Chapter 13

The newly opened buffet was high-end, with individual prices near five hundred. With He Man’s three-person discount, it cost just over a thousand.
She considered calling a friend to join, when Shen Youwei replied: “Guan Shanyan will be there in 20 minutes. Let’s start eating first.”
“Great.” He Man met Shen Youwei two years ago at an event. She had heard about Guan Shanyan many times but never met him.
Honestly, she had been curious about him. With the recent fame of Designer Guan, she felt this lunch was worth it.
“Then I’ll redeem the vouchers; let’s go grab food first.” He Man verified the vouchers and asked the staff: “I heard you have private rooms?”
“Yes, ma’am. But private rooms require an extra service fee.”
He Man was about to reply when Shen Youwei put her sunglasses back on. “I’ll cover the service fee, since it’s me, the actress, who needs the private room.”
He Man: “…”
The staff, unbothered, smiled and said: “Please follow me. I’ll take you to the private room.”
He Man genuinely admired Shen Youwei’s professionalism.
Once inside, Shen Youwei sent the private room number to Guan Shanyan. Though there was an extra fee, she didn’t have to fetch food herself, worth the money.
Guan Shanyan arrived at the restaurant in just 18 minutes. His office was conveniently nearby, saving a lot of time.
“Ladies, your friend has arrived,” a waiter said, leading Guan Shanyan over. He Man had seen photos of him online before, but seeing him in person, she realized Designer Guan wasn’t exactly photogenic.
“Hello, Teacher Guan,” He Man greeted politely, standing up. “Please, have a seat here.”
Guan Shanyan nodded and sat down beside Shen Youwei.
The table was full of food. Shen Youwei, wearing gloves, was peeling seafood. Noticing her mood seemed slightly off, Guan Shanyan asked, “Who upset you?”
Shen Youwei snorted. “Xu Qairan, of course. If she hadn’t left today, there wouldn’t even be a seat for you here.”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
He Man was slightly speechless. Xu Qairan kept saying Shen Youwei liked her brother, but who talks like that to someone they like?
She laughed softly, trying to ease the mood. “I originally invited Youwei and Xu Qairan to help them reconcile, but…hahaha.”
Though she didn’t say it outright, Guan Shanyan could tell from Shen Youwei’s expression that it hadn’t worked.
“People are like that. The more you forbid them, the more they want to do it,” Guan Shanyan said, slowly putting on a pair of clean gloves. “Now that you’re trying to force her to break up, it just fuels her rebelliousness. Stop interfering; she might break up on her own one day.”
Shen Youwei replied, “I just worry that by that time, it’ll be too late.”
Guan Shanyan placed the peeled shrimp in her bowl. “At this point, you can only respect fate. You’ve already done what you should say and do.”
“Right, I think Teacher Guan makes sense,” He Man chimed in, urging Shen Youwei. “Don’t be upset over this. If you really want to open the studio, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy.”
Guan Shanyan paused in peeling a shrimp. “You want to open a studio?”
“Mm.” Shen Youwei nodded. “I was preparing to choose a location, but it’s been delayed.”
Guan Shanyan thought back to a previous livestream where Shen Youwei had briefly mentioned wanting to open a studio. “For personal image design?”
Shen Youwei looked up at him. “How did you know? You didn’t watch my livestream, did you?”
“Hmph.” Guan Shanyan turned his head. “I’m abroad and dealing with a time difference, how could I watch?”
“Then how did you know?”
“Guessing.”
He Man, across from them, realized, this was a classic rivals-turn-lovers scenario.
“Um, Teacher Guan, you should eat too,” He Man said. Guan Shanyan had been peeling shrimp for Shen Youwei the whole time without taking a bite himself, so she urged him.
Shen Youwei added teasingly: “This place is five hundred a person. You better eat well to make it worth it.”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
He tried.
The three chatted while eating. He Man even texted Shen Youwei: “I’m on your side here. Comparing Teacher Guan to Chen Qing is really disrespectful.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
By the time He Man finished, Shen Youwei was still going strong. She sometimes couldn’t understand how Shen Youwei could eat so much and still be a fashion blogger.
She didn’t gain an ounce!
