Chapter 62 [As long as I'm with you, I can eat anything. 】
The high-intensity work finally came to an end, and Zhou Ai felt like a taut bow that could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The first thing he did was to find Xu Yang with a serious look on his face, pat him on the shoulder and announce: "For the next week, unless the sky falls, absolutely, absolutely do not contact me."
Xu Yang also nodded "seriously", with a look of understanding on his face, and said with a suppressed smile: "I understand, I understand. I will strictly adhere to the standards for the sky falling, such as alien invasion? Don't worry, go ahead and have fun collecting the "reward"!"
Zhou Ai spent the entire afternoon turning the cloakroom upside down.
One set of clothes after another was taken out for comparison, but he rejected them with a frown.
"This set is too exaggerated..."
"This set is too casual..."
"Isn't this color serious enough?"
In the end, he chose a smoky gray cashmere sweater with excellent tailoring and first-class texture, paired with black casual trousers and a dark long coat with a sharp shape.
Although it is not too different from his usual casual style, it is not too formal or contrived, but perfectly sets off his physique advantages, exuding a low-key and high-end texture, adding a bit of calmness and restraint.
Clothes alone were not enough. Zhou Ai even went to an antique jewelry store and carefully selected a platinum tie clip inlaid with black agate.
The design is simple and classic, with a cool luster, just like the feeling Chu Yi gave him - calm and self-restrained, yet revealing a texture that cannot be ignored in the details.
He carefully put the gift box into his pocket, and imagined Chu Yi pinning it on his crisp shirt, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.
Even on the eve of everything being ready, Zhou Ai tossed and turned in bed, and finally couldn't help but call her mother.
There was a clamor in the background on the other end of the line, as if someone was playing at the poker table. Zhou Ai's mother paused at her son's unusual, somewhat hesitant, and nervous inquiry, then said "wait a moment" to her poker friends and walked to the relatively quiet balcony.
"What should I pay attention to on a date?" Mother Zhou pondered for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, seemingly thinking seriously about her son's question.
Then he carefully asked Zhou Ai about the personality traits, occupation, etc. of this "mysterious object".
Finally, she rigorously offered what she considered the most insightful and pertinent advice: "Son, listen to me. Keep it to yourself. Don't be so loud and even if you're pretending, you have to act a little more mature and steady. Maturity and stability are the most important things. He's an educated man, a doctor, so he'll definitely like someone who's steady."
Zhou Ai held the phone in his hand and said "hmm" heavily, engraving the seven words "pretend to be deep and mature" firmly in his mind.
Everything is ready, only the east wind is missing.
Zhou Ai took several deep breaths to calm his pounding heart. He took out his phone, thought over and over again, deleted and revised it several times before finally sending the WeChat message:
[Teacher Chu, my work is complete. Can I come and receive my reward?]
After sending the message successfully, he immediately held the phone screen to his chest and waited nervously, feeling that every second was extremely long.
Fortunately, Chu Yi's reply came quickly, and the content was direct and pragmatic:
What do you want to eat? Are there any dietary restrictions?
When Zhou Ai saw the reply, her eyes lit up and she replied immediately, trying hard to create the image of a sensible person who is "easy to feed and not picky about food":
[No, I'm easy to feed and never picky about food.]
When he said this, he selectively forgot his picky taste buds and the headache Xu Yang had when he customized a recipe for him.
In fact, Chu Yi had already started screening restaurants a few days ago.
Considering Zhou Ai's unique status, privacy was his top priority. He checked out almost all the high-end and hidden restaurants in the city and finally chose Genting.
This Cantonese private restaurant has a very high reputation in Beijing for its ultimate deliciousness, elegant environment and absolute privacy protection. Seats are hard to come by, especially private rooms, which usually need to be booked long in advance.
Chu Yi used some of his rare connections to barely book a small private room with a relatively good location at just the right time.
Even though he had made all the preparations, Chu Yi still habitually sought Zhou Ai's opinion, which was a basic respect.
But he didn't expect that Zhou Ai's reply would skip all the specific options and say:
【As long as I'm with you, I can eat anything. 】
These words were so blunt, almost coquettish, that Chu Yi's fingers, gripping the phone, paused slightly. He ignored the unease in his heart and continued to calmly consider the reality of the situation.
Are there any special requirements for privacy? Will being photographed by paparazzi affect you?
This time, Zhou Ai responded faster.
[Teacher Chu, have you forgotten that paparazzi don't dare to take pictures of me?]
Chu Yi looked at the line of words and was slightly stunned. He was indeed worrying too much.
He lowered his eyes, and his fingertips finalized the arrangements on the screen:
[Okay. See you at Genting at 7pm tomorrow night. I'll send you the address later.]
The message was successfully sent. Chu Yi put down his phone and looked out the window. The city lights were just beginning to come on, and a hint of anticipation, which he himself hadn't noticed, was reflected on the glass.
