Busy now

Ye Shuang drove An Shiyu to a restaurant—a Western-style place he used to frequent. It was decent enough, certainly suitable for celebrating a birthday.

"Hello, a table for two?" a server approached to ask.

"Yes, please give us a booth."

"This way, please."

After sitting down, Ye Shuang first glanced at the menu, then slid it over to An Shiyu. "See if there's anything you'd like to eat? You must be hungry by now?"

An Shiyu twirled her hair around her finger. She looked out at the floor-to-ceiling glass window beside them, remained silent for a few seconds, then spoke.

"You... don't have anything you want to say?"

"What are you referring to?" Ye Shuang smiled.

"Never mind, it's nothing." An Shiyu shifted her gaze away, muttering.

Ye Shuang then said, "What you're wearing today is very cute."

"..." An Shiyu suddenly stretched out her leg and kicked Ye Shuang under the table. Propping her cheek with one hand, she said, "What's this? You do know how to say it, don't you? You silly old man."

But when she turned back, she noticed a small gift box had appeared on the table in front of her.

"This is..."

"Happy birthday. This is your gift," Ye Shuang said.

An Shiyu reached out and opened it, finding a bracelet with a cartoon fish charm, inlaid with white gold and a blue gemstone.

"This..." An Shiyu picked it up and examined it. "Which roadside stall did you buy this from?"

Ye Shuang sighed helplessly. "It was custom-made. The gemstone isn't fake, and I made the bracelet myself."

"Ordering a custom cartoon fish... Uncle, are you a kid? Such a childish guy." An Shiyu reverted to her usual teasing tone, but she still put it on her wrist. The slight upturn of her lips clearly betrayed the girl's true feelings.

It was obvious she liked it very much.

"Hehe~" An Shiyu fiddled with her wrist, making the fish ornament seem to swim.

You look more like the childish one here, don't you?

"Hmm... could fetch a good price?" An Shiyu suddenly said, even raising her hand to look at it against the sunlight from the window.

"Please don't sell it."

As Ye Shuang spoke, he also began ordering. "What would you like to eat?"

"Steak, potato wedges, buttered shrimp tails..." An Shiyu rattled off seven or eight dish names in one breath.

"Okay." Ye Shuang noted them down.

"Don't want any of those. Fry everything else on the menu," An Shiyu said.

Ye Shuang: "..."

Is your backside itching for a spanking?

"Just kidding. I'll have those. Uncle, remember to pay, because it's my birthday today," An Shiyu said with a laugh, waving her hand.

"Then remember to treat me when it's my birthday," Ye Shuang said jokingly.

"Huh? If it's your birthday, why wouldn't you treat me?" An Shiyu retorted.

You and your three-dimensional maneuvering defense, huh?

Just then, his phone vibrated. Ye Shuang glanced at it and saw it was a message from Bai Yuyou.

Bai Yuyou: What are you doing?

Seeing it was Bai Yuyou, Ye Shuang replied briefly.

Ye Shuang: Busy with something.

Bai Yuyou: Oh, okay. Ye Shuang, work hard. Sister Chen Qin says we're going out to eat.

Ye Shuang: Alright, eat well.

Bai Yuyou: Mm.

Then his phone fell silent. Coincidentally, the complimentary bread basket arrived. As Ye Shuang looked at it, his gaze inadvertently drifted to the window.

A pink Porsche was pulling in.

Huh?

That car... Chen Qin's?!

Ye Shuang was stunned.

Thinking about it, Ye Shuang suddenly remembered he and Chen Qin often came to this restaurant. If Chen Qin wanted to go out for lunch, there was a high chance she'd come here.

Ye Shuang: "..."

At that moment, three people got out of the car parked in the distance. It was indeed Chen Qin, along with Bai Yuyou and Keke.

Ye Shuang slightly hunched over, trying to turn his head away so they wouldn't spot him.

"What's wrong? Got a boner?" An Shiyu asked, taking a small bite of her bread as she saw Ye Shuang ducking and bowing his head.

Ye Shuang: "..."

Perhaps sensing Ye Shuang's line of sight, An Shiyu noticed the three figures approaching outside the window.

Her eyes immediately took on a mischievous glint. "Oho~ You're about to get caught."

Noting An Shiyu's delight at the potential chaos, Ye Shuang twitched the corner of his mouth. "And whose fault do you think this is?"

The girl shrugged.

Just then, Chen Qin walked past with Bai Yuyou. Since their attention wasn't on the glass, they didn't notice Ye Shuang and the others.

"Hello, how many in your party?"

"Three." At the entrance, Chen Qin replied and was led inside by the server.

And they were seated in the booth directly behind Ye Shuang.

Ye Shuang: "..."

"Thank you, Sister Chen Qin," Tang Keke said cheerfully after sitting down. Because the booth partitions were high, they didn't notice Ye Shuang and the other person sitting behind them.

"This restaurant has great food. Ye and I used to come here often," Chen Qin said with a smile as she also sat down.

Bai Yuyou, however, looked around.

"What's wrong, Yuyou? Do you need to use the restroom?" Keke asked.

"..." Bai Yuyou was quiet for a few seconds, then said hesitantly, "I smell Ye Shuang."

"Is it because of this scarf?" Keke suggested.

"Oh." Bai Yuyou touched the scarf around her neck. It did carry Ye Shuang's scent.

...

Ye Shuang held his forehead, momentarily at a loss for words because the place offered no sound privacy.

He felt awkward admitting he was here, as just moments ago when chatting with Bai Yuyou, she thought he was working.

While Ye Shuang hadn't exactly lied, he hadn't clarified the situation either.

If he went out there now...

Meanwhile, An Shiyu looked completely at ease. Seemingly amused by Ye Shuang's flustered state, her playful side emerged. She stretched out her stocking-clad leg and began rubbing it against Ye Shuang's pant leg.

"Shh." Ye Shuang signaled for An Shiyu to be quiet.

Who knew this would only encourage her? She even went so far as to place her foot squarely on his shoe, acting utterly brazen.

Ye Shuang: "..."

At that moment, servers began bringing out their dishes. Perhaps noticing Ye Shuang's odd expression, one server asked,

"Sir, do you need any assistance?"

Ye Shuang was silent for a few seconds.

"Sir?"

"I~'m~ fi~ne~" Seeing the server's genuinely concerned look, Ye Shuang deliberately lowered and dragged out his voice.

"Alright." The server took the hint and walked away.

Little did he know, the moment Ye Shuang spoke those words, Chen Qin, from the next booth, cast a puzzled glance in their direction.

Feeling slightly relieved, Ye Shuang reached out and firmly grasped An Shiyu's soft little foot.

"Mmm-hmm?" An Shiyu deliberately made a sound.

Mmm-hmm my foot! And what exactly was your foot doing just now?!

Ye Shuang's eyes widened slightly, but he couldn't speak loudly. He could only retaliate by tickling the sole of the girl's foot.

An Shiyu's ears instantly flushed red, and she yanked her foot back in a flash.