Chapter 6

“Auntie, let’s go over now. We shouldn’t keep them waiting,” Yu Qing’er said.

“Alright, alright!” Bai Xiang replied quickly.

Once seated, the four of them faced each other, with most of the conversation handled by the two elders as they introduced each side’s background.

Because of Mo Hongshen’s face, Yu Qing’er already had a favorable impression of him.

“This is my niece, Yu Qing’er, 24 years old. Her parents are both businesspeople—her mother runs a clothing store, and her father owns a supermarket. Qing’er herself works in design, usually drawing and designing at home. She’s obedient and sensible. But I won’t hide her flaws—there’s a scar on her face… and her health isn’t very good, so having children in the future might not be possible…” Bai Xiang praised what she could, but also frankly shared the shortcomings.

Yin Xiaolan didn’t mind at all. Having seen Yu Qing’er in person, she actually found that the scar wasn’t so scary. Judging from the other half of her face, this was clearly a beautiful young woman.

“Don’t say it like that—I think Qing’er’s lovely!” Yin Xiaolan smiled, shooting her expressionless son a glare. Didn’t I tell you to take the initiative?!

Since Mo Hongshen wasn’t talkative, Yin Xiaolan had to do the heavy lifting.

“My son’s a little quiet, but he’s a good man. He’s a soldier—currently holding the rank of deputy regiment commander. Aside from physical training, he likes researching military topics. Oh, and he can cook too!”

Yu Qing’er was shocked again—Mo Hongshen’s hobbies were surprisingly similar to her boyfriend from her past life!

At first, she thought her transmigration into this novel world was a coincidence—maybe because she looked like the original character.

But now, she had met Mo Hongshen, who not only looked exactly like her late boyfriend, but even shared his interests. Could there be another reason behind this?

Could it be… this was their previous life?

No, that didn’t make sense—how would they both end up in a book?

Unless… her boyfriend died and transmigrated too? Did he have memories of his past life?

“Qing’er, why aren’t you saying anything?” Bai Xiang whispered, puzzled. Her niece wasn’t usually this quiet on blind dates.

“Oh,” Yu Qing’er snapped out of her thoughts and realized that while she’d been observing Mo Hongshen, he’d also been watching her. She gave a slight smile and said, “Why don’t we order food first and talk while we eat?”

“Yes, yes—let’s order first!” Yin Xiaolan said, nudging her son.

Mo Hongshen called the waiter and handed the menu to Yu Qing’er. In a soft voice, he said, “Ladies first.”

It was the first time Yu Qing’er heard his voice—and it was exactly like her boyfriend’s from her previous life.

The idea of a past-life connection only grew stronger.

“Thank you.” Yu Qing’er accepted the menu without hesitation and began to order, deliberately choosing some of her favorite dishes—and then a few that had been her boyfriend’s favorites.

“See if there’s anything else you want to add,” she said, closing the menu and handing it across the table.

“Yes, order more—it’s on us!” Bai Xiang said, eager to show off a bit of their financial strength.

Mo Hongshen said nothing, but Yin Xiaolan laughed and waved her hand.

“No need to add more. Qing’er has a great eye—several of the dishes she picked are exactly what Hongshen usually likes. Looks like they’re quite compatible, at least food-wise!” Yin Xiaolan said cheerfully.

Yu Qing’er was once again stunned. This is getting ridiculous. Same taste in food, same face, even the same name!

“That’s wonderful! For a couple, being able to enjoy meals together is so important. Otherwise, dates would be miserable!” Bai Xiang beamed and urged the waiter to serve the food quickly.

Luckily, the restaurant wasn’t too busy, so the food came out fast. The four of them began eating and chatting.

“So, Comrade Mo, are you always super busy with the army?” Bai Xiang asked, voicing something Yu Qing’er also wanted to know.

“He’s busier when there’s a mission. Otherwise, his schedule is pretty regular. That’s the military life—simple and disciplined,” Yin Xiaolan explained.

“Oh, our Qing’er is a simple girl too. She usually stays home drawing design drafts. Doesn’t like going out much,” Bai Xiang said, more and more pleased with Mo Hongshen the longer she looked at him. She tried to steer the conversation to the young couple, hoping they’d talk more with each other.

