Chapter69

Cen Zhen sat in Meng Fanchuan's car, still feeling a flutter in her chest from his answer.

He said he wanted to see her again, and not just once... what did that mean?

Her heart felt as if a feather was brushing against it, stirring up a subtle warmth in her body. Yet neither of them continued the topic. They silently sat in the quiet car, letting some feelings quietly develop.

Cen Zhen didn’t eat spicy food, so she couldn’t handle the barbecues or spicy hot pots that young people usually liked. Meng Fanchuan took her to a Cantonese restaurant on the second ring road, a place owned by a friend of his, where he knew the taste and ingredients would be just right.

It was his first time inviting a girl out for a meal, so of course, Meng Fanchuan made sure to consider every detail.

The restaurant owner, who was a true Hong Kong native, had already reserved a spot for them. When Meng Fanchuan and Cen Zhen arrived at the private room, the owner came to greet them in person.

"Hey, long time no see! What brings you here tonight?" (It's been a while, why do you have time to visit today?)

While chatting with the owner, Meng Fanchuan handed the menu to Cen Zhen, "What would you like to eat? You order."

Cen Zhen took the menu and was carefully reading it when she suddenly heard the owner whisper, "Your girlfriend is so beautiful."

Cen Zhen paused mid-turning a page, her heart skipped two beats. Even though neither man was paying attention to her, she felt her face inexplicably heat up. She picked up her tea cup, pretending to take a sip, and glanced at Meng Fanchuan out of the corner of her eye.

He just lightly lifted the corner of his lips, not clearly responding to the owner's comment.

But it was still an expression that seemed to acknowledge or agree with it.

Cen Zhen appeared to still be focused on the menu, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere. She didn’t even notice when the owner left the room.

"Cen Zhen?" Meng Fanchuan noticed her distraction, "Nothing you want to eat?"

Her thoughts were snapped back to the present. Cen Zhen hurriedly shook her head and casually pointed to two signature dishes. "Let’s go with these two."

Meng Fanchuan added a few more dishes and, as if nothing had happened, said, "The restaurant owner just complimented you, said you're very beautiful."

He didn’t bring up the first half of the owner’s sentence, and Cen Zhen pretended not to hear it. She asked, "Are you from Guangdong, or Hong Kong?"

"My mom is from Hong Kong," Meng Fanchuan met Cen Zhen's gaze and answered her curiosity. "I was born in Beicheng, my family's here."

… So, he's from Beicheng.

She learned a bit more about him.

But how old is he? He looks like he might not be much older than her. Is he still studying? Or is he already working? Does he...

Cen Zhen lowered her head, holding the tea cup, her mind filled with questions, but she didn’t dare to ask.

After all, who asks all sorts of questions during a late-night meal?

But she didn’t expect that, in the next second, Meng Fanchuan would voluntarily share about himself:

"I’m three years older than you, I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a business degree, I have an older brother and a younger sister, I like to exercise, and I have my own job." He paused for a few seconds, then added, "Currently single."

Cen Zhen didn’t say anything, still acting like she was drinking tea, but inside, she was screaming for help—

His job... it wouldn’t be something like a psychologist or mind reader, right? How is it that whatever she thinks, he says?

"Are you thirsty?" Meng Fanchuan suddenly smiled.

Cen Zhen’s face turned red, embarrassed as she put down her tea cup. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"I looked at your information before, so now I’m sharing mine. Isn’t that fair?"

"But my information doesn’t say whether I’m single or not…"

In a friendship-based relationship, it didn’t seem necessary to share personal feelings. Cen Zhen wanted to know why Meng Fanchuan specifically brought this up.

But after a few seconds of silence, he asked, "What about you?"

Cen Zhen: "…"

They were sitting a little apart, but those four words felt as if they were spoken right next to her ear, sending warm ripples across her skin.

His gaze was intense, making her feel a little flustered.

She picked up the tea cup again, trying to cool down her flushed face and racing heart, but after gulping a few sips, it didn’t help at all.

Her mouth felt dry.

"Did they turn on the air conditioning?" Cen Zhen fanned her face, trying to find an excuse for the warmth on her cheeks. "It’s a little hot."

Meng Fanchuan’s gaze landed on the tips of her ears, flushed with red, then slowly moved down to her cheeks, her porcelain white skin, and her rosy lips.His gaze traced her features one by one, before finally, he restrained himself and pulled back. He hummed softly, then picked up his tea cup, "It's a little warm."

Meng Fanchuan didn't realize that simply looking at her quietly, his own heart rate could shoot up as if he were in a car race.

...

The late-night meal made Cen Zhen feel as though the air itself was thick and sticky.

