Chapter 81: The Company You Dine With Matters Most

“What do you feel like eating?”

In the car, Song Xinran looked at Xu Shaochen beside her and asked.

“Anything is fine. It doesn’t really matter what we eat, as long as we eat together.” Xu Shaochen rested one hand on the car window, admiring Song Xinran’s curvaceous figure.

Due to her sitting posture, Song Xinran’s suit and skirt were stretched tightly, accentuating her body’s curves. Her slender legs were crossed and tilted to the right, making her appear both elegant and poised.

Hearing these words, Song Xinran blushed slightly and gave Xu Shaochen a playful glare: “You’ve really learned some tricks now. You never used to know how to sweet-talk girls.”

Though she said that, it was clear that most women would be drawn to someone like Xu Shaochen.

Handsome, wealthy, humorous, and charming—this kind of man is a hot commodity! “Sister Xinran, you’re being unfair. Even though I might have wandered through the flower fields, there’s always been a void in my heart meant for a special someone. Don’t you think so?”

Xu Shaochen spoke with deep affection, naturally reaching out to gently hold one of Song Xinran’s delicate hands that rested on her lap.

From the driver’s seat, Long Er felt a surge of admiration for Xu Shaochen. The boss sure is skilled at wooing women, effortlessly coming up with sweet lies!

“Let go of me! Someone’s watching.” Song Xinran’s face turned red as she struggled, her heart racing and her breathing growing quicker.

Xu Shaochen smiled slightly and released her hand, gently caressing her delicate face as he whispered: “Sister Xinran, I never force you to do anything you don’t want to do. That’s how it’s been since we were young, right?”

What a scumbag!

Long Er silently cursed in his heart. He had seen how Xu Shaochen used different words with different women over the past few days, but the results were always the same. If he isn’t a scumbag, then what is he?

But why did he feel so envious? If he had even a fraction of Xu Shaochen’s skill, he wouldn’t have been single for over twenty years, with calloused hands!

“I… I didn’t say I was unwilling. Oh, we were talking about eating. How did we end up here?” Song Xinran looked flustered, quickly changing the subject to avoid further embarrassment.

Xu Shaochen seized the opportunity to hold her hand again and said, “Alright, let’s not talk about this. Let’s go eat. Long Er, find a good Western restaurant online.”

When it comes to dining with a woman, of course, a Western restaurant is the way to go. Places run by foreigners are ideal for setting the mood.

This time, however, Song Xinran didn’t resist. She allowed Xu Shaochen to hold her hand, her face flushed red as she dared not look at him directly.

As the car started to move, Xu Shaochen leaned back in the seat, gently playing with Song Xinran’s hand while admiring her shy expression.

He didn’t expect that the usually cunning Sister Xinran could still have such a seductive side.

Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of an upscale Western restaurant.

Long Er stayed in the car while Xu Shaochen led Song Xinran into the restaurant.

“This place looks expensive!”

Song Xinran whispered, calculating in her heart. She had just been promoted this month and hadn’t received her salary yet. She wondered if she had enough money on her.

“This meal is on me. You can owe me next time.”

Xu Shaochen smiled calmly, thinking it would be best if she owed him for a lifetime. That way, he could always use it as an excuse to stay close to her.

“I… Is it okay to dress like this?”

Song Xinran looked through the glass at the well-dressed guests inside and then at her own professional attire. She suddenly felt a bit self-conscious.

“No worries. A beautiful woman can exude her unique charm no matter what she wears.” As he spoke, Xu Shaochen casually released her hand and discreetly wrapped his arm around her slender waist.

“You really know how to sweet-talk, don’t you?” Song Xinran giggled, and the nervousness in her heart vanished without a trace.

After laughing, she realized she was already in Xu Shaochen’s arms, and her body stiffened immediately.

She wanted to pull away but hesitated. Here, with so many people around, if she distanced herself from him, Xu Shaochen might feel embarrassed, so she decided to just go with it.

“Good evening, and welcome to our restaurant. Please, follow me.”

As soon as they stepped into the restaurant, a uniformed waiter approached them with a warm smile.

The waiter led them to a window seat offering a clear view of the cityscape outside.

“Sir, this is our menu for tonight.”

The waiter handed the menu to Xu Shaochen. In this restaurant, the menu changed every evening, and only the dishes listed were available.

Xu Shaochen didn’t pass the menu to Song Xinran, knowing she would likely try to pick something cheap to save him money. So, he decided to order himself.

“We’ll take this set meal.”

Xu Shaochen pointed to the most luxurious themed set meal of the evening. It cost 88,888 yuan, with a bottle of red wine worth 50,000 yuan included.

“Alright, please wait a moment.”

The waiter smiled warmly, his eyes gleaming brighter as he looked at Xu Shaochen, before taking the menu and leaving.

Having ordered the most luxurious meal, it was naturally served quickly. VIPs always get priority service, right?

They couldn’t possibly let someone spend 80–90,000 yuan and still make them wait in line, could they?

“Isn’t this… a bit too much?”

Song Xinran’s eyes widened as she looked at the table full of dishes, each one exquisitely presented. The variety dazzled her.

“It just looks like a lot.”

Xu Shaochen responded indifferently. The thing about Western cuisine is that presentation is key, but the portions are notoriously small. You end up with a lot of plates but might not even feel full after eating.

Such fancy plating doesn’t make the food taste better, but it does make it more expensive.

As they ate, Song Xinran behaved more reserved than ever before, as this was her first time dining in such a high-end Western restaurant.

“Xian’er, be my girlfriend. These are your favorite pink roses.”

Just then, a voice rang out.

Both Xu Shaochen and Song Xinran turned to see a young man kneeling on one knee at a nearby table, holding a bouquet of pink roses and gazing tenderly at a woman.

“Say yes!”

“Say yes!”

Someone in the restaurant started cheering, and soon the entire place was filled with the same chant.

Song Xinran also smiled and started cheering along with everyone else.

Amid the cheering crowd, the woman nodded with tears in her eyes, and the young man stood up to embrace her and kissed her.

“Clap, clap, clap…”

All the diners in the restaurant applauded, offering their blessings.

“Sister Xinran, do you like roses?”

Xu Shaochen turned his gaze back to Song Xinran and asked.

Still caught up in the excitement, Song Xinran absentmindedly nodded: “I do. I love red roses the most. Pink roses are nice too.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Shaochen smiled and took out his phone, sending a text message to Long Er outside.

If all goes as planned, Sister Xinran might have a hard time escaping his grasp tonight.