Gao Yuan froze, not expecting Lin Wanyu to say the same thing he had.
He knew he had just been making it up, but from Lin Wanyu's reaction, it seemed like she had actually gotten a divorce. He offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."
To his surprise, Lin Wanyu just laughed heartily and waved a hand, signaling that it was no big deal.
Alcohol is a great social lubricant. Soon enough, Gao Yuan learned what had happened to Lin Wanyu.
She had just gotten divorced today. The reason? She'd caught her husband cheating on her in the act.
So, her girlfriends had dragged her out for the night to have some fun and lift her spirits.
Gao Yuan raised his glass. "Let's have a drink. A toast to you reclaiming your freedom. May you never want for a man for the rest of your life!"
PFFT.
Lin Wanyu couldn't hold it in and sprayed a mouthful of wine everywhere. Not only was the front of her own shirt soaked, but a large patch of Gao Yuan's pants was drenched as well.
She grabbed a napkin and started dabbing at Gao Yuan's clothes while grumbling, "I just got divorced. What kind of blessing is that?"
Lin Wanyu glanced at Gao Yuan's leg, at the damp spot she had just wiped. Remembering what her friend had said earlier, a sly glint flashed in her sparkling eyes. "So, what are you thinking now?"
Gao Yuan naturally noticed her subtle gesture.
However, Gao Yuan couldn't quite figure out what this woman he'd just met was up to. He picked up his glass from the table, his mind racing as he took a sip.
"A three-legged toad is hard to find, but two-legged women are everywhere."
Lin Wanyu was momentarily stunned by his words.
'Isn't that what women say about men?'
She pouted, pretending to be angry, and playfully hit Gao Yuan's arm a few times. "How can you say that about girls!"
'Heh, shameless.'
The moment Lin Wanyu said that, Gao Yuan understood everything.
'This woman is no amateur!'
A normal woman would have gotten genuinely angry at a comment like that. Only a girl who was playing a part, a real "green-tea" type, would use it as an excuse to get flirty and physical, instantly closing the distance between them.
The two of them bantered over the simple topic and had a couple more drinks.
Lin Wanyu suddenly leaned in close to Gao Yuan.
Her words, whispered next to his ear, sent a jolt through him.
"How big are you?"
Gao Yuan turned to look at Lin Wanyu. They were no more than five centimeters apart; the tips of her curtain bangs were even brushing against his nose.
'This is a tough question for me to answer!'
"Thirty?"
"Eighteen?"
Two answers instantly popped into his head. In a split second, Gao Yuan decided to be more conservative, not wanting to scare the beautiful woman away. "Thirty years old."
Immediately after, Gao Yuan tossed the question back at her. "How old are you?"
"How old am I..."
Lin Wanyu's eyes darted. She pulled away from Gao Yuan's arm, sat up straight, took a sip of her drink, and threw the question back at him once more. "How old do I look?"
Gao Yuan was instantly intrigued.
'Lin Wanyu really knows how to play the game.'
This was the most enjoyable part of the dance between a man and a woman.
Things like hooking up and tumbling in the sheets were fun, sure, but compared to the intoxicating push-and-pull of flirtation, they lacked a certain mental satisfaction.
Gao Yuan subconsciously lowered his head, his eyes narrowing as he scanned her, and asked hesitantly, "36?"
The wine glass in Lin Wanyu's hand slammed onto the table. Her eyes, practically shooting fire, glared at Gao Yuan. "Do I look that old?"
"I meant... B?"
Lin Wanyu froze, then sat up straight, puffed out her chest, and coughed twice.
"C!"
Hearing this, Gao Yuan grinned, his gaze once again sweeping over the two great mountains. He raised his glass. "My apologies, my apologies. It's too dark in here, my visual assessment was off. I should have made an educated guess!"
This time, a blush crept onto Lin Wanyu's face. Her bashful expression was exceptionally charming.
"Scumbag!"
"Such a waste of a perfectly honest-looking face."
Gao Yuan just chuckled nonchalantly. "You can't just say that. There's a difference between sugar and salt, you know."
Lin Wanyu rolled her eyes at him. "So you're saying you're the sugar!"
"I'm saying they can look pretty similar, so you should be careful to tell them apart."
But Lin Wanyu's next move nearly broke through Gao Yuan's defenses again.
She leaned close to his ear once more and whispered in an incredibly seductive tone, "So, are you sweet or salty?"
After she spoke, Gao Yuan suddenly felt a moist heat on his ear.
'This little vixen!'
Gao Yuan truly hadn't expected this woman to be so bold. It suddenly made him think of the mission the system had issued.
'Didn't the system want me to find a social partner within a week?'
It seemed he might just accomplish it with this woman.
A master hunter often appears in the form of prey.
This time, Gao Yuan was going to take the initiative and be the tempting prey.
Amidst their mutual flattery and flirtatious banter, the alcohol on the table vanished before they knew it.
After finishing the last glass, Gao Yuan took the initiative. "It's getting late. I should head back."
Lin Wanyu was a little surprised by Gao Yuan's sudden decision to leave.
'Shouldn't it be the man trying every trick in the book to get the woman drunk, and then...'
Gao Yuan's abrupt announcement that he was going home made her feel like she was somehow getting the short end of the stick.
So she stood up as well and said, "I'll see you out."
They got up, said a quick goodbye to Lin Wanyu's friends, and made their way through the noisy crowd toward the bar's entrance.
Outside the bar, the night breeze blew, and Gao Yuan felt his head clear considerably.
Looking at Lin Wanyu beside him, he saw that she was indeed gorgeous—far more beautiful than she had appeared under the dim lights of the bar.
Gao Yuan couldn't understand why, with such a beautiful woman, her husband would still cheat.
'Is it really true? That a wife can't compare to a mistress, a mistress can't compare to a secret affair, and a secret affair can't compare to the one you can't have?'
Gao Yuan genuinely liked Lin Wanyu, but he wasn't going to chase after her right now.
You can't win a woman over by chasing her. Women are people, not prey. A simp might move a girl with his devotion, but she doesn't genuinely like *him*. Someone else could do the same things, and she'd be just as moved.
It had nothing to do with him as a person. It was better to make her heart flutter than to simply move her.
So, it's better to invest in yourself and attract her, rather than chase her. It's like the saying: if you love butterflies, don't chase them. Plant a garden.
"I have a couple bottles of good wine at my place. Want to keep drinking?"
Gao Yuan looked at Lin Wanyu, surprised by how direct she was.
'In this kind of situation, isn't the classic move to have the guy walk you home and then invite him up for a glass of water?'
'Or to see your cat that can do backflips?'
'At the very least, saying you have a 4090 graphics card would work too!'
Gao Yuan remained silent. Just then, a taxi pulled up beside them.
Lin Wanyu opened the door without hesitation, grabbed Gao Yuan's hand, and pulled him into the car.
Feeling the softness of her hand in his, Gao Yuan sighed inwardly. 'In the end, a Hero is no match for a beautiful woman.'
'In the end, the system's reward is just too tempting!'
They both got into the car. Lin Wanyu gave the driver an address, then wrapped her arms around Gao Yuan's, closed her eyes, and leaned against him.
Seeing the driver's disdainful smirk in the rearview mirror, Gao Yuan was speechless. There was no way he could explain this situation.
'Dammit, I'm not a gigolo!'
Suddenly, the taxi stopped at a red light. Lin Wanyu, who had been resting her head on Gao Yuan's shoulder, swayed and slid down his arm.