Chapter 37: Landmark

When asked this question, Qi Yude’s face immediately turned red. He was very glad it was nighttime, as it was probably hard to notice.

“Sorry, I was in a rush when I left.”

The amusement park was in Chuansha, but he was staying in Jinshan. Although both were in Shanghai, the distance was still quite far. After receiving Secretary John’s call, Qi Yude only had time to hurriedly change clothes and set off.

The T-shirt he grabbed was one he had just bought online, and he didn’t expect the brand’s sizing to be off, which made the shirt feel a little tight across his chest…

By the time he realized something was off, he was already in the car heading toward the amusement park. A size smaller was still fine, it wouldn’t affect his activities, so he didn’t pay it much attention.

Who would have thought, though, that Su Shiyi… she…

Although she didn’t say anything, her gaze said everything!

Su Shiyi enjoyed watching Qi Yude’s awkwardness for a while. There was something strangely thrilling about teasing (?) a muscular, handsome guy. When the fireworks lit up the night sky, she even saw a blush spreading across his face down to his ears.

Hmm, so Qi Yude is this shy, huh?

The fireworks show was still ongoing, and Su Shiyi simply smiled and told him to watch the fireworks first, then turned back to gaze at the castle above. Relieved, Qi Yude relaxed, noticing there was enough space between him and Su Shiyi for two people to stand. He slowly shifted his feet, moving closer to her at a very slow pace.

Lucy noticed, but Lucy didn’t say anything.

Tsk, Number 67, Xiao He, looks like you’re out of chances.

This was Qi Yude’s first time meeting Su Shiyi in person. Although she had been trending on hot searches many times, and anyone who had been online had probably seen her photos, in reality, she was even more attractive than in the edited pictures.

She was like a bold, unrestrained wind, existing freely in the world. Qi Yude had heard about her deeds, and when she stood right in front of him, his vague intuition became clearer.

— Wherever she went, the world, bound by heavy shackles, would experience a rebirth like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon.

Qi Yude slowly moved forward, and when the distance between them was halved, he hesitated and stopped. It was actually close enough that he could see her profile and her long hair cascading down to her waist.

Hey, why did she put her hair behind her ear, then let it fall again? And now she turned around to take a picture, so now he could only see Su Shiyi’s back.

Well, he’d just turn around too. Qi Yude tried to walk to the left again, but Su Shiyi suddenly turned back.

Su Shiyi grabbed the camera and took a shot. The flash almost blinded Qi Yude. Looking at the photo, where he was frozen in place, Su Shiyi couldn’t help but tease him again.

“Are you watching the fireworks, or are you watching me?”

Qi Yude’s face turned red again, this time from the embarrassment of being caught, mixed with an indescribable shyness. Due to work and his personality, he rarely interacted with crowds, and even less so with girls in everyday life.

Do girls nowadays… act like this?

“I’m watching you.” He honestly admitted, “Others have seen you, but it’s my first time.”

His honesty left Su Shiyi speechless. Well, anyway, the fireworks were almost over, and after she returned to Billion Island, she’d be able to watch them every day. She might as well enjoy the handsome guy now.

Su Shiyi curled her finger, “Then come a little closer, you can’t see clearly from that far away.”

Actually, the distance wasn’t that far, it was exactly one meter of social distance, but since she said so, Qi Yude didn’t hesitate for a second. He took a big step and came right in front of her.

He could even see the swirl of Su Shiyi’s hair on top of her head. His nearly 1.9-meter height was indeed imposing, bringing a strong sense of dominance that completely overshadowed her. For her to make eye contact with him, she had to tilt her head up.

Su Shiyi: “…Are you wearing height-increasing insoles?”

“No.” Qi Yude seriously denied it, “I’m wearing air-cushion shoes, and the actual height increase effect is between 1.8-2.8 cm, while a typical height-increasing insole is about 5 cm thick.”

Su Shiyi: There’s no need to explain so much in detail!

She stood on tiptoe and estimated again, “So your actual height might be 188 cm or 189 cm?”

