novelraw Chapter 1013 - 1011: A Lifetime of Entanglement Isn’t Hard (Part 2)
Chapter 1013 - 1011: A Lifetime of Entanglement Isn’t Hard (Part 2)
Actually, after hanging up the phone, she felt somewhat regretful.He had clearly told her that he wanted to become friends with her.
Of course, she was well aware that what he meant by friends was merely a stepping stone to a deeper relationship later on.
Understanding his intentions, she had always been very cautious to maintain a safe distance between them.
Originally, the alarm had been lifted following the end of his substitute teaching stint, but she had made a rash decision regarding her internship and inadvertently dug a big pit for herself, then jumped in without hesitation!
She hesitated several times in the afternoon about whether to call him to cancel the appointment, but in the end, she didn’t make the call and instead arrived at the restaurant half an hour early. As she opened the door, her palms were sweating nervously, afraid of the man’s unexpected "surprise" behind the door.
Thankfully, when the door opened, the man outside had slightly disheveled short hair, dressed in a shirt and trousers, yet he had an easygoing and relaxed demeanor, with none of the sternness of a professional elite, more like how he appeared when he lectured students in class, and this version of him made her feel more at ease.
With a covert sigh of relief, she tried to act as naturally as possible, inviting him into the room.
Unexpectedly, just as she relaxed, he gave her another "surprise." Could this exquisitely wrapped box contain a gift with some special implications?
When she heard him say it was a cake, Zhu Qianyu’s eyes flashed with surprise, and though her feelings were a bit complex, her heart was completely relieved.
"Thank you!"
"No need to be polite with me, it’s just a few pastries."
The young master keenly observed her series of reactions, secretly thankful that he wasn’t foolish enough to buy her a bunch of flowers.
Seeing her standing there holding the box, the young master pulled out the chair in front of her, and said softly, "Have a seat!"
Though Zhu Qianyu’s mind had yet to catch up, her body responded before her mind and obediently sat down.
After sitting down, she immediately realized it was inappropriate, as she was the host, yet he was the one tending to her.
With the consciousness of a host, Zhu Qianyu hurriedly got up and dutifully poured tea for the young master.
"Mr. Ji must be pretty busy normally, right? I’m really inconsiderate, having you come out here."
The young master picked up the tea and took a sip; normally he considered these tea leaves as rubbish, but now it had a slight sweetness and fragrance.
"It’s not a bother, I actually get a free meal out of it." The teasing man with a smile had overly handsome features, catching Zhu Qianyu’s gaze for a moment.
The young master of the Ji Family, accustomed to fancy delicacies, wasn’t interested in the meal itself, but rather the company at the meal.
Considering the time and effort invested previously, she remained indifferent towards him. Unexpectedly, a mere internship opportunity led to her keen hospitality.
Of course, he knew that with her nature of not wanting to owe favors, for her, this meal ten out of ten was to repay him for the internship opportunity.
The young master, already aware of the truth, didn’t feel any disappointment.
Since she liked reciprocating favors, he would continuously create opportunities for her to keep repaying.
In such a back-and-forth manner, entangling for a lifetime doesn’t seem too difficult, does it?
The young master’s mind was calculating happily, while the young lady was oblivious, seriously studying the menu, "Mr. Ji, what would you like to eat?"
The young master glanced at her face and thought for a moment, "I like fish!"
Zhu Qianyu was completely unaware that the young master was subtly indoctrinating her with his preferences, still innocently asking for his opinion.
"So, would you prefer poached fish or pickled fish?"
The young master leaned over to look at the menu, "What do you like?"
"I prefer poached fish..." The young lady easily divulged her preference to the young master.
"Hmm, I like poached fish too."
Zhu Qianyu, who was focused on the menu, had no idea that the young master’s lips were subtly curved, looking like a cunning old fox whose plan had succeeded.
"Then let’s go with poached fish, what else?" Zhu Qianyu marked the item on the menu.
"I also like beef!"
This time, Zhu Qianyu didn’t even give him a choice and directly said, "I like cumin beef, what about you?"
"Hmm, I like it too!" The young master’s slightly raised lips were almost reaching his ears.
"Okay, one order of cumin beef!" Zhu Qianyu marked the item again on the menu.
Her slender white fingers holding the pen made the young master itch inside, yet he dared not offend her, so before she could ask, he reached over and pointed at the menu item, "I like melons." His finger seemed to unintentionally brush against the back of her hand.
Zhu Qianyu was solely focused on being a good host, not realizing she was being preyed upon, as she tapped the menu with the pen and turned to look at him, "I like bitter melon, it clears heat, should we have some?"
The young master nodded, "Hmm, with this combination, it won’t cause excessive internal heat."
Zhu Qianyu subconsciously raised her hand to touch her forehead, while the young master’s gaze followed her hand, noticing an unexpected small red bump on her usually smooth forehead.
The young master understood, "Staying up late for exams?"
Zhu Qianyu smiled embarrassingly, acknowledging.
In truth, she was usually a very diligent student, and exams were no challenge for her. Her late nights were due to some family issues that were troubling her, affecting her appetite and sleep.
"Then perhaps we should switch to lighter foods, the ones we just ordered are too rich." The unaware young master kindly suggested.
"It’s okay, food that’s too light won’t appeal to me." Zhu Qianyu hadn’t had much appetite these days; if they ordered light foods, she might end up with no appetite at all.
Seeing her insist, the young master didn’t say more; they discussed and ordered two more small stir-fry dishes they both liked, and with the ordering finished, Zhu Qianyu asked, "Mr. Ji, would you like to drink beer?"
When dining here with classmates, the male classmates usually ordered a few cans of beer.
The young master shook his head, "I have to drive later, I won’t drink, would you like one?"
"I can’t drink..." Zhu Qianyu’s alcohol tolerance was poor, so whenever she attended banquets, Sister would protect her like a mother hen protects her chick.
After calling the waiter to remove the menu, Zhu Qianyu refilled the young master’s tea and sat back down, feeling a bit uneasy.
The young master was used to her indifferent, aloof demeanor, so seeing her now, restless and awkward, he found it amusing and endearing.
He leisurely drank his tea, seemingly with downcast eyes, yet attentive to her subtle actions, until after observing her twiddle with her fingers and seeming anxious, he finally felt a pang of compassion and set down his cup to look at her.
"Don’t worry too much about the internship, just go meet the supervisor. They probably won’t give you a hard time."