Inside the revolving restaurant on the 32nd floor of the Maple Joy Hotel.
Qin Jia sat in the designated spot, enjoying the scenery outside through the huge floor-to-ceiling window.
As dusk approached, golden, fiery clouds hung on the horizon. Bathed in the soft light, the sky resembled a curtain from which a paint can had been spilled, a kaleidoscope of colors.
She took a picture with her phone and casually shared it with Luo Shiqing, who was in Paris.
Shiqing: Are you at Fengyue?
Shiqing: Who are you going on a date with? (smiling face)
Qin Jia lowered her eyes, smiled mischievously, and didn't answer, letting Luo Shiqing guess.
This time, Luo Shiqing didn't type anything, but sent a voice message: "Who else could it be? It must be Lu Tingzhou."
"Qin Jia, didn't you say before that you were afraid of breaking up with him? What's the situation now?"
Qin Jia smiled, pressed the record button, and said, "I agreed with him to talk for only a month. I don't know what will happen after a month."
On the streets of Paris, thousands of miles away, Luo Shiqing remained silent for a while before dropping the subject.
"Let's not talk about Lu Tingzhou anymore. I have some good news to share with you. I took the sample garment to meet the client today, and the client was very satisfied. If all goes well, they will entrust me with the costumes for their next tour as well."
Luo Shiqing's current project involves the production of costumes for a theater troupe, totaling 24 outfits, with a package price of 1.2 million yuan and a production period of two months.
On the other end of the internet, Qin Jia sensed her excitement and was genuinely happy for her: "Good luck."
Luo Shiqing smiled and said "thank you," then sent her a street view of Paris.
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Shiqing: I'm going to have lunch.
Shiqing: The date went well (heart)
In the restaurant, Qin Jia looked at the hearts on the screen and couldn't help but smile. She opened the emoji library and replied with a string of hearts of different colors.
Suddenly, she felt a tap on her left shoulder.
She turned around, met the familiar gaze, and smiled, "You're here."
Lu Tingzhou hummed in acknowledgment. He walked to the opposite side of the dining table, pulled out a chair, and sat down, immediately expressing his apology: "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
At 5:30, he could have left work on time, but the factory suddenly called to say there was a problem with the design parameters. He went there with a technician to resolve it, which delayed him a little.
"It's okay, I'm pretty free anyway." Qin Jia put down her phone and said with a smile, "You've already apologized to me on WeChat, there's no need to apologize again."
Lu Tingzhou breathed a sigh of relief. He opened the menu, glanced at it casually, and asked her, "What would you like to eat?"
Before coming, Qin Jia had checked the menu and ordered several highly-rated dishes based on her memory. Lu Tingzhou didn't choose much and ordered the same dishes as her.
After a while, the waiter came to serve them drinks. She drank orange juice through a straw, while someone stared intently at her.
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The man's gaze was too intense, making her inexplicably uncomfortable. Since transmigrating to this world, she had rarely experienced moments like this. Lately, she felt as if she were bewitched, her emotions becoming increasingly unstable.
Qin Jia put down her straw and gently raised her eyes. "Shall we talk about something?"
She didn't know what couples talked about, and just hoped that Lu Tingzhou could start a conversation so that she could chime in and fill the gap before the food was served.
"Shall we talk about our hobbies?" he suggested.
Qin Jia nodded. "You go first."
"I enjoy reading and have read most types of books." He paused. "I go to the gym three times a week, and when I'm bored, I draw at home and tinker with aerospace models."
After saying that, he looked at Qin Jia and asked, "What about you?"
"Me?" Qin Jia pointed to himself, seemingly lost in thought. "Do you want to hear the truth?"
"Of course." He looked at her and said calmly, "Lovers should be honest with each other."
The word "honesty" was like a needle, gently pricking Qin Jia's soft heart. Countless words surged towards her like a tidal wave.
If we're looking for absolute "honesty," then her story begins with her being a koala...
She can't tell anyone about this.
But in order for him to understand the real her, there were some things she had to say.
Qin Jia looked up, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes fixed on him, and slowly said, "I prefer nature. My mother planted a locust tree for me in the yard. I often climb up the tree and daydream, sometimes sitting there for hours on end. Besides, I also like..."
