Chapter 15 – Against One’s Heart
Lin Yan sat beside Zhao Ming, feeling a little awkward. His leg bounced restlessly as he kept glancing toward the door.
Zhao Ming deliberately chose the seat next to Lin Yan, leaving the seat across from them empty.
Lin Yan had a bad feeling about this.
And Zhao Ming also kept looking toward the door.
The two of them sat in silence. Whenever they turned their heads and their eyes met, they only exchanged polite smiles.
They were at a Japanese restaurant across from their company’s office building. Lin Yan didn’t come here often, though he frequently heard Wang Hao mention it.
The prices were reasonable, and the food tasted pretty good.
Lin Yan stood up with the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Zhao Ming, then poured one for himself.
They both took a sip at the same time.
After setting the cups down, Zhao Ming finally started talking.
“Xiao Lin, how old are you this year? Not even thirty yet, right?”
“Yeah. Twenty-eight.”
“You’ve been working for almost three years now,” Zhao Ming continued, leisurely taking another sip of tea.
Lin Yan hummed in response. He really wanted to roll his eyes.
It was just ordinary buckwheat tea, yet Zhao Ming drank it like it cost thousands of yuan per tael.
Before Lin Yan could actually roll his eyes, Zhao Ming suddenly turned to look at him. Lin Yan quickly blinked, put on his professional expression, and offered a polite social smile.
“Still don’t have a girlfriend, right?” Zhao Ming smacked his lips as if savoring the tea.
So this is what you’re getting at.
Lin Yan knew something felt off. Zhao Ming normally wouldn’t invite people from their department out to eat unless it was for a company gathering.
Now he understood.
He didn’t want to lie, so he responded honestly, “Not yet.”
“You’re already this old. Hasn’t your family started urging you?” Zhao Ming asked.
So everyone’s supposed to be married by now, huh?
Lin Yan replied politely, “They haven’t urged me yet.”
The truth was, no one could urge him anymore. When Lin Yan had just started working, his only close relative—his mother—passed away.
Since then, he had been on his own. His mother had left him a house in their hometown.
Before she died, she told him to sell the house and go develop his career in a big city. Having some savings would make it easier to get married and live well.
But Lin Yan didn’t do it. He couldn’t bear to part with the place where he had grown up, so the old house remained.
And Lin Yan had remained single.
“I have a niece about your age,” Zhao Ming said, rubbing his hands together. “You two can get to know each other. If you’re interested, try dating.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Ming suddenly stood up and looked toward the entrance. He raised his hand and waved.
“Xiao Yue, over here!”
When Zhao Ming stood, Lin Yan stood as well and looked toward the door.
It was dinnertime, and people were constantly coming in and out. Two girls had just walked in, and Lin Yan couldn’t tell which one Zhao Ming was calling.
Only when the girl arrived at their table did he realize who it was.
She had delicate features and a gentle appearance. She didn’t say much, only smiled at Lin Yan before sitting down.
Lin Yan showed his gentlemanly manners and poured her a cup of tea from the teapot.
“Hello, I’m Hu Xiaoyue.” Hu Xiaoyue reached out her hand to shake Lin Yan’s.
Lin Yan’s hand froze awkwardly—he wasn’t sure how to respond. Just as he extended it, Hu Xiaoyue lightly squeezed the back of his hand and then withdrew.
“Let’s order first,” Zhao Ming suggested.
“Oh—okay.” Lin Yan picked up his phone and scanned the QR code on the edge of the table. After opening the ordering page, he handed the phone to the two of them and said, “Take a look and see what you’d like.”
Hu Xiaoyue gave Lin Yan a quick once-over before lowering her head to study the menu on his phone.
Her slender fingers tapped the screen a few times. “Alright, I’ll have these.”
She lifted her head and glanced at Lin Yan again, then looked away a little unnaturally and took an awkward sip of water.
Under the dim, warm yellow lights, the heat on Hu Xiaoyue’s cheeks wasn’t very noticeable. She kept sneaking glances at Lin Yan.
Lin Yan was very handsome—exactly her type. Clean and refreshing. Even though he had been working for several years, he didn’t carry that heavy “office worker” air.
And with his outfit today—a checkered shirt on the inside, a short-sleeved vest on the outside—the collared vest made him look especially sharp and energetic.
He looked just like a college boy in his prime.
Originally, Hu Xiaoyue hadn’t wanted to come today. The moment she heard she would be eating with Uncle Zhao’s subordinate, she lost interest. Society’s stereotype of programmers was too deeply ingrained, and very few were like Lin Yan.
