Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 223, Section 221: Investigation and Dating

December is getting closer and closer.

In winter, the city is mostly covered in low-saturation gray and white, much like giant cotton wool floating in the air, pressing heavily on the area around Nanhu Lake.

The air was starting to get a bit chilly, and the roadside trees were bare, their branches glistening and reflecting the sunlight.

“No way.”

Around noon, Li Zhi and Gu Caiwei strolled hand in hand through the campus of Jiangcheng University of Finance and Economics.

Why not?

"Professor Han asked me to come to her place for extra tutoring this afternoon, so it's not easy to sneak away."

Li Zhi tidied her short hair that had been blown about by the wind, bit her lip and hesitated for a few seconds before her eyes darkened and she spoke.

"Never mind, you guys go ahead."

"Anyway, it's a small matter like choosing a location, so it doesn't really matter whether I go or not. You and him can decide."

As they approached the dormitory building of the School of Finance, the short-haired girl raised her chin and said reluctantly.

"."

Gu Caiwei blinked and nodded gently: "That works too."

In terms of work, the Shanghai heiress has always been decisive and efficient.

She had a simple lunch with her best friend, but after learning that her friend was unavailable, the first thing she did when she got back to her dorm was to send a message to Zhou Mingyuan.

[Little Lychee has something to do, how about we... at 2 PM?]

I'll come pick you up.

Don't drive your car in here! Just park across Nanhu Avenue, or at the entrance.

After deciding to go to Optics Valley at 2 o'clock, Gu Caiwei was obviously in a great mood. She raised her arms, tied her long brown hair up high with a headband, and started humming a song while putting on makeup.

Work is work and life is life.

Since my best friend isn't here, what about my makeup today?
Can you apply a little more pressure?
Girls should be refined!
As she pondered, the sounds of bottles and jars echoed repeatedly in the dormitory. Gu Caiwei shook the foundation in her hand, her eyes crinkling into a smile.

Half an hour later, her roommate, who had just returned to the dormitory, quickly noticed something amiss.

"Yo~"

"You look so beautiful today! Vivi, are you going on a date this afternoon?"

Liang Jiaqi yawned and walked in from outside the door, instantly waking up the moment she saw her.

Then he stared intently.

"What kind of date are you going on?"

Gu Caiwei smiled and waved her hand vigorously, continuing to sit upright in front of the makeup mirror, occasionally patting her delicate cheeks.

"Didn't I tell you? The Worry-Relieving Coffee is planning to open a branch. I'm going to Optics Valley with my partner to check out some suitable locations."

"Partner?"

Upon hearing these three words, Liang Jiaqi couldn't help but hook her arm around her roommate's shoulder and beam with joy.

"Is he a business partner or a boyfriend?"

"Why does it seem like every time you dress up seriously, it's for him?"

"No! Don't talk nonsense, I didn't!"

Gu Caiwei blushed immediately.

Women dress up for those they love; this is common sense that even children know.

Halfway through her makeup, Gu Caiwei was reminded by her roommate that she should take a closer look at herself in the mirror.

Yes.

Strictly speaking, we were going to do serious business. Wasn't that going a bit too far?

Today, the little princess is going all out.

The base makeup aims for a flawless finish, and combined with my cool-toned fair skin, it gives off a delicate, porcelain-like texture at first glance.

The eyebrows are carefully shaped into a natural and smooth willow leaf shape, filled with eyebrow powder of the same color, and the tail of the eyebrow is thin and arched upwards.

Her eye makeup was definitely the focus.

Those naturally captivating eyes already held a deep, alluring quality, and today they were further enhanced by the trendy Japanese makeup.

"We live together every day, don't I know you?"

Liang Jiaqi continued to egg them on, teasing them with a drawn-out laugh.

"Our Vivi has such beautiful big eyes, you're usually too lazy to even put on makeup, tsk tsk tsk. This exquisite eye makeup, your partner must be a very important person, right?"

".snort!"

Gu Caiwei's little scheme was fully understood, leaving her with no way to refute it.

The girl simply pouted, turned her head to adjust her gaze, and looked at herself in the mirror again.

The eyeshadow was carefully applied all over the eyelid, adding a layer of gentleness to the deep double eyelids. The eyeliner was a smooth brown-black inner eyeliner, which was only extended slightly upwards at the outer corner of the eye. The eyelashes were brushed to be distinct, curled and long, perfectly amplifying those captivating peach blossom eyes.

indeed.

This was the first time Gu Caiwei had gone out fully made up since her birthday.

The blush is a light coral pink, swept diagonally across the apples of the cheeks to create a youthful and charming look.

Needless to say, her lip color is YSL's classic "man-slaying" shade, square tube No. 52, which is moisturizing and glossy, perfectly complementing her overall sweet style.

