Meng Sihan had never been this troubled in his life. After finally making their way through the crowded streets, the two of them arrived inside the mall. Just as Meng Sihan was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he followed An Yin to the elevator. On his aloof face, he glanced around at the sea of heads. "There are a lot of people. Stay behind me." The young girl was clearly accustomed to this kind of crowded life. She carefully observed the elevator while holding the cake in front of her chest with both hands, looking quite busy. Meng Sihan suppressed his inner impatience, "Hmm." "The elevator over here is open, hurry up and follow..." An Yin shouted excitedly to the people behind her as she saw the elevator doors slowly opening. Meng Sihan watched the crowd rush into the elevator, then looked at the girl’s delicate figure and frowned, "Let’s wait for the next one." An Yin had already reached the elevator doors, with one foot about to step in. Suddenly, someone pushed her, and just as she was about to fall, the man behind her quickly caught her by the waist to steady her. The next second, the elevator doors closed. An Yin stood there, stunned. The man’s hands remained at her waist, and the warmth from his touch sent a surge of heat through her. She lowered her head, murmuring, "I’m fine." The girl’s waist was slender, and even through the fabric, the softness in his hands was palpable. It wasn’t until he heard her voice that Meng Sihan released his grip. As the man withdrew his hands, An Yin hesitantly moved a few steps to the side, not daring to look back at him. Fortunately, the surrounding noise eased the awkwardness between them. "Let’s take the elevator down to the parking garage first, and then we’ll head directly to the floor we need to go to," Meng Sihan suggested as more people gathered around them. "Great!" An Yin’s eyes lit up at his suggestion. A couple nearby overheard their conversation, whispered a few words to each other, and seemed to reach an agreement. The two of them finally squeezed into the elevator, though it was a bit crowded inside. Meng Sihan’s expression darkened a little, but when he saw the girl’s calm face, he suppressed his dissatisfaction. The building they were in was considered the shopping heaven of T City. An Yin’s destination was the seventh floor, which was dedicated to all kinds of cuisine. However, the prices were rather steep, not within An Yin’s budget. This time, An Yin chose "Haidilao." After they exited the elevator, An Yin followed the signs on the wall to the restaurant she wanted to go to. Meng Sihan stood tall and elegant, his casual gait and extraordinary looks caught the eyes of many girls who ogled him with starry eyes as he walked past. Meng Sihan ignored the attention, obviously used to such enamored stares. Watching the girl stop, Meng Sihan glanced at her, "Is this the ’secret’ you mentioned?" "Yes." An Yin nodded, her voice soft and obedient, "It’s my first time here too. I heard from a classmate that the atmosphere here is nice, so let’s have hotpot at this place." If it weren’t because he hadn’t celebrated a birthday before, An Yin wouldn’t have been willing to spend at such a place. It’s rumored to be a bit pricey, she mused inwardly. Meng Sihan observed the girl’s slightly puffed cheeks. Her face clearly showed her anticipation for the place. After contemplating, he said, "Then let’s go in!" "Um... do you see the group of people sitting over there?" An Yin, seeing his agreement, pointed to the crowd in line at the entrance. He had a foreboding feeling, "And so?" "We need to get a ticket and wait in line," An Yin mumbled upon seeing his sullen face. Meng Sihan glanced at the crowd, roughly estimating about twenty people on the benches at the entrance. He raised an eyebrow, looking at the restaurant’s sign. He had never tried such food before, but since the girl recommended it strongly, he gave An Yin a sharp look, "What are you waiting for? Go get a ticket." Thıs content belongs to 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝓷𝓮𝓽 "Okay." Understanding his intent, An Yin hurried off to get a ticket, seeing there were still six tables ahead of them. She surveyed the area and found a quiet corner, then tugged at the man’s sleeve, "Shall we wait there for a while?" "Alright." Meng Sihan looked down at her, responding as he noticed her retracting her hand, with warmth spreading on his face. An Yin lowered her head anxiously, feeling unbelievable at herself for even touching his sleeve. She couldn’t understand why she felt a mysterious closeness to the man, as if he was a long-known relative, making her feel utterly surprised. The two of them moved to the corner, with An Yin gently placing the cake on the seat and sitting beside it. When she looked up, she saw the tall figure of the man standing beside her. Looking up at him, An Yin murmured, "It will be a long wait. Aren’t you going to sit?" "No need." Meng Sihan replied calmly. The mall they were in was vast, with a pristine and clean interior, and the tiles underfoot were polished to a bright shine. On the other side of the corridor. Shen Jingrou holding her daughter’s hand, emerging from a barbecue place. The little one, having eaten her fill, skipped along the way. Shen Jingrou let go of her daughter’s soft hand, allowing her to wander through the corridor. As she looked around, her gaze suddenly froze. Shen Jingrou rubbed her eyes before opening them again, realizing she hadn’t mistaken. However, beside her stood a tall, broad-shouldered man. From her angle, she could only see his back, but that build seemed reminiscent of her elder brother? Hurriedly, Shen Jingrou took out her phone from her bag, snapping a photo in An Yin’s direction, then opened WeChat to send it along with a message to Bao Shaojin. [Shen Jingrou: Big brother, caught you! Hehe, don’t worry, I won’t bother you. Enjoy your date!] "Mom, hurry up!" Lin Xin’ai called out after covering a long distance, pouting discontentedly as she noticed her mother had fallen behind. "Coming," Shen Jingrou replied, putting her phone back in her bag and smiling brightly at her daughter before catching up. The little one wore a bun in her hair, a puffed dress paired with leggings. At her tender age, she was dressed adorably, attracting attention as she walked by. Just as Shen Jingrou grabbed her daughter’s hand, her phone rang. Puzzled, she took it out and, upon seeing the caller ID, couldn’t help but glance in An Yin’s direction, only to find that An Yin had vanished.