“Xiaoyuan… you look very beautiful today…”
The youth’s hot breath grew closer, whispering in Lin Xinyuan’s ear.
It made goosebumps erupt all over her body, and she couldn’t help but shudder.
She jerked her head up, her face instantly flushing red.
“Uh…” Her eyes darted around, unsure of how to respond for a moment.
But in reality, she felt extremely satisfied. A wave of joy flooded her heart, making her head spin.
“Is… is that so…?”
“Mhm.” Qin Nanfeng’s gaze was full of approval. Then, his tone shifted as he flashed a smile, sounding coaxing.
Of course, it would be even better if you wore the outfit you had on that time we were at the cafe.”
‘Hmph… who cares which one you like? I wore this… not… not for you…’
The girl grumbled softly, her words contradicting her feelings.
Soon, unable to withstand his intense gaze, she turned her face away in embarrassment.
She lightly bit her lip, not daring to look at him again.
In her heart, she wondered if she had brought those clothes to school.
‘I think I did?’
‘I should… go back and check…’
It was only then that she noticed quite a few people were staring at her and Qin Nanfeng.
Instantly, a strong wave of heat rushed over her, causing her brain to short-circuit as her expression blanked.
Ultimately, she could only pretend nothing was wrong, silently lowering her small head.
Only her slightly trembling body betrayed her agitated heart.
However, perhaps because the Yellow-Haired Brat was right beside her, she didn’t feel as afraid as before, even though there were more stares now.
Imperceptibly, she moved her chair a little closer to Qin Nanfeng.
Lin Xinyuan’s duplicitous little manner was incredibly cute. Seeing this, the youth’s heart softened completely.
With a gentle gaze, he quietly watched the girl’s delicate profile, indifferent to the eyes of everyone else at the table.
“Is that so…”
Qin Nanfeng murmured, the scene of his first meeting with Lin Xinyuan involuntarily surfacing in his mind.
By the window of the cafe, a girl wearing a white dress and a straw hat had skin so fair it seemed to glow.
She had rested her chin in her hand, staring intently out the window like a secluded orchid in a valley, moving his soul.
But her almond eyes had held a hint of anxiety and unease, which only made her look cuter.
The steam rising from the porcelain cup on the table added a touch of earthiness to the scene…
It was beautiful…
You are her, yet you aren’t her…
And I… am the same…
“Look at Love Saint Qin’s eyes! Tsk… looks like Sister-in-law’s outfit is really doing it for him today.”
Seeing the two of them acting so unrestrained right after meeting, Sun Ce couldn’t help but tease them, immediately drawing everyone’s attention to the girl.
“He’s right!”
“Old Qin has finally retired from the field…”
“What are you talking about? You make it sound like Qin Boss was some kind of gigolo. Hahaha!”
“Hope you have a baby soon! Then I can snag a drink at the celebration.”
At that moment, everyone shared a knowing laugh, filled with both teasing and sentiment.
Of course, mixed within those gazes were other emotions as well…
Having witnessed the interaction between the girl and Qin Nanfeng—especially her current shy, head-bowed posture—Yu Jiyue finally snapped out of her shock.
Her heart was full of wonder, but a strange excitement was beginning to bubble up as well.
Because she could actually sense that Qin Nanfeng’s feelings for the girl seemed genuine.
That meticulous, incredibly gentle gaze was definitely not something someone could just fake…
At least for now, she couldn’t see anything wrong with it.
Unless Qin Nanfeng was an Oscar-winning actor, but that was a different story…
Seeing this scene made Yu Jiyue find it all even more unbelievable.
Recalling how the old Qin Nanfeng never brought anyone to dinners or gatherings, and how he had broken that streak by coming here directly with Lin Xinyuan, a bold thought surfaced in her mind.
‘Could it be… that this playboy Brother has met his true love and really turned over a new leaf?’
As soon as the thought appeared, Yu Jiyue felt it was ridiculous, yet everything before her eyes was impossible to deny.
‘Brother turned wife… this plot…’
‘It’s too good!’
Thinking of this, her mind immediately filled with strange manga panels, and she couldn’t help but giggle foolishly.
She had decided! From now on, she would temporarily be their number one shipper!
Of course, that was provided it remained Pure Love!
Beside her, Xiong Wei caught sight of his girlfriend’s silly smile. Speechless, he let out a soft sigh and shook his head.
