Chapter 16: Spicy Hot Pot and French Cuisine
Inside the pale gray dining room, a slender chandelier cast a soft beam of light.
The aroma of butter lingered around her, and Gu Chacha cut a piece of steak before bringing it to her mouth.
"What do you think my sister is doing right now?" she asked with a smile, looking at Han Mo.
Han Mo sat at the other end of the table, his face hidden in the dim light. Gu Chacha couldn't make out his expression at all.
"Let's just eat," he replied, his voice cold and detached, as if he had no interest whatsoever in the topic.
Gu Chacha let out a light laugh. "That Master Liang isn't exactly generous. I wonder if my sister can handle him."
In her opinion, the two of them were perfectly matched—a country bumpkin and a stingy weirdo. What a perfect pair!
She set down her knife and fork, turning her gaze to Han Mo. "HanMo, do you think they’ll end up together?"
Or rather, did he want them to?
She thought Han Mo understood what she was getting at.
The Liang family and her father—what they represented—she believed Han Mo would grasp.
Han Mo held the steak knife in his hand, cutting into the meat slowly and deliberately, one slice after another.
Only after the meat was fully separated did he lift his head to look at her. "You can never be sure with feelings. Maybe they will."
Gu Chacha gave a sweet smile. "I hope my sister finds her true love too."
Han Mo raised his glass, toasting her from across the table. "Here’s to her."
The smile on Gu Chacha’s face widened. "Let’s toast to her together."
After the meal, she grabbed her small bag and said cheerfully to Han Mo, "I’ve got an afternoon tea date with Fufu, so no need to drive me."
She had no intention of riding in that cheap car of his.
Han Mo nodded in agreement. "Okay."
In the basement parking lot, he sat in his car for a long time before finally picking up his phone and opening the chat with He Huanhuan.
[How was the coffee?]
The reply came quickly: [Screw good! He made me split the bill! 38 bucks! Where am I supposed to get 38?]
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he pictured her hopping mad.
[You didn’t drink it?]
[I did, but I spat it back out. Then he tried to scam me, so I poured the cup of coffee into his mouth and charged him 38 for saliva fee! Haha!]
His eyes narrowed in annoyance as his fingers flew across the screen.
[Are you two still together?]
[Nope! The guy’s crazy! We were eating malatang just fine when he suddenly said I’m marriage material. I—]
Clearly, He Huanhuan needed to vent.
Large chunks of text came flooding in, detailing everything that had just happened to him.
Bony fingers tapped thoughtfully on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on their chat log for a long time without moving.
Second Young Master Liang had taken a liking to her.
The Liang family, the Gu family, the eastern part of the city...
[Where are you? Need a ride home?]
[Yes!]
When the electric scooter stopped in front of the coffee shop, He Huanhuan was stunned.
She poked the young guy and asked, "Are you heading to the coffee shop?"
The kid nodded. "I have a meeting with someone here."
"Seriously? So I just wasted an hour walking for nothing?"
He Huanhuan was speechless. A full hour of speed-walking was exhausting!
The young guy scratched his head apologetically. "Where are you headed? If you’re not in a hurry..."
Before he could finish, He Huanhuan’s phone lit up.
It was Han Mo.
Without a second thought, He Huanhuan started chatting with him.
After playing the sympathy card, Han Mo predictably offered to pick her up.
Cab fare saved!
If Liang Ye knew, he’d probably think she was even more suited to be his wife.
He Huanhuan grinned, closed her phone, and said goodbye to the young guy. "Have a good date. You’re too handsome to be messing with people’s feelings."
With that, she turned and walked off, leaving him standing there alone.
"It's not a date... it’s a job interview..."
He wanted to say that after the interview, he could have given her a ride home...
At the designated intersection, the familiar car was already parked by the roadside.
Han Mo stood by the car door in a black suit, his long legs slightly bent, staring at the ground, lost in thought.
She walked over and snapped her fingers in front of him. "What are you pondering?"
Han Mo looked up and gave a faint smile. "Nothing much. Just waiting for you."
He opened the car door to let He Huanhuan in.
As the car slowly drove toward the Gu family estate, Han Mo glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
She sat in silence, staring out the window.
She was usually so loud, rarely this quiet.
Even her multicolored hair seemed calmer.
"What are you looking at?"
He Huanhuan rested her chin on her hand. "Why do rich people insist on living in such remote places?"
A sudden laugh broke from him—only she would ask that.
His tense mood relaxed, and he smiled as he explained, "The suburbs offer better privacy."
"Downtown is too crowded and noisy. The suburbs are quieter, and the air is better."
"Besides, the neighborhood we live in is full of influential people from the city..."
"Stop!"
He Huanhuan yawned in boredom. All he was talking about was the class divide!
She wasn’t stupid—she got it.
The car pulled into the Gu family’s estate. She pushed open the door to leave but was stopped by Han Mo. "The day after tomorrow is my father’s birthday party. Do you want to come with me?"
"Me?"
He Huanhuan pointed at herself. "Shouldn’t you be inviting Gu Chacha?"
Hadn’t they just had dinner together today?
What was he playing at?
Han Mo didn’t answer. He just smiled at her. "Would you like to come?"
"No."
He Huanhuan refused without hesitation. "I feel like you’re up to something shady, so I’m not going."
Han Mo gazed at her silently, his jet-black eyes seeming to hold countless emotions—or perhaps nothing at all.
"Why are you staring at me like that!"
She slammed the car door roughly. "I’ll think about it!"
"I’ll pick you up the day after tomorrow."
Before she could respond, the car sped off, leaving a fuming He Huanhuan punching the air in frustration.
"Damn it! He just flirted with me!"
This was the downfall of good looks!
Her phone chimed. She opened it to find Han Mo had transferred her some money.
One, two, three, four, five zeros.
[Why are you sending me money?]
[For a cab.]
She rolled her eyes, then her fingers danced across the screen: [So you’re not my driver anymore, huh?]
The chat showed "typing..." then stopped, then "typing..." again.
[Next time you go out, remember to call me.]
He Huanhuan’s lips curled triumphantly. Flirting, huh?
Two could play that game.
She pocketed the money and headed home in high spirits.
As expected, Old Mr. Gu was waiting in the living room. The moment he saw her, his eager eyes zeroed in. "How was it? What did you think?"
He Huanhuan waved dismissively. "No good. He’s stingy as hell."
She plopped onto the couch and recounted Liang Ye’s insistence on splitting everything to the couple.
Jiang Yulan frowned after listening. "Is this Second Young Master Liang a bit too cheap?"
"Cheap?" Old Mr. Gu cut her off irritably. "That’s being smart with money! That’s how a man should live!"
...
With that attitude, he’d have made a perfect eunuch in the old days.
"So what if they split things!" Old Mr. Gu declared confidently. "With Dad’s money, I’ll cover every penny you spend after you get married!"
He vowed passionately, practically itching to marry her off to the Liang family.
He Huanhuan realized that the Liang family must be a big deal among the wealthy elite.
But that had nothing to do with her. She didn’t like Liang Ye, and she had no intention of marrying him.