Chapter 6

She lowered her hand that was supporting her forehead, pretending to have just noticed Huo Yiting, and forced a weak smile: "Mr. Huo, what a coincidence, you are here too"

Gu Miao helplessly stared at the little creature clinging to Jiang Luting like an octopus. Was she supposed to forcibly pry off its little claws and drag it away? She was certain that the little thing would cry out, attracting the police and getting her arrested as a human trafficker

Throughout the journey, Huo Yiting walked ahead with a stern expression, more silent than usual, and his pace was quicker than normal. Jiang Luting looked at his tall figure, feeling a complex mix of emotions. Although she often had her criticisms of him, witnessing him being splashed with coffee made her soft-heartedness resurface, and she inexplicably began to feel sympathy for him

When alone with Shen Zhuo, the atmosphere of the blind date became intense

The woman walked briskly past her desk, and Jiang Luting, with her eyes lowered, saw a pair of exquisitely beautiful shoes and a pair of long, fair, and beautiful legs like jade

Upon arriving at the cinema on the upper floor, Gu Miao decisively purchased four tickets, two for an artistic romance film and the other two for an animated movie that her friend Huo Tongtong enjoys watching

He is playing at the amusement park upstairs with my friend Gu Miao, and I will go up to pick him up shortly

The woman's figure is graceful and captivating, with long hair cascading over her shoulders and a slender waist. Just her silhouette alone makes one feel that she must be an extraordinary beauty

She was startled; in the darkness, Shen Zhuo turned his head to glance at her, his eyes dark and seemingly a bit startled as well

Huo Yiting frowned slightly and said coldly, "He cannot drink anything too cold"

Huo Tongtong nodded seriously with a small face, resembling a chibi version of Huo Yiting

Huo Tongtong suddenly realized that he was going to watch a movie with a strange aunt, while his teacher Jiang was unexpectedly taken away by a strange uncle. He immediately and decisively let go of Gu Miao's hand and tightly hugged Jiang Luting's thigh, saying, "I want to watch the movie with Teacher Jiang. Dad said that I cannot leave Teacher Jiang."

Shen Zhuo smiled in sudden realization: "So that's how it is, what a coincidence indeed"

The conversation began with the air quality in City S and gradually shifted to travel. First, it was about Jiuzhaigou, then Yunnan, and Hainan. As the mention of the sea came up, Shen Zhuo started discussing Bali, the Maldives, Hawaii, and the Pacific island nations. At first, Jiang Luting felt that everyone was enjoying the conversation, but later realized that she was merely a listener. She had never been abroad, while others were already traveling around the world. The distance expanded from a dining table to half the globe, and she increasingly felt that there was no possibility between her and Shen Zhuo.

After experiencing this scene, Jiang Luting no longer had any thoughts of affection. As soon as Huo Yiting left, she stood up to take her leave. "Mr. Shen, I apologize, but I also need to go upstairs to take a look"

To my surprise, little friend Huo Tongtong also reached out his small hand, looking up with a serious expression at Shen Zhuo

Jiang Luting asked with a smile, "Is it beautiful?"

Shen Zhuo's handshake was perfectly measured in both strength and duration, neither too brief to seem indifferent nor too prolonged to be off-putting

Gu Miao handed a bottle of freshly squeezed orange juice to Huo Tongtong

Miss Gu's temper has never been very good. If it were not for the sake of Jiang Luting, she would have long since left in a huff. She is enduring it with great difficulty, and her expression is somewhat distorted.

The second reaction was, oh, MY GOD, how dare someone spill coffee on Huo Yiting!

From beginning to end, he only uttered two sentences: "What a coincidence" and "Indeed, it is quite a coincidence." His expression was so indifferent that it bordered on awkwardness, and this thoroughly offensive attitude once again reshaped Jiang Luting's perspective

At this moment, she was truly grateful for her petite stature, as it was no problem at all to use Shen Zhuo's body to shield herself completely

Jiang Luting then raised her head, listening with a smile while cupping her face.

Jiang Luting felt that today was truly an unlucky day for him to go out

The suit draped over his arm, his face clean and tidy, yet the collar of his white shirt bore a distinct coffee stain. Jiang Luting's guess was correct; he had indeed been splashed with coffee by a woman. Remarkably, despite being doused with coffee, it did not diminish his aura in the slightest; he remained tall, handsome, composed, and aloof.

Jiang Luting : `` ... ... ''

Because Huo Tongtong and Gu Miao Tong were present, the meeting did not have the atmosphere of a blind date; rather, it resembled a gathering of friends, albeit with a small tagalong.

Huo Yiting said goodbye to Shen Zhuo and then walked away

In the end, Jiang Luting took Huo Tongtong to watch an animated film, while Gu Miao and Shen Zhuo went to another screening room

In contrast, Shen Zhuo's attitude appeared much more mature, with a smile in his eyes and an expression as usual, as if he was completely indifferent to being treated coldly by others. Jiang Luting felt that this was the proper attitude of a business elite, unperturbed by praise or blame, and possessing a broad mind

Jiang Luting smiled: "It seems that I have more experience than you; this is my seventh blind date."

