As the conversation went on, the guests at the second table outside the villa also arrived at the parking lot.
A girl sat in a taxi, gazing in awe at the villa, repeatedly confirming that this was indeed her destination.
She dialed a number: "Hello, Mr. Xie, I've arrived. Yes, I took a taxi."
The girl glanced at the taxi's meter, which showed over 150, and reluctantly paid the fare.
Xie Youlin tapped on the car window. The girl initially thought the man was going to open the door for her, but he didn't stop and instead walked directly towards the villa entrance.
"Not a gentleman at all, minus points!" the girl muttered.
Shen Yuxuan, carrying her bag, got out of the car and called out to the man in front of her, "Wait for me!"
A server stood at the entrance to greet them: "Sir, Madam, good evening. May I have the reservation number?"
The man hesitated. He was set up on a blind date by his family, with every step from meeting to dining meticulously planned. Therefore, dining here wasn't his decision, and the reservation number likely wasn't his phone number.
"0088, is that it?" Xie Youlin thought for a moment.
"Certainly. Are you Mr. Xie and Ms. Shen?" the server asked with a smile, looking at the two young people.
"Yes," Shen Yuxuan chimed in.
"Your private room is ready. Please follow me upstairs."
Shen Yuxuan, looking at the villa's decor, clicked her tongue repeatedly. She held her phone and recorded everything from the moment they entered until they were inside the private room.
"May I ask if Sir and Madam have any dietary restrictions?"
Xie Youlin spoke to himself: "No."
The server was waiting for Shen Yuxuan's answer. She stood in the room, mesmerized by a lavishly decorated display cabinet, taking selfie after selfie. She clearly hadn't heard the server's question at all.
"Miss?" the server politely interrupted.
"Huh? What is it?" Shen Yuxuan lowered her phone, looking at them blankly.
Xie Youlin grew impatient: "I asked if you have any dietary restrictions?"
"No, no," Shen Yuxuan quickly waved her hand.
"Very well."
After the server left the private room, Shen Yuxuan squeezed onto the seat next to Xie Youlin.
"This is my first time dining at a restaurant like this. It's so upscale! Did you notice the items in the display cabinet downstairs? Are they all real? So many Hermès bags!"
Xie Youlin picked up the crystal glass on the table and took a sip of water. He recalled the scene that morning when his father stopped him just as he was about to leave for work after breakfast.
—Xie Youlin's Recollection—
Xie Hongtian: "Don't go to your school today."
Xie Youlin turned to look at his father. At that moment, Mrs. Xie also came downstairs.
Xie Youlin: "Mom, why are you down here?"
Mrs. Xie: "Son, your mother has found a girl for you. She's the daughter of your father's classmate. She just graduated this year and works at a bank."
Xie Youlin maintained a smile, but when he turned to face Xie Hongtian, his expression was one of confusion. Earlier, in the study, Xie Hongtian had hinted that Xie Youlin was not allowed to date. He had also said that his wife would forget what she said once her medication wore off. Why was she arranging a blind date today?
Mrs. Xie: "Come, come, change into something nice. You must dress well for your first meeting with a girl. Don't be too casual."
An aunt carried a brand-new suit and a light blue shirt, while another aunt brought a shoebox to Xie Youlin. Mrs. Xie looked at her son with anticipation. Xie Hongtian, seeing that his wife was relatively stable, gave Xie Youlin a look from the side.
Xie Youlin took the clothes from the aunt and said with a smile, "Mom has already prepared for me. Then I really can't wait to meet that girl."
Mrs. Xie: "Hurry and change."
Xie Hongtian nodded at his son, as if giving his permission.
A moment later, Xie Youlin was dressed in the suit. Mrs. Xie stood at the bottom of the stairs watching her son descend, her eyes welling up with tears.
Mrs. Xie: "My son has grown so much..."
Xie Youlin: "Mom, you make it sound like we haven't seen each other in ages."
Xie Hongtian put his arm around Mrs. Xie's shoulder. Mrs. Xie patted Xie Hongtian's chest.
Mrs. Xie: "Handsome, my son is so handsome!"
Xie Hongtian: "Alright, I'll see my son out."
Mrs. Xie watched their retreating backs, secretly wiping away tears.
Outside, Xie Hongtian's demeanor became stern again.
Xie Hongtian: "Your mother has been nagging me these past few days, insisting that I find someone for you to meet. So, I arranged this for today."
Xie Youlin: "Oh."
Xie Hongtian: "Also, the girl I'm introducing you to today is not quite as your mother described."
Xie Youlin's hand, reaching for the car door, paused. He didn't turn to look at Xie Hongtian, but his helpless expression was evident in the reflection on the glass.
Xie Youlin: "Then who is she?"
Xie Hongtian: "You don't need to know too much. In short, she will pretend to be on a blind date with you, and then we'll take some photos to show your mother so she knows you actually went on a date."
Xie Youlin already had a hunch. This was likely another actress hired to appease his wife. But in this situation, he had to play along continuously, while the others were just temporary actors.
Xie Youlin: "I understand."
Xie Hongtian: "I'll send the address to your phone. Just follow the procedure."
Xie Youlin nodded, listened to a few more instructions from Xie Hongtian, and then drove off.
—End of Xie Youlin's Recollection—
***
The waiter pushed open the door, and the first course, the starters, was brought in.
