Chapter 8: First Date

The meal went down easy, with Li Xinyan and Xie Yi'an there to keep the mood light.

Song Yushu kept to herself, eating quietly, chiming in now and then to listen as they talked shop—work, and where Hengxing Group was headed next.

She'd always known Hengxing was a powerhouse, fingers in every industry, but tonight was the first time she grasped just how far the Zhou family's ambitions reached.

When it came time to leave, Li Xinyan made a point of throwing her and Chen Xinghan together.

"I'm stealing little Anzi for a romantic night out. Be a dear and drive my bestie home?" Li Xinyan said, arm looped through Xie Yi'an's, winking at her the entire time.

Chen Xinghan glanced at his watch. "Sure, no problem."

"Thanks."

Chen Xinghan looked at her and smiled. "It's on my way—I live in that direction too."

The four of them headed for the parking lot.

Li Xinyan had specifically told her not to drive tonight—this must have been why.

Chen Xinghan fished out his keys and unlocked the car. A white Bentley lit up, and he walked around to open the passenger door.

Song Yushu smiled and nodded, then slid into the seat.

"We're heading out. See you at the office tomorrow." Chen Xinghan waved at Xie Yi'an.

Xie Yi'an: "Sure."

Watching Chen Xinghan's car ease away, Li Xinyan couldn't help but sigh. "You think those two have a shot?"

Xie Yi'an: "I think Song Yushu suits a man with a stronger personality. Someone like... Zhou Yancheng."

Li Xinyan rolled her eyes and walked toward the parking lot.

-

The car was too quiet—quiet enough to hear each other breathe.

Chen Xinghan turned on some music. Classical piano.

"If you don't like piano, I can change it."

"No need. I like it," she said with a smile.

Chen Xinghan drove beautifully—probably second nature for a sports car designer. He'd likely test-driven every model out there.

"I heard you went to the same university as Young Master Zhou."

Song Yushu glanced at him. "Yeah. Zhou Yancheng was three years ahead of me."

"Are you two close?"

"Not really. Just ordinary friends."

Chen Xinghan nodded. The light ahead turned red, and he braked smoothly to a stop.

She looked out the window, her heart utterly calm.

This man was really quite decent—emotionally steady, too. Good dating material.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when the car pulled over to the curb. Song Yushu looked up and saw the compound gate.

"We're here."

"I'll head in then. Drive safe."

Song Yushu unbuckled her seatbelt, ready to get out, when Chen Xinghan spoke up beside her. "Let's add each other on WeChat."

"Sure."

She pulled out her phone and opened her WeChat QR code.

Chen Xinghan scanned it—a ding, and they were connected.

"It's a bit hectic at the start of a project, but I'm free next weekend. Does that work for you?"

Song Yushu lifted her eyes to his. "Sure. I'm pretty free."

"Bye then. Good night."

She smiled and nodded, pushed the door open, and walked toward the compound gate.

-

Walking through the compound garden, Song Yushu didn't know how to describe this feeling.

This was the first time in her life she'd been involved with a man—and in the form of dating, no less. It was quite... wondrous.

Back home, Song Yushu took off her coat and settled onto the sofa.

Tonight she wore a relaxed, off-shoulder sweater—pure with a hint of sexiness, gentle and sweet.

She took out her phone, snapped a selfie, and posted it to Moments with the caption "Recording life."

Within five seconds, likes and comments started popping up.

Chen Xinghan had liked it. Li Xinyan had commented.

Song Yushu read Li Xinyan's exaggerated praise under the post and burst out laughing.

As she was exiting WeChat, her gaze caught Zhou Yancheng's profile picture, and she unconsciously stopped and stared at it for a few seconds.

-

Feifan Villa District.

Fresh out of the shower, Zhou Yancheng came downstairs in nothing but sleep pants, planning to pour himself a glass of water.

He scrolled idly through WeChat Moments. When he saw Song Yushu's photo, his fingertip paused.

He stared at that selfie for a long time, then swiped past it without a flicker of expression.

Suddenly, Xie Yi'an's call came in.

He answered with one hand while pouring water with the other. "What is it?"

