and sweet. “No need to be so polite, Sister~”

“…”

Wen Xihan merely smiled without responding.

There were countless ways to be infuriating, and Ruan Xinyi had mastered at least half of them.

---

Forty minutes later, following the GPS directions, Ruan Xinyi successfully found the Western restaurant located on the top floor of a shopping mall.

The restaurant had a great atmosphere, featuring European-style décor and a soothing piano melody. The occasional murmurs of conversation did not feel noisy but rather added to the relaxed ambiance.

A neatly dressed waiter in a white shirt smiled and guided them to their reserved table, then politely handed over a digital menu.

Ruan Xinyi immediately passed the tablet to Wen Xihan before turning to the waiter, who was pouring lemon water. “Any recommendations?”

Maintaining a professional smile, the waiter politely suggested a few popular dishes. Before concluding, he added, “These dishes have received great reviews and are well-liked by most guests.”

“If you have no dietary restrictions, you might want to try the top-listed one—our chef’s special recommendation.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Ruan Xinyi took the tablet from Wen Xihan, glanced at the recommendations, and compared them with Wen Xihan’s selections. She ordered a few dishes that seemed appealing.

When it came to beverages, she hesitated while scrolling through the menu. “Sister, would you like something to drink?”

“Wine or juice?”

Wen Xihan had yet to order a drink.

She was peeling the wrapper off a milk tablet, her slender fingers moving gracefully. The motion made her delicate knuckles stand out, with a subtle pink hue. Without looking up, she replied, “Orange juice.”

Silently, Ruan Xinyi deleted the grape wine she had already selected and instead added a pitcher of orange juice.

Once she finished ordering, she handed the tablet back to the waiter. “That’s all for now, thank you.”

The waiter took the tablet with both hands and bowed slightly. “Understood. Please wait a moment.”

The dishes were served at a steady pace, one by one.

Once the orange juice arrived, the waiter also brought two glasses and poured each of them a drink.

Wen Xihan leisurely cut her steak, the silverware lightly clinking against the fine porcelain plate. Lifting her eyelids, she glanced at Ruan Xinyi’s glass of orange juice and smirked. “Why aren’t you drinking wine?”

“Hmm?” Ruan Xinyi dabbed the corner of her lips with a napkin. Her eyes were clear, her expression innocent. “I’m not used to drinking alone. Besides, if Sister isn’t drinking, it wouldn’t be right for me to drink by myself.”

Once again, Wen Xihan was caught off guard. She shot Ruan Xinyi a glare, thinking, "Are you sure it’s just that you’re not used to drinking alone? More like you never drink less than a few glasses when you do."

This little rascal was becoming more and more shameless…

Halfway through their meal, a waiter unexpectedly brought over two servings of fruit yogurt.

Ruan Xinyi’s first reaction was, “Did you bring the wrong order? We didn’t order this.”

The waiter glanced toward the bar, then smiled and replied, “No, this is a special treat from our chef.”

Ruan Xinyi followed the waiter’s gaze toward the bar and saw a young woman leaning against it. She had an elegant figure and delicate features, with long, chestnut-colored curls cascading down her waist like a waterfall. In her beautiful hand, she held a glass of red wine filled to a third. As she curled her lips into a faint smile, an added touch of alluring charm appeared.

When her eyes met Ruan Xinyi’s, the woman’s lips curved slightly as she raised her slender, fair wrist and lifted her glass toward her from afar. Then, tilting her head back, she downed the wine in one swift motion.

It was precisely this gesture that gave the waiter’s words—"special"—a deeper meaning.

Ruan Xinyi returned the woman’s smile and raised her own glass in response.

Wen Xihan, saying nothing, observed the silent exchange between the two. Her peach blossom eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion, soon concealed behind the reflection in her glasses when she heard Ruan Xinyi ask the waiter, “What’s your boss’s surname?”

“Our boss’s surname is Shen.”

After the waiter left, Wen Xihan gripped her knife and fork, cutting into her steak with force. Then, as if lost in thought, she sliced the piece into even smaller bits. Her tone was impossible to decipher as she asked, “Do you know that boss?”

“No,” Ruan Xinyi replied truthfully, shaking her head after glancing several times at the woman by the bar.

Wen Xihan put down her utensils, her deep, cold gaze unreadable. Pressing her lips together, she said, “I’m done eating.”

“Aren’t you going to have a bit more?” Ruan Xinyi noticed that Wen Xihan had barely eaten half of her dish. Even the yogurt she usually loved remained untouched.

“No, you take your time.” Wen Xihan raised her hand to call the waiter. “Check, please.”

“Of course, Miss. Please wait a moment.”

After settling the bill and asking the waiter for directions, Wen Xihan headed to the restroom.

Just as she finished washing her hands and was about to leave, a woman silently appeared beside her.

It was the boss, Shen.

Her hands were covered in fine, soapy foam. As the faucet's sensor activated, the water instantly rinsed the bubbles away.

“She likes you.”

The woman’s soft voice broke through the sound of running water.

“Eyes don’t lie.”

“And you… you like her too.”  

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