At the entrance of the darkly decorated AmbréCiel Po Restaurant, Chen He kept looking around, feeling slightly impatient.
It had been several minutes past the agreed time; why hadn’t Zhou Wang arrived yet?
Behind him, wearing a white shirt and a JK skirt, with skin as delicate as porcelain and drawing the attention of passers-by, Ji Xiaoxi was also slightly bowing her head, feeling complicated.
Was Chen He crazy?
How could he ask Zhou Wang to dinner together...
When she heard Chen He say this in the car, Ji Xiaoxi wondered if she had misheard.
Her first reaction was to refuse, but she didn’t know how to say it.
After all, from Chen He’s perspective, he didn’t know what had happened between her and Zhou Wang.
Regarding Zhou Wang, Ji Xiaoxi had initially been a bit hesitant, until her good friend Hua Suisui ended her contract with the company and shared her thoughts, making Ji Xiaoxi realize that she and Zhou Wang were simply impossible.
How could a girl still longing for beautiful love and a happy marriage accept her boyfriend having another woman?
After realizing Zhou Wang’s "jerk" nature, Ji Xiaoxi had been adjusting her mood for the past few days, even following her father in a few prayers to purify her spirit.
She hadn’t really been paying attention to Chen He these days, and today, with a slightly better mood, she decided to visit the company and also meet her boyfriend Chen He, as a way to make up for the recent neglect.
Who could have expected such an accident...
Why didn’t Zhou Wang refuse either?
Did he still want...
Ji Xiaoxi’s breathing became slightly rapid, and her fingers unconsciously tightened on her skirt. After days of praying, the images she thought had faded suddenly surged back at this moment.
"You must get rid of all filth and surplus evil and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls..."
Ji Xiaoxi silently recited the Chapter from the scriptures, gradually calming down.
It was just a meal, nothing more, and last time she was the one who got drunk, so as long as she didn’t drink, nothing would happen...
Thinking this, Ji Xiaoxi gradually settled.
"Mr. Zhou, over here!"
At this moment, Chen He’s enthusiastic greeting rang in her ears, and Ji Xiaoxi instinctively looked up to see Zhou Wang walking over with unhurried steps.
In the summer evening breeze, the young man in simple casual wear had a slightly lazy demeanor, but it didn’t give off any frivolous feeling. Instead, he seemed more like a lion leisurely strolling on its territory, with an invisible aura almost like a manga protagonist making an entrance.
Ji Xiaoxi actually found it strange too. Clearly, when comparing the two, model Chen He should outshine Zhou Wang in both looks and height, but at this moment, Chen He paled in comparison.
Ji Xiaoxi believed that probably more than 90% of girls, faced with the two of them, would only choose Zhou Wang...
Perhaps it was because of Chen He’s slightly humble demeanor, disrupting the cool and aloof aura he should have had, making the contrast more evident.
Ji Xiaoxi wanted to remind Chen He that he didn’t need to treat Zhou Wang like this, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
After all, in Ji Xiaoxi’s understanding, Chen He was only being polite to Zhou Wang because Zhou was a shareholder of Wuyou Media, thinking it was for her own good...
Lost in her thoughts, Zhou Wang had already approached.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Not at all, we just got here too... Xiaoxi?"
Chen He finished speaking with a smile and, noticing Ji Xiaoxi’s lack of response, called out in confusion.
"Hello, Mr. Zhou."
Ji Xiaoxi snapped back to reality, forced a smile, and greeted Zhou Wang.
Great, back to calling him Mr. Zhou...
Zhou Wang didn’t mind, nodded at her, and then smiled at Chen He, "Shall we go in?"
"Of course, Mr. Zhou, please this way!"
Chen He quickly guided them eagerly, walking inside the restaurant where a server had already come to greet them.
"Welcome to Po Restaurant, do you have a reservation?"
"Yes..."
After verification, the server pressed a button on a nearby column, opening the door for the three of them, and another attendant came over to lead them inside.
This restaurant was indeed different from traditional Western restaurants. The entrance featured a highly technological moon projection, perhaps with some metaverse elements, though Zhou Wang wasn’t quite sure.
Passing through the hallway adorned with various honors, upon entering the main hall, Zhou Wang’s first thought was... this restaurant was really dark.
The kind of visual darkness... dark tones were used to the extreme, with only the tables’ surfaces illuminated by pendant lamps above, making it hard to even see people’s silhouettes clearly in other areas.
"Such a design is meant to give diners a stronger sense of privacy while eating..."
The leading attendant explained seriously.
"This bottle of wine must be very expensive; is that why it’s displayed here?"
Upon reaching a dedicated platform displaying a bottle of XO brandy, Chen He curiously asked and seemed to want to reach out to touch it.
"This 6-liter bottle of XO is a master collector’s edition created by renowned architectural designer Frank Gehry at the invitation of Hennessy, in collaboration with Baccarat Crystal, priced at 1.8 million RMB..."
As the attendant introduced with a smile, Chen He withdrew his hand as if he’d been electrocuted, looking somewhat incredulous.
"This wine costs 1.8 million?"
"Yes, globally limited to 30 bottles."
The attendant, unsurprised by Chen He’s reaction, simply smiled and nodded.
Ji Xiaoxi was also a bit stunned. Everyone had heard of wine costing tens of thousands, but a million-dollar bottle was something people, let alone seeing it in person, couldn’t easily even hear about.