At 11:25, I arrived at Milan Xidian, a Western restaurant. Perhaps due to it being the weekend, there were quite a few customers inside, and one even needed to get a number to dine.
I received number 23 and stood outside the door, smoking. Before long, a red Volkswagen Beetle drove up. I had seen this car at the temple entrance before; it had local plates and belonged to Shen Xingyue.
Shen Xingyue rolled down her window and looked at me. She was still wearing that white silk qipao.
I went over to help her back into the parking spot. After she turned off the engine and got out, Shen Xingyue looked at the takeout number in my hand, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Shall we try another restaurant?" I asked.
"No need, this is the best Western restaurant in Fucheng. It's worth waiting a while for," Shen Xingyue replied, still as cold and proud as frost.
As we entered the restaurant, her attire was too striking, her figure was good, and her looks were high. She instantly drew the attention of all the waiting patrons. Men glanced at her furtively, children looked on with admiration as if they had seen a big star, while women uniformly cast disdainful glances, almost as if they wanted to curse "bitch" and "shameless."
Fortunately, the waiting time wasn't long. When number 23 was called, Shen Xingyue and I went upstairs. We were very lucky to get a private room.
Since it was a blind date, I very gentlemanly let her order. She ordered a two-person Western meal and then asked the waiter to bring the wine she had stored. It seemed she was a frequent patron here.
I had assumed it would be red wine, but when the waiter brought it, I realized it was more than half a bottle of Wuliangye.
"Uh... I'm not a good drinker," I said with a wry smile. It wasn't modesty; I really couldn't handle baijiu. One cup was already my limit.
"That's exactly what I want – for you not to be a good drinker," Shen Xingyue said, smiling rarely as she poured a full cup for me. "Not drinking is disrespecting me. If you don't drink, I'll tell your aunt that you didn't listen to her and came to Fucheng to rescue Yao Yao."
It seemed she knew everything.
"Alright, I'll try my best to drink with you," I said, showing weakness. Since she had made her intentions clear, she wasn't going to try to get me drunk and pass out. I'd feign submission first, then find an opportunity to get the information I wanted.
We ate and chatted, much like a typical blind date. Shen Xingyue asked about my age, profession, and family members – information she didn't already know.
I answered truthfully and then asked her in return.
"Same age as you, same family situation. My profession is a mage," Shen Xingyue said, cutting her steak without looking up.
"Mage? Didn't you study medicine?" I asked with a laugh. Mage? I'm Liu Haizhu then!
"Studying medicine is to be a better mage," Shen Xingyue said with mock seriousness.
As we were talking, my aunt's video call came through again. I looked around, removed the "Fucheng Milan Xidian" table marker from the dining table, then answered the video call and included Shen Xingyue in the frame.
"Oh? You two have already hooked up so quickly!" my aunt exclaimed happily.
Shen Xingyue immediately put on a sweet and shy expression: "Oh, sister, stop teasing me! We're just having dinner."
"And after dinner? Won't there be other activities? Like watching a movie or something? Yueyue, let me tell you, my nephew here is a bit of a 'straight man,' so be patient with him!"
"Straight man? I didn't notice. He's definitely a romantic!" Shen Xingyue said with a hidden meaning.
My aunt thought I had successfully wooed Shen Xingyue and gave me an approving look: "Alright, I won't disturb you two! Eat well, have fun, bye-bye!"
After hanging up, Shen Xingyue immediately reverted to her usual cold demeanor.
"To drinking, I'll finish mine, you can have yours at your own pace." She raised her glass, clinked it with mine, and drank it down in one gulp.
As a man, I had to drink with her to save face.
52 degrees, a bit strong.
The alcohol quickly took effect, and my vision began to blur. However, looking at Shen Xingyue opposite me, her reaction seemed even greater than mine. Her cheeks were already flushed red, and her eyes were becoming hazy and unfocused.
"My alcohol tolerance is about two liang. What's yours?" I asked tentatively.
"I don't know, maybe one liang..." Shen Xingyue slurred, then slumped onto the sofa, falling asleep. Because she was lying on her side, the slit of her qipao revealed her legs. Staring at her beautiful legs, I couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.