Xie Jiangsheng offered a gentle and proper smile. "It's nothing much. Didn't I say before that I wanted to treat you to a meal? Do you have time now?"
Shen Yue was taken aback. She hadn't expected Xie Jiangsheng to specifically come to her workplace for such a matter. She had thought that day's casual remark was just that—casual. She hadn't imagined he'd take it so seriously. After all, Xie Jiangsheng clearly looked like a very busy person; why would he have time to waste on her? But now, Shen Yue found herself unable to refuse.
"Yes, I have time." Shen Yue smiled shyly, her full, rosy lips pursing slightly, revealing faint dimples.
Xie Jiangsheng was very tall. Shen Yue barely reached his neck, and from the outside, he nearly obscured her entirely.
"I've already booked a restaurant. Let's get in the car first," Xie Jiangsheng said, his smile flawless.
Xie Jiangsheng had booked a steakhouse, which was very popular. The private rooms and tables were almost all taken. Because Xie Jiangsheng had made prior arrangements, as soon as Shen Yue sat down, a server began to bring out the dishes.
Neither of them was particularly talkative during the meal. They mostly ate their own food, even their chewing sounds were very quiet.
The steakhouse's popularity was not without reason. The medium-rare steak was exceptionally tender, with a satisfying chew and a rich, savory aroma. It was tender and mellow, without any gamey taste, melting softly in the mouth.
The moment Shen Yue took her first bite, she fell deeply in love with it. Without even looking up, she focused intently on her food.
After finishing, as Shen Yue was wiping her mouth, she looked up and met the man's long, narrow eyes. She didn't know how long he had been watching her. Shen Yue pursed her lips, feeling flustered.
Xie Jiangsheng adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. His slender, well-defined, fair hands, with their long, jointed fingers, looked as if they were carved from jade. He drew out the last syllable of his words, his lazy tone laced with a hint of amusement. "The taste is quite good, isn't it?"
Xie Jiangsheng's smile carried a different kind of meaning. He wore his suit impeccably, without a single wrinkle, and his hair was neatly styled. Yet, that half-smile seemed to carry a touch of wickedness. Shen Yue's eyes flickered, and she hesitated to meet his overly intense gaze. Her long, dense eyelashes trembled like tiny fans as she slightly lowered her eyelids.
She answered with utmost sincerity, "Delicious."
A smile tugged at the corner of Xie Jiangsheng's lips. He lowered his voice, "Then I can bring you here often in the future."
His words were direct, suggesting many future opportunities for them to spend time together. His long, deep-set eyes stared at Shen Yue without blinking. Because she kept her eyes lowered, Shen Yue didn't notice the way the man looked at her, like a beast. She assumed his words were merely polite and didn't take them seriously, though she still felt a little uncomfortable with his gentle demeanor and voice.
Her voice was soft. "Thank you, Mr. Xie." Her eyes were like the ethereal white mist of a Jiangnan spring rain, gentle and captivating.
By the time they finished dinner, it was already dark. Xie Jiangsheng naturally drove Shen Yue back to her apartment, and Shen Yue had no way to refuse. Xie Jiangsheng didn't drive directly to the apartment building's entrance but stopped outside and opened the car door to escort Shen Yue back.
They walked in silence, their shadows long and short. Shen Yue kept her head down, having nothing to say. After all, she still harbored a trace of apprehension and fear toward Xia Jinghuai. What Xie Jiangsheng had said that day in the apartment had been too harsh, too vicious. Shen Yue couldn't simply forget it all and pretend nothing had happened. Although Xie Jiangsheng had apologized, a knot remained in her heart. Consequently, Shen Yue often felt awkward and ill at ease in Xie Jiangsheng's presence.
The autumn night was cool. A gentle breeze swept away the day's clamor, and the air was filled with the faint scent of grass. The night sky was studded with stars as dazzling as diamonds, while wisps of gray clouds faintly obscured the moonlight, creating an effect like a veil of light smoke.
The two walked with about half an arm's distance between them. The woman's dark, long hair was simply tied into a low ponytail, with a few stray strands falling onto her forehead. Her gray sweater looked soft, her skin fair and tender, and her lips a vibrant red. The faint moonlight cast a shimmering glow upon her, as if she were enveloped in a layer of soft radiance. The breeze gently stirred the strands of hair on her forehead. She habitually pursed her lips, a sign of her nervousness.
Xie Jiangsheng had been stealing glances at her throughout their walk. The woman had barely spoken, and even when he deliberately tried to initiate conversation, she would reply politely but nothing more. Xie Jiangsheng's gaze darkened. He subtly moved closer. Shen Yue seemed highly sensitive; she instantly felt the narrowing distance between them, her shoulders recoiling slightly as if she wanted to escape, but she forcefully suppressed the urge to behave so impolitely.
Xie Jiangsheng raised an eyebrow and directly closed the gap between them, leaving no space. Their shoulders touched. He could feel her entire body stiffen. The next moment, the woman instinctively tried to pull away, her nervousness almost undisguised. It was as if he were some monstrous beast.
Xie Jiangsheng almost laughed. Previously, the woman had practically clung to him twenty-four hours a day, bombarding him with messages even when they were apart for a short while. She was incredibly clingy, which was precisely why Xie Jiangsheng had grown tired of her. He disliked overly clingy people. But now, the amnesiac woman was tense and uneasy, like tender, delicious prey caught in the gaze of a beast, ready to bolt at any second. Xie Jiangsheng found this version of Shen Yue particularly amusing.
"Why aren't you talking? Is there nothing you want to say to me?" Xie Jiangsheng asked casually. He wore a black suit with a dark tie, impeccably dressed, exuding a mature elegance. He turned his head slightly, revealing his excessively handsome profile. His glasses seemed to reflect the light in the darkness as he looked at the stiff woman opposite him with a half-smile.
Shen Yue didn't know how to answer for a moment. The fingers of her hands, hanging at her sides, fidgeted unnaturally with her sweater. Her long, delicate eyelashes fluttered, and the arc of her bright lips was obediently soft. "No, Mr. Xie is very kind." As she said this, Shen Yue almost bit her tongue.
Xie Jiangsheng let out a soft "Heh," neither confirming nor denying whether he believed her. It wasn't too late yet, and there weren't many people at the apartment entrance. The warm yellow light illuminated the area. Seeing that they were nearing the entrance, Shen Yue felt a surge of relief in the awkward and embarrassing situation.