"Will you be in the office tomorrow morning?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll come by tomorrow to go over the project proposal with you."

Zhou Yancheng took a sip of warm water and asked casually, "How's the matchmaking going?"

"A nine-year age gap—I think it's a stretch. Song Yushu is basically a little girl. I'm afraid she'll get played."

He set down the glass and walked toward the living room, his voice lazy and low. "Find her someone more suitable."

"Where would I get that many connections? You introduce someone—you've got connections everywhere."

Zhou Yancheng stood before the living room's floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the garden night lights, and let out a disdainful scoff. "What am I to her? I don't have that obligation."

-

The week flew by, and Song Yushu was getting the hang of her front desk job.

On Saturday, she and Chen Xinghan had agreed to meet at three in the afternoon, so she was changing clothes right now.

Her phone buzzed with a WeChat notification.

Song Yushu picked up her phone and opened the group chat.

Jiang Wei: When are you two finally going to have time to go to the hot springs with me?!

Song Yushu: Tomorrow works.

Jiang Wei: Introduce me to someone! I absolutely have to get into a relationship before Zhou Yancheng does!

Li Xinyan: Then give up now. I heard from little Anzi that Zhou Yancheng is tangled up with an actress signed to his film company—they're probably about to get together.

Jiang Wei: That bastard!

Just then, a WeChat message from Chen Xinghan popped up at the top of her screen—he was telling her to come downstairs.

She typed a message and sent it to the group chat.

Song Yushu: Sisters, I'm off on a date~ Bye

Then she exited WeChat, locked her phone, stood up, and walked to the entryway to change shoes and head out.

=

Chen Xinghan had driven right up to the building. Seeing her come out, he opened the passenger door for her. "You look beautiful today."

"Thank you."

She smiled too and got into the passenger seat.

Chen Xinghan had just fastened his seatbelt when his phone rang.

He answered, his expression turning serious. "It's in my car. Okay, I'll bring it over right now."

After hanging up, Chen Xinghan looked at her. "Can I stop by the office first to drop off a document? It's pretty urgent."

"No problem. Work comes first."

Chen Xinghan reached out and ruffled her hair, smiling. "Thanks."

Song Yushu hadn't expected him to pat her head—this was the first time a man had ever done that.

Strangely, there was no fluttering-heart feeling...

When had her personality become so cold?

Suddenly, her mind flashed back to that time at the compound gate, when Zhou Yancheng had pulled her by the waist into his arms—her heart had raced.

About twenty minutes later, Chen Xinghan's car pulled up at the curb outside Hengxing Group headquarters.

"Let's go in together. You can wait for me in the lobby."

"Okay."

Song Yushu got out of the car with Chen Xinghan. She had to admit, the exterior design of Hengxing's headquarters was truly distinctive—imposing and magnificent.

Chen Xinghan took the elevator up to deliver the document, while she wandered around the ground-floor lobby.

Suddenly, a low, sexy voice came from behind her: "Song Yushu."

She turned instinctively and saw Zhou Yancheng's tall figure walking toward her, until the distance between them shrank to a single step.

Zhou Yancheng: "What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for Chen Xinghan." Song Yushu smiled—sweet and gentle.

He looked into Song Yushu's eyes. "Are you two together now?"

"Not... exactly. It's only our first date."

Zhou Yancheng said nothing more, giving her outfit a once-over. He could tell she'd put effort into today for Chen Xinghan.

"I'll be going now."

Before Song Yushu could say "bye," Chen Xinghan walked over. "Young Master Zhou."

Chen Xinghan naturally positioned himself beside Song Yushu. "Yushu and I are heading out on a date. There was a document that needed to be delivered urgently, so I stopped by first."

Zhou Yancheng glanced at her with indifferent eyes and nodded. "Mm. I won't disturb you then."

The moment he turned around, Zhou Yancheng's dark eyes were like an overturned inkstone—expressionless as he walked out of the building.

"Let's go then." Chen Xinghan looked at her.

At his voice, Song Yushu quietly withdrew her gaze from the man's retreating figure and smiled with a nod.