Spring arrived with a lingering drizzle. The weather was poor, and night fell early.
Lin Yunxu stepped into the agreed-upon restaurant under the cover of night. A waiter took his umbrella, tidied it away, and respectfully led him toward the reserved private room.
It was a Cantonese private kitchen styled after Song-dynasty aesthetics—minimal yet elegant, with abundant use of natural materials like bamboo and wood.
The plants in the vases bore no bright colors; instead, they were arranged in understated tones, forming refined, highly ornamental shapes.
Quiet and graceful, with a faint fragrance in the air—people’s footsteps instinctively softened.
The door was silently opened, and his blind date for the evening had already arrived.
The man sat by the window, his head slightly turned as he looked out at the courtyard.
High brows, deep-set eyes—his sharply defined features were bathed in warm light, carved into shifting contrasts of light and shadow, making him seem even more profound and unreadable. His cool, pale complexion seemed untouched by warmth.
His black suit was immaculate, his shirt and tie perfectly in place.
Rather than cold, he gave off an air of strict propriety.
And yet, he was undeniably pleasing to the eye—just like that day in the elevator.
Hearing the movement, Ji Zhanming turned his head. The young man approached with a polite, faint smile.
A casual white shirt subtly outlined his lean, long frame. He naturally extended his hand.
“Hello, Lin Yunxu.”
Ji Zhanming stood and shook it. “Hello.”
One hand cool, the other warm—the contact was brief. Lin Yunxu casually draped his coat over the back of the chair.
After sitting down, a steaming cup of tea was pushed toward him.
“Thank you.” Lin Yunxu accepted it, the warmth immediately spreading through his hands chilled by the wind outside. He smiled. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Ji. Let’s order first.”
The waiter stepped forward, handing them a finely designed silk-bound menu.
“Any dietary restrictions, Mr. Ji?”
Ji Zhanming remained calm. “None. Please go ahead.”
Lin Yunxu nodded, no longer standing on ceremony. “Feel free as well.”
This Cantonese restaurant focused on fresh, light flavors, with few heavy dishes.
Ji Zhanming didn’t know Lin Yunxu’s preferences, but he did know that for now, he could only eat lightly.
Even someone who didn’t follow entertainment news would have heard about the recent incident—award-winning actress Yu Yiling’s son being injured abroad in a natural disaster had caused quite a stir.
So Ji Zhanming simply ordered a few reliable signature dishes and closed the menu.
He held his teacup and quietly observed the young man across from him.
The dish names were refined and poetic. Lin Yunxu was softly asking the waiter about the ingredients of a house specialty.
Gentle in manner, every gesture showed cultivation. His posture was elegant yet completely at ease—an ease that came from within.
Ji Zhanming recalled what the matchmaker had told him and his grandfather—
“Yunxu is incredibly good-looking—you can find tons of photos online. No need for me to exaggerate; no matter how you describe him, it won’t be too much.”
“His temperament is even better—refined and gentle. Though he comes from a privileged background and was pampered growing up, he treats everyone with courtesy, without a trace of arrogance.”
Because his mother, Yu Yiling, was a public figure, Lin Yunxu’s family background was no secret.
The Lin family held a prestigious position in the legal world—his father, Lin Zhang, was a renowned lawyer.
The Yu family, meanwhile, was a famous medical lineage, with prominent experts across various fields.
A truly scholarly household. And as the only son, Lin Yunxu had been cherished and doted on since childhood.
The matchmaker had a silver tongue, praising him to the skies. It had sounded exaggerated.
But upon meeting him, one realized it wasn’t false.
Seated before a huanghuali folding screen, the young man exuded more literary grace than the calligraphy behind him.
Ji Zhanming took a slow sip of tea. No wonder his grandfather had nearly resorted to tears just to make him come.
As he was about to look away, his gaze paused.
Though he hadn’t stared long out of politeness, Lin Yunxu still caught that fleeting glance when he looked up to return the menu.
Open and unbothered, he reached up and gently tugged at the fine chain at his collar, pulling it out until he held the jade pendant between his fingers—a vivid green, like a drop of water.
“This was a birthday gift from my grandmother. I’ve always treasured it,” Lin Yunxu said with a soft smile. “Thanks to you, Mr. Ji, for picking up my necklace.”
Ji Zhanming met his gaze calmly.
The jade pendant felt smooth and warm beneath Lin Yunxu’s fingertips, already carrying his body heat.
Their first meeting hadn’t been today—or even in the elevator.
It had been three years ago, in Country F.
They had stayed in the same hotel, even on the same floor.
At the time, Lin Yunxu’s necklace had snapped and fallen without him noticing. Ji Zhanming, walking behind him, had picked it up.
When he was called back in the corridor, Lin Yunxu had been on the phone with a translation firm partner, arguing over an important decision.
His mood had been far from good. At such a critical moment, he couldn’t spare attention to deal with anything unrelated.
He only vaguely realized from the man’s gestures that he was trying to return something.
When you’re on the phone, you instinctively take whatever someone hands you.
Lin Yunxu did the same, extending his hand without thinking.
But one hand held his phone, and the other was already occupied with a stack of documents—there was no space.
He quickly noticed this. The corridor was empty, nowhere to set things down, and he couldn’t ask the man to wait.
So, while continuing his call, he gave a small shake of his wrist—signaling for the man to just wrap the necklace around it.
During a pause in the call, he mouthed a quick “thanks.”
The corridor lights were dim and hazy, softly illuminating the scene.
The sleeves of his light-colored shirt were casually rolled up, revealing a stretch of arm that looked almost luminous under the cool-toned light.
The man had paused briefly.
