It’s already past 6 PM.
Stomach feels a bit hungry.
Let’s go see the restaurant.
Shen Jingqi quickly arrived at the restaurant.
Just as he was about to scan the code, a message notification popped up.
[Li Baiyu]: Still busy?
Shen Jingqi quickly replied.
[Shen Jingqi]: Hmm, just finished. A bit hungry, at the restaurant.
[Shen Jingqi]: I haven’t ordered yet. What would you like to eat tonight?
[Li Baiyu]: Is there anything like soup?
[Shen Jingqi]: Yes, I’ll order now and bring it to you in a bit.
Picked winter melon pork rib soup, tomato beef brisket soup, crispy fried hairtail, mille-feuille pancake.
After packing everything, he got two sets of utensils.
He’s been coming here multiple times a day recently, so he’s quite familiar with the roads now.
Pressed the doorbell of the VVIP room.
"The door’s open, just come in."
Due to Li Baiyu’s special circumstances, she’s not wearing the usual patient attire here.
She often has regular meetings and dresses more formally.
During the day, Li Baiyu wears a dark grey suit that perfectly complements her figure.
Yet, it also gives off a distinctly cold vibe.
Now, she’s only wearing a light blue shirt, with a faint, fresh scent.
Looks like a sweet angel.
Li Baiyu glanced at the large bag of dinner in Shen Jingqi’s hands.
"Uh, I also packed a portion for myself."
"Then let’s eat together." Li Baiyu reached out and took the dinner.
"I should probably eat back at the office."
Shen Jingqi was a bit hesitant.
"Why? You can eat here and keep me company for a chat."
"I think it might be better to eat in the office."
"You’re my assistant!"
Li Baiyu was a bit annoyed.
"I mean, our roles can switch anytime now."
"Like what?" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NoᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt
"I’m currently in the role of an investor for Shen University Third Hospital."
In fact, Shen Jingqi has always been under the pressure of Li Baiyu’s identity, doing other things under Dean Chen’s commands.
"I could also be your senior."
Shen Jingqi felt a bit powerless to resist.
Well, just appease her!
Shen Jingqi surrendered.
Li Baiyu eagerly opened the food, her eyes anxious with anticipation:
"Two kinds of soup, it’s quite a feast."
Shen Jingqi took out the utensils.
"I’ll start with this pork rib soup."
Li Baiyu scooped a spoonful.
Li Baiyu drank a few more sips.
"This pancake goes well with it."
Shen Jingqi pushed the pancake box towards Li Baiyu.
Li Baiyu rarely eats carbs at night, but seeing Shen Jingqi eating, she took a piece.
The freshly made pancake still had a hint of wok hei, perfect to bite into.
Paired with a sip of soup, perfection!
Then she picked up a piece of rib.
The middle section of the rib, without excess fat. The muscles and bones connected, the meat firm and tender. A bite and it easily comes off the bone.
She ate several pieces in a row.
Shen Jingqi was drinking the beef brisket soup, with large chunks of brisket, subtly chewy, with distinct marbling in the beef.
While he was engrossed in eating, a piece of rib was offered to him.
"The ribs are really tasty, here, have one."
Is the senior feeding him?
Shen Jingqi quickly caught it with his chopsticks.
A large piece of rib, glistening with juice, emitting a fragrant aroma, quite tempting.
"You’re welcome. The fruit you prepared this afternoon, with the toothpicks, was very thoughtful."
Li Baiyu fiddled with the spoon a bit.
Upon receiving the fruit basket, seeing the paper tags on it, a warm feeling surged in Li Baiyu’s heart.
Various types of fruits, neatly cut, arranged beautifully, with a sense of quality.
There was a heart-shaped little fork, and a napkin too.
The strawberries were large, juicy and sweet when bitten into.
The bananas were perfectly ripe, not at all astringent, and very fragrant.
The mango was elastic, like eating jelly.
The peach was especially sweet, very refreshing.
The blueberries were tangy and sweet, after eating a few, it felt like her eyes indeed became brighter.
After finishing the fruit, Li Baiyu felt refreshed, her exhaustion swept away.
And she became more hungry.
"By the way, drinking milk before bed helps with sleep."
Li Baiyu’s chest rose and fell slightly, and Shen Jingqi quickly averted his gaze.
"Senior, try some fried hairtail. This piece is big."
"This type of fish has bones."
Li Baiyu pouted slightly.
Fiddling with the fork in her hands, tilting her head, somehow looking cute.
"I have a method for eating hairtail."
Shen Jingqi picked up a knife and fork, pressed down on the fish, and sliced off the side fins.
Then, inserted into one side of the fish, revealed a side of the fillet cleanly.
Afterwards, removed the bones from the other side of the fish.
Li Baiyu beamed with surprise, giving a thumbs-up.
"Please enjoy, senior."
Li Baiyu blushed with delight, picked up the fish, and took small bites.
Shen Jingqi handled two more pieces the same way, placing them near Li Baiyu.
Then, directly picked up a piece and bit into it.
"Why don’t you remove the bones when you eat?"
"My tongue is quite agile, not afraid of pricks."
Shen Jingqi stuck out his tongue:
"If you’re careful while eating, it’s fine. Eating with bones actually has a unique flavor, very fragrant."
Shen Jingqi enjoys eating things with bones, like preferring a chicken frame with bones over chicken breast, feeling there’s more taste.
The golden-yellow hairtail, each piece nearly ten centimeters wide, with firm flesh.
The bigger the hairtail, the better the texture, the higher the price.
A total of five large pieces of hairtail, about half a kilogram in total.
"Actually, when I was little, my father used to help me with the bones. Now, no one helps me with them, so I don’t eat it anymore."
Li Baiyu said softly.
This was the first time Li Baiyu mentioned her family.
Shen Jingqi immediately became serious.
This might be an opportunity to learn about her family situation.
"Your father was very gentle with you."
Shen Jingqi responded with a smile.
"When I was young, he did take good care of me at times."
"Now, we rarely keep in touch."
Li Baiyu swirled the spoon a few times, laughing casually.
"Your father hasn’t retired yet, right?"
"No. He’s in his prime, ambitious."
"With such an outstanding daughter like you, he must have great plans for the future."
Shen Jingqi noticed a bit of tension, restlessness, and unease in Li Baiyu’s expression.
"I don’t feel like talking about him today. Maybe another time, I’ll tell you about him."
Li Baiyu turned away, blinking her eyes, as if trying to shake off something.
Shen Jingqi was a bit surprised.
The person eating with him seemed to suddenly have changed.
During the meal, lively, dynamic, passionate, even a bit endearing.
And now, she seemed like another person.
Distant, evasive, keeping a distance, closing herself off.