Victor Mo looked up at her and said indifferently, “Miss Li’s boyfriend is very lucky to have gone out in such heavy rain to buy clothes.”
The car was a small space, and with the two of them so close, Serena Li was afraid that she would be easily seen through by Victor Mo’s sharp eyes.
The traffic light turned green, and he looked ahead again. His facial features were calm and showed no abnormality, but the car was obviously going much faster than before.
Serena Li tightened her grip on the bag, her gaze fixed on the street scene outside the car, not daring to look at him driving.
No one spoke again for the rest of the journey.
Despite the torrential rain, traffic wasn’t too bad along the way, and we soon arrived at the Four Seasons Garden residential area.
Serena Li thought he would park at the entrance of the complex, but the Bentley drove into the underground parking lot.
After the car came to a stop, Serena Li unbuckled her seatbelt, glanced up at Victor Mo in the driver’s seat , and said softly, “Mr. Mo, thank you.”
He didn’t look at her and said, “You’re welcome.” He seemed like a complete stranger at that moment.
Serena Li opened the car door, bent down to get out, and walked towards the elevator carrying shopping bags and a handbag. Her gaze inadvertently fell upon the black Bentley reflected in the mirror of a nearby fire hydrant, as it slowly drove away.
Serena Li admitted that she got into his car and agreed to let him give her a ride, but she had a specific purpose in doing so. She deliberately told him that she was going to buy clothes for her boyfriend, even though the excuse was lame. She wanted to make it clear to him that no matter what his mindset was, there was no possibility between them.
……
On Saturday morning, Serena Li was still asleep when she was woken up by a phone call from Joyce Wu .
“Serena, are you free tonight?” As soon as the call connected, Joyce Wu’s five hundred decibels of voice jolted her awake, completely banishing any sleepiness.
“What’s wrong?” Serena Li asked, rubbing her eyes.
“Someone introduced me to a blind date. We’ve arranged to meet tonight at that French restaurant in MixC. If you’re free, come with me.”
“Accompany you? That’s not a good idea!”
“I don’t mean we’ll eat together; I mean you’ll go there and help me observe.”
Serena Li immediately understood what she meant: she was on a blind date, and she was sitting at another table watching the process.
Serena Li could speak, Joyce Wu continued, “My cousin used to help me choose the best ones, but lately she’s been so busy that she can’t take care of me anymore. Besides, I don’t trust her judgment anymore. She must have been blind to have chosen that scumbag Jack Jiang .”
Serena Li thought for a moment. There wasn’t much to do today. She had originally planned to write her teaching paper, but after what happened with Principal Liu yesterday, she suddenly lost the motivation to continue. She decided to put it aside and write it later when the situation was more favorable.
So he agreed to Joyce Wu’s request .
Soon after hanging up the phone, Joyce Wu sent over the restaurant’s address and other information.
At 6:30 PM, Serena Li went to MixC Mall. The restaurant was on the 5th floor. Upon entering, Serena Li looked around the restaurant and was quite satisfied with its decor. She chose a window seat, where she could dine with the night view, and most importantly, she could see a couple sitting diagonally opposite her.
Joyce Wu was wearing a pale yellow dress today. Her fair and delicate face was very pleasing to the eye, and when she smiled, her eyes shone like stars. The man sitting opposite her was well-dressed and looked to be around thirty years old. They must have just arrived as well, as there were only appetizers on the table.
A waiter in a white shirt and black trousers handed her the menu, and Serena Li naturally looked away and flipped through it.
I casually ordered a white wine mussel and a buckwheat crepe, then closed the menu and handed it back to the waiter.
Soon, all the food she ordered was served. While enjoying her French meal, she subtly kept an eye on the couple at the table diagonally opposite her. When her WeChat notification sounded on her phone, Serena Li picked it up and walked over to a waitress.
As if she had a premonition, the waitress pointed the way and said, “Go straight ahead, the restroom is on your left.”
In the restroom, Joyce Wu saw Serena Li approaching and immediately asked, “How is it?”
Serena Li walked past her toward the sink, saying, “Your blind date isn’t mine, why are you asking me how it went…”
Joyce Wu caught up and said, “I’m already tired of seeing the same old thing, I’m counting on you.”
Serena Li lowered her head, her gaze fixed on her hands rubbing together under the running water from the faucet, and said, “He’s handsome, but he’s not interested in you.”
“How did you know?” Joyce Wu frowned in confusion.
“He kept checking his watch while he was talking to you.” Serena Li pulled out a tissue from the side, wiped her hands a few times with it, and threw it into the elegant trash can next to her. “That’s pretty rude.”
She turned to face Joyce Wu , spread her hands, shrugged, and said, “I have no other opinion. You can decide for yourself.”
“What’s there to hesitate about? They’re not interested in me anymore.”
Serena Li looked at her and asked, “Who introduced you to this blind date?”
“A private tutor, who said she was her relative.” Joyce Wu turned around, tossed her long hair in front of the mirror, and took out lipstick from her bag to touch up her makeup.
“I’m going back now.” Serena Li patted her shoulder and prepared to leave.
Joyce Wu suddenly remembered something and pulled her aside, saying, “Don’t go yet.”
“What’s wrong?” Serena Li turned her head and asked her.
“How are things between you and that Mr. Mo?”
