"What are you doing here, cousin?" Qi Jianyi asked surprisingly.
He Zeqing walked towards her slowly and replied, "I am meeting a friend. What about you?"
Walking side by side, Qi Jianyi nodded at his answers, "Well, I'm here to grab dinner."
"Alone?" He Zeqing asked once again, sceptical.
Qi Jianyi hummed and glanced at the waiter still leading the way. She turned to He Zeqing. "I hope you have a pleasant dinner. I'll be on my way,"
But as if fate were toying with her, He Zeqing stopped her once again, extending his hand. "How about joining me and my friend for dinner?"
This time, it was Qi Jianyi's turn to look at He Zeqing with a sceptical expression. She clearly didn't want to have dinner with him, let alone with his friend.
Seeing the look on her face, He Zeqing quickly touched his nose, unsure why he had even made the offer. The words had slipped out before he could think them through.
But since the invitation was already out there, it would be awkward to take it back. So he persisted, "Well, you know him too—Song Chengfeng. Ring a bell?"
Of course, she remembered that name. The owner of that name had an extraordinary appearance. But no matter how good-looking he was, it still didn't make sense for her to suddenly join them for dinner.
As if sensing what she was thinking, He Zeqing quickly tried to reassure her, "He'll be fine."
The more he tried to cover up his awkwardness, the more oddly Qi Jianyi looked at him. She couldn't understand why the man in front of her suddenly started a conversation with her, let alone invited her to join them.
Mind you, He Zeqing and the real Qi Jianyi were never close. They had no relationship or regular communication. The only thing connecting them was the fact that they were related—cousins.
"Why don't I just pass on this offer, and you can go ahead without me?" Qi Jianyi suggested. She really didn't want to eat with others.
He Zeqing frowned, his already cold expression growing even colder at her response. Although he hadn't truly meant to extend the invitation, he hadn't expected a rejection either.
"Are you embarrassed to eat with me?" he asked suddenly. The abrupt question caused Qi Jianyi to halt in her steps. She really wondered where He Zeqing got that idea.
Embarrassed? It was more like discomfort. Why would she want to eat with a relative she was never close to in the first place?
"Eat with us," He Zeqing muttered, in an uncompromising manner. He was adamant for her to join them and would not accept any rejection.
Qi Jianyi rolled her eyes, finding that the male lead before her was suddenly no longer pleasing to the eye. She had thought he was annoying in his interactions with the female lead. Unfortunately, she had been mistaken. This man was also irritating to his relatives, as if he was born to upset people.
Unable to refuse, Qi Jianyi nudged He Zeqing's arm in a defeated manner, indicating for him to take the lead, "Let's go quickly. I'm hungry."
Meanwhile, as if he had accomplished something special, He Zeqing held back a smile while hastening his steps to the private room.
…
He Zeqing entered the room and questioned, "Chengfeng, my cousin will be joining us for dinner tonight. Do you mind?"
The young master Song, who was resting his eyes, opened them as soon as he heard the voice. He was stunned when he caught sight of Qi Jianyi standing behind He Zeqing. Song Chengfeng never thought he would meet a certain young miss on his way to have dinner.
"What's wrong with you?" He Zeqing asked once again upon not hearing any answers from his friend.
He thought that lately, Song Chengfeng who has always shut his mouth had become quieter. The guy was probably still upset about his forced retirement.
Song Chengfeng glanced at He Zeqing and Qi Jianyi but remained silent. His eyes briefly met Qi Jianyi's, and though he didn't utter a word, the subtle nod of his head and the relaxed posture of his shoulders conveyed his acceptance and was unperturbed by Qi Jianyi's sudden appearance. There was no need for words.
"Is there anything you want to try?" He Zeqing asked, ignoring his taciturn friend. He pushed the menu towards Qi Jianyi, indicating for her to choose her food.
The menu was filled with a variety of Western dishes, from classic options like grilled steak and chicken pot pie to more adventurous choices like shrimp scampi and beef Wellington. Qi Jianyi scanned the menu, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the diverse offerings.
After a while, Qi Jianyi finally made her decision to go with a classic option, as she wasn't one to change her tastes often. She ordered a grilled steak, and a refreshing watermelon juice to accompany it.
The tempting red wine on the menu caught her eye, but she reluctantly passed on it, knowing she needed to drive back later.
He Zeqing closed the menu after she finished and returned it to the waiter. He and Song Chengfeng had already ordered their food before he met Qi Jianyi so they do not need to order again.
As they waited, the atmosphere at the table grew awkward. He Zeqing focused on his phone to avert his awkwardness, scrolling through messages. Meanwhile, Song Chengfeng closed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought or perhaps trying to rest.
Qi Jianyi on the other hand, glanced around the restaurant, taking in the decor, trying to distract herself from the uncomfortable silence that hung over their table.
She knew she shouldn't have accepted the invitation. After all, if she had refused, what could He Zeqing have done? Forced her to join them? Now she had to suffer in awkward silence.
Qi Jianyi couldn't help but think about how much easier it would have been to decline and avoid this awkwardness altogether.