“It’s 190 cm.” Qi Yude’s expression became even more serious, “My actual height is 190 cm.”

“189 cm and 190 cm are basically the same, don’t be so picky.”

“It’s 190 cm!”

Qi Yude’s attitude was very firm, and his brows even furrowed, “This is a matter of principle! How can you say 190 cm is 189 cm?”

Su Shiyi: …

Forget it, as a 165 cm girl, she couldn’t understand a guy’s obsession with that extra 1 cm.

“Okay, okay, it’s 190 cm.” She used a coaxing tone, “Are you happy now, Qi Yude? Are you three years old this year?”

Qi Yude answered honestly, “I’ll be thirty next month. You can’t call me a little kid.”

Su Shiyi was silent for a moment, this was something she didn’t expect. Qi Yude had such a great figure and his muscles were so tight. He certainly didn’t look like he was nearly thirty.

But then she thought of Father Gu Lang. It wasn’t that surprising after all. Her dad was in his forties, but he was still in great shape, and could easily pass for someone in their thirties. It seemed that people in the wealthy circles really took care of their bodies.

She tentatively asked, “Should I call you… uncle?”

Qi Yude: …

That wasn’t necessary. The age difference wasn’t that big, only nine years!

He couldn’t bring himself to say “older brother,” and awkwardly replied, “Just call me by my name.”

“But your name is hard to pronounce.” Facing Qi Yude’s straightforwardness, Su Shiyi was also quick to speak her mind, “It doesn’t roll off the tongue. Did your family just focus on the meaning when they named you?”

She wondered who could come up with such a tongue-twister of a name.

Qi Yude had been teased about this many times growing up, so he answered smoothly, “You can call me Ah De. My family is from Xiangjiang.”

Su Shiyi nodded. People from Guangdong, especially from the Xiangjiang area, had this habit. Her roommate, ^[1]common naming pattern in Guangdong and Hong Kong, where “Ah + [name]” is used as an affectionate or familiar nicknameAh Yan, was from Guangdong. She had originally planned to ask him to call her by the same method but stopped halfway, realizing something felt off.

She swallowed the words back and wasn’t too happy with the name “Ah De.”

“Let’s call you Xiao Yu.” Su Shiyi quickly made her decision. Seeing Qi Yude’s reluctant look, she casually made up a reason, “The names everyone else uses are so boring. Let me call you something unique.”

She wanted to be different from others…

In her heart, I am unique from everyone else!

Qi Yude quickly completed the logical chain in his mind and suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. There was no doubt that they were destined to be together, drawn to each other. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have felt longing before even meeting her, and his heart wouldn’t have been racing whenever they interacted. She wouldn’t have been so direct, subtly expressing her affection for him so soon after meeting…

He was a man, and he couldn’t just let the girl take the initiative.

Qi Yude cleared his throat. Although slightly shy, he still called her name: “Shiyi.”

Su Shiyi wasn’t quite used to being called by her first name without the surname by someone she wasn’t that familiar with, but it seemed like it was common in the Xiangjiang area of Guangdong, right? Among their college friends, they usually just called each other by their first names for two-syllable names, and three-syllable names were mostly used for their full names.

She accepted it as a local custom and nodded to him.

While other tourists were engrossed in watching the fireworks display, the two of them were calmly wasting precious time, talking and enjoying each other’s company under the night sky.

Yes, this was the different definition of their current status, according to Su Shiyi and Qi Yude.

After the fireworks display ended, the tourists scattered, most heading to two hotels within the park. Su Shiyi and the others stayed in the crowd, not moving. It was still not even 8:30, and with their blind date still standing next to them, there was no need to rest so early.

But where should they go to have fun?

Su Shiyi asked him, using a traditional approach: “Have you eaten?”

“No, I didn’t have time.” Qi Yude scratched his head, “You must have had dinner already, right? It’s fine, I can just eat something casually.”