Throughout the meal, most of the conversation came from the two elders. It was clear both women were very satisfied with each other’s family.

As for Yu Qing’er and Mo Hongshen, they only responded when spoken to directly.

Mo Hongshen, for his part, was observing Yu Qing’er. The memory of her from last time at this very restaurant was still fresh. Compared to the sharp-tongued girl from before, the one sitting across from him now seemed much more obedient. No traces of that sass or sarcasm.

As for the scar on Yu Qing’er’s face, Mo Hongshen didn’t find it frightening at all. In fact, he didn’t think it was a big deal.

In the army, injuries and scars were common. He had them too.

He had long since become desensitized to scars. The more he looked at her, the more he found her attractive.

Bai Xiang had been nervous the whole time, afraid Qing’er might suddenly go off like last time—arguing or saying something awkward—but everything went surprisingly smoothly.

By the end of the meal, both sides had exchanged home phone numbers.

“Sister Lan, shall we exchange phone numbers? It’ll make it easier for the kids to keep in touch later. We parents are just here to introduce them—the rest is up to them,” Bai Xiang suggested.

“Of course! Even if you didn’t suggest it, I would’ve asked Qing’er to exchange numbers,” Yin Xiaolan said, nudging her son again.

Mo Hongshen stood up and walked to the front desk to ask for a pen and paper.

Yu Qing’er’s gaze naturally followed him. When she saw him stand up—wow, that height was no exaggeration.

She was a designer, after all. Her eye for proportions was sharp. One glance and she could tell he really was 190 cm tall.

Even in a dress shirt and trousers, Mo Hongshen’s figure was clear to her practiced eye. The body beneath that fabric was… phenomenal. He could easily be a model.

Add to that the fact that he “wasn’t functional,” and she wouldn’t have to “suffer” in marriage? Perfect. A perfect roommate and dining partner!

Most importantly, he was the kind of man you’d be proud to bring out in public.

“This is our home number,” Mo Hongshen said, handing the note to Yu Qing’er.

Hmm. For someone in the military, he had pretty nice handwriting. Didn’t ruin his looks.

“This is mine,” Yu Qing’er said, handing over her own note.

“Alright, let’s go pay the bill,” Bai Xiang said, getting up and pulling Yu Qing’er along.

In the past, Yu Qing’er had always been the one paying for dates, all because Bai Xiang had been too eager to “sell her off.” But Yu Qing’er had always resented this—why should she pay?

At the very least, they should go Dutch. Regardless of whether the date worked out, nobody should feel taken advantage of.

But this time, she didn’t mind paying. Mo Hongshen was pleasing to the eye, and for once, she didn’t mind covering the cost.

As the two of them walked to the register, Mo Hongshen raised an eyebrow slightly.

He still remembered how sharp-tongued Yu Qing’er had been with that last guy—arguing to split the bill and walking out without paying.

So when Bai Xiang mentioned going to pay, he was curious how Yu Qing’er would react.

Would she refuse to go Dutch?

But Yu Qing’er didn’t even hesitate—she just went to pay.

A faint smile tugged at Mo Hongshen’s lips. Looks like, compared to the last guy, she’s clearly more satisfied with me?

“Son! How can you let them pay for the meal?” Yin Xiaolan complained, pushing Mo Hongshen. “Go stop them and pay it yourself!”

Their family wasn’t wealthy, but they weren’t poor either. There was no reason to make the girl pay on a first date.

Mo Hongshen didn’t reply, nor did he get up.

“We’re here to pay. How much is that table’s bill?” Bai Xiang asked at the front desk, while Yu Qing’er began reaching for her wallet.

“Oh, that table? The gentleman who borrowed the pen and paper earlier already paid,” said the cashier.

“Already paid?!” Bai Xiang blurted, unable to hide her excitement. She turned to Yu Qing’er and said, “Didn’t Auntie tell you? This Comrade Mo is really something! He wasn’t eyeing your money—he even took the initiative to pay!”