Honestly, with the little princess dressed like this, not only would her roommates, who see her every day, find it hard to resist her charm, but anyone who sees her would be unable to take their eyes off her.

This also includes Zhou Mingyuan, who has seen countless people.

He drove to the north gate of the University of Finance and Economics, put the car in Park, and saw Gu Caiwei approaching. He was stunned for a long time when she opened the passenger door.

"what's wrong?"

The brown-haired girl seemed to notice his dazed expression, fastened her seatbelt, stretched out her left hand, waved it in front of the man, and giggled.

"We're here to bargain, why are we dressed up so nicely!"

"Really? I think it's just average."

"Alright, we've come all this way for nothing. You'll find out we can't even get a discount later."

"Huh? Why?"

Gu Caiwei's bright eyes were filled with curiosity.

"Please, your face looks expensive, you look like you're not short of money at all."

Zhou Mingyuan sighed dramatically, stepped on the gas, and headed straight for today's destination.

"You can talk."

Gu Caiwei pursed her lips, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart.

The familiar Optics Valley Square.

That year, Optics Valley was undergoing a rapid transformation from a hub for university students to a sub-center of the city.

The subway line 2 has only been open for two years, and it continuously transports a massive influx of people to the core area.

The World City pedestrian street is taking shape, with major shopping malls such as New World Department Store and Ocean Department Store serving as absolute landmarks, and many street-front shops under construction nearby.

Although it was still daytime, the huge LED billboard was still flashing promotional messages, with advertisements playing on a loop.

Amidst this rough and noisy atmosphere, Gu Caiwei, who walked out of the parking lot, stood out with her small Chanel black and gold chain bag slung across her shoulder.

Today, she wore a high-quality off-white double-faced cashmere coat that reached her knees, with fluffy, soft white fox fur trimmed at the collar and cuffs, making her both warm and elegant.

She wore a purple turtleneck cashmere sweater underneath, the color of which made her skin appear even whiter.

Below that is an A-line mini skirt, which goes down to the knees and creates the illusion of no lower body clothing, revealing slender and long legs.

"Zhou Mingyuan, you still dare to talk back to me!"

The driver had been holed up in the car the whole time.

After getting out of the car and standing next to her, Gu Caiwei noticed Zhou Mingyuan, who was also dressed up carefully.

She was both annoyed and amused, and couldn't help but reach out and tug at the other person's coat, moving closer to him.

"Based on what you just said, it seems you weren't planning on negotiating a proper price, were you?"

"Aren't you yourself also... and look very expensive?"

She swallowed the adjective "very handsome" halfway through her sentence.

In fact, Zhou Mingyuan, who was standing next to her, looked somewhat like a top student male lead who had been pulled out of a British TV series.

He wore a navy blue duffle coat with the front open, revealing a turtleneck cashmere sweater underneath.

Straight-leg jeans, dark brown ankle boots, and a dark gray scarf loosely wrapped around her neck.

Winter is a fashion paradise; for those with good figures, it's easy to create a stylish look no matter what.

Zhou Mingyuan was already tall and straight, and this outfit made him look clean and scholarly.

The two walked side by side for a few hundred meters before they were surrounded and focused by more than a dozen pairs of eyes.

That's right. Even the two people involved noticed that they looked quite well-matched today.

"Where should we start? How about World City?"

"It's all right."

Gu Caiwei tried her best to play the role of a qualified inspector, her eyes sweeping over the dazzling array of shops.

The two wandered aimlessly with the crowd, much like a young couple taking an afternoon stroll.

"There are quite a few coffee shops on this street."

She pointed to a green sign not far away, which was a Korean-style coffee shop with a queue outside.

"There are so many people, it looks quite lively."

"Ah."

Zhou Mingyuan responded, but his gaze did not linger on the competing coffee shop. Instead, it fell on the girl's temples, which were slightly disheveled by the wind.

A carefully curled strand of hair slipped from behind her ear and clung to the fair skin of her neck.

“If we open our store here, the competition will be fierce, right? I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

"Hey! Are you listening?"

Gu Caiwei turned her head and finally noticed her partner's absent-mindedness.

"Wait."

The man instinctively reached out and deftly brushed the strand of hair away from her ear, tucking it behind her ear.

His movements were as swift as a gust of wind, and his expression was completely natural.

"."

Gu Caiwei suddenly felt her mind go blank; the site selection issue she had just discussed seemed to have been completely disrupted and melted away by her surging emotions.

What is he doing?!

Is this person flirting with me?

My fingertips brushed against my earlobe and the skin on the side of my neck, the sensation like sparks flying down to my earlobes.

