Unaware of this, Su He was shopping with Lu Yanbei holding her hand.
Honestly, ever since he confessed his intentions to pursue her last night, her mind had malfunctioned and had yet to reboot successfully.
The next day was Christmas. She was dug out of her warm covers early in the morning by a certain someone who insisted on taking her out on a date.
He was serious about this!
The three essentials of a date: eating, shopping, and watching a movie!
He planned to start with shopping.
In honor of the occasion, the shops were decorated with Christmas trees, fairy lights, and Santa hats everywhere, creating a festive atmosphere.
Lu Yanbei's fingers were long and slender, and when he held her hand, his entire hand could envelop hers.
His hand was not as soft as hers; there was a thin layer of calluses on his fingertips. Holding her palm, his grip was warm and strong, giving her an inexplicable sense of security.
"Haven't you seen enough?" Lu Yanbei asked playfully, noticing her gaze.
Su He shifted her gaze away with a hint of embarrassment and pretended to be calm, "Where are we going?"
"Is there anything you want to buy?" Lu Yanbei inquired.
Su He shook her head.
She had recently gone on a shopping spree with Jiang Xiaoxiao and had bought everything she needed; she wasn't lacking anything.
"Then let's just browse for now." Lu Yanbei continued to lead her forward, holding her hand.
Because of Lu Yanbei's outstanding height and looks, people around them kept glancing at them. Fearing recognition, Su He quickly pulled Lu Yanbei into a pharmacy.
When they emerged, both of them were wearing disposable masks.
Surely, no one would recognize them now, Su He thought, touching the earloops of her mask.
Lu Yanbei was somewhat displeased.
Was he that much of a spectacle that she had to hide him so thoroughly!
However, considering Su He's social anxiety and discomfort with being the center of attention, Lu Yanbei had no choice but to go along with her.
The two ambled aimlessly through the streets. People occasionally handed them flyers or invited them to participate in events to win prizes, all of which Su He politely declined.
After browsing for a long time, Su He's palms started to sweat.
"It's so hot, let go of my hand." Su He tugged at his sleeve.
Lu Yanbei refused and extended his other hand. "Let's switch hands."
Su He: ...
What was wrong with him today? He seemed like a completely different person!
Was this still the domineering CEO she knew?
Su He rubbed her nose. "I'm thirsty. I'm going to buy a cup of milk tea. Do you want one?"
He would probably refuse something as unhealthy as milk tea, she thought.
Lu Yanbei's response was unexpected. "What do you want? Milk foam or grapefruit tea?"
Su He blinked.
How did he know her preferences?
"It seems I guessed correctly," Lu Yanbei said, his lips curving into a good-natured smile.
With that, he led her to the nearby milk tea shop to join the queue.
Wearing masks and fashionable attire, the two of them looked ageless. Standing amongst the students, they fit in perfectly.
"Hey, hey, hey, that guy over there with the mask is so handsome!"
"Look at that height, that fashion sense. Could he be an idol?"
The girls excitedly discussed as they spotted the duo. Some even took out their phones to secretly take pictures, planning to save them as wallpapers.
Sensing something amiss, Su He was about to pull Lu Yanbei away.
"Don't you want milk tea?" Lu Yanbei lowered his head, his gaze exceptionally gentle.
"We can just order takeout when we get home, it's the same." Su He linked her arm through his and pulled him towards a less crowded area.
Lu Yanbei, with a sigh of helplessness, discreetly messaged his bodyguards to queue up and buy the drinks.
After tiring themselves out from shopping, Lu Yanbei arranged for a movie for Su He.
Su He scanned the latest releases, but none of them interested her.
However, she didn't want to refuse the magnate's kindness, so she braced herself and chose a sci-fi film.
Lu Yanbei took out his phone to buy tickets, but then he switched to a youth-oriented film.
Since it was the weekend, the cinema was quite crowded.
When Su He and Lu Yanbei entered, most of the seats were already occupied.
Following the seat numbers on their tickets, they found seats in the front row. As soon as they sat down, the screening room darkened.
The movie began.
Upon hearing the familiar melody, Su He paused in surprise.
She quietly looked at Lu Yanbei beside her, seemingly seeking an explanation.
Lu Yanbei leaned in and whispered in her ear, "That movie didn't have suitable showtimes, so I just bought tickets for the nearest available slot."
This answer was plausible.
Su He didn't press the issue further, looked straight ahead, and began to watch the movie attentively.
Unfortunately, this kind of film couldn't hold her interest. In less than fifteen minutes, her consciousness began to blur, her head started to nod, and sleepiness took over.
Lu Yanbei couldn't help but find it amusing.
She was just like before, always falling asleep during movies.
Lu Yanbei curved his lips, gently cupped her head with his hand, and leaned his body closer, allowing her to rest more comfortably.
He maintained this posture until the end of the movie.
Su He slowly woke up after everyone else had left the screening room.
"It's over?" Su He blinked her hazy eyes, looking around.
Lu Yanbei hummed in response, his expression unchanged, revealing no hint of emotion.
Su He felt a pang of guilt.
It was supposed to be a romantic date, but she had succumbed to sleep.
To salvage some of her image, she cleared her throat and asked awkwardly, "I saw some promotional clips of this movie. The interaction between the male and female leads was quite sweet. The ending should be a happy one, right?"
Lu Yanbei let out a soft sigh. "The female lead died. From beginning to end, it was all the male lead's memories and fantasies."
"Ah... is that so..." Su He couldn't manage a smile.
Why had she felt the need to add to the conversation?
If she had just stayed quiet, none of this would have happened.
Su He suddenly owned a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment.
It was dug out with her toes just now.
Due to a phone call, Lu Yanbei had to rush back to the company. Before leaving, he made plans with Su He to have dinner together that evening.
Su He waved goodbye. "Okay, I'll wait for your call."
After Lu Yanbei left, Su He felt a significant sense of relief.
Ah, dating a magnate was truly stressful!
Meanwhile, Su Chen, who had been working overtime for several nights, returned to City B. As soon as his plane landed, he immediately called Su He.
"Little girl, big brother is back."
Su He stared at her phone for several seconds, as if confirming something, before exclaiming, "Where are you?"
"The airport." Su Chen settled into the back seat of the car, his long legs stretching out. "Are you free tonight? Treat big brother to a welcome home meal!"
Without a second thought, Su He agreed. "Okay, okay. Shall we go to the same place as last time? Their crab roe soup is the most authentic. I haven't had it in ages!"
"Alright, whatever you say." Su Chen looked out at the night sky, his tone doting, his eyes softening unconsciously.
"Then I'll go book a table now." Su He said with a smile, her eyes crinkling.
After Su Chen hung up, his expression suddenly turned stern.
He had been busy with work recently and hadn't touched his personal phone, thus missing the news of Su He's impending marriage. If he had known earlier, he would never have waited until now to return!
Lu Yanbei! I won't let Su Su marry you!