Meng Yuan swallowed, she had been busy all day and was truly hungry now, no, she had been hungry several times.
Someone was treating her, might as well eat, and eating for free was still eating for free.
Uh...!
Meng Yuan stopped the thoughts in her mind. That last sentence was ambiguous, eating for free and being an idiot… uh…
"Young Master He, let's go."
She should stop overthinking, lest she get herself trapped.
Little Black Belly was right, why should people overthink? Isn't living in the moment wonderful?
He Mingrun smiled triumphantly, his voice gentle, "Slim Waist, this way please!"
Meng Yuan glared at him with wide eyes: "My name isn't Slim Waist, my name is Meng Yuan. You can just call me Meng Yuan."
He Mingrun smiled, he had been waiting for her to say that.
To prevent her from rejecting him, he had been very patient, waiting for her to say it herself.
Chasing a woman requires a little strategy!
"Alright, then I'll call you Yuan Yuan."
Meng Yuan was straightforward and didn't fuss about such things, "As you like!"
"Good, then I'll call you that." He Mingrun's smile was casual and elegant. He shielded her through the crowd, heading towards a barbecue restaurant they often visited.
In the distance, the night was hazy, and the ancient town was brightly lit, quiet and elegant.
Walking among the crowd, the two didn't quite match, but there wasn't too much of a sense of incongruity. Young Master He was extremely gentle, while Meng Yuan was cool.
They didn't look like a couple at all, but looking at Young Master He's gentle expression, there was a hint of something else.
More than ten minutes later, Meng Yuan finally saw He Mingrun stop.
He Mingrun looked at her and said, "Yuan Yuan, we're here."
"Oh! Thank you, Young Master He." Meng Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. If she had to wait any longer, she would go crazy from hunger.
If only her boyfriend were here. She wouldn't have to come out for this kind of thing herself.
Her boyfriend was in the neighboring city and wouldn't be back for a few months.
After the two entered, Meng Yuan caught the aroma of grilled meat.
This was a very distinctive barbecue restaurant, and it was packed with business in the evening.
He Mingrun was familiar with the owner and quickly got a private room. He led Meng Yuan into the room, told her to sit and wait a moment, and went to order the dishes.
Meng Yuan felt that He Mingrun was quite thoughtful, and for the first time, she showed him a friendly smile.
He Mingrun left with a fluttering heart. Outside the private room, his handsome face flushed unnaturally.
To chase a girlfriend, one had to be a little thick-skinned!
He smiled and went to find the owner.
Meng Yuan glanced at the private room. For a family like hers, they could only afford to eat at such a restaurant two or three times a year.
Her boyfriend was still in the startup phase, and she needed to earn money to support him wholeheartedly.
Just as she was thinking, her boyfriend sent her a message.
Shu Cheng was her boyfriend's name. She smiled and opened WeChat.
Shu Cheng: [Yuan Yuan, are you asleep yet?]
Meng Yuan: [Not yet? I'm out eating.]
Shu Cheng: [Yuan Yuan, take care of yourself, don't be too busy.]
[By the way, I need to settle a bill tomorrow. Do you have any money on you?]
Meng Yuan frowned slightly. She had already given him nearly a million yuan in the past few days. Why was he always asking for money?
[How much do you need?]
Shu Cheng: [Five hundred thousand. The goods are a bit more this time.]
Meng Yuan was stunned. Was he treating her like a bank?
All the money she had earned over the years had gone to this boyfriend.
Now, let alone five hundred thousand, she didn't even have fifty thousand.
Meng Yuan: [Didn't I just give you two hundred thousand a few days ago? That was all the money I had. I only have living expenses now.]
Shu Cheng: [Yuan Yuan, didn't you just take on a new task recently? I really need this money. You have to think of a way for me.]
Meng Yuan looked at it and felt a little uneasy.
From what she understood, Shu Cheng's company's annual income was less than two hundred thousand, and they hadn't had any major orders recently. Why would he need so much money?
Meng Yuan's curiosity was piqued, and she checked Shu Cheng's location.
It was actually in Jinshi.
What was going on?!
Meng Yuan sent another message: [Shu Cheng, where are you?]
Shu Cheng: [I'm in Shuicheng.]
Meng Yuan's gaze flickered, and suspicion grew in her heart.
She patiently replied: [Okay, you should rest early too. I'll think of a way about the money.]
Shu Cheng: [Yuan Yuan, your friend, didn't you say she's very good at making money? Can you borrow some from her.]
Meng Yuan stopped replying, her gaze growing colder.
"Yuan Yuan, there are some pastries here. Eat some to stave off your hunger first." He Mingrun came in with a plate of exquisite pastries.
Meng Yuan collected herself. Looking at them, it was almond milk crisp, and a twelve-kind pastry platter. This was the most expensive kind of pastry.
It was also made by a famous pastry chef nearby.
Meng Yuan was extremely surprised: "Young Master He, is there something you need my help with?"
He Mingrun was stunned, not quite understanding her meaning.
But he thought that this could be a reason for them to meet in the future.
"Yes, I'll tell you after you eat."
Meng Yuan nodded vigorously: "Then I can eat with peace of mind."
If he needed something from her, at least she wouldn't owe him too much favor.
He Mingrun, who belatedly understood what was going on: "..."
Was Slim Waist unable to eat with peace of mind because the pastries were expensive?
Ahhhh...!
He Mingrun's heart began to roar.
Had he missed a good opportunity to express himself, or had Slim Waist misunderstood?
He had asked Jiang Nuan last time, and it seemed Slim Waist had a boyfriend.
Hmph!
He had to work hard to snatch her away.
Such a cute Slim Waist could only belong to him, He Mingrun.
Meng Yuan was very hungry and didn't deliberately act reserved. She ate heartily, with no hint of ladylike behavior.
He Mingrun had already finished dinner. Watching her eat with such gusto, he seemed to have regained his appetite.
His throat moved slightly, and he picked up a small biscuit and ate it. It was crispy and sweet.
Uh...!
He didn't really like sweets, so this wasn't quite to his taste!
Meng Yuan, however, was eating happily. Sweets could improve one's mood. Although Shu Cheng's matter made her feel very upset, she wouldn't overthink things without evidence.
"Mmm!" Meng Yuan let out a satisfied sigh.
"Young Master He, this is delicious. I haven't had such delicious desserts in a long time."
He Mingrun's eyes were filled with smiles, and his tone was also very gentle: "Yuan Yuan, if you like them, I'll treat you often. I know many famous pastry masters."
Meng Yuan smiled gratefully and said, "Young Master He, I don't accept favors without reason. I'm already very satisfied just to have a meal with Young Master He."
He Mingrun smiled even more happily. As expected of the girl he fancied, she was truly a good girl.
"Yuan Yuan, don't say that. This meal is an apology. I was wrong about what happened last time." He simply couldn't resist the temptation.
Meng Yuan listened as the topic turned back, and she smiled without speaking.
...
Jiang Nuan didn't sleep soundly that night. Many chaotic people appeared in her dreams. Perhaps it was because she had seen Yan Xi and still harbored hatred for her that she had such dreams.