She listed a long list of "likes," and as she spoke, a question suddenly floated into the air: "So, do you like me?"
She blurted out, "I like it."
The moment the words left her lips, Qin Jia realized what she had just said. Her pupils suddenly focused, and she was surprised to see a smile playing on the man's lips.
She stood there, a strange feeling rising in her heart. At the same time, heat spread wildly along the lines of her skin like wildly growing vines.
In the sweltering heat, Qin Jia calmly adjusted her breathing and looked at him, "Lu Tingzhou, speak properly."
Lu Tingzhou didn't speak, he just smiled.
At this moment, the waiter pushed a trolley over, and dishes were brought to the table one after another. Qin Jia was attracted by the food and focused his attention on the delicacies.
The dishes were all quite delicious, and she enjoyed her meal. After finishing the appetizers and main course, the waiter cleared the table of plates and went to the kitchen to get dessert.
While waiting for dessert, she leisurely looked out. The sunset had completely disappeared, and night had enveloped the entire city. Brilliant lights illuminated both sides of the riverbank, creating a breathtaking scene.
After watching for a while, she turned back to savor the last bit of lychee rose mousse. The cake was filled with raspberry puree and mixed with perfectly thick almond cream, resulting in a sweet, refreshing, and not-too-greasy taste.
Halfway through the meal, Qin Jia heard rhythmic sounds outside. Turning her head, she saw clusters of dazzling fireworks blooming in the sky.
Although the brain can automatically recognize fireworks, it was still the first time she had seen them, so it was quite novel. She turned to the side, leaned back in her chair, and began to admire them intently.
A few minutes later, Qin Jia sat up straight and was surprised to find that Lu Tingzhou was gone.
Turning her head again, she saw him sitting perfectly fine next to her and asked in surprise, "When did you get here? Why were you so quiet?"
"Of course there was a sound," Lu Tingzhou said calmly. "It's just that you were too engrossed in the conversation and your attention wasn't on me."
Qin Jia glanced at him but didn't argue. "You... what do you have to say?"
"It's nothing, you keep eating your cake, I'll enjoy the night view for a while." He said casually, "The view here is pretty good."
Qin Jia frowned and thought for a moment, then cleverly used what he had said before to retort: "You said that lovers should be honest with each other. So, what is it?"
Lu Tingzhou didn't expect to be defeated by her words. He smiled and said, "Close your eyes."
Qin Jia was confused. "Huh?"
"Close your eyes," he said slowly. "When I count to three, you'll know the answer."
Qin Jia obediently did as she was told. When the number "three" fell to her ears, she opened her eyes and saw a diamond ring that reflected a faint light under the lamp.
She paused for a few seconds, then looked up, somewhat dazed: "Lu Tingzhou, what do you mean by this?"
In the TV series, the male lead gave the female lead a ring because she had been longing for that particular ring for a long time but hadn't been able to bring herself to buy it. Therefore, the male lead thought of giving her a ring to fulfill her dream.
However, they've only been talking for two days. Is it really necessary to give such an expensive gift as a ring? TV dramas are TV dramas, and reality is reality. You can take it as a reference, but you don't have to copy it completely.
She cleared her throat, just about to speak, when her hand was pulled over. Lu Tingzhou took out a diamond ring from the velvet gift box and slowly slipped it onto her right ring finger.
"Aren't you going to the Shen family's family reunion banquet in a few days?" he said casually. "Wear this to show that you have a boyfriend and ward off unnecessary unwanted attention."
The ring was the perfect size, as if it had been tailor-made for her.
Qin Jia withdrew her hand, staring blankly at the diamond ring on her right hand, and asked, "When did you measure your finger size?"
"Yesterday afternoon—" The man's handsome eyes swept over her fingertips, and he paused slightly, "we held hands."
His reminder brought back vivid memories of their time together yesterday. Qin Jia pursed her lips, muttered "I know" softly, and turned away to continue eating her cake.
Lu Tingzhou put away the ring box, his gaze falling lightly on her ear. A blush spread across the girl's fair skin, as if she were blushing.
It was rare to see her like this, and Lu Tingzhou smiled slightly, his mood more than ever.
-
After dinner, the two left the restaurant and strolled leisurely down a quiet street.
