EIP 50

Miss Lin loved the French pastry shop in the western part of the city, and every morning, she had someone buy her a box. She would occasionally take a bite, holding the pastry delicately in a small handkerchief. Her father looked down on this little indulgence, scolding her countless times. She wasn’t fond of attending such lively social gatherings; they were too noisy for her. She had been studying in Hong Kong, and her family, seeing that the situation wasn’t as chaotic as it had been in previous years, decided it was time for her to return.

She didn’t know many people, and when she first came back, her father criticized her for not being refined enough from her studies, lacking the elegance expected of a young lady. Now, he wanted to arrange her future for her, insisting that she meet a young general she didn’t even know. Although she had never met him, she had heard plenty of rumors about him.

Miss Lin felt that her father cared more about power than his own daughter, and was even willing to sell her off. It was too much to bear. The thought of meeting the young general soon made her even more upset. She quietly slipped away to the empty balcony, pulled a pastry from her handbag, and ate it slowly.

The sounds of the bustling party grew louder suddenly, and Miss Lin quickly pressed her handkerchief to her mouth and turned around to see what was happening.

It was then that a tall, slender man entered. His hair was slicked back, revealing a smooth forehead, and his features were striking. He seemed surprised to find someone there, but after a brief moment, he smiled and nodded slightly at Miss Lin.

The man who entered had an impressive appearance and carried himself with grace. Even though Miss Lin didn’t usually care to engage with strangers, she couldn’t help but nod in acknowledgment. The man moved to the far corner of the balcony and stood quietly. Miss Lin thought it was time for her to leave, as the solitude she sought had been disturbed by his unexpected entrance. Just as she was about to turn away, the man spoke in a soft tone, asking, “Do you mind?”

Miss Lin focused and realized he was holding a cigarette box, asking if she minded. She shook her head, and he took out a cigarette, lighting it with a slow, relaxed motion. Miss Lin’s gaze lingered on his lips for a moment. Perfectly shaped, slightly pink, and undeniably attractive. As if sensing her attention, the man glanced back at her, his eyes narrowing with a hint of a smile.

Miss Lin quickly pulled her gaze away, her heartbeat quickening. The two of them fell silent again, the quiet of the balcony returning. The man took another drag of his cigarette and suddenly started walking toward her. Miss Lin instinctively took a step back, feeling a surge of unease. But he didn’t stop; he kept approaching, only halting just a step away from her, his tone playful. “I was about to say something earlier.”

Flustered, she took another step back. “What do you want?” The man’s fingers hovered near her face, just barely grazing the air, exuding a sense of pressure without touching her. As he drew closer, she noticed his eyes were a striking shade of gray-blue, like the deepening night behind him. He smiled slightly. “Miss, you’re quite charming when you’re eating those pastries, but it looks like your mouth’s gotten a little messy.”

Miss Lin immediately reached up to touch her lips, and sure enough, she wiped away a generous amount of powdered sugar.

The man, Zhou Jun, took a step back to his safe distance and then turned to leave the balcony. Miss Lin watched him, her eyes following him until he reached the doorknob. He suddenly turned back and smiled at her. “My name is Zhou Jun. What about you?” Miss Lin quickly averted her gaze and didn’t respond. Zhou Jun didn’t push further; instead, he opened the door and walked out.

A faint voice came from behind as he left. “I’m Lin Mian.”

After Zhou Jun left, Lin Mian regretted her actions. She realized she may have come off as too proud, and worse, she had a little something on her lips that she hadn’t noticed. The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt, and her cheeks flushed with heat. Yet, a strange feeling stirred within her, emerging from the awkwardness.

Her aunt finally found her and, grabbing her hand, hurriedly said, “What are you doing hiding here? Come on, Mr. Yong is here.”

Lin Mian was reluctant, but she obediently followed her aunt. The Mr. Yong, whom she had never met before, was holding a glass of wine and standing next to her father. He was incredibly tall, at least a head taller than her father. Even though Lin Mian was wearing high heels tonight, she still appeared diminutive next to him.

She kept her eyes lowered, not daring to look at Mr. Yong. He seemed disinterested in her, hardly making any conversation. It was only when the elders intentionally left them some space that they were expected to talk. But once the elders left, Mr. Yong fell silent again, not saying a word. Lin Mian, clutching her handbag, glanced around.

