Chapter 43 She had deliberately eavesdropped on everything he said…
The restaurant's decor is a low-key yet luxurious retro-Chinese style, with glossy wooden tables and chairs in unique designs. The partitions between the tables are ingenious, featuring either hazy and beautiful white gauze curtains or intricately carved bamboo screens that evoke a sense of profound tranquility.
Zhu Liushuang's gaze was drawn to the "Pine and Crane Longevity Picture" on the wall in the center of the restaurant. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was not a painting but an embroidery.
Through the white crane's eyes, the image of her father, Zhu Xiangdong, reappeared in her mind.
"When the company gives out bonuses at the end of the year, Dad will take Xiaoshuang to Mengyuan Restaurant for a big meal. We'll order Xiaoshuang's favorite dishes: Dongpo pork, hairy crabs, and steamed white fish..."
Unfortunately, her father died in the dead of winter that year, never able to fulfill his promise to his daughter.
The Dream Restaurant has undergone several renovations and has long since changed its original appearance.
Nowadays, their signature dishes have changed from local Shanghai cuisine to trendy creative cuisine, and the average price per person has been rising again and again.
Perhaps because he had been standing by the wall for too long, he attracted the attention of the restaurant staff.
Someone approached her with a plate of food and snacks and politely asked, "Miss, do you have a reservation? Do you need any help?"
“No…no need, I’ll leave in a bit,” Zhu Liushuang declined.
She was reluctant to spend several hundred yuan on a single dinner here, and looked rather reserved.
"Okay, please feel free to call me anytime if you need anything. The round fans and bamboo flutes on this low table are for guests to use when taking photos," the waiter reminded them earnestly with a smile, without the slightest hint of disdain.
Mengyuan Restaurant was already a well-known local internet-famous restaurant, attracting countless customers who came to take photos. Therefore, the staff were used to it. Seeing Zhu Liushuang's pretty face, the waiter assumed she was just a minor internet celebrity visiting the restaurant.
"Thank you," Zhu Liushuang replied dryly.
To hide her inner unease, she picked up a round fan from the table and quickly walked around the waiter to the other side.
Even she herself didn't know where this anxiety and embarrassment came from.
Perhaps it was her frugal upbringing that made her feel out of place in this upscale restaurant.
Remembering that Lü Feng was still waiting for her in the car, Zhu Liushuang prepared to go back immediately. Just as she was about to take a step, her belt accidentally snagged on the partition next to her.
The white gauze curtains swayed gently, and the figures inside could be vaguely seen.
"Ah Ming, your father knew you were willing to come for this simple meal, so he specially ordered your favorite Taihu Three Whites." A middle-aged woman's voice came from inside.
Zhu Liushuang suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Ah Ming?
She is particularly sensitive to the character “铭”.
“Here, eat it while it’s hot. It’s been so long since we’ve eaten together… If your sister didn’t have to attend evening self-study sessions because of her upcoming high school entrance exam, she definitely would have come with me today. She keeps telling me she wants to see her brother.”
Zhu Liushuang was so engrossed in listening that she forgot she was leaving.
A white curtain separated her from the world, and under the lamplight, she could see three figures.
A man and a woman sat side by side, while another person sat alone opposite them.
As if driven by some unseen force, Zhu Liushuang could not move an inch.
After a brief silence, she heard the young man speak indifferently: "I came here today just to make things clear to you. Whether it's a blind date or marriage, don't interfere in my affairs from now on. And don't bother Grandpa anymore... If you're still thinking of using me to curry favor with your boss for a promotion and a raise, you can forget about it."
That voice... is it He Ming?
She couldn't have misheard. Zhu Liushuang covered her mouth tightly, afraid that she might accidentally cry out.
Originally, she only lingered here because of the character "铭" and eavesdropped for a while.
Right now, she decided to stay because of He Ming, and ended up eavesdropping on everything.
Although eavesdropping is not a respectable thing to do.
However, she wanted to know every little detail about him.
Zhu Liushuang walked quietly to the private room next to He Ming, separated by a curtain, and sat down.
