Zhang Fan really wanted to say she couldn’t eat any more, but since he had spent money and made a special trip to check on her, wouldn’t it be rude not to keep him company for a bit?
“What do you like to eat? The seafood here is pretty fresh!”
She smiled slightly and casually grabbed a tray from under the counter: “You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”
“I’ve eaten, but I can always eat a bit more!”
Ye Xueyan also picked up a tray: “That dress of yours looks really nice! When I was watching the video, if it hadn’t been for your name, I almost wouldn’t have recognized you!”
“Thanks!”
Being complimented on her looks for the first time—even if it was just the dress—still made Zhang Fan very happy.
She casually grabbed a few pieces of fruit to cut through the greasiness, and when she turned back, she saw that Ye Xueyan’s plate had already piled up into a small mountain.
He made two trips back and forth, and soon the table was covered with food.
“I… I’ve already eaten some, so I might…”
Buffets charged fines for leftover food, and Zhang Fan prayed that he wouldn’t force her to stuff herself.
“I know, I’ll just eat casually!”
Ye Xueyan sat down across from her and started cracking open a crab shell.
His fingers were long and slender—the kind of hands a pianist would have, long and well-proportioned.
Watching him cleanly extract the crab meat was truly a pleasure.
“Keep me company and eat a bit more—just this crab is fine!”
He placed the crab meat he had peeled in front of Zhang Fan. One crab, once shelled, yielded only a single mouthful of meat.
“Thanks!”
Looking at the crab meat in her bowl, Zhang Fan felt a strange emotion welling up inside her.
So it turned out that she, too, could have someone peel crabs for her.
Her gaze drifted slowly, inch by inch, from Ye Xueyan’s fingers up to his face.
This face was truly no less handsome than Qin Jiawei’s.
She was already twenty-two years old. She understood what it meant when a guy with no blood relation to her made a special trip to show he cared.
But then again, nothing in this world was absolute—what if he was just simply kind-hearted?
Zhang Fan had no confidence in herself, even though she secretly hoped that a decent guy would like her and pursue her.
Ye Xueyan wasn’t a bad choice—good-looking, from a wealthy family, and could even fix phones.
Understanding electronics and mechanics proved he was smart.
Rich family background, yet down-to-earth and approachable. Plenty of rich second-generation types would just throw money at someone and walk away after damaging their things.
But Ye Xueyan had spent an entire evening fixing her phone—that alone showed he had good character.
Could someone so perfect possibly be interested in her?
Zhang Fan silently shook her head, pushing aside her messy thoughts.
Right now, she wasn’t in a position to think too much.
Ye Xueyan took a sip of cola, swallowed the food in his mouth, and asked casually.
“Are you going back to the dormitory?”
“No, I’m not! The hotel compensated me with a thirty-day voucher, and I want to use this time to rent a place.”
“Renting a place? My family has plenty of properties. What kind do you want?”
“Huh?” Zhang Fan hesitated: “Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”
“What’s inappropriate about it?”
Ye Xueyan shrugged with an easy smile: “Villas, penthouses, apartments, storefronts… You just need to say what kind you want.”
“I…” Zhang Fan gave an awkward smile: “I haven’t decided yet. I was originally thinking of opening a grocery store, with a place to live in the back, but I also like peace and quiet…”
“That’s easy to solve! Buy a car, live in a villa!”
“But I can’t be bothered to drive around, and I don’t have a driver’s license.”
Ye Xueyan was taken aback. “Meeting a request like yours is actually a bit tricky. First, tell me—what kind of general store are you thinking of opening?”
“Just like the kind of stall I set up at the flea market—a bit of everything, all sorts of odds and ends.”
“Got it!”
Ye Xueyan nodded. “I already have the perfect place in mind—quiet and suitable for business. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied!”
How could a place suitable for business possibly be quiet?
He fell silent, focusing on his food, eating quickly yet with impeccable table manners.
Maybe when someone is good-looking, everything they do is a pleasure to watch?
“Wow, I’m so full!”
Ye Xueyan drained the cola from his cup and let out a breath. “Their food is really quite good. How about we eat together again tomorrow night?”
What does he mean by this?
Is he really trying to pursue her?
“I’m helping you find a place to live—don’t you owe me a meal? If you don’t treat me to dinner, how can I give you a discount on the rent?”
“Oh! Of course, of course!”
How utterly embarrassing!
Zhang Fan felt ashamed of her own fanciful thoughts. “Tomorrow night, I’ll definitely treat you to dinner. So… are we also looking at the place tomorrow?”
“Yeah, tomorrow afternoon. I probably won’t be able to get up in the morning.”
Ye Xueyan grinned. “I usually don’t sleep until the wee hours—I’m a night owl.”
Oh, that’s obvious!
Zhang Fan nodded and said nothing more.
“Full now—how about we go downstairs for a walk to digest?”
Ye Xueyan smiled at her. “Don’t you girls all care about your figures?”
“Oh, sure!”
The two left the restaurant and took the elevator to the riverside park outside the hotel.
The night breeze was cool, and the park held couples, elderly folks, and families of three.
Zhang Fan and Ye Xueyan walked side by side along the park’s path, neither too close nor too far apart, neither too fast nor too slow.
Neither spoke, simply walking along, taking in the park’s night scenery.
Suddenly, music began to play, and the musical fountain in the artificial lake at the park’s center erupted.
This should be the last performance of the night.
The fountain’s jets shot over ten meters into the air, and the evening breeze carried a fine mist that settled on their faces, cool and damp.
Though it wasn’t anything spectacular, for Zhang Fan, it was beautiful enough.
She smiled, tilting her head up to watch the colorful lights play across the fountain’s streams—gaudy, yes, but rather lovely.
“Have you ever been to Disneyland?”
Ye Xueyan suddenly asked her. “The water show at Disneyland is pretty impressive. Interested in going to see it together?”
He looked at her, his smile carrying an air of casualness.
Forget Disneyland—Zhang Fan had never even been to an amusement park.
Her childhood, her youth—they had truly been barren.
But that was fine. Life was long, and she had plenty of chances to make it up to herself.
“We’ll see when the opportunity comes!”
It was just a casual invitation; she didn’t take it to heart.
“It’s almost time for the dorm to close, isn’t it?”
Zhang Fan turned around, looking directly at Ye Xueyan. “Thank you again for your concern. See you tomorrow?”
“Alright, see you tomorrow!”
Ye Xueyan chuckled. “I’ll walk you up!”
“Huh?” Zhang Fan wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but the man was already walking ahead, so she could only follow.
The two walked one behind the other down the carpeted corridor, the lighting dim.
Silence reigned.
The thick carpet swallowed their footsteps, leaving the hallway so still it seemed you could hear each other’s breathing.
They walked on like this, through the narrow, elongated corridor.
Time passed slowly, yet somehow quickly—before they knew it, they had reached the door.
Ye Xueyan stopped, turned to look at her, but didn’t speak.
Under the dim light, the contours of his face seemed to soften.
At this moment, Zhang Fan, in her long dress of tassels and sequins, looked like a princess lost in the forest.
Innocent, fragile, and bewildered.
Ye Xueyan suddenly abandoned certain thoughts. He smiled, and when he spoke, his voice was so gentle that even he himself was surprised:
“Once you’re inside, remember to lock the door. Don’t open it for just anyone.”
He gave instructions like a parent, making Zhang Fan inexplicably feel like she had turned into a little child.
“Mhm! Good night!”
“Good night…”