Chapter 14

Ding Bo, having worked with Ye Yan for many years, was quite thorough in handling matters.

The restaurant he chose was called Chuanshan Spicy, which was not only very close to Ye Yan's company, but also in a prominent location with convenient parking.

After Qin Su told the receptionist the name of the private room, the waiter respectfully led the way for her.

The restaurant has three floors. Ding Bo's reserved private room is on the third floor with a wide view, which requires taking the elevator up.

The restaurant's decor has a distinctive local flavor, and the copper hot pot models placed around are quite interesting. Qin Su glanced at them a few more times while waiting for the elevator.

The stunningly beautiful woman's eyes sparkled, and the waiter in charge of greeting her couldn't resist his natural love of beauty, his gaze following her.

Neither of them paid attention to their surroundings, so when the elevator doors opened, the girl who rushed out bumped into Qin Su.

Qin Su had a chance to push her away, but that would have caused the girl to fall to the ground. After a slight hesitation, she changed her approach from pushing to embracing, and casually helped the girl up from behind.

However, as a result, not a single drop of the juice the girl was holding was wasted, and it all spilled onto Qin Su.

The waiter was shocked and quickly stepped forward to hand Qin Su a tissue: "Are you alright?"

He regained his composure and recognized the girl who rushed out of the elevator. He couldn't help but exclaim angrily, "Zhao Nuannuan, it's you again! You've bumped into customers twice in three days! The last customer didn't hold it against you, but why are you doing it again?!"

Zhao Nuannuan was both embarrassed and ashamed, her face flushed red, and she apologized incoherently: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I... I'll help you wash your clothes, or... or I'll just compensate you."

The waiter glared at her fiercely.

Qin Su was quite annoyed after someone splashed her with a sticky drink. She was texting Ye Yan to ask him to bring her a dress when she heard a girl's name.

"Zhao Nuannuan?"

She looked up and carefully examined the girl. Seeing that the girl was wearing work clothes, had her hair in a ponytail, and had delicate and attractive features, with clear and pure almond-shaped eyes, she could basically confirm it was her.

The person in front of me is actually the Cinderella heroine, the one Ye Yan will break up with her lover in the future.

Zhao Nuannuan asked in bewilderment and surprise, "You...you know me?"

Qin Su didn't answer her question, but instead asked, "How did you end up here?"

Zhao Nuannuan didn't know why the other person would ask such a familiar question, and said somewhat reservedly, "I... I work part-time here."

Qin Su smiled slightly, recalling what the waiter had just said: "A part-time job where you bump into customers twice in three days?"

Zhao Nuannuan: "..."

She blushed instantly, like a ripe shrimp, from her hair to her heels.

On one hand, she was embarrassed that the other person knew about her recklessness and clumsiness; on the other hand, she thought the other person's smile was so beautiful.

She had never seen anyone so beautiful.

Her skin was as white as fresh snow, and she wore a deep red dress. The two colors intertwined and shimmered, creating an overwhelming beauty that overshadowed the bright lights in the room.

She didn't even look directly at him before feeling a shiver run through her body: "Yes, but I...I..."

Seeing that she stammered for a long time and couldn't get a clear answer, Qin Su said, "So have you ever thought that you might not be suitable for this job at all?"

Zhao Nuannuan was stunned for a moment, misunderstanding Qin Su's meaning, and her eyes reddened: "Are you asking the boss to fire me?"

She bit her lip: "I know I offended you and that was my mistake, but could you... could you please not file a complaint against me? I really need this job."

"Leave me your address, and I'll wash your clothes and deliver them to you. Or you can tell me the price, and I'll compensate you according to the market value."

"This dress is worth 270,000 yuan on the market." A male voice suddenly rang out.

Zhao Nuannuan turned her head in surprise and saw a handsome and sharp-looking man walking over. He was wearing a bespoke suit and had a noble and dignified air about him.

He frowned as he glanced at Qin Su's skirt, took off his suit jacket, and handed it to Qin Su: "I was already at the door when I saw your message. Use this jacket to cover yourself. I'll have Ding Bo go buy it."

Qin Su glanced at him, then took the suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

Ye Yan then added to Zhao Nuannuan, "Moreover, it's a limited edition, and it's only available at a price."

He asked expressionlessly, "Are you planning to pay in cash or by bank transfer?"

For some reason, Zhao Nuannuan sensed a subtle hostility from this person.

She looked at Qin Su, somewhat helplessly: "I... I can't afford to pay for it right now..."

Seeing her like this, Ye Yan's expression darkened further.

"You first said you could take full responsibility, then you said you couldn't afford it. Your words and actions contradict each other." His gaze was cold, and his words were sharp. "So you hope that others will offer to waive compensation? That way, you can both uphold your noble character and pay for your mistakes."