“That’s not okay, you still need to eat properly.” She had finally thought of a good spot for the date. A restaurant where they could sit down was perfect, other places might not offer that.

Su Shiyi thought for a moment: “How about the rotating restaurant at the Oriental Pearl Tower? The night view there is great, and it’s an iconic building. I’ve never been there.”

Both of them overlooked the fact that this place might require a reservation in advance, but Qi Yude still reminded her: “I remember the restaurant closes at 9 p.m.”

Is that so? That won’t work. She had worked hard to choose this spot, where they could enjoy the best night view of the city and sit comfortably without feeling awkward.

Su Shiyi’s way of solving problems was simple: “Lucy can sort it out. I’ll pay extra, let’s consider it a private booking at ten times the regular price, and have them stay open until 11 p.m.”

“Okay, no problem. The car is waiting outside the park. We can leave anytime. I’ll take care of it on the way.”

Qi Yude: …

What else could he say? He could only give Su Shiyi a thumbs up.

With money and status, you could do whatever you wanted.

—

It takes about half an hour to drive from Chuansha Amusement Park to the Oriental Pearl Tower. Qi Yude got into Su Shiyi’s Lincoln limousine. In the long car, Lucy was making a call at a distance, and the four bodyguards were kept at some distance from them.

Qi Yude sat beside Su Shiyi. Despite the long sofa, there was barely a palm’s distance between them.

Both of his hands were placed on his legs, sitting in a posture that looked even more obedient than a primary school student. Su Shiyi was focused on her phone and didn’t notice that Qi Yude was so nervous that his legs were shaking.

This distance… was too close. He could almost smell the scent of her shampoo.

As for why it wasn’t the scent of body wash, well, considering the height difference between them, the shampoo smell was the normal thing to notice.

The roads in Shanghai were in good condition, and the driver was very skilled. They could already see the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower. Qi Yude hadn’t yet figured out what to say to Su Shiyi. He imagined the car suddenly bumping or making a sudden stop, and Su Shiyi falling into his arms, but that didn’t happen…

Damn, they were so close, and he couldn’t even take out his phone to check “What to do when there’s awkward silence on a date” or “100 topics to talk about with your girlfriend.” His hands resting on his legs were starting to sweat, and Qi Yude had a sudden urge to discreetly lower his hand, pretending to accidentally touch her, but he wondered if that would be impolite and leave a bad impression of him.

Compared to the inner drama that could easily turn into a stage play, Su Shiyi wasn’t thinking that much. She simply had a gaming addiction. To be honest, a game like “Match-3” seemed simple, but when there’s a level you can’t pass, you become very obsessed.

She had just started the game and got a 30-minute unlimited lives bonus. It wasn’t that she deliberately left Qi Yude hanging, she was just fully absorbed in the level.

After finally passing a challenging level without any tools, Su Shiyi couldn’t help but let out a sound of triumph. At home, she would pet her cat’s head, and when she unconsciously made this habitual motion, she ended up missing and accidentally touching Qi Yude’s thigh.

Both of them were startled. Qi Yude felt his leg heat up, and the thick pants he was wearing suddenly felt thin, almost like he wasn’t wearing anything. Su Shiyi, on the other hand, thought, “Oh my God, why are his leg muscles so firm?”

It was the same logic—Qi Yude paid so much attention to fitness, so he definitely had a six-pack, though she wasn’t sure what his chest muscles might feel like…

“Sorry.” Su Shiyi quickly withdrew her hand, not wanting to come off like a scheming rogue. “I just… I have a cat at home, and she likes to lie on my legs. I’m used to petting her.”

To prove what she said was true, she added, “It’s a habit that’s hard to break. I really didn’t mean to.”

Qi Yude paused in silence. In the suffocating stillness, he spoke up: “So just now, did you treat me like a substitute for your cat?”

Su Shiyi: ?

Don’t say such weird things, have you been reading too many online novels?

“If you want…” Qi Yude lowered his head, his ears turning red as though they could bleed. “I wouldn’t mind.”

Su Shiyi: ???

