The car stopped in front of a private restaurant called Xiang Ren Ju. Even just looking at the facade, it was clear that the prices here were far from cheap.
Huo Nanting instructed the valet to park the car and led Lin Chaochao inside. The manager came out to receive them: “President Huo, you’ve arrived. The private room upstairs is ready.”
Huo Nanting gave a slight nod and followed the manager to the private room. Lin Chaochao sat across from him. Huo Nanting slid the menu over to her and asked, “Miss Lin, would you like to see what you’d like to order?”
“President Huo, since I’m treating you to dinner, you should decide. Besides, I’m not familiar with this place.” Lin Chaochao genuinely had no idea.
“Any dietary restrictions?”
“No.” Lin Chaochao shook her head.
Huo Nanting ordered a few signature dishes, then closed the menu and handed it to the manager.
Soon, the two of them were alone in the private room. Huo Nanting unbuttoned his suit jacket, took it off, and rolled up his sleeves, revealing his sturdy forearms. He picked up the water pitcher and poured her a glass unprompted.
Watching his hands—knuckles well-defined, fingers long and clean, movements unhurried—Lin Chaochao thought to herself that this was what it meant to be raised by a distinguished family: gentlemanly, courteous, thoughtful, and attentive.
What she didn’t know was that Huo Nanting was only like this with her. No other woman had ever gotten him to pour water for her unprompted.
The two sat in silence for a while. Lin Chaochao was genuinely uncomfortable. For one, her impression of Huo Nanting was that he spoke very little, and she had no idea what to talk about. For another, now that she knew he was the president of the Huo Group, holding the livelihoods of thousands in his hands, she felt even more awkward.
Huo Nanting, by contrast, seemed completely at ease, slowly pouring his water, then slowly drinking it.
He found that being with this woman put him in a strangely relaxed mood.
Perhaps sensing her discomfort, Huo Nanting spoke first: “Miss Lin, do you have any thoughts on this design?”
The question hit right in her comfort zone. She shared her perspective: “I think marriage is beautiful—two people who love each other deciding to be together. Love is also romantic, and Americans value romance above all. So I thought we could incorporate some floral elements.”
“Good idea. I hope you succeed.”
“Thank you, President Huo. I appreciate the kind words.” Lin Chaochao took a sip of water to mask her nervousness.
“You’re welcome.” Huo Nanting looked at her and smiled.
The dishes arrived. Out of courtesy, Huo Nanting didn’t order any alcohol—also because he had driven himself today, and his assistant was already off duty.
Lin Chaochao raised her glass on her own initiative: “President Huo, I’ll toast with water in place of wine today. Thank you for your help earlier.” With that, she tipped her head back and drank it all in one go.
Huo Nanting watched her: “Miss Lin, there’s no need to be so polite. And thank you for treating me to dinner today.”
Perhaps because she had spent so long abroad, she hadn’t had such delicious Chinese food since returning. Lin Chaochao had an excellent appetite and kept shoveling food into her mouth.
Huo Nanting, on the other hand, took only a few bites before stopping, his eyes fixed on Lin Chaochao without straying for even half a minute. Feeling the intense gaze from across the table, Lin Chaochao looked up and met his eyes, feigning a question:
“President Huo, is the food not to your liking?”
“No, I’m full. Take your time, Miss Lin.” Huo Nanting hadn’t really been hungry to begin with.
Seeing this, Lin Chaochao took a few more bites before setting down her chopsticks.
“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” Lin Chaochao stood up and walked out.
On her way back, she happened to run into her high school classmate, Wang Xue’er. Back in high school, Wang Xue’er had been jealous of Lin Chaochao for being pretty and getting good grades.
At the time, Wang Xue’er had a crush on a classmate named Zhang Heng. The day she confessed, she was rejected on the grounds that he liked someone who was both academically strong and beautiful. The moment Wang Xue’er heard that, she knew he was talking about Lin Chaochao.
Many people in the class had witnessed her rejection, and Wang Xue’er felt utterly humiliated. The seed of jealousy grew wildly in her heart, and from then on, she never missed a chance to make trouble for Lin Chaochao.
But Lin Chaochao had never paid any attention to any of it, focusing solely on her studies.
“Oh, isn’t this my old classmate Lin Chaochao? I heard you’ve been abroad all this time. Why are you back in Jingbei? Is the food overseas too expensive for you to afford?” Wang Xue’er said with a sneer.
Lin Chaochao hadn’t given her a second thought since high school, and that hadn’t changed now. She tried to step around her and continue on her way.
