Chapter 20

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Old Mrs. Lin and Guan Yujiao entered the restaurant.

Under the apricot-yellow streetlights in the light rain, Lin Sheng stood with his hands in his trouser pockets, looking toward Xu Xieyi.

Xu Xieyi had not wanted to disturb them. After all, they were dining; if she suddenly appeared, it would be awkward whether they invited her to join or not. But since they had already crossed paths, she had no choice but to walk over with her friend.

"Brother Lin," she greeted.

"Hmm."

Lin Sheng looked down at her. Dressed in a casual black cotton hoodie, his presence felt much more relaxed than when he wore formal attire, making him seem like a big boy. "Out shopping with a classmate?"

Xu Xieyi nodded and gestured to the side. "My good friend from middle school, Tan Xiaotong."

Tan Xiaotong greeted him politely. Lin Sheng nodded in acknowledgment.

"Have you had dinner?"

"...Yes, we have." Xu Xieyi gestured vaguely behind her, not caring where she pointed. "We just finished."

Tan Xiaotong looked at her in surprise: ??

Lin Sheng seemed to see through her. He smiled slightly, glanced at his watch, and said deliberately, "I thought we were eating early, but it seems you two were even earlier."

Xu Xieyi: ...

It seemed she had been seen through.

"It's alright," Lin Sheng said with a faint curl of his lips. "Eating this early, you'll be hungry again soon. You two go ahead and continue your stroll; I'll take you out for a late-night snack later."

She had managed to avoid the first obstacle, but not the second.

--

After a brief chat, Lin Sheng went inside; the dinner party was still waiting for him. Xu Xieyi glanced at the place he had entered—it was a very formal restaurant.

"Your brother is so gentle, and he’s so handsome and kind," Tan Xiaotong remarked.

"Hmm..."

Her tone was drawn out and hesitant.

Brother Lin was kind, but in reality, he was actually quite arrogant... not as approachable as he appeared on the surface. As for being gentle... that was probably more due to his upbringing.

Also, her intuition from earlier hadn't been wrong. Lin Sheng really was in a bad mood.

Recalling the moment, although Lin Sheng spoke gently, she had noticed the hidden indifference and apathy in his eyes. When Lin Sheng was unhappy, his hidden gaze was actually exceptionally cold.

-

The restaurant's private room was large and elegantly decorated.

"Asheng," Old Mrs. Lin whispered a reminder.

Lin Sheng shifted his gaze from the phone on the table. The old lady’s eyelids drooped slightly, and as she retracted her gaze, she caught a glimpse of his phone screen.

"A grandson personally raised by the Old Commander is indeed extraordinary. Truly a man of talent."

Across the table, the middle-aged man beside Guan Yujiao spoke with a slick, bureaucratic tone.

Lin Sheng offered a few modest remarks and picked up his wine glass to toast the man. His manners were polished and graceful; it was clear he was well-versed in such social scenes.

The old man beside him, despite his advanced age, held himself with an air of integrity and spirit. "This child has been under my watch since he was young. Even if he isn't a prodigy, he can certainly be called a promising young man. His conduct is passable enough."

"Old Commander, you are too modest. Everyone can see how outstanding Asheng is..." The middle-aged man said, casting a glance toward his daughter. Guan Yujiao looked slightly shy and stole a secret glance at Lin Sheng.

They exchanged pleasantries. As the younger generation, Lin Sheng listened quietly and attentively, speaking only when necessary. The dinner felt strictly official, showing no signs of being a private meeting between two families.

The dinner concluded before nine o'clock.

The Lin family elders held themselves to high standards and did not engage in nightlife; they invited the others to their home for tea, but the guests seemed to have other plans. For those in official positions, holidays were often filled with social obligations. The Old Commander expressed his understanding, and the two parties parted ways with warm but formal courtesies.

In the parking lot in front of the restaurant, the elderly couple and Lin Sheng stood for a moment.

The Old Commander looked deeply at his grandson, his sigh carrying a natural gravity. "You... you've been good in every way since you were a child, but how did you grow up to be such a fickle, romantic spirit? I don't know who you take after!"

Old Mrs. Lin supported her husband’s arm, her voice softening the atmosphere. "The child was young before, and besides, our Asheng hasn't done anything too wrong."

The Old Commander furrowed his brows. "Forget it, I won't dwell on your past behavior. You're turning twenty-eight soon, and the deadline for the military promise you made before going abroad is almost up. A man who stands tall must be decisive! Don't be so loose and carefree!"

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Though it was a conversation among family, it was inexplicably solemn.

Lin Sheng stood still, his eyes silent like cold iron. "I understand, Grandfather."

The family driver was behind the wheel; Lin Sheng sat in the passenger seat, with the elderly couple in the back.

The journey was silent.

Only after arriving at the old family estate, while Old Mrs. Lin helped her husband inside, did she turn back to Lin Sheng and ask in a low voice, "Has your father contacted you today?"

Lin Sheng did not answer.

The old lady sighed and said, "I understand."

The driver offered to drive him, but Lin Sheng declined and called for a designated driver.

The driver sat in the seat, adjusted the protective cover, and looked up to confirm the destination. But as he opened his mouth, he paused.

The young man in the passenger seat had half his body in the shadows and half in the faint light filtering through the window. He rested his arm on the door frame, smoking in silence. His facial contours were striking, his posture as powerful as a soldier's, yet his expression and aura were decadent and cold.