#There must be something wrong with this world

#Please wake up!

#What are all these weird things being said, I don’t understand!

Her voice became weak: “No, you misunderstood. I just said I’m used to making that motion, I didn’t treat you like my cat.”

Although she did indeed want to touch his chest muscles earlier… but that wasn’t what she meant! Don’t add unnecessary drama, this could easily lead to misunderstandings!

After hearing her explanation, Qi Yude felt a bit regretful and awkward. He had thought she was making an excuse to get closer to him.

He originally wanted to apologize, but as he lowered his head, he realized that Su Shiyi wasn’t looking at his face, her gaze was directed toward… the area above his abdomen.

Su Shiyi cleared her throat, wanting to pretend nothing happened and look away, but Qi Yude was staring at her, making it hard for her to stay calm.

“I-I’m not tall enough,” she stammered, coming up with an excuse, “I was looking at you at eye level, at eye level. You know what I mean? My eyes, they’re looking straight across there…”

Qi Yude went silent again, and after a long pause, Su Shiyi heard him say:

“It’s fine, I don’t mind.”

Su Shiyi: …

She didn’t know what to say. Should she say thank you?

“I really don’t mind,” Qi Yude thought she didn’t believe him and added, “As long as you’re happy, it’s fine.”

Su Shiyi was losing her mind. She really felt like it mattered, ahhh!

Why hadn’t they reached the Oriental Pearl Tower yet? Was the distance really that far? Couldn’t the driver go a little faster?

She could only give him an awkward smile and keep her gaze firmly on her phone, not daring to look away for a second.

Qi Yude felt a little disappointed. A thirty-year-old straight man with no romantic experience didn’t know what he had done wrong, and he even felt a bit wronged.

Obviously, she had noticed from the very beginning, and it seemed like she liked it, right? QAQ

Urged on by her thoughts, they finally arrived under the Oriental Pearl Tower. As the car door opened, Su Shiyi felt like the air had become much fresher.

She and Qi Yude were so close. In that situation, she couldn’t bring herself to move away. When they were playing the game, it wasn’t as noticeable, but with nothing to do, her attention would inevitably focus on him. She had to work really hard to resist the urge to sneak glances at him.

Lucy’s efficiency was always reliable. After they took the elevator up, the revolving restaurant was indeed still open. They were guided to a table by the window, and after exchanging a look with Lucy, the waiter led Su Shiyi and Qi Yude to a two-person table, while the others sat at a different table.

Fine, Su Shiyi had no objections to this arrangement. After all, it was a blind date, so there was no need for assistants or bodyguards, especially since he came alone.

Unlike Su Shiyi, who saw this as a casual outing, Qi Yude interpreted it as a “first date” and felt a little nervous, though he tried to appear calm.

Or rather, he thought he appeared calm, but Su Shiyi had already noticed his hands weren’t quite relaxed.

The waiter handed over a menu, and Su Shiyi pushed it toward Qi Yude. “You order, I’ve already had dinner. Just get me a dessert.”

A private booking just for dessert? Truly something Su Shiyi, the rich lady, would do.

Qi Yude looked at the menu, somewhat puzzled. “I thought this was a buffet? When did it become à la carte?”

The waiter’s smile stiffened, and Lucy explained, “Since the food at the revolving restaurant is average, I hired a famous chef from Shanghai to bring their signature ingredients and cook here. The menu was just made.”

Qi Yude: …

He asked them to stay open until 11 p.m. and didn’t even think highly of the food. So, he just wanted the location and view of this restaurant, huh?

Normally, this kind of thing would come off as pretentious, but with Su Shiyi, it felt perfectly reasonable. After all, shouldn’t a rich lady’s life be like this, full of indulgence?

The restaurant and chefs were well compensated, and the guests were enjoying good food, so everyone was happy.

Qi Yude was from Hong Kong, and it was well known that Shanghai was a great place for Cantonese cuisine (?). The Michelin Guide to Cantonese Cuisine listed 78 restaurants, with 11 of them in Shanghai, second only to Hong Kong’s Xiangshan, and even more than the local G City where the press conference was held.