Then Lin Yunxu saw him glance once, calmly pull out the fountain pen from his chest pocket, hook the necklace onto the clip, and slide it carefully into the edge of the documents until it was secure.
Then he looked up, met his eyes, gave a slight nod—and left.
Restrained and proper, yet coldly distant.
After the call ended, Lin Yunxu removed the pen with the necklace still attached. The cold metal chilled his palm.
He couldn’t help but laugh—so picking up his necklace had cost the man a pen.
He’d rather part with a pen than drape the necklace over his wrist… did he think even that was too intimate? Or simply didn’t want to touch him at all?
“A small matter.”
Ji Zhanming’s voice brought him back.
Lin Yunxu smiled and let go of the pendant. It slipped back against his chest.
“I asked the hotel staff to return the pen that day, but you’d already checked out. Unfortunate timing.”
“It’s nothing valuable.”
Since he said so, Lin Yunxu didn’t dwell on it. Just then, the waiter knocked and began serving dishes.
Lin Yunxu knew the necklace meant nothing to Ji Zhanming—nor did that brief encounter.
But he had his own social principles. He wouldn’t allow the atmosphere to grow stiff or awkward.
The other man was reserved and taciturn; keeping the conversation flowing required more effort.
A shared connection made for a perfect icebreaker.
Once a topic was opened, the rest flowed naturally.
By the end of the evening, the dinner had been quite pleasant.
Ji Zhanming had to admit that this blind date—arranged to appease his grandfather—was far better than expected.
At the very least, it wasn’t uncomfortable.
The young man was intelligent, well-informed, and impeccably mannered—like a gentle spring breeze.
But Ji Zhanming felt another word suited him better: official.
Throughout the entire conversation, that polite smile never left his lips—like someone ready to step onto a TV interview at any moment.
From any perspective, there was nothing to fault.
Perfect—but that very perfection carried a subtle, hard-to-grasp distance.
Though the dinner was comfortable, Ji Zhanming realized he hadn’t actually learned anything substantial about Lin Yunxu.
But it didn’t matter. He wasn’t interested in digging deeper.
Lin Yunxu, however, was interested—but not romantically.
When he told Yu Yiling earlier that he didn’t mind the blind date because of work, he hadn’t been lying.
In recent years, fields like medicine, finance, urban development, and transportation had all revolved around artificial intelligence—it was the core and hottest topic.
As a translator, he constantly engaged with these fields, from private meetings to international conferences.
His profession required not only materials but also vast personal knowledge.
Lin Yunxu had never been stingy about deepening his expertise.
And twelve years ago, Ji Zhanming co-founded a tech company—Guanzheng—which had since become a leader in the field.
As its chief scientist, he was a central figure.
What better way to learn than a direct conversation with a top expert?
And someone like him was notoriously difficult to meet outside formal settings.
Such a rare chance to expand connections and resources—why would Lin Yunxu pass it up?
As for romance…
Objectively, the man excelled in looks, bearing, and intellect.
But to Lin Yunxu, he was too proper.
A marriage with someone like that would be predictable—no surprises, no excitement.
Not bad—just not what he wanted.
Despite these thoughts, his expression remained flawless.
As the meal ended, they stood to leave.
“Thanks to you, Mr. Ji. I had a pleasant evening,” Lin Yunxu said warmly.
Pleasant?
They had barely discussed anything personal.
At first, Ji Zhanming thought the interest in his field was just politeness.
Later, he realized it was genuine curiosity.
He understood Lin Yunxu’s stance on this blind date.
Good. No need for guilt over wasting each other’s time.
“I’ll tell my grandfather we’re not a good match,” he said directly. “If it’s inconvenient for you to explain to your family, you can say it’s my fault.”
They walked side by side down the corridor.
“In April, Guanzheng will hold an AI exhibition. It’s invitation-only. If you’re interested, I can send you some invitations. You can bring friends, and I can arrange a guide.”
Bring friends. Arrange a guide.
Lin Yunxu almost laughed—such a familiar rejection tactic.
But this man was even harder to approach.
He wasn’t rejecting romance—he was rejecting networking.
The message was clear: no need to stay in touch.
Lin Yunxu had his pride. He wouldn’t force it.
“What a pity. I’ll likely be abroad in April.”
That was true—and the exhibition wasn’t essential.
Ji Zhanming nodded.
“But…” Lin Yunxu continued, voice gentle, “it would be a shame to refuse your kindness.”
“Since I can bring friends, I’ll pass the invitations to someone interested. That way your gesture isn’t wasted.”
Of course he’d accept.
And openly.
He wouldn’t walk away looking rejected.
Ji Zhanming: “…”
Fine. His “kindness.”
They shifted topics, the atmosphere lukewarm.
Just as they turned a corner, a voice called out—
“Yunxu?”
They stopped.
A tall man approached.
Chu Zheng.
Lin Yunxu: “…”
Neither had mentioned the elevator incident.
Because last time, Lin Yunxu had been on a blind date—with another man.
“Fancy seeing you here.”
Chu Zheng noticed Ji Zhanming—and paused.
Such a striking man wasn’t easy to forget.
They hadn’t known each other before. Now they were dining together?
His expression turned subtle.
Before Lin Yunxu could speak, another voice rang out—
“Brother Chu, why are you—… Yunxu-ge?!”
The last syllable lifted in delighted surprise.
Lin Yunxu’s eyelid twitched.
It was “that cute Xiao Cen” his mother had mentioned.
His previous blind date.
Which meant—
The one before last.
The last one.
And…
He turned his head, meeting Ji Zhanming’s gaze.
“…the current one.”