"What a waste," Ruolin thought to herself, but she still went straight to the private room that Han Haoxuan had told her about beforehand.
Ruolin pushed open the door and saw Han Haoxuan leaning back elegantly on the sofa.
The private room wasn't as brightly lit as the main hall; the dim lighting added a unique ambiance. Under the light, Han Haoxuan's face was sharply defined, chiseled and incredibly handsome. Half of his face was shrouded in shadow. His eyes were dark and bright, seemingly radiating a dazzling light; his long eyelashes cast a beautiful shadow on his cheek, and his thin lips were slightly pursed. He held a transparent stemmed glass gently in his slender fingers, and with an unintentional swirl, the ice cubes inside clinked softly against the glass.
Ruolin was momentarily stunned, leaning against the door in a daze for a while. She hadn't expected his profile to be so handsome. At that moment, her heart fluttered. But seeing the sharp light in his eyes, a sense of fear crept into her heart. She felt that Han Haoxuan would definitely not let her off the hook, and would surely vent his anger on her. Sigh, what could she do? She had conspired with Xinyu to deceive him. She could only accept her bad luck and prepare for the coming storm.
When Han Haoxuan saw Ruolin arrive, he quickly placed the wine glass he was holding on the table, gesturing for her to sit down. His attitude was gentle, without a trace of annoyance.
Ruolin was stunned. She couldn't believe that Han Haoxuan would treat her so well. She immediately loosened her grip and found that her palms were warm and damp. After regaining her composure, she closed the door and sat down opposite Han Haoxuan.
Han Haoxuan glanced at the glass in front of him, a smile involuntarily playing on his handsome lips. While waiting for Ruolin, he had unknowingly already drunk two glasses of wine.
Han Haoxuan picked up the wine bottle on the table, filled the glass in front of Ruolin, and handed it to her, saying, "Try it, it's imported from France, made in 1965, it tastes good."
Ruolin waved her hand and said with an embarrassed smile, "I don't drink alcohol."
She does have a low alcohol tolerance. When her workplace holds events and others want to drink with her, she usually declines. But sometimes, when faced with a persistent person, she has no choice but to take a few sips. The spiciness of the alcohol is a bit too much for her; her face turns red after just a few sips. So, she always tries her best to refuse whenever possible, and this time was no exception.
"You can take a small sip." Han Haoxuan picked up the wine glass, brought it to his lips, took a small sip, and demonstrated for Ruolin.
Ruolin hesitated for a moment, but unable to refuse such a kind offer, she took a small, symbolic sip. Instantly, a slight bitterness mixed with a light sweetness filled her mouth, swirling freely within her. She savored the flavor, and couldn't help but smile.
This wine was nothing like the red wine she usually drank. She thought, "Good wine is indeed extraordinary." She couldn't help but take a few more sips.
"How is it?" Han Haoxuan asked.
"The taste is not bad," Ruolin said with a slight smile.
"That's right." Han Haoxuan picked up his wine glass, took another sip, and his handsome face began to flush slightly.
"Where are my things?" Ruolin almost forgot about the important matter because she was so engrossed in wine tasting.
"Who asks others for things like you do?" Han Haoxuan said, somewhat displeased.
"..." Ruolin was confused and didn't know what he was up to.
"I can give you the things, but you have to promise me one thing." Han Haoxuan raised the corners of his mouth, his smile charming.
"What?" Ruolin exclaimed in surprise.
"You don't need to be so nervous. It's not like I'm asking you to do anything like murder or arson." Han Haoxuan gestured for Ruolin to calm down and smiled. "However, I haven't thought of anything yet. I'll tell you when I do."
"Are you blackmailing me?" Ruolin asked.
"Think what you want." Han Haoxuan leaned back on the sofa, looking relaxed.
"..." Ruolin hesitated for a moment, thinking that Han Haoxuan would probably not do anything to a weak woman like her, so she said, "Okay."
A triumphant smile appeared on Han Haoxuan's face.
Ruolin glared at Han Haoxuan and said, "Now you can finally return my things to their rightful owner, right?"
Han Haoxuan took out the pendant from his pocket. There were two of them, the same style. One was quite old, while the other was very new.
Ruolin paused for a moment, then took the old one from Han Haoxuan's left hand.
"Why don't you take this? It's a gift for you." Han Haoxuan extended his right hand to Ruolin.
"This..." Ruolin was speechless for a long time, feeling her heart soften. She took the pendant from Han Haoxuan's hand, placed it in her palm, raised her head slightly, and said, "Thank you."
