Met the love during a blind date

Chapter 4 Online to offline

Two days slipped by quietly.

After Sister Yang asked Jiang Xuerong once about how her conversations with the man were going and was casually brushed off by her, she didn't bring up the matter again. It seemed this little episode was about to fade into the past.

After working an extra shift, Jiang Xuerong didn't arrive home until 8 p.m. She was lying on the couch, playing on her phone while wearing a facial mask, when suddenly a message from Xie Mingyu popped up. He said he had brought some glutinous rice cakes made by his grandmother and would be downstairs in about twenty minutes, asking her to come down and get them later.

Jiang Xuerong instinctively declined politely. She had always been unaccustomed to accepting favors from strangers without good reason.

The other side didn't respond to her message. Perhaps he was driving.

Anyway, she didn't want to go downstairs. She was sure he would see the message when he parked. With this thought in mind, she immersed herself in watching a variety show without a care. Just as she was fully engrossed, her phone rang. Jiang Xuerong glanced at it and answered calmly.

“I'm downstairs. Come on down. The license plate number is XXX,” a deep and pleasant voice came through, carrying an implicit sense of insistence.

Jiang Xuerong was astonished by the certainty and matter-of-factness in his tone. Clearly, they didn't know each other well, yet he always spoke as naturally as an old acquaintance.

“Thank you for your kindness. You might not have seen the message I sent earlier. I've already had dinner. You can keep them for yourself,” she said softly.

“I never eat glutinous food,” came the terse reply, followed by silence. Through the phone, she heard the sound of the car engine being turned off.

Jiang Xuerong was left speechless. If you don't eat it, why bring it?

She rolled her eyes, suddenly suspecting that perhaps he didn't even want to spend money on asking her out for a meal. Maybe he was using the pretext of sending glutinous rice cakes to get a look at her.

The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. Being so stingy, no wonder he got divorced.

As she was lost in thought, the voice on the other end said, “It's my grandmother's good will. If you don't want to come down, I'll ask Sister Yang to bring it to you tomorrow.” Jiang Xuerong thought, Do I really have to eat these glutinous rice cakes?

It seemed like the person on the other side was patiently waiting for her to make a decision, not pressuring her at all.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Xuerong casually grabbed a down jacket, put it on, and went downstairs. Judging by his stingy nature, she reckoned this first meeting would probably be the last. The sooner she got rid of him, the better.

Sure enough, Xie Mingyu was waiting patiently in the driver's seat. He had gone to his grandmother's place for dinner that evening. When he saw those white and glutinous rice cakes, on a whim, he decided to bring some to her. He thought she might like them.

A slender figure emerged from the elevator entrance. Wrapped in a thick white down jacket, with a low ponytail, most of her fair and translucent face was hidden in the thick fur collar. Without makeup, she exuded a gentle and homely charm, becoming a bright sight in the dim parking lot.

Xie Mingyu picked up the bag, opened the car door, and got out. Jiang Xuerong approached him at her own unhurried pace.

Without much ado, he handed her the bag. “Don't overindulge in glutinous food. It's not good for your stomach.”

Jiang Xuerong looked up at him suspiciously, trying to figure out what he looked like. How could he be so familiar with her when they were practically strangers?

He was dressed casually. A black hoodie was layered under a military green down jacket. He wore a pair of navy blue jeans and a pair of black Martin boots, effortlessly transcending the dullness and rigidity of an administrative suit.

Jiang Xuerong took a closer look deliberately. He had no signs of baldness or a potbelly. He was tall but not skinny. A pair of simple black-rimmed glasses sat on his straight nose, and the eyes behind the lenses were as dark and bright as spilled ink, as deep as the ocean.

“My friends say I have a bit of a goofy charm, a bit like Lei Jiayin. What do you think?” he asked with a warm smile.

Jiang Xuerong couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, and the words “Ex-husband guy” slipped out involuntarily.

A flash of embarrassment crossed Xie Mingyu's face but disappeared quickly. He cleared his throat and said, “It's cold outside. You should go back.” Jiang Xuerong nodded repeatedly, thanked him for the glutinous rice cakes, and then scurried away like a rabbit into the garage.

Xie Mingyu squinted, watching the woman's retreating figure. Such a gentle and charming girl, yet her words could always leave one speechless. Truly, beautiful roses always come with thorns. He took out a lighter, lit a cigarette, and after taking a few puffs, drove away.

Jiang Xuerong rushed upstairs in one go, stuffed the glutinous rice cakes into the fridge, and casually took off her down jacket. Well, this meeting was quite special. It should be the end of any possible connection, right?

