Just then, a few girls walked out of the dressing room.
They hesitated when they saw Xie Heng. One of them tugged at her friend’s sleeve, whispering something in her ear. The girl’s face instantly turned red. She lightly pushed her friend away but couldn’t help stealing glances at Xie Heng, her gaze filled with nervous anticipation.
“Go on! This is your chance, go confess!”
“He looks like he’s in a good mood today. He probably won’t be mean. You got this!”
The girl had been hesitant at first.
Confessing to Xie Heng? She wouldn’t have even dared to think about it.
But now… seeing him so relaxed, his face carrying a casual smile, his whole presence wrapped in a warm glow, her heart fluttered to its peak.
Clenching her fists, she took a deep breath to gather her courage.
Just this once. At worst, she’d get rejected, plenty of girls at school already had. She just wanted to tell him how she felt.
Meanwhile, Xie Heng was starting to grow impatient.
Where was Huang Ying and the others? Why were they taking so long to come out?
Out of the corner of his eye, Xie Heng saw a girl striding straight toward him, fists clenched, looking fierce.
Xie Heng : ?
What’s this? Is she here to fight him? He doesn’t hit girls.
The girl stopped in front of him, took a deep breath, and summoned the courage to meet his eyes.
“X-Xie Heng, I want to tell you… I like you,” she stammered, her heart pounding like a drum. She felt dizzy, barely able to stand, but she forced herself to finish her sentence. “Can I ask you to the movies this weekend?”
Xie Heng was stunned.
Then he let out a breath of relief.
At least she wasn’t here to fight him.
But confessions were troublesome too.
It wasn’t that he found girls annoying, he just found these situations bothersome. Instinctively, he frowned, ready to toss out a casual ‘Not interested’ remark and walk away.
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly recalled how Lu Xi had looked at him with disdain the other day, telling him not to act like a puxin man.
He had looked it up.
When a guy gets confessed to, he thinks he’s great, looks down on girls, and rejects them rudely. That kind of person is a puxin man.
“……”
The girl saw his frown and his serious expression and started to panic.
Crap. Is the school tyrant about to lose his temper?
Is it too late to run?
Her heart was in turmoil, and she was just about to turn and flee when she heard a cool, composed voice from above:
“Sorry.”
She blinked, momentarily stunned.
Did she hear that right? Was Xie Heng actually apologizing to her?
Lowering his voice, Xie Heng said, “You’re a great person, but I’m not considering dating right now. My Dad won’t allow it. Focus on your studies, early love isn’t right.”
—Sorry, Dad, you’re taking the fall for this one!
The girl stared blankly at Xie Heng’s handsome face, his words replaying in her mind. Then, with shining eyes, she nodded.
She was a little disappointed, but it wasn’t unexpected.
His reason, ‘my Dad doesn’t allow it’, was a bit flimsy, but he hadn’t been impatient or dismissive. Instead, he had taken the time to explain himself properly.
Her heart thumped. She felt a little flattered.
Has anyone else ever received such treatment?
Song Siyang grinned and leaned in cheekily. “Hey, Beauty, how about me instead? Wanna make me your boyfriend? I’m gentle and considerate, way better than Brother Heng.”
Xie Heng scoffed, shoving him away. “Get lost. Like she’d be interested in you. Stop making a scene.”
The awkward atmosphere instantly lightened, and the girl couldn’t help but smile. She thanked Xie Heng, blushing, before running off.
Her friends immediately pulled her aside backstage.
“You scared me! I thought the school tyrant was about to explode.”
“But he was actually kind of gentle! He didn’t yell at you, and he even said Song Siyang wasn’t good enough for you, haha!”
The girl lowered her eyes and smiled faintly.
Even though she had been rejected, she still felt happy.
She hadn’t fallen for the wrong person.
Xie Heng had probably said all that just to spare her from embarrassment.
He was much more thoughtful and warm-hearted than he appeared, he deserved to be liked by more people…
By the time Huang Ying and the others finally came out, they were on their way out of the auditorium when they ran into Xie Yizhao and Lu Xi at the side door.
Lu Xi deliberately furrowed her brows. “I’ve been waiting forever! What were you guys doing in there? Are we eating or not?”
