After ninety-nine online romances, I finally met my ex in person when school started.

The Rolls-Royce was parked downstairs in front of the Faculty of Arts building.

Zhu Xun Chuan opened the car door and paused for a moment.

Jiang Yao in the back seat had changed her outfit. It wasn't the same street style she wore yesterday—leather jacket and Doc Martens.

Today I wore a black velvet slip dress with two thin straps draped over my shoulders, revealing a large expanse of fair skin below my collarbone, and the edges of the straps left a faint mark.

Her dark red hair was half-up, with the rest cascading over her bare shoulders, making her neck appear slender and long.

She leaned back in her seat, one leg crossed over the other, the hem of her velvet skirt slipping down to mid-thigh, the exposed skin gleaming a cold white in the dim light of the car.

"Have you seen enough?"

Jiang Yao's voice came from inside the car, her tone as cold as if she were discussing a business deal.

"Get in the car."

Zhu Xunchuan got into the car.

The car door closed, and a faint rose scent filled the interior. It wasn't perfume, but more like the residue of shower gel.

"To Cuiwei Pavilion," Jiang Yao said to the driver in front.

Zhu Xunchuan glanced at her profile as he fastened his seatbelt. Her makeup was very light, with nude pink lips, but her features were so good that she didn't need heavy makeup to enhance them. Her jawline was sharp, her nose was high and straight, and her eyelashes were thick and curled.

If it weren't for the fierce look in her eyes that always seemed to say, "You owe me five million," she would probably have the kind of gentle appearance that makes it hard to look away.

"What do you want from me today?"

"Have a meal."

"Does it really require two 1.85-meter-tall bodyguards to invite me to dinner?"

"Assistant," Jiang Yao corrected.

Zhu Xun Chuan glanced at the burly "assistant" in the front passenger seat.

"Okay, assistant."

The car drove for twenty minutes before stopping on a quiet street.

For the past twenty minutes, Jiang Yao has been feeling incredibly anxious. She was finally going to see the Chuan-gege she had been longing for, and she was so nervous.

Cuiwei Pavilion. Zhu Xunchuan had heard of this name before. It was Kyoto's most exclusive private restaurant, not open to the public, accepting reservations only, and only from a select circle. The barrier to a meal there wasn't money, but status.

Upon entering, the lobby was completely empty.

There were no other guests.

"You booked the whole place?" Zhu Xunchuan asked.

"It's too noisy." Jiang Yao walked ahead, the hem of her velvet dress swaying slightly with each step, her shoulder blades peeking out from between the straps.

The door to the private room opened. A crystal chandelier hung in the center, casting a soft light on the mahogany round table. Tableware was already set on the table, white porcelain with gold rims, each piece bearing the emblem of Cuiwei Pavilion.

Jiang Yao sat down, picked up the menu, flipped through a couple of pages, closed it, and handed it to the waiter.

"Depart as I previously scheduled."

The waiter withdrew.

Zhu Xun Chuan sat opposite her, idly swirling his teacup.

The first dish has been served.

A delicate white porcelain bowl holds a steaming bowl of wontons. The wonton wrappers are thin, the fillings are generous, the broth is clear, and they are topped with chopped scallions and seaweed.

Zhu Xunchuan stopped moving.

Small wontons.

He stared at the bowl of wontons, a chat log flashing through his mind.

About a year and a half ago, at two in the morning, he was chatting with "Dark Rose". She asked him what he wanted to eat most, and he said that the old lady's wontons at the school gate were the best in the world, only two yuan a bowl.

The second dish.

Fried chicken cutlet. But not your average fried chicken cutlet. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with visible juices on the cut surface, served with a small dish of special sauce.

He remembered again. He had told her that he liked to buy a 1.5 yuan fried chicken cutlet after school and eat it on the way home.

The third dish. Sweet and sour pork ribs.

The fourth dish. Fried rice with egg.

The fifth dish. A dessert made with roasted sweet potatoes.

Every dish was a street food that he had casually mentioned in his online dating chats.

