Bai Ying had an excellent seat in the booth.

Soon after, Song Yunzhu returned to the piano after taking a sip of water. She took a deep breath, placing her hands on the keys, and before long, a beautiful and melodious tune flowed through the entire hall.

Objectively speaking, Song Yunzhu’s appearance and demeanor were impeccable.

Even without recalling the novel, just considering what she knew about Shen Jin, it didn’t seem surprising that he had no romantic interest in Song Yunzhu.

A man like Shen Jin, who had experienced life’s ups and downs under his grandmother’s care, had developed a strong aversion to people who acted high-handedly.

He had seen too many individuals who treated him poorly. In other words, anyone could have called him a parentless wild child and those he chose to remain silent, deep down, he despised such people.

Combining the dream scenes with her initial encounter with Shen Jin, Bai Ying realized that Song Yunzhu, when she first met him, was still a sheltered young lady who hadn’t experienced life’s hardships.

She was attracted to Shen Jin and eagerly wanted his contact information. In a moment of carelessness, she spilled wine on his suit.

Shen Jin calmly looked at her. Despite her flushed face, she insisted that he was blocking her way.

In Bai Ying’s eyes, this kind of stubbornness was endearing. In any story, it would be the dramatic beginning of a beautiful tale. However, none of that came to pass.

Bai Ying rested her chin on her hand, immersed in Song Yunzhu’s performance.

They remained merely passing acquaintances.

Bai Ying beckoned a waiter and whispered, “Please order a cup of hot milk and a cake for the lady playing the piano.”

The waiter looked surprised. “What?”

Bai Ying repeated her request.

Seeing that, Song Yunzhu’s face turned pale. Bai Ying hadn’t intended to get involved with her. It was just a momentary feeling of empathy.

The waiter quickly complied, placing the order in the kitchen.

After Song Yunzhu finished her piece, the waiter nudged her and whispered, “The lady at table A6 seems to really enjoy your piano playing. She ordered a cup of hot milk and a cake for you!”

Song Yunzhu looked up, meeting Bai Ying’s gaze. Since her family’s troubles, she had received both judgmental glances and genuine kindness.

However, this was the first time a woman had offered her a drink while she played the piano. After a brief pause, Song Yunzhu smiled and nodded in gratitude.

Bai Ying returned the smile.

Perhaps the warm milk had eased her stomach because Song Yunzhu’s subsequent pieces were lighter and more cheerful.

Bai Ying smiled, tapping her cheek with her fingers, enjoying the music. As the sun began to set, her phone, placed on the table, rang. It was a call from Jiang Mocheng.

She answered, holding the phone to her ear. His voice came through, “Are you outside or still at the hotel?”

Before she could reply, he continued, “I’ve finished my work. I’m coming to find you. Where are you?”

After these busy days, everyone working under him and their business partners knew that he had personal matters to attend to. His work progress had accelerated, so naturally, he returned early.

…

Jiang Mocheng arrived promptly. He was cautious, instructing the driver to drop him off a few hundred meters from the café.

He walked briskly, pushing open the café door. Coincidentally, he crossed paths with Song Yunzhu, who had just finished her break before the second half.

Although the Song family couldn’t compare to the Jiangs, they had encountered each other at other events. Therefore, Jiang Mocheng and Song Yunzhu had met a few times.

Jiang Mocheng’s gaze lingered on her for only a couple of seconds before he withdrew it.

While they had seen each other, they hadn’t conversed. The Song family had moved away from the top years ago, gradually fading from public view.

They were neither relatives nor acquaintances, and there had been no official or private interactions between the families. Considering each other’s dignity, Jiang Mocheng nodded faintly before walking inside.

Song Yunzhu breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to encounter people she knew.

Firstly, she didn’t want to see sympathetic glances, and secondly, she wanted to escape the look of avoidance in their eyes, as if she were about to ask for money.

Jiang Mocheng’s reaction, however, made her feel more at ease. He didn’t treat her any differently.

However, she couldn’t resist turning her head for a glance. To her surprise, Jiang Mocheng was seated at table A6. He even affectionately touched the head of the lady who had brought her the hot milk.

What a coincidence!

“Why are you here?” Jiang Mocheng asked after taking his seat.

“I just wandered over this way,” Bai Ying replied, handing him the menu. “Don’t you think the view here is particularly nice?”

“It’s alright.”

Jiang Mocheng opened the menu and called the waiter to order a steak. When asked how he wanted it cooked, Bai Ying chuckled first. He raised his gaze, cleared his throat, and calmly said, “Medium rare, thank you.”

