"Second floor, by the window."
"Oh, okay."
Shi Ran, suppressing her pounding heart, ascended to the second floor with her bag. Glancing around, she spotted Huo Xiaohua in a sky-blue shirt by the window.
His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well-built arms. The Rolex sapphire wristwatch on his wrist especially accentuated his distinguished demeanor and extraordinary presence, exuding an overwhelming mature male charm.
He was truly handsome.
Shi Ran walked up to him and nodded slightly, "Mr. Huo, I apologize for keeping you waiting."
"I just arrived as well."
Huo Xiaohua gestured for Shi Ran to sit opposite him, "What would you like to eat?"
"Anything is fine with me, really."
Shi Ran sat down opposite him and offered a gentle smile, her natural demeanor sweet and endearing.
"The fillet mignon here is good, I recommend you try it."
"Okay."
"Do you girls like desserts? Shall I order you a strawberry mousse?"
"Thank you, Mr. Huo."
She suddenly found Mr. Huo to be very considerate. Today, the slight distance she’d noticed yesterday was gone, replaced by an intimation of his good mood. His every word and action felt considerably more approachable.
Huo Xiaohua ordered from the waiter and requested a bottle of red wine. After the waiter left, he turned his gaze to Shi Ran.
As he looked at her, his eyes subconsciously scanned her attire. She wore a black professional suit and had her hair tied in a high ponytail. The soft strands on her forehead were tousled by the breeze but not messy, making her cheeks appear even fairer.
She wore minimal makeup, her lips a faint pink, possessing an almost natural beauty that evoked the innocence of a first love.
While Shi Ran was attractive, she lacked the captivating allure and cool elegance of Zhao Wuyan. Huo Xiaohua couldn’t understand why Tang Si would be attracted to such a sweet and simple type of woman.
"I'm truly sorry. I drank a bit too much yesterday. You sent me back to the villa, and I completely forgot to arrange for someone to take you back. How did you get home?"
Huo Xiaohua asked, feigning concern.
"Yesterday..." Shi Ran gave an embarrassed smile, "I called a ride-hailing car to get back."
She wasn't telling the truth.
And Huo Xiaohua knew it perfectly well.
His apartment was far from the city center, and there were no ride-hailing cars or taxis in that vicinity. He surmised she must have walked for a long time before managing to get a ride.
"That's good. After sobering up today, I was still worried about how you got back. It seems I worried needlessly."
"You're too kind, Mr. Huo, it was just a small matter."
Shi Ran looked at Huo Xiaohua, finding his elegant speech and courteous manners surprisingly admirable.
It wasn't difficult to see why Huo Xiaohua was so popular with women. Even she, let alone others, was captivated by his charm.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the waiter arrived with their food, "Your meals are served. Please enjoy."
Once the waiter left, Shi Ran began to eat, occasionally chatting with Huo Xiaohua.
She discovered that Huo Xiaohua wasn't as cold as he seemed; in fact, he was quite humorous, making it easy for her to interact with him.
"Yesterday you went to great lengths to discuss cooperation with me, but today, why are you not mentioning it at all?"
Huo Xiaohua picked up the red wine from the table and asked after taking a sip of the Romanée-Conti.
Shi Ran, who was eating her pasta, put down her fork and wiped her lips with a napkin. She explained, "I was afraid of spoiling your mood by discussing work with you during your off-hours, Mr. Huo."
Sales psychology dictates that when invited out for a meal by a client, one should never discuss work at the dining table.
"It's alright, go ahead, I'm listening."
"Really, may I?"
"Yes."
"Then, let me tell you about our Chaoyun E-sports..."
Having seized the opportunity, Shi Ran discussed her company's situation and development, as well as future industry directions and trends with Huo Xiaohua.