"Sir, where to? Still Panda Plaza?"

Lin Sheng turned back, his voice low. "Just to the location pinned."

"Very well. Please fasten your seatbelt."

As the black Porsche pulled out of the military compound gate, Lin Sheng looked back through the window.

The gate, surrounded by lush trees in the night, was dignified and simple. Next to it, a sign with dark red background and gold lettering identified it as the Military Retiree Residential Compound, with guards on duty.

Everything faded into the night lights.

Like an old photograph from a bygone era.

Gray and black.

Heavy.

Lin Sheng pulled his gaze back and looked at the road ahead.

In the dim light of the car, his eyelashes appeared as distinct, delicate hairs.

-

Nine-thirty.

Xu Xieyi sat alone in KFC, waiting for Lin Sheng.

It was getting late, and she actually wanted to go home. Du Juan had called in the evening to check on her whereabouts, seemingly surprised she wasn't with Brother Lin and had already returned home.

Xu Xieyi lowered her head. Her phone lay on the table. With her index finger, she opened Lin Sheng's WeChat, which was as concise as ever.

[On my way]

That was ten minutes ago.

"Why is Brother Lin's 'on my way' not accurate this time..."

She rested her chin on her hands, watching the increasingly quiet sidewalk outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

Reflected in the glass, she noticed a man after a while.

He was leaning against a table not far from her, hands in his pockets, watching her with a faint smile.

She was startled and quickly turned around.

Lin Sheng: "Sleepy?"

"Brother Lin!"

Xu Xieyi stood up.

Lin Sheng saw her small crossbody bag and couldn't help but smile wider as he walked over. "Where is your friend?"

"She just left; her parents called her to go back early..."

Although Xu Xieyi tried to hide it, Lin Sheng noticed the slight disappointment when she mentioned other people's parents.

No matter how independent or precocious she was, she was still a teenager.

Lin Sheng thought this, his smile softening. "Let's go, Brother will take you to eat something good."

"Now?"

"Yes."

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Xu Xieyi looked outside. It was a rainy day, business was slow, and many small shops along the street were already preparing to close.

Lin Sheng knew what she was thinking and reached out his hand to her. "Don't worry, Brother knows a place that doesn't close."

Xu Xieyi looked at the hand Lin Sheng extended toward her. She felt nervous and surprised, hesitating for a second. She rarely had contact with boys, let alone held hands...

In the end, she placed her hand in his, her fingers touching Lin Sheng's.

Lin Sheng naturally took her hand and led her outside, across the road toward his car.

Xu Xieyi’s heart skipped a beat, and she stole a glance at Lin Sheng.

From her upward angle, she could clearly see the sharp line of the young man’s jaw and his prominent Adam's apple.

His expression was as usual, nothing unnatural.

Brother Lin probably just... thought of her as a little kid. Xu Xieyi thought, feeling a bit shy as it was her first time holding hands with a boy like this.

She lowered her eyes to look at Lin Sheng’s hand.

It was large, the tendons on the back of his hand prominent, his skin slightly pale.

His palm was dry, solid, and warm.

-

Teenage girls often frequented small shops, which naturally closed early.

But high-end restaurants full of chic, urban vibes were at their peak at nine-thirty.

Lin Sheng took Xu Xieyi to "The Gray Banquet," a place he frequented.

When ordering, Xu Xieyi said she wanted a cola. The restaurant didn't have any, so the waiter thoughtfully went to a nearby convenience store to buy a bottle.

Lin Sheng sat quietly across from her, a glass of red wine by his hand.

The VIP room was large, decorated with elegant minimalism, yet it only contained a small table for two. Two glass walls offered a view of the city's nightscape.

It was a romantic setting, perfect for a couple on a date.

But the girl across from him clearly wasn't focused on whether it was romantic or not.

Xu Xieyi tilted her head slightly, watching the waiter cut the roasted meat for them.

As the silver knife sliced down, the beautiful folds of the meat burst with juices that slid down the blade.

After the waiter left, Xu Xieyi looked up with a smile. "Brother Lin, the roasted meat looks delicious."

Lin Sheng had been lost in thought for a moment. Hearing her, he stopped tapping his wine glass and smiled. "Try it and see if you like it. If it doesn't taste good, we'll order something else."

Xu Xieyi took a bite and beamed. "I like it!"

Lin Sheng watched her across the table, blinking slowly, a faint smile on his lips.

Like... what, exactly?

The person, or the food? Or perhaps, both.

He drank his wine, she drank her soda.

In the soft lighting, two glass cups, held by two different hands, clinked together gently.

"Thank you, Brother Lin."

Xu Xieyi straightened up, her dark eyes earnest, her expression carrying a hint of precocious maturity. "I know how thoughtful you are, and I'm very grateful for your care, and... I had a very happy Mid-Autumn Festival this year."

Her clean, simple face looked pure and sweet.

Bathed in the soft light and the roses on the table, she looked both gentle and slightly charming.

Lin Sheng was slightly surprised.

The girl's thoughts seemed more transparent and meticulous than he had imagined. Had he been underestimating her all this time?

-

Leaving the restaurant, Lin Sheng took Xu Xieyi back to her home on the hillside.

On the way, Lin Sheng spoke even less than usual.

Xu Xieyi was sensible enough not to disturb his thoughts.

The designated driver parked the car in the villa's private garage and left on a small electric scooter.

Lin Sheng locked the car and turned back. "Let's go."