Private kitchen restaurant.
Dan Song: "So, what do you think?"
Tong Zhao withdrew her gaze from wandering around and asked in a low voice, "Is this place private?"
"This restaurant only accepts one reservation a day, and today it's just us." Shan Song placed a piece of asparagus on Tong Zhao's plate: "Are you enjoying the food?"
"Hmm." Tong Zhao had a good appetite and had eaten more than usual. He was about nine-tenths full. He picked up a piece of cod and said, "You eat it yourself. Don't give me any more. I'll be too full if I eat any more."
"Would you like some dessert?"
"No need—" He wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it, but thinking that Shan Song might want to eat it, Tong Zhao hesitated for a moment: "Then let's order one, why don't you ask Grandma and the others?"
"What are you asking?" Yuan Yamin said with a smile, "The dining table is only so big, do you two think no one can hear you whispering?"
Tong Zhao's face flushed red, and she lowered her head to take a sip of juice without saying a word.
Dan Song was quite frank: "We've eaten enough. Would you like some dessert?"
"Bring some, your grandpa likes it," Grandma replied with a smile, then turned to Yuan Yamin and asked, "Yamin, would you like a sugar-free one?"
Yuan Yamin smiled and replied, "Okay, then I'll take three portions. I'll go and give the order."
Their blueberry mousse wasn't sweet, and even Tong Zhao, who doesn't have a sweet tooth, took a couple of small bites.
"One more bite?"
Tong Zhao shook her head: "I can't eat anymore."
Dan Song finished the last bit of food in a few bites. Seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, he stood up and said, "Then we'll be leaving now. Please ask Aunt Yuan to help take it back to Grandma and the others."
"You're welcome. Please be careful on your journey."
"Goodbye, Grandpa and Grandma!" Tong Zhao whispered, peeking out from behind Shan Song.
Goodbye, Zhaozhao.
...
On the way back, Tong Zhao couldn't help but nag, quietly criticizing Shan Song for his careless words today: "You can't say discouraging things, or you'll ruin your good luck."
"Hmm, I won't say."
Dan Song had a smile on his face the whole time, admitting his mistakes in a good manner and accepting the little omega's corrections.
Tong Zhao said she was tired and leaned against the car window, looking out at the scenery.
The afterglow of the setting sun danced on the horizon, and the sky outside the car window was like a palette of spilled paints, with various colors blending and merging together. The rosy glow was like a dreamlike scene, beautiful in a gentle yet unrestrained way, which made people's mood gradually calm down while inexplicably giving rise to some unusual feelings.
After a long pause, Shan Song slowly and deliberately recited, "Zhaozhao."
"..."
It was as if the words had been broken apart and crushed, overflowing from between her teeth and leaping onto the tip of her tongue. Tong Zhao was so charmed by these words that she trembled all over, her mind buzzing. From Shan Song's direction, the half of her profile that was exposed was like the sunset at its peak.
"We're getting married soon, Zhao Zhao, how do you feel about our relationship?"
Tong Zhao gently stroked the jade bracelet with her fingers, her head bowed and silent, but her heart pounding like a drumbeat could not lie.
"Zhaozhao?"
"Don't call me that..."
Tong Zhao's voice was soft, and it didn't reveal much reluctance, so Shan Song pressed his advantage: "Zhao Zhao doesn't like it?"
"……"like.
"Do you have any other nicknames?" Shan Song asked.
“No.” Tong Zhao hesitated for a moment and said, “I’ll just call you… Zhao Zhao, that’s what everyone called me when I was little.”
"Okay, then I'll call you that from now on, Zhao Zhao, it sounds nice."
Shan Song glanced back at him. This time, Tong Zhao didn't refuse, and buried his face further back against the backrest.
"I think I like Zhao Zhao more now." Shan Song held the steering wheel firmly, his eyes fixed straight ahead, his tone resolute.
Tong Zhao's eyelashes trembled.
Where is Zhaozhao?
Dan Song's gaze seemed to have the power to see through everything, burning Tong Zhao's body with heat. Tong Zhao couldn't help but cover his face with his hand and gave a very soft "hmm" in a gesture of compromise, the meaning of which was self-evident.
Dan Song's smile gradually became uncontrollable. He deliberately asked, "Does 'hmm' mean it's a good thing? Does Zhao Zhao like me more now?"
After a long while, the omega's slow reply echoed in the carriage: "...Hmm, it seems there's a little more."
"Then it seems we still need to work harder," Shan Song said.
Then came a burst of uncontrollable muffled laughter, low and hoarse, echoing lightly in the carriage, striking Tong Zhao's eardrums again and again.
Tong Zhao was embarrassed and annoyed by his teasing, but couldn't say anything else. He simply closed his eyes and refused to look at him, but didn't notice that someone's breath was getting closer and closer until he suddenly felt a soft and hot strange touch on his left cheek.
Suddenly opening her eyes, Tong Zhao stared at her through the rearview mirror. Her long, curved eyelashes fluttered twice slowly, like the wings of a butterfly about to take flight. Then she abruptly looked away, and her heart rate rose rapidly at an abnormal rate, to the point that her fitness tracker would immediately vibrate and alarm.
Dan Song had already gotten up and sat back in his original position, his back straight, his eyes looking forward, and his hands placed on either side of the steering wheel—a standard safe driving posture of "listening to everything around him and keeping an eye on everything."
He sat upright, looking completely dignified, as if he hadn't just stolen a kiss. Only the fleeting headlights of a passing car in the distance revealed a slight blush on his neck, suggesting that he wasn't actually that composed.
They remained silent the entire way until they could see the Qin family's gate, at which point the heat on Tong Zhao's face gradually subsided.
He raised his hand to touch the jade bracelet that his grandmother had just put on him with great care, then pursed his lips and stepped back.
"You should keep this."
Seeing that Shan Song's eyebrows furrowed involuntarily, he quickly explained, "It wouldn't be good if the Qin family saw it. I'll wear it again later."
Shan Song thought for a moment, then took it: "Okay, I'll take it home and put it away for you first."
Tong Zhao nodded, and as he was about to get out of the car, Shan Song tugged at his arm. He tilted his head in confusion and asked, "What's wrong?"
Dan Song rummaged through the car and finally took out a card and a key, placing them in Tong Zhao's hand. He said slowly, "I have a small villa in Chongming Bay. We'll stay there temporarily. If you want to buy anything in the next few days, you can arrange it yourself. You can buy it and have it mailed to the villa, or you can choose to move in first and we can discuss it together. This card doesn't have much money on it, so you can use it for now. There are only two keys. The other one is a spare and is kept at home. You can keep this one safe. I'll send the password to your phone. I'll take you to have your fingerprints taken in a few days."
Tong Zhao stared at him blankly, speechless for a long time.
Dan Song ruffled his curly hair as usual: "Go ahead."
Tong Zhao didn't move. He remained still for a moment, then suddenly leaned over and lightly touched Shan Song's chin, so quickly that no warmth remained.
It charged at him like a small animal pouncing on its prey, then stopped just in time to lightly lick him with the tip of its tongue before retreating three feet away. By the time Shan Song reacted, he was already far away.
"This kid is so clever, he's already learned to reciprocate." Shan Song murmured to himself as he sat in the driver's seat, his eyes softening with tenderness.
Tong Zhao ran all the way to the Qin family's main residence, panting heavily. She wished she had asked Shan Song to drive the car in.
Just as he was about to go inside the house, he looked up and saw Qin Siyuan standing in the shadows at the door watching him.
"...Big brother."
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