Wang Xue’er wasn’t about to let her off that easily. She went on, “This place is members-only. Judging by your outfit, looks like you’re not doing too well for yourself. Don’t tell me you’ve latched onto some rich guy and begged him to bring you here?” The more she spoke, the more smug she became.
Lin Chaochao shot back, “You think everyone is like you, fluttering around like a butterfly? After all these years, you still haven’t grown a single brain cell.”
“How dare you talk to me like that? Everyone knows you were nothing but a tease back in school. Now you’re playing all high and mighty. Oh, and I forgot to tell you—later on, Zhang Heng and I got together, and then I dumped him.” Perhaps trying to reclaim her lost dignity, Wang Xue’er said this deliberately and blocked her path.
Lin Chaochao had no interest in engaging with her. “Please show some respect. This is a public place, and I don’t want to argue with you.”
Back in high school, very few classmates knew about Lin Chaochao’s family situation. Her daily behavior was frugal and thrifty, so everyone assumed her family wasn’t well-off. Even her childhood friend Su Jiani would tease her about why she was so stingy when she wasn’t actually short on money.
Wang Xue’er, on the other hand, believed that because her own family was well-off, she was above others. She thought she had found Lin Chaochao’s weak spot and wanted to trample her into the ground with humiliation.
Lin Chaochao looked at the people gathering around. “Wang Xue’er, stop spreading baseless rumors. For someone like you—all bark and no brains—I’ll just chalk it up to your lack of education and not stoop to your level. Now please move aside.”
“What are you going to do if I don’t? Do you know who I am? I can have the manager throw you out right now. You don’t belong in a place this upscale.” Relying on the fact that her old flame was an annual member here, Wang Xue’er spoke recklessly and behaved like a bully.
Meanwhile, back in the private room, Huo Nanting noticed Lin Chaochao had been gone for quite a while, so he stepped out to look for her. Just as he turned the corner, he caught sight of that familiar silhouette.
It looked like she was in some kind of trouble. He walked over quickly and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Miss Lin, do you need any help?”
Lin Chaochao said, “It’s nothing. Just ran into an acquaintance.” She didn’t want Huo Nanting to overhear anything bad about her—even if it was all lies.
Wang Xue’er took one look at Huo Nanting’s attire and could easily tell he was someone of some standing. She deliberately pitched her voice high and sweet, saying, “Sir, when making friends, you should keep your eyes wide open. If you get tricked by a woman with ulterior motives, that wouldn’t be good.”
Huo Nanting didn’t even glance at Wang Xue’er. He said to Lin Chaochao, “Let’s go. We should be heading back.”
Wang Xue’er was furious. “Her family is dirt poor. The only reason she’s with you is because she’s after your money.”
Hearing this, Huo Nanting turned around and said, “What a coincidence. I happen to have plenty of money.” He took Lin Chaochao’s hand and continued walking, paying no further attention to whatever Wang Xue’er said.
Lin Chaochao’s delicate little hand was held in his, and she could feel the warmth of the man’s palm.
Back in the private room, Lin Chaochao quickly pulled her hand away. “Thank you, President Huo, for getting me out of that. That was my high school classmate. We had some unpleasantness in the past.”
Huo Nanting looked down at his now-empty hand, then pretended to be nonchalant as he said, “It’s nothing. Finish your meal, and I’ll take you home.”
Lin Chaochao got up and went to the front desk, only to be told the bill had already been settled. Huo Nanting said, “You treated me to dinner, and I paid. That’s only fair.”
“I’ll take you home.”
Lin Chaochao refused on the spot. “Thank you, President Huo, but there’s no need.”
After saying this, she felt it came out a bit wrong, so she explained herself: “I said I’d treat you to dinner, but you ended up paying out of your own pocket. I wouldn’t dare trouble you to drive me home as well.”
Huo Nanting behaved very gentlemanly and respectfully toward her, so he said, “Alright then. See you tomorrow.”
Lin Chaochao casually hailed a taxi by the roadside. Huo Nanting watched her leave, then got into his Bentley and drove off as well.
After returning home, Lin Chaochao replayed the moment in her mind when the man had held her hand at the restaurant.
She wondered to herself, why would this man help her again and again? Could it be that he liked her?
No sooner had this thought arisen than Lin Chaochao dismissed it. How could a big CEO like him ever like her? His status and position were right there.
Lying in bed, she video-called Su Jiani and only mentioned running into Wang Xue’er today. After hearing the story, Su Jiani couldn’t help but curse, “What a shameless bitch.”
The two good friends chatted about other things for a while, then went to sleep peacefully…