Waiting, I lit a cigarette. Before I'd taken more than a few puffs, Pei Xianglong quickly approached me.

"What's the matter?"

"Why isn't Pei Shiyu coming out?"

We asked in unison. Then Pei Xianglong curiously said, "What's wrong with Shiyu?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I said a bit resentfully.

"Obvious what? I invited Pei Shiyu to dinner today, and I specifically chose this place."

I didn't know if Pei Xianglong was deliberately playing dumb or choosing to side with me. I opened my mouth, then simply closed it. I felt that Pei Shiyu was being a bit disrespectful now. Since I asked her to come out, she should at least explain things to me. Before, I was understanding, but now she's bringing another man here for dinner. It's clearly showing off her charm, especially since I'm still in the dark.

Seeing that I wasn't speaking, Pei Xianglong suddenly said sternly, "Are you even acting like a man?"

"Why not! If I wasn't man enough, I would have already scolded Pei Shiyu. What does she mean by this? If she doesn't want to be with me, she should at least tell me to my face. Instead, she brings him here openly. Where am I supposed to put my face?"

"Then ask her to her face!" Pei Xianglong shouted.

"I was going to have her come out, but did she send you to tell me this?"

"I don't know anything. He's a new investor, and part of today is about work."

"Li Zong told me that he's her ex-boyfriend, and now he wants to get back together with Pei Shiyu."

"Get back together? Is Shiyu married to him? You act like a turtle just because of one sentence from him."

"Then call her out. I want to understand too. Don't insult me like this. She's dating me, but now it's like I'm the third party."

"You're a blockhead."

Pei Xianglong left that sentence and walked inside, without saying whether he would ask Pei Shiyu to come out or not. After waiting for a while, I finally saw Pei Shiyu come out.

It was early spring, and although the weather was still quite cold, she wasn't wearing much today. A hip-length white suit showed off her professional female style. It had been several days since we last spoke. When she actually stood in front of me, I suddenly felt how estranged we had become. Before I even figured things out, I didn't know how to question her.

"Speak," Pei Shiyu said first.

"I have nothing to say..."

As soon as I opened my mouth, Pei Shiyu wanted to go back inside with a dark face. I shouted at her back loudly, and my tone was extremely bad: "I have nothing to say, but don't you owe me an explanation!"

"Explain what?" Pei Shiyu turned around and asked me.

I pointed at the seats inside and said, "Is he your ex-boyfriend? Even if you want to get back together, there should be a proper order, right? We're just dating, and you do have the right to choose, but your actions are very disrespectful to me."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Pei Shiyu frowned before speaking.

"I'm not talking nonsense. He wants to pursue you again, right? May I ask if I have the right to know about this?"

"What did you say on the phone that day?"

Remembering my attitude that night, I got angry…

"Were you with him that night?"

"Does that matter?"

"Of course, it does! You treated me that way because you were with him."

"Then what was your attitude? I told you to call me again the next day, but didn't you call yourself 'this daddy' and say you were busy? So, what's there to explain?"

"You should have told me as soon as he showed up," I retorted without backing down.

"I'm not married yet. Even if I were married, I have the right to handle my own feelings."

This time, it was clearly Pei Shiyu's fault, but her answer didn't seem like an explanation. It was as if I was the one in the wrong!

After a lot of arguing, I knew that I couldn't win against her in a debate. I was also confused and couldn't find the main point, and I didn't get the answer I wanted.

I asked her in exasperation, "Just tell me straight, are we over?"

Pei Shiyu didn't answer. This time, she walked inside very decisively.

I lit another cigarette, my eyes glancing inside from time to time. But I noticed that they weren't affected by me at all and were still chatting happily.

After finishing a cigarette, I found that Pei Shiyu was even more infuriating than before we were together, and I could only be angry with myself. I wanted to rush in and reason with her, but I was afraid that doing so would backfire because she was Pei Shiyu, and she didn't like a rambling personality.

I stood outside for another five minutes or so, trying to adjust my mentality. It was impossible to come to terms with it, but I was secretly telling myself not to be impulsive.

But when I went inside, I saw my mom talking to Pei Xianglong. I watched their actions from afar, and I saw that Pei Xianglong was very polite. Although I couldn't hear what they were saying, judging from their expressions, they were not only chatting politely but also very happily.

My brain overheated, and I immediately walked over, deliberately shouting loudly, "Dad."

Pei Xianglong looked up at me and immediately understood what I meant. He revealed an appreciative look in his eyes. "Hmm, you're acting a bit more like a man now. Sit down and eat together."

I looked at Pei Shiyu. She was also looking at me, as if pondering my sudden change in attitude. Although I didn't like this kind of deliberate behavior to gain the upper hand, it seemed like I did the right thing because her eyes were filled with a smile at this time. If I judged it this way, then Shen Yi must have talked to Li Zong about this, but Pei Shiyu didn't know, or rather, she didn't agree. If I thought about it this way, things seemed to make sense.

After figuring it out, I simply sat down next to Pei Xianglong and gently pushed my mom's body, saying, "You go ahead and get busy. Bring out the best dishes."

"Don't you want to help?" my mom asked softly.

"I need to entertain the guests."

"Alright, then enjoy your meal."

After my mom left, the atmosphere was actually quite awkward. I looked at the man in front of me again. He was the opposite of his confident self from before, and he was also curious about me. He exuded a sense of unwillingness.

I got up and poured a cup of tea for each of them. Everyone can learn to be elegant. Even if you don't have it in your bones, you can always pretend, right? If I drove him away, Pei Shiyu and I could return to our previous peace and quiet. That was my current thought.

"How's your learning going?" Pei Xianglong began to ask about my work.

"I'm entering management mode. I'm going to Nanjing in a few days and may be staying there for a while."

"What are you going to Nanjing for?"

"Chain stores."

Perhaps it was because I was in front of this man, but I found myself suddenly becoming high-profile, as if I was afraid that others wouldn't know that I had many restaurants, and this feeling was quite good.