The girl's peach blossom eyes widened slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering repeatedly.

"My hair is messed up."

Zhou Mingyuan withdrew his hand, put it back in his pocket, and spoke casually.

"Ah huh."

Gu Caiwei quickly lowered her head, hastily raised her hand to tidy her hair, and her fingertips touched the spot he had just touched, causing the temperature to rise sharply.

"It's not easy being a pretty girl; the audience expects you to be exquisite down to the last strand of your hair."

"Thank you, audience members."

"You're welcome~"

As Zhou Mingyuan laughed heartily, all thoughts of coffee shops, site visits, and location selection seemed to vanish into thin air.

Gu Caiwei's mind was filled only with the warmth of his fingertips and his pleasant scent.

"This way, this way!"

"Take a look at this one."

With a measured approach, Zhou Mingyuan turned a corner and pointed to a stylish-looking independent coffee shop on the street corner.

"This one is clearly a competitor!"

Gu Caiwei tiptoed and whispered in Zhou Mingyuan's ear, her tone carrying a hint of coquetry that she herself was unaware of.

Petty bourgeois, extremely petty bourgeois.

This coffee shop is called Time Corner.

Pushing open the heavy glass door, a warm breeze carrying the rich aroma of coffee wafts in, shutting out the cold and noise from outside.

The store is not large; at first glance, it is about the same size as the Jieyou Cafe in Beiyuan.

The decor, however, is retro industrial style, with dark wood tables and chairs, warm yellow pendant lights, and old photos and abstract paintings hanging on the walls.

Soft jazz music flowed through the air.

In the afternoon, there weren't many people; only a couple was talking quietly in a corner, and a few customers in twos and threes.

Gu Caiwei stretched comfortably, took off her coat and draped it over her arm, revealing her undershirt, which made her waist look even slimmer and her curves more exquisite.

The two found a seat by the window and sat down.

A soft sofa seat, with only a small round table in the middle.

"Come sit here, why are you sitting across from me!"

Gu Caiwei had just sat down when Zhou Mingyuan beckoned her back over.

"Shh, we're here to investigate, so let's keep quiet."

Face to face turned into shoulder to shoulder.

The distance suddenly closed, and Gu Caiwei could even clearly see the man's high nose bridge and clean jawline.

She felt inexplicably thirsty.

"What do you two want to drink?"

The waiter came over.

"A cappuccino and an iced latte."

Gu Caiwei immediately said, her voice tinged with excitement.

As the boss, he naturally knew his partner's preferences, so Zhou Mingyuan didn't need to say anything.

"I don't even need to say anything, huh?"

Looking at her bright, sparkling eyes, Zhou Mingyuan smiled and whispered in her ear.

"After all this time, everyone needs to develop some understanding."

The waiter left, leaving only the two of them on the small sofa.

The noise outside the window became a blurred background sound, while the jazz music and the grinding of the coffee machine flowed softly inside.

The ambiguity that had been diluted by the cold wind outside has now returned in this warm and private little world.

Gu Caiwei held the coffee the waiter had just brought her in both hands to warm them, her long, pink manicured nails adding to her look.

She lowered her head slightly, her long, curled eyelashes like small fans, casting a faint shadow on her eyelids.

Seriously.

Gu Caiwei finally found a topic to talk about, raised her head, and controlled her voice so that her boss wouldn't hear it.

"Ok?"

Zhou Mingyuan responded, but his gaze never left her face.

"I feel that this store's style is a bit similar to the Relief Cafe."

"Where does it look like?"

"The decor is quite chic, and to be honest, the smell is alright too."

There are ways to communicate in close proximity.

To others, Zhou Mingyuan and Gu Caiwei at this moment would undoubtedly appear as a pair of whispering lovers.

They would cuddle together after just a few words, always keeping their voices private so they wouldn't leak to other tables; they were incredibly affectionate.

"It's just a bit pricey."

The fragrance fills your nostrils.

Gu Caiwei leaned almost half her body on Zhou Mingyuan's shoulder, her soft, sweet voice ringing in her ear.

"Do you think we should raise our prices a little after we open a shop here?"

"After all, the costs are there."

"Of course not."

Zhou Mingyuan put down his coffee cup, leaned forward slightly, and moved closer to her.

He paused, then casually put his arm around the girl's shoulder, his voice seeming to have gained a strange magnetism.

"Everyone knows that labor costs are high here, so the average transaction value in coffee shops is high; that's a consensus."

"To stand out in the competition, you must first do things against the consensus."

"."

Gu Caiwei blinked but didn't reply.

She was waiting for Zhou Mingyuan's follow-up.

“We will definitely not just open this one branch; we need to broaden our horizons.”

(End of this chapter)