Qiao Liuyue didn’t hesitate and answered immediately, "I know."
Xie Linchuan pressed further, "So you deliberately booked this restaurant to make me see this."
Qiao Liuyue: "That's right."
Xie Linchuan was both embarrassed and furious, saying, "In that case, why wouldn’t you let me go downstairs and confront her?!"
Qiao Liuyue gave a soft snort.
She spoke slowly, "Because I'm a malicious woman."
Xie Linchuan’s face paled, and he fell silent.
He knew Qiao Liuyue was mocking him—he'd called her scheming and malicious time and again, yet the one being played for a fool was himself.
And the one who had deceived him, hidden things from him, used him, and cheated on him was Dong Jiaoyan.
A long silence followed.
Suddenly, Xie Linchuan stood up and bowed deeply to Qiao Liuyue.
His tone was sincere as he said, "I'm sorry."
"I apologize for my previous rashness and arrogance. Chu Xubai was right—I was blind."
Zheng Qingyuan muttered under his breath, "You’re still an idiot."
Luckily, only Qiao Liuyue beside him heard it.
If Xie Linchuan, that volatile firecracker, had caught those words, he might have charged at him.
Qiao Liuyue nodded leisurely.
"I’ll accept your apology for now."
"But... Xie Linchuan, your time today belongs to me, so I’m still not letting you go downstairs to find Dong Jiaoyan."
"As for after today, how you want to argue or make a scene, that’s your business."
Xie Linchuan took a deep breath.
He glanced again through the window at Dong Jiaoyan chatting happily with the dark-skinned athletic guy across from her, then looked away and said, "Fine."
The atmosphere in the room fell silent for a moment.
The waiter broke the stillness by entering to serve the dishes. Smiling, he said, "Here are the three Valentine’s Day special Sweetheart Jasmine Rose Milk Teas you ordered. Wishing you all sweetness and a long-lasting bond."
"If you return to dine with us next year, you’ll get a 10% discount coupon."
He placed a coupon for next Valentine’s Day on the table, executed his tasks with standard precision and professionalism, then quietly withdrew.
Leaving the three in the private room to sink into silence once more.
It was Zheng Qingyuan who finally spoke, "What’s wrong with his eyes?! What sweetness is there among the three of us?"
Qiao Liuyue curled the corners of her mouth.
As she picked up a straw, Zheng Qingyuan eagerly offered, "Let me help you with that."
"No need."
Qiao Liuyue pulled back, then suddenly seemed to think of something and pointed at Xie Linchuan.
"You, put the straw into the milk tea for me."
Xie Linchuan initially wanted to say, "Can’t you do such a simple thing yourself?"
But then he thought, oh, right—today he was Qiao Liuyue’s dog.
So doing things for her was only fitting.
He stood up dejectedly and walked over to her. The moment he leaned in, a pleasant floral scent reached his nose.
He subconsciously glanced at her.
He saw the pearlescent earring by Qiao Liuyue’s ear gleaming softly, and the delicate skin of her neck shimmering under the light.
As if scalded, Xie Linchuan quickly averted his gaze.
Distractedly, he poked a couple of times before successfully piercing the straw into the milk tea cup.
Zheng Qingyuan watched with evident envy, glaring at Xie Linchuan as if he wanted to kill him.
Then, the next second—
"Have a drink."
He saw Qiao Liuyue push the milk tea Xie Linchuan had just prepared over to herself.
Zheng Qingyuan immediately beamed, took a delighted sip, and said, "Delicious."
Meanwhile, Qiao Liuyue handed out a second cup of milk tea and ordered, "Keep going."
Xie Linchuan let out a sigh of lament.
He dutifully stabbed the straw into the second cup.
Qiao Liuyue then passed the milk tea to Zheng Qingyuan. "Drink up."
Zheng Qingyuan’s eyes crinkled with joy as he nodded repeatedly, "Mhm, mhm."
By the time Xie Linchuan resignedly finished piercing the third cup of milk tea.
His feelings were mixed.
His online girlfriend was having a date on the restaurant’s first floor with a dark-skinned jock, and he didn’t dare go confront her.
Instead, he was stuck in a private room catering to his girlfriend’s best friend and her Neighbor Brother, serving as a bright third wheel and toolman.
And of these three cold milk teas—
Neighbor Brother got two cups, Qiao Liuyue had one, and he was purely the straw-stabbing tool.
Remember, he had gone straight from the airport to the restaurant by taxi, not even having had a sip of water yet.
Just when Xie Linchuan felt utterly hopeless, thinking the world was too terrible and today couldn’t get worse—
Qiao Liuyue pushed the third milk tea cup he had just prepared in front of him, saying naturally, "You drink this."
"Huh? Huh? Huh?" Xie Linchuan let out three confused sounds, still processing.
Three cups in total. Two had gone to Neighbor Brother.
Shouldn’t the last one be Qiao Liuyue’s?
Why was it for him?!
Xie Linchuan was dumbfounded.
Qiao Liuyue raised an eyebrow and said casually, "The milk tea is too sweet for me—I’m watching my sugar intake. Are you drinking it or not?"
"Drink, drink, drink!" Afraid she might change her mind, Xie Linchuan quickly took the milk tea and took a big gulp.
The icy-cold texture and the tangy-sweet taste flooded his throat.
For a moment, his mood brightened considerably.
Sure enough, sweets cured worries.
Xie Linchuan sipped his milk tea while surreptitiously observing Qiao Liuyue.
He thought to himself: She didn’t seem so bad after all. At least, she left me a cup of milk tea.
Just as Xie Linchuan’s mood eased, Zheng Qingyuan got worked up, his eyes widening. "Why give it to him?"
"Liuyue, if you’re watching your sugar, I can drink it!"
Qiao Liuyue glanced at the two cups in front of him. "Isn’t two cups enough?"
Zheng Qingyuan lifted his chin, shot Xie Linchuan a cold snort, then slowly turned to her and said, "It’s hot today, and I’m really thirsty. Three cups wouldn’t be too much for me."
Qiao Liuyue found it hard to watch.
Red Envelope Bro, don’t be so childish, okay.
"Then how about I call the waiter to bring you another?"
Zheng Qingyuan shook his head, pursed his lips, and said, "No need." After a pause, he added, "You’re watching your sugar? Then I’ll watch mine today too."
Xie Linchuan sat across from them, watching a grown man act so melodramatic.
He couldn’t stand it.
Goosebumps fell all over.
And, going by his sharp intuition, this so-called Neighbor Brother likely had feelings for Qiao Liuyue.
As for Qiao Liuyue—
Did she know?
Just as he was staring intently at Qiao Liuyue, she sensed his gaze, turned her head, and met Xie Linchuan’s eyes.
Their eyes locked.
Caught red-handed, Xie Linchuan feeling awkwardly glanced away.
Still sipping his milk tea, he was so startled he coughed a few times, nearly choking.
