The moment those words left his mouth, everyone fell silent.
Under the older men and women's complicated gazes, Ji Ting flushed all the way down to his neck. He frowned at Ji Yanzhi, who looked as proud as a rooster and even nodded to the crowd.
"We won't keep you any longer. We'll be off."
Their fingers were still interlaced as they left everyone's sight, but the moment they stepped through the park gates, Ji Ting pulled his hand free.
Looking at his still-flushed face, Ji Yanzhi smiled and lowered his head. "Are you angry with me?"
Ji Ting's brow had never relaxed. "Why did you say that just now?"
"What else was I supposed to say? Surely you didn't expect me to stay there and actually go on a blind date?" Ji Yanzhi leaned closer. "Ji Ear, could you really bear to let me do that?"
Ji Ting took a deep breath to calm himself. "Let's go home."
Ji Yanzhi froze for a moment. "Didn't you say you'd treat me to a meal?"
Ji Ting started toward the parked car. "We can eat at home."
"Then let me treat you instead." Ji Yanzhi stepped around in front of him. "I've already made a reservation. If you don't go, the chef and everyone else will have waited for nothing."
Ji Ting looked at him in silence for a long while. "Ji Yanzhi, why don't you go back to treating me the way you did at first?"
"I can agree to anything else, but not that." Ji Yanzhi refused outright.
"Why?"
"I've improved my temper this much and still can't win you over. If I went back to how I used to be, I'd still be single when they buried me."
Watching him plead his case so earnestly, Ji Ting parted