Shen Zhuo looked at the increasing flush on her face and couldn't help but smile: "Aren't you feeling very nervous? Actually, I should be the one feeling nervous, because this is my first blind date."

Gu Miao was anxious, repeatedly stepping on the floor under the table for several times, while Jiang Luting remained indifferent like a wooden figure. Gu Miao, irritated, reached down and pinched her thigh.

Jiang Luting, while lamenting this headache-inducing coincidence, decided that in the future, she would avoid high-end venues for blind dates. With S City being so small and the number of good places being limited, it was indeed highly likely that she would run into Huo Yiting.

Huo Tongtong clung to Jiang Luting like a little octopus, not leaving her side for a moment. Gu Miao tried several times to pull him away, but he refused each time, and the little fellow even became wary of her, feeling that she resembled the legendary human traffickers.

At this moment, the dishes were being served one after another, and Jiang Luting handed the conversation over to Gu Miao and Shen Zhuo, fully dedicating herself to taking care of Huo Tongtong as she enjoyed her meal.

After finishing the meal, Gu Miao suggested going to the cinema upstairs to watch a movie. Before Jiang Luting could agree, Huo Tongtong had already clapped her hands in approval, saying: "I want to watch an animated film!"

She absentmindedly went to grab a drink from the armrest, but unexpectedly, she accidentally touched Shen Zhuo's hand

Shen Zhuo expressed understanding, paused, and asked: "Are you free tomorrow?"

Jiang Luting initially regarded the blind date as merely a formality, a way to provide an explanation to Ge Miao and her mother. After saying goodbye to Shen Zhuo, she went upstairs to the amusement park

Logically speaking, when two people encounter each other in such a situation, they should at least engage in a few casual remarks. However, Huo Yiting showed no intention of conversing further with Shen Zhuo, instead lowering his eyelids to look at Jiang Luting and directly asking: "Where is Tongtong?"

However, Jiang Luting had clearly forgotten the purpose of this outing, as his gaze was entirely focused on Huo Tongtong, lowering his head to serve him dishes, pick vegetables, scoop rice, and feed him soup, almost as if he were demonstrating the work of a kindergarten teacher

It seems to be the table of Huo Yiting. The woman opposite him stood up, blocking Huo Yiting.

Jiang Luting sincerely feels that it is truly a pity that Miss Gu does not work at the marriage agency

She took hold of Huo Tongtong's small hand and winked at Jiang Luting, saying, "Tongtong is in my care now"

The screen portrays a poignant love story, while couples below embrace and whisper sweet nothings. Gu Miao, with a furrowed brow, eats popcorn as she watches a romantic film with Shen Zhuo; what does this even mean

Jiang Luting shook his head apologetically: "I am sorry, but I have something to attend to tomorrow"

Just when Jiang Luting felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles, she suddenly heard a loud "bang," as if a cup had been slammed down onto the table. Everyone in the café was startled by this sound, and Jiang Luting was no exception, involuntarily turning her gaze towards the source of the noise

Huo Yiting closed the car door, turned around to look at Jiang Luting, wore a cold expression, and asked a seemingly inexplicable question: "Teacher Jiang, what is the temperature today?"

Jiang Luting has already come out with Huo Tongtong and is currently waiting for her in the lobby

Sitting at a seat three tables away were a man and a woman. The woman had her back to Jiang Luting, making her face invisible, while the man was directly facing her. That face, one she was all too familiar with, turned out to be Huo Yiting.

Ever since Gu Miao touched Shen Zhuo's hand, she had no idea what the movie was about. She suggested taking Huo Tongtong to the amusement park upstairs. Upon hearing this, Huo Tongtong's eyes lit up, and she immediately clapped her hands in delight

She truly wants, wants, wants to look up and see the appearance of this heroic woman who dared to spill coffee on Mr. Huo, but she does not dare to look up, fearing that Huo Yiting might see her

Gu Miao, feeling helpless, had no choice but to let Jiang Luting hold him in her arms while they chatted

Shen Zhuo smiled and said, "Then shall I call you master?"

Huo Yiting said lightly: "No need, I will take him back. Teacher Jiang's matchmaking is important."

Gu Miao was both angry and embarrassed. In order to appease this young master and prevent him from causing a scene, she had already fed a large portion of this bottle of juice to Huo Tongtong.

Shen Zhuo immediately bent down, holding Huo Tongtong's small hand, and said with a smile: "Hello, Mr. Huo."

Then, a more painful event occurred

Jiang Luting held Huo Tongtong's hand as they went downstairs, turning back to Gu Miao with an apologetic smile and making a gesture indicating to contact by phone

She did not expect to encounter Huo Yiting here! Even more unexpectedly, he had an appointment with someone, and it was with a woman.

Huo Tongtong thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement

Gu Miao, drawing from the earlier experience, smiled and said, "Well then, Teacher Jiang will go downstairs to buy you some delicious food, and Auntie will take you upstairs to queue for tickets, alright?"