Soon, a waiter came over to pour her water and prepare her tableware.
It seems... we have no choice but to order some food.
She gritted her teeth, took out her phone, and scanned the QR code. Her eyes quickly swept over the long names and flashy pictures of the dishes on the menu, and she only picked two of the cheapest and most filling options.
After ordering, she sent another message to Lü Feng.
[Brother Feng, I have some things to take care of that will keep me there for a while. You should go home early, don't wait for me. Thank you so much for today, I'll treat you to dinner another day.]
After sending the message, she silenced her phone, sat up straight, and quietly eavesdropped.
The atmosphere next door was tense. The father and son were at odds, and it was only through the mediation of the middle-aged woman that the situation improved.
But Zhu Liushuang felt increasingly uncomfortable listening to it.
She had assumed that the person sitting next to He Ming's father was his mother, but He Ming coldly addressed her as "Aunt Yao."
So...did He Ming's parents get divorced?
No wonder he has a cold personality and always has a tense expression. It must be related to the changes in his family.
As Zhu Liushuang thought this, her heart felt like it was being pulled by something, and she felt even more sorry for He Ming.
With the two sides locked in a standoff, he must be feeling very sad, isolated and helpless.
She slowly moved her body towards the back of the chair, trying to see He Ming's expression through the gap in the curtains. But from her angle, she could only vaguely see the couple sitting opposite He Ming.
The middle-aged man had his hair slicked back, and his face and nose bore a striking resemblance to He Ming's. Despite the sweltering summer heat, he was still impeccably dressed in a suit. His temples were streaked with gray, his lips were slightly downturned, and his brows were furrowed. If it weren't for the woman beside him restraining him, his anger might have erupted at any moment.
The "Aunt Yao" that He Ming mentioned looked several years younger than his father. Her skin was well-maintained, and she was dressed in jewels. Her full lips were coated with honey-colored lip gloss, and she opened and closed her mouth, trying her best to persuade He Ming.
“Ah Ming, how can you think of your father like that! Guan Shan... he often thinks of you too. Although that girl is the daughter of his future boss, she is indeed a good girl. She comes from a wealthy family, has a dignified appearance, graduated from the provincial normal university, and has a permanent job.”
"With such a great prospect, plenty of people would want her. I heard she had a crush on you back in school. It's a rare opportunity and a stroke of luck, so you should seize it... Just have a meal with her and get to know her. How will you know if it's not a good match if you don't get to know her?"
So they're trying to persuade him to go on blind dates!
Zhu Liushuang felt as if she had swallowed a mouthful of bitter herbs; her heart and mouth were filled with bitterness.
Yes, with such good offers, why did He Ming refuse so decisively?
Is it because she doesn't want to be a tool for her father's promotion? Or does he already have someone else in his heart?
Logically speaking, she should be happy that he rejected such an excellent blind date.
Why did I feel even more depressed? I just couldn't muster any energy.
The waiter brought a tray to her side, placed a plate of golden and translucent fried rice on the table, and thoughtfully served her half a bowl of rice in a small bowl.
Zhu Liushuang thanked him and picked up a spoon to scoop a spoonful of rice.
The golden rice grains were infused with the aroma of crab roe, the green peas were vibrant, and the shrimp had no fishy smell. This fried rice, priced at 108 yuan, should have tasted good, but to her at that moment, it tasted like cardboard.
Zhu Liushuang mechanically shoveled the rice into her mouth, spoonful by spoonful.
A long silence fell next door, broken only by the clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
A moment later, someone's phone rang.
She heard He Ming's father answer a phone call, and then hurriedly leave the private room.
She thought He Ming would follow her away. But he didn't; he just lowered his head and silently ate his food.
Instead, it was the woman called "Aunt Yao" who spoke first.
"Ah Ming, please, I'm begging you this once. Let's go out for dinner next week, it won't take up much of your time. I've already promised... If you don't go, it will affect your father's job," the woman pleaded in a low voice.
Even though she spoke softly, pleading and helplessly, He Ming remained unchanged in his attitude.
