Xie Wang's unhappiness was written all over his face; there was no need to guess.
Ling Shuangjiang is now hesitant, wavering between "indulging him" and "not indulging him".
"Want to drink?" Xie Wang's voice was deep, and the moment he raised his eyes, he looked like a large, aggrieved dog that hadn't been satisfied.
Ling Shuangjiang couldn't help but chuckle; it seemed the other party was actually feeling wronged.
"You can drink it."
Xie Wang called over a waiter: "Open a bottle of wine, a warm red wine from Château Margaux."
Waiter: "Okay."
As the dishes were served one after another, Xie Wang remained attentive, helping Ling Shuangjiang pick out food, remove fish bones, and serve soup, attending to every detail.
However, his expression always carried a faint sadness, with a hint of unspeakable anguish.
At this moment, the restaurant owner pushed the wine over himself: "Mr. Xie, this is what you sent last month. Compared to what you usually drink, it is milder and more mellow."
Xie Wang nodded: "Yes, it suits him better."
The shop owner looked at Ling Shuangjiang and smiled politely: "So that's why Mr. Xie would put this type of wine here for the first time. He was prepared all along. This must be the gentleman who likes Sichuan cuisine."
Ling Shuangjiang nodded to the boss in thanks: "Yes."
The owner opened the red wine and personally poured it for the two of them: "Have a pleasant evening."
After the boss left, Ling Shuangjiang silently took a sip.
Indeed, the taste is perfect for people who aren't good at drinking.
Without asking, he probably knew that Xie Wang had already prepared everything, and even planned to bring him over for dinner during the dating show.
I thought about it.
He tidied the stray hairs by his ear and said softly, "I think what you said makes a lot of sense. Let's not rush into dating."
Xie Wang quietly raised his gaze and stared intently at Ling Shuangjiang.
"I want to eat lobster, can you peel it for me?"
Xie Wang nodded, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes, and immediately began peeling the skin for him.
He was thinking about this while peeling the lobster.
Isn't it a bit selfish of him to do this?
He never wanted Ling Shuangjiang to be in a relationship, and even wanted to possess him.
This behavior is very irresponsible.
If you want to take responsibility, then marry Ling Shuangjiang.
But, does this mean he's gay?
Would Ling Shuangjiang be willing to marry him?
Xie Wang neatly arranged the lobsters on a plate and handed it to Ling Shuangjiang.
"Old Xie?" At this moment, a familiar voice came from the side. Xie Wang looked up and saw that it was his friend Lu Shaoxuan.
The two met in the business world and have collaborated on numerous projects, both large and small, over the years, making them quite good business partners.
Xie Wang stood up: "What a coincidence."
Lu Shaoxuan was accompanied by a beautiful girl. He introduced her to Xie Wang: "This is my wife, Yuqing."
Xie Wang looked at Ling Shuangjiang: "This is my beloved friend, Ling Shuangjiang."
This address startled Lu Shaoxuan: "This is...your friend?"
Xie Wang: "Yes, my best friend."
Ling Shuangjiang was shy, so she stood up and greeted Lu Shaoxuan, who was looking at her with a puzzled expression, "Hello, Ling Shuangjiang."
Lu Shaoxuan quickly shook hands with him: "You're too kind, please have a seat."
Lu Shaoxuan was in a hurry to leave, but before he left, he suddenly remembered something.
He asked Xie Wang, "By the way, Lao Xie, do you remember two months ago when you were so worried about not having a partner that you were hospitalized?"
Xie Wang nodded: "What's wrong?"
Lu Shaoxuan said, "What's wrong? After you told me about your ideal type last time, I introduced you to a very outstanding and beautiful girl. At that time, she was not back in the country, so we couldn't meet. We said we would wait for her to come back. She happened to be back in Bintan last week. When would you two find some time to meet?"
"Meet?"
Xie Wang inexplicably felt a chill.
He glanced at Ling Shuangjiang subconsciously, and Ling Shuangjiang put down her chopsticks and smiled gently at him: "You've arranged to meet?"
Author's Note:
*Sobbing* I need a nutrient solution!
Chapter 39 Add his name to the property certificate.
The sudden freeze in the atmosphere made Lu Shaoxuan realize something was amiss, and Xie Wang, for some reason, felt inexplicably nervous in the face of Ling Shuangjiang's smile.
"It was just a casual remark; I won't actually meet him."
Ling Shuangjiang smiled with narrowed eyes: "Actually, you can go and take a look. After all, you're already 28 years old and still don't have a boyfriend. Your family will be worried."
Xie Wang said stiffly, "No, I don't want to be in a relationship."
Ling Shuangjiang didn't speak again, resting her chin on her hand and looking at Xie Wang gently, still with a calm and breezy smile, but there was a hint of guilt in Xie Wang's eyes.
The strange atmosphere between them made Lu Shaoxuan notice something amiss. Lu Shaoxuan's girlfriend tugged at his sleeve and said gently, "Since Brother Xie is unwilling to find someone, don't force him. Love is something that can only be done willingly. Perhaps Brother Xie will find someone he likes soon."
