Serious or Not Serious

Zhou Yi took You Man to a high-end Chinese restaurant. He didn't like eating Western food and couldn't be bothered with the complex dining etiquette that came with it.

When dining out with You Man, comfort was the priority.

They arrived at a well-known Chinese restaurant in Huaihai. Zhou Yi had booked a private room, which offered a great dining environment—quiet and elegant.

You Man, who owned a shop herself, glanced around at the restaurant's decor, wondering if there were any improvements she could make to her own place.

Once in the private room, they both relaxed.

"It was so quiet outside I didn't even dare to speak," You Man said.

"Me too. Now that we're in the private room, it's just the two of us, so let's be at ease," Zhou Yi replied.

Before long, a pretty waitress came over with a smile to take their order.

You Man was a bit surprised by the prices on the menu, but she didn't say anything. She just ordered a few dishes and handed the menu to Zhou Yi.

This wasn't the time to say something like, "Oh, this place is too expensive, let's go somewhere else."

Since Zhou Yi had already brought her here, she didn't want to spoil the mood by saying such things, especially with the waitress still there. Saying something like that would embarrass Zhou Yi.

You Man was someone who knew how to read the room.

After the waitress left, Zhou Yi smiled and asked her, "Man Jie, you're not telling me to save money like you used to."

You Man chuckled, "Because now you have the means, and you're doing this to make me happy. Today, I'll go along with your plans."

For You Man, this was her first date with Zhou Yi. She cherished it and wouldn't say anything to spoil the mood.

Zhou Yi held her hand, gently rubbing it. The calluses on her hand had improved a lot.

"Man Jie, how about I get you a membership at a beauty salon? You can go for treatments when you have time. Seeing those calluses on your hands makes my heart ache."

You Man joked, "What, are you saying I'm getting old, Xiao Yi?"

Zhou Yi kissed her hand. "Of course not. All women love to look beautiful. You were busy before and didn't have time for these things. Now that you're your own boss and have some free time, you can enjoy yourself more at the beauty salon. I just want you to enjoy life more and not work too hard."

You Man understood what Zhou Yi meant. She leaned on his shoulder with a smile. "I know you mean well. I'll make time for some beauty treatments and dress up nicely so you won't leave me."

Zhou Yi gently stroked her hair. "No matter what, I won't leave you."

You Man happily gave him a kiss. She knew she was a bit sensitive and often tried to test Zhou Yi's feelings for her.

But that was only because she cared so much about him, which made her insecure.

Especially now that Zhou Yi had become so outstanding, she couldn't just stay where she was.

"Xiao Yi, I've signed up for a training course. I'll be going out of town for a few days for classes."

"What are you studying?"

"Restaurant management."

"Alright, I'll have someone accompany you. I don't feel comfortable with you going alone."

You Man smiled helplessly, "I'm already grown up, don't worry. This was introduced by Old Hai's former boss, reliable. Anyway, it's good for me to go out and broaden my horizons; I can't just keep doing what I did before."

"Alright, let me know before you go, and I'll take you there."

The two chatted about the training course. Zhou Yi specifically looked it up and confirmed it was a legitimate training program. For You Man, it's a chance to advance her learning, and Zhou Yi was naturally supportive.

"From now on, I'll let you know if there are any opportunities like this. It's rare to see you so career-minded, Sister Man."

"I'm trying to keep up with you. Just don't let me fall too far behind. You've already given me the chance to open a store; the rest I need to seize myself. I don't want to disappoint you, Xiao Yi."

You Man's gaze was firm and sincere, and Zhou Yi understood her intentions.

After dinner, they went to the mall together. Zhou Yi bought clothes and jewelry for You Man, and she bought him a tie worth tens of thousands.

For Zhou Yi, it wasn't much, but for You Man, it was quite an expensive gift.

Finally, they went to a lingerie store, and Zhou Yi waited outside for her.

When You Man came out, Zhou Yi asked what she bought. She smiled and wouldn't say, only hugged his neck and whispered, "You'll find out when we get back."

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, wondering if there was a surprise.

They went back to Zhou Yi's home together. You Man felt the house was a bit empty, lacking a lived-in feel.

She thought about buying some furniture and decorations to make it feel more homely.

"Sister Man, here's the key for you. You can come anytime."

Although Zhou Yi's place had a code lock, there was actually a key, and he gave the only one to You Man.

You Man initially wanted to refuse but thought it over and accepted it.

She was very happy.

The woman held the key tightly; to her, it had a different significance.

Giving her this key meant giving her complete trust. She smiled with her eyes curved and said:

"Alright, I'll take it then. I'll buy some furniture later; your place is too empty."

"Okay, buy whatever you like, and you can stay over anytime."

They exchanged smiles.

You Man set down her things and put the flowers Zhou Yi gave her into a vase.

"Go take a shower, Xiao Yi. I'll arrange the flowers."

Zhou Yi nodded, took a towel and pants, and went to the bathroom.

After arranging the flowers, You Man cleaned Zhou Yi's home.

She hummed softly, a gentle tune like the dialects of the Jiangnan region, quite captivating.

Zhou Yi felt a tickle in his heart while listening in the bathroom. He quickly showered and came out.

With his upper body bare and a towel wrapped around his waist, he dried his hair and asked:

"What was that song, Sister Man? It sounds lovely."

"It's a tune from my hometown. My mom used to sing it, and I learned it after hearing it a few times."

Zhou Yi leaned close to her ear and said in a low voice, "Would it sound even better if you sang it in bed later?"

You Man bit her lip and gave him a flirtatious glance, "You really are..."

Zhou Yi glanced at her waist and continued, "Next time, I'll buy you a few cheongsams. You'd definitely look stunning in them."

"What kind of cheongsams? The proper ones or the more daring ones?"

"Both, both."

The desire in Zhou Yi's eyes was unmistakable, and his gaze was strikingly bright.

You Man smiled with pursed lips and poked Zhou Yi's forehead, saying:

"You, go wait for me in bed. I'll take a shower first."

Zhou Yi dried his hair and lay on the bed, waiting for You Man to finish her shower and come out.

After her shower, You Man changed into the surprise she had prepared for Zhou Yi.

This outfit was quite something, and with just one look, Zhou Yi understood why You Man called it a surprise.

It was indeed quite a "surprise."

As for what the surprise was?

[As shown in the picture]

[Just kidding, there's no picture.]