Among the chefs Lucy hired, there was a Cantonese master, so Qi Yude ordered a few classic Cantonese dishes and also asked Su Shiyi if she could handle the Yangzhi Ganlu (a type of dessert).

Su Shiyi paused for a moment. “Well, actually, I went to university in G City.”

Qi Yude: …

Oops, he hadn’t done enough background research.

“Don’t blame yourself,” Su Shiyi offered him an out. “I’ve never mentioned it to anyone. People mostly think of me as a home-loving daughter who’s generous with money. My personal information is pretty well protected by my secretary.”

At this point, the conversation naturally shifted, and they started asking about Qi Yude. He was the youngest son of the Qi family from Hong Kong, and didn’t need to inherit the family business. He just waited for investment returns every year, which was actually quite similar to Su Shiyi’s situation.

However, Qi Yude wasn’t just idly living off family wealth. He had a job, and was currently a freelance full-time illustrator. He happened to be in Shanghai for some leisure travel, enjoying the slow pace of life while visiting nearby ancient towns.

Both of them were wealthy, so discussing how much they earned each month was unnecessary. Anyway, neither of them had as much pocket money as their families gave them.

However, when Su Shiyi asked to see some of Qi Yude’s work, he agreed readily, but when he unlocked his phone on the table, a small problem arose—

Qi Yude’s phone wallpaper was a beautiful vertical illustration, with a girl in a luxurious, sparkling dress. The anime-style face clearly showed traces of Su Shiyi’s features.

She recognized it immediately—it was an edited photo she had posted on Weibo, taken during a banquet she attended at Taihe.

Oh no, Qi Yude had drawn her and even set it as his wallpaper?

Even though Qi Yude hurriedly locked his screen to turn the display off, the expression on Su Shiyi’s face made it clear that she had seen it, and recognized it too. TAT

Qi Yude panicked: “Um, I… I just thought, well, I’m really satisfied with this artwork, it’s my favorite piece… I mean, I like the overall effect, it really showcases my painting skills.”

Su Shiyi propped her chin and asked him, “So, the person in the picture doesn’t matter, right?”

“No, no.” Qi Yude quickly clarified, “The person is the most important part, she’s the core of the work. So, I… I…”

How could this happen? He had actually forgotten to change his wallpaper! He had been so nervous on the way here that he hadn’t thought about it at all!

He looked like he was about to cry: “Sorry, Shiyi. I just really liked that photo, so I drew it. I just wanted… wanted…”

Wanted to see it often, that’s all QAQ

“If you mind, I’ll delete it, and I won’t draw anything like it again.”

Su Shiyi blinked: “Why delete it? I quite like it. The drawing’s really good. I even think it looks better than me in real life.”

When Qi Yude heard her praise his work, he felt both shy and happy, but instinctively countered: “Of course, you look the best in real life, the photo and the painting can’t compare.”

After saying that, he became embarrassed and looked down at the table. The glass table reflected his image, and he could see her reflection in it too.

“Could you draw a few more?” Su Shiyi invited him, “I’ll pay you double your usual rate, so can you draw more for me? Not just this wallpaper proportion, but also profile pictures, background images for moments, things like that.”

Qi Yude nodded repeatedly: “No problem, no need to pay.” After all, he wasn’t short on money. How could he charge her for a drawing? This was clearly…

He couldn’t think about it anymore, his mind felt like it was going to explode.

“Then how can that be? I still need to pay.”

Su Shiyi wasn’t the type of person to take advantage of a potential partner. Whether or not he needed the money was one thing, whether she was willing to pay was another matter entirely.

Not sure how long it would take him to draw, Su Shiyi said, “At least for the next month, your time is all mine.”

Ah… so this is what she liked?

Qi Yude did a lot of mental preparation before taking a deep breath and nodding.

It’s fine, as long as she’s happy, he would do whatever it took!