Zhao Nuannuan was so moved by his words that tears welled up in her eyes: "No..."

She hunched her shoulders, looked at Qin Su with a pitiful expression, and stammered, "I really didn't..."

Qin Su raised an eyebrow, neither saying whether she believed him or not, but simply took out her phone: "Let's add each other on WeChat, I'll contact you later."

Zhao Nuannuan felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She quickly scanned the code and then bowed repeatedly, saying, "Okay, thank you so much."

Ye Yan glanced at Qin Su, a clear look of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

"Why is he unhappy?" The system, perched on Qin Su's shoulder, watched this scene and asked in surprise, "Could it be that Ye Yan and Zhao Nuannuan are truly incompatible?"

In the original storyline, Ye Yan opposed Ye Jingming and Zhao Nuannuan's relationship because he believed that the two were not a good match.

Even though Ye Jingming hasn't been involved yet, Ye Yan has already shown a strong bias against Zhao Nuannuan since their first meeting.

"Or is it that Zhao Nuannuan is really a pure and innocent person? And Ye Yan is a hidden master of identifying pure and innocent people?"

Qin Su was amused by it: "Haven't you heard the saying? Some people spend their whole lives healing from their childhood."

The system didn't understand and asked blankly, "What do you mean?"

"The literal meaning." Qin Su smiled slightly and prompted, "Tong'er, I remember I taught you before that the first woman to influence a person is always his mother."

Every person's likes and dislikes are traceable.

The efforts and rewards in various interpersonal relationships—family, school, friends, work—and the love and pain experienced during the growth process, all guide you to form who you are.

For most people, the woman who has the greatest influence on the first twenty years of their lives is their mother.

The system was taken aback and quickly went to check Ye Yan's data.

"Ah, so that's how it is." It suddenly realized, "Ye Yan's father was a womanizer and tricked Ye Yan's mother into marrying him for profit. Not long after the marriage, his true nature was revealed. At that time, one of his favorite mistresses was a delicate and innocent white lotus type."

"No wonder Ye Yan doesn't believe in love. Although his mother wasn't mistreated materially, she suffered a devastating emotional blow. She hated herself for misjudging people and hated the falseness and frivolity of love. Although she tried her best to avoid instilling any ideas in Ye Yan, Ye Yan grew up in such a family background and was inevitably deeply influenced."

The system sighed at the end: "Ye Yan's mother died of depression due to the pain of love and marriage, which caused him to stay away from love. But years later, his wife also passed away. What does this mean? Did the dragon-slaying boy become the dragon himself?"

"Of course not," Qin Su said lazily. "You need to understand, Ye Yan's father is a scumbag who tricked his wife into marriage, but Ye Yan and Qin Su's marriage was a business arrangement that was explained in advance. It's just that Qin Su fell in love during this exchange of benefits, and Ye Yan didn't reciprocate her feelings."

She said in a calm tone, "There is nothing wrong with not loving someone."

The system froze.

Although Su Su was talking about Ye Yan and Qin Su in this world, it strangely sensed something subtle.

It hesitated for a moment: "Susu, are you...?"

Before it could finish speaking, Ye Yan, who had been sitting quietly eating opposite Qin Su, suddenly said, "Qin Su."

Ever since leaving that waiter, Qin Su has been somewhat absent-minded whenever she went to change clothes and came back to eat.

He didn't know that Qin Su was chatting with the system and mistakenly thought that Qin Su was still thinking about the waiter.

"Words are more persuasive than actions, so don't trust them too easily," Ye Yan cautioned. "Some people are very good at taking advantage of other people's kindness and tolerance, so you should be more vigilant."

Qin Su was engrossed in a conversation with the system in the realm of consciousness when Ye Yan suddenly called out to her, leaving her somewhat bewildered.

She was stunned for a moment before realizing what Ye Yan meant: "You mean me?"

Ye Yan: "I know that a dress is nothing to you, but you shouldn't condone this kind of behavior."

"Stop." Qin Su interrupted him, putting down her chopsticks unhappily. "What do you mean?"

Ye Yan kindly advised her, but she got angry and frowned.

He had noticed earlier in front of the elevator that Qin Su's attitude towards the waiter was unusual, showing exceptional tolerance and good temper.

Now, he's just reminding her, and she's going to get angry at him for being a complete stranger?

Qin Su continued, "What do you mean by 'indulgence'? Who told you I didn't need her to pay? Do you think I'm some stupid, rich fool? I saved her, and she even dirtied my clothes, of course I'll make her pay."

Ye Yan was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Then what you just did..."

