After the waitress left, An Xin personally introduced the dishes to Jiang Cheng. "These are their appetizers: black-truffle egg custard, cuttlefish caviar, and Sichuan-pepper squid. Give them a try."
Jiang Cheng sampled each one and nodded. "Not bad."
"I think their salad is excellent. The special thing is the dressing—the chef pairs it with a mango vinaigrette that completely masks the bitterness of the endive. The green-mango flavor together with the crab-leg meat is wonderfully fresh and sweet."
At her words Jiang Cheng lifted his chopsticks for a bite; instantly the taste of mango and the delicate sweetness of crab melted across his tongue.
Right then the system chimed.
"Congratulations, Host, for an ultimate culinary experience. Reward: one Gourmet Sharing Card."
Jiang Cheng slipped the card straight into the system's backpack; he could already recite the rest of the announcement by heart.
Seeing how happily he was eating, An Xin said, "Annie actually loves this salad too. Whenever I bring her here, it's always the first thing she reaches for."
"How's Annie been behaving lately?"
At the mention of Annie, An Xin's expression softened as always. "I found her an international school here. She's well-behaved in class, but she's still a handful at home—especially at bedtime."
"In my opinion, the child just needs more spankings. As the saying goes, 'the rod produces filial children.' A few more beatings and she'll behave."
Seeing An Xin's disapproving look, Jiang Cheng went on, "I'm serious. When I was little, every time the neighbor's kid got thrashed my mom made me stand outside and watch him howl. After seeing that, I behaved. I never caused my parents any trouble, so yes, beatings work."
An Xin couldn't help covering her mouth and giggling.
She looked almost childishly charming.
"So you must've been quite the rascal, or your mom wouldn't have made you watch."
"Not that bad—at least better-behaved than Annie."
"That child really is a terror; I get complaints from her teacher every other day…"
Under the romantic candlelight the two sipped red wine and chatted.
Glass after glass emptied as their conversation ranged wider.
By the end An Xin was slightly tipsy.
Chin propped in one hand, she gazed at Jiang Cheng. "Annie keeps grabbing my phone to send you random messages. Sorry for the bother; I'm amazed you haven't blocked me."
Jiang Cheng shrugged. "They're all photos of you—I quite enjoy them. Except for that beach shot, the rest are a bit too proper. If only…"
"What kind of photos do you like?"
He didn't deny it. "No man would dislike that sort."
An Xin's eyes flickered. "Aren't you afraid your girlfriend will get angry?"
"Xiaoxiao's not that petty—she's very generous…"
An Xin said, a trace of jealousy in her tone, "You're really good to her."
Seeing they were nearly finished, Jiang Cheng asked directly, "So why the sudden dinner invitation?"
"Can't I treat you? Didn't you say your girlfriend wouldn't mind?"
He still didn't clarify his relationship with Yu Xiaoxiao. "It's not that—we've eaten together plenty of times before."
"I didn't know you had a girlfriend then."
"Come on, it's the twenty-first century. Even if you had a husband, I could still have dinner with you."
An Xin smiled and let the subject drop, then quietly said, "Thank you."
Jiang Cheng was taken aback. "Thank me for what?"
"For Wen Ang… thank you."
Jiang Cheng spread his hands. "I should be thanking you. I heard we made it through the third bidding round."
"Your company would've qualified anyway. Without Wen Ang's firm, every other company had a chance."
She studied Jiang Cheng's face, searching for any other emotion.
But his gaze was perfectly open, making her begin to doubt her suspicions.
After all, the Wen Ang affair was only her speculation; even the Police hadn't mentioned Jiang Cheng once.
Which meant nothing had been traced back to him.
Yet now, slightly drunk, An Xin couldn't let it go. "Why did you target Wen Ang?"
"Purely business."
"But you two had no dealings before. Was it just for the contract he held?"
An Xin clearly didn't believe him.
Jiang Cheng feigned puzzlement. "Then what do you think it could be?"
For some reason she felt reckless. She stood, walked around to his side of the booth, sat beside him, leaned in and asked, "You went after him—was it because of me?"
Looking at her tipsy face, Jiang Cheng smiled and nodded. "That was part of it."
The answer plainly delighted her.
A hungry curiosity filled her eyes. "Why? You…"
"Is that answer so important to you?"
An Xin didn't reply; she only stared dazedly into his eyes.
Their faces were less than ten centimeters apart.
So close she could see the fine down on his skin.
Breathing in his faint scent, her own breath quickened.
Words were superfluous in such a moment.
Her gaze fixed on his lips; unable to help herself, she swallowed.
Under the alcohol's spell she could no longer restrain the throb in her heart.
Slowly she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.
It was a tentative kiss—just a light peck.
She didn't pull away, instead lifting her head slightly to gauge his reaction.
Jiang Cheng looked down: her eyes were misty, her cheeks flushed—whether from nerves or wine.
Her lips parted, innocence mingled with mature allure.
A closer look revealed hidden longing; the pitiable expression was more than he could bear.
Just as she started to retreat, Jiang Cheng slid a hand behind her head and pulled her to him.
He deepened the kiss at once.
He had waited long for this moment to take the initiative.
The sudden, stormy kiss caught the inexperienced An Xin off guard.
Under his demanding assault her mind went blank.
He captured her wrists; she could only close her eyes and yield.
Shrugging off morals and reason, she freed her hands and wrapped her arms around him.
Their kiss lasted a long while, and Jiang Cheng couldn't resist letting his hands roam over her upper body, activating a passive skill.
As the saying goes, kissing without using your hands is like smoking without a lighter—utterly pointless.
There's simply no holding back!