freenovelworld Chapter 272 Heart Fluttering
Chapter 272 Heart Fluttering
"Well, Jiu Jiu, all I can say is that you're amazing. You just made the mistake that all women make. Besides, there aren't many men who are rich, good-looking, and willing to spend money on you. You should seize the opportunity. But if you ask me, Jiu Jiu, with your looks, let alone dating three at once, I think dating ten or eight wouldn't be too many."
If Shao Xingchu heard that another girl had dated three boyfriends at once, she would definitely think that person was a womanizer. But with her best friend, all she could say was that her best friend was charming and capable.
"Ah, is that so? Chu Chu, you're so kind." Xiao Jiu was slightly stunned; she hadn't expected Chu Chu to react this way.
They're pretty strange, but she likes it (〃w〃).
"Would you like to come eat with us?" Xiao Jiu asked Shao Xingchu again.
Shao Xingchu shook her head.
"No way! I don't want to be a third wheel on your date, being a lovey-dovey dog."
"Okay then~_~"
As soon as get out of class ended, Xiao Jiu received a message from Zhou Yanchuan asking if get out of class was over, as he was already waiting outside the school.
Xiao Jiu said goodbye to her roommates and left the classroom.
Zhou Yanchuan leaned against the hood of the black sedan, the cigarette between his fingers already half-burned. The afternoon autumn sunlight slanted through the sycamore leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on his shoulders. He gazed towards the school gate, his eyes languid yet carrying a barely perceptible anticipation.
Suddenly he straightened up.
That familiar figure was walking towards us through the tree-lined path on campus—it was Xiao Jiu. She walked at a leisurely pace, her ponytail swaying gently with each step, carrying a few books in her arms, the sunlight kissing the corners of her slightly upturned lips.
Zhou Yanchuan almost instinctively took the cigarette away from his lips. He looked around and found the nearest trash can was about ten meters away. Xiao Jiu was getting closer and closer, and when she looked up, her eyes met his, her eyes curving into crescents.
He clicked his tongue and stubbed out his cigarette in the metal cigarette case he carried with him without hesitation, the movement so fast it was almost hasty. As the last wisp of smoke escaped from the case, Xiao Jiu was already standing in front of him.
"Have you been waiting long?" she asked, her voice clear and bright like a wind chime.
Zhou Yanchuan stuffed the cigarette pack back into his pocket, a smile playing on his lips. "Just arrived." He opened the passenger door, the lingering smell of smoke in the air quietly carried away by the autumn breeze.
"Don't smoke in the car next time," Xiao Jiu said, wrinkling her nose slightly as she climbed into the front of the car. "The smell lingers for a long time."
Zhou Yanchuan closed the car door and smiled silently as he turned away. There was no need for a next time. From the moment he saw her approaching, he knew this cigarette would be his last.
Zhou Yanchuan started the car, and it smoothly merged into the traffic. Zhou Yanchuan held the steering wheel with one hand, his eyes seemingly focused on looking ahead, but he could always catch a glimpse of the figure in the passenger seat out of the corner of his eye.
A strange, slightly sweet scent filled the car, mingling with the faint smell of laundry detergent she had brought when she got in. Zhou Yanchuan then realized that his car usually only smelled of cigarettes and leather. He subtly rolled down the window a crack, letting in some fresh air.
"Is the air conditioning too cold?" Xiao Jiu turned to ask him.
"No, just getting some fresh air," Zhou Yanchuan replied, tapping his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. He usually liked to listen to hardcore rock while driving, but at this moment he only had soft background music playing on the radio.
"How did you know about that newly opened restaurant? I thought you weren't the type to pay attention to these things." Xiao Jiu wasn't reserved at all; she didn't act like a girl on her first date at all.
In contrast, Zhou Yanchuan seemed a bit too nervous. He got up early in the morning and stood in front of the full-length mirror in the dressing room with a slight frown.
He was used to wearing black and gray shirts and trousers, but at this moment, none of them seemed quite right. His fingers brushed over a row of neatly ironed shirts, finally stopping at a light gray-blue Oxford shirt—not as formal as a white shirt, yet softer than dark colors.
He changed into a shirt, deliberately unbuttoning the top two buttons and casually rolling up the cuffs to his forearms, revealing his sleek wrists. He paired it with dark slim-fit jeans, instead of his usual impeccably tailored dress trousers.
After examining himself in the mirror for a moment, he pulled a wristwatch from the drawer. It wasn't the expensive steel watch he usually wore for business occasions, but a simple model with a vintage leather strap. Finally, he sprayed some cedarwood-scented eau de toilette on his wrists and the back of his neck to cover up the smell of smoke that he often smelled.
With everything ready, he grabbed his car keys, but before leaving, he turned back to the mirror and casually tousled his meticulously combed hair, letting a few strands fall naturally over his forehead.
This should look casual enough, like a spur-of-the-moment decision rather than a carefully considered, premeditated act. He chuckled softly at his reflection in the mirror, never imagining that he, Zhou Yanchuan, would go to such lengths for a date.
But when he leaned against the car and saw Xiao Jiu walking out of the school gate, he suddenly felt that all those hours of hesitation in the cloakroom were worth it.
“I heard from a friend that the food is pretty good, and I think you’ll like it.” Zhou Yanchuan had his assistant find the restaurant, briefly mentioning how he had his assistant taste the food beforehand and give a detailed report in order to confirm the restaurant’s reputation.
He wanted the two of them to remember the date as perfect and satisfying.
"As long as it tastes good, I like it (?▽?)" Xiao Jiu is indeed not picky about food; as long as it tastes good, she is willing to try it.
"They have a really good dessert. I've seen you post pictures of ice cream and cake on your WeChat Moments a few times before, so I think you'd like it too."
Xiao Jiu's eyes lit up: "Really? That's amazing! No girl can resist a sweet taste, and I can't resist it either."
Zhou Yanchuan's lips curled up almost imperceptibly: "I know."
They chatted like this, mostly with Zhou Yanchuan asking questions and Xiao Jiu answering. He found that he really enjoyed listening to her talk; her voice was clear and bright, with varying intonation, and when she got to something that interested her, she would unconsciously speed up her speech and gesture with her fingers.
As they approached the restaurant, they encountered a long red light. Zhou Yanchuan stopped the car and finally turned his head to look at her properly. Neon lights streamed through the car window, casting shadows on her face. She was looking down at her phone, her eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Xiao Jiu noticed his gaze, looked up, and the moment their eyes met, a subtle feeling seemed to spread.
The air seemed to suddenly become thick and quiet, even the jazz music playing on the radio seemed to fade away. Zhou Yanchuan could clearly hear his own heartbeat, one beat after another, striking his eardrums.
Xiao Jiu suddenly leaned slightly towards her.
For a moment, Zhou Yanchuan's breath almost stopped. He saw her long eyelashes tremble slightly, and smelled the faint scent of gardenias in her hair growing closer. His fingers tightened unconsciously, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he was ready to close his eyes—
"Brother Yanchuan, the light is green," Xiao Jiu said softly, her voice gentle and sweet, with a hint of barely perceptible laughter.