Lin Qianyi was momentarily dazed. The man in front of her looked cold, refined, and noble, yet when he smiled, he carried a carefree and unruly charm. This handsome guy was simply too captivating.
Calm down. Business first.
“So… shall we talk?”
She had only spoken casually earlier and hadn’t really expected things to develop like this. But now that this handsome man was so cooperative—if the bicycle chain didn’t fall off, neither could she.
“Alright, let’s talk.” The handsome man nodded seriously.
Zhao Xiangdong, who was standing nearby, was completely stunned. What had he just heard from Meng Junchuan? He couldn’t have misheard, right?
Meng Junchuan was actually seriously agreeing to “talk” with this girl?
Was this the same Meng Junchuan who was always cold and indifferent, and never paid attention to women?
“Then let’s find somewhere to sit. It’s already noon—let’s go to the state-run restaurant,” Meng Junchuan said, glancing at his watch.
“Sure.” Lin Qianyi replied generously.
“You, go ride the bike,” Meng Junchuan said to Zhao Xiangdong, who was still frozen in place.
Then Meng Junchuan opened the passenger door and gestured for Lin Qianyi to get in.
“I’ll just ride it myself. It’s not far from the restaurant; we’ll get there in a few minutes.”
Lin Qianyi felt it would be better that way. After all, the soldier had long limbs—it would feel awkward for him to ride a women’s bicycle.
Hearing this, Zhao Xiangdong felt instantly relieved. Just the thought of riding that women’s bicycle gave him chills.
Seeing her insist, Meng Junchuan didn’t say more. He realized he hadn’t considered it carefully—having a girl get into the car wasn’t appropriate either.
So he and Zhao Xiangdong got into the car, started the engine, and slowly followed her pace.
The state-run restaurant wasn’t far, and they arrived soon. Meng Junchuan parked the car, and Lin Qianyi locked her bicycle.
The three of them walked into the restaurant together.
State-run restaurants of this era were quite simple, but the space was fairly large and bright inside.
Lin Qianyi curiously looked around. There was a large glass window; through it, she could see the kitchen where the chefs were busy working.
A small blackboard on the wall listed today’s dishes.
It was already past peak dining time, and some customers were leaving, but there were still empty tables when they came in.
“What do you want to eat?” Meng Junchuan asked.
“Anything is fine. You decide,” Lin Qianyi replied casually, having no idea what to choose.
Meng Junchuan ordered braised pork, braised fish, chicken stewed with potatoes, and tofu with greens.
“Rice or steamed buns?” he asked again.
“Rice,” she preferred rice.
He ordered three bowls of rice and a few steamed buns.
Lin Qianyi took out money and meal tickets and handed them to him. Meng Junchuan gave her a displeased look with those captivating eyes of his, then took out his own money and tickets to pay.
Seeing that he wouldn’t accept it, she didn’t insist. In public, it wouldn’t look good to argue over it, so she put her money and tickets away.
Before the food arrived, they started chatting briefly.
“I’ll introduce myself first. My name is Meng Junchuan, 26 years old. My family is in Beijing. I am currently a deputy battalion commander in a regiment of the Lincheng Military District. Single, no girlfriend,” he said.
“My name is Lin Qianyi, 20 years old. I work at the Far Mountain County Machinery Factory. My parents died in an industrial accident three years ago. Single, no boyfriend,” she replied seriously.
The two of them carried on the conversation in an extremely formal and serious manner.
Zhao Xiangdong looked expressionlessly at the two of them.
They had just met on the roadside, yet now they were sitting in a small restaurant discussing marriage as if it were a formal business matter.
If it were anyone else, Zhao Xiangdong wouldn’t find it strange—but this was Meng Junchuan.
No one else might know him, but Zhao Xiangdong did. They grew up together in the same military compound, playing in the mud as children.
Meng Junchuan had always been the most outstanding presence in their entire circle. Even as adults, he remained the most capable among their generation.
The girls who liked him could form a long line—from wealthy young ladies to well-mannered daughters of respectable families—each more beautiful and优秀 than the last.
They either hinted or confessed outright, but Meng Junchuan always remained cold and indifferent, ignoring them completely.
His standards were so high that not a single person ever caught his attention, despite how many outstanding girls had been introduced by military leaders over the years.
All of them left disappointed.
Yet with such an outstanding man, admiration never stopped. People constantly tried to create “accidental encounters” to get closer to him.
To avoid such situations, Meng Junchuan had always been the type to avoid trouble and give no opportunities at all.
His friends all said he was wasting such a handsome face.
Today, however, Meng Junchuan completely shattered Zhao Xiangdong’s worldview. Not only did he personally intervene in a stranger’s business, he even came to a restaurant to discuss marriage with her.
Just then, their dishes were called out, and Zhao Xiangdong hurried over to bring them.
When he returned, he found the two of them already chatting quite familiarly. He quietly ate his meal, deciding to stay a background character.
“I’m basically in this situation now. I really can’t think of a better solution,” Lin Qianyi admitted frankly.
“The one you kicked earlier?” Meng Junchuan asked.
Lin Qianyi raised her brows slightly. So he saw that?
“I only saw it when I turned around and saw you leaving,” he explained.
She didn’t doubt him. She trusted the character of soldiers—if they saw it, they wouldn’t just ignore it.
That was also why she had dared to casually stop a soldier on the street and ask if he had a girlfriend—because she trusted their integrity.
And perhaps also because of his looks. Honestly, this soldier was exactly her type, and she was quite sensitive to voices too—his voice was especially attractive.
A two-in-one deal. Not bad at all.
If he had refused, she wouldn’t have forced anything.
She had acted on impulse earlier and didn’t expect such luck—this handsome soldier actually agreed to go to a restaurant with her for what she considered a “blind date.”
Yes, in her mind, this was a blind date. A soldier approved by the state—his character was at least trustworthy.