Su He wasn't sure if it was premeditated or not.
However, there was one thing she never quite understood. Why were Lu Yanbei's feelings for her so intense? It was as if they had known each other before.
Before she could ponder further, Su Chen's call came through, informing her that he was off work and asking where they should meet for dinner.
Su He glanced at her phone, surprised to realize three hours had already flown by.
"I need to go see Su Chen. Do you want to come along?" Su He stood up to leave, asking casually.
"Is Big Brother treating?" Su Lin inquired.
"Do you think I would?" Su He found his question rather idiotic.
"Yes! We absolutely must go!" Su Lin had grown tired of takeout these past few days, so he abandoned his reclusive ways and decided to tag along with Su He for a free meal.
"Take my car," Su Lin urged. He had had his license for a long time but rarely drove. Today, the luxury car parked in the garage would finally see the light of day.
The siblings took the elevator down to the underground parking lot.
Fans who had been staking out the entrance of the residential compound were discussing ways to sneak in when they saw a red sports car emerge from the premises. The loud roar of its engine was quite attention-grabbing.
"Hey, that license plate looks familiar. Isn't that Su Lin's car?" one sharp-eyed fan spotted something and then shouted out.
"Su Lin does have a red sports car. I remember seeing it at a concert last year."
"Let's go, let's follow them!"
A few fans conferred and then drove off in pursuit.
Su Lin played some soothing music, unaware that he was being followed.
The restaurant Su Chen had booked was a well-regarded Western establishment that required reservations. When Su Lin drove over, Su Chen had already been waiting for a while.
Su Chen seemed quite surprised to see Su Lin had also come.
"When did a big star like you become so free?" Su Chen called the waiter over and asked for an extra set of cutlery.
Su Lin removed his mask and, with a grin, took a seat beside them. "It just happens that I'm on vacation."
Su Chen glanced at him but said no more.
He handed the menu to Su He. "See if there's anything you'd like to eat."
"Big Brother, you're so biased!" Su Lin couldn't help but complain.
"You need to watch your figure, so a vegetable salad is fine for you," Su Chen retorted without hesitation.
Su Lin choked back a retort and grumbled, "I'm on vacation, I don't have to diet!"
Su Lin wouldn't deny himself. When he wasn't working, he ate as he pleased. During scheduled appearances, he would double his exercise routine and could get back into shape in two or three days.
By this time, Su He had already ordered. "Don't worry, I've ordered for you!"
Su Lin's tastes were similar to hers, so she could order for him.
"My sister is the one who cares about me!" Su Lin glared at Su Chen.
Su Chen ignored Su Lin's childish behavior and turned back to talk to Su He. "Didn't you say you had a gift for me?"
Su He let out a soft "Ah," finally remembering.
She took a matryoshka doll out of her bag and pushed it towards Su Chen.
Su Chen's mouth twitched involuntarily. "You're giving me this?"
Su He, embarrassed to admit that Lu Yanbei had beaten her to the punch with his gift, said through gritted teeth, "Don't you think this chubby doll is very cute?"
"When you're tired from work, looking at it will surely lift your mood," Su He fabricated.
Su Chen rubbed his temples.
This thing hardly matched his office decor!
However, because it was from Su He, he accepted it with a smile.
Seeing Su He's gift to Su Chen, Su Lin couldn't help but chuckle. "Sis, that's a really unique gift!"
For a domineering CEO to have a matryoshka doll on his desk, it just didn't fit his demeanor.
He found the thought quite amusing.
When the food arrived, the waiter couldn't help but steal a few glances at Su Lin.
As a popular celebrity, he was recognized everywhere.
Su Lin pulled the brim of his hat down lower and buried his head in his food.
After the waiter left the private room, he excitedly pulled a colleague aside. "Su Lin is eating at our restaurant!"
"Which Su Lin?" the colleague asked, utterly bewildered.
"You don't even know Su Lin?" the waiter exclaimed. Then, he began to elaborate. "The phone you just bought, he's endorsing it!"
Hearing this, the colleague finally recalled something. "Are you sure you saw him clearly?"
"I'm his biggest fan, how could I not recognize him! Besides, he deliberately pulled his hat down low just now, probably afraid of being recognized." The waiter's hands trembled with excitement. "Do you think he'll give me an autograph later?"
"You'd better not. Doing that might cause trouble for your idol," the colleague advised kindly.
"But this is a rare opportunity, encountering him like this," the waiter said, somewhat unwillingly.
"Is he alone? Did he bring an assistant? If it's a private trip, it's best not to disturb him."
"He probably didn't bring an assistant, right? There was a man and a woman in the room. The man looked quite wealthy, and the woman was delicate-looking. The three of them were chatting and laughing, they seemed like friends..."
"Then it's even more inappropriate to ask for an autograph."
"I'll wait until they finish eating. That shouldn't be considered disturbing, right?"
Meanwhile, Su Lin's fans had also followed him to the mall.
However, they were unsure exactly where Su Lin had gone. After finding Su Lin's red sports car, they continued to stake out the underground parking lot.
After dinner, Su Chen offered to drive Su He home, but Su Lin beat him to it.
"I'll drive. You'll have plenty of opportunities to see each other. I'll be flying to G City to shoot commercials in a couple of days. Let me take this chance to bond with my sister."
Su Chen's thin lips pressed together, finding the young man truly irritating.
Su He, on the other hand, was indifferent. What difference did it make whose car she took? However, she remembered Su Chen's phone ringing several times during dinner, suggesting he had urgent work matters. Thus, she decisively chose Su Lin.
"Big Brother, if you're busy, go ahead. Let A Lin drive me," Su He said considerately.
Su Chen: ......
"Be careful on the road," Su Chen said after a moment of thought.
"Don't worry, I'll get my sister home safely," Su Lin waved at him.
Unfortunately, his words were proven false not long after.
As he and Su He walked to the underground parking lot, chatting and laughing, they were cornered by the waiting fans. Seeing Su Lin proactively open the car door for a young woman and then help her fasten her seatbelt, those female fans were on the verge of exploding.
"Who is that woman? Why does she get to sit in our oppa's passenger seat!"
"They seem very close. Could she be a sister-in-law?"
"Absolutely not! He's still so young, he should focus on his career!"
"She must be his assistant."
"Have you ever seen him open a car door for his assistant?"
"She's not even that attractive, and her figure is just average... What does our oppa see in her?"
The female fans, unable to contain their anger, raised their cameras and started taking pictures of the two, intending to study them later and find out the identity of the woman who was hogging their oppa!
They would never allow this woman to ruin their oppa's career!