Pan An and Shu Xian continued to walk up the stairs. The moment they did, they already arrived in the exclusive restaurant of the hotel they visited.
In that grand entranceway of the restaurant, to greet the visitors, there was the most monumental of chandeliers--the size of a giant evergreen alight with electric flame.
As the two continued to walk on the red carpet, waiters and waitresses gave them small bows.
Shu Xian could not help but let her eyes wander as she discreetly scanned around the room, unsure if her sudden spur of confidence is on the right track.
There were round tables in the restaurant--some prominent families present as well.
Shu Xian need not know who they are. With the way they exuded themselves, it was clear that the customers came from a well-known family.
With that, Shu Xian suddenly felt small, but she tried her best to keep her confidence afloat. With it rarely possessing her body, she would have to keep it together for her to mask her uneasiness.
Even though she did not like this idea, she didn't want to disappoint Pan An.
"Hmm..."
"What's wrong?"
As they continued following the waitress ahead of them, Shu Xian looked up to meet Pan An's eyes.
"It just occurred to me that we haven't thought of the details of our relationship," she mumbled, enough for Pan An to hear.
"I know," he replied, slightly furrowing his brows. "Is this going to pose a problem?"
Shu Xian bit her lip, wondering if her reply is enough.
"It may... but since I am an English major as well, I had classes in Speech and Stage Arts. I may roll with it if I could keep the act well," she answered, a smile creeping on Pan An's face.
"So you could act, but you act all this nervous?"
Shu Xian couldn't help but pout at his remark.
"Of course! Even though I could act, this is a real deal! I could get intimidated easily knowing that you are from a prestigious family!"
Pan An shook his head as he stifled his laugh at Shu Xian's retort.
At the same moment, they already arrived in front of a brass door, Shu Xian holding her breath as the waitress turned her back to look at them.
"We are already here, Mr. Pan An," the waitress said, opening the door to reveal a private room where the two are about to eat dinner with the professor's mother.
"Thank you," Pan An thanked her as they both entered, walking into the room at the same time.
The room was silent with only the classical music heard at the background. Shu Xian's heels clacked against the beautifully tiled floor, getting the attention of the woman sitting on the chair, her eyes beaming the moment her eyes landed on her son.
"Pan An, darling!"
The woman stood up, immediately hugging her son. She looked like a child jumping on him, Pan An, chuckling as he supported his mother for safety.
"It's as if we haven't met for a long time, mom," he commented, the woman, giggling as she lightly hit his shoulder.
"Oh, a week is already long enough for me, darling!"
Shu Xian observed Pan An's mother from where she stood. She could not help but smile as she felt the warmth and joy coming from her when she saw her son.
Pan An's mother wore a simple fitted black dress that fit her body snuggly, making her look like a young, single woman. Her brown hair was in a messy bun, some tendrils of her hair escaping from the tie.
It was evident that his mother was a natural beauty. Her skin was flawless as well, making young people feel jealous of how beautiful she is.
Even Shu Xian, who isn't conscious of herself, now started feeling conscious under Pan An's mother's presence!
Snapping Shu Xian out of her thoughts, Pan An's mother turned her body to look at her, her sweet smile not disappearing from her face.
"Oh, hello!"
She walked over to her, holding both of Shu Xian's hands to greet her.
"You must be Pan An's girlfriend!"
"O-oh! Yes."
Shu Xian stammered, a soft flush of pink appearing on her face as she felt shy.
"My name is Shu Xian. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too, Shu Xian!" The woman said, kissing her cheek briefly. "I'm Cai Li, Pan An's mother."
Shu Xian smiled at her until she felt Pan An's right arm wrap around her waist, making her body stiffen in his touch. He then planted a soft kiss on top of her head, making Shu Xian's soul almost leave her body!
'Wh-what the hell is he doing?' Shu Xian mentally complained, 'Why is he this touchy?!'
"We are about to start dinner soon, yes? My girl here is hungry," Pan An asked and said, Shu Xian's ears reddening as she tried her best to conceal her shock.
'My girl! How can he say this so casually!?'
Cai Li couldn't help but giggle when she heard what her son had said. She then nodded, already sitting down on her seat as the two followed, sitting on their respective chairs.
The moment they sat down, the waitress waiting at the side already served them their food, Shu Xian blinking her eyes a few times to see the dish served before them.
On their plate was a tri-tip steak. The waitress served them Cabernet Sauvignon--said to be the most expensive wine in the whole world!
With the silverware in front of them, it made Shu Xian feel uneasy. Since she was unaware of how to use them, she feared moving, making Cai Li notice.
"Are you okay, Shu Xian?" she asked, sweetness, etched in her voice. "Is it about the silverware?" she added, Shu Xian, giving her an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, not hesitating to tell her the truth. "To be honest, I haven't experienced any fine dining. Today is my first," she mumbled, but it was enough for the two to hear.
"Oh!" Cai Li scoffed, finding the girl's uneasiness cute. "You don't have to worry about that, Shu Xian. As long as you know how to enjoy good food, even if you use your hands, why not?"
Shu Xian could not help but blink her eyes in disbelief. She always thought that parents of a prestigious family would look down upon people who are ignorant about these things.
But with what she's showing, is she going to be an exception?
Shu Xian could not help but hope that Cai Li is this kind to her so she could keep the act intact.