The crowd wasn't overwhelming, but the ambiance was exquisite. Perched by the sea, it offered an unobstructed view of the endless beach. Dusk had settled, painting the sky with warm hues, and numerous tourists were capturing the moment.
Su Qi stepped out of the car and felt a warmth spread through her palm.
Her hand was being held by Huo Tingyun.
"You..."
Su Qi was surprised, but in the next instant, she was being led by the hand towards the seaside restaurant. He was still in his suit. While others might look like insurance salesmen in such attire, on him, even a sack would appear to be a runway-worthy ensemble.
Inside the restaurant, spread across three floors, their table was on the third, offering the best vantage point. It was spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a large balcony. They were seated by the window.
Su Qi couldn't help but sigh, "It's good to be rich." She hadn't even known this restaurant existed before.
The man handed her a tablet, "Order whatever you like."
Su Qi took it and nearly choked on her saliva.
The menu was audacious; it felt like they could rob you blind and still offer you a dish! A single salad cost three to four hundred yuan!
Su Qi gave the man in front of her a long look.
After all, Huo Tingyun's money was like windblown leaves; a single meal wouldn't bankrupt him.
Su Qi ordered a few dishes and returned the tablet, "I'll have these."
Huo Tingyun finished ordering, put down the tablet, and a waiter quickly came to pour them red wine. For Su Qi, he poured a glass of sweet, room-temperature juice.
Su Qi picked up the glass and took a sip of the juice, which turned out to be freshly squeezed.
She couldn't help but marvel again, "It's good to be rich." Why hadn't she enjoyed such things before? Perhaps she had been too fixated on whether a man loved her, forgetting to enjoy life. Her world seemed to revolve only around love, completely neglecting herself.
"Do you know the name of this restaurant?"
The man spoke softly, his voice a magnetic, low rumble.
"What?" Su Qi had forgotten to look at the sign before entering. But such a high-class restaurant, a standalone establishment by the sea, must be very expensive.
"Rose," the man said, taking a shallow sip of red wine. He set down the wine glass, his fingers resting on the stem, gently swirling the wine. Perhaps it was the wine, but his voice became even more enchanting and hazy, as if carrying many stories.
Rose?
Little Rose?
Su Qi recalled the stories Su Yan had told her since childhood. "Rose... she's so lovely. It's a pity roses have such tragic endings, abandoned by the Little Prince."
She had never imagined she would one day become that rose.
"Hmm? You've heard this fairy tale too?" Huo Tingyun's eyes deepened, a glint of light flickering within them, as if lost in thought.
"Of course. What little girl doesn't love such a romantic fairy tale? It's just a pity that fairy tales can only ever remain fairy tales."
In the story of the Little Prince, both the fox and the rose were unfortunate. The rose was nurtured by the Little Prince, only to be abandoned on a lonely planet. Until her final moments, she never confessed her love. The Little Prince eventually realized the rose's uniqueness but could no longer find her.
The little fox, however, stayed by the Little Prince's side, offering silent protection.
Huo Tingyun remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on Su Qi, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately saying nothing. When the food arrived, he cut Su Qi's steak for her and pushed it towards her. Su Qi picked up a piece with her fork, eating it slowly, bite by bite. Her mouth wasn't large, and she ate at a leisurely pace.
As Su Qi ate with concentration, the man watched her just as intently.
Even without lipstick, her rosy lips were still full and vibrant.
The man's Adam's apple bobbed.
It reminded him of that night, of her mouth encompassing him entirely.
He raised his wine glass and finished the wine. A waiter stepped forward to refill it. The man drank more than half the glass before setting it down.
The red wine didn't quell the feeling; instead, it seemed to amplify it.
Beneath the table, Su Qi felt his leg stretch towards her. Startled, the beef in her hand nearly fell to the floor.
Su Qi pulled her foot back, trying to evade him, but his legs were long, and he easily pursued, nudging her foot again.
Su Qi frowned. Couldn't he let her eat in peace?
How insatiable was this man, thinking such things even while eating?
Huo Tingyun's dark eyes held a smile, his gaze fixed on Su Qi with a profound intensity, as if he wanted to devour her. He picked up his fork and let it fall beneath the table, "Help me pick it up."
Su Qi frowned, "I don't..."
Before she could even utter a "no," under his expectant gaze, Su Qi relented. She leaned down and looked. The fork had fallen beneath the tablecloth.
The French restaurant's tablecloth reached the floor. She had to lift it to find the fork. Crouching down, she retrieved it. Just as Su Qi was about to emerge, the man's hand suddenly reached under the table, gripping her cheek and forcing her closer.
His other hand went to the zipper.
Su Qi's small face flushed instantly.
Beneath the tablecloth, the man was hard and erect.
"You like meat, don't you? Have a taste."
Su Qi wanted to refuse, but she was forcibly fed.
Mmmph!
Her entire mouth was instantly filled.
Ten minutes later, the man had given his all.
As if in retaliation, Su Qi bit him hard on the tongue.
The man grunted, his body trembling violently.
Su Qi, her face pale, swallowed the mouthful with effort and emerged from under the table, fork in hand.
Fortunately, besides a waiter, no one else was present.
Su Qi's lips were already a little swollen.
She finished the juice in her glass and glared at the man opposite her.
Huo Tingyun leisurely sipped his red wine, looking smug. His handsome, captivating face showed no hint of guilt for his misdeeds.
A beast in gentleman's clothing! A refined scoundrel!
Su Qi never would have imagined, when she first fell for Huo Tingyun at Shencheng University, that he was a man of integrity. To think...
Su Qi lost her appetite. She only took a few sips of juice. The man's teasing voice reached her ears, "Not hungry? Why aren't you eating?"
Su Qi frowned, "I'm already full."
She had already been fed.
After she spoke, the man chuckled, his meaning unclear.
A faint blush crept onto Su Qi's cheeks.
This man was truly too wicked.
He was completely different from her impression of him.
After the meal, they went downstairs. The sun had not yet set below the horizon, and the twilight on the beach created a fiery, breathtaking scene.