After the waiter left, Bai Ying teased him, “Is the steak delicious?”

“…”

Jiang Mocheng sighed, “You still remember?”

Bai Ying leisurely replied, “I’ll remember anyone who has wronged me or made me feel wronged for a lifetime.”

“Fine.”

Jiang Mocheng leaned back. “Remember it for a lifetime, then.”

As more customers gradually filled the café, the well-trained staff handled the busy period efficiently. They took turns for dinner breaks.

Two young waiters held lunchboxes, peeking down and whispering, “The guy at table A6 is so handsome, and the lady is beautiful and exceptionally gentle. They’re such a perfect match!”

“The lady was here yesterday and is back today. Her accent doesn’t sound local.”

“Maybe they’re on their honeymoon? But she’s not wearing a diamond ring…”

The two waiters chattered, and when Song Yunzhu passed by, she couldn’t help but turn back and gently rebuked them in a low voice.

The Jiang family kept a low profile, but Song Yunzhu had heard that their CEO was unpredictable. She didn’t want him to overhear any unfavourable comments about him and his girlfriend.

The waiter quickly covered their mouth, unable to suppress their curiosity.

They asked in a hushed tone, “So, that’s a very important person?”

Song Yunzhu smiled, “In any case…”

She hushed them, “Let’s not discuss customers here.”

After dinner, Jiang Mocheng and Bai Ying didn’t linger. They took a stroll to a nearby movie theater.

A large poster hung at the entrance, but the film had been released over a year ago. Since it was a workday, the theater was nearly empty.

“Have you seen this before?”

Entering fifteen minutes early, with few people around, Jiang Mocheng asked Bai Ying.

Bai Ying playfully lied, “Nope, never seen it~”

Jiang Mocheng hadn’t seen it either, but he had heard his sister-in-law and cousin discuss it at the dinner table.

This film’s global release and record-breaking box office performance made it worth watching. However, there were some scenes that made Jiang Mocheng uncomfortable.

If he were alone, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but sitting next to his girlfriend, the large screen showed… For a moment, he didn’t know where to look and had to quickly lower his head, pretending to be busy.

Bai Ying, however, stared straight at the screen.

Suddenly, a hand covered the image in front of her.

She turned her head, and in the dim light, her eyes met Jiang Mocheng’s deep gaze. She even noticed his Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbing.

They locked eyes for only a few seconds. Jiang Mocheng’s hand changed direction, cupping the back of her head. Just as he leaned in for a kiss, she moved away, and his lips landed on her cheek.

Bai Ying playfully slapped his face. “Stop bothering me.”

Their attention was drawn back to the movie.

As they reached the later scenes, occasional sobbing could be heard in the theater. Jiang Mocheng had to focus on Bai Ying.

He glanced at her; there were no traces of tears on her face. Her eyes remained fixed on the screen, and a faint, satisfied smile graced her lips.

Jiang Mocheng had initially expected her to cry during such emotional scenes. He wondered how to comfort her. But now, he was surprised.

After leaving the cinema, some people were still wiping their eyes and noses with tissues.

Bai Ying linked her arm through Jiang Mocheng’s, leaning against his shoulder. Her eyes glistened.

“It’s so touching, isn’t it? True love is incredible. Look, they’ve only known each other for a few days.”

She turned to him. “What about you? If it were you, would you willingly sacrifice your chance to survive for me?”

Jiang Mocheng glanced down at her.

Why?

They had argued about this yesterday, and now it was coming up again?

She didn’t give him a moment’s rest.

He had learned his lesson. Why argue about something that would never happen and upset her?

“…Yes,” he replied patiently.

Bai Ying seemed skeptical. “Really? If it came down to you and me, and only one of us could survive, would you willingly let me live without any regrets?”

Sometimes, Jiang Mocheng found her quite persistent.

Was it just her, or did all women in love behave this way?

He thought that these seemingly irrelevant questions ultimately boiled down to one thing. She wanted to know if he loved her.

Although he didn’t fully understand love, he patiently answered to avoid another potential argument. “Yes.”

Bai Ying looked satisfied.

She held his arm even tighter, even rising on her tiptoes. She kissed him affectionately, gazing at him as if he were the happiest person in the world.

Softly, she said, “Remember what you said today.”

Regarding her constant need for reassurance of his love, Jiang Mocheng felt helpless. His lips curved into a somewhat unnatural “Mmm.”