Chapter 53 Li Nian's Independent Side Story - When He Remembered It (Part Two)
News footage is playing on the television screen.
The young man's smiling face exuded confidence and he showed no humility when answering reporters' questions.
—Is there anything you want to say to your competitors?
—I don’t think so (laughs).
—If I had to say something, I'd say keep trying, though it's probably not going to make much of a difference.
The nonchalant tone was more like utter contempt than provocation.
"...He's a hopeless megalomaniac."
The glass of wine was gently swirled, and the dark red liquid reflected the dim lighting of the bar.
After saying that, Lu Qingyao slightly raised her chin and took a sip.
The mellow wine slid down her throat through her mouth, and the girl let out a satisfied sigh.
The fingers resting on the rim of the cup were slender, and the fingertips were as bright and beautiful as the lips.
As she put down her wine glass, Lu Qingyao looked at Yu Qingzhou across the booth.
The latter was staring at the LCD screen, looking thoughtful.
Seeing this, Lu Qingyao gave a disgruntled "Hey!"
"Yu Qingzhou, just how far are you going to go in ignoring a living, breathing person like me?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Qingzhou turned her gaze back, her eyes sweeping lightly over the meticulously dressed girl, before revealing a perfectly timed smile.
"Miss Lu is as radiant as ever today."
The young man spoke earnestly, as if he were praising a work of art.
Upon hearing this, Lu Qingyao's eyes flickered.
The girl rested her chin on her hands, smiled, and glanced at Yu Qingzhou with an eager expression.
"Could you please tell me specifically what makes it beautiful?"
As she spoke, she winked at Yu Qingzhou.
Such a gesture might seem abrupt to someone else, but not to Lu Qingyao.
Firstly, the girl was indeed naturally beautiful.
Secondly, she speaks with a unique frankness, which makes her sound neither pretentious nor obsequious.
It only makes people feel energetic.
Perhaps moved by this vibrant life force, Yu Qingzhou's smile became more genuine.
He quietly glanced at Lu Qingyao across from him for a few moments, then answered solemnly.
"I think everywhere is beautiful."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Lu Qingyao's expectant smile immediately faded.
He paused, then pressed on, unwilling to give up, "Couldn't you be more specific?"
Yu Qingzhou pondered for a moment.
"Hmm, is it beautiful everywhere exactly?"
"..."
Lu Qingyao's smile froze completely.
She took a deep breath, then turned and stopped a young man who looked like a waiter, gave him a bright smile, and softly asked, "Do you think I'm beautiful?"
The new waiter was completely bewildered by this unexpected question.
He looked at the pretty girl who had stopped him, flattered and somewhat at a loss.
"Very...very beautiful."
"Really?" Lu Qingyao blinked.
The young man finally got his tongue straight and nodded in agreement.
"Yes, miss, you are absolutely the most beautiful guest I have ever seen... May I ask, miss, is there anything I can do for you?"
"That's all, thank you so much, sir!"
Having received a satisfactory answer, Lu Qingyao smiled and waved.
While taking the cocktail, he casually slipped a substantial tip into the tray the other person was carrying.
In the dim light, the waiter did not notice this action.
Judging from his expression, he seemed somewhat distracted by the girl's smile.
Just as the waiter was reluctantly about to leave, he was suddenly called back from behind.
He looked at the girl with surprise, only to see her smile slightly and say, "Could you please change the channel, young man?"
The waiter followed the girl's gaze to the hanging LCD screen, which was playing financial news interviews.
The protagonist appears to be a renowned business genius in the industry.
Young and promising, handsome and rich... but judging from the girl's attitude, he doesn't seem interested at all.
This only deepened the young man's admiration for him.
Ah, what an extraordinary beauty.
What he didn't know was that Lu Qingyao's aversion to Li Nian had nothing to do with aesthetics, but rather fell into the category of "like repels like."
To put it in simpler terms—
Rivals in love are especially hostile when they meet.
Without the distraction of the television screen, Lu Qingyao's mood brightened, and her black stilettos swayed gently.
"See? This is the right way to appreciate a beautiful woman of the opposite sex."
With a slender index finger lightly tapping the table, the girl leaned forward as if to show off, as if extending an invitation.
Unfortunately, Yu Qingzhou on the other side remained calm and unmoved.
"I saw it." The young man nodded slightly.
Despite being words of agreement, Lu Qingyao felt inexplicably frustrated.
I feel like I'm being treated like a little girl again.
Lu Qingyao bit her lip and complained in a low voice, clearly dissatisfied.
"But they're not actually learning it at all."
"—There is absolutely no need to learn it."
A voice interrupted their conversation.
A clean and magnetic male voice.
However, he used the exact same... smug tone as the protagonist in the previous TV interview.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Lu Qingyao abandoned her previous leisurely demeanor, straightened her posture, and gave a professional, fake smile.
"Oh, isn't this President Li? What a coincidence to run into you here."
This newly opened bar is located in a remote area.
People come and go, and word of mouth among friends is the primary means of communication.
To be able to find it even here, it's like... a persistent ghost.
Li Nian ignored Lu Qingyao, who had a resentful look on her face, and looked at Yu Qingzhou beside her.
Her red lips curved into a beautiful smile, more alluring than the night itself.
"Darling~ You have no idea how long I've been looking for you."
Goodness, that cloying tone of his was completely different from before.
Upon hearing this, Lu Qingyao felt a chill run down her spine. She touched her hairy, bare arm and felt a severe physical discomfort.
Yu Qingzhou subconsciously began to doubt her own memories.
Didn't we have breakfast together this morning?
"It's true that we had breakfast together."
Li Nian smiled and nodded in affirmation, then approached Yu Qingzhou with a wronged expression.
Despite being so tall, when she lowered her head, she managed to create a pitiful and endearing appearance.
"But eight hours, fifty-six minutes, and thirty-eight seconds have passed since then, and I haven't seen my darling. I can't even muster the energy to work anymore."
—What a lack of interest!
Lu Qingyao couldn't help but secretly grumble to herself.
I wonder who it was just now... who was so enthusiastic and having so much fun roasting people during the interview.
Yu Qingzhou also noticed that the young man was still wearing the same outfit he wore on television, so he said, "You must be tired from work."
Upon hearing this, Li Nian smiled even more broadly, her eyes crinkling into crescents.
"Yes, it is a little... but the thought of seeing you, my dear, as soon as I get off work makes all the hard work worthwhile."
Look at that pretentious, affectionate, and undying demeanor. Anyone who didn't know better would think this guy was about to travel back in time to build the Great Wall.
Lu Qingyao silently rolled her eyes in her mind.
Just then, the young man turned the conversation back to himself.
"I just didn't expect that someone's fiancée would be here too."
The slight pause, the gentle tone, seemed to still carry a lingering sweetness, yet it was like a hard candy with distinct edges.
It may look sweet, but it's actually terrifyingly sharp.
"What a coincidence."
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