【018】Dating
Gu Yinyin only took half a day off. After the three of them had lunch together, Gu Yinyin returned to work. Liu Guang dragged Gu Juan to the internet cafe and stayed there until after five o'clock. Before leaving, Gu Juan uploaded the video he had taken last time and the video Liu Guang had secretly filmed today. What would happen next depended on Gu Haojie's luck. If Gu Haojie didn't provoke him again, it would be fine. But if he did, he would be ready for even more violent retaliation.
Gu Juan had actually noticed that he seemed more ruthless now, more flamboyant in both his thoughts and his approach. But he didn't think it was a big deal. What was cultivation? It was about seeking one's true self, discarding the false and retaining the true—in other words, following one's heart. Constantly compromising oneself was actually detrimental to cultivation. He believed that as long as he didn't lose himself, he could go further on the path of cultivation. At that moment, a warm current surged within his dantian. Gu Juan's eyes lit up; he had actually broken through!
Gu Juan felt relieved and in a good mood. After separating from Liu Guang, he took a bus from the Internet cafe to Yunhe Interchange, which took only about ten minutes.
Summer days are long, and although it wasn't dark yet, the streetlights were already on, like two long, winding rivers stretching into the distance. As soon as he got out of the car, he saw Xi Lang, dressed in a black suit, standing next to a black Haodu.
The Haodu, priced in the millions, boasts a minimalist, seemingly unremarkable exterior, but its interior is designed with refinement, comfort, and safety in mind. It's hailed by car enthusiasts as "understated luxury" and was even voted the most popular and desirable car in 2011. Honestly, Gu Juan often dreamed of buying a Haodu in his past life.
Xi Lang looked at the child with some amusement as his expression was calm but his envious eyes moved back and forth over his car twice.
"It's rare that I wasn't late this time."
Gu Juan glanced at him and said, "Since I'm inviting you to dinner, of course I have to show my sincerity."
Xi Lang handed him the paper bag and said, "Congratulations. It's a small gift."
Gu Juan was surprised. This man was so polite. After a pause, he accepted it graciously, feeling a little warm in his heart.
"Thanks."
Xi Lang nodded and said, "Get in the car."
Gu Juan opened the car door and said, "Don't blame me for not reminding you that it's difficult to park where we're going."
“There’s no parking nearby?”
"Yes, it's about two miles away from where we have dinner." Gu Juan glanced at the paper bag, which contained a gift box the size of a pencil case.
Xi Lang said nonchalantly, "As long as there's a parking lot, it'll be fine. Show me the way."
Following Gu Juan's instructions, Xi Lang drove the car to a small parking lot and parked it. He followed Gu Juan and finally stopped in front of Lao Wang's Hot Pot Restaurant. He looked at the shabby awning and narrow lobby above his head with an expressionless face.
"Sorry, I only have enough money to treat you to hot pot." Gu Juan said as he walked in, implying that he would not change places. Although he was not willing to pay back, for some reason, he still wanted to tease Xi Lang.
Xi Lang was very calm, "I know you don't even have the money to open a bank account."
"Ahem." Gu Juan touched his nose. "Although the decoration here is not very good, the hot pot tastes very good. If you come late, there may not be a seat. Let's go in."
Xi Lang followed him in, and the guests who were having dinner looked at Xi Lang with strange eyes because of his suit and tie.
Xi Lang remained calm, his demeanor natural and composed, as if he were in his conference room.
Gu Juan smiled secretly and also admired him a little.
Xi Lang looked around the hall. The shop wasn't large, with twelve tables—eight four-person squares and four large round ones—making it a bit crowded, but it was immaculately kept. The tables were covered with crisp white cloths, and a few pots of flowers and vines lined the wooden partition walls, adding a touch of elegance. Gu Juan hadn't been lying. The hall was practically full, with only one square table remaining empty. Furthermore, the hot pot here wasn't a large group sharing the same pot; each person had their own small, clean, and hygienic hot pot.
"Come and sit down." Gu Juan invited him to walk to the empty table.
The smart waiter quickly brought the menu over and said, "Welcome."
"Hotpot is not satisfying if it's not spicy. Do you dare to eat spicy food?" Gu Juan took the menu and asked.
How could Xi Lang say he didn't dare? He glanced at him and said, "Okay."
After Gu Juan ordered two spicy hot pot soup bases, he handed him the menu and said, "Order whatever you want."
Soon, two pots of soup were served. The red broth was dotted with brown Sichuan peppercorns, gray star anise, yellow ginger slices, white scallions, and bright red chilies. As the broth came to a boil, the simmering red chilies grew more vibrant, sinking and then rising. A fresh, fragrant, and pungent aroma emanated, overwhelming my nose.
Gu Juan suddenly felt a little regretful. If he wanted to tease Xi Lang, he could just order a spicy hot pot base for Xi Lang. Why did he have to get himself involved?
The exterior wall of the hot pot restaurant was made of glass. Cars were passing by on the road, and the light from the car lights occasionally swayed into the house, sweeping across Gu Juan's face, making the annoyance on his face very obvious.
Xi Lang saw it all, and before the other party noticed, he naturally looked away, ordered a few side dishes, and handed over the menu.
Gu Juan took a quick look and saw only five or six dishes. He said with a somewhat disdainful tone, "You have a really small appetite."
"Eating too much at night is not a good way to maintain health," Xi Lang explained.
Gu Juan showed a look of surprise on her face. She looked at his face carefully and said uncertainly, "You've taken good care of yourself. Are you in your fifties?"
Xi Lang suddenly felt a headache. He stared at him with sharp eyes for a long moment. "Twenty, ten, seventeen. Do I look that old?"
Gu Juan breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand. "I said you look very young. You can't blame me. As far as I know, only people in their fifties care about health preservation. You look so young but you live like an old man. No wonder I misunderstood. Young people should look young. What do you think?"
Xi Lang looked at him expressionlessly and had to admit that he had underestimated the kid's ability to ridicule others.
Gu Juan was almost laughing in his heart. He lowered his head and pretended to look at the menu seriously, thinking: You deserve it. Now you have a taste of being lectured.
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