After ordering, the waiter first served some appetizer fruits, all of which ended up with Shen Yue.
The restaurant served food very quickly, and soon the steaming dishes were brought out.
The restaurant was on the top floor of the mall. The afterglow of the sunset shone through the glass, casting a patch of crimson onto the floor. The air conditioning dispelled the heat.
The restaurant's seasoning was quite strong. Even though they had ordered mild spice, a lot of chili was added. The flavor was still very good, so even though Shen Yue's eyes were watering from the spice, she still couldn't bear to put down her chopsticks.
Thus, a strange scene unfolded in the restaurant: the girl ate while her eyes were red and teary, while the tall man beside her had an ashen yet handsome face. However, contrary to his expression, he was holding a tissue and carefully wiping away Shen Yue's tears with unexpected gentleness.
This scene was witnessed by Xia Qiong, who was dining with her best friend. Upon seeing this, her initial reaction was disbelief, followed by a complex gaze.
Her best friend, who was holding her arm, had a strange expression. She lowered her voice and said sharply, "Isn't that Sang Fan? Who is the person next to him? Doesn't he like you?"
These three questions made Xia Qiong feel a little uncomfortable. She maintained a calm facade and replied, "I don't know. Who he likes is his freedom, it has nothing to do with me."
Despite her words, her eyes never shifted from the scene.
Her friend complained, "I knew this Sang person was unreliable. He hasn't even been pursuing you for long, and he's already found a new love. He's so fickle."
Xia Qiong didn't respond, as if silently agreeing with her friend's assessment.
Her friend's eyes darted around, and she exclaimed, "A'Qiong, look, that girl looks a bit like you!"
Looking closely, it was true that there was some resemblance. However, the girl appeared more delicate and pale than Xia Qiong, with more beautiful and clear eyes and brows.
This made Xia Qiong frown. Inwardly, she felt a mix of secret pleasure and disdain.
What use is it to be pretty? She's still just a substitute.
Her friend pulled Xia Qiong along, saying, "Let's go, let's go over and say hello."
Xia Qiong feigned a few half-hearted refusals, pretending to be dragged along unwillingly. They walked to Sang Fan's table, but he hadn't noticed them yet. It was Shen Yue who looked over first.
Looking at the two unfamiliar people before her, Shen Yue blinked her slightly reddened eyelids in confusion.
Seeing Sang Fan still focused on peeling shrimp, her friend deliberately cleared her throat and said, "Sang Fan, what a coincidence."
Only then did Sang Fan look up. He casually placed the perfectly peeled shrimp meat onto a small plate. He had already peeled several, arranging them neatly, and naturally offered all his efforts to Shen Yue.
Shen Yue seemed accustomed to being served. She smiled at the man and said, "Thank you," before looking down to eat the shrimp.
Sang Fan took off his disposable gloves. His eyes remained cold, but compared to before, there was something more, and something less.
His dark, ink-like eyes lingered on Xia Qiong for a few seconds, making her very uncomfortable. Unable to bear the intensely oppressive gaze, her face quietly flushed. She heard Sang Fan say concisely, "Is there something?"
In fact, people in their circle all said Sang Fan liked Xia Qiong, but Xia Qiong herself had never felt it. Yet, Sang Fan did treat her differently, and this difference was amplified by everyone, leading her to believe that Sang Fan liked her.
Sang Fan was excellent in every aspect. His presence was too strong to be ignored. Such a radiant person liking her undeniably boosted her vanity.
Her heart yearned for the mature and steady type like Jiang Bainian, but Jiang Bainian's indifferent attitude, no matter how she signaled, made him act like a blind person pretending not to see, which frustrated her.
She was afraid of Sang Fan, yet also expectant.
Xia Qiong suppressed all her emotions and displayed a cool and aloof expression. "Nothing, I just thought it was a coincidence. This is my first time at this restaurant; do you have any signature recommendations?"
This was almost the first time she had actively spoken to Sang Fan. Perhaps the girl beside him had given her a sense of crisis.
Sang Fan's gaze involuntarily fell on the girl who was obliviously minimizing her presence and eating shrimp. His temple twitched, and he suppressed his annoyance, saying, "The shrimp here is good."
"I..."
He frowned and held Shen Yue's hand as she reached for a bowl, "Drink this later, it's still very hot."
The girl obediently nodded.
Xia Qiong, whose words were abruptly interrupted, looked somewhat displeased and stood there stunned.
Sang Fan frowned again and asked, "Is there anything else?"
Xia Qiong felt she couldn't endure being snubbed like this. With a stiff face, she said, "No," and turned to leave.
Her friend initially wanted to speak up for Xia Qiong, but the moment she saw Sang Fan's fierce expression, she felt a chill down her spine and quickly followed Xia Qiong.
Sang Fan lowered his head and continued eating, his expression unchanged.
Shen Yue secretly looked up several times, her unspoken thoughts almost written on her face. As she was about to sneak another glance, she suddenly met the man's dark eyes.
Shen Yue showed no panic at being caught. Instead, she offered a faint smile, her eyes clear and bright, and her voice soft and tender, "Is that the person you like?"
She knew Sang Fan had someone he liked. From the moment the girl had approached, Shen Yue had keenly sensed that Sang Fan was behaving a little unusually. Moreover, from their conversation, she could piece together a general idea.
He liked her, but hadn't won her over yet.
The girl was a bit difficult to pursue. If Sang Fan wanted to win her over with his current attitude, it would likely be impossible. His tone was blunt and cold; any child would be scared to tears, let alone a delicate young girl.
This way of liking someone was wrong.
If it were a stranger, Shen Yue wouldn't say anything. But she had already categorized Sang Fan as a good friend, and naturally considered things from his perspective.
Sang Fan's jawline tightened, his gaze fixed on the girl.
For some reason, the dark fire in his heart burned stronger.
He gritted his teeth, desperately suppressing a fleeting surge of impulse.
Sang Fan's silence was interpreted as tacit consent by Shen Yue.
"Sang Fan," Shen Yue put down her chopsticks and offered her advice, "If you really like the person from just now, then you need to improve your attitude."
Sang Fan slightly lowered his eyelids, his expression fluctuating, making it impossible for anyone to discern his thoughts. After a pause, his voice raspy, he asked, "What do you mean?"
Shen Yue's senses became somewhat dulled at that moment, just like now. She failed to notice Sang Fan's abnormality, mistaking it for genuine incomprehension, and earnestly explained.