“I can’t eat anymore. You guys keep going,” He Man said, standing to stretch. Shen Youwei looked up. “Not eating? You’re the one paying for this.”
“No, I’m already over my limit. I’ll just exercise more later,” she replied, glancing at Shen Youwei. “How do you never gain weight??”
“Always been this way. Probably just my metabolism,” Shen Youwei said, taking another bite. “Even if I gain, I can do plus-size designs.”
“You really are easygoing,” Guan Shanyan said with a faint smile. “There’s always someone in class who says they don’t study, yet tops every exam. Later you realize they were working hard in secret.”
Shen Youwei tilted her head. “What’s your point? Just say it.”
“Some people claim they don’t gain weight, but secretly they train in boxing,” Guan Shanyan said.
Shen Youwei: “…”
She wasn’t boxing to lose weight, she was strengthening her body!
He Man had never heard this before and looked at Shen Youwei in disbelief. “I didn’t expect this about you!”
“I only took one class, haven’t told you yet,” Shen Youwei said.
“Then why start boxing? Did you secretly gain weight where I couldn’t see?”
“Not really,” Shen Youwei chuckled lightly. After the incident at Lize Park, it had been stopped in time and didn’t cause an online stir. The police report mentioned it, but to protect Shen Youwei, her name wasn’t written.
She hadn’t told He Man, not wanting to worry another person.
“I just thought the coach was handsome,” Shen Youwei said frankly.
Guan Shanyan: “…”
He Man perked up. “Oh? How handsome? Let me rate him.”
Shen Youwei sent a few photos of Lu Zhaoye. He Man nodded approvingly. “Not bad, quite handsome. Where’s the boxing gym? I want to sign up too.”
“You can sign up, but Coach Lu isn’t taking new students,” Shen Youwei said.
“Then forget it.” He Man glanced at Guan Shanyan and Shen Youwei, smiling. “I’ll head off first. You two enjoy your meal.”
“Ah?” Shen Youwei picked up her juice, surprised. “You’re leaving?”
“Mm. You introduced a business contact to me, so I need to prepare.” He Man waved and left the private room.
After she left, the room became noticeably quieter. Shen Youwei kept eating, and Guan Shanyan remained silent.
Thinking carefully, this seemed like the first time they had eaten alone together since Guan Shanyan returned to the country.
Once the table was cleared, Shen Youwei finally stopped.
“Want more?” Guan Shanyan asked.
Shen Youwei waved her hand. “No, do you think I’m a pig?”
“…” Hard to say. He smiled at her. “Being able to eat is a blessing.”
Shen Youwei: “…” What did he mean?
Leaving the room, she deliberately walked behind Guan Shanyan. He found it amusing, when she was little, she’d sulk by not walking beside him. After all these years, her revenge tactic hadn’t changed.
She took out her phone and snapped a few photos of his back. He was tall, stylish, and even his back looked good.
Too bad he could talk.
As she admired him, Guan Shanyan suddenly turned: “Heading home? I’ll take you.”
“No need, I’ll get a taxi myself,” Shen Youwei politely refused. Guan Shanyan didn’t insist. At the front desk, the staff stopped them: “During our opening, spend a thousand to enter the lucky draw.”
Shen Youwei remembered they had reached the amount, and stepped forward. “Do we smash this golden egg?”
“Yes.” The waiter checked their room info and handed her a small hammer. “There are ten eggs. The first eight customers didn’t hit the grand prize. Among the remaining two, one contains it.”
Shen Youwei asked, intrigued, “What’s the grand prize?”
“You can eat here free once a month for a year,” the waiter said, pointing to a photo. “These people won before.”
Shen Youwei looked at the photos, indeed, they held vouchers for a year of free meals. She was excited. “Then I’ll smash it!”
She hesitated, then smashed the left egg. The waiter retrieved the voucher inside: “Congratulations, you won a 200-yuan voucher.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
Not even the two-choice option worked.
She felt disappointed; 200 yuan was nothing compared to a year of free meals.
Oh well, 200 yuan is still money.
As she reached to take it, a familiar flash occurred.
The scene felt eerily familiar.
Regaining her senses, she realized she was again trailing Guan Shanyan, secretly taking photos of his back.
“Wait, it’s backtracking again???”
Shen Youwei was baffled.