I sent a notification and then let the other person leave.

Qin Su was even more surprised than him: "Didn't you already ask for me? She doesn't have any money right now, so even if I ask her to compensate me, she can't. Of course, I need to leave my contact information so we can discuss the details later."

Ye Yan: "..."

It must be said that this idea, though unexpected, is very much like Qin Su's style.

His initial annoyance and displeasure vanished before it could even develop, leaving him with a mixed feeling of bewilderment.

Qin Su was still unhappy: "You don't even know what I'm thinking before you criticize me."

Ye Yan: "...I'm not blaming you."

"You do," Qin Su affirmed. "You definitely think I'm an idiot."

Ye Yan choked for a moment.

Qin Su immediately said, "See, I was right."

"..." To avoid being blamed further, Ye Yan had no choice but to tell the truth, "I didn't, I just felt that you treated her a little differently."

After saying that, he suddenly felt a little awkward.

What's going on? He felt that wasn't what he meant, but why did it sound like he was jealous because Qin Su treated that waitress well?

Fortunately, Qin Su didn't seem to think much of it. She rolled her eyes at him and turned her head away, saying, "After all, people don't think I'm an idiot."

Ye Yan: "..."

Even if he was wrong and in the wrong, Qin Su was still far too unreasonable.

If anyone else had spoken like that, he would have been impatient long ago. Only when Qin Su spoke like that did he accept it well.

Thinking about this, Ye Yan felt deeply that although he had only spent two days with Qin Su, his temper had improved by more than a little bit.

He didn't speak, and Qin Su seemed to ignore him as well, and went back to eating.

Ye Yan thought the matter was over and breathed a sigh of relief.

Just as he was about to pick up his chopsticks, his vision blurred, and with a "thud," a piece of carrot flew precisely into his bowl.

Ye Yan: "?"

Qin Su picked up another piece of carrot with her chopsticks and threw it into his bowl again.

"...Qin Su," Ye Yan said, his head aching, "what are you doing?"

Qin Su said, "I don't like carrots."

Ye Yan: "...Then why don't you just put it aside?"

His bowl isn't a trash can, meant for her to throw away things she hates.

Or is this some new way she throws a tantrum?

Qin Su finally raised her head to look at him: "Wasn't this your own request?"

Ye Yan asked incredulously, "When did I ask you to throw me a carrot?"

"Didn't you think I treated Zhao Nuannuan a little differently?" Qin Su looked at him and smiled. "Now I'm showing you what special treatment really means."

Ye Yan was stunned.

The Sichuan cuisine was so spicy that Qin Su's lips, nose, and cheeks turned pink from eating it. A light mist rose in her dark eyes, and when she looked up, her raven-feather-like eyelashes fluttered, like willows brushing against a new lake, creating ripples of vibrant color.

But she surprisingly set aside her usual aloofness and revealed a lively smile: "Sharing things you hate is what makes you truly special."

"..." Ye Yan was speechless.

He wanted to say that Qin Su's reasoning was flawed, but when he met her gaze, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Perhaps sharing something we dislike really makes us special?

Lunchtime passed in a state of mixed emotions for Ye Yan.

After they had both put down their chopsticks, and seeing that Qin Su had finished applying her lipstick, he asked, "Where are you going next? I'll have the driver take you."

Qin Su didn't move. She said lazily, "President Ye, you don't actually think I came all this way to find you just to have a meal with you, do you?"

"I helped you so much yesterday, didn't you even acknowledge it?"

Ye Yan paused for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "There's a big auction going on soon, with all sorts of jewelry, jewels, wineries, and castles. I'll have Ding Bo give you the list later."

"What would I do with those?" Qin Su said disdainfully. "I don't need them."

Ye Yan didn't object to Qin Su spending his money, and upon hearing this, he said, "What do you need? I'll have someone buy it for you."

Qin Su asked, "Anything is fine?"

Ye Yan rarely saw her looking like she wanted something, so he replied without hesitation, "Of course, you can ask for anything."

Qin Su then said, "I want to play the claw machine game."

?

What doll?

Ye Yan, who had only a vague understanding of entertainment activities for young people, was slightly bewildered, but still calmly said, "Okay."

It doesn't matter if he doesn't know; he can just ask Ding Bo later.

Qin Su added, "I also want to go to your office to play."

Ye Yan: "..."

What exactly is this thing? How can you play with it in the office?

Qin Su noticed his hesitation and asked suspiciously, "You just said you were okay with anything, you're not going to change your mind so quickly, are you?"

Ye Yan had no choice but to say, "...Then I'll have Ding Bo prepare it now."

——

Sister Su: From now on, just tell everyone that Ye Yan loves carrots.