The shrimp dumplings were sweet, the braised ribs were sweet, and the crispy fish skin was sweet… It seemed her taste buds were malfunctioning, everything was too sweet.

When they were leaving, Cen Zhen took the initiative, "Let me pay, this one's on me."

She said seriously to Meng Fanchuan, "Don’t argue with me, just take it as a thank-you for your help earlier."

Cen Zhen ran to the cashier with her phone, but Meng Fanchuan didn’t stop her and followed slowly. But when the girl returned to him after failing to pay, she asked, "Why did you already pay?"

Actually, Meng Fanchuan didn’t need to come out specifically to pay. For a friend’s restaurant like this, he had long since recharged the highest VIP level when it first opened. Whenever he came to eat, the bill was automatically deducted.

But Cen Zhen had prepared to treat tonight and didn’t want to make Meng Fanchuan spend anything. Stubbornly, she said, "How much is it? I’ll transfer it to you."

Meng Fanchuan raised an eyebrow slightly, "Alright."

Then, very naturally, he opened his WeChat and said, "Add me."

Cen Zhen was momentarily stunned. She wanted to remind him that he didn’t need to add her as a friend—he could simply scan the payment code to finish the transaction.

But after a subtle two-second pause, she didn’t say anything and instead scanned his QR code. Trying to keep her composure, she said, "Then accept it—"

Before she could finish speaking, Meng Fanchuan had already accepted her friend request.

A new profile picture and a new name appeared on her screen.

Lewis.

It felt like something had quietly dropped into the center of a lake.

Cen Zhen took a deep breath in her heart, experiencing an indescribable flutter, as though a person had suddenly entered her life. Maybe they would begin a story together, or maybe they were just passing strangers whose paths crossed fleetingly.

Who knows?

Cen Zhen tapped to transfer the payment but suddenly realized she didn’t know the exact amount. She asked Meng Fanchuan, "How much is it?"

He casually put his phone away and answered, "I forgot."

"?"

"How about next time?" He smiled faintly, more like a person satisfied after succeeding. "Next time, it’ll be your treat."

"…"

Cen Zhen suddenly understood.

It wasn’t about transferring money; he just wanted to add her as a friend.

Cen Zhen lowered her head, pressing her lips together at an angle where Meng Fanchuan couldn’t see, trying to suppress the smile that was threatening to spread across her face.

Turns out, she wasn’t the only one being less than innocent.

He wasn’t either.

After adding each other as friends, the distance between Cen Zhen and Meng Fanchuan grew even closer. Although for her, she never really felt like this man was a stranger, it seemed like they already knew each other, maybe even for a long time.

It was an inexplicable, irresistible pull, tugging her, making her unconsciously lean toward him.

That night, lying on her bed in the dorm, Cen Zhen browsed Meng Fanchuan’s moments. He seemed not to have the habit of recording his life; the only photo he had was from two years ago, taken in Canada. He was wearing a stylish black ski suit, standing at the foot of a snow-capped mountain. Though it was just a picture of his back, he looked young, tall, and full of vitality.

Cen Zhen didn’t know why she could stare at a photo of his back for so long, until the person in the photo suddenly sent her a WeChat message.

It was an invitation to a performance at the National Theatre.

He asked: "Do you want to go?"

Just three simple words, an invitation for a date.

Unlike the guys who invited her to do escape rooms, watch movies, or sing karaoke, Meng Fanchuan had accurately guessed her interests.

It was clear this man had done his homework.

His message was succinct. Cen Zhen pressed her hand to her pounding heart and replied simply: "Yes."

"Tomorrow, I’ll pick you up."

"Okay."

Their communication was so harmonious it seemed almost unbelievable, just a few exchanged words, and the weekend plans were set.Before going that day, Cen Zhen stood in front of the dorm mirror for the first time, repeatedly choosing what to wear, all for her first date. Should she wear a skirt? Or a casual T-shirt and long pants? Should she leave her hair down? Or tie it in a ponytail?

She hadn’t even met him yet, but her heart was already racing as she stood in front of the mirror.

Later, they went to see the new play by her favorite drama teacher. Meng Fanchuan wasn’t particularly interested, and for most of the time when the lights in the theater dimmed, his gaze was fixed on her.

Cen Zhen, of course, wasn’t completely focused either. She could sense his intense gaze on her, silent but almost tangible, affecting her heartbeat and sending ripples through her innocent world.

When the show ended and the crowd was thick and bustling, they walked through the crowd, their bodies occasionally brushing against each other, sending subtle yet strong reactions through their bodies.

It felt like some sort of physiological attraction, and her brain couldn’t help but send out pleasurable signals, wanting to be a little closer, just a little closer.

