Jiang Ruolan was immediately stunned by his sudden movement.
As the window closed, Xian Zihao's right hand held the steering wheel again. There was no change in his expression. It was as if the cold feeling he had released at that moment had disappeared without a trace.
Such a man with such a strong sense of self-control and hidden emotions …
So frightening.
Jiang Ruolan looked at him like that for so long, until she saw a red light at the intersection. The car slowly stopped. Xian Zihao look at her indifferently, "What do you want to eat?"
"Ah? haven't thought about it yet." Jiang Ruolan hurriedly retracted her gaze and looked straight ahead.
"Then hurry up and think about it." Xian Zihao acted as if nothing had happened.
Jiang Ruolan was looking at the traffic ahead of her but her mind was in a bit of a mess.
The disk seemed to have been in his folder for a long time, maybe he had forgotten what was in it. But why was there only the song "Comprehension" on the disc? That song was clearly so sad and helpless.
She suddenly remembered what Xian Zihao had said to her outside the Bureau of Civil Affairs. If she can't love him, it will be the same for everyone.
What kind of woman could be so loved by Xian Zihao? And what kind of woman can hurt a man like that?
She couldn't help but turn her head to peek at him again.
It was getting dark, and the main road of H City was already lit up, casting a faint shadow on the side of his handsome face.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small hot pot with Sichuan cuisine by the side of the road.
"Why not choose this one? Can you eat a spicy dish?" Jiang Ruolan pointed towards the stall.
Xian Zihao glanced in the direction she pointed, and without saying anything, he drove the car to the intersection and turned around to head towards the stall. The car stopped in front of the door.
Jiang Ruolan got out of the car first.
"Are you sure you can eat spicy dishes?" As the two of them entered, Jiang Ruolan asked again, a little worried.
Xian Zihao casually looked at her with a pair of eyes that were neither warm nor cold. She immediately stopped asking and became angry. She thought, 'since you don't want to be polite, then I won't be polite with you.'
"Welcome, may I know how many people are dining?"
Jiang Ruolan said, "Two people." The waiter led them to the seats inside.
They both walked through the crowded tables and into the room. Seeing that there were still empty seats, she smiled while saying, "Looks like the food in this stall is pretty good, so many customers."
Xian Zihao said nothing and just sat down. He took the menu from the waiter and placed it by his side without looking at it. "If you like it, order it yourself."
Seeing that he was not used to the place, Jiang Ruolan quickly sat down. She lowered her head to open the menu and began to look at the list of food one by one.
After a while, she raised her head and looked at Xian Zihao. "Would you like to eat vegetables or meat? Lamb or beef? Do you want to eat duck intestines?"
"Vegetable."
"Oh." She looked at the menu again and ticked the food she wanted to order.
After looking at the menu carefully, she handed the menu back to him. "Look, is there anything else you want to add? I did not order too much food."
Xian Zihao took the menu without looking at it and handed it to the waiter.
"What would you like to drink?" the waiter asked.
"Mineral water."
"Mineral water."
They both talked at the same time.
Jiang Ruolan immediately looked at him. Xian Zihao also cast a look at her.
"Sure, please wait a moment." The waiter took the menu and left. At the same time, the other waiter brought the bottom pot she ordered. In less than a minute, a boiling heat spread between the two of them.
"I'm afraid you're not used to the food here." Jiang Ruolan took a bottle of mineral water from the waiter and opened the lid as she spoke.
Xian Zihao raised his brows. "What do you mean?"
"People like you usually go to luxury hotels or special high-class places. The food you eat is specially made, even liquor must be specially prepared by the country."
Xian Zihao took off his coat and casually placed it on the back of the chair behind him. When he turned around, he said, "From what you said, should I live in Zhongnanhai like other leaders? Should I have a house there too?"
"Don't you have a house there?"
Xian Zihao: "…"
He looked at her silently, his eyes full of contempt.
"Why do you look at me like that? Am I wrong?"
"As a media reporter, shouldn't you be investigating the truth from the rumours? We are all human beings. I eat what you eat and stay in a hotel where you'll stay. The difference between the two of us is that I am a businessman."
