Chapter 274: I Have a Friend.jpg

To be honest, he couldn't help but feel a little curious...

This young lady did occasionally dine here alone.

However, today was the first time she had reserved a table for two, which meant she had brought a companion along.

A girl of such noble bearing, dressed up like this, coming to this renowned restaurant - who exactly was she having dinner with?

The male companion who could dine with a young lady like her must surely be some young noble in a bespoke tailored suit, dressed to the nines, right?

Yet the moment his gaze focused, he was slightly taken aback.

It was indeed a dark-haired young man.

But he wasn't dressed in a suit and tie. Instead, he wore a pure black hoodie with what looked like a [W] logo printed on the chest. His pants and shoes were also black, all of it looking completely devoid of any recognizable brand - like cheap, no-name knockoffs.

This outfit was completely out of place with the restaurant's aesthetic.

But ultimately, how an outfit looks depends entirely on the person wearing it.

The waiter had to admit...

The young man before him possessed the kind of solid foundation that could single-handedly carry even the strangest fashion choices.

His features were handsome and sharp, his bearing tall and composed, and there wasn't a trace of discomfort in his eyes - as if nothing in this place was worth paying attention to.

"..."

- This one probably comes from some wealthy family too, right? He's just dressed a bit casually...

The waiter stopped making wild guesses and led the pair to a window seat, pulling out the chairs for them to sit down.

The table for two wasn't large. A brass antique candlestick with carved patterns sat on the deep crimson velvet tablecloth, its orange candlelight flickering gently.

Seated at the table, Xia Yao rested her chin on one hand, studying the dark-haired young man before her. The corners of her lips suddenly curled up uncontrollably, and the aloofness from earlier vanished, replaced by a slightly silly, charming smile.

She seemed to notice Lin Guang's gaze drifting downward and chuckled, "Hehe, the view here is pretty great, isn't it?"

From this angle, the city lights sprawled out below, the bustling commercial district's brilliance and the flowing traffic converging into a glow of neon radiance.

"The vantage point is indeed good."

Lin Guang observed the surging crowd and traffic below, then commented, "Anything happening down there can be seen directly."

Xia Yao couldn't help but tease, "The way you say it, it sounds like you're scouting a sniper position..."

Lin Guang nodded seriously. "Yes, you can think of it that way."

Xia Yao: "......?"

What in the world is this guy talking about.

She shook her head helplessly, then suddenly realized the young man's gaze had already retracted from the view and was now drifting across her face and the gemstone on her chest. A flicker of secret delight passed through her eyes.

"Hehe."

Come to think of it...

They'd known each other for over a year now, and today was finally the first time she'd managed to get this guy out.

Three days ago, when she tentatively invited Lin Guang to have dinner with her tonight, she'd expected to hear the usual "wasting time and money" and come back empty-handed.

But this time, the guy actually agreed!

She'd even braced herself for rejection. Who knows what wire got crossed in Lin Guang's head this time...

So why didn't he agree before?

It couldn't be that the stroke count on that notebook had exceeded some threshold, meaning her affection level had finally reached the requirement, and he was now permitted to view that thing called a CG... right?

That would be way too perverted.

But knowing this guy's personality, maybe that was actually the truth?

"By the way, have you ever been to a place like this before?"

The young lady looked at the young man and asked casually.

Lin Guang shook his head matter-of-factly. "No."

Xia Yao blinked.

When she'd learned that Lin Guang was the so-called hero of the night in the West District and a hidden big shot, she'd thought he might be the type to secretly have an extra identity and hidden assets.

But on second thought, she let it go.

This blockhead's common sense was different from normal people's, and many assumptions just didn't apply to him.

Just then.

Buzz -

The bulky phone lying on the table in front of Lin Guang suddenly vibrated.

He glanced at the screen, casually pressed the answer button, and brought it to his ear.

"Lin Guang-gege! Good evening!"

The moment the call connected, a sweet girl's voice came through the receiver.

It wasn't loud, but in the quiet restaurant, Xia Yao, sitting across from him, could vaguely make out some of the commotion.

Xia Yao's eyes suddenly widened. Some kind of feminine radar unique to her species activated, and a fierce sense of wariness shot up instantly.

"?!"

What's going on?

When did this dense blockhead secretly get to know a sweet-voiced girl like this?!

She strained to keep her expression composed, not letting herself seem too flustered, and secretly focused on listening to the words coming through his receiver.

Lin Guang's expression didn't change. In a flat tone, he asked into the phone, "What is it?"

"Um, about that topic from three days ago... Lin Guang-gege, you said you'd think about it back then... Are you coming tonight?"

Luo Xi's excited chattering came through the phone, her tone full of anticipation. "Let me tell you, this time it's a really big deal..."

"...Got it."

Lin Guang cut off her one-woman show, his tone calm. "I have something going on tonight."

"But I have a friend, she'll go instead."

"Huh - a friend?"

Luo Xi's voice dragged out the word on the other end of the line, seeming a bit disappointed, but she quickly bounced back to her usual energy. "Alright then, you get some good rest! I'll come find you to play another time!"

Lin Guang hung up and placed the phone back on the table.

Xia Yao's eyelids drooped slightly. Her fingers unconsciously traced the edge of the tablecloth. She took a deep breath, forcing a nonchalant, composed appearance as she asked, "That just now... who was that? Her voice sounds pretty nice. Why haven't I ever heard you mention her before?"

Though the young lady tried her best to seem indifferent... a faint sour note still slipped out in the trailing end of that last sentence.

Lin Guang looked up at her. "A little brat."

"The troublesome kind, just as troublesome as you."

Xia Yao was momentarily stunned, then couldn't help asking, "...She also asked you out three days ago?"

The old brick phone's audio pickup wasn't very good, but she'd heard their conversation.

Lin Guang: "Yeah."

Xia Yao seemed to think of something and gently bit her lip. "...Was it something pretty important?"

Lin Guang thought for a moment, then nodded.

- If you're asking whether something concerning the safety of Wind Capital is important... then yes, it was indeed very important.

But, as the saying goes, "I have a friend" - those who know, know what that phrase really means.

This practice has been documented in various places throughout history.

However, at that moment, Lin Guang saw Xia Yao's expression visibly brighten, the corners of her mouth rising uncontrollably.

"...?"

"N-nothing, it's nothing!"

She gave a light cough and said with a delighted smile, "This place has great food, atmosphere, and service, you know! The cuisine is pretty novel compared to what's available domestically. Since you've never eaten here before, I'll teach you how to use the knife and fork later~"

- Something very important.

Xia Yao knew that Lin Guang never lied about things like this... or rather, he was simply the type who found lying too troublesome to bother with.

Yet at this moment, he was still sitting right across from her.

Even though it was supposedly important... didn't this blockhead still turn down that matter and choose to come to this dinner with her?