Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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Zhai Xingchen felt that a relationship should look like a relationship, and there should be reciprocity, so he gave Pei Xu the deer bark painting he had made.
Pei Xu smiled and said, “I’ll put it on my bedside table when I get home.”
Zhai Xingchen was a little embarrassed.
He felt that Pei Xu’s strength lay in the fact that, in fact, the love he expressed was not in his words, but in his actions, and actions was no less than that expressed by Hu Ying and the others. However, perhaps because he was a more reserved person, he appeared more peaceful and less oppressive. He was also not overly enthusiastic; whether it was physical contact or eye contact, it was all very brief, creating a natural and restrained feeling.
Is this the personal trait of the male protagonist in Jinjiang novels?
But the rose painting he made was really beautiful.
It had a simple yet exquisite feel, small and delicate, which he really loved.
He had watched countless dating shows, with all sorts of dates and DIY crafts being commonplace. When he first entered the workshop, his opinion of Pei Xu’s choice of date location was that it was just average. He thought that whatever they did would be within his expectations.
But he didn’t expect Pei Xu to be so thoughtful.
He was so willing to put in so much effort.
After finishing their bark painting, it was almost lunchtime. As they were leaving, the shop owner suddenly approached them and asked, “Could you two please have a photo taken? Many customers have taken photos with us in our shop, which we display on the photo wall next to us. You two are so handsome, could you please take a photo with us?”
Pei Xu then looked at Zhai Xingchen.
Zhai Xingchen said, “No problem.”
When they arrived at the photo wall, Zhai Xingchen noticed that almost all the people taking photos there were couples— male-male, male-female, and female-female— covering the entire wall.
“Could you two move a little closer?” the boss asked with a smile.
Pei Xu moved a little closer to Zhai Xingchen.
“Are you two friends?” the boss asked.
“Yes,” Zhai Xingchen replied.
“Friends shouldn’t be so formal,” the boss said. “You can get a little closer, be more natural, put your arm around his shoulder or something.”
Zhai Xingchen laughed.
Then he felt Pei Xu reach out and put his arm around his shoulder.
Zhai Xingchen didn’t move; but his face was burning.
He only felt Pei Xu’s large hand grab his entire shoulder.
“Okay, that’s it. Come on, three, two, one.”
They each took a bark painting and posed for several photos together.
The boss gave them two photos. Zhai Xingchen glanced at the group photo; Pei Xu was smiling very happily in the photo, perhaps too happily, so much so that he felt a little unfamiliar with Pei Xu in the photo.
Then he looked at the Pei Xu beside him: aloof, tall, handsome, and silent. Compared to the photos, he seemed like a completely different person.
After leaving the workshop, Zhai Xingchen checked the time; it was almost lunchtime. He asked Pei Xu, “Where do we go next?”
“Are you hungry?” Pei Xu asked.
Was it because of the rose painting?
He felt that Pei Xu’s voice had become gentler when he spoke to him.
For a fleeting moment, he felt that the two of them might actually be in a relationship like they were on a reality TV show.
He used to watch dating reality shows, and every time a couple went on a date, the atmosphere always seemed ambiguous.
He nodded and said, “I’m a little hungry.”
Fifteen minutes later, they actually arrived at the entrance of a movie theater.
He paused for a moment, then turned to look at Pei Xu.
Pei Xu said, “I found this place online. I heard that you can eat and watch movies at the same time… I’ve never been here before, so I came to check it out.”
Zhai Xingchen finally couldn’t help but ask, “You didn’t just search for these yesterday, did you?”
Just like the rose painting, it was clearly planned in advance.
Pei Xu said, “No, I did my research before coming to Beicheng.”
“But how did you know you’ll definitely go on a date with me?” Zhai Xingchen asked.
Pei Xu said, “I was thinking that if it’s a date with you, these strategies will come in handy, but if it’s with someone else, then forget it.”
Zhai Xingchen was stunned for a moment.
Damn, I’m being flirted with again.
“Really,” Pei Xu continued, using his damnably sincere tone and expression.
All of this planning is just for you. I’ve been looking forward to our date ever since I came to Beicheng. Was Pei Xu conveying these messages?
The male protagonist of Jinjiang Literature City is so good at this!
That last “really” was both honest and alluring.
“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a movie theater where you can eat.” Zhai Xingchen was the first to walk in.
As soon as he entered, he was amazed by the movie theater’s decor.
The cinema had a futuristic, interstellar theme and followed a minimalist design. The red corridor was deep and mysterious. They were led by staff into the small screening room on the right.
Actually, watching movies and eating were two contradictory things.
But the combination was indeed quite novel.
Zhai Xingchen glanced at the film list above, and it was mostly classic old movies, or those whose names he had never heard of before, all of which were romance films.
As expected, these movie theaters were all for couples.
He noticed that the number one movie on the list was titled “The Boss Falls in Love with Me: Love and Murder”.
A movie he’d never heard of before, yet its viewership numbers were off the charts.
He thought he would only see such a straightforward name on the station.
This was way too much of a Mary Sue story!
However, it must be said that the extremely cheesy title, being listed first, instantly piqued Zhai Xingchen’s interest in the film.
“Then let’s watch this one. It’s number one in views, so it’s sure to be a hit.”
A short-haired, pretty waitress knocked on the door and came in, handing them the menu so they could order.
They ordered a beef tartare[1], a foie gras rice[2], two servings of sauerkraut udon noodles[3], and Zhai Xingchen also ordered a wheat germ milk tea[4].
The main selling point of this kind of store was the ambiance; in terms of food alone, it was not very cost-effective. Pei Xu had his own reasons for choosing this place.
The weather here was quite cold, so it was obviously not feasible to wander around outside all the time. Besides, a day was long, and it would be tiring to keep walking around. But here, after dinner, you could lie on the sofa and watch a movie. The timing was just right, and you could also take a break. Most importantly, the private room was warm enough, and you won’t be disturbed, so you could have some alone time.
As the waiter left with the menu, Zhai Xingchen said, “It seems like she recognized us; she’s been secretly looking us up and down.”
A few minutes later, a rather handsome male waiter brought out all the dishes, along with a fruit and dessert. His voice trembled as he asked, “Would you two like the movie to start after dinner, or would you like it to begin now?”
“Let’s eat first, then we’ll start with the movie,” Zhai Xingchen said.
The waiter bowed, closed the door, and left.
The two waiters in the hallway whispered to each other: “Did you see them? Isn’t that Zhai Xingchen and Pei Xu?!”
“It really is!” The male waiter, who had just finished serving the dishes, kept stamping his feet excitedly. “My God, they actually came here! Are they filming a show? I didn’t see any cameramen following them. They’re both so handsome in person! Zhai Xingchen is so good-looking, he’s practically glowing! Pei Xu is so handsome, he’s so tall, is he 1.9 meters? Why are they here? Are they dating?!”
“That’s not the point!” said the short-haired pretty waitress. “Didn’t you see the movie they ordered?”
“I was so focused on watching them, I was so nervous! What movie did they choose? Could it be…?”
“That’s right!” my colleague exclaimed excitedly, “It’s ‘The Boss Falls in Love with Me’!”
Both of their faces turned red. After a while, the male waiter couldn’t help but stomp his feet excitedly: “Ahhhhh, this is so exciting! Rising Sun and Stars is real!”
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