Lu Shaoxuan nodded hurriedly: "That's right, then I'll go first, you guys continue eating."
After the two left, Ling Shuangjiang picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of green spinach and a piece of green bok choy on Xie Wang's plate: "Eat quickly, the food is getting cold."
“That was a few months ago. He mentioned it briefly, and I didn’t think much of it, so I agreed.” Xie Wang explained the whole story carefully: “But my thinking has changed now. I don’t think I’m old now. After all, I’m only 28. I think I’m very young, and it doesn’t matter if I don’t get married until I’m around 40.”
Ling Shuangjiang smiled and said, "Forty years old and still not married? But that's fine too. Many people of your status are against marriage."
“Yes, but it’s not that I don’t want to get married.” Xie Wang looked at Ling Shuangjiang meaningfully: “When it comes to relationships, I’d rather break than bend. I have high standards. I don’t accept arranged marriages. My other half must be someone I truly love, someone I’m willing to protect wholeheartedly, and someone with whom I can have a spiritual connection. Only when I meet such a person will I be willing to marry him.”
Ling Shuangjiang nodded: "So you mean you won't settle?"
Xie Wang: "Yes, I'm not willing to settle. So when my grandfather suggested that I try contacting my childhood sweetheart, I was very resistant. One reason was that he was a boy, but the bigger reason was that I don't accept arranged marriages."
Ling Shuangjiang nodded, understanding Xie Wang's thoughts.
He ate the lobster Xie Wang had peeled for him in small bites, and said with a smile, "You peeled the lobster very cleanly. Do you often peel lobsters for others?"
"No." Xie Wang frowned. "Why would I peel shrimp for someone else? They're not without hands."
"Huh?" Ling Shuangjiang's eyebrows curved into a smile: "Then why did you peel it for me?"
"I'm afraid you'll get pricked by the lobster shells," Xie Wang replied without hesitation, as if simply stating his true thoughts.
After staring at Xie Wang for two seconds, Ling Shuangjiang took a small bite of lobster meat and smiled, "Aren't you really going to go and see? Although I understand your thoughts, how will you know if you like someone if you don't go and see? Even if you're compatible with someone, you still have to get to know them, right?"
Xie Wang said calmly, "To be honest, a fortune teller told me that I would get married after I turn thirty, so I don't think that person is her."
"Thirty years old?" Ling Shuangjiang raised her wine glass: "Then I wish you a smooth marriage after you turn thirty."
Xie Wang felt inexplicably nervous during dinner, as he kept feeling that Ling Shuangjiang's beautiful smiling eyes held a deeper meaning.
Even he himself probably couldn't understand why he felt cheated when Lu Shaoxuan said he was willing to go on blind dates.
After dinner, the two sat by the river to watch the performance.
The night air was cool, so Xie Wang draped his coat over Ling Shuangjiang's shoulders, and Ling Shuangjiang tilted her head and said thank you.
Xie Wang sized him up.
The river breeze ruffled Ling Shuangjiang's soft hair as she gazed intently at the cruise ship's performance, a gentle smile playing on her lips, her eyes sparkling like a thousand stars.
At that moment, Xie Wang's heart melted.
He wanted to hug Ling Shuangjiang.
But he knew it was a rogue act.
"This performance is great. Is it shown every day?"
Ling Shuangjiang suddenly turned her head and met Xie Wang's troubled expression.
Xie Wang was momentarily embarrassed, then replied in a low voice, "It's every Friday. If you like, I'll bring you every week."
"Every week?" Ling Shuangjiang asked sensibly, "Are you very busy with work? How can you find time to spend with me regularly? If you say that, I will take it as a promise."
Xie Wang paused, his brows furrowing as if he were deep in thought.
Ling Shuangjiang suddenly leaned closer and teased in a low voice, "Feeling a lot of pressure?"
Xie Wang lowered his eyes and focused on Ling Shuangjiang's small, delicate nose, which was adorned with a mole.
“No pressure. I promise you, as long as I’m in Bintan, I’ll bring you here every Friday, if you’d like.”
Ling Shuangjiang extended her little finger: "Pinky promise?"
Xie Wang smiled, pursing his lips: "Pinky promise."
After making the agreement, Ling Shuangjiang moved closer to Xie Wang and rested her head on his shoulder: "Can I lean on you?"
Xie Wang: "Of course." He gently raised his right hand, trying to put his arm around Ling Shuangjiang's shoulder, but after hesitating for a long time, he slowly lowered it and sighed heavily.
It was already past midnight when I got home.
Ling Shuangjiang noticed that his slippers had been changed to a pair of slightly thicker white cotton slippers at some point.
Xie Wang: "Winter is very cold in the north, don't catch a cold."
The white cotton slippers are so cute, they have adorable little pandas on them.
After Ling Shuangjiang finished dressing, she said, "But by the time winter comes, I will have already left."
Xie Wang walked up to him and asked, "Didn't you say you wanted to buy a house here? Before you buy a house, why don't you stay here with me? It's not safe to rent a place."
Ling Shuangjiang did not agree immediately: "But I think it's more comfortable for me to live alone, and I'm also afraid of disturbing you."