When the two arrived at the restaurant, it was the peak dining time.

Li Yu'an looked through the glass window of the restaurant and saw that the table was almost full. He frowned uncertainly, "Boss Yan, is there any room here? It seems that all the guests are already seated."

Yan Cen smiled and gestured, "Just follow me in."

Li Yu'an said "Oh" softly and followed him in obediently.

"Welcome." The front desk waiter came up to greet them immediately, "How many people are you?"

Yan Cen gave out the last digit of his cell phone number in a neutral tone, "My last name is Yan." The receptionist

responded immediately, "Oh, hello, Mr. Yan, a seat has been reserved on the second floor, please--"

Yan Cen nodded slightly, not forgetting to turn sideways to signal Li Yu'an, "Let's go upstairs."

"A seat has been reserved?"

Didn't you decide to treat everyone to dinner on the spur of the moment?

A trace of confusion flashed across Li Yu'an's brows, and there was also a trace of expectation that he himself did not even notice, "Boss Yan, when did you reserve a seat?"

"..."

Yan Cen paused slightly and responded slowly, "One of the owners of this restaurant is my friend, and there are always friendly reservations."

This was half true and half false. The first half was true, and the false part was

that he did reserve a seat temporarily after learning that Li Yu'an was coming to the company to sign a contract, but he could not say this to avoid causing unnecessary burden and vigilance to Li Yu'an.

Yan Cen did not deny that he wanted to jump out of the "cooperative relationship" out of selfishness and establish a "friendship" with Li Yu'an as much as possible.

As for longer-term things, he did not want to consider it for the time being.

First, emotional and personal matters cannot be concluded so casually, and second, no matter what kind of relationship, it is based on mutual consent.

It is not only responsible for yourself, but also for others, so as to avoid making mistakes due to impulsiveness.

When Li Yu'an heard Yan Cen's answer, his doubts and the expectations in his heart disappeared.

Yan Cen pushed his glasses lightly, reminded Li Yu'an to pay attention to the steps, and changed the subject, "Do you like seafood?"

In fact, Yan Cen had considered a lot before booking the restaurant.

It's just that he has been back to China for less than two months, and he is indeed not familiar with the Imperial Restaurant, let alone Li Yu'an's true taste.

After a while, he thought of his good friend Bo Yueming and the other party's marriage partner Pei Yi. They had met by chance at a dinner party before, and Pei Yi showed that he particularly liked seafood at the table.

Pei Yi and Li Yu'an are about the same age, and both like sweet food. Perhaps they have the same taste in seafood.

Li Yu'an didn't know what Yan Cen was thinking, so he just nodded honestly, "Yeah, I like it."

Yan Cen breathed a sigh of relief, "This seafood platter is pretty good, I can try it later."

"Okay."

While they were talking, the two of them arrived on the second floor.

Compared to the crowded dining room on the first floor, the dining environment on the second floor is smaller and quieter. The few six dining tables are reserved for VIPs who have made reservations.

At this time, only the two tables at the back are still empty.

Yan Cen asked Li Yu'an, "Sit by the window? It'll be more comfortable."

Li Yu'an never cared about such trivial matters, "Okay."

The waiter on the second floor came forward and brought up the daily special menu, "Good evening, gentlemen. This is our restaurant's VIP customized menu. What would you like to order?"

Yan Cen did not take it, but only signaled the waiter with his eyes.

The waiter understood and handed the menu to Li Yu'an, "Sir, would you like to take a look?"

Li Yu'an took it with some surprise, "VIP customized?"

Yan Cen handed the lemonade poured by the waiter to Li Yu'an first, and explained casually, "There are few tables on the second floor and the food is limited. Take a look and see what you want?"

"I heard that their desserts are not bad. You can try them after dinner."

Every word was completely focused on Li Yu'an's feelings.

Li Yu'an thought of the "embarrassment" he had in the coffee restaurant last time and was still trying to be stubborn, "The seafood is okay, but as for desserts, I don't... I don't like them that much."

Yan Cen held back his smile and responded with "Okay, it depends on what you like."

The ending of these words was light and slow, causing Li Yu'an's heart to tremble.

Li Yu'an's shoes twitched under the table, but he didn't show it on his face. "Boss Yan, don't you have any dietary restrictions?"

Yan Cen was afraid that he would feel uncomfortable, so he added, "No, since I'm treating, then you can order whatever you want."

"...Okay."

Li Yu'an looked at the simple and elegant menu, ordered three of his favorite dishes, and finally raised his eyes to ask Yan Cen's opinion, "Boss Yan, do you have anything you like?" Yan

Cen drank a sip of water slowly, not thinking about ordering more dishes, but thinking about how to change the way they address each other.