—Clearly, the girls had taken too long to change clothes…
All three boys thought this but wisely kept quiet.
Huang Ying and the others blushed. They had taken a little longer, but actually, they had been just about to leave when they overheard someone confessing to Xie Heng. Curiosity had held them back, so they stayed inside to listen until it was over.
Song Siyang’s eyes twinkled mischievously as he turned to Lu Xi. “Just now, a girl confessed to Xie Heng—Mmff!”
Xie Heng clamped a hand over Song Siyang’s mouth. “Stop talking nonsense!”
He was both annoyed and embarrassed.
Seriously? Talking about this in front of his parents? So awkward!
Especially letting Ms. Lu hear about it…
Sure enough, Lu Xi’s eyes lit up with gossip, looking intrigued. “Really? Tell me, tell me, what happened? Who would be so reckless as to fall for my rebellious son?”
Xie Heng rolled his eyes.
He knew she’d react like this.
Meanwhile, Song Siyang was still struggling under his grip, muffled protests spilling out. Just when Xie Heng thought the topic was buried, Xu Jiaming unexpectedly cleared his throat and said in a calm voice, “I know. I’ll tell you in class next time.”
Xie Heng : ?
Xu Jiaming, you nerd, why are you getting involved in this? Since when did you learn to stir up drama?
Xie Yizhao glanced at Xu Jiaming without a word.
At that moment, a large group of students passed by. It was their entire class.
These kids had all been to Xie Heng’s house before, so upon spotting Xie Yizhao and Lu Xi, they cheerfully greeted them. Lu Xi smiled and waved back, saying, “Hello, everyone! Thanks for voting for me.”
Xie Heng lifted his chin smugly. “I’ll treat them to milk tea tomorrow.”
Lu Xi teased him on purpose. “Oh? Are you planning to ask me for reimbursement when you get home?”
“…Of course not. I can afford such a small expense.” Xie Heng snorted disdainfully, like a rich Young Master with more money than sense.
Just then, the class president walked over. “Xie Heng, what are you guys up to later? Want to grab dinner with us and play a scripted murder game1 afterward?”
Xie Heng was about to refuse but hesitated for a moment.
Script murder game… sounded kind of fun.
He glanced at Lao Xie and Madam Lu, who were standing together. Suddenly, he changed his mind. Clearing his throat, he asked, “If I go with them, will you two be okay having dinner alone?”
“Of course! Have fun.”
Lu Xi genuinely hoped Xie Heng would spend more time with his classmates and integrate into their circle.
As long as he wasn’t hanging around with some sketchy outsiders, she had no objections.
Xie Yizhao, on the other hand, had no intention of dining with a group of kids. This arrangement suited him just fine. In a calm voice, he told Xie Heng, “Stay safe and don’t come home too late.” Then, after a pause, he added, “You’re paying tonight. Come find me tomorrow for reimbursement.”
Xie Heng chuckled. “Well, in that case, we’d better eat something good tonight.”
Of course!
He had gone out of his way to create this date opportunity for his old man, letting them have some alone time. The least Old Xie could do was cover his milk tea bill tomorrow.
Hopefully, the man would take the hint and make the most of tonight, that he couldn’t afford to get outshined by some stray young man.
The kids all rushed off in a lively crowd.
Lu Xi glanced at the time. It was almost six o’clock, and the sky was already darkening.
She was just about to ask Xie Yizhao where they should eat when the man suddenly extended his hand toward her, a faint smile playing on his lips. In the dim evening light, his usually sharp features held an unusual gentleness.
With a low voice, he asked, “Now that no one is interrupting us, Madam, do you have time to share a dinner with me?”
Lu Xi’s heart skipped a beat under his steady gaze.
Her mind went a little fuzzy.
Lowering her eyes to his outstretched hand, she placed her own on top of his and smiled sweetly. “Sure! Where are you taking me?”
Xie Yizhao took her to a barbecue restaurant.
It wasn’t his top choice, but before his business trip, he had overheard Lu Xi mentioning that she wanted to try this highly-rated spot.
So he had Li Xiao book a private room upstairs.
