Chapter 27: I Am Su Ruoyun

Seeing Su Ruoyun unable to conceal her surprise, the words at the corner of his mouth turned around; Huo Jingcheng altered his reply on the spot, made a small excuse, his eyebrows slightly lifted, his tone also full of uncontainable doubt, "Yun Lao ban?"

Su Ruoyun stayed where she was, not proceeding further inside; her gaze swept the surroundings. The private room was simply arranged, visible in a single glance, and in the vast space she did not notice a third person. This realization forced her to grit her teeth and step forward.

When they reached the round table, Huo Jingcheng rose at an unhurried pace, his posture erect, wearing a simple fitted white shirt, a belt at his waist that effortlessly outlined his broad shoulders and narrow waist, his voice gentle as he asked, "Yun Lao ban, are you here for a blind date?"

Su Ruoyun's mind was still a tangled mess, she hadn't grasped the situation at all, full of confusion; the person who should have been in the private room was the second young master of the Chen family, Chen Zheyan, so why was it Huo Jingcheng?

Facing Huo Jingcheng's question, she shook her head and answered honestly, "No, I just came to have a meal and clear things up."

She was only attending the meal today with a perfunctory attitude, so Su Ruoyun didn't put much effort into her attire.

Her outfit was simple: a white T‑shirt, a well‑tailored apricot‑colored blazer paired with light‑blue jeans, and board shoes on her feet; clean and fresh, with a touch of competence. Her thick black hair was casually tied into a low bun, and a small strand of playful fine hair dangled by her ear.

Compared with her simple attire, Huo Jingcheng…

Su Ruoyun thought, glancing up and down carelessly, as if she seemed a bit… a tease.

She couldn't help but ask, "Why… are you here?"

Huo Jingcheng didn't rush to answer her question; instead, he courteously lifted his hand to pull out a chair for Su Ruoyun, "Zheyan said he has a sudden commitment tonight and can't leave, so he asked me to come over."

Su Ruoyun nodded, her five fingers gripping her phone tightening slightly, and tentatively began, "Then… shall we… each go back to our own homes?"

Before she could finish the last four words, Huo Jingcheng had already pressed the bell, summoning a waiter.

The waiter waited at the door; because she entered, Su Ruoyun missed the best moment to speak and was forced to take a seat.

Huo Jingcheng gestured for the waiter to come to Su Ruoyun's side, letting her order first.

Su Ruoyun glanced at the menu, symbolically ordered a few dishes, and pushed the menu toward Huo Jingcheng; after Huo Jingcheng ordered a few more dishes, the waiter took the menu and the ordering tablet out.

Perhaps because the staff knew their identities, the dishes arrived quickly; after the orders were placed, appetizers of bread were served, and shortly after, the waiter pushed a food cart in.

They ordered Spanish specialties—seafood paella, Madrid‑style sautéed mushrooms, Madrid‑style braised tripe, shrimp marinated in olive oil…

The signature seafood paella was garnished with Argentine red shrimp and purple clams; the server wore disposable gloves and helped peel the shrimp shells.

Both ate graciously and behaved elegantly.

Halfway through the meal, Su Ruoyun speared the peeled shrimp with a silver fork, the shrimp springy and tender, and casually asked, "Aren't you curious about me?"

"Curious."

After saying that, Huo Jingcheng took the towel at hand and leisurely wiped his sauce‑stained fingers, then added, "But whether I speak or not is up to you."

In fact, there was nothing particularly unspeakable about it.

The silver fork mangled the shrimp, and Su Ruoyun finally spoke slowly, "My name is Su Ruoyun, I am of the Su family."

Just one sentence, no more, enough to state her identity.

"Ruoyun?" Huo Jingcheng repeated silently, then slightly raised an eyebrow, instantly realizing, his long lashes casting a deep shadow on his eyelid, his voice lowered a bit, with a hint of uncertainty: "Xiaozhuzi?"

The two sat close, and that relaxed, Beijing‑accented male voice drifted into Su Ruoyun's ears.

Her childhood nickname was suddenly spoken by a foreign man, and the silver fork scraped lightly across the plate, producing a harsh scraping sound.

Whether he truly knew her nickname or merely associated the word "yun" with bamboo, Su Ruoyun couldn't help blushing.

She lifted the glass of red wine and took a light sip; fortunately, the waiter arrived with the dessert, bringing it into the private room in time, easing Su Ruoyun's embarrassment.

The dessert was yuzu cheesecake; the cheesecake melted in the mouth, its texture lingering, the yuzu flavor fresh and refined, paired with a silky vanilla ice‑cream scoop, utterly delicious.

Sweets promote dopamine release, making people feel happy; after finishing a slice of cake, Su Ruoyun felt considerably happier.

The night was warm, and the ornate lights just rose.

Not wanting to leave right after the meal, Su Ruoyun strolled with Huo Jingcheng through the courtyard, calling it "dispelling the wine's lingering scent," the two walking side by side.

The wall‑mounted lamps around them lit up, the light diffusing a clear warm glow, enough to see the path beneath their feet; the amber light draped over them like a thin layer of pale gold silk, creating a halo of light.

Su Ruoyun had been focusing on the stone‑paved path beneath her feet, when she idly lifted her gaze, looked around, and the next second, her steps abruptly halted.

Beyond the swaying bamboo shadows, she suddenly caught sight of two people standing in a pavilion not far away—a woman she knew, and a man she also recognized.

Su Ruoyun hurried forward, reaching out and grabbing Huo Jingcheng's forearm.

She pulled with great force, yanking him back in an instant, and then…

The two collided head‑on.

Huo Jingcheng was caught off guard as someone dragged him from behind, then pulled him backward; he turned around, and Su Ruoyun fell straight into his arms.

The toe of her board shoes struck his leather shoes, and her jeans brushed the cool, silky fabric of his suit pants, producing a rustling sound.

Her nose tip pressed against the man's firm shoulder, a sudden ache rose, and tears welled at the corner of her eyes.

When her awareness returned, realizing she was too close to Huo Jingcheng, Su Ruoyun raised her hand, roughly wiping the tear at the corner of her eye with her thumb, and instinctively stepped back.

Perhaps misfortune compounded, her heel struck a stone; her right foot slipped, she lost balance, her body swayed back and forth, and just as she seemed about to fall, a long arm reached out from the air.

The man's hand, with clearly defined knuckles, easily clasped Su Ruoyun's wrist.

His warm palm pressed firmly against her slender inner wrist; his long fingers fit the delicate skin perfectly, the thinly calloused pads lightly grazing the raised pale‑blue veins.

The sensation, like a feather brushing, sent a tingling numbness spreading from the point of contact, causing Su Ruoyun's heartbeat to suddenly quicken.

Tomorrow the results will be released; the update will be a bit delayed, both updates should be in the evening.