The man stared in the direction Lin Fan had left, then pulled Chen Yuanyuan into his arms and let out a cold sneer, “The fish has already taken the bait. Now we just sit back and enjoy the show.”
Chen Yuanyuan allowed Chen Chong to hold her without resistance. Her gaze remained fixed on where Lin Fan had disappeared, and slowly, the warmth in her eyes faded, replaced by chilling coldness. She whispered, “Lin Fan. Since you’ve treated me without any feelings, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
…
A few days later, after finishing work, Lin Fan was nearing Happiness Garden when someone suddenly called out, “Mr. Lin?”
He turned around and saw a woman with a graceful figure standing not far away. The dim evening light made it hard to recognize her at first. Slightly puzzled, he asked, “Are you calling me?”
The woman stepped closer, her lips curving into a gentle smile as she said, “Mr. Lin, don’t you remember me? I’m Su Mei. You helped me a few days ago.”
Hearing that, Lin Fan studied her face more carefully. It did seem familiar, and soon he recalled the incident from a few days ago. However, to him, it had only been a small act of kindness, nothing worth remembering deeply.
Today, Su Mei wore casual clothes. Her makeup was light yet perfectly done, her long hair tied into a high ponytail. She exuded a fresh, youthful charm, like the girl next door.
Seeing her again, Lin Fan smiled politely and greeted her, “So it’s Miss Su. What a coincidence.”
Su Mei smiled sweetly and shook her head, “It’s not a coincidence. I came here specifically to find you.”
Lin Fan froze for a moment, then instinctively asked, “You came to find me? Is there something you need?”
Su Mei lifted the bag in her hand and said, “Mr. Lin, you lent me your coat last time. I came to return it.”
Only then did Lin Fan remember that he had indeed lent her his jacket that day. He hadn’t expected her to bring it back personally. Scratching his head, he said, “Miss Su, I told you before, the coat wasn’t worth much. You didn’t have to return it.”
Still, since she had already brought it, he could only accept it.
Inside the bag, the clothes had clearly been washed, neatly folded, and carried a faint, pleasant fragrance.
“Miss Su, thank you for going through the trouble of bringing it back,” Lin Fan said again, sincerely expressing his gratitude.
Su Mei only smiled faintly and stood quietly to the side.
A trace of awkwardness settled into the air. In the end, Lin Fan broke the silence. He raised the bag slightly and said, “Miss Su, thanks again for returning the coat. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back first.”
For a brief moment, surprise flickered across Su Mei’s face, but she quickly regained her composure. Seeing that Lin Fan was about to turn and leave, she hurried forward and said, “Mr. Lin, please wait.”
There was a hint of urgency in her voice.
Lin Fan stopped and looked at her, puzzled. “Is there something else?”
Su Mei’s eyes shifted slightly, then she smiled gently and said, “It’s like this, Mr. Lin. To thank you for helping me, I’d like to treat you to a meal.”
Lin Fan immediately waved his hand and refused, “Miss Su, you’re too polite. There’s really no need for that.”
He wasn’t just being courteous. First, he barely knew Su Mei, and helping her had only been a trivial act. Second, he had been extremely busy lately and genuinely couldn’t spare the time.
Seeing his refusal, Su Mei didn’t give up. Instead, she said playfully, “Mr. Lin, you can’t refuse my kindness. I’ve already booked a table at Lansu Hotel in May Day Square. This Saturday at 7 PM… don’t stand me up.”
With that, she didn’t wait for his response. Lowering her head slightly, she turned and left.
“Miss Su… you…”
Lin Fan hurriedly tried to call out to stop her, but in the blink of an eye, she had already walked far away.
He let out a sigh, feeling a mix of helplessness and confusion. “Lansu Hotel? Why would she invite me to eat there?”
The Lansu Hotel was quite famous locally… not because of its food, but because it was known as a couples’ hotel. It combined leisure, dining, and lodging, and most people who came here were couples.
“Could it be… that Miss Su is interested in me?”
The thought suddenly surfaced in Lin Fan’s mind, absurd and unexpected.
He immediately shook his head, unable to help but laugh at himself.
Although he wasn’t bad-looking and still appeared young, he didn’t believe that a single encounter would make someone like Su Mei fall for him. Besides, she herself was quite outstanding… not only attractive, but judging from her clothing and demeanor, she clearly had a decent financial background. New chapters come out on g.com first.
A girl like her would never lack excellent suitors.
Lin Fan didn’t think there was anything particularly special about himself that could attract such a woman.
Still, the name “Su Mei” felt oddly familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before. Yet no matter how he tried, he couldn’t recall where.
After a long moment, with no answers, he shook his head again. “Forget it, no point overthinking.”
Although he felt puzzled, nothing seemed obviously wrong. He simply decided to go, finish the meal quickly, and put the matter to rest.
…
Soon, Saturday arrived.
Lin Fan came to Lansu Hotel early and sat quietly in the lobby, waiting.
To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, he deliberately dressed casually.
At 6:50 PM, a tall, elegant figure appeared at the hotel entrance.
She wore a black long dress that perfectly outlined her slender figure. Her delicate face was adorned with light makeup, pleasing to the eye. Her long hair was tied behind her head, adding a touch of gentle femininity.
The person was Su Mei.
Compared to the previous two times, she seemed slightly different today, carrying a more mature and soft feminine charm.
Her beautiful eyes swept across the lobby, and she quickly spotted Lin Fan sitting on the sofa. A faint smile immediately appeared on her face as she walked toward him.
“Mr. Lin, have you been waiting long?” she said warmly, extending her fair, slender hand.
Lin Fan quickly stood up and politely shook her hand.
At that moment, he noticed that Su Mei had clearly dressed up carefully, while he himself was dressed so casually. A hint of guilt rose in his heart.
“Mr. Lin, this way please,” Su Mei said, seemingly unconcerned, as she led him toward the restaurant.