“What do you mean, how about it?” Serena Li asked knowingly.
“You’re just pretending to be confused when you know the truth. Of course, it’s about whether or not they contacted you later!”
“I ran into him while having dinner with my colleagues in the CBD yesterday, and he took me home.”
“And then what?”
Serena Li briefly recounted what happened yesterday, and Joyce Wu sighed and said, “Serena, didn’t you ever think your lie would be exposed?”
“I don’t think he’s a boring person who would bother to find out if something like this is true or false.” Serena Li hadn’t thought about this question. First, they didn’t have a common circle of friends, and Alex Qi, whom they both knew , wasn’t in Pengcheng. She felt that he was just flirting with her on a whim and wouldn’t be so bored as to ask Alex Qi about her. Second, the two of them had completely different jobs and no common ground, so the chances of them meeting again were very small.
“Serena, are you still thinking about Gary Gu and can’t accept anyone else?” Gary Gu was Serena Li ‘s first love. Joyce Wu knew he was taboo for her, but she still couldn’t help asking.
“No, it’s just that I haven’t met anyone I click with yet.” Serena Li quickly turned her head away and walked away, not letting Joyce Wu notice the fleeting sadness in her eyes.
I went back to my seat, took a sip of lemonade, paid the bill, and left the restaurant.
Joyce Wu sent her a WeChat message asking how she was getting home. She replied, “By taxi.”
Sitting in the taxi, looking out at the night sky painted with dazzling neon lights, and seeing couples walking side by side along the roadside, I felt a bit lonely all by myself.
……
A week later, it was Saturday morning again.
Serena Li received another WeChat message from Alex Qi , but this time it wasn’t a dinner invitation; it was a request for her help—to attend a dinner party with him and be his date.
“ Serena , in Pengcheng, I can’t think of anyone else who can help me besides you.” While Serena Li was still considering how to refuse his request, Alex Qi called her directly.
“Senior, don’t joke like that with me. If your girlfriend finds out about this, will I even be able to live?” Serena Li had met his girlfriend before; they both worked in investment banking in Beijing.
“Sigh, we’re breaking up right now. I agreed to this dinner party a month ago, and she agreed to come, but now that things have turned out this way, she’s not coming. It’s not suitable for her to come to anyone else, so she can only come to you. If she finds out, it’ll be understandable.” Alex Qi was also helpless.
“Senior, what kind of banquet is this? Is it mandatory to bring a companion?” Serena Li had never attended a banquet like this before.
“A cocktail party hosted by the MD Group.”
…
At 6 p.m., Alex Qi arrived at her house on time to pick her up. As soon as he saw Serena Li , his eyes lit up. He clicked his tongue twice and said, “Who says science girls can’t dress up? Your outfit will beat any celebrity in a second!”
Serena Li ‘s gown was a smoky gray strapless style with a flowing, tulle skirt. The understated smoky gray, paired with her fresh and elegant makeup, made her look fashionable and refined, with a quiet and graceful demeanor. She had carefully chosen this dress because she felt that Alex Qi ‘s scholarly image, combined with her intellectual and gentle presence, complemented her well. Being someone’s date, it’s important to ensure your image matches theirs.
Serena Li jokingly teased him, “Senior Qi, you’re so good at making girls happy, how come you still broke up with your girlfriend?”
“Oh, women’s hearts are like needles at the bottom of the sea! No matter how capable I am, I can’t keep changing my ways to coax them every day!” As he spoke, he opened the passenger door and let Serena Li get in.
Serena Li knew he was avoiding the main point, so she didn’t press the issue and got into the car.
The banquet was held at a five-star hotel in Pengcheng, next to a vast sea view.
As soon as the two arrived at the entrance of the banquet hall, Alex Qi showed his invitation card and was led into the courtyard-style banquet hall by a greeter.
Serena Li had attended several banquets with her father before, but this was the first time she had attended one of this high-profile ones.
Alex Qi came in with her, he received a phone call. After gesturing to her, he went to a quieter spot by the window to take the call.
Serena Li already has exquisite features, and today she dressed up in an ethereal and otherworldly style, naturally attracting the attention of the men around her. She hadn’t been standing alone for long before someone came over to chat with her.
The man who approached her introduced himself, and Serena Li maintained a slight smile throughout. Just as he was about to get to the point and ask for her contact information, Alex Qi came back, gently put his arm around her waist, and said, “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Upon seeing this, the man who had been trying to pick her up left sheepishly.
“My junior is so pretty today. I was only gone for a short while and someone came up to chat her up!” Alex Qi joked after the man left.
“Didn’t you say everyone at this banquet comes with a partner? How come there aren’t many couples around?” Serena Li ignored his teasing and asked her own question.
“Because there are always people who come to banquets with the idea that they are going to meet someone, and they just want to get to know a beautiful woman like you. Maybe they bought the invitation card at a high price!” Alex Qi was also puzzled, but then he thought about it and realized that everyone here today is a wealthy and famous person, so there must be a lot of people trying to build connections.
At this moment, a strikingly tall man stood in the banquet hall, impeccably dressed in a suit, his dark eyes concealing a sharp and stern look. Victor Mo was talking to someone when he inadvertently noticed Serena Li walking with Alex Qi , and Alex Qi had his arm around her waist.