He had no expression.
"Didn't I say it before? I've always felt that these rumours were too godlike …" Jiang Ruolan rolled her eyes.
Xian Zihao only smiled, and then the waiter brought the plate they had ordered, and soon the red and white mandarin pots were filled with food.
Jiang Ruolan lifted her chopsticks and stirred the pot gently. "I'm worried you won't like spicy dishes, so I ordered a mandarin duck pot. Here, you can eat it."
"How do you know I don't like spicy food?" Xian Zihao raised his eyebrows.
"I'm just guessing it."
He chuckled as if she had guessed correctly. Ambiguity atmosphere enveloped them both.
Forty minutes later, they both walked out. Jiang Ruolan raised her head and looked at the night sky where the moon and stars were almost invisible. She took a deep breath and said, "I overate. I need to walk to digest my food."
Xian Zihao walked past her and said, "This street is three kilometres away from the Greenville Residence, walk by yourself."
"Huh?"
Jiang Ruolan turned her head abruptly and looked at Xian Zihao's back as he walked towards the parking space. She followed him quickly and looked at his figure speechlessly. She muttered, "I'm just saying what I should do. Not that I wanted to do it."
Xian Zihao didn't say anything. Once he got into the car, Jiang Ruolan just stood there and looked at him. Her indifferent expression showed nothing, but she seemed to be thinking. Then, she got into the car.
After eating their fill and drinking, the atmosphere inside the car became awkward again. By the time they returned to the Greenville Residence, it was already 7: 30 PM.
Pushing open the door, Jiang Ruolan habitually took off her shoes and changed into slippers before placing the bag in the locker next to the door. Suddenly, her body stiffened when she saw two people in the living room.
Zhan An was watching TV. She was going to stay here for a month, so it wasn't surprising. The most surprising thing was that Cui Liuxian was still here!
"You're back? Didn't you get off work early? Why are you coming back a little late?" Zhan An got up and happily watching the two of them enter the door.
From the corner of his eye, Jiang Ruolan saw the disbelieving and dejected look in Cui Liuxian's eyes when she noticed them returning together.
Jiang Ruolan smiled and said softly, "We just–"
"Mom, you usually don't have dinner, so I accompany Ruolan out for a casual meal." Xian Zihao's voice suddenly cut her off. He sounded like a husband who had a good relationship with his wife. It couldn't be any more natural as he closed the door behind her.
"No wonder." Zhan An smiled and nodded.
"Zihao!" Cui Liuxian stood up and greeted him with a smile as if she was the wife who was waiting for her husband to return home. She raised her hand to take the coat he had taken off after entering the room.
Xian Zihao paused for a second. He held his coat in his hand as he glanced at the smiling Cui Liuxian, then passed it to Jiang Ruolan who was beside him.
He looked at Cui Liuxian with a faint smile, "Why are you still not home? Aren't you afraid the old man is worried?"
Although Cui Liuxian did not get the coat, her expression did not change. Following his words, she smiled and said, "Zihao, I want to stay here with mom, but mom said that it was not appropriate. So I asked someone to clean the house you bought for me. How about that? Are you surprised?"
Jiang Ruolan ignored their conversation. She was a little taken aback when Xian Zihao suddenly passed his coat to her. Seeing his overly natural action, she didn't say anything. She took the coat and hung it on the hanger.
"It took quite a while for my house to be ready. Luckily, at the moment, I also have a friend from a home improvement company, so she helped me. Now, your second room has some furniture and daily necessities, so I can stay here with mom for a while!" Cui Liuxian continued.
Xian Zihao's expression did not change, "You want to stay at Greenville Residence?"
"That kid said it's been many years since I hugged her to sleep. When she was young, she was always afraid of thunder. Remembered when she asked you to accompany her, but you refused to sleep with her. At that time, I could only hug her. She's been sticking to me since she was young and I haven't been back for so many years, that's why she's really attached to me. She insisted on staying here with me."
After saying that, Zhan An intentionally looked at Jiang Ruolan. "Ruolan, you don't mind, do you?"