In Jiang Luting's view, men who generally like children are not likely to have bad hearts. Shen Zhuo's gentle tone and actions, combined with his tall and handsome appearance, make it truly difficult for people not to have a favorable impression of him

To my surprise, Mr. Huo still wore an expressionless face

Jiang Luting's first reaction was to want to hide under the table

Having successfully sent away Huo Tongtong, Shen Zhuo invited Jiang Luting to sit in the café downstairs, waiting for Gu Miao and Huo Tongtong.

Huo Tongtong obediently got into the car

Gu Miao nodded, then wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue at Huo Yiting's back, and stomped her foot.

Mr. Huo is the father of Huo Tongtong

Although she did not wish to witness Mr. Huo's splendid performance, the spectacle was presented right before her eyes, and the feeling of not daring to look was truly agonizing

Shen Zhuo asked with a smile, "Do you know each other?"

Indeed, it is quite a coincidence. Huo Yiting repeated this phrase, his gaze very cold, his tone also cold, and his attitude towards Shen Zhuo was so indifferent that it was utterly unmasked

The two individuals descended the stairs, with Shen Zhuo leading Jiang Luting into a uniquely decorated café, aptly named "Once Upon a Time." The interior was arranged in a warm and romantic manner, and the afternoon sun cast a lazy charm over the roses on the table

Hello, I am Huo Tongtong

She could hardly bear to look at Mr. Huo's expression, which had been splashed with coffee. However, she could not avoid looking. Could she really just close her eyes and pretend to be sleepwalking?

Gu Miao awkwardly wanted to slam the table, feeling as if the days were dragging on for years until the movie ended, and hurriedly left the screening room

As the introducer, Gu Miao held great hopes for today's blind date. Therefore, she did not hesitate to play the role of a third wheel, accompanying them throughout the entire process, hoping to facilitate this matter.

She could not imagine what the outcome would be if Mr. Huo, who was usually arrogant and indifferent, discovered that she had witnessed the scene of him being splashed with coffee. Would he dismiss her?

Suddenly, she thought of another question: when she walked in with Shen Zhuo, had he already seen her?

Jiang Luting hurriedly stepped forward and said to Gu Miao, "I will return first"

Jiang Luting's first reaction was that Huo Yiting had been splashed with coffee

Jiang Luting secretly admired him, truly deserving of being a leader in the realm of facial paralysis. He is indeed a person who has weathered many storms.

She wore an off-shoulder dress, and the exposed skin, upon being swept by his gaze, felt as if it had been coated with a layer of frost

Jiang Luting lowered her head, stirring her coffee, feeling a bit shy to look at him

Jiang Luting did not see what had happened, but a nearby servant quickly handed over a napkin, looking anxious and uneasy.

The second reaction was to immediately shift the buttocks inward

A pair of black leather shoes stopped beside her desk. Then she saw Shen Zhuo, who was sitting opposite her, stand up and politely greet her with a courteous "Mr. Huo," which nearly gave Jiang Luting a heart attack.

Gu Miaosong let out a sigh of relief and quickly winked at Jiang Luting, "Hurry and go with Tongtong to buy some delicious food." Then, he swiftly took Huo Tongtong's hand and entered the elevator, fearing that the little one would react and cling to Teacher Jiang again.

She bent down to pick up her handbag from the seat and left her place

She even doubts at this moment whether he had seen her during previous blind dates; otherwise, how could he have suddenly said today, "Going on another blind date"

Huo Yiting opened the car door and said to Huo Tongtong: "You get in the car first"

Among a group of parents of children, she immediately spotted Huo Yiting, who stood out like a crane among chickens

She has always believed that successful individuals in the business world should be eloquent and charming, able to engage in light-hearted conversation with anyone. However, someone like Huo Yiting, who is indifferent to others, exudes an air of sharpness, possesses a lofty demeanor, and radiates an aura of cold arrogance, truly raises the question of how he has managed to survive in such an environment, which remains a mystery.

Jiang Luting only caught a glimpse of her profile, and before she could fully turn around, Huo Yiting had already stood up. Jiang Luting could not afford to look any longer and hurriedly lowered her head, wishing she could bury her face on the table or hide it in the coffee cup.

Upon hearing the refusal, Shen Zhuo did not feel disappointed or angry, and his smile remained appropriate and gentle: "Then let's arrange to meet again next time"

Shen Zhuo actually knows Huo Yiting! Jiang Luting can only say that her luck is truly remarkable to encounter such a situation. However, S City is not that big, and it is quite normal for the two of them, both being figures in the business world, to be acquainted with each other

Hello, Mr. Shen. Jiang Luting smiled as she shook his hand, her gaze involuntarily falling on the string of prayer beads. Ever since the incident in Meishan, she has always felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with such items

"What a coincidence." Huo Yiting said the same two words with a blank expression, but these words seemed to be bitten out from between his teeth, carrying a hint of profound meaning.

Gu Miao busily introduced, "This is a student of Jiang Luting. The parents have something to attend to today and have asked Jiang Luting to help take care of them."

It is truly an unfortunate year, as I unexpectedly witnessed the scene of his humiliation

Jiang Luting could not help but laugh, and while smiling, her eyes glanced over to the figure behind Shen Zhuo, causing her smile to instantly freeze.

Gu Miao is speaking to him, but he appears indifferent, unresponsive, and quite arrogant