"This pendant seems to be very important to you?" Han Haoxuan asked.
"Mm." Ruolin nodded.
"It wasn't a gift from your ex-boyfriend, was it?" Han Haoxuan smiled.
"No..." Ruolin hurriedly shook her head.
"Then I'm really lucky. I've become the first boyfriend to give you this pendant, haven't I?" Han Haoxuan couldn't help but laugh.
"What boyfriend? You're just deluding yourself." Ruolin glanced at Han Haoxuan.
"You don't always mistake other people's boyfriends for romantic partners, do you?" Han Haoxuan shook his head and laughed, ignoring Ruolin's slightly annoyed expression. He sat up straight, called the waiter, and ordered a few dishes.
Ruolin picked up her wine glass and unconsciously took several more sips, seemingly venting her slight annoyance. Her face began to flush slightly, and her fair complexion looked charming under the lamplight.
Han Haoxuan had been drinking a bit too much today, and he didn't know how many drinks he had had. He was slightly tipsy, and his vision was becoming blurry. After a while, he looked at Ruolin affectionately and said, "You look beautiful today."
Ruolin, who had just put the cup to her lips, suddenly stopped, looked at Han Haoxuan, and said, "Thank you."
Han Haoxuan looked at Ruolin's rosy complexion, as if drawn by some force, and unconsciously sat down next to her. Ruolin subconsciously shifted to the side; she sensed something was off, and her hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly. The small private room was silent, and the cramped space began to feel stuffy.
Han Haoxuan moved closer to Ruolin until he cornered her on the sofa. Ruolin's heart raced, and she felt the sweltering air around her engulfing her. Han Haoxuan gently gripped Ruolin's shoulders with both hands, his eyes burning with a fire.
Ruolin had little resistance to this flame; in fact, her tender heart was being enveloped by it, layer upon layer, making it hard for her to breathe. At that moment, she didn't even understand what she was thinking; her mind was in complete chaos. She tried to escape those alluring eyes, but to no avail.
His handsome face slowly approached Ruolin, bringing with it a cool breath mixed with the scent of wine. Her hand suddenly pressed against Han Haoxuan's chest, as if to stop him. She was stunned by this action herself; she thought, perhaps this was her truest feeling.
Han Haoxuan hesitated for only a second, then leaned down again, but the hand remained firmly pressed against his chest. Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door, and Han Haoxuan released his hand from Ruolin's shoulder and moved to open the door.
He's a waiter who delivers food.
Han Haoxuan sat down opposite Ruolin again, rubbed his temples hard, and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry."
Han Haoxuan had no idea what he had just done; perhaps he was truly a bit drunk. Only now did he realize that his actions had been far too abrupt, leaving even him somewhat bewildered.
Ruolin forced a smile, trying to calm herself down, and changed the subject, saying, "Let's not just drink, let's eat something. You look drunk, don't you?"
The little incident just now made them both a bit embarrassed.
Ruolin was truly thankful that the waiter arrived in time; otherwise, she didn't know what might have happened. But she thought she wouldn't let that happen.
During the meal, they didn't mention a word about what had just happened. They chatted about other things to ease the awkward atmosphere.
After the meal, Han Haoxuan was much more lucid. He insisted on taking Ruolin home, but Ruolin politely declined.
When Ruolin returned home, it was completely dark, with a few twinkling stars hanging in the sky.
She leaned against the bedside, holding two pendants in her hands, lost in thought.
The scene from just now suddenly flashed back into her mind, and she seemed to miss the subtle feeling they had shared. Although she had never been in a relationship, she knew that such actions were only appropriate for lovers.
Han Haoxuan gave her a feeling she had never experienced before, as if he had taken her to an unknown, perfect world. She began to cherish this feeling and was reluctant to leave.
However, she knew that such perfection was only fleeting, like a dazzling firework that blooms brightly and then quickly fades away.
At that moment, even if the waiter hadn't suddenly pushed the door open, she wouldn't have let him take any further action. She knew what she was worried about.
She glanced down at the two pendants in her hand, her eyes suddenly darkening. She gently stroked the pendants, her fingers suddenly stiffening and stopping at a certain point, a mocking smile curving her lips.
Chapter Seventeen
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Xinyu had been trying to ask Han Haoxuan out for dinner and apologize for the past few days, but because Han Haoxuan was quite busy, she only managed to get him free today.
