Chishui Seafood Restaurant

"Chishui Seafood Restaurant, the environment there is good!" Mei Tingyu said.

Tong Haojing could say that he had been here for so long and had never really dined at Chishui Seafood Restaurant. What surprised him was that Mei Tingyu, after not being here for long, was already so familiar with the local customs of West City. Tong Haojing admired Mei Tingyu's competence, success, and elegance from the bottom of his heart.

Tong Haojing walked ahead, about to hail a taxi, when the emergency lights of a black Audi sedan parked downstairs flashed a few times and made a "beep beep" sound. Mei Tingyu said, "Get in my car."

Tong Haojing could hardly believe his eyes. He never expected that Mei Tingyu would have her own car. Tong Haojing couldn't help but exclaim, "So capable, so capable!"

Mei Tingyu sat in the driver's seat, chatting and laughing, as if deliberately showing off her driving skills, making Tong Haojing feel unstable, his body swaying left and right, occasionally touching Mei Tingyu's skin. Tong Haojing felt an electric shock in his heart, his mind going blank.

Mei Tingyu suddenly said, "Come to the company when you have time. If you're interested, you can join too!" As she spoke, a tall building loomed before them. To the left of the third floor, the words "Chishui Seafood Restaurant" appeared in red. Mei Tingyu said, "We're here. I'll park, wait a moment."

Only then did Tong Haojing notice that Chishui Seafood Restaurant was actually not far from the West City Hotel, he just hadn't patronized it before.

The two arrived on the third floor. Mei Tingyu asked the waiter to arrange a private room - "Dragon and Phoenix Present Auspiciousness." She ordered several of the best dishes. Perhaps she wanted to broaden Tong Haojing's horizons, or perhaps she wanted to express her sincerity. Mei Tingyu's feelings were complex, but her true intention was to impress Tong Haojing.

Before coming, she had an idea: to drink the best wine, which was the most high-end fine white liquor in Tangdu City. As the saying goes, no banquet is complete without wine. Without wine, it would be difficult for her to say some things. Drinking good wine in moderation can enhance affection; this was her long-held experience, and she believed this time would be no exception. The two would surely be able to open up to each other and reveal their true selves.

Several large platters of seafood were laid out on the table, including abalone and large shrimp, some of which Tong Haojing had never seen before. Mei Tingyu's skillful movements made Tong Haojing envious. Tong Haojing's eating manners made Mei Tingyu find it a little amusing. She gave him a few pointers, and Tong Haojing felt very awkward and uncomfortable.

Mei Tingyu poured the wine, using a large wine glass. Her actions constantly surprised him. While he marveled and was astonished, Tong Haojing had some unclear thoughts. But these thoughts seemed to come out of nowhere. He sensed that Mei Tingyu must have something hidden in her heart or on her person. This was a professional sensitivity he had developed since becoming a police officer. However, he still doubted his own feelings because he didn't believe his dream lover could have any misfortune, nor did he want Mei Tingyu to be out of place with society.

Tong Haojing raised his wine glass, and they clinked them together loudly and crisply. Tong Haojing occasionally put food on Mei Tingyu's plate. Mei Tingyu's face flushed with happiness. This was a genuine emotion she hadn't felt in a long time, like a spark lighting up the shadows in her heart. She vowed to forget everything from the past, forget hatred. She didn't want Tong Haojing to become her sacrifice. She wanted to start a new romantic life with Tong Haojing. She even thought about continuing her "career" for a while longer and then quitting to live a normal life. Because everything she was doing now had a hidden, disguised side. Perhaps one day, even the deepest secrets would be discovered by Tong Haojing, and she couldn't bear to think about the outcome.

Mei Tingyu took a big gulp, as if she had a thousand words in her heart that she couldn't wait to speak. Tong Haojing urged her with concern, "Drink less, just in moderation!" But he didn't know Mei Tingyu's alcohol tolerance. In Tong Haojing's mind, girls should be reserved and drink sparingly to be beautiful.

A bottle of fine white liquor was almost finished, and Tong Haojing was already a little drunk. Mei Tingyu, apart from her flushed face, showed no discomfort. After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Tong Haojing insisted on paying, but Mei Tingyu beat him to it. She pulled Tong Haojing downstairs to drive. She showed no sign of impropriety between a man and a woman. Tong Haojing immediately stopped her. Mei Tingyu said, "I'll have someone drive. We're going to Longteng Residential Community."

The two sat in the lounge hall for a while. A middle-aged man in his thirties got out of a taxi and walked straight up to Mei Tingyu, saying, "Manager Mei, the key."