Tall, lush plane trees lined both sides of the road, their leaves rustling in the evening breeze. Streetlights, hidden among the branches, cast a warm, yellow glow, making everything around them appear incredibly gentle.
Qin Jia looked down at the ground, where the shadows of people and trees overlapped, like a freehand ink painting.
She took two steps back to the side, wanting to see what the scene on the ground would become, but before she could even regain her footing, she was pulled away by a force.
Before colliding with Lu Tingzhou, Qin Jia managed to steady herself. She was about to ask him why he had pulled her when suddenly, an excited golden retriever rushed towards them from a distance.
The golden retriever ran ahead, frolicking behind its owner who was on a leash. The two were moving very fast, and didn't seem like they would stop easily.
She turned to look at Lu Tingzhou, who gave her a helpless look. "Watch where you're going."
Qin Jia gave an awkward smile, then took the initiative to walk around to his right and continued walking along the road.
The area is filled with old garden villas, and occasionally, blooming roses climb over the walls, their vibrant colors a delight to behold.
They stood there admiring the flowers for a while when a couple came along. The girl stood in front of the flower wall with great interest and asked the boy to take her picture.
The boy snapped a few photos with his phone, then ran over to take a close-up picture with the girl. Not long after, the two, oblivious to everyone else, took a kissing photo. Qin Jia and Lu Tingzhou exchanged glances, then wisely walked away.
After circling back to the car, Qin Jia fastened his seatbelt and was about to close the window when his gaze inadvertently caught sight of a pair of figures in the rearview mirror.
Under a sycamore tree not far away, a couple was putting on a farewell act. They hugged and kissed, then separated after a while, only to stick together again after a few steps. This went on several times, and a minute passed without them ever leaving the sycamore tree.
"What are you looking at so intently?"
Hearing a familiar voice, Qin Jia instinctively pressed the close window button, turned her head, and said, "No—"
The man's sudden approach interrupted her narrative, leaving her words stuck in her throat. She unconsciously held her breath, her long eyelashes trembling several times.
Just as she felt she could hardly breathe, Lu Tingzhou stepped back, stretched out his long arm, and opened the window again over her.
He looked outside, mimicking what she had just done.
Qin Jia glanced at them furtively and saw that the couple was still kissing. She leaned back and said seriously, "Lu Tingzhou, stop looking. Peeping is immoral."
Lu Tingzhou stared at her for a moment, then closed the window and turned off the light. "I'll take you home."
On her way home, Qin Jia thought more than once: Do humans really like kissing so much when they're in love? Whether it's in TV dramas or in real life, this kind of scene seems to be very common.
Human couples kiss without any inhibitions; they seem unconcerned about being seen. In this respect, she's quite similar to her, who loves to hug.
The car was parked outside the villa.
With a click, Qin Jia came to her senses. She glanced at her unbuckled seatbelt and reached out to grab Lu Tingzhou, who was about to get out of the car.
Lu Tingzhou closed the car door, turned around to look at her, and asked, "What's wrong?"
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The car's interior lights were on, and the soft light outlined the girl's facial features.
She didn't speak, but just quietly looked at him, her amber almond eyes gently raised, their light subtly shifting, making her exceptionally alluring.
"Don't you want to go home?" he asked.
Qin Jia shook her head. After thinking for a moment, she beckoned to him, "I have something to say. Come closer."
Lu Tingzhou leaned forward, turning his head to listen to what she had to say next. After another moment of silence, he heard her say, "Lu Tingzhou, in a situation like this, wouldn't a normal couple kiss?"
"Isn't it...too fast?" He stared at her, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.
"It's alright," Qin Jia said calmly. "We only have one month, so we naturally need to speed things up."
After she finished speaking, she closed her eyes and leaned her face closer.
"I'm ready."
"Go ahead and kiss me."
His breathing amplified in her ear, his warm breath entwining every inch of her neck.
Suddenly, the man's warm lips pressed against hers, a very soft touch, like a dragonfly skimming the water, lingering briefly on her lips before disappearing without a trace.
Qin Jia opened her eyes, lightly touched her lips with her fingertips, and asked uncertainly, "Lu Tingzhou, did you just kiss me?"
This level of sticking together can actually be addictive? Humans are too easily satisfied.
Not getting an answer, she asked again.
Lu Tingzhou: "..."