About half an hour later, Shi Wei arrived at his destination and was led to his exclusive room on the second floor by the manager.
Galaxy is a Chinese restaurant. Its elegant and understated environment is secondary; what attracts people the most are the chefs here, all graduates of prestigious schools, whose innovative and unique dishes are not only exquisite in taste but also unparalleled.
There are many diners who come here for its fame, and if you don't book in advance, you might not get a meal even if you wait at the door for half a month.
Shi Wei sat facing the door, leaning against the back of the chair, occasionally glancing at his watch.
The emotions in his eyes were somewhat urgent, somewhat expectant, but there was no impatience at all.
After he finished a cup of tea, the door was promptly pushed open.
Yu Zhi wore a denim jacket over a white T-shirt, her sleeves slightly rolled up to reveal her fair, jade-like forearms. Her long, straight legs stepped through the reflection of the chandelier as she walked in leisurely.
She gently lifted her gaze, and beneath her long, dark lashes, her apricot eyes resembled a lake shrouded in a thin mist, shimmering and mesmerizing.
Shi Wei gazed into her eyes and momentarily lost his focus, his hand holding the water cup paused involuntarily.
The two of them locked eyes silently, and after a moment, Shi Wei coughed lightly, awkwardly shifting his gaze away.
The dining table in the room was a large round table made of mahogany, with about five or six chairs around it.
Yu Zhi was about to walk to the seat opposite him when he spoke up, "Sit here."
Shi Wei pointed to the seat beside him, his eyes flickering with a hint of unnaturalness, but he quickly concealed it.
Yu Zhi lightly acknowledged, casually tossing her backpack aside, and turned to look at him, "Have you ordered yet?"
"No."
Shi Wei poured her a cup of tea and handed over the tablet, "See what you want to eat."
"Alright."
Yu Zhi lit up the tablet, opened the menu, and flipped through the pictures one by one.
When she lowered her head, her profile appeared much softer, her long lashes fluttered slightly, casting a beguiling shadow under her eyes.
After choosing two dishes, Yu Zhi inched closer to Shi Wei with the tablet in her hand.
As she unintentionally lifted her gaze, their eyes met once again.
Within Shi Wei's deep, dark eyes, her image was vividly reflected, as if she was the only light in his world.
The air quieted, breathing seemed to resonate in their ears, mixed with his heartbeat, stirring up emotions.
"Can you handle spicy food?"
Yu Zhi's sudden question broke the somewhat ambiguous atmosphere.
"I can."
Catching himself, Shi Wei swallowed, quickly gulping down a large mouthful of tea in an attempt to calm himself.
He subtly shifted his posture, seemingly trying to create some distance between them.
But Yu Zhi, instead, moved closer to him, leaning her head and letting her shoulder brush against his arm, "Are you allergic to seafood?"
"No, I'm not."
"Shall we get this one?"
"Sure."
"And this?"
"..."
Just a simple process of ordering food left Shi Wei's palm slightly sweaty.
When she turned her body back, he breathed a complete sigh of relief.
Yet a few seconds later, he felt a faint sense of loss.
Shi Wei sneered at himself, not knowing when he became so conflicted.
"Grumble——"
A low sound reached his ear, pulling Shi Wei's wandering thoughts back.
He raised an eyebrow and turned his head, a slight smile in his eyes, "Hungry?"
Yu Zhi, a little embarrassed, covered her stomach and slightly pursed her lips, "Yeah, just a little bit."
Those pictures were just too appetizing, she was indeed a bit tempted.
Shi Wei quickly picked up the tablet, sent out a message, and ordered a few snacks.
"Hold on a little longer, the food here comes out quickly." There was an imperceptible tenderness in his voice.
Seeing the girl nod obediently, for a moment he even wanted to reach out and pat her head.
But reason restrained him.
Shi Wei was right, in less than ten minutes, two waiters wheeled in a cart with three dishes and two desserts.
From the moment they entered, Yu Zhi was fixated on the tantalizing food.
The rich aroma wafted through the air like little hooks, tightly capturing the taste buds.
Seeing her longing, Shi Wei chuckled lightly, "Go ahead and eat."
Yu Zhi nodded gently and reached out for the plate of sweet and sour fish.
As soon as she put it in her mouth, she seemed to be slightly scalded and parted her lips slightly, raising her left hand to fan herself.
At that moment, a hand with distinct joints holding a water cup appeared in her view.
Shi Wei's attentive gesture made Yu Zhi's fondness for him increase a bit more.
She turned her head, smiling, and her eyes rippled, "Thank you."
Her smile seemed to drain all the colors from the mountains and rivers.
Shi Wei was stunned for a moment, then quickly turned away, his knuckles on the chopstick slightly curling.
The two of them ate in silence, neither speaking again.
One was captivated by the food while the other focused all his attention on the person captivated by the food.
In just one meal, Shi Wei already figured out her eating habits.
She loves fish, ribs, corn... enjoys both spicy and sweet flavors.
She's not picky, an easy-going girl to feed.
"I'll go settle the bill, wait here for a moment." Yu Zhi grabbed her phone and stood up from her seat.
"Okay." Shi Wei didn't decline; he didn't want to refuse the girl's goodwill.
It's a give-and-take; she treats him this time, and next time he can return the favor.
**
As night fell and the streetlights lit up.
Shi Wei held the steering wheel with one hand, glanced at the rearview mirror, then took a turn.
His movements were smooth and fluid, and his radiant, slender hand was particularly attractive.
Yu Zhi had a thing for hands and since he put his hand on the steering wheel, her eyes hadn't left it.
While waiting for the traffic light, Shi Wei turned his head, "A new movie came out recently, pretty good, want to see it?"
Logically, after dinner, he should send her home, but he didn't want to.
Shi Wei closely watched the girl, as if he didn't want to miss any expression on her face.
"Watch a movie?"
Yu Zhi raised her brows, and just when he thought she might refuse, she said, "Okay."
Since there's no class tomorrow and she doesn't mind being with him, watching a movie together isn't a big deal.
Shi Wei breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze becoming softer. He noticed a lock of hair hanging by her temple and instinctively tucked it behind her ear.
Their distance was so close that from outside the car, it seemed as if they were having a moment of intimacy.
After completing the action, Shi Wei realized he might have been too abrupt.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to."
His voice was a bit hoarse, like a sound emerging from the depths of his throat, deep and sexy like a cello.