Zhong Feng and Hu Lei were a little late for the dinner organised by Zhong Mian. There had been a road incident on their route, delaying their drive. They were not inappropriately late for the meal. Still, half an hour had pa.s.sed by the time they arrived at the restaurant.The chosen restaurant was not extravagant. Mian had opted for a simple j.a.panese establishment which prided itself in authentic cuisine and a low-key atmosphere. She had thought that it would create a comfortable ambience for the meeting.
When Zhong Feng and Hu Lei arrived, their presence could not be ignored by both diners and employees. The striking man wore a simple black suit, but it enhanced his looks. There was nothing to distract from his natural appeal.
The woman wore an off-white short dress with silver pumps which gave her an ethereal look. Her hair was held up in a simple bun at the top of her head, enhancing her small adorable face. With her yellow eyes, it was hard not to a.s.sume that she was an elf in the mortal realm.
The hostess in the restaurant immediately directed them to their table. She did not even need to ask about their reservation. The elegant woman had told her that she would know when the other member of their party came in.
The couple walked hand-in-hand as if they were gliding to the table where Kong Ou and Zhong Mian were already seated. Unfortunately, the reaction of the older pair to their presence was quite unusual. Zhong Mian seemed shocked while Kong Ou was in a daze.
When Hu Lei and Zhong Feng came to a stop at the table, the other two remained in their strange state. The short woman looked up at Ah Feng in question. However, he seemed equally puzzled. Then, the most surprising thing happened.
"Miss Hu Lei!" Kong Ou called out, standing up quickly.
He seemed to have shaken his surprised daze faster than Mian.
Both Zhong Feng and Hu Lei were surprised by the sudden mention of her name. They had not informed Mian that Hu Lei would be coming. He had only mentioned that he would come with someone. Even if he had, it would have been inappropriate for the man to call out to her.
Still, their surprise could not be compared to Mian"s. Originally, she had been shocked by the fact that Hu Lei was back and acting all lovey-dovey with her brother once again. However, her shock had been amplified by her lover"s reaction.
The confused look on her face did not last for long on her face. When all was said and done, she was a refined lady. She could always call on her etiquette training when she encountered a confusing or awkward situation.
"Feng"er, Miss Hu, I am glad that you could make it." She stood up and smiled cordially.
Zhong Feng did not like talking unnecessarily, even when his family members were involved. He could only be considered talkative when he was with Hu Lei. He nodded in acknowledgement at his sister while casting a sharp eye on her companion.
"I am sorry for intruding on your dinner. Thank you for having me." Hu Lei spoke politely.
"Miss Hu Lei, do you remember me?" Kong Ou interrupted before she could even finish her words.
A strange silence fell upon the group. No one knew how to react to the situation. Luckily, Zhong Mian was an experienced hostess who knew how to suppress her own feelings of discomfort for the sake of good manners.
"Let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Doctor Kong Ou. This is my brother and his friend, Hu Lei." She provided a path to diffuse the awkwardness in the room.
Unfortunately, good etiquette could not help if you had a pig teammate.
"I know, Miss Hu. We met many years ago." Kong Ou spoke fervently, unlike his normal self.
Even a lady like Zhong Mian could not help frowning at her boyfriend"s strange behaviour. But she remained composed.
"Let us at least sit down before you tell us more." She said with a forced laugh.
Zhong Feng looked at Kong Ou coldly and tightened his hand around the smaller one in his. For a moment, he looked like he was about to walk out. However, a subtle look and a squeeze from Hu Lei caused him to soften and sit down.
In her heart, Hu Lei could not help wondering if Zhong Feng was jealous. Could the Mighty Zhong even eat vinegar? He was perfect in every way. Why would he need to be jealous? She shook her head to clear away her crazy thoughts.
"Miss Hu, do you truly not remember me?" Kong Ou inquired once more.
He was like a mongrel with a bone. Hu Lei had been ignoring the question and had been hoping to let the entire matter pa.s.s. She had only come out to accompany Ah Feng. If she became the centre of attention, it would be an insult to Zhong Mian.
More importantly, she had no idea about the ident.i.ty of this person.
"I am sorry. I have no memory of you." She smiled politely but with obvious awkwardness.
Zhong Feng lifted his arm and placed it around Hu Lei"s shoulders