Chapter 325 - 326: With You Here, I Am Not Afraid of Anything
Chapter 325: Chapter 326: With You Here, I Am Not Afraid of Anything
Overjoyed by his coaxing, Yun Sheng could no longer maintain her teasing facade. She obediently let Si Jin hold her hand, her expression softening. "You certainly know what to say."
Si Jin gazed at her bright, delicate smile, the tenderness in his eyes practically overflowing. He gently stroked the back of her hand with his fingertips and spoke in a slow, measured tone. "What would you like to drink? Coffee or a latte?"
Yun Sheng shook her head, her tone relaxed and casual. "I’ll pass. I have to go meet up with Li Wen and Cheng Nian soon. Originally, after finishing my onboarding procedures, I was supposed to go with Li Wen to find Cheng Nian. But Bai Ye suddenly came looking for me, which delayed things a bit."
At the mention of Bai Ye, Si Jin’s brow twitched slightly. When Bai Ye had messaged him earlier, he had already guessed that the man must have sought out Yun Sheng. He just wasn’t sure what they had discussed. He asked casually, his tone flat, "Did he look for you because of Lin Yueyao or Dark Nest?"
"Both, actually. Lin Yueyao is adamantly refusing to hand over any clues about Dark Nest. She specifically asked to see me, otherwise she won’t say a word. The other people involved in the hospital attack, as well as Zhang Qi, were all silenced by Dark Nest. The only breakthrough Bai Ye has left in his hands is her, which is why he specifically came to ask if I’d be willing."
Hearing this, Si Jin’s eyes darkened slightly. He pressed, "Did you agree?"
"Yes," Yun Sheng replied, a touch of seriousness entering her eyes. "You know very well that I’ve always wanted to completely eliminate the hidden threat of Dark Nest."
Dark Nest wasn’t just targeting her; Si Jin was the first to be targeted and schemed against. During that initial ambush, Si Jin had nearly gone into a complete riot, losing control and almost not making it back. This group of people hid in the shadows, lingering like ghosts and waiting for their chance to strike. If they weren’t thoroughly dealt with, the two of them would never be able to live in peace!
Si Jin understood Yun Sheng’s concerns. His heart softened as he gently stroked her knuckles with his thumb. "When the time comes, I’ll go with you," he said warmly. "Yun Sheng, no matter what we have to face or what dangers we encounter in the future, I will always be by your side."
The warm sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, landing on their clasped hands and giving off a cozy warmth. Yun Sheng couldn’t help but lean forward slightly, swiftly closing the distance to Si Jin’s face to plant a light kiss on the corner of his lips. Before he could respond, she pulled back with a smile, her eyes curving into crescents.
"With you here, I’m not afraid of anything."
Stirred by her sudden affectionate gesture, Si Jin felt a burning warmth in his heart. The tenderness in his eyes deepened as he flipped his hand to gently but firmly grasp hers, reluctant to let go even for a second. "It’s getting late. We should go."
Yun Sheng composed herself and stood up, smoothing out the hem of her clothes. Si Jin nodded and followed suit. He naturally took her hand, leading her out of the cafe and into the hovercar waiting by the roadside.
It wasn’t long before the car came to a smooth stop downstairs at the central mall. The two got out together and walked shoulder-to-shoulder into the bustling mall, ready to meet up with Li Wen and Cheng Nian.
The agreed-upon restaurant was on the fifth floor. It was a trendy spot that had recently exploded in popularity on the Star Network, specializing in interstellar fusion cuisine. There was a long line at the entrance, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of milk and the savory scent of roasted meat. Bionic glowing jellyfish floated across the ceiling, casting a faint, ethereal glow over every table and maximizing the atmospheric vibe. Yun Sheng had seen this place while scrolling through the Star Network before. They were most famous for their desserts, which were said to be so delicious that they’d make you swallow your own tongue.
As soon as they walked in, she spotted Cheng Nian waving at them from afar. Her arm was raised high, as if she were terrified they wouldn’t see her. Yun Sheng chuckled and pulled Si Jin toward the window seat. When they reached Li Wen and Cheng Nian, the two friends tacitly stared at Yun Sheng without blinking.
Cheng Nian blinked, a sly grin on her face. She lowered her voice, but couldn’t hide her excitement. "Yun Sheng, aren’t you going to introduce him?"
Yun Sheng generously held Si Jin’s hand and introduced him openly, "This is Lin Mo, my boyfriend."
"Boyfrieeend..." Cheng Nian deliberately dragged out the word, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them. Her smile was practically stretching ear to ear.
Li Wen smiled along, picking up her water glass to take a sip. Her eyes clearly said, "I knew it all along."
Yun Sheng looked at their reactions, her face full of helplessness. Or rather, even before arriving, she had already guessed these two would act exactly like this.
At this moment, Cheng Nian cleared her throat and looked at Si Jin with deadpan seriousness. "Mr. Lin Mo, was it? Since you’re Yun Sheng’s boyfriend, you need to introduce yourself. For instance, where are you from, what do you do for a living, and how did you manage to woo our Yun Sheng? You have to confess everything."
Li Wen gently nudged her from the side. "Are you running a background check?"
Cheng Nian replied self-righteously, "I call it vetting!"
Si Jin didn’t feel offended in the slightest. Knowing they were Yun Sheng’s best friends, he answered very earnestly, even though he couldn’t reveal his true identity and had to stick to Lin Mo’s persona. "I’m a Second-level Compounder in the Pharmacy Department at the Fourth District Central Hospital." His tone was unhurried. "I’m not a Capital Star local, but I went to university here and stayed for work after graduating."
Cheng Nian nodded, her mouth opening slightly as she prepared to ask something else, but Li Wen quickly clamped a hand down on her arm.
"Alright, alright. Even a background check doesn’t happen all at once. There will be plenty of opportunities later." Li Wen smiled as she looked at Yun Sheng and Si Jin. "Don’t just stand there, you two. Take a seat."
Yun Sheng nodded, pulling Si Jin down to sit across from them. Li Wen immediately pushed the menu in front of them, her tone brisk. "Order first, and we’ll chat while we eat. This place’s desserts are their signature, so you definitely can’t miss out."
Only then did Cheng Nian drop it. She leaned back in her chair with a grin, resting her chin in her hands. Her eyes still couldn’t resist darting between the two of them, her gaze making it seem like she was observing an exotic species. Li Wen shot her a glance but couldn’t be bothered to scold her.
Under her scrutiny, the tips of Yun Sheng’s ears grew hot. She lowered her head and flipped open the menu, pretending to study the dishes to deliberately avoid her gaze. The pictures on the menu were exquisitely shot, and each dish had its ingredient sources and a recommendation rating listed next to it. She flipped through a couple of pages, pointed to a picture on the menu, and turned her head to look at Si Jin. "Want to try this? The Starry Sky Lava Cake. The reviews seem really high."
Si Jin followed her finger with his eyes and nodded. "Sure, order it if you like it."
"Oh my, so considerate~" Cheng Nian’s voice suddenly drifted over, laced with obvious teasing.
Li Wen finally couldn’t take it anymore and reached out to lightly flick her forehead. "If you keep this up, Yun Sheng is going to get embarrassed."
Cheng Nian clutched her forehead and let out a pitiful "Oh." She finally reined it in a little, lowering her head to look at the menu as well, but she simply couldn’t suppress the smile on her lips. Li Wen shook her head and took another sip from her glass, her own lips curving into a smile.
Yun Sheng continued browsing the menu, quietly discussing with Si Jin which dishes looked the tastiest. As they were talking, a familiar voice suddenly drifted to her ears.
"Miss Yun, you’re eating here too?"