Quan Jin tossed the roses onto the table and sat down across from her.

He ordered Western food, which was very exquisite and appetizing at a glance.

However, he had no appetite, and it seemed she didn’t have much of an appetite either.

This was a lunch he insisted on having, to be honest, it was self-inflicted awkwardness.

The violin performance was called to a halt by Quan Jin halfway through, and he tipped them generously to leave.

The dining atmosphere became especially quiet and bizarre.

Quan Jin really couldn’t eat, yet he saw her eating quietly and didn’t want to disturb her.

Until this bizarre lunch ended, Quan Jin made a call to have someone clear the tableware.

"Did you enjoy the meal?" he asked, fully aware that it was an awkward question.

Gu Yuan nodded, "It was okay."

They conversed like friends who hadn’t met for a long time, very polite between them.

Quan Jin couldn’t stand the atmosphere anymore and was the first to ask, "Do you have something you need to deal with?"

Gu Yuan replied, "No."

Quan Jin: "Are you waiting for someone?"

Gu Yuan looked at him, "What kind of answer do you want to hear?"

Quan Jin turned his face away, "Forget it, pretend I didn’t ask."

He stood up and pulled her up with him, "Since you’re rarely in Yanjing, let me take you around."

She declined his kindness, "It’s not rare; I come often."

Quan Jin: "..."

He looked at her, and Gu Yuan shrugged, "What is it?"

"Gu Xueli, when it comes to being ruthless, you’re the ruthless one." He said through gritted teeth, clearly provoked by her previous response.

Looking at his uncomfortable expression, Gu Yuan was worried that provoking him would trigger Chi Yu’s memories, so she softened her tone and stopped speaking so sharply: "I came to Yanjing this time for business, not what you think. No matter how desperate I am, it’s not to the extent of being indiscriminate. Also, I’ve been very busy recently and am really too tired to go out wandering around."

For the first time, hearing this woman speak so obediently and gently, Quan Jin felt a bit unaccustomed.

He felt like he was hearing things, as if the person in front of him was a figment of his imagination.

"You’ve suddenly become gentle with me." He said, as if he was moved by the rarity and overwhelmed with favor.

Gu Yuan laughed, "Don’t like my gentleness? Are you a masochist?"

"I’m just a bit not used to it. What masochist, where did you learn that word?" He deliberately put on a stern face and scolded, stretching out his arm to pull her in front of him.

Gu Yuan moved forward accordingly.

His hand rested on the exposed part of her waist, his fingertips rubbing the soft flesh of her waist, seemingly unwilling to let go.

Gu Yuan frowned, "You’re leaving marks."

"I wasn’t using much force." He argued.

Gu Yuan directly slapped his hand away, stepped back two steps to maintain a certain distance from him, "If you have something to say, speak nicely. Any touching will be treated as harassment and reported to the police."

Quan Jin choked, "You’re so heartless."

"How am I heartless? You should be clear about our current relationship. We’re neither boyfriend and girlfriend, nor even friends. If you touch me against my will, it’s harassment or molestation. Am I wrong in defining it that way?" Gu Yuan’s reasoning was very clear.

He choked again, speechless.

The person he liked was right in front of him.

He couldn’t even kiss her.

Not allowed to touch her hands, not even her waist.

Otherwise, it would be considered harassment and reported to the police.

His own words, how did he end up saying they should break up?

The real-life version of shooting himself in the foot.

Quan Jin said, "Since you’ve explained to me, there’s no reason I wouldn’t believe you, even down to the punctuation marks. I also admit it was my suspicious nature misjudging a gentleman’s belly. Please calm down."

"I’m not mad." She said, then pursed her lips, and after parting them, her lip color became more vivid, making Quan Jin swallow slightly.

"Don’t do that, I can’t take it." His voice suddenly became a little hoarse.

Gu Yuan’s temples twitched, how lacking in self-control?

What about when he faces other women?

He seemed to see through her thoughts and said, "This only happens with you."

Gu Yuan: "..."

The man’s words, full of deceit, isn’t that exactly him!

Afterwards, they interacted in a very subtle atmosphere.

Quan Jin intended to please her, complying with whatever Gu Yuan said, feeling like a bootlicker, but he didn’t want to admit it.

To the extent that when Gu Yuan went to the restroom, Quan Jin wanted to follow.

"Should I go first or you?" she asked.

Quan Jin: "I’ll go first."

Gu Yuan stepped aside, letting him go to the restroom.

He wandered around inside and came out, looking very relieved, and Gu Yuan only realized why when she went inside.

On the seventeenth floor, he was reassured she couldn’t escape by jumping out the window.

Outside.

Quan Jin received a phone call from his fifth uncle.