Chapter 33

By the time the ball game concluded, night had fallen.

The women waited for their respective partners in the lounge area at the stadium exit. After about ten minutes, a group of young men emerged together, having changed into fresh clothes. Xu Xieyi heard their voices, looked up, and spotted Lin Sheng in the crowd at once.

He was tall and stood out effortlessly.

Lin Sheng saw her too—a small, modest, and elegant flower amid a group of striking, glamorous women. She was quite unremarkable. He lowered his head, mocking himself, then looked back up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he curled his lips at her.

The young girl immediately returned the smile—bright and clear.

Xiao Yufeng nudged Lin Sheng’s arm. "Ah Sheng, how long do you plan on playing with this little girl? Don't let her fall too deep."

Chen Xia chimed in, expressionless, "Pathetic."

Lin Sheng didn’t speak. The others, unsure of what he was thinking, looked toward Chu Yuefei. Chu Yuefei just shrugged, indicating he was just as clueless.

When they were about to regroup, Lin Sheng spoke coldly: "Don't think about that nonsense. I just want her to be happy." With that, he walked toward Xu Xieyi.

The three men exchanged glances, completely bewildered.

*Could this be real?*
*The devil wants to play the angel?*

Then, they reconsidered and calmed down. Usually, the happier things start out, the more miserably they end.

At the parking lot, the group of young men invited everyone to go to Lin Sheng’s bar. Lin Sheng made a call to arrange everything there, but he himself didn't go. Seeing Xu Xieyi, the others understood his meaning—high school students weren't suited for such places; they likely had other plans.

The window of a nearby car slid down, revealing Chu Yuefei’s meaningful, smiling face. "Brother Sheng, we’ll be sensible and head out now. We won't disturb you?"

Lin Sheng glanced sideways, his lips curling into a cold, warning smirk. "Get going."

Chu Yuefei remained cheeky, his grin widening. Tilting his head, he looked past Lin Sheng to wave at Xu Xieyi. "Sister Xieyi, bye! Let’s hang out again next time."

"Goodbye, Brother Yuefei."

Xixi blew a kiss from the car window, and Xu Xieyi politely said goodbye to her as well.

Lin Sheng, his hands on the steering wheel, sighed helplessly and smiled. He turned his head to look at Xu Xieyi. "Silly girl, you don't have to be so respectful to them!"

The city roads at night were a river of flowing traffic. The things Lin Sheng did and the circles he moved in were completely foreign to Xu Xieyi. She didn't know how to join the conversation or react, so most of the time she just sat there, following his lead.

Yet, they had been driving for a while, and Lin Sheng hadn't given any indication of their destination.

Xu Xieyi tilted her head to look at him for a moment. The handsome young man seemed profound and unfathomable. She couldn't help but ask, "Brother Lin, where are we going?"

Lin Sheng navigated the steering wheel, his eyes on the road. "To eat."

Xu Xieyi nodded. After a few seconds, she asked, "Where?"

Waiting at a red light, Lin Sheng rested his hands casually on the wheel and turned toward her. Amidst the shifting interplay of light and shadow, he said in a low voice, "A fun place."

***

Lin Sheng took her to an upscale restaurant.

The dishes on the table were exquisite, but the portions were tiny. Xu Xieyi thought... she could eat several of these dishes by herself.

She quietly looked across the table. Lin Sheng sat with perfect posture, eating in a very refined manner. Having known him for this long, she had come to understand his eating habits. He didn't eat much, but he was extremely picky about the flavor and nutrition of his food.

*He’s really super picky~*

After silently complaining to herself, Xu Xieyi straightened her posture. She had never been to a place like this before. It wasn't exactly excitement or nervousness she felt, just... a sense of novelty.

The restaurant had a delicate Western atmosphere, decorated with champagne and roses, and someone was playing the violin on a small stage in the center. It was a stylish environment, like...

Xu Xieyi thought for a moment.

Like a romantic date spot for the leads in a Korean drama.

She looked at Lin Sheng again.

