"Miss Cheng, this way, please." As the waiter led Cheng Ying through the piano rack, she saw Leng Yixiu by a window seat. He was as handsome and elegant as ever, his features and contours flawlessly perfect. Besides the staff, Cheng Ying and Leng Yixiu were the only ones in the western restaurant. Obviously, Leng Yixiu had reserved the entire place. Cheng Ying couldn’t help but smile happily. That was just the kind of person Leng Yixiu was. Though he often didn’t smile much and wouldn’t call his girlfriend like other men in love, he always surprised you when you least expected it. Though it might seem dull, Cheng Ying found it delightful. She considered it to be Leng Yixiu’s unique form of romance. "How long have you been here?" Cheng Ying took off her shawl and sat down across from Leng Yixiu. "Just arrived." The man’s eyes lightly fell on Cheng Ying as his thin lips slightly parted, "You look beautiful tonight." "Really?" Cheng Ying couldn’t help but smile brightly. She shyly brushed aside the bangs on her forehead and softly said, "If you like it, I can always look ." A flicker of emotion passed through the man’s eyes as he said in a deep voice, "What would you like to eat? Let’s order first." Cheng Ying took the menu from the waiter’s hand and ordered a signature dish from the restaurant, gracefully smiling at the waiter, "Thank you!" The restaurant had a nice ambience, and the steak was very tender. Elegant music flowed through the large restaurant like water. The man didn’t speak much, but Cheng Ying didn’t mind. She occasionally mentioned their university days, "I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, but lately I keep thinking about our university days. You were the star of the school, and many girls wanted to chase you. Every time I heard you received chocolates from someone, I pretended not to care, but my heart was nervous, afraid you would be taken by another girl. Luckily, every time, you remained unmoved and didn’t even glance at the chocolates..." "Those are old memories, and you still remember?" For more chapters visit N0velFire.ɴet "Of course I remember. Sometimes it’s strange how people remember distant things more clearly." Seeing that the man was uninterested, Cheng Ying’s eyes dimmed, and she changed the topic, "Have you been very busy lately?" The man nodded, "Indeed, the company has had some matters to deal with recently." "Oh... I see." Cheng Ying reached for the glass of water beside her and took a sip, murmuring, "Yes, you’ve always been quite busy. Look at me, asking such silly questions." For some reason, the originally harmonious atmosphere became somewhat subtle because of this short conversation. Cheng Ying wanted to bring up other topics to make the meal less dull, but seeing the man intently and elegantly cutting his steak, she ultimately gave up. Leng Yixiu was always more composed than his peers. He rarely spoke much, whether he was in a good mood or not. Cheng Ying carefully observed Leng Yixiu’s expression. His face was indifferent with no change in expression, yet this calm demeanor gradually made Cheng Ying uneasy. In the past, even when they were together and Leng Yixiu spoke little, it was never like today. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask about his recent situation, but feared he would find her nagging. Having been by his side for so many years, she knew how much he disliked noise. This meal wasn’t as enjoyable as Cheng Ying had imagined. Still, she was in good spirits. As long as she could be with Leng Yixiu, even without saying or doing anything, she was happy. She loved him deeply, to the marrow of her bones. Suddenly, the man looked up and asked, "How long have we been together?" "Are you testing me?" Cheng Ying propped her chin with one hand, her eyes twinkling as she smiled, "You won’t catch me. Including today, we’ve been together for exactly ten years." Of course, Cheng Ying included the year they were separated. Even though Leng Yixiu had left her for a period because of Lin Yixun that bitch, she believed he had never truly left her. "Yes, time flies unnoticed." The man gazed at the ginkgo tree outside the floor-to-ceiling window, murmuring quietly. "Time does pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, I’m nearing thirty." Age is always a sensitive topic for women, and Cheng Ying felt a bit melancholic, "They say eighteen to thirty are a woman’s best years. My best years are nearly over. Fortunately, I met you in my prime and spent these years with you, so I have no regrets." "Actually, you’re still young." "Am I? How many times do we get to be thirty in a lifetime? Yixiu, I’m not young anymore. Once a woman passes twenty-five, she starts going downhill." Cheng Ying looked up at the man across from her and placed her hand over his long fingers, "Yixiu, let’s get married." Cheng Ying was a proud woman, so she had never brought up marriage to him over the years. Even their engagement was made possible through some strategizing and with his mother’s help. At that time, she thought she would use her chicanery for the last time. She had decided she would never proactively bring up marriage, but the results had been ironic. With time, her pride had eroded bit by bit, and her anxiety forced her to act. A flicker of emotion crossed the man’s indifferent face, and he subtly withdrew his hand from hers. He looked at her deeply for a few seconds before his thin lips parted, "Ying’er, there’s something I need to tell you." Cheng Ying’s fingers trembled uncontrollably. Leng Yixiu’s gaze gave her a sudden sense of foreboding. She had a premonition about what was to come, but she couldn’t help but make a final struggle. She forced a stiff smile at Leng Yixiu, "Yixiu, I just remembered I have another appointment soon. Can we talk later?" "What I need to say will only take a few minutes." "Really? But I’m really rushing. You know I don’t like being late." Cheng Ying grabbed her handbag from the sofa and hurriedly got up. Just as she stood up, the man ruthlessly exposed her lie, "Before I arranged this, I called your agent. You have no other appointments tonight."