The weather today is actually quite nice, with blue skies and white clouds, and every so often, a light breeze. The temperature is just right, even the coffee in front of me is neither too hot nor too cold.
Lin Qing sat by the window, slowly stirring her coffee with a spoon. Everything is wonderful, she thought to herself…
If not for the man sitting in front of her.
"My name is Chen Ruhui, I work at a bank, and I am 28 years old. I don't demand much from a wife, I only wish she respects and takes care of our parents and has a casual job. Miss Lin, you work as an editor, so I assume it's not too hectic of a job?"
He goes straight to the point, his pace is pretty fast...
Lin Qing tried to hold her smile up, "It's okay, I do need to work overtime when there's a rush."
Chen Ruhui frowned a bit, clicked his tongue disapprovingly, "Miss Lin, you are 27 and still unmarried, so I assume you might be anxious. After getting married, our family should come first. If it's possible to avoid overtime, then avoid it. If you're home early, you can help out my mother with household chores and share her burden. Of course, we will definitely live with my parents. My mother is very nice, she can teach you a lot about life. Once we have a baby, she can also help with childcare… As for the money, I think we are still young, Miss Lin, you could consider giving your salary to my mother for safekeeping, and we can try to live frugally...."
Lin Qing rubbed her nose.
She had been lost in thought for a moment, and suddenly they were discussing after marriage chores, raising children and handing over her salary. His demands are becoming increasingly bizarre.
"Mr. Chen," she chuckled awkwardly, trying to speak in a more gentle tone,"Why don't you order something? We can talk over the meal?"
The server quickly presented the menu, halting Chen Ruhui's lengthy monologue.
However, after ten minutes passed, she found Chen Ruhui seemed undecided, engrossed in the menu.
The cafe's menu has just a few pages, with items like coffee, desserts, and some simple Western dishes. She really couldn't understand why he was flipping back and forth so much.
After what seemed an eternity, he looked up and smiled at her, "Is there anything else you want to order, Miss Lin?"
Lin Qing selected a mango pancake from the menu, about to look down again when the menu was snatched out of her hands. Surprised, she looked at his awkward grin as he nodded to the serving staff, saying we're ready to order.
She had rushed over without eating and originally planned to order some food. But she didn't voice it, after all, this was their first meeting, and this blind date was someone she was not very familiar with.
The waiter seemed quite surprised too, "Mr. Chen, aren't you ordering anything?"
Chen Ruohui pointed to the lemon water in front of him used as an appetizer and asked, "Is this free?"
The waiter was taken aback for a moment before nodding, "The lemon water is complimentary."
Chen Ruohui sighed in relief, rubbing his hands saying, "Then, could you please refill my glass with this free lemon water?"
He even intentionally emphasized the word 'free'.
Lin Qing looked at the waiter whose face was twitching and tried her best to bow her head. She herself didn't know what to say; at this moment, she truly hoped no one recognized her.
Chen Ruohui continued his topic, "Miss Lin, I hope you won't come to such expensive cafes anymore, I need a frugal and householding wife, you'd better go home and learn some house chores. It's not easy for you to have remained unwed at this age. As long as you listen to me, I don't mind marrying you..."
"...Enough!"
Lin Qing stood up from her seat, unable to hold back her frustrated gaze on Chen Ruohui, "Mr. Chen, are you done speaking?"
"Not yet, what's the hurry? Sit down first." Chen Ruohui vaguely sensed Lin Qing's displeasure, but thought, what did a leftover woman have to boast about, wasn't she just waiting here for him to choose from?
Considering her good looks and decent job, if he mercifully married her, she should be grateful.
So, puffing out his chest proudly, he said, "I have one last question, Miss Lin, are you a virgin?" He appraised Lin Qing from top to bottom as he spoke, "If you are, I might consider making you worthy of marrying me."
Lin Qing was indeed furious.
"Whether I am a virgin or not has nothing to do with you, sir. If I am, it's not up to you, and if I'm not, it's not because of you."
She slammed her hand on the table and stood up suddenly, only realizing that she had raised her voice when she saw everyone in the café turn to look at her direction. Luckily, the dim lighting probably made it hard for them to see her face. She picked up her handbag from the side and was about to leave.
"Wait!" Chen Ruhui stopped her, "...Your mango pancake has not been served yet."
Lin Qing shrugged off his hand: "You eat it."
Chen Ruhui said, "I don't eat that, you ordered it. You can leave, but at least pay for your order."
Lin Qing was dumbstruck.
She really met an unusual man today; doing haggling over a cup of coffee and a dessert, which cost less than a hundred yuan. Without a second word, she reached for the zipper of her purse, but a hand reached out from inside and gently held her back.
Lin Qing instinctively lowered her head, and the hand on her shoulder was a man's hand, with distinct joints, slender but powerful. Then the man took a hundred yuan from a wallet with a soft leather sheen and placed it on the table.
"Sir, she's the woman you are planning to marry, and you cannot give her a hundred yuan?" There was a teasing tone in the man's voice.
