"Rest assured, sir. Everything is prepared and there will be no mistakes." The other party gave a confident assurance.
Qing Sihai emphasized again, "The act must be convincing, or Lan Shu won't believe it."
"Sir, you don't need to worry. I've simulated it many times. I guarantee the effect will be realistic, and she won't have any doubts."
"Good. We'll arrive in about an hour and a half."
"Understood. I'll arrange it now." The other party hung up after speaking.
A cold smile played on Qing Sihai's lips. He put away his phone, left the restroom, and returned to the private room.
Zhu Yun Ya Ju served dishes very quickly. Soon, the waiters began to bring dishes into the room one after another.
The table was laden with a rich spread of food, with appealing aromas and exquisite presentation. The dishes looked good and weren't greasy, especially since they were prepared light and simple, all to Lan Shu's liking.
"Yaoyao, these are all your favorite dishes. Please try them."
Qing Sihai put on disposable gloves. "You really love spicy crayfish. Since it's not the season for crayfish now, I arranged for people to transport some from other places yesterday and had them prepared for you as garlic crayfish and spicy crayfish."
"You're quite something. Other girls like delicacies, like Boston lobsters or Australian prawns, but you, on the other hand, actually like spicy crayfish."
Qing Sihai picked up a fragrant crayfish with his hand and thoughtfully peeled it for her. "It was precisely because I found you so unique that I fell head over heels in love with you."
"Really?"
Lan Shu smiled, resting her elbows on the table and propping up her chin. Like a curious child, she asked, "Can you tell me about how we got together back then?"
Sensing her attitude was softening, Qing Sihai pressed his advantage, weaving a tale of past events, a mix of truth and falsehood. Some of the stories were consistent with what Lan Shu had heard from Meng Jingwei and Qing Muye.
She couldn't even determine which statements were true and which were false.
However, there was one thing Lan Shu did know.
That was...
Zhu Yun Ya Ju specialized in private home-style cuisine, with chefs who were mostly from state banquets, preparing signature dishes. Things like spicy crayfish would simply not appear on the menu at Zhu Yun Ya Ju.
She guessed that Qing Sihai had indeed put in considerable effort.
"Yaoyao, after dinner, I'll take you somewhere," he said.
"Where?"
"It's a secret. You'll know when we get there."
Qing Sihai played coy.
An hour later, their meal concluded. Qing Sihai and Lan Shu left Zhu Yun Ya Ju. Qing Sihai drove, with Lan Shu in the passenger seat, and they departed together.
Night had fallen. The bustling and prosperous Lan City glittered with neon lights, alive with activity. The streets were a stream of cars.
Lan Shu sat in the passenger seat. "Where are we going? You're not planning to sell me, are you?"
"Hahaha..." Qing Sihai let out a hearty laugh.
Seeing that she was in the mood for a joke, he knew that Lan Shu's trust in him was increasing.
"You'll know in a moment."
He remained mysterious.
The car drove slowly, passing through the lively city center and heading towards Yueyun Plaza in the eastern district.
Yueyun Plaza was located near the outskirts, bordered by mountains on one side and water on the other. There weren't many people here at night, but there were still a few groups of mothers unfazed by the cold wind, dancing in the plaza.
Qing Sihai parked the car in the lot. "We're here. Let's get out."
He opened his car door, walked around to the passenger side, and thoughtfully pulled the door open for Lan Shu.
Lan Shu opened the car door and bent down to get out. Just as she straightened up, her high heel accidentally caught in the gap of the hollow pavement. Her body staggered, and she fell forward.
"Ah..."
She cried out involuntarily.
Seeing this, Qing Sihai swiftly reached out and steadied her. "Yaoyao!" He smoothly pulled Lan Shu into his arms. After a split-second shift in his thoughts, he immediately feigned concern, "Wife, are you alright?"