To her surprise, she spotted Zhou Jun standing not far away. He raised his glass and smiled at her from a distance. Instinctively, Lin Mian smiled back.

Just then, Mr. Yong, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, “What are you looking at?”

Lin Mian was startled by Mr. Yong’s sudden voice. She hurriedly looked away, her gaze landing on him instead. She had avoided looking at Mr. Yong’s face all this time, but now that she saw it clearly, Lin Mian couldn’t help but blush. This… Mr. Yong… was just too handsome. Lin Mian, feeling a bit flustered, found herself staring at him without realizing it.

Mr. Yong, at only twenty-four, was quite young. If the previous gentleman, Mr. Zhou, was handsome in a refined way, then Mr. Yong’s looks were strikingly bold, almost aggressively handsome, enough to make Lin Mian forget to breathe at first sight. He had a cold gaze, with furrowed brows, giving him an aura of being unapproachable.

When Lin Mian didn’t respond immediately, Mr. Yong pursed his lips and glanced at Mr. Zhou, who was raising a glass to her. Lin Mian noticed that as Mr. Yong took in Mr. Zhou’s appearance, his expression darkened even further. He then raised an eyebrow and asked, “Do you know him?” Lin Mian instinctively shook her head but then quickly nodded, her voice barely audible. “Just met him,” she murmured. Perhaps her voice was too soft for him to hear clearly, as Mr. Yong leaned closer, tilting his head slightly to listen. His long lashes brushed his cheek, softening his otherwise cold demeanor just a bit.

Lin Mian felt as if she were about to faint. She stammered, “I… I met him just now… outside.” Just as her words trailed off, a loud crash echoed from Mr. Zhou’s direction. Lin Mian instinctively shrank back and glanced toward the noise, only to see that Mr. Zhou had collided with a waiter, sending the tray of wine glasses and bottles crashing to the floor.

Standing amidst the shattered pieces and curious gazes of onlookers, Mr. Zhou calmly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the wine off his hands. The waiter hurriedly apologized, but Mr. Zhou showed no emotion, simply saying something before his gaze shifted toward Lin Mian’s direction. It was still the same Mr. Zhou, yet something about him felt different now. Oddly enough, a thought flashed through Lin Mian’s mind: He looked like a perfect ice sculpture, yet wrapped in fire that would burn himself away.

It was as if, in a brief moment of release, everything had been drawn back in. When Lin Mian looked again, Mr. Zhou had already turned and walked away. She snapped back to reality and turned to look at Mr. Yong, only to see him staring at Mr. Zhou’s retreating figure with a strange look in his eyes, something like sadness, yet also determination. But his gaze was reluctant to leave, lingering on the back of that figure, as if he couldn’t tear himself away.

Lin Mian felt a bit puzzled, but she was a girl who had been well-protected and was, in some ways, quite naïve. Even though she sensed that Mr. Yong’s gaze on Mr. Zhou was a bit strange, she only thought they must know each other, maybe even be good friends. Thinking this, she felt a slight pang of regret. Honestly, before meeting him, she hadn’t been pleased with the arrangement made by the elders.

Lin Mian couldn’t help but feel a stir in her heart after meeting him, thinking that perhaps it wasn’t so bad. However, she began to wonder if Mr. Yong might have gotten the wrong impression from her interaction with his friend earlier. Had there been some unspoken exchange between them? Would Mr. Yong think she was being too forward or frivolous? She tightened her grip on her handbag, raised her voice slightly, and asked, “Do you know each other?”

Although her voice was a bit higher than usual, it wasn’t loud, and her tone was still soft.

Mr. Yong finally pulled his gaze away from the retreating figure of Mr. Zhou and looked back at her, apologizing. Lin Mian was taken aback, unsure why he was apologizing. But then she heard him speak in an elegant, polite tone, delivering words that were unexpectedly blunt. He told her that he would not marry her, but due to the pressure from their families, perhaps they could go on a few dates to let their families know that they weren’t suited for each other.

Or, he suggested, there might be no need for dates at all. If Lin Mian was willing, he could provide her with the best entertainment venues and arrange for someone to ensure her safety, allowing her to stay outside for a while before returning home.

Lin Mian stood there, speechless for a moment, her mouth agape as she struggled to process his words. Eventually, she closed her lips, seething with frustration, feeling as if she might explode like a pufferfish.