As that idea rose in Wang Haoran’s mind, he felt an eager itch, the kind that made him want to test it immediately. If he openly won Mu Nanzhi over, Qin Fan would definitely feel sour, but it did not necessarily mean Qin Fan would secretly move against him.
When it came to Mu Nanzhi, he was also getting protagonist treatment, and with the invisible boost from his own Villain Halo, it would not be that easy for something to go wrong.
Besides, his current combat power was not low either. He might not be able to beat Qin Fan, but he was not so weak that he could be pushed around without consequences.
On top of that, Qin Fan still needed his help if he wanted Dantai Yaoyue to forgive him, so Qin Fan could not easily afford to offend him right now. After sorting through all of this, Wang Haoran’s worries faded almost completely, and the plan in his heart settled firmly into place.
When Qin Fan saw Wang Haoran stay quiet for a while, he assumed the kid felt shy, so he laughed loudly and teased him. “What’s wrong? I’m basically your matchmaker here. Are you not welcoming me?”
“Of course I am,” Wang Haoran replied, putting on an awkward tone, while laughing to himself inside.
They separated for the moment, and Wang Haoran and Qin Fan each headed to their own private room. Not long after they entered the restaurant, a Porsche drove up outside and stopped by the road. Mu Nanzhi stepped out of the car, and the one driving was Bian Suwen.
The Porsche belonged to Ji Shuiyao. After her recent accident, when she was still new to driving, she felt shaken and did not dare drive anymore, so Bian Suwen usually took this car whenever she needed to go out. When Mu Nanzhi said she was going to dinner, Bian Suwen excitedly insisted on being her driver.
Bian Suwen lowered the window from the driver’s seat, then gave Mu Nanzhi an encouraging look and smiled with playful teasing. “Go on, take down that Xu Xian.”
After asking a staff member, she quickly found her way to the private room where Wang Haoran was waiting. Mu Nanzhi lifted a few strands of hair that had fallen against her soft, pale cheek, then took a small breath to steady herself before pushing the door open and walking in.
“Miss Bai, please sit,” Wang Haoran said with a smile as he pulled out the chair across from him and made a polite, inviting gesture.
Hearing him call her Miss Bai, Mu Nanzhi froze for a moment, then quickly understood and sat down in the chair he offered. She gave him a slightly stiff but sweet smile, then played along softly. “Thank you, Young Master Xu.”
At that moment, a female server entered and handed them the menu.
“What would you two like to order?” Wang Haoran gestured toward Mu Nanzhi, letting her order first.
Mu Nanzhi did not refuse and took the menu with calm, proper manners. Her slender fingers flipped through the pages as her eyes scanned the options, and she ordered a steamed turbot and a seasonal vegetable dish. Then she handed the menu back to Wang Haoran.
Wang Haoran did not even look at it. The two dishes Mu Nanzhi chose were cheap, at least compared to the rest of this restaurant’s menu. Of course, cheap was only relative here, because this place was not cheap at all. Even if you picked the lower-priced dishes, you still would not get out of here without spending at least a couple thousand.
“Do you have any signature dishes you recommend?” Wang Haoran asked as he closed the menu and looked at the server.
“Sir, you can try our Mandarin Duck Stew,” the server said enthusiastically. “It’s one of our signature dishes, and lots of couples who come here order it.”
Wang Haoran smiled.
He could see the menu clearly even without looking, and he knew exactly what the signature dishes were. The reason he asked the server instead of ordering directly was simple: he wanted her to say that line about couples.
After hearing it, Mu Nanzhi’s pride and reserve made her part her lips, wanting to explain that they were not a couple, but before she could speak, Wang Haoran casually cut in. “Then we’ll take one Mandarin Duck Stew.”
“Yes, sir,” the server replied happily, clearly assuming they really were a couple. She proceeded to recommend several other dishes that were popular with couples, and Wang Haoran ordered them all without hesitation.
Mu Nanzhi quickly raised her voice, worried it would be too much. “That’s enough, that’s enough, we won’t finish all that.”
“Let’s start with these first,” Wang Haoran said smoothly. “If it’s not enough, we can order more later.”
The server entered the orders into her device and sent them to the kitchen, then she looked at the handsome man and beautiful woman in front of her and could not help speaking with a smile. “Sir, you treat your girlfriend really well.”
Mu Nanzhi’s cheeks instantly flushed bright red. She lowered her head slightly and pressed her lips together, saying nothing, which felt like a quiet acceptance rather than a denial.
Wang Haoran silently praised the server for being smart and handed her a generous tip.
The server became even more delighted and said a few more sweet blessings before leaving, giving them private space. Mu Nanzhi looked shy and flustered, her cheeks red, and her eyes glossy and bright, making her look dangerously alluring.
Wang Haoran stared at her without hiding it.
Mu Nanzhi quickly avoided his gaze and touched her cheek, only to feel how hot her skin had become. The atmosphere in the room quietly turned more intimate, as if the air itself carried a soft and lingering warmth.
“Miss Bai, are you feeling unwell?” Wang Haoran suddenly asked, breaking the silence with a teasing smile.
“No, no, I’m not unwell,” Mu Nanzhi said quickly, shaking her head as she forced herself to calm down, afraid she would embarrass herself.
“That’s good,” Wang Haoran said, putting a hand to his chest like he was frightened. “I thought you were about to reveal your true form and turn into a snake demon.”
Mu Nanzhi’s awkwardness immediately eased, and the mood lightened as she laughed and played along. “I reveal my true form depending on my mood, so I might suddenly do it. Young Master Xu should be prepared.”
“Miss Bai really should not,” Wang Haoran said, his tone growing bolder and more daring. “If you scare me to death, who will you marry later?”
Mu Nanzhi had never traded jokes like this before, so she panicked a little and felt overwhelmed, as if she could not keep up. “Stop joking,” she said quickly. “I’m not Bai Suzhen, and you’re not Xu Xian.”
“You’re right,” Wang Haoran said with a gentle smile. “But there’s one thing Xu Xian and I have in common.”
“What is it?” Mu Nanzhi asked, curiosity rising despite herself.
“It’s that after meeting a woman on a bridge after the rain,” Wang Haoran said slowly, clearly implying something. “I ended up liking her so much.”
Mu Nanzhi was not foolish, so how could she miss what he meant. Joy burst in her heart, yet worry rose alongside it, and those two emotions tangled together, making her feel uncertain and restless.
“So what should I do now?” Wang Haoran asked as he looked straight at her.
If he had not run into Qin Fan, he would not have pushed things this quickly. However, Qin Fan’s curiosity was too strong, and he insisted on coming to look, so Wang Haoran decided to hit him hard and launch a direct offensive.
She desperately wanted to say that she felt the same, that she also liked him in a way that she could not control. Yet her heart carried a hidden fear, so she did not answer directly and instead tested him softly. “Aren’t you going to ask if I’ve had any relationship experience before?”
Wang Haoran was puzzled by the intention behind Mu Nanzhi’s words, but he did not go along with it and ask about her past romantic experiences. Asking something like that would have been outright foolish.
Besides, the most important thing about Mu Nanzhi had already been taken by him, so what meaning was there in asking about her emotional history?
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