But the head chef of Cuiwei Pavilion reinterpreted everything with top-quality ingredients and techniques. The two-yuan wontons became matsutake and shrimp wontons, and the five-yuan fried chicken cutlet became Wagyu beef cutlet.

Zhu Xun Chuan put down his chopsticks and looked at Jiang Yao across from him.

She was drinking her soup with a cold expression, seemingly completely unaware of his gaze.

"You actually remember all of that," he said.

"Remember what?"

"These dishes. You remember everything I casually mentioned."

Jiang Yao put down her spoon and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Her movements were elegant, but her expression was indifferent.

"The chefs at Cuiwei Pavilion need to book their menus three days in advance. I arrived in Kyoto three days ago, not yesterday."

Jiang Yao's inner monologue: "Hmph, I'll seduce you to death! I remember everything you told me!"

three days ago.

Before he sent that breakup message.

She was already preparing this meal.

Zhu Xun Chuan remained silent.

Jiang Yao continued eating, as if completing a task, each bite leisurely and unhurried. But there was a very faint pink tinge on the tips of her ears.

Halfway through the meal, Jiang Yao suddenly put down her chopsticks.

She propped herself up on the table, walked around the round table, and went to Zhu Xun Chuan's side.

The fabric of the velvet dress brushed against his arm.

She bent down and brought her face close to his neck.

They were so close that Zhu Xun Chuan could feel her breath brushing against his skin.

Then she sniffed.

"You smell."

Zhu Xunchuan didn't move.

"What does it taste like?"

"Sweet orange flavor." Jiang Yao's voice was low, with an interrogative certainty. "Very sweet, very cloying. It's not something a man would use."

She straightened up, looked down at him, her eyes sharp.

"Who was that woman last night?"

But inside, I was incredibly excited! My inner monologue: "Brother Chuan smells so good! I really want to hug him and give him a good rub!"

Zhu Xunchuan's brain worked at lightning speed for 0.3 seconds.

Su Mucheng. She did indeed have a sweet orange scent on her. She'd been in bed with him for so long last night, the scent had seeped onto him.

"The school's laundry detergent," he said.

"Is Kyoto University's laundry detergent orange-scented?"

"I bought it at the supermarket. There's a series called 'Forest Bath,' orange blossom scented." Zhu Xun Chuan said without changing his expression, "You want to see my shopping history?"

Jiang Yao stared at him for five seconds.

For those five seconds, her eyes were searching for a flaw on his face.

Zhu Xun Chuan didn't blink.

Jiang Yao withdrew her gaze, took a step back, and sat back down in her seat.

"I will look into it."

"Check anything."

The private room was silent for a few seconds.

Zhu Xun Chuan picked up a piece of pork rib, took a bite, and then looked up at her.

"Jiang Yao".

"Um."

"Your dress looks great today."

Jiang Yao paused for a moment as she picked up some food.

"...It's none of your business."

At this moment, Jiang Yao's heart rate had reached 200! Her inner monologue: "He complimented my beauty! He complimented my beauty! He's complimenting my beauty!"

"I know, I was just saying. Black velvet suits your skin tone very well."

Jiang Yao didn't say anything. She picked up her water glass and took a sip.

I choked.

She couldn't hold back any longer; the joy in her heart was almost unbearable!

She coughed twice, covering her mouth, and her ears turned visibly red, the blush spreading down to her neck. The pink hue on her fair skin was impossible to hide.

Looking at her reaction, Zhu Xun Chuan suddenly made a judgment in his mind.

This gangster's daughter has never been in a relationship.

Judging from her online interactions, she definitely hasn't dated any other guys!

All her domineering, sharp, and unyielding nature is how she handles problems. But when it comes to being complimented on her looks by a man, her reaction is no different from that of an ordinary eighteen-year-old girl.

"You're blushing."

"The air conditioning is too hot." Jiang Yao put down her water glass and covered her face with a napkin.

The air conditioning in the private room was set to 20 degrees Celsius in September.