Lu Xi hadn’t expected him to bring her here. She was pleasantly surprised, and the aroma inside made her instantly hungry.
The restaurant had a great ambiance and attentive service. The staff even grilled the meat for them, so she didn’t have to lift a finger.
Lu Xi loved barbecue, but this was her first time going to such a place with Xie Yizhao.
“Do you like this kind of food?” she asked.
Xie Yizhao paused slightly while holding his chopsticks. “It’s fine. Why wouldn’t I?”
Lu Xi spoke casually. “It’s pretty greasy, so I thought you might not be into it.”
Xie Yizhao pressed his lips together, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Hmm…
Was she subtly reminding him to watch his diet and stay in shape?
He recalled how she was particular about the male leads’ physiques when watching dramas. If an actor had gained weight, she would complain about them looking too greasy.
Lu Xi had high standards when it came to a man’s physique.
Furrowing his brows slightly, Xie Yizhao said in a relaxed tone, “It’s a bit oily, but eating it occasionally is fine. I work out every day, after all.”
Lu Xi tilted her head, puzzled.
She had just been asking about his taste in food, why was he suddenly talking about working out?
Wait… could it be that he was trying to drag her into morning runs again?
Terrified at the thought, Lu Xi quickly changed the subject. She asked the waiter, “Do you have grilled oysters?”
The waiter replied, “Yes, we have fresh Gillardeau oysters2 flown in today. They’re very popular. Would you like to try half a dozen?”
Lu Xi thought about it. Six oysters should be just right, so she nodded and turned to Xie Yizhao. “Do you eat oysters? They’re delicious when grilled and packed with nutrients.”
Xie Yizhao’s eyes flickered slightly.
Oysters…
Was she genuinely unaware, or was this another subtle hint3?
Deciding it was best to clarify, he replied in a neutral tone, “I don’t mind them. I don’t usually eat them, but if you like them, go ahead and order.”
Lu Xi felt something was off but couldn’t put her finger on it.
Did he like them or not?
Oh well, it didn’t matter. She liked them, so she was ordering them.
When the oysters were served, Xie Yizhao only ate one out of courtesy and then didn’t touch them again.
So he really didn’t like them.
Lu Xi didn’t mind. Casually, she said, “If we don’t finish them, we can pack them up for Xie Heng.”
Otherwise, wasting so much food would be a shame.
That kid wasn’t picky, he especially loved meat and seafood.
Just as Xie Yizhao took a sip of water, he suddenly coughed twice, giving Lu Xi a meaningful look. “He’s still young. He doesn’t need to eat these.”
Lu Xi : ?
What did oysters have to do with age?
She gave Xie Yizhao a confused glance, feeling like something was off about him tonight. But then she wondered if she was overthinking it.
Xie Yizhao was always composed. Even when he drank, he never lost control. So what was going on today?
Midway through dinner, she received a message from Xie Heng.
It was a group photo from their gathering.
Over twenty kids crowded into the frame, making goofy faces at the camera. Xie Heng, expressionless, looked both annoyed and resigned.
Xie Heng asked : {So? Without me interrupting, did the date go smoothly? How did my dad do?}
Lu Xi thought for a moment before replying : {It was okay, but your dad’s acting weird today. Maybe he just doesn’t like barbecue.}
Xie Heng stared at the message, the corner of his mouth twitching in exasperation.
What was his Dad even doing?
He had given his Dad such a great date opportunity, and the man had still managed to mess it up?
Seriously, how had his Dad ever managed to win over Ms. Lu back in the day?
- The word is 剧本杀 (jùběn shā). 剧本 (jùběn) means script and 杀 (shā) means kill/murder. 剧本杀 (jùběn shā) is a popular Chinese social deduction game that involves players acting out roles in a scripted murder mystery. It’s like a werewolf game but with a more elaborate script, as each role has their own personal story, motivations, and secrets. ↩︎
- Gillardeau oysters is a renowned French oyster brand. They are known for their high quality, firm texture, and delicate, sweet flavor, often considered the ‘Rolls-Royce of oysters’. ↩︎
- Oysters are relatively low in calories and fat, making them a good choice for weight management. ↩︎