He stole his best friend's photos and fell for a tycoon's heir through online dating.

As soon as he finished speaking, he bent down, leaned his upper body into the car, supported himself on the back of her seat with one arm, and reached his other hand over her body, his slender fingers touching the seat belt buckle.

The distance was instantly shortened.

The scent of cedar and cold air wafted into Xia Ruo's nostrils again, stronger and more intense than before in the tea room, carrying the warmth of his body.

She could see the lines on his shirt collar, the sharp lines outlined by the streetlights on his profile, and even feel the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

Xia Ruo froze, forgetting even to breathe.

pat-

The seatbelt snapped open.

Zhou Siyan straightened up, opened the car door, and looked indifferent, as if nothing had happened.

"It's just that the clothes are stuck," he glanced at her, "What's the panic?"

Xia Ruo looked down and saw that the fabric of her coat hem had somehow gotten caught in the seatbelt buckle, blocking the button.

She was so focused on pressing the buttons that she didn't notice anything amiss.

"...Thank you, Mr. Huo," she said softly, her voice muffled, her ears burning red.

Zhou Siyan looked at her embarrassed yet obedient appearance and his thin lips curled slightly.

Without saying anything more, he turned and walked towards the restaurant entrance.

After taking a couple of steps, he stopped when he realized there were no footsteps behind him and turned to look at her.

"Keep up."

Xia Ruo hurriedly responded and jogged a few steps to catch up with him.

The voice wasn't loud, but the aura it exuded made Xia Ruo reflexively take a step forward.

She hurriedly responded and jogged a few steps to catch up with him.

The restaurant is a high-end Cantonese restaurant, hidden on the top floor of an inconspicuous office building in the CBD.

The storefront is unassuming, with no large signboard, only a gold-plated shop name embedded in the dark gray stone wall.

But the well-tailored uniforms worn by the parking attendants at the entrance silently spoke volumes about the class of this place.

The manager, who was in his forties and had a composed demeanor, came out to greet us personally.

When he saw Zhou Siyan, he nodded slightly and said "Sir, this way please" in a humble but not arrogant manner, and then led the way without any further pleasantries.

The elevator is private and goes directly to the top floor.

As soon as the door opened, a corridor covered with a dark carpet came into view, with several ink paintings hanging on the walls on both sides. The lighting was dim and warm, and a faint sandalwood scent wafted in the air.

The door to the VIP lounge was pushed open, revealing a small but tastefully furnished private room.

The manager gently placed the two order tablets on the table, nodded, said "Enjoy your meal," and then left.

Zhou Siyan unbuttoned his suit jacket with one hand, took off his coat, and casually draped it over the back of the sofa next to him.

"Make yourself at home," he said casually, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"Order whatever you want."

Xia Ruo sat down opposite him and looked down at the tablet.

But when she scanned the price section...

His pupils dilated instantly.

My God. Is this a meal or a money grab?

The price of one cold dish is enough for her to eat in the cafeteria for three days, and the price of a main dish is enough for her to pay for a month's water and electricity bills.

She turned two more pages, and the more she turned, the more alarmed she became.

"Mr. Huo," she looked up, her smile a little stiff, "you should order, I don't know much about these things."

In layman's terms: She wouldn't order something so expensive; if she ordered something that didn't suit this unpredictable CEO's taste, she'd be in trouble. It's better to pass the buck to him; she'll eat whatever he orders.

Zhou Siyan glanced at her, and a very slight smile curved his lips.

He didn't say anything, picked up the tablet in front of him, and slowly tapped the screen with his slender fingers.

Two servings of braised abalone with oyster sauce. Two servings of braised fish maw and shark fin. One basket of truffle and mushroom dumplings. Two crispy stuffed crab claws with assorted fillings. One serving of lobster balls in broth. One small bowl of clear beef brisket soup. Two servings of mango pomelo sago.

With each tap he made on the tablet, Xia Ruo's heart trembled.

It's not because these dishes are expensive—although they are indeed ridiculously expensive.

It's because every single one of them is a flavor she usually loves to eat.

She likes abalone. She likes fish maw. She likes truffle and mushroom dumplings. She likes crab claws. She likes lobster. Even mango pomelo sago is a dessert she always orders when she goes to a Hong Kong-style restaurant.

Xia Ruo's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Is it a coincidence?

I only told Zhou Siyan about my preferences online, how did he know?

She stared blankly at Huo Sinian in front of her.

A few seconds later, he chuckled softly—how could that be? These two people are completely different in both their way of speaking and their personalities. He must have gone crazy from working overtime...

It must be a coincidence. These are the signature dishes of Cantonese restaurants anyway, so it doesn't really matter who orders them.

Xia Ruo found a reasonable explanation for herself in her heart and suppressed that subtle doubt.

"What would you like to drink?" Zhou Siyan asked, looking up at her.

"Huh?" Xia Ruo hadn't fully recovered yet, her eyes still a little dazed. "Anything... is fine."

"Nothing is casual." His tone left no room for negotiation, but the last syllable rose slightly, carrying a hint of barely perceptible gentleness.

Such a strong presence... it definitely can't be Zhou Siyan!

She composed herself and said, "...Chrysanthemum tea, please."

Zhou Siyan nodded, pressed the tablet twice more, and then pushed it aside.

-

After ordering, the two of them just stared at each other, and Xia Ruo felt a little awkward, racking her brains to think of a topic to talk about.

"Mr. Huo," Xia Ruo carefully chose her words before speaking.

"Regarding tonight's plan, do you think there's anything that needs to be changed?"

"Don't talk about work over meals."

Zhou Siyan leaned back in his chair, his long legs casually crossed under the table, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Xia Ruo said "Oh" and obediently shut up.

Never mind, I'm just here to freeload off you. If you're not embarrassed, why should I be?

She picked up the teacup in front of her, took a sip, and secretly glanced at the man across from her who was looking down at his phone.

That jerk, he won't let me look at my phone, he looks at it himself.

Why are you looking at me?

Caught red-handed, Xia Ruo guiltily shifted her gaze to the window: "I...I didn't look."

Zhou Siyan's lips curved slightly, but he didn't expose her.

Xia Ruo looked down guiltily at the white porcelain teacup in front of her. The tea was clear and bright, and a few chrysanthemums were unfurled at the bottom of the cup, with full petals and complete flower shapes.

You can't even find this quality in a flower tea shop.

A moment later, there was a soft knock on the door.

The waiters filed in, each carrying a dish, their movements gentle and orderly.

One by one, white porcelain plates were brought to the table, and the aroma of the food instantly filled the air.

Looking at the table full of exquisite dishes, Xia Ruo suddenly felt that enduring any amount of difficult questions from the boss in front of her wasn't impossible.

Zhou Siyan picked up the serving chopsticks and placed a lobster ball on the small plate in front of her.

"Try it."

Xia Ruo looked at the lobster ball on the plate, then at the expressionless man opposite her.

She really couldn't figure out this CEO; his aloof demeanor made her think she was the one serving him food.

Unexpectedly... he's quite a gentleman.