In fact, he had quite good looks. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten divorced when so many people were still single. He got married at a young age, after all.

Life went on as usual. Jiang Xuerong really didn't expect Xie Mingyu to invite her to dinner again. Their connection had seemed to end on the night he sent the glutinous rice cakes. At that time, Lu Xiaoqian was beside her. As soon as she saw the message, she quickly snatched Jiang Xuerong's phone and accepted the invitation on her behalf.

Jiang Xuerong said indifferently, “Whoever accepted it should go.”

Lu Xiaoqian leaned over with a smile. “You two have been chatting on WeChat for a while. Given your sharp tongue that can wound people without you even realizing it, and yet he still persistently invites you to dinner. Do you know what this means?”

Jiang Xuerong batted her beautiful eyes. “It means he's persistent enough?”

“Come on. It means he's taken a fancy to you. You've attracted another romantic entanglement.”

“What does that have to do with agreeing to have dinner with him?”

Under Jiang Xuerong's clear gaze, Lu Xiaoqian scratched her head. “Sister will go with you. I'll definitely help you keep an eye on things.”

Jiang Xuerong gave her a sidelong glance. “You just want to satisfy your own curiosity.”

Lu Xiaoqian held up two fingers. “Helping my sister is the first priority, and satisfying my curiosity is the second. Introducing a divorced man to an unmarried young lady as a blind date is quite a bombshell anywhere. I want to see what gave Sister Yang the courage. Is he as handsome as Pan An or does he have a gold mine at home?”

Jiang Xuerong sighed. “Gossiping isn't wrong, but gossiping about your own sister is.”

Lu Xiaoqian rubbed her hands expectantly. “My gut tells me this is going to be juicy.”

While they were bickering, another message came through. He asked her to choose a restaurant and also inquired whether he should pick her up after work.

“Sure enough, a master player. He wants to show up at the unit even before anything is settled,” Lu Xiaoqian said, her eyes sharp.

Jiang Xuerong replied quickly, “No need. You decide the place. I'll go there myself.” Then she asked if he minded if she brought a friend. Xie Mingyu replied instantly, “Don't mind.” Soon after, he sent an address. It was a newly opened Sichuan restaurant, and he asked if she could handle the food there. Jiang Xuerong replied with an “OK,” and the matter was settled.

Lu Xiaoqian cheerfully took out her makeup tools to touch up her makeup. Jiang Xuerong shook her head slightly and went back to her work.

Just before getting off work, Lu Xiaoqian sent her a message, saying that Brother Dong was coming to City A tonight, so she couldn't go to dinner. Jiang Xuerong rubbed her temples, her urge to throttle someone reaching its peak. When she got to Lu Xiaoqian's workstation, the person had already vanished.

Jiang Xuerong arrived at the restaurant as promised. Xie Mingyu had been waiting for a while. When he saw her, he skillfully poured a glass of lemon water and placed it at her seat. After she took a small sip to moisten her throat, he promptly handed her the menu to order.

Jiang Xuerong still didn't know if he was stingy or not. Not wanting to reject his kindness, she symbolically ordered a classic spicy boiled fish and then passed the menu back.

Xie Mingyu didn't say much. He called the waiter and added four more dishes, a good mix of meat and vegetables. Clearly, he was an experienced diner.

While waiting for the dishes to be served, the atmosphere between them was a bit tense.

Xie Mingyu pondered for a moment and then said, “I was worried you might decline the invitation. I'm really glad you came.” Jiang Xuerong nodded gently, kindly keeping the truth to herself.

Xie Mingyu took the lead in guiding the conversation. He chatted easily, humorously sharing some interesting anecdotes from his work in the township. Gradually, Jiang Xuerong relaxed and occasionally chimed in. The atmosphere grew more pleasant.

Xie Mingyu's voice and eyes were equally captivating. He told stories one after another in a humorous and engaging way, making Jiang Xuerong laugh frequently. With such eloquence, he could probably charm all the magpies off the trees. Thinking this, she mentally labeled him as “dangerous.”

After the meal, Xie Mingyu offered to drive her home.

Jiang Xuerong rummaged through her bag and realized she had left her keys in the office in a hurry that afternoon. Lu Xiaoqian had a spare key to her place, but she was currently having a great time at the KTV with her boyfriend and some friends. Jiang Xuerong didn't want to rush her.

“How about we go to the small pub next door and wait for your friend?” Xie Mingyu suggested at the right moment. Jiang Xuerong stared at him with her innocent almond-shaped eyes and raised her voice slightly, “A pub?”