Chapter 10: A Boys' School—Should We Date?

When Jian Qing arrived, she had just stepped into the restaurant and immediately noticed Li Jingche sitting in the sunlight.

He was always striking to look at, and now, sitting quietly by the window with a menu in hand, even the menu itself seemed to have gained a certain elegance. The server standing beside him was so entranced that she almost forgot herself; Li Jingche’s beauty had that effect—it enchanted everyone regardless of gender.

He closed the menu, turned, and handed it over, his thin lips parting slightly as he spoke in a deep, mellow voice, “Let’s order these first. The bird’s nest with ginger should be served hot.”

“Yes, sir. One moment, please,” replied the blushing server.

Jian Qing and the flustered server nearly collided. Glancing back, she saw the young woman giddily discussing the beauty of table 33 with her colleagues who were watching from afar. Jian Qing shrugged, walked past the man, and took a seat across from him.

“Sorry, darling, for keeping you waiting. Today’s on me.”

Li Jingche looked up to meet her gaze, his eyes pitiful and cat-like. He couldn’t help but lick the corner of his lips, his eyes lowering as he replied with a soft “Mm.”

He truly couldn’t muster any anger at all!

But Jian Qing felt guilty for upsetting such a beautiful man. She handed him a brown paper bag. “I noticed you weren’t wearing a watch, so I picked one out for you. A man’s watch is like a woman’s purse—whether it can hold things or not isn’t the point; it’s about what it represents.”

Li Jingche’s lashes, dark as crow feathers, fluttered as he was reminded of the Patek Philippe he had stashed away. He tugged at his sleeve. “Thank you.”

He took out the watch—a Richard Mille. Extending his wrist, his usually impassive eyes fixed earnestly on Jian Qing. “Can you help me fasten it? I’ve never worn a luxury watch before; I’m not familiar with the clasp.”

Jian Qing’s hand paused. Realizing she had kept him waiting here for two hours, she felt even worse.

He looked so aggrieved!

What was she doing with her life?

He had given her everything!

Her heart tightened. She nodded, took the watch from the box, and gently slipped it onto his wrist.

It was this year’s new model.

Li Jingche already had three—gifts from others. In his drawer, he even kept a globally limited edition of thirty tourbillon watches.

But none seemed as special as this one.

“Is it tight?” Jian Qing gently held his fingertips with one hand and fastened the strap with the other. Looking up, she saw that number 33’s eyes were fixed on her, his lashes trembling, his pupils reflecting her shadow and darting away.

“Does it look good?” she asked.

Li Jingche shook his head and turned slightly, wanting to see her expression more clearly.

“Anything looks good on you, darling.”

He called her “darling” so sweetly and so often that Li Jingche had to press his lips together to keep from smiling too broadly. Then, he threaded his fingers through hers, locking their hands together.

“Sit beside me,” he whispered.

Not far away, Qin Jin overheard their conversation, nearly biting his straw in half.

Well, well, the boss has a soft voice now.

Eavesdropping on the drama while on the clock, Qin Jin continued working on his laptop, waiting for further instructions. After all, he had just finalized the purchase of this restaurant today and still had to sort out some paperwork.

“Alright, I’ll just pop to the restroom,” Jian Qing said, handing her bag to Li Jingche and walking off with her phone.

Li Jingche’s gaze caught a black business card that had fallen out with her phone. He meant to call after her, but she was already gone.

He bent down and picked up the card. In the upper left corner, four golden characters gleamed: “Haiyan Heqing.”

The veins at his temple pulsed; his grip on the card tightened unconsciously, and his eyes grew dark.

Suppressing his anger, he first called the owner of Haiyan Heqing.

“Didn’t I tell you to always inform me when Miss Jian comes by?”

“Mr. Li? You misunderstand—Miss Jian came to pick someone up today. I just heard about it from the front desk and was about to report to you.”

Li Jingche let out a cold laugh. “From now on, I don’t care if she just passes by Haiyan Heqing to use the restroom—you report it to me.”

“Understood, understood!”

Everyone at the club had been introduced by He Jiangyu, supposedly for the sake of Li Jingche’s business. They were handsome men, recruited from around the world.

Li Jingche had once scoffed at this, but now he finally understood—

Jian Qing couldn’t even pop in to pick someone up without collecting a business card!

What next? Take someone straight to bed?

After hanging up, Li Jingche dialed the number on the card. When the call connected, a gentle, androgynous voice answered.

“So you finally called me, sis!”

He instantly recognized the youth from the other day, the one who had warned, “Sis, be careful.” A flame of anger smoldered in his chest.

“Sis, want to date a young man? I’m of age now. You can take me out anytime.”

“I like you, sis.”

With every “sis,” Li Jingche’s face grew colder.

Hearing a server behind him compliment Jian Qing’s beauty and ask for a photo, he composed himself.

“Don’t get any ideas you shouldn’t have. Young men with poor education aren’t her type. She’s not interested.”

With that, Li Jingche hung up. As Jian Qing was about to sit down, he reached out to steady her.

“Sis, careful.”

She froze in place, feeling as if she’d heard those words before.

Biting her lip, she stole a glance at number 33, then smiled sweetly.

“Still bothered about that day, darling?”

He said nothing, only fixed her with a look so aggrieved that she felt uneasy.

“Darling, you talk tough, but if the sky were to fall, your stubborn lips would hold it up.”

“Not as hard as your heart,” Li Jingche replied, utterly serious, as if Jian Qing had truly wronged him.

His gaze made her deeply uneasy. She clung to his arm, pressing herself against him.

“But no matter how hard your lips are, they’re still soft when I kiss them.”

Li Jingche didn’t back down—he pressed even further.

“Then kiss me. Right now.”

Qin Jin nearly spat out his juice, coughing for ages, drawing Jian Qing’s attention.

But Li Jingche seized her chin and turned her head back.

“Be a little more proactive, and I won’t be angry anymore.”