After all, calling him Boss Li and Boss Yan all the time, even the most friendly cooperative relationship will seem unfamiliar in private.

After all, they are both graduates of Teikyo University, and even if they are in different majors, they can be considered seniors and juniors, right?

"..."

Yan Cen was just thinking when a voice with a hint of surprise rang out, "Senior, why are you here?"

Pei Huan walked in under the guidance of the waiter. He had originally planned to sit at the last empty table, but when he saw Yan Cen, he immediately started to greet him with surprise, "What a coincidence, I--"

until he found that the person sitting opposite Yan Cen was Li Yu'an, and he was suddenly stuck. Their eyes

met.

Pei Huan and Li Yu'an's eyes froze at the same time.

It was still Pei Huan who reacted first, and his smile returned, "Yu'an, so you are here too."

Li Yu'an's slightly curled shoe tips hidden under the table fell down, and he responded with the same courtesy, "Well, I haven't seen you for half a month."

Since the last competition, the three of them haven't seen each other again.

Perhaps it was because he saw Li Yu'an that Pei Huan recalled the scene of his last failed bidding.

Originally, he was temporarily pulled into the team by Ke Ming, and he knew nothing about the project itself, but in the end, he was implicated when the "plagiarism storm" broke out in the conference room.

This incident made Pei Huan feel embarrassed every time he thought about it.

He exhaled imperceptibly and turned his gaze back to Yan Cen, "Originally, I just came here to have a quick meal, but I didn't expect to meet you, senior and Yu An, what a coincidence." "

Last time, I made mistakes in the bidding and believed Ke Ming and others. I almost caused trouble for you. I'm really sorry."

Yan Cen didn't like to pull back and forth on things that had already been turned over, and calmed his emotions, "It's okay, it's in the past."

Li Yu An lowered his eyes, listened silently and didn't respond.

But Pei Huan wanted to go a step further, "The owner of this restaurant is my friend, how about this, senior, I will treat you to dinner tonight?"

"If you don't mind, let me share a table? I was thinking it would be boring to eat alone."

Pei Huan has always been good at speaking.

It is difficult for ordinary people to find a reason to refuse a polite request with a smile.

"..."

Yan Cen met Pei Huan's requesting gaze, and his eyes hidden under the glasses overflowed with a hint of resistance. In addition, there was a little scrutiny that outsiders could not detect.

Pei Huan also asked Li Yu'an, "Yu'an, is it convenient?"

"Ah?"

Li Yu'an was startled when he was suddenly called, and quickly moved his gaze back to peek at Yan Cen.

In just two or three seconds, his long-lasting joy and expectation were gone, "Of course, no problem for me."

In this case, what reason did he have not to agree? Even if he didn't agree, Pei Huan would still sit at the empty table next to them and he would still be able to see it.

He didn't want to be that stingy villain.

Yan Cen almost refused for a second, and had to change his words to Li Yu'an, "Sit down, our meals haven't come up yet."

Forget it, he couldn't figure out Li Yu'an's personality for the time being, and he was even more afraid that the other party would feel embarrassed and bored.

Maybe with Pei Huan of similar age sitting together, Li Yu'an would be more likely to open up the topic and learn more.

Li Yu'an handed the menu to Pei Huan, "Take a look?"

"Okay, thank you."

Pei Huan took the menu and naturally started a friendly conversation, "Senior, what did you order before? The seafood platter in this restaurant is very good, you can try it."

Yan Cen nodded slightly, "Yes, I ordered it."

The restaurant operator is a mutual friend, and he also mentioned "You can try the seafood platter" and so on.

The fate and tacit understanding between these two people seem to be born.

Li Yu'an took a sip of the lemon warm water on the table and suddenly felt very sour.

"Sorry, I'm going to the bathroom."

"Okay."

Pei Huan, who was sitting outside, gave him a seat, and Li Yu'an found the location of the bathroom on the second floor and left quickly.

--Swish

.

The cold water in the faucet flowed down, cooling the temperature of Li Yu'an's palms, and also dissipating the residual heat in his heart that shouldn't have existed.

Ever since Pei Huan appeared, Li Yu'an's attention has been secretly on Yan Cen, and he naturally noticed that the other party's eyes were on Pei Huan.

Somehow, Li Yu'an recalled the scene when they first met at the Bo family banquet, and suddenly a sour perception arose -

the senior should like Pei Huan very much, right?

Otherwise, after five years, how could he still remember Pei Huan, this little junior?

Li Yu'an looked at himself in the mirror, smiled bitterly and said nothing, "What are you jealous of? You should be sensible and leave now."

If the senior really likes Pei Huan, at least he can play a role in assisting.