If she had known earlier that programmers could be like this, she wouldn’t have skipped those previous meetups.
“Director, take a look and see what you’d like,” Lin Yan said, handing the phone to Zhao Ming.
Zhao Ming nodded, indicating he had already ordered.
Lin Yan took the phone back and added a few more items at random.
“Lin Yan, did you major in Computer Science at Nanda?” Zhao Ming opened the conversation.
“Yes.”
“Then you’re my senior,” Hu Xiaoyue said. “Though I did my undergraduate degree at Nanda and went to another school for my master’s.”
Lin Yan followed up, “Where did you get into?”
“Peking University. Pharmacy.”
Lin Yan gave her a thumbs-up. “Impressive.”
“Did you take the entrance exam directly, Senior?” Hu Xiaoyue searched for something to talk about with him.
“I was recommended for graduate school.”
“Xiao Lin is one of my most outstanding subordinates,” Zhao Ming began praising him nonstop. “Not only is he excellent at work, he also gets along well with colleagues.”
Lin Yan’s toes curled against the floor. Please stop talking about me.
Zhao Ming smiled and continued, “He also has a very good relationship with management.”
“That’s all thanks to your leadership,” Lin Yan replied.
Zhao Ming laughed heartily. “Xiao Lin.”
He patted Lin Yan on the back.
“Then, Senior, did you have many research achievements during your master’s? Any SCI papers?”
Hu Xiaoyue didn’t want to listen to Zhao Ming’s official-sounding talk and deliberately shifted the topic.
“I didn’t publish any SCI papers back then. I got an invention patent instead.”
Hu Xiaoyue rested her chin in her hand and looked at Lin Yan with sparkling eyes.
Lin Yan noticed her gaze and felt uncomfortable under her stare.
Just then, their dishes were served, and everyone began eating.
Earlier, while they were talking, Lin Yan hadn’t checked his phone. With only twenty percent battery left, he had been complaining about this blind-date dinner to his coworkers.
Wang Hao Is a Handsome Guy: [No way. I need details. Remember to come tell me tomorrow.]
cx Little Angel: [Hahahaha, Brother Yan, you’re actually pretty good at flattering people.]
yy Genius Representative: [Brother Yan, do you like that type—his niece? Is she pretty?]
The phone in Lin Yan’s pocket kept vibrating, but it wasn’t convenient for him to check it, so his replies were very slow.
“Senior, are you considering doing a PhD?” Hu Xiaoyue asked while eating gracefully.
“Me? I’m already working, so I’m not considering it.”
If he hadn’t needed to start working early, Lin Yan would have wanted to continue studying. His research ability was strong, and his professor liked him a lot.
All of his job opportunities had been introduced by his advisor. After graduation, his professor arranged for him to intern at Future for a year, followed by a one-year probation period. Only after more than half a year of delay did he finally become a full employee.
“Oh.” Hu Xiaoyue pouted slightly. “I might continue studying. My advisor tells me to pursue a PhD every day. I got tired of hearing it and eventually agreed.”
Lin Yan smiled. “That’s a good thing. Congratulations.”
“Xiao Lin, my niece is just a bit of a bookworm,” Zhao Ming chimed in with satisfaction. “But her personality is quite good.”
“Mm, Director Zhao, with such a great personality like yours, your niece must have inherited it from you,” Lin Yan replied with the same polite smile.
One second earlier he was thinking he didn’t want to lie. The next second he was slapping his own face—these lies came out far too easily.
The phone began vibrating again, on and off.
Lin Yan took it out and replied to each message. The battery was down to only five percent.
Lin Yan Yan Yan Yan~: [I guess she’s pretty. I don’t really feel much though.]
Wang Hao Is a Handsome Guy: [Brother Yang, why are you asking that?]
yy Genius Representative: [If Yan doesn’t feel anything, I think I’m the next one who’s getting dragged into a blind date.]
Wang Hao Is a Handsome Guy: [Not impossible, hahahaha.]
yy Genius Representative: [Can someone help me get into a relationship in the next few days, please. Kneeling and begging.jpg]
cx Little Angel: [Not like me. I don’t even want to date. Having a cat is more than enough.]
Seeing that message, Lin Yan thought of Meiqiu again.
Suddenly, a notification popped up at the top of his phone screen.
Lin Xiaoyan’s Front Door Lock: Unlocked.
Unlock Method: Password entered.
HAHA Lu heng got busted