Chapter 1: The Blind Date

At eight in the evening, the century-old South City Restaurant was packed to the brim.

In the main hall, a few waiters cast furtive glances at the figure seated in a corner, whispering among themselves, “She’s only ordered a drink after all this time. Is she ever going to order food?”

“I asked her half an hour ago. She said she’s still waiting for someone.”

“That’s way too long. Is she really here for dinner, or is she just another fake socialite here to take pictures?”

As they spoke, they glanced again toward the corner.

By the floor-to-ceiling window, a young woman with long hair was clad in the latest season’s dress from House L, turned slightly to face the view outside. Judging by her style, she couldn’t be more than twenty-something. From where they stood, her face was only partially visible, but the diamond-studded watch on her wrist, propped elegantly against her cheek, was impossible to overlook.

In that corner, Lin Xi glanced down at the time once more, a slight furrow creasing her brows.

She’d just returned to the country last night, summoned unexpectedly for a blind date. The appointed hour with her date had come and gone—a full hour had already passed.

No matter how patient she tried to be, she could no longer sit still.

Just as she was about to stand, a commotion arose at the entrance. Lin Xi paid it little mind, lowering her head to retrieve her wallet. She’d only ordered a drink and hadn’t yet settled the bill.

Looking up by chance, she noticed a woman entering, dressed in the exact same dress as herself. In the next moment, as the woman turned slightly, Lin Xi caught a clear look at her face and her breath caught.

Qin Yu’s fiancée!

If she was here, then surely Qin Yu…

Lin Xi’s stiff neck moved as she looked toward the entrance—and indeed, she saw that familiar figure, surrounded by a crowd, stepping inside.

The man was dressed in a bespoke suit, exuding an air of nobility. He must have been at least six foot one, with broad shoulders, a trim waist, and a well-proportioned build—a stark contrast to the portly businessmen at his side. From where she sat, only his sharply defined jawline and profile were visible.

She instinctively wanted to look away, but her gaze seemed drawn to him, following until he disappeared up the staircase to the second floor.

“Was that Qin Yu?!”

“Who?”

“Qin Yu, the investment tycoon! LX Capital was founded by him. At least three of your favorite apps were backed by his company. I’ve been in Jing City for years and that’s the first time I’ve seen him in person!”

“He’s so young! Looks about twenty-five, tops.”

“Impossible—he must be over thirty by now. The company’s been around forever.”

At the adjacent table, guests fell into a heated debate over Qin Yu’s age.

Lin Xi, still a little dazed, responded without thinking, “He’s not even twenty-nine yet.”

“No way!” one of the guests exclaimed, looking at her in surprise. “What’s your connection to him? You know him?”

Lin Xi was momentarily stunned by the question.

She and Qin Yu had grown up together in the same compound. Her brother was the eldest among the younger generation; she was the youngest. By age, she ought to call Qin Yu “Third Brother.”

She’d left the country at seventeen; Qin Yu had been twenty-one. His birthday was in November, so he really was only twenty-eight.

As for their relationship… that was all there was to it.

“We’re not acquainted,” she replied with an easy shrug and a smile. “Just something I heard around.”

After paying the bill, she hurried toward the exit as if fleeing, only to bump into a young man head-on. His eyes brightened at the sight of her.

“Are you Lin Xi? I’ve seen your photo—I’m Lu Bei!”

The young man before her wore black-rimmed glasses, his features still slightly boyish. He was dressed in a black Armani suit, but compared to Qin Yu’s earlier ensemble, the difference in quality was glaring. On him, it only seemed like a forced attempt at maturity.

Withdrawing her gaze, Lin Xi nodded indifferently. “That’s me.”

Lu Bei smiled sheepishly, then quickly apologized, “I was on my way, but my boss called and I had to go back to handle some work.”

Lin Xi was unmoved. “You should have called to let me know. We could have postponed to another day, instead of making me wait here alone and waste my time.”

Her aunt had said Lu Bei now worked at the Aerospace Bureau, his mother being her aunt’s former supervisor. Initially, her aunt had wanted to introduce her own younger colleague to him, but that girl canceled at the last minute, so Lin Xi ended up being the substitute.

As things turned out, Lu Bei and that girl were a perfect match—one stood her up, the other was late. And she? The ultimate fool.

Lu Bei scratched his head awkwardly. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? How about we sit down and get something?”

Lin Xi’s patience had long since worn thin, and besides, Qin Yu was still upstairs. She had no desire to linger.

She waved her hand, declining quickly. “I just got back to the country and have a lot to do. Maybe another time.”

Lu Bei’s disappointment was clear, but given his tardiness, he couldn’t press. “Are you heading back to the compound? Let me give you a ride.”

“No need. I’m not going back there tonight.” For reasons she couldn’t name, Lin Xi’s heart fluttered with unease, and she glanced up at the second floor, almost involuntarily.

—

Upstairs, in a private room at the South City Restaurant.

The man at the head of the table remained unmoved, and the others dared not start without him.

A nearby executive, ever attentive, poured him a drink, “I heard you’ve been busy at the branch office lately, President Qin, and haven’t been back to Jing City for a while. That’s why we specially ordered local cuisine. The recipes here were passed down from the old imperial chefs—do try them.”

Qin Yu raised his narrow eyes slightly, casting a cursory glance at the table. “I haven’t been well lately, not much of an appetite. I’ll pass on the food.”

He added, almost as an afterthought, “My apologies.”

Yet, there was little apology in his tone.

Those present were shrewd old hands and recognized his perfunctory reply, but none dared call him on it.

It wasn’t easy to catch Qin Yu in the capital; a meal could be skipped, but business had to be discussed.

The executives exchanged looks and were just about to begin when a sudden ringtone cut through the air.

Behind him, his assistant handed over the phone. After a moment’s hesitation, Qin Yu rose and took the call.

As soon as he left, the others glanced at each other, then turned to the elegant young woman seated at his side.

She smiled gently, “Third Brother will be back once he’s finished his call. Let’s start eating.”

With her reassurance, the others relaxed. After a while, someone couldn’t help but ask, “Miss Song, are you and President Qin getting married soon? Remember to send us invitations!”

Her red lips curved into a smile, “Of course, you must all come.”

—

Outside the private room, Qin Yu paused by a window, lit a cigarette, and answered the call at a leisurely pace.

“President Qin, Miss Lin Xi returned to the country last night.”

At the mention of that familiar name, a flicker of surprise crossed his otherwise impassive face. Regaining his composure, he tapped the ash from his cigarette, his voice calm, “Is she at the compound?”

There was a brief silence on the other end. “At the moment, Miss Lin should be… having dinner with Mayor Lu’s son.”

“Dinner?”

“A—actually, it’s a blind date,” the caller corrected.

Qin Yu frowned. “Where?”

“South City Restaurant. The same one Miss Lin always complained about as a child—the one where she said the food was so bad, it made her sick.”

As if guided by some invisible force, Qin Yu looked down at the hall below.

In the main dining area, a young couple seemed to be engaged in a minor tug-of-war. The girl’s expression betrayed impatience, while the boy seemed to be apologizing endlessly.

Then, as if caught in the act, the girl darted a glance up in his direction, and their eyes met. She froze for a heartbeat, her indifferent gaze swiftly replaced by shock.

Qin Yu’s breath deepened, the darkness in his eyes surging like ink stirred in a cold, deep pool. He forced down his emotions, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he finally, after all these years, spoke her name again.

“Lin Xi. Come upstairs.”