In the pale golden light, Lin Sheng wore a casual shirt, his eyelashes lowered slightly. His clean fingers moved to the side to pick up a stemmed glass. He tilted his head to sip the wine, his jawline sharp, his lashes casting thick, soft shadows in the light.

He was... absolutely the male lead.

She thought that Lin Sheng shouldn't be a doctor; he could clearly make a living just on his looks.

Lin Sheng noticed Xu Xieyi watching him. He smiled to himself and said in a calm tone, "What's wrong? Looking at me like that."

Xu Xieyi was startled and quickly shook her head, then pursed her lips and smiled.

The man’s dark eyes deepened with amusement as he set his glass down. He knew he had captivated her, and he wasn't surprised at all.

Just then, the Italian violinist on stage switched to a smooth, melodic tune.

Lin Sheng rested his elbows on the table. "Xieyi, I want to ask you a question."

"What question, Brother Lin?"

Lin Sheng’s lips curved upward as he leaned forward slightly. "Do you think... your brother is good-looking?"

The air was filled with the scent of wine, roses, and some unknown fragrance.

Xu Xieyi’s breath hitched, and then, without hesitation, she nodded.

"Good-looking?"

"Good-looking," Xu Xieyi said sincerely.

"Then, do you like it?"

Xu Xieyi was stunned.

"...Huh?"

Lin Sheng smiled, resting his chin on his hand as he looked down at her. "I mean, do you like this appearance?"

***

Perhaps influenced by her parents’ old-fashioned mindset and the culture of a small town, Xu Xieyi felt that for a man, being above average in looks and height was best. She often heard the older generation say that a man who was too handsome couldn't be trusted, and that the steady, down-to-earth kind was the best.

There were handsome boys at school, and many girls were infatuated with them, but Xu Xieyi never was. At most, she would look and appreciate them, like she would a celebrity. She never imagined having any kind of story with them. Subconsciously, she felt it wouldn't end well, so she kept her distance.

So, when Lin Sheng asked that just now, she had nodded quite reluctantly.

*Brother Lin is good-looking... but he’s too good-looking.*

Among the women who had gone to the ball game today, many liked him. The two sitting behind her had been talking about him the whole time.

The violin performance ended, and a middle-aged man took the stage with a saxophone. But it seemed he had somewhere else to be; he played one song and then prepared to leave.

Xu Xieyi felt a bit disappointed.

Lin Sheng asked, "Really wanted to listen?"

"Mm," Xu Xieyi sighed. "But it seems the musician has something to do."

After a few seconds of contemplation, Lin Sheng smiled. "It's okay. Wait here."

"Brother Lin, where are you going... Brother Lin..."

Lin Sheng went over to speak with the musician and pointed toward Xu Xieyi. The musician’s eyes lit up with realization; he cleaned the saxophone and handed it to Lin Sheng.

Then, to her shock, Xu Xieyi watched as Lin Sheng took the saxophone to the center stage.

There hadn't been many people paying attention to the music in the restaurant, but now, everyone looked over. After all, this "musician" had the looks and the height to match.

Lin Sheng didn't waste any words; he just glanced at the young girl and blew a note.

The stage was small, lit only by a single beam of soft yellow light from above. Lin Sheng wore a minimalist gray shirt and black trousers. His short hair was slightly messy from playing ball in the evening, giving him a look of effortless, rebellious charm.

He kept his eyes lowered, focused entirely on the music, tapping his foot to the beat occasionally.

The saxophone’s tone was delicate and nuanced, mellow and beautiful. It was romantic, gentle, and passionate.

Xu Xieyi was mesmerized.

Across the room, Lin Sheng suddenly raised his eyelids, his eyes conveying a hint of a smile toward her. As his lips curled, she noted again that he had a prominent cupid's bow.

Xu Xieyi’s heart went into a frenzy... her face felt hot.

*Oh my god.*
*Is Brother Lin... a demon?*

She mused to herself.

She remembered what her elders said about men who were too handsome and prone to cheating. Looking at Lin Sheng again, she felt a twinge of regret.

*Brother Lin... if you were just a little more ordinary, you’d be perfect.*