She rested her elbow on the tabletop, propping her chin with her hand, tilting her head and gazing admiringly at the man before her, lost in his exquisite beauty, unable to pull herself away.
Although she was a member of the "lookism" association, Shu Yao wouldn't blindly like someone.
But Qing Si Huai was different. He was like a gentle scholar, approachable and elegant in his demeanor and how he treated people, making them feel comfortable and at ease.
The man sat opposite her, glanced at the menu, and then placed it in front of Shu Yao, "Ladies first."
"Alright then."
See, this was the man she liked, one who really took care of girls.
Perhaps because of her intense liking, every move he made was magnified infinitely by Shu Yao.
She opened the menu, casually ordered a few dishes, and then asked Qing Si Huai about his preferences, "Qing Si Huai, what do you like to eat? I'll order for you."
This would also be a good way to find out what he liked to eat.
"The Hilton Western Restaurant is best known for its Wellington steak. I'll have it medium-rare. And a pasta dish."
"Mmm, anything else you like? Their black truffle and caviar are also very good."
Listening to her recommendations, Qing Si Huai nodded slightly, "Then I certainly must try them."
"Okay, I'll order one of each for you."
Shu Yao pressed the call button on the table to summon a waiter.
Before long, a waiter walked in. She ordered all the dishes she had pre-selected, and then handed the menu to the waiter.
After the waiter left, silence returned to the private room.
Shu Yao blinked her beautiful eyes, her hands on the table clasped nervously, her thumb gently scratching the nail of her left index finger, feeling a hint of nervousness within.
"Um... thank you so much for yesterday."
She took a deep breath and continued, "If I were taken back to Country C this time, I don't know when I would be able to return."
The man leaned back against the booth, his legs crossed, his hands clasped in front of him, his posture like that of a magnate, exuding an unspoken dominance.
"Anthony likes you very much," he said.
Shu Yao lowered her head, looking at the tabletop, and shook her head, "I don't like him. Emotions cannot be forced. Moreover, I already like someone else."
Upon saying this, she suddenly looked up, her gaze fixed on Qing Si Huai, as if expecting him to inquire about the person she liked.
However, the man opposite her simply gazed at her with a calm look in his eyes, his lips always curved in an elegant smile.
For a moment, it was impossible to fathom his thoughts.
Time gradually passed. Even though it was only a few seconds, for Shu Yao, it felt like an eternity.
Her expectation gradually faded.
Shu Yao thought, she had already made it very clear, but Qing Si Huai didn't even ask, which could only mean...
He had no feelings for her.
"Who do you like?"
Suddenly, Qing Si Huai asked.
Shu Yao's heart skipped a beat, and she felt so nervous she could barely breathe.
Her hands on the table gripped tighter, the nail of her right thumb digging into her left thumb, leaving imprints, yet she was oblivious.
"I... I..."
She slightly raised her eyelids, looking at him, her pupils filled with shyness and timidity...
"If you don't want to say it, don't force yourself. After all, this topic is too private, it was my intrusion." The man smiled elegantly, raising his hand to pick up a glass of water from the table and taking a sip.
"No, it's not. I... Actually, I like you. Qing Si Huai!"
She mustered up her courage and blurted it out.
Shu Yao had been indifferent to Anthony's pursuit.
At that time, she simply thought that falling in love with someone would be difficult.
It wasn't until she met Qing Si Huai at the charity gala that day and danced with him that she quietly felt the man's unique elegance, which made her deeply infatuated.
Shu Yao realized then that liking someone didn't require a long time.
It only took a glance.
With just one glance, meeting the right person, she had fallen madly in love.
Qing Si Huai's hand holding the glass paused slightly, his lowered eyelids suddenly lifted, and he looked at the shy girl opposite him with disbelief, "You said... you like me?"
Shu Yao pursed her lips. Perhaps due to excessive nervousness, her lips felt a little dry. She licked her lips and nodded, "I like you."
Was this... a confession?
Oh my, she was suddenly confessing to the man she liked.
It was too abrupt.
"Um, I..."
Shu Yao reached up and scratched her head, "Am I... am I being too forward?"
The man opposite her chuckled, "Do you know that Anthony and I are friends? Aren't you afraid I'll tell him?"
Mentioning Anthony, the tension on Shu Yao's face instantly disappeared, replaced by endless worry, "Yes. I dislike Anthony. With him around, even if I like you, what does it matter?"
The hope that had suddenly sprung up in her heart vanished instantly.
After all, Anthony was the little prince of Country C, with considerable strength and an astonishing background.
Would he betray his friend for her liking and be with her?
Just thinking about it, Shu Yao felt it was unlikely.
Her head drooped lower and lower, her face full of disappointment and dejection as she looked at the tabletop.
She murmured, "Do I have to be with him just because Anthony likes me, and bow down to the forces of evil?"
"Not necessarily."
Qing Si Huai suddenly said.
Just two words, but when they fell into Shu Yao's ears, they instantly ignited hope.
However, the moment she looked up, the man had already put down his glass and reached out to hold her hand, "With me here, Xiao Yao Yao doesn't need to be afraid."
His hot palm enclosed her cool hand, instantly sending a jolt through Shu Yao, making her tense to the point of suffocation.
This...
What did this mean?
She lowered her gaze, her eyes falling on his hand covering hers.
She saw him tightly grasp her small hand and pat it, "From the first time I saw you, I felt you were different from other girls. You are cute, pure, dare to love and hate, and are hardworking. You are a rare good girl."
Oh my goodness~
Was this considered a confession?
Bang, bang, bang—
Shu Yao was so nervous she could almost hear her heart pounding wildly and anxiously, almost leaping out of her throat.
"So, you... you accepted me?" she asked tentatively.
A frank girl, who had grown up in Country C, liked someone and didn't hide it.
The man hesitated for a moment, a hint of a gentle smile gracing his handsome face, "I can only say that you are the type of girl I like. But whether we can be together, or if we are suitable, is still undecided."
Although this answer was somewhat ambiguous.
But the fact that he held her hand was tantamount to confessing to Shu Yao.
The girl, dazed by love, was both surprised and delighted. Her face radiated a brilliant smile, her beautiful eyes filled with countless stars, lost in happiness, her excitement unable to subside for a long time.
"Aren't you afraid of Anthony?" This was the question that worried Shu Yao the most.