Chapter 446: A Reckless Encounter, a Beautiful Beginning

Zhao Nuanyue graciously accepted Pan Ling’er’s praise. If her pastries were well-received, she could give them as gifts on special occasions.

"Quick, sit down. There’s a spot next to Zhao Nuan Yang," Zhao Nuanyue said, beckoning her over. This Pan Ling’er had made her quite curious.

’Is it really a coincidence that this Pan Ling’er has appeared before them so many times?’

’If Pan Ling’er didn’t look at her brother, Zhao Nuan Yang, with such giddy shyness, Zhao Nuanyue might have believed it was all a coincidence.’

As it was, Pan Ling’er’s bashful expression made her face all the more lively and adorable.

From experience, Zhao Nuanyue could tell that the young bodyguard, Pan Ling’er, had clearly taken a liking to Zhao Nuan Yang.

’But her blockhead of a brother seems to just think of her as a normal friend.’

Although Zhao Nuanyue was very curious and wanted to give her brother a hint, she decided it was better to let him discover such a wonderful and surprising thing for himself.

’Perhaps it would be a unique experience for him.’

As for Pan Ling’er, Zhao Nuanyue would have someone investigate her later.

If Pan Ling’er was just a kindhearted young bodyguard, Zhao Nuanyue wouldn’t object to her dating Zhao Nuan Yang.

But if she had ulterior motives, Zhao Nuanyue wouldn’t let her off the hook.

At that moment, Zhao Nuanyue understood that the Hua family’s initial caution toward her had been perfectly justifiable. If she put herself in their shoes, she would have done the same.

For instance, with Zhao Nuan Yang on the verge of a potential romance, she herself was eager to run a background check.

"Thank you, Nuanyue," Pan Ling’er said gratefully, sitting down next to Zhao Nuan Yang.

Zhao Nuanyue used a clean pair of chopsticks to place two pastries on Pan Ling’er’s lunchbox. "The round one is red bean paste, and the long one is savory. Give them a try and see which one you like more."

"Okay!" Pan Ling’er nodded, her heart soaring.

Pan Ling’er picked up a small pastry and took a bite. Her eyes instantly flew wide, her expression almost identical to Little Red Carp’s when she eats something delicious. "Oh my gosh," she exclaimed in amazement. "This is even better than the specialty pastries from Sanfeng Bridge! You could totally open your own shop."

’Pastries from Sanfeng Bridge?’

Zhao Nuanyue raised an eyebrow. Not just anyone could afford to eat there. Even if you had the money, you couldn’t necessarily buy anything without the right ration coupons, and the prices were steep.

Zhao Nuanyue herself only got to have some once in a while, thanks to Hua Yusen.

For Pan Ling’er to mention Sanfeng Bridge’s pastries so casually suggested she was no stranger to them.

From this, Zhao Nuanyue could deduce that the young woman came from a very well-off family.

What made Zhao Nuanyue even happier was that despite her privileged background, the young woman didn’t have the bratty attitude of a spoiled rich girl.

"Are they really that good?" Zhao Nuanyue asked with a smile. "Since you like them so much, I’ll have Nuan Yang bring you some the next time I make a batch."

"Huh?" Pan Ling’er’s eyes widened again mid-bite. "Oh my gosh, Nuanyue, you’re the best!"

Little Red Carp giggled. This Pan Ling’er was hilarious. The look of pure, blissful satisfaction on her face when she ate something delicious was a lot like her own.

’Outsiders just don’t understand the world of a foodie.’

"Yep, my sister’s great, but my brother is even better," Little Red Carp chimed in, making sure to praise her brother while she was at it.

"Mhm, that’s right! Your brother’s a great guy. He saved my life, you know!" Pan Ling’er had already eaten two pastries, and her already full stomach felt even more stuffed.

"Whoa, Nuan Yang, how come you didn’t tell us about this when you got home? What’s this about saving her life?" Zhao Nuanyue asked, looking curiously at her brother.

’Something that major, you’d think he would have mentioned it when he got home,’ she thought. ’But he didn’t say a word.’

"Nuanyue, I’ll tell you! That day, I climbed a tree to help Aunt Wang rescue her little kitten..." Pan Ling’er, feeling more at ease thanks to Zhao Nuanyue’s kindness, was no longer as nervous as she had been. Her retelling of the "life-saving" incident was vivid and amusing.

As they listened, Zhao Nuanyue and Little Red Carp clicked their tongues in admiration, slowly growing fond of the witty, eloquent young woman. ’What kind of sparks would fly,’ Zhao Nuanyue wondered, ’if you paired a cheerful girl like this with the introverted, quiet Zhao Nuan Yang?’

At the same time, Zhao Nuanyue and Little Red Carp exchanged a subtle glance, and saw a flicker of pleasant surprise in each other’s eyes.

"Oh, so that’s how you two met!" Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. ’A clumsy encounter... perhaps the start of a beautiful romance.’

Zhao Nuan Yang chuckled. "Mr. Xiao Pan is very kind, but she tends to overestimate her abilities. She managed to climb up, but then she couldn’t get down."

Hearing Zhao Nuan Yang’s teasing, Pan Ling’er flushed and retorted, "I could too get down! It just would’ve taken me a little longer, that’s all!"

"Heh..." Zhao Nuan Yang just shrugged, not commenting further. "Okay, okay, you’re pretty capable."

After eating the pastries, Pan Ling’er found she couldn’t stomach the rest of the food in her lunchbox. However, not wanting to make a bad impression by wasting food in front of Zhao Nuanyue, Little Red Carp, and Zhao Nuan Yang, she forced herself to finish every last bite.

When she saw Zhao Nuanyue about to offer her more pastries, Pan Ling’er knew she couldn’t eat another bite.

So, the quick-thinking Pan Ling’er wrapped the pastry in a handkerchief and said with a smile, "I can’t finish this right now, so I’ll save it. I can have a piece later during my patrol if I get hungry."

Pan Ling’er glanced at her watch. Half an hour had already passed. She felt a twinge of regret, but she had to get back to work.

"Well, I have plenty more. Why don’t you take all of them?" Zhao Nuanyue said, holding the small bag of pastries out to Pan Ling’er.

Pan Ling’er’s eyes lit up with surprise and she was clearly tempted, but she shook her head. "Thank you, Nuanyue, but I can’t. Mr. Zhao has so many colleagues. Something this delicious should be shared with everyone."

Hearing this made Zhao Nuanyue even more pleased.

’This is a very polite and tactful young woman,’ Zhao Nuanyue thought. ’Even when she really likes something, she won’t try to take it all for herself.’

As they watched Pan Ling’er leave, both Zhao Nuanyue and Little Red Carp turned their gazes to Zhao Nuan Yang.

Zhao Nuanyue didn’t want to be the one to bring it up, but Little Red Carp had no such reservations. Her face alight with gossipy excitement, she looked at her brother and asked, "Brother, do you think that Ms. Ling’er is cute?"

Seeing his precocious little sister ask such a question—and on her favorite topic of "cuteness," no less—Zhao Nuan Yang thought for a moment before nodding. "She is very cute," he said. "But in my heart, Little Red Carp is the cutest!"

"Hehe!" Hearing her brother’s praise, Little Red Carp lifted her chin smugly. "Well, of course! I’m obviously the cutest!"