Mei Tingyu immediately introduced him, "Brother Zhou, this is my classmate, police officer Tong Haojing!"

Brother Zhou's body trembled slightly, as if he were sensitive. He deliberately turned to look at Tong Haojing, his expression extremely abnormal.

Tong Haojing also noticed this and smiled slightly at Mei Tingyu, "He'll drive, alright!"

Ten minutes later, the car entered the community. Mei Tingyu and Tong Haojing got out of the car. Brother Zhou said, "Manager Mei, am I waiting for you or..." Before Brother Zhou could finish, Mei Tingyu said, "You drive the car away. Come pick me up tomorrow!"

The first thing Tong Haojing saw when he got out of the car was the stunning environment. The unique bougainvillea here was pleasing to the eye. Under the green trees were lush lawns. Water flowed from artificial rockeries in several pools. This was a paradise on earth. Tong Haojing, slightly tipsy, felt enchanted and a poetic mood arose in his heart, but he dared not show off in front of Mei Tingyu.

Mei Tingyu's purple high heels made a clicking sound on the bluestone path of the community. A unique feminine charm made Tong Haojing feel somewhat intoxicated, even a little lightheaded. In this excellent community environment, it felt as if only the two of them existed. He thought about how wonderful it would be to have an apartment in such a community, but with his current situation and income, buying a house was easier said than done. And now, Mei Tingyu was about to take him to visit her room. She had a car, a house, and a career. How could he, a mere police officer, compare to Mei Tingyu? Tong Haojing suddenly felt inferior. He even had a vague worry that his own conditions were no longer good enough for Mei Tingyu. His previous thoughts might have been wishful thinking and unrealistic. A sense of inexplicable inferiority welled up within him.

Mei Tingyu led Tong Haojing into the house. Tong Haojing saw that the house was spacious, with European-style decoration and exquisite furniture. He was stunned, as if he had entered paradise on earth. He couldn't help but give her a thumbs-up again, "So capable."

Mei Tingyu felt delighted. Hearing her admired person praise her repeatedly, she began to feel a little heady. Her joy grew wave after wave, and she let down her guard completely with Tong Haojing. However, at this moment, the alcohol took effect, and she couldn't control herself. Without even having time to make tea, she rushed into the bathroom. The drain gurgled as she vomited.

Tong Haojing sat on the sofa in the living room, feeling a little lost and awkward. To cover his embarrassment, he took out his phone and curiously took pictures of the exquisite furniture in the living room, including the coffee table, sofa, and TV wall. He wanted to keep everything here to admire back in his small apartment.

Mei Tingyu came out of the bathroom and immediately saw several pieces of paper on the coffee table. She quickly picked them up and said nervously, "Sorry, the house is a bit messy."

In fact, Tong Haojing noticed that the entire house was quite neat and clean. Mei Tingyu's words made him ponder. Tong Haojing's professional sensitivity brought forth strange thoughts. It was just a few pieces of paper, so why was she so nervous?

Tong Haojing said, "It's so clean and tidy, and you say it's messy? If you saw my place, I'd be too embarrassed to even show my face!"

Tong Haojing pretended to be nonchalant and looked around every room in Mei Tingyu's apartment. The layout was reasonable. In Tong Haojing's eyes, Mei Tingyu's house was really quite good. He began to envy Mei Tingyu. In the past few years, although Mei Tingyu had revealed her hardships, she had also overcome them. Mei Tingyu could be considered a successful career woman who had worked hard outside.

Mei Tingyu mentioned her father, Uncle Mumu, to Tong Haojing. She said that her parents had worked hard their whole lives and had never enjoyed life in the city. It was unfilial of her as a daughter. She said that after some time, she would bring Uncle Mumu to the city to live a leisurely life.

After hearing this, Tong Haojing not only praised Mei Tingyu as a filial daughter and said he should learn from her, but he also felt immensely ashamed. As a grown man and a police officer, he had neither a car nor a house, and many things still had to be handled by his mother, let alone bring his mother to the city. Tong Haojing shook his head and sighed, "It's better to have daughters these days. The era of feminine dominance is flourishing."

Tong Haojing realized that he was indeed somewhat out of place and inconvenient in Mei Tingyu's apartment. He made an excuse about having something to do at the station and asked to leave. Mei Tingyu had no choice but to agree.

Mei Tingyu looked somewhat reluctant. She stood by the window and silently watched Tong Haojing leave the community until his figure disappeared before turning back.