‘I have no idea what kind of nonsense manga Yue Yue reads all day…’
On the other side, Yu Xiaowei, who had been watching the girl since she entered, elegantly rested her chin on her hand.
She stared straight at Lin Xinyuan, her eyes brimming with amusement and interest.
Thinking of their recent whispering, her gaze kept circling the White Floral Dress the girl was wearing.
‘Mm, Lin is just too suited to being a girl!’
‘I was wondering why the urge to make Lin wear Women’s Clothing was so strong before. So it wasn’t my problem after all?’
‘Oh my, it turns out I was just trying to help Lin reclaim his identity as a girl…’
‘But to think I was rejected. How heartbreaking~’
‘Although I can still do it now… and getting Lin into Women’s Clothing would be a piece of cake… it just doesn’t feel quite right.’
‘What should I find an opportunity to make him wear? A cosplay outfit? I’m so torn…’
Everyone stole glances at the girl and the youth from time to time, each with their own thoughts.
In this awkward atmosphere, Lin Xinyuan waited for the host, Chen Ze, to have all the dishes served, finally bringing an end to the farce.
She could finally relax her tense nerves and prepare to eat with the person beside her.
The dinner was fairly harmonious, but what made Lin Xinyuan very uncomfortable was how these boys were pouring drinks for Qin Nanfeng as if their lives depended on it.
She didn’t want Feng Ge to drink or smoke at all, just like that person…
Lin Xinyuan hated those things, but she also knew it was unrealistic.
After all, social interactions between men often revolved around cigarettes and alcohol. Even she had drunk before when she was still a boy.
Cough… but her tolerance was at a level where she’d get drunk after just one can of beer…
And since becoming a girl, her constitution had weakened significantly. One could only imagine…
But seeing the youth drink cup after cup without changing his expression, she couldn’t stop her elegant brows from furrowing.
Lin Xinyuan had never tried Baijiu; she had only heard it was much, much stronger than beer.
Driven by curiosity and her concern for Qin Nanfeng, a thought sprouted in her mind.
She wanted to test just how strong this Baijiu was so that she could persuade him to stop in time…
Ignoring Qin Nanfeng’s attempts to stop her, she took his glass and took a tiny sip.
Instantly, a spicy and bitter sensation surged into her nasal cavity, making her scowl. It was like eating a glob of wasabi.
She immediately put the glass back in disgust.
If she hadn’t been mindful of all the people present, she would have stuck out her tongue and started panting.
At first, she didn’t feel much, but gradually, Lin Xinyuan felt her vision start to sway gently. Even the overhead lights seemed to blur.
Before long, a faint ringing started in her ears.
Finally, she put down her chopsticks and started nodding off like a chicken pecking for rice, losing most of her awareness.
Just as she was about to face-plant onto the table, Qin Nanfeng—who had been watching her the whole time—reached out quickly to support her.
He kept this little cat, who had gotten drunk from sneaking a sip of wine, from becoming a literal Little Calico Cat.
“Xiaoyuan?”
“Mhm… hmph…” The girl mumbled unconsciously.
vision was a blur, and she wanted to say something, but in the end, she couldn’t fight off the drowsiness and slowly closed her eyes.
Seeing this, Qin Nanfeng shook his head with a mix of helplessness and amusement, not knowing what to say.
He had clearly told her not to drink and that she’d get drunk if she did, but the girl just wouldn’t listen and had to try it…
‘Honestly… I can’t do anything with you…’
‘Lousy tolerance but loves to play, and disobedient Xiaoyuan…’
Because of this, Lin Xinyuan fell fast asleep before even getting to the birthday cake.
When the birthday party ended, since the others planned to head to a KTV afterward, Qin Nanfeng decided to take the girl and leave first.
Everyone felt it was a pity, but there was nothing they could do. After all, safety came first.
Zeng Yan was the most reluctant to see them go. He considered himself a decent drinker, but he was already intoxicated while Qin Nanfeng seemed perfectly sober.
In the heat of the moment, if Li Tang hadn’t stopped him in time, he would have kept drinking with him. He’d probably be unconscious by now…
This left him feeling extremely frustrated.
‘I give up…’
‘Can’t beat him at sports, can’t beat him at drinking.’
‘I have to admit defeat…’