And the inexplicable anxiety that I had felt during this period of time also came to an end at this moment.
On the other side, Zhou Ai had already jumped up from the sofa excitedly, hugged the pillow and screamed silently for several seconds before she began to think seriously about how to perfectly carry out her mother's top instruction of "acting deep and mature" tomorrow.
———
In the evening of the second day, the lights came on, adding a touch of hazy warmth to the cold early winter in Beijing.
Zhou Ai arrived at the area where "Genting" was located some time in advance. He deliberately disguised himself today, wearing a black baseball cap pulled down low and a black mask that covered half of his face.
He was wearing a carefully selected smoky grey sweater and dark coat, which made him look much calmer. He did not stand out among the wealthy and noble people heading to Genting.
After Zhou Ai handed the car keys to the parking attendant, when he was still some distance away from the gate of Genting Highlands, he noticed in the corner near the gate that there were a few children who looked to be about seven or eight years old. They were wearing thick clothes but their faces were still red from the cold. They were holding some flowers in their hands and selling them to passers-by.
Most people who come to such places to eat are in a hurry or busy talking, and rarely stop for them.
Zhou Ai's pace slowed down. His eyes fell on a little girl with two pigtails and big, bright eyes. She was holding a few bouquets of packaged roses.
He walked over and squatted in front of the little girl, so that his eyes were level with hers. His voice came through the mask, sounding a little muffled, but deliberately soft: "What is this?" He pointed to the flowers in his arms.
The little girl blinked her big eyes, looking at her brother who looked so handsome even though his face was covered. She pointed at the rose in her hand and answered seriously, "Brother, are you talking about this? This is the Roselle Rose."
"Roselle?" Zhou Ai repeated in a low voice, thinking that the name of this flower was beautiful.
He reached out and carefully pulled a flower from her bosom, examining it carefully. The flower was in full bloom, with a soft color and a delicate fragrance.
Zhou Ai looked up at the little girl, the corners of his mouth curved under the mask, and his voice was filled with a barely perceptible shyness and seriousness: "Brother wants to give it to his sweetheart, do you think this is suitable?"
When the little girl heard the word "sweetheart," she immediately covered her mouth with her red, frozen hands. Her eyes curved into crescents as she nodded vigorously, "That's right, brother! This Roselle rose means 'waiting love!'"
"Waiting love?" Zhou Ai's heartstrings seemed to be gently plucked.
"Yes!" The little girl nodded confidently, trying to remember what the adults had taught her, counting on her fingers, "Yes, faith, reserve, waiting, hope, and... the romance of love! It's all this~"
She tilted her little face up and looked at Zhou Ai with sparkling eyes, "Brother, this is the most suitable gift for your sweetheart!"
Zhou Ai looked at the Roselle Rose in his hand, which symbolized "waiting, hope, and romance," and then looked at the remaining roses in the little girl's arms. Without hesitation, he said gently, "Then wrap these up. Brother wants them all."
The little girl opened her eyes wide in surprise, as if she couldn't believe it, and asked, "Brother, all of them?"
"Yes, all of them." Zhou Ai nodded with an affirmative tone.
The little girl immediately became happy and began to tidy up the remaining flowers in a hurry.
Her hands were a little clumsy but very serious. She laboriously wrapped all the remaining Roselle roses in a large piece of kraft paper, tied a beautiful ribbon knot, and then solemnly handed it to Zhou Ai. Her little face turned even redder with excitement and coldness: "Brother, this is for you! I wish you happiness~"
Zhou Ai accepted the large, though perhaps imperfectly packaged, bouquet of Roselle roses. With his other hand, he pulled out his wallet from his coat pocket, took out a sum of money that far exceeded the price of the flowers, and stuffed it into the little girl's hand. He gently said "thank you" and ruffled her hair. "Go home early; it's cold outside."
Waiting for love. He hoped that his waiting would have a romantic continuation tonight.
At this moment, Chu Yi had already arrived at the private room a few minutes in advance. The environment was quiet and elegant, and the privacy was excellent.
He was looking down at his phone to check the time when the door of the private room was gently knocked on by the waiter and pushed open.
Chu Yi looked up and saw Zhou Ai standing at the door with a big bouquet of roses in her arms.
He seemed to have come in a hurry, and his breath was still a little breathless. His eyes under the brim of his hat were surprisingly bright, looking straight at him.
The large bouquet of flowers formed a strange collision with the calm temperament he deliberately dressed up, but it was unexpectedly harmonious.
Zhou Ai seemed a little embarrassed when she saw Chu Yi was already there. She walked in quickly and held the bouquet forward slightly. "I saw it at the door and thought it suits you very well. I'm giving it to you."
Chu Yi was a little shocked when he saw the huge bouquet of roses Zhou Ai handed over unexpectedly. He took the roses from his hand with a bit of hesitation, "Thank you."
