The private room was tastefully decorated, with lush potted plants and a view of the serene garden landscape through the window. It had a calming effect.

Servers in traditional Chinese robes quietly served them dishes.

Yan Zhen sampled a bite, finding the flavors perfectly to her liking. “Where did you find this place?” she asked. “I’ve never heard of such a delicious restaurant.”

“A friend of a friend owns it. It’s a private restaurant. I’ve been here once or twice.”

Chen Huaixu, wearing gloves, peeled a shrimp and placed it in Yan Zhen’s bowl, startling her. She eyed him suspiciously. “Are you alright?”

“Not eating it?” He reached for the shrimp. “Then I’ll take it back.”

“Of course, I’m eating it!” Though puzzled by his strange behavior, Yan Zhen, accustomed to being pampered, readily took a bite. Looking up, she met Chen Huaixu’s enigmatic gaze.

“What?” Surely he hadn’t poisoned it.

“Nothing,” he said, slowly removing his gloves. “I just remembered someone saying this afternoon that they would rather die than eat my food.”

Yan Zhen was speechless. So that’s why he’d been so agreeable about taking her to dinner. He’d been waiting for this moment.

She gritted her teeth. “You really are…”

“Nitpicky, vindictive, petty,” Chen Huaixu finished her sentence, reciting the words she’d used countless times. He watched her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Anything else?”

Having been robbed of her usual retorts, Yan Zhen glared at him. “At least you’re self-aware.”

Since she’d already taken a bite, she swallowed the shrimp and, resigned to her fate, ordered, “I want more. Keep peeling.”

“Miss Yan, employing labor requires compensation.”

Here he went again.

Yan Zhen was genuinely curious. “If you have a girlfriend in the future, will you be this meticulous with her too?”

Unfazed, he replied, “When I have one, you can ask her.”

Just then, a server entered with a new dish. Chen Huaixu turned slightly and tore open a fresh pair of disposable gloves.

“Forget it,” she huffed. “Someone like you will never get a girlfriend.”

After dinner, Chen Huaixu drove Yan Zhen home. The rain intensified during the drive, the wipers working furiously against the downpour. Puddles had accumulated on the roads, forcing them to detour. With Yan Zhen navigating and Chen Huaixu driving, they finally reached the Yan family villa halfway up the mountain.

Aunt Cui, the housekeeper, was waiting at the door with Yan Zhen’s beloved dog, Chocolate. The dog wagged its tail enthusiastically and rushed towards Yan Zhen as she got out of the car.

Aunt Cui stepped forward. “Mr. Chen, thank you for bringing Zhenzhen home in this heavy rain. Would you like to come in for some hot tea?”

“Thank you, but it’s getting late. I have work tomorrow morning, so I won’t stay.”

As he finished speaking, a clap of thunder echoed in the distance, and the rain poured down even harder.

“It’s a downpour out there, and the roads down the mountain are surely treacherous. The news reported severe flooding. Mr. Chen, why don’t you stay the night?” Aunt Cui’s tone was concerned. “We have a guest room, and the supplies are all new. Xiao Zhao has plenty of unworn clothes. You two are about the same size, so you could borrow something.”