Xinyu put on her favorite clothes and carefully dressed herself in front of the mirror before going out.
Unexpectedly, Han Haoxuan was already there when Xinyu arrived at the agreed location.
"You're late," Han Haoxuan said as he watched Xinyu sit down.
"I'm so sorry," Xinyu said with a smile, feeling apologetic.
"I was late for my first blind date." Han Haoxuan revealed an enigmatic smile.
"Are we even now?" Xinyu said with a smile. She sat down and continued, "I'm the one who caused this blind date, so please don't blame Ruolin."
"It's already happened, there's no use blaming anyone." Han Haoxuan made a helpless expression and said, "I've finally tasted the bitterness of being deceived."
"I'm sorry," Xinyu said sincerely, looking at Han Haoxuan across from her who was frowning slightly. She continued, "If I had gone last time, none of this would have happened. I really regret not going that day." Xinyu made a face full of regret.
Han Haoxuan suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "What is Shen Ruolin's job?"
“I work as an editor at a magazine,” Xinyu replied.
"Then why was she handing out flyers on the street?" Han Haoxuan suddenly recalled the scene on the street last time and asked questioningly.
"Handing out flyers?" Xinyu asked back. After a while, she remembered and said, "Because she has to earn some extra money to support her family."
"..." Han Haoxuan still didn't quite understand. Since Ruolin was an editor, she should earn enough money, so why was she handing out flyers on the street in the sweltering heat? However, little did he know that she was just a lowly process editor at a magazine, earning a meager salary. But he didn't want to press her further, so he simply stopped there.
"So what is your relationship?" Han Haoxuan asked.
"Not only are we college classmates, but we're also good sisters."
"Oh, no wonder she's willing to go through fire and water for you." Han Haoxuan's tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
"If she did anything wrong, please forgive her." Xinyu apologized on her behalf, fearing that Ruolin might do something impolite to Han Haoxuan during the blind date.
"Some of the things she does are indeed strange, but I really like her frankness and honesty." Han Haoxuan recalled the scene when they first went on a blind date, and he still found it funny and happy. He had never felt that being teased by someone could be a happy thing before, and he thought that maybe it was because the person he was teasing was her.
"She's the kind of person who says what she thinks and doesn't like to hide anything. She only lied to you because of the circumstances, so don't take it to heart," Xinyu said.
"..." Han Haoxuan was silent for a moment, then said, "No."
"Take a look and see what dishes you like to eat. It's my treat today, consider it my apology to you." Xin Yu pushed the menu in front of Han Haoxuan and smiled slightly.
"Then I've really lost out big time. The emotional damage I've suffered from being deceived is far more than just a meal," Han Haoxuan said deliberately, frowning his handsome brows.
“Are you worried about not being able to find me in the future? I’m afraid that in this small city, I wouldn’t be able to escape even if I had wings,” Xin Yu said exaggeratedly. She paused and then said, “If you think this compensation isn’t enough, there will be another chance next time.”
Han Haoxuan looked at the menu in his hand but didn't reply.
"I heard you studied in the United States?" Xinyu asked.
"Mm," Han Haoxuan replied softly.
“I spent more than two years in the United States as an exchange student at an American high school,” Xinyu said with delight, finally finding a common topic.
Next, they talked about their experiences studying in the United States and discovered that they had incredibly similar interests and hobbies, and they had a very pleasant conversation.
Han Haoxuan's mood gradually brightened, as if the clouds had parted and the sun was shining through. When he learned the truth, his sky had been momentarily shrouded in gloom, as if he had been deceived. But when the fog was lifted and everything was revealed, the gloom dissipated.
He initially thought Xinyu was just a carefree person who liked to do things her own way, but through conversation he discovered that she was a knowledgeable and well-informed woman, and his attitude towards her began to improve.
And so, mealtime turned into their chat time, and time flew by as they talked and laughed.
After dinner, Han Haoxuan offered to take Xinyu home, and Xinyu readily agreed.
During the journey, Xinyu suddenly remembered what happened at noon today. She looked at Han Haoxuan and couldn't help but smile, her smile as bright as a blooming daffodil.
Han Haoxuan found Xinyu's smile a little strange, so he looked down at his collar, which was neat and tidy. He then looked at Xinyu and said in a half-joking tone, "Are you smiling so brightly because you're excited to have lunch with a handsome guy?"
Xinyu turned to look at Han Haoxuan, smiled, and whispered, "So narcissistic." Then, she said in a serious tone, "Your mother came to our school this afternoon."