Zhou Ai took off his hat and mask only after handing over the flowers. It was also the first time that Chu Yi, who was sitting opposite him, saw his latest black hair style at such a close distance in real life.
The two sat opposite each other, and the dining atmosphere was initially subtly restrained.
Zhou Ai tried hard to follow his mother's instructions to "act deep and mature". He sat upright, chewed silently, and even picked up the food half a beat slower than usual, trying to create a steady and reliable image.
It was Chu Yi who broke the silence first. He scooped a small bowl of warm soup and placed it in front of Zhou Ai, saying in a natural tone, "I saw your new commercial, and it's pretty good."
Zhou Ai was carefully handling a shrimp dumpling. Upon hearing this, she suddenly raised her head, her eyes instantly gleaming with surprise. She almost forgot about pretending to be profound. "Did you read it? I thought... you were busy and wouldn't read these things."
Chu Yi lowered his head and wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin. His tone was calm but firm: "I will read it. I will read it when I have time."
Zhou Ai swallowed the last bite of shrimp dumplings and put down her chopsticks. After hesitating for a moment, she couldn't help but ask out loud the uneasiness that had been lingering in her heart for a long time. Her voice unconsciously lowered a few notes: "I thought... you would be very annoyed with me."
He was actually always worried that sending messages so frequently and sharing those trivial daily things would be a disturbance.
After hearing Zhou Ai's words, Chu Yi paused in picking up the food.
He slowly put down his chopsticks, raised his head, and looked calmly at Zhou Ai, who was a little nervous opposite him.
The private room was quiet for a moment, with only the faint sound of the air conditioner running.
"Zhou Ai," Chu Yi said, his voice as cold as ever, yet with a rare seriousness, "sometimes my way of expressing myself may be a little cold, and my responses to you may not be very positive."
He paused, as if choosing his words, "But that doesn't mean I'm unhappy or annoyed."
Chu Yi seemed to be contemplating his next words. He lowered his eyes slightly, his long, thick lashes casting a small shadow beneath his eyelids. His tone revealed a subtle honesty, perhaps even a clumsy explanation: "It's just... I'm used to it. Because of my family, I might not be very good at... expressing my thoughts and needs."
Therefore, when Zhou Ai approached and responded so directly, enthusiastically, and unreservedly, he didn't know how to respond "correctly" for a moment.
He received the kindness and enthusiasm, and his heart was not without ripples, but what he expressed was probably not even one ten-thousandth of what the other party expressed.
He needs time and Zhou Ai's patience.
These almost confessional words, spoken by a cold and restrained person like Chu Yi, carry far more weight than a thousand sweet words.
Zhou Ai was stunned. He had never expected to get such an answer.
"I... I didn't think you were cold." Zhou Ai said hurriedly, her voice a little anxious, but her eyes were surprisingly bright. "I just... I was just imagining things. You don't have to change, really! Just do whatever makes you feel comfortable!"
He was afraid that Chu Yi would misunderstand what he meant, and even felt a little annoyed that he had asked that question.
Now he just felt that his heart was full, as if it was filled with something warm.
Chu Yi looked at his anxious look, a smile flashed across his eyes, and he said "hmm" softly, picking up the chopsticks again: "Eat, the food is getting cold."
The atmosphere afterwards became noticeably more relaxed and warm.
Zhou Ai no longer deliberately pretends to be profound and has recovered some of his nature. He would share with Chu Yi the interesting things that happened during the filming of commercials and complain about the weight of a certain prop, but he always kept the tone just right and stopped chattering.
Although Chu Yi still didn't talk much, he would listen carefully, occasionally respond with a word or two, or pass the dishes he thought were delicious to Zhou Ai.
The meal ended in a subtle and harmonious atmosphere.
After leaving "Genting", the cold wind of the winter night blew in his face. Zhou Ai subconsciously turned sideways to block the wind for Chu Yi.
He looked at Chu Yi's slightly thin coat, and his heart beat faster because of the next suggestion.
"Um..." Zhou Ai tried to make her tone sound natural and considerate. "It's getting late. It might not be convenient to take a taxi here. Can I take you home?"
After he finished speaking, he carefully observed Chu Yi's expression, and the little abacus in his heart was crackling: on the one hand, he could know where Chu Yi lived, on the other hand, this was a rare opportunity to spend some more time alone with him!
Chu Yi turned and looked at him. Zhou Ai's car was parked not far away, its black body sleek and elegant under the streetlights.
Chu Yi just looked at him silently for two seconds. His eyes were calm, but seemed to be able to see through all his carefully hidden thoughts.
Just when Zhou Ai thought she was going to be rejected and her heart sank, Chu Yi nodded calmly:
"Okay. Thank you for your help."
After saying that, he took the lead and walked towards the car.
Zhou Ai stood there, stunned for a second, and then a huge joy rushed to his head. He hurried to catch up, the corners of his mouth curled up wildly, and he couldn't suppress it no matter how hard he tried.
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