The server began to explain: "For the lady, we have seasonal vegetables with potato foam and white truffle..."
Shen Yuxuan whispered, "What is this?"
"Hello, Madam. This is caviar tarts."
Shen Yuxuan quickly took a photo: "Wow, it looks so special."
"We will be serving the first courses shortly."
Shen Yuxuan took more photos of the dish in front of her. As she looked at the amuse-bouche in front of Xie Youlin, she grew restless. Just as Xie Youlin was about to pick up his fork, Shen Yuxuan called out to him.
"Wait, don't eat it!"
"What for?"
Shen Yuxuan picked up her phone and stood up, taking pictures of Xie Youlin's amuse-bouche. She even intentionally included Xie Youlin's right hand holding the fork, so she could brag on her social media about dining with a wealthy man wearing a luxury watch and an expensive suit at a private restaurant.
Xie Youlin expressed his displeasure: "Ms. Shen, may we eat now?"
"Ah, yes, yes, sorry."
Shen Yuxuan put down her phone. She watched Xie Youlin's hands, with their well-defined knuckles, as he expertly used his knife and fork to cut a small piece of salmon and slowly bring it to his mouth, chewing leisurely. Shen Yuxuan silently added ten points to this man in her mind.
However, Shen Yuxuan, unfamiliar with Western dining etiquette, looked at the tart in front of her and didn't know how to proceed. When she cut it with her knife, the caviar spilled onto the plate. When she tried to pierce it with her fork, the tart crumbled due to excessive force.
She secretly glanced at Xie Youlin and quickly picked up the tart with her hand, stuffing it into her mouth. But seeing the caviar spilled on the plate, she considered picking it up to lick it clean. Before she could act, the waiter pushed open the door, bringing in the first course and simultaneously clearing away the plate with the spilled caviar.
"Um... Mr. Xie, what do you do for a living?" Shen Yuxuan asked curiously.
"Education," Xie Youlin replied coldly.
Shen Yuxuan continued, "A teacher?"
Xie Youlin replied, "I own a training center."
Shen Yuxuan was somewhat surprised upon hearing this. She had encountered Xie Hongtian while handing out flyers outside the university and learned that she could earn ten thousand yuan by pretending to be his son's blind date for a day. This was much more than the part-time jobs at school!
"What kind of training courses do you offer?" Shen Yuxuan genuinely wanted to chat more.
At this moment, Xie Youlin's phone vibrated. A message isolated Shen Yuxuan from his world. Xie Youlin replied carefully, ignoring Shen Yuxuan beside him.
***
In the back kitchen, the proprietress meticulously inspected the dishes that were about to be served to the guests. At that moment, the server who had been greeting guests at the entrance walked in.
"Leader, Sister Hong has arrived."
The proprietress suddenly looked up, a smile involuntarily forming on her lips. She took off her white gloves, handed them to the server, and smilingly pushed open the kitchen door to walk out.
Sister Hong stood on the stairs, gazing at the old photographs on the wall. One in particular captured her full attention.
"Yunchen, look at this. Can you tell which one is me?"
Ou Yunchen carefully scrutinized the photo in the frame. Although the photo was several years old, the women in their fashionable attire were enough to make anyone pause.
"This one, wearing boots, right?"
Sister Hong gave him a thumbs-up. Sister Hong from more than ten years ago was far more glamorous than she was now.
"Sister Hong!!!"
A call rang out, and both Sister Hong and Ou Yunchen looked down simultaneously. The proprietress, her lips pursed, walked up to Sister Hong. They embraced warmly and laughed heartily.
"My dear sister, you've finally remembered me." The proprietress's complaint sounded like a playful tease.
"I'm afraid your business is too booming, sister. One has to book so far in advance to eat here!"
"Nonsense! Sister, you are always welcome, anytime!"
The proprietress's gaze fell upon Ou Yunchen beside them, and she looked him up and down with a tut. She had entertained guests from business tycoons to political heavyweights, and even celebrities had frequented her establishment. But this was the first time she had seen such a handsome man.
The proprietress inquired, "And who is this gentleman?"
"Allow me to introduce, this is my..."
She had intended to say he was her bar's top mixologist, but suddenly Sister Hong realized she shouldn't introduce Ou Yunchen like this anymore and immediately changed her words.
"Mr. Ou is an executive officer at an investment company. He's a friend of mine."
The proprietress sized him up from head to toe. Just as Sister Hong was about to introduce her good sister to Ou Yunchen, she was interrupted by the proprietress, who wanted to introduce herself personally.
"Mr. Ou, my surname is Lan. This is the little restaurant I own. Sister Hong is my mentor and also my best sister. If you call her 'Sister,' you must also call me 'Sister.'"
Ou Yunchen looked at the proprietress. He found it difficult to speak. Sister Hong appeared to be in her forties, while the proprietress, judging by her appearance, looked at most thirty years old. Some might even believe she was twenty-five or twenty-six.
Seeing Ou Yunchen's slight hesitation, Sister Hong quickly explained, "You do have to call her 'Sister.' She's indeed older than you."
"Then may I call you Sister Lan?"
The proprietress was delighted. She took Ou Yunchen's hand, her eyes smiling as she looked at the man before her, but she was still observing him. She wanted to get to know the man Sister Hong had brought with her thoroughly.