“Aunt Yao, I already paid for the meal when I came, so this meal is on me. From now on, you three…” He suddenly paused, took a breath, and continued, “Just live a good life, don’t worry about me! My mother only gave birth to me, her only son, she doesn’t have a sister.”
There was a rustling sound from inside the curtains, and He Ming stood up, his voice as cold as ice: "And... you don't need to pretend to be a good person in front of me, putting on an act. I haven't forgotten what happened back then."
What happened back then?
What exactly did Aunt Yao do?
Zhu Liushuang's heart sank. A strong sixth sense told her that He Ming at this moment was like a hedgehog with its sharp quills raised, suppressing the disgust and anger in his heart and maintaining a calm and well-mannered appearance.
She longed to rush forward and take his hand, to offer him some warmth.
Unfortunately, she had no stance.
Therefore, she could only hide in a corner where no one knew her and listen secretly, watching silently, until he left like a gust of wind.
Zhu Liushuang dared not chase after him.
She knew perfectly well that he would never want anyone to know about such an embarrassing scene.
Before she knew it, the fried rice on her plate was almost gone. She was surprised to find that she hadn't tasted anything at all. All her attention had been completely focused on the private room across the hall.
"You think I wanted to beg you to go on blind dates?" The middle-aged woman spat. "What a jinx... What a piece of trash! He killed Mom, and now he's bringing bad luck to Dad!"
Zhu Liushuang, who was scanning the code to pay, stared wide-eyed in shock. She simply couldn't believe that this seemingly weak and gentle "Aunt Yao" could have such a face, uttering words so vicious that she sounded like an ill-mannered shrew.
What does it mean to bring misfortune to one's mother?
So, is He Ming's mother deceased? And is Aunt Yao a mistress who came into the family?
Zhu Liushuang's mind quickly conjured up a melodramatic soap opera. She stood up angrily, making a move to pull back the curtain and give the other person a thorough dressing-down.
But this was ultimately He Ming's family matter, and she wasn't even a close friend of his, so how could she have the nerve to interfere! Fortunately, He Ming left quickly and didn't hear such offensive words.
Zhu Liushuang was still reflecting on what the talented He Ming had said.
"Pretending to be a good person"? "Feigning innocence"? Then this Aunt Yao must have caused trouble for He Ming before. Thinking of this, her anger intensified.
In the next private room, Yao Ying finished her meal and picked up her phone to call her daughter: "Hey, Yunyun, Daddy's in a meeting today. Mommy will pick you up after evening self-study. Have you eaten dinner? Don't be picky..."
The tone she used when speaking to her daughter, He Yun, was a complete 180-degree turn compared to when she cursed He Ming. Immersed in the phone call, she was naturally unaware that just half a meter away, someone was seething with hatred towards her.
After finishing her call with her daughter, Yao Ying gracefully stood up, slung the Chanel handbag her husband had just bought for her over her shoulder, put on her sunglasses, and prepared to go home.
No sooner had she stepped out of the private room than a girl, who appeared out of nowhere, grabbed her waist tie. Wearing high heels, she nearly tripped and fell flat on her face.
"Hey, why aren't you watching where you're going? What kind of person are you!" Yao Ying said, taking off her sunglasses.
Seeing that she hadn't fallen, Zhu Liushuang said "Sorry, I'm in a hurry" and ran away without looking back.
She ran out of the restaurant in one breath, ignoring the strange looks she received from those behind her.
She ran all the way to the parking lot outside the restaurant before bending over, panting heavily.
As dusk settles outside, the vibrant nightlife is just beginning.
Zhu Liushuang glanced back at the large signboard of Mengyuan Restaurant and smiled silently.
The car horn honked, and the warm yellow headlights illuminated her delicate face, which was covered in sweat.
A black SUV drove past her, its window slowly rolling down.
"Zhu Liushuang?" someone called her name.
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Author's note: The plot seems to be developing a bit too melodramatic?
The male and female protagonists in this book can't form a complete family. So the premise is that they heal and redeem each other.
Hahaha, Shuangshuang is still very cute. She couldn't give Aunt Yao a good scolding, but she did manage to vent her anger for her senior.
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