The Heiress's Game

When Bai Junze arrived, the barbecue stall was at its most lively and exciting moment.

The charcoal fire glowed red-hot, and the smoke, carrying the aroma of cumin and chili, wafted through the alley. The sounds of several tables of customers drinking beer and playing drinking games mingled with the sizzling of the hot plate, creating a noisy yet vibrant atmosphere.

Bai Tianyi stood up from a distance and waved frantically at him, holding a skewer of roasted chicken wings in his hand.

"Brother! Over here! Sit next to Yun Jin—boss, bring an extra set of chopsticks and a bowl!"

Bai Tianyi was even more diligent in organizing things than the barbecue stall owner. Gu Yunjin was sitting against the wall, peeling a peanut in her hand, when she saw Bai Junze sit down next to her.

She raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone a mix of surprise and teasing: "I thought you weren't interested in places like barbecue stalls."

"I am interested in it occasionally."

Bai Junze took the bowl and chopsticks, glanced at the plate of freshly served roasted eggplant and sizzling lamb skewers on the table, his expression was restrained, but he did not hesitate at all when he picked up the chopsticks.

Bai Tianyi, grinning like a fox who had stolen a chicken, nudged Zhang Zhuoran with his elbow and whispered:

"See? My older brother came right after his meeting. After the meeting!"

Do you know how important that international video conference he was having tonight? He abandoned the Southeast Asia branch's quarterly report—I don't need to explain what that means, right?

Zhang Zhuoran ignored his smugness and poured Bai Junze a cup of tea with a smile.

With Bai Tianyi present, the atmosphere could never be dull.

Gu Yunjin was amused by Bai Tianyi several times, but after she finished laughing, her gaze would occasionally drift to Bai Junze, who was also looking at her.

He discovered that Gu Yunjin was indeed different from the other socialites he had met.

It wasn't the kind of "different" person who held a champagne glass and smiled demurely in a banquet hall; it was genuine—she would argue with Bai Tianyi about which dipping sauce was best for grilled chicken wings.

Halfway through the argument, they simply asked the boss to bring over three small dishes and mixed three samples on the spot for everyone to do a blind taste test.

When she was discussing AI projects with Zhang Zhuoran, she was able to pinpoint a loophole in the business model. Zhang Zhuoran paused for a moment and said, "I've already changed the direction you mentioned to me last time."

Unlike other young ladies who nibble and count the grains of rice, she genuinely enjoyed her food. She didn't even notice the cumin powder on the corner of her mouth; she simply wiped it off with a tissue and continued eating the next skewer.

It was only eight o'clock when we finished the barbecue; the night in Dahai City was just beginning.

The four of them stood at the alley entrance for a moment. Bai Tianyi was discussing with Zhang Zhuoran whether they should move to another place to continue their gathering when Bai Junze spoke up: "Yun Jin, I'll take you home."

Gu Yunjin glanced at him and waved her hand: "No need, I drove here myself, it's just a short walk."

"I'll take you," Bai Junze said again, showing no intention of backing down.

"There were some things I didn't do very well when I went for a walk today."

Gu Yunjin looked at him and did not refuse again.

Bai Tianyi stood by and witnessed the whole process. His expression was like that of an old father seeing his son finally learn to eat by himself, so gratified that he was almost glowing.

He said to Zhang Zhuoran in an extremely exaggerated breathy voice, "See? He took the initiative. My older brother actually took the initiative—my God, all my efforts weren't in vain." Zhang Zhuoran patted his shoulder, suppressing a laugh, and pulled him in the opposite direction.

Bai Tianyi was pulled a few steps by Zhang Zhuoran when he suddenly turned around as if he remembered something.

He didn't say anything, but silently moved his lips twice in Bai Junze's direction, speaking very slowly but clearly—"Have something to drink, and see each other more often."

Bai Junze's gaze lingered on his face for a second, then he nodded slightly.

Bai Tianyi then walked away with his arm around Zhang Zhuoran's shoulder, completely satisfied.

Gu Yunjin followed Bai Junze toward the parking lot, and the two walked side by side through the small street in the old town lined with sycamore trees.

After walking for a short while, Bai Junze saw a dessert shop by the roadside. The shop was small, with warm yellow light shining through the glass door. The handwritten menu hanging at the door was densely covered with the names of various desserts.

He stopped and turned to look at Gu Yunjin: "Want something to eat?"

"Didn't we just finish eating barbecue?" Gu Yunjin also stopped.

"Barbecue is salty, so let's have something sweet too," Bai Junze said matter-of-factly.

The dessert shop has only two or three small tables, and the air is filled with the unique sweet aroma of simmering red beans and dried tangerine peel.

Gu Yunjin stood in front of the menu, looking up at it for a long time, her gaze flickering back and forth between the brown sugar pearl milk tea and the mango pomelo sago, her brows furrowing slightly.

Bai Junze didn't urge her to "which one do you choose," he just stood there quietly.

"One of everything, please," Bai Junze said to the proprietress.

Gu Yunjin turned her head, a rare moment of astonishment appearing on her face:

"Are you crazy? How can we possibly finish all this?"

"You can drink whichever you want, I'll drink the rest."

Gu Yunjin looked at him, as if she was discovering for the first time that this person really didn't know how to say polite things.

After the sweet soup was served, Bai Junze picked up the bowl of mango pomelo sago in front of him and took a sip, then looked at the bowl of brown sugar pearl milk tea in front of Gu Yunjin.

Gu Yunjin lowered her head and took a sip of milk tea. A little bit of milk foam got on the corner of her mouth. She wiped it off with a tissue, her eyes slightly narrowed, revealing a satisfied expression.

Bai Junze suddenly remembered Bai Tianyi's tearful accusations against him in the hotel room that afternoon—"You won't even give someone a cup of milk tea."

He bought it now, albeit in a somewhat clumsy way, but at least he bought it.

After leaving the dessert shop, Bai Junze suggested walking a bit before getting back into the car.

The two walked slowly along the narrow street lined with sycamore trees. The streetlights cast their shadows one in front of the other, sometimes overlapping and sometimes separating.

The night breeze was much gentler than in the evening, carrying the unique dampness of a seaside city.

Gu Yunjin walked beside him, holding a half-finished milk tea in one hand and the other hand in the pocket of her denim shorts, her pace neither fast nor slow.

"Bai Junze," she suddenly spoke, her tone much more casual than when they were on the beach walkway.

"You're not having a meeting tonight?"

"It's finished," he said.

"Will that video be important?"

"Normal reporting."

"You're just going to abandon the barbecue stand as a normal report?" She glanced at him sideways.

Bai Junze continued, "After I go back, my work schedule will be quite full, and I'll be traveling a lot, so I probably won't be able to spend as much time with you as ordinary people do."

I'm not good at doing... fun things either. Most of what Tianyi said about me was true.

"I am indeed a rather boring person, but I will try my best to fulfill my responsibilities and obligations."

Hearing his words, Gu Yunjin didn't stop walking, but just smiled.

"I understand. I'm also very busy. The second season of Star Glory is about to start filming, and I have other careers to attend to. It's good that we're both busy with our own things and don't hold each other back."

You don't need to deliberately become another person; just be yourself.

She glanced at him sideways, a faint smile playing on her lips: "But your presence today is definitely a plus."

Bai Junze didn't speak, but his pace unconsciously slowed down a little after she finished speaking.