Li Yu'an stood there in a trance for a long time, until someone came out of the inner toilet. Then he wiped his hands with a tissue and walked out

. At the dining table in the corner, Yan Cen and Pei Huan were still sitting face to face.

Just by looking at that scene, Li Yuan felt an indescribable fear. He tried his best to maintain his expression, walked closer and said, "Mr. Yan, I'm sorry."

Yan Cen immediately shifted his attention over, "What's the matter?"

Li Yuan said the excuse he had just thought of, "I received a call temporarily. Something happened at home. I have to go back."

Yan Cen frowned slightly, "Is it serious?"

Li Yuan paused for a moment, "No, it's not serious, but I really have to go back first. How about you two eat first?"

Yan Cen stood up, "I'll take you there."

Li Yuan couldn't tell what he felt at this moment, and his refusal was a bit stiff, "No, I drove."

Yan Cen's expression froze, and he was speechless for a rare time.

Pei Huan showed his presence, "Yu'an, if you have any problems at home, please take care of them first. We are fine here. We will have a meal together next time."

As he spoke, the waiter came over with a seafood platter.

Li Yu'an's eyelashes flickered slightly, and he raised a superficial smile, "This seafood platter smells good. I wish President Yan and Mr. Pei a pleasant meal. Goodbye."

He was afraid that he would show his true colors, so he quickly went downstairs after saying this.

The sound of his shoes stepping on the stairs was a bit heavy, and it hit Li Yu'an's heart with a bang. He was like a panicked deserter, and he didn't let out a breath until he left the restaurant.

The night breeze brought coolness, and it also made the corners of his eyes wet.

Li Yu'an quickly returned to the car, unconsciously grabbing the sugar cube in his pocket.

He was silent for a while, and warned himself bitterly and soberly, "Li Yu'an, don't be too greedy."

- Li Yu'an, you have never been qualified to be greedy.

...

The window seat on the second floor can just see the location of the parking lot.

Pei Huan was not sure, "Senior, what are you looking at?"

Yan Cen saw Li Yu'an's car leaving, turned his head, and did not answer Pei Huan's question.

He looked at the untouched seafood platter on the table, and felt a rare regret. He had originally thought that he could take the opportunity of dinner to get to know Li Yu'an better.

Unexpectedly, the situation changed again and again, and the person sitting opposite him became Pei Huan.

He did not leave immediately just now, purely because he still had the self-restraint in his bones.

Pei Huan noticed the change in Yan Cen's expression, "Senior, you..."

Yan Cen interrupted his address, and his usually gentle tone was tinged with a little seriousness, "Mr. Pei, I'm sorry, I think we need to clarify some things."

Pei Huan was stunned, "What?"

"If it wasn't for Mr. Li's agreement, I would have been thinking of refusing."

Yan Cen spoke frankly, and it was rare for him to be gentle and tactful. "I originally invited him to this dinner as an apology, and actually I didn't want a third person to interfere."

The cold word "third person" made Pei Huan's smile freeze when it came out.

"To be honest, the trouble your friend Ke Ming caused in the bidding is minor, and it's over. Our GM has not infringed on our interests, and we have also gained such an excellent partner as Mr. Li."

"By the way, you should know that I am a close friend of the second young master of the Bo family, so I also heard about what you did to Pei Yi in private after returning to China."

Pei Huan and Pei Yi are cousins, and there will always be some inappropriate competition between wealthy families.

"..."

Pei Huan looked a little embarrassed, as if someone had pierced the hidden malice in his heart.

Yan Cen stopped there, "I will pay for this meal. Mr. Pei can enjoy it as he pleases, or let the waiter take it away as it is as an employee meal. Just don't waste it."

Pei Huan subconsciously stood up, "Senior, I..."

Yan Cen didn't give him a chance to explain, "Since you have graduated and left school, let's put aside the 'senior and junior' set."

Yan Cen did not deny that he had admired Pei Huan's excellent strength in the investment and trading competition that year, and recognized the sense of propriety of this junior.

But strength is one thing, and character is another.

Yan Cen had never really understood Pei Huan, and now he had no time and energy to understand and contact him.

Outsiders say that Yan Cen is always gentle and approachable, but he knows that

he has a clear social bottom line, and he will not let the other party cross his social bottom line just because of momentary admiration.

Yan Cen pushed his glasses lightly, revealing a rare coldness, "Excuse me."

After saying that, he went downstairs without looking back, leaving Pei Huan standing there alone.

...

Yan Cen walked back to his car quickly, took off his glasses, and rubbed his swollen temples helplessly.

He thought of the little gaffe that Li Yu'an said before he left, and frowned uncertainly, always feeling that the other party's "something happened at home" was more like an excuse.

Yan Cen failed to come up with an accurate answer, but just sighed -

what's the matter with this kid?