My Girlfriend Is a Cello Player

Chapter 14: If Its Just Accommodating, Then Its Meaningless

At 18 years old, Lin Tian was in the prime of his youth—well, technically. But let's be honest, men never truly grow out of their boyish tendencies. When a teenage boy senses even the faintest hint of affection from an attractive girl, his imagination tends to run wild. Sometimes, it doesn't even take much—just a glance is enough to send him into a daydream.

Of course, there was one exception to this rule: if the person happened to work at a foot massage parlor. After Gan Yanyu had displayed some rather unusual behavior earlier, Lin Tian couldn't help but let his mind wander. But almost as quickly as the thought crossed his mind, he dismissed it. A girl who spent all her time thinking about tying up loose ends wasn't likely to have romantic thoughts on her mind. Unless… she was contemplating which cemetery they'd both end up in?

Lin Tian shook his head at himself. Fantasizing about someone who might not even make it through the night felt inappropriate, to say the least.

"I'm going to change first," Lin Tian said finally. "We'll eat somewhere on this street later."

Gan Yanyu simply nodded. "Mm."

Out on the bustling commercial street, just past eight o'clock, people were out for their evening strolls after dinner. As Lin Tian walked along, he glanced at the restaurants lining the road: hot pot, barbecue, sour fish soup, home-style dishes. Sometimes, he mused, the world felt like one giant shopping district. No matter the city or the street, every commercial center seemed to recycle the same handful of options.

As he continued walking, Lin Tian soon realized that Gan Yanyu was no longer by his side. Turning around, he spotted her trailing several meters behind, moving at a snail's pace.

"Walking so slow," he muttered under his breath. He stopped and waited until she caught up, tilting her head curiously as she approached.

"What do you want to eat?" Lin Tian asked.

"What do you like to eat?""Me? I'm fine with anything."

And honestly, he wasn't lying. On the way out, he'd eaten two more pieces of the mung bean cake. He really wasn't hungry. In fact, agreeing to let Gan Yanyu treat him to dinner was mostly a way to buy time.

But Gan Yanyu didn't seem satisfied with his answer. "I'm asking what you like to eat, not what we should eat. Do you seriously like everything?"

Her tone was unusually serious, even tinged with a rare rhetorical question—one she'd never used before. Caught off guard, Lin Tian found himself straightening up instinctively.

What was this about? Did she dislike when people said "whatever"? As far as he knew, girls usually hated being put in that position, while guys were typically the ones forced to choose.

Just then, Lin Tian noticed the shopping mall ahead.

"Wanna check out the mall?"

They took the escalator, riding it floor by floor. When they passed the third level, Lin Tian suddenly reached out and tapped Gan Yanyu on the shoulder, pointing toward an arcade bathed in neon lights.

"Feel like playing some games?"

Gan Yanyu followed his gaze, her expression momentarily frozen. "You like this kind of thing?"

She turned to look at him, her brow furrowed slightly.

"I'm not actually hungry yet," Lin Tian explained. "Just killing time. Plus, we can grab a deal online—19.9 yuan gets us 50 tokens. Super cheap. If you're interested, I can buy them now."

His reasoning was simple. If he was going to stall for time, why not take Gan Yanyu somewhere fun? Maybe the bright lights and cheerful atmosphere of an arcade could stir something inside her—a spark of joy, a reminder of life's simple pleasures.

"No need," Gan Yanyu replied flatly. "We can sit at a restaurant and eat slowly."

With those words, she effectively ended the discussion.

"Alright," Lin Tian said, feeling defeated. What a boring girl. But still… why did every question he asked get redirected back to his preferences? Why was it always about whether he liked something? Wasn't he supposed to be asking her?

A strange realization dawned on him. Gan Yanyu felt less like a companion and more like a hired entertainer—a "companion" whose sole purpose was to cater to his whims. Every decision revolved around him. If he'd known that earlier, maybe he would've been firmer about taking charge.

By the time they reached the fourth and fifth floors, where most of the restaurants were located, Lin Tian began scrutinizing each establishment carefully. His goal was clear: find a place where they could linger indefinitely.

Home-style cuisine? Out. They'd finish too quickly and end up awkwardly sitting around with nothing to do.

Buffet? Nope. Most buffets capped dining time at two hours.

Hot pot? Meh. Once the food ran out, they'd be left staring at a pot of broth.

After circling the two floors twice, Gan Yanyu finally broke the silence.

"Lin Tian, what exactly are we eating?"

"Why don't you pick?" Lin Tian suggested earnestly. "I really don't care either way."

"Lin Tian."

The girl stopped abruptly, her voice soft but firm.

"Are you only having dinner with me because you feel obligated to keep me company?"

"What?" Lin Tian blinked, caught completely off guard.

"If that's the case…" Gan Yanyu hesitated, her expression shifting between sadness and seriousness. "…then maybe we should go back."

Lin Tian stared at her, utterly baffled. Her sudden mood swing hit him like an unexpected blow to the gut.

"Tonight's meal is meant to thank you for your hospitality last night, right?" Gan Yanyu continued, enunciating each word carefully.

"Right," Lin Tian confirmed, nodding vigorously.

"But why does it feel like you're just humoring me? You won't answer when I ask what you want to eat, and now you're talking about spending money to do other things instead. If you're not enjoying yourself, how is this supposed to count as gratitude?"

Her piercing gaze bore into him, filled with quiet reproach. She couldn't understand what Lin Tian was thinking anymore. Originally, she'd planned to cook for him personally, but since he had to work, she settled for treating him out. Whether at home or in a restaurant, her intention remained the same: to properly repay him for last night's kindness. This wasn't about money—it was about the meaning behind the gesture. After tonight, they'd be even, and she could leave this world without regrets.

But Lin Tian's behavior tonight made it seem like he didn't care about the meal at all. Ever since leaving the restaurant where he worked, he'd been suggesting random activities—things that seemed unrelated to their original plan. It was as if he was implying: "This meal isn't important anyway, so let's just wander around aimlessly."

Yet whenever Gan Yanyu asked, "Is this something you enjoy doing?" his response was always, "Just passing the time." To her, it sounded like he viewed their dinner as nothing more than a formality—an obligation to fulfill.

If that was true, what was the point of her repayment?

Lin Tian stood there, dumbfounded. He thought he understood what she meant, but part of him still struggled to grasp it. His intentions were straightforward: keep Gan Yanyu close and delay the inevitable for as long as possible.

"Well…" Lin Tian raised a hand, explaining sheepishly, "I ate three pieces of your mung bean cake earlier, so I'm not very hungry. That's why I wasn't in a rush."

"So, when I invite you to dinner…" Gan Yanyu trailed off, unsure how to articulate her feelings. How could she describe this bizarre situation? Could a meal like this truly satisfy him? Would it count as repaying her debt?

It was giving her a headache.

"To be honest," Lin Tian interjected, "whether we eat or not doesn't really matter."