Xia Nuannuan gave Qin Tian a look of disdain and pursed her lips.
Clearly, she also found the man a bit off-putting.
Qin Tian couldn't help but chuckle. He nudged his chin towards the other table, signaling to continue spectating.
By this time, the man had already ordered his food. After the waitress took his menu, she turned and left, not wanting to linger even for a second.
Later, while waiting for their food to arrive, the two began to chat.
It was mostly the man initiating conversation, with Liu Xuan offering perfunctory responses.
The man happened to be quite talkative and didn't realize Liu Xuan wasn't particularly fond of him. Instead, he felt quite pleased with himself, chattering away non-stop.
In his opinion, the woman opposite him was probably just introverted and quiet.
Furthermore, Liu Xuan's polite pretense of listening greatly satisfied the low-EQ man's desire to express himself, making him even more enthusiastic.
This continued until the waitress brought over a salad ordered by Liu Xuan and a glass of juice ordered by the man.
Feeling a bit parched from talking, the man picked up his juice and took a sip to moisten his throat.
"Miss Liu, I think you're quite wonderful. How do you feel about me?"
"Ah?"
Liu Xuan was momentarily stunned.
"Oh, I'm quite direct. After all, everyone's time is precious, right?"
The man said with a smile.
"Mm!"
Liu Xuan gave a dry laugh and nodded slightly. Under the man's expectant gaze, she struggled to speak, "I think... we should get to know each other better!"
It was clearly a perfunctory remark, but the man completely missed the subtext.
"Yes, and if we get together, Miss Liu, could you transfer to Jiangcheng for work?"
The man's face lit up with a confident smile, and he continued in a tone that suggested he had already won her over:
"I've already bought a house there, and naturally, I plan to settle down there. If you were to work there, we could get to know each other better, right? I'm not a big fan of long-distance relationships."
"Heh!"
Liu Xuan managed an awkward smile and shook her head, "I don't have that plan for now. I think Yucheng is quite good."
"Yes, Yucheng is good, but it's a bit small. I believe with your abilities, Miss Liu, you could definitely develop in Jiangcheng. There are more opportunities and greater room for growth there."
The man gestured outwards with his hands, offering his suggestion.
"Thank you, but I really don't have that idea for now."
Liu Xuan forced a smile onto her face.
"Is that so!"
The man picked up his cup and took another sip of juice, leaning back into the sofa.
He crossed his legs and looked troubled, saying, "Miss Liu, I believe a relationship requires effort from both sides. If you're willing to move to Jiangcheng, you don't even need to work. I'm capable of supporting the family."
Liu Xuan's eyes twitched slightly. She really couldn't sit there any longer.
Where did this weirdo come from!
She really wanted to get up and leave, but remembering her mother's strict warnings before she left, she gritted her teeth and endured, lowering her head to eat her food that tasted like sawdust.
For this blind date, her mother had poured all her heart and soul into it. If she just left, she'd definitely face a stern lecture from her mother.
"Qin Tian, Qin Tian, should we do something?"
Xia Nuannuan looked up at Qin Tian and whispered.
As a fellow woman, she could empathize with Liu Xuan's current feelings.
Since Liu Xuan was a teacher at their school and knew Qin Tian, she felt it was necessary to help her out.
Qin Tian appeared hesitant, looking somewhat conflicted.
It wasn't really appropriate to meddle in such matters!
Besides, Liu Xuan might feel even more awkward if she saw them.
"What do you think?"
Qin Tian deferred the decision back to Xia Nuannuan.
Xia Nuannuan pondered for a moment, then nodded, "I think Teacher Liu seems quite pitiable."
"Aren't you afraid she'll see us..."
Qin Tian only managed half his sentence, giving her a "you know what I mean" look.
Xia Nuannuan's pretty face flushed, and she said seriously, "The school hasn't stipulated that classmates can't go out shopping together, right?"
"Well said!"
Qin Tian smiled and nodded. He glanced at the still "confident" man at the other table and cleared his throat, cupping his hand to his mouth.
Xia Nuannuan's large eyes sparkled with evident anticipation.
"Teacher Liu?"
Qin Tian suddenly called out loudly.
At the dining table, the man's words abruptly stopped, and his gaze fell on Qin Tian with confusion.
Liu Xuan also turned her head.
Upon seeing Qin Tian sitting there, her face immediately showed surprise.
"Qin Tian? What are you doing here?"
"Eating here!"
Qin Tian replied with a smile.
Liu Xuan subconsciously glanced at the person opposite him.
Xia Nuannuan also poked her little head out, turning to look at Liu Xuan and smiling sweetly at her, "Hello, Teacher Liu."
"Hello."
Liu Xuan nodded blankly.
Understanding her current predicament, she felt her face burning, so embarrassed that her toes curled up.
"Your student?"
The man opposite asked in surprise.
"Mm!"
Liu Xuan turned her head and nodded in affirmation.
Although it wasn't her class, they were from the same school, so she was considered his student.
"What a coincidence! I guess Yucheng really is too small."
The man said with a smile.
Hearing this, Liu Xuan had countless retorts she wanted to unleash.
This wasn't the first time the man had said something similar. Yucheng might be small, but it was his hometown, wasn't it?
Did studying and working in Jiangcheng for a few years make him so exceptional?
What about those who studied and worked in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou? Wouldn't they have their noses in the air?
"Teacher Liu, is that your boyfriend?"
Qin Tian asked with a knowing smile.
Liu Xuan turned and glared at him, denying it, "No!"
The man opposite heard this, and his smile stiffened.
Although they weren't together yet, there was no need to deny it so outright, was there?
"Then, Teacher Liu, would you like to join our table?"
Qin Tian invited with a smile.
Liu Xuan was taken aback. Seeing the subtle glance he gave her, she immediately understood.
"No..."
"Mr. Xu."
Just as the man was about to say something, Liu Xuan interrupted him, and he looked at her with confusion.
"Perhaps we could call it a day, sir. I have some things to discuss with my student."
Liu Xuan said with a polite smile.
No matter how low the man's emotional intelligence was, he understood at this point, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
He still had a good impression of Liu Xuan. She was attractive, had a good figure, and was a teacher – very suitable to be taken home as a virtuous wife and good mother.
He had thought he had performed well, and as long as he could persuade Liu Xuan to develop in Jiangcheng, the matter would be settled.
And now, she suddenly refused him?
"Miss Liu, anything you need to discuss with your student can be done at school. Or perhaps we could find another place to continue our conversation?"
The man suggested with a smile.
"No, thank you."
Liu Xuan smiled and called out to a waitress nearby, "Waiter."
"Coming!"
The waitress responded quickly and hurried over, asking, "How can I help you?"
"The bill, please!"
Liu Xuan replied.
"Huh?"
The waitress was momentarily stunned and subconsciously looked at the man opposite.
"Miss Liu, allow me. There's no reason for a lady to pay."
The man said expressionlessly.
While his emotional intelligence was low, he still cared about his reputation.
Liu Xuan glanced at him and then said to the waitress, "Then let's split the bill!"
"Okay!"
The waitress smiled knowingly.