Chapter 43: Topmouth Culter Crisis
Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Topmouth Culter Crisis
Although Xia Xiqing’s conversational logic tended to jump around and omit things, she was still quite honest. Since she said she "didn’t have it anymore," that meant she definitely had it in the past, but for some reason, she didn’t now. This also matched her rumored image as a wealthy heiress.
He wondered if he should try asking her directly. Ever since he became "friends" with Xia Xiqing, almost all of Zhang Yan’s questions had been earnestly answered by her. If he asked this question point-blank, would he get a direct answer too?
After a moment of thought, Zhang Yan decided not to act so rashly. He had a feeling this question might involve her deepest secrets. It might even be tied to her recent behavioral changes that everyone was whispering about. If he asked directly, there was a high chance Xia Xiqing wouldn’t answer, and it would probably cost him points with her. Having made up his mind, Zhang Yan stopped agonizing over it and led Xia Xiqing to the restaurant where he had made a reservation.
He was treating Xia Xiqing to a French restaurant this time. It wasn’t that he particularly enjoyed Western cuisine himself, but he had heard from Brother Gan that Xia Xiqing used to frequent this place a lot. She must have really liked the food here. Although he didn’t know why she had stopped going recently, choosing this restaurant was definitely the safest bet.
The ambiance inside was excellent. It was the epitome of a high-end date spot, mostly filled with glamorous young men and women. The lighting was dim, with only the area above each table illuminated, as if carving the dining hall into separate little stages. It provided a strong sense of privacy even out in the open space.
Zhang Yan looked at the menu in his hands, pretending to be nonchalant, but in reality, he was completely clueless. He could roughly tell what the dishes were, but as for which ones were delicious or how to order, he had no idea at all. He chivalrously handed the menu to Xia Xiqing. "Since I said it’s my treat, we should definitely cater to your tastes. You order."
Xia Xiqing took the menu and familiarly ordered a string of dishes. If Zhang Yan wasn’t mistaken, he seemed to catch a hint of excitement breaking through her aloof expression. The look vanished in a flash, leaving him unsure if his eyes had played tricks on him. The legendary Xia Xiqing—who was always draped in top-tier luxury brands, wore different jewelry every day, and was secretly suspected to be an elite heiress—how could she possibly show excitement over a French meal that was merely decent?
"Seeing how familiar you are with this place, did you come here often?"
Xia Xiqing nodded. "It’s been a long time since I last came."
"Did you get tired of the food here?"
"No."
She offered no further explanation. Zhang Yan could sense an invisible boundary; she likely wouldn’t answer any questions that crossed that line. Sure enough, choosing not to press her about the private car earlier had been the right call.
"I noticed your morning run route is always very close to Cuiquan Spring. Do you live there?"
"Mhm."
Cuiquan Spring was touted as the most exclusive residential area in Meng City, divided into three sections: villas, luxury sprawling flats, and high-end apartments. The amenities were top-tier, and naturally, housing prices were the highest. Meng City was a second-tier provincial capital located in the Northeast. Housing prices weren’t actually that expensive; most areas hovered around twelve thousand yuan per square meter, and even prime downtown complexes were only a bit over twenty thousand. However, at Cuiquan Spring where Xia Xiqing lived, prices were likely over thirty thousand, and the better villas could cost forty to fifty thousand.
This certainly fit Xia Xiqing’s rumored persona. But if that was the case, there seemed to be some contradictions.
For instance, she appeared to have taken the bus to their date, walking quite a distance in high-heeled strappy sandals that were highly impractical for walking. And when dish after dish was served, her eyes revealed obvious longing and joy. If her good manners hadn’t restrained her, Zhang Yan guessed she would have eagerly scarfed everything down. Yet at the same time, her designer clothes and jewelry couldn’t be faked, and her residence was exclusive to the wealthy and aristocratic.
It just didn’t make sense.
Deciding not to overthink it, Zhang Yan saw that Xia Xiqing could hardly wait any longer. He picked up his glass of white wine, which the waiter had poured, and gestured toward her.
CLINK!
The wine glasses touched, emitting a crisp sound that startled Zhang Yan into thinking the system had chimed.
Xia Xiqing’s dining posture was textbook perfect, carrying an indescribable elegance that made Zhang Yan feel a bit ashamed of himself. His knowledge of Western dining was limited to using a knife and fork, exquisite plating, tiny portion sizes, and the frequent presence of steak... He knew absolutely nothing about the finer details, not even whether the fork went in the left hand and the knife in the right, or vice versa. He specifically waited for Xia Xiqing to start so he could mimic her, holding his fork in his left hand and his knife in his right as he slowly began to eat.
But as they ate, he noticed something odd. Although Xia Xiqing’s movements were graceful, producing almost no sound when she cut or picked up her food, her eating speed was not slow at all. Her knife and fork seemed to move in a blur, attacking the food with the intensity of a whirlwind. Naturally, Zhang Yan didn’t fight her for the food. The vast majority of the large spread disappeared into Xia Xiqing’s small, delicate mouth.
Shortly after.
Xia Xiqing gracefully wiped her mouth with a satisfied expression, placing her knife and fork parallel on her plate, blade facing inward, tines facing upward.
"Are you full? Do you want to order more?"
Xia Xiqing shook her head, but as she opened her mouth, a tiny burp slipped out first. Her naturally cool, pale skin instantly flushed with a rosy hue, making her look devastatingly beautiful.
Zhang Yan felt deeply regretful that he couldn’t record this moment. He chuckled, stood up, and escorted Xia Xiqing out.
The restaurant charged 1,588 yuan per person, plus a 10% service fee, bringing the total for this meal to 3,493.6 yuan. If Zhang Yan’s life had continued at its original pace, his entire month’s salary wouldn’t have been enough to cover this one meal. But now, he actually found it quite cheap. After all, treating his junior to a seafood hotpot last time had cost him twelve thousand...
"I’ll walk you home."
"Okay."
Xia Xiqing’s personality was too aloof; she really wasn’t someone easy to get along with. In terms of emotional value alone, she couldn’t hold a candle to his junior. If it weren’t for Brother Tongzi dangling a massive carrot in front of him to keep him running forward, Zhang Yan really wouldn’t be able to muster much interest. It didn’t matter how beautiful she was. Even though she was a feast for the eyes, it was like a flower reflected in a mirror or the moon in the water—he could see her but couldn’t touch her, leaving him itching with frustration. With a personality like hers, it would take donkey’s years to win her over. By that time, he and his junior might already have kids.
After walking her to the bottom of her apartment building, Zhang Yan left.
But he hadn’t gone far when his phone emitted a DING. He tapped it open to look.
Gentle Evening Breeze: [Thank you.]
Gentle Evening Breeze: [For treating me to a meal.]
After a moment, another message arrived: [What are you having for dinner?]
Zhang Yan looked at his phone, unable to suppress the upward curve of his lips, but he immediately caught himself and gave himself a light slap.
"What the hell am I smiling for! If I keep grinning, I’ll really turn into a simp hooked on a line!"