"Mm."
Yu An gave He Li'an a relaxed smile, but his hand gripping He Li'an's sleeve did not loosen.
He was not afraid at all.
Those people's gazes were merely curious, without any malice.
It was just that He Li'an seemed to think he was weak and fragile, unable to bear even this kind of scrutinizing gaze, and had even begun to feel sorry for him.
Yu An knew that this was an emotion that could deepen a relationship.
So he had no intention of explaining.
He Li'an lowered his eyes to glance at his sleeve, then silently used his other hand to press the elevator button.
Yu An obediently followed him inside. As he lowered his head, he pretended to have just noticed that he was still clutching He Li'an's sleeve and quickly let go. "Sorry."
As he spoke, he watched He Li'an's expression.
He Li'an was merely gentle in the way he treated people; he did not look gentle. When he was not smiling, he had an aloof nobility that made him seem unattainable.
"It's fine." He lowered his eyes to look at Yu An, a faint smile lingering at the corners of his eyes.
This was the expression he usually wore when speaking to others, making people feel that he was extraordinarily soft, inside and out.
As if no matter how excessive someone's actions were, he could simply smile them off and forgive them easily.
But a person—
A living, breathing person—how could he be soft through and through?
He was not a cotton doll.
Still, for now, He Li'an seemed quite taken with this act of his.
—A well-behaved, obedient junior who loved studying and had good manners.
"Are you sure this is the place?"
At the entrance to the restaurant, He Li'an stopped and turned his head to ask Yu An in a low voice.
Yu An tilted his head up at him and answered openly, "Yes."
He Li'an pressed his lips together slightly, seeming a little embarrassed by what he was about to say.
Only after two seconds did he ask again, "Do you know what kind of place this is?"
Without hesitation, Yu An said, "A restaurant."
It was just a couples' restaurant.
But he had to pretend not to know.
They were both wearing uniforms. One was clean-cut and delicate, while the other was handsome and composed. Standing at the entrance of a couples' restaurant, they made for a particularly pleasing sight, and every passerby cast them a glance.
He Li'an opened his mouth. "You..."
The ambiguous looks from passersby clearly showed that they had already misunderstood their relationship. If he refused to go in with Yu An now, he would probably hurt Yu An's pride.
Yu An pretended not to notice his hesitation. "What is it?"
"Nothing." He Li'an said, "Let's go in."
Yu An's eyes lit up. He looked deeply at He Li'an, and the instant he turned to enter, the corners of his lips slowly curved upward.
He knew it was a couples' restaurant, yet he had still agreed to go in with him.
Did He Li'an not know how to write the word "refuse"?
Whatever.
He would take it as He Li'an accepting his pursuit.
As long as He Li'an accepted his pursuit, he would have a chance to marry him.
Once they were married, he could share He Li'an's wealth as written in the Marriage Law, and might even inherit his late husband's estate.
This was a clear, attainable goal. To Yu An, it was far simpler and more reliable than making things up to gain He Li'an's trust.
Life, huh.
Easy as pie.
The restaurant's lighting was designed to create an intimate atmosphere, and its decor was full of thoughtful details. Each table was separated by a semi-open screen, enhancing privacy.
He Li'an wore an expression of gravity that Yu An had never seen before. Yu An took only one look before lowering his head and secretly curling his lips.
He Li'an was truly too kind.
So kind that Yu An felt like he was bullying him.
And it felt as though the more he bullied him, the gentler and more honest He Li'an would become.
"I'm very sorry, gentlemen, but this is the only table left." The waiter leading them stopped and asked carefully, "Would that be alright?"
The uniforms on these two guests were easy to recognize. They were students from St. Phelien Noble Academy.
Ninety-nine percent of the students at that school came from wealthy or influential families. Even without those uniforms, their outstanding looks and bearing made it clear that they were not from ordinary backgrounds.
Their restaurant was not particularly upscale and had hardly ever served guests like them, so the waiter was a little nervous.
Almost immediately, Yu An answered, "I'm fine with it."
Then he and the waiter turned to look at He Li'an.
"Mm." He Li'an responded in an indifferent tone.
But Yu An, who knew him well, could still hear his discomfort.
The table was in the corner, with no windows, extremely secluded. Unless they specifically called a waiter over, no one would pass by here. For a normal couple, it was quite romantic.
But for people who were not a couple—it would make them unable to sit still.
Just like He Li'an right now.
When he opened the menu, all he saw were couples' set meals.
It suddenly felt scorching in his hands, and he snapped the menu shut.
The movement was a little loud. Yu An raised his head at just the right moment. "What's wrong, Senior?"
The warm-colored lighting was cozy and romantic. Cast over that fair, attractive face, it gave him the texture of an oil painting—delicate and beautiful.
He Li'an met his gaze for only a second before looking away. There was a trace of feigned composure in his voice. "Nothing. You order. I can eat anything; I'm not picky."
"Mm."
Yu An was a little confused.
He was very good at observing people, so he could sense He Li'an's unusual behavior and unease. But he had interacted with too few people, so he could not tell exactly what He Li'an was feeling right now.
He Li'an seemed very unaccustomed to this, but he did not seem repulsed. He even seemed a little nervous; the tips of his ears had turned red.
The last time He Li'an's ears had reddened was when Yu An had embarrassed him by praising him.
But he had not praised He Li'an just now.
Yu An was a little annoyed.
Not being able to understand He Li'an's emotions would affect the progress of their marriage.
Yu An opened the menu, quietly looked at it for two seconds, then lifted his head in surprise. "Senior... I didn't know this restaurant was like this..."
As he spoke, his voice gradually softened, and he looked at He Li'an helplessly.
Seeing him look as though he had done something wrong, He Li'an felt a rare trace of irritation.
He even spoke faster than usual. "You didn't know what?"
Yu An lowered his eyes as if trying to avoid the matter and said softly, "I didn't know this was a couples' restaurant."
He could hear that He Li'an's tone was displeased.
He had made He Li'an angry.
He was really something.
"Do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know?" He Li'an gave a soft snort, drawing out the last note slightly, as though it carried a certain expectation.
An idea suddenly came to Yu An. He tested the waters. "Pretending not to know."
He Li'an's hand, which had been resting naturally on the table, suddenly clenched. "You tricked me into eating at a restaurant like this. Aren't you afraid I'll get angry?"
Though his tone was somewhat stiff, Yu An could tell that he was clearly happier than before.
It seemed he had given He Li'an the answer he wanted.
It was a little like... he wanted to be deceived.
"Then are you angry?" Yu An asked with complete sincerity.
He genuinely wanted to know the answer.
He Li'an's reaction now was somewhat different from what he had analyzed.
Logically speaking, He Li'an should hate being deceived.
Before you continue