"Um…" Chen Chuan tried to form a reply. Since he could not come up with a better excuse, he directly said, "Are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together. I heard there's a restaurant on Main Street…"
"Sure. What time?" Jinglan looked at her cell phone. "It's half-past five now. Let's meet at seven, shall we?"
"Huh?" Chen Chuan did not expect his plan to go smoothly. He could not help but touch his cheeks.
Deep down, he wondered, 'Now I've become an instantly likable character, haven't I?'
"I'm leaving now. I've got stuff to do in my dorm. See you tonight. By the way, add me on WeChat so you can send me your address there." Jinglan showed her QR code.
Beep!
After Chen Chuan had scanned the code, Jinglan flipped her long hair and walked away briskly with her slim calves alongside a few girls.
"Jinglan, what's our plan tonight? Shall we have dinner together?"
"Let's do it tomorrow. I've got something on tonight…"
"What is it?"
"Secret...." Jinglan gave a slight smile.
"Why, stop being so mysterious. Did a handsome guy ask you out for a meal?"
A few girls gathered and started whispering.
The dinner was set at 7:00 pm at Manshree Music Restaurant, which was located on Main Street outside the campus.
The melodious music from the piano filled the exquisitely decorated restaurant.
Chen Chuan arrived at the restaurant first. At nearly 7:00 pm, a tall, slender, and beautiful figure walked in. Jinglan had changed her outfit. She looked casual in a high-waisted denim skirt, together with a white chiffon blouse.
She put down her purse and swept her hand on the skirt. After that, she sat down and said, "When you introduced yourself earlier, I heard you enjoy listening to piano music, that's why you made a deep impression on me. I've remembered you. I'm fond of piano music too. My mom made me learn to play the piano when I was four."
Upon hearing her words, Chen Chuan smiled and took the menu. "Let's order first. I think Classic Set A is good. The M7 Wagyu Tomahawk Steak is the signature dish here."
Jinglan glanced at the price tag, then she smilingly said, "This is pricey. You're going to pay your stupid tax, aren't you?"
Chen Chuan was speechless.
"Actually, I'm more interested in Farmhouse Courtyard's stir-fried chicken next door. You know, as a Sichuanese, I enjoy spicy food," said Jinglan.
"Are you sure you prefer stir-fried chicken over M7 Wagyu steak?" Chen Chuan was flabbergasted.
Jinglan nodded with certainty. "Let's change the venue. I'll treat you to stir-fried chicken, okay?"
Chen Chuan stood up. "Alright, we'll go there."
Both of them left the restaurant. It was 7:00 pm in early September, where the sky was still bright outside. The golden sun slanted across the entire Haiqin City.
The sea breeze gradually blew in, and it felt refreshing.
Chen Chuan and Jinglan strolled along side by side.
While gazing at the horizon, Chen Chuan could see the beauty beside him through the corner of his eye. He could not help sighing. Indeed, the university was the right place to find love.
Despite the slightly salty smell, the breeze was largely filled with a sweet scent.
As they were counting their steps slowly, Chen Chuan and Jinglan arrived at a restaurant called Farmhouse Courtyard.
Indeed, this place adopted a farmhouse atmosphere. It looked down-to-earth and picturesque with a courtyard and cloister.
"Ground Pot Chicken, Griddled Tofu, Steamed Pork With Garlic, Beef Fillet With Hot Green Pepper, Fresh Veggies, two glasses of corn juice."
Chen Chuan ordered the dishes after getting Jinglan's opinion.
Although the name of the restaurant was Farmhouse Courtyard, the dishes were not cheap. A set of Ground Pot Chicken, in which the chickens used were raised under free-range feeding in Yimeng, cost 198 yuan.
After Chen Chuan had paid the bill, he received a system message. [You have spent 351 yuan. You have earned a cashback of 702 yuan. The amount has been transferred to your account.]
"Considering Ground Pot Chicken is so pricey, it should be delicious. This meal has cost you so much. In fact, this should be my treat," said Jinglan.
"Your treat?" asked Chen Chuan.
Jinglan smilingly said, "As I just started university, I was supposed to be restrained when a guy asked me out for a meal. I shouldn't have accepted your offer straight away. I reckon you were quite surprised by my forthright manner, weren't you? Heh."
Chen Chuan nodded as it did come as a surprise to him.
"I said yes because, from your introduction, I feel that you're a nice person. You enjoy listening to piano music, which is our common interest. A second, and more important reason, is that I'd like to ask a favor of you. I want to run for the class monitor election. The guys hold 11 votes, so can you help me to capture the votes?" said Jinglan.
"Ah, class monitor…" Chen Chuan began to recall.
If he was not mistaken, he mentioned that an ordinary-looking girl with short hair was the monitor of Chinese Class 1 when he had written the novel earlier. The girl was definitely not Jinglan, who was now in front of him.
"Are you very keen on being the class monitor?" asked Chen Chuan.
Jinglan nodded. At the same time, Ground Pot Chicken was served.
"Eat first. Try this set of Ground Pot Chicken worth 198 yuan. How's the taste?" Chen Chuan asked while serving the food. "These days, many broiler chickens are fed poultry feed, and they taste bad. This… Hmm, tastes great. The meat is firm and chewy as well."
Jinglan took a bite. She squinted with a smiling face as she indulged in the delicious food. "The spiciness is awesome. The meat is delicious too. Yummy."
The dishes were served one after another, and both of them began to eat.
Neither of them brought up the subject of class monitor election after that.
At that moment, a few well-dressed girls walked in. The perfume they wore could be smelled from afar. There was a plump girl among them, who seemed like an ugly duckling among the white swans. She stood out easily from the rest.
Chen Chuan casually looked up. Surprisingly, he caught sight of Zhou Qi among them.
Zhou Qi studied in the School of Life Sciences, and these girls were probably her housemates.
At this point, the girls had also shifted their gaze toward Chen Chuan and Jinglan. Subsequently, they began talking in whispers.
"Look, the goddess is over there."
"The guy whom she's eating with is quite handsome. The god and goddess look extremely well matched."
Upon hearing the whispers, Jinglan gave a tight-lipped smile. "Looks like they see us as a couple. By the way, I noticed that you're staring at them. Do you know anyone of them?"