"If you feel hot," Zhu Xun Chuan pointed to her sundress, "then this dress is a good choice, it's cool."

"Shut up."

Zhu Xun Chuan chuckled and said nothing more.

After the meal, the waiter cleared away the tableware.

Jiang Yao took a black velvet box out of her handbag, placed it on the table, and pushed it over.

"Open it."

Zhu Xunchuan opened the box.

A wristwatch lies on a black velvet cushion. Patek Philippe, Nautilus series, blue-grey dial, platinum case.

He recognized the watch. Its market price was around twelve million, and even with money, you couldn't necessarily buy it; you'd need to purchase other items to match it.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Put it on."

"I can't accept this."

Jiang Yao stood up and walked to his side. She bent down, grabbed his left wrist, and rolled up his sleeve.

Her fingers were cool as she pressed against the pulse on the inside of his wrist.

She picked up the watch, her movements a little clumsy, and it took her two tries to fasten the clasp. The metal strap felt cool to the touch as it touched her skin.

Jiang Yao fastened the watch and didn't let go.

She lowered her head and stared at the watch for two seconds. Then she looked up, her gaze unwavering.

"You are not allowed to pick them."

"Jiang Yao..."

"I don't care how many women are around you." She bit her lower lip, her voice suddenly becoming much softer, unlike her usual way of speaking. "They can text you, invite you to dinner, and stay in your dorm until midnight. But I want to be the most conspicuous one on your wrist. So you can see it when you look down."

After she finished speaking, she released his wrist.

She took a step back and transformed back into the cold-faced heiress of the underworld.

"I'm gone."

Just as he was about to leave the private room, Jiang Yao called him back.

She took a card out of her handbag and handed it to her. It was made of matte black material and had the Jiang Group logo and a code printed on it.

"What is this?"

"A pass. With this card, you can freely enter and exit any of the Jiang family's properties in Kyoto." She paused, "including that newly opened club next to your school. I've booked a long-term room there."

"Next to the school?"

"A three-minute walk."

Zhu Xun Chuan stared at the pass.

Jiang Yao had already left the private room. Her velvet dress disappeared around the corner of the corridor, leaving behind a faint scent of roses. As soon as she stepped out, Jiang Yao's face flushed crimson. She quickly exhaled and fanned herself rapidly with her slender, long hands; she had never been so nervous before!

The frost on her face melted away, and she smiled broadly. Brother Chuan accepted the watch she gave him; this could be considered their token of love!

Satisfied, I got into the car, but I figured I wouldn't be able to sleep that night.

Zhu Xun Chuan looked down at the Patek Philippe on his wrist.

The blue-gray dial reflects a cool light under the crystal chandelier.

Twelve million.

It was placed on his hand.

He suddenly remembered that Jiang Yao's fingers weren't very skilled when she fastened the watch strap earlier, so she tried again.

The heiress of the underworld probably never wore a watch before.

Just like how she's never been complimented on how pretty her dress is.

Zhu Xun Chuan didn't know that many people had actually complimented Jiang Yao on her looks, but this was the first time Jiang Yao had ever been complimented on her looks by someone she liked!

……

At 9 p.m., Zhu Xunchuan returned to his dormitory.

Lin Yuan wasn't there; a note was left on the table: "He went to an internet cafe, don't wait for me."

Zhu Xun Chuan took a shower and lay in bed scrolling through his phone.

He took off his Patek Philippe and placed it beside his pillow. It wasn't that he didn't want to wear it, but he was afraid of damaging it while sleeping.

The phone lit up.

A message.

Su Mucheng: "Brother Chuan! My music video starts filming tomorrow at the film studio in the suburbs! Can you come with me? I'm so nervous about being alone..."

It was followed by a string of pitiful emojis.

The second point follows immediately.

"Oh, by the way, I didn't wash your shirt."

"Didn't you say you'd wash it clean and return it to me?"

Su Mucheng's reply took a full thirty seconds.

"I slept in them all night, and now I don't want to wash them."