On the way back to school, it started raining. With the windows closed, the world outside became quiet, leaving only the sound of the raindrops tapping against the window.

The dim car, filled with moisture, was silent, and neither of them spoke. Cen Zhen occasionally turned her head to look at Meng Fanchuan. On the slippery rainy roads, he focused on driving, and his side profile, illuminated by the flickering light, seemed favored, flawless in its smoothness.

The car was so quiet that Cen Zhen felt like she could hear her own heartbeat. She gently exhaled and reached out to grab the cup of unfinished milk tea on the center console, but she didn’t expect to brush against Meng Fanchuan's hand.

He had just reached over to shift the gear.

Their hands inadvertently touched, and a subtle yet intense current immediately spread through their fingertips. Cen Zhen quickly retracted her hand. Being an actress, she calmly pulled her hand back, hiding the flutter in her chest.

But in the next moment, Meng Fanchuan picked up the milk tea and handed it to her.

He didn’t say anything, but it was unnecessary for him to speak. This single action almost made Cen Zhen’s acting skills collapse.

Fortunately, the light in the car was dim, so no one could notice her slightly flushed face when she took the milk tea.

"What did you think of the play today?" Cen Zhen held the milk tea, feeling the residual warmth from Meng Fanchuan’s palm on it.

Meng Fanchuan was driving, and after a slight pause, he honestly replied, "Actually, I didn’t watch much."

Cen Zhen, being quick to speak, responded, "Then what were you watching?"

As soon as she asked, she regretted it.

Of course, she knew what he was watching, just as her own eyes weren’t entirely focused on the stage.

They both knew it, but asking like this made it seem like she was pretending not to know, perhaps even playing hard to get.

"By the way, there were really so many people today," Cen Zhen quickly changed the subject, "I almost forgot to take a photo and check in."

Meng Fanchuan, who had been thinking about how to answer her previous question, now saw that she was switching topics. He knew she was avoiding the real issue, and he also understood—

Perhaps she wasn’t ready to hear his answer.

So, Meng Fanchuan went along with her new topic. "Do you like taking photos?"

"Not really," Cen Zhen replied, "It’s just that whenever I go somewhere or do something, I like to take a photo to remember it."

She then looked at Meng Fanchuan. "Don’t you like taking photos? I saw your Moments; there are no photos."

Perhaps because he knew Cen Zhen had seen his Moments, Meng Fanchuan raised the corner of his lips. "Depends on the situation."

Cen Zhen understood the literal meaning of his words, nodded, and didn’t think much more of it.

The theater wasn’t far from the school, and by the time they got there, it was still raining. Meng Fanchuan handed Cen Zhen the spare umbrella in the car and reminded her, "Slow down."

"Okay."

Cen Zhen walked off holding his umbrella. Even though it started raining at the end of their date, with his umbrella, the rain seemed to add a touch of romance to the moment.

Back in the dorm, after a hot shower, Cen Zhen got into bed and saw that Meng Fanchuan had sent her a message ten minutes ago:

"Have you arrived at the dorm?"

Cen Zhen quickly replied: "I’m here, just showered and got into bed."

"Then rest early."

"Okay, goodnight."

The exchange was a few steady, rational sentences, without any hint of a problem.

But only Cen Zhen knew that as she typed each word, her heart fluttered. She stared at the screen for a moment, then suddenly remembered something. She exited WeChat and opened her photo album.

She hadn’t forgotten to take a photo today; she just hadn’t thought to take one of herself.

The most recent photo in her album showed the young man standing casually, taking a phone call with one hand, while holding the milk tea he had bought for himself with the other.

In the noisy theater, he looked sharp and tall, lazily turning his head to listen to the phone, like a breathtaking landscape, with people around frequently glancing back.

Cen Zhen bit her lip and then reopened WeChat, hesitating whether to send this photo to Meng Fanchuan. She suddenly noticed his avatar in the updates section.

He updated his Moments?

Curious, Cen Zhen lightly tapped the screen, and the first post that appeared was his.Lewis: Souvenir.

Two simple words, accompanied by a photo.

Cen Zhen clicked on the photo, and after a few seconds, her eyes widened in disbelief.

In the photo, she was standing slightly tilted, gazing up at the large theater poster, focused on the performance list and details.

The figures around her were blurred, but only her back stood out clearly.

"......"

Cen Zhen stared blankly for a long time before realizing—

Meng Fanchuan had done the same thing as her.

It turned out that they were both looking at each other in the scenery.

In the quiet dorm, Cen Zhen buried her entire face in the blanket, but even the darkness couldn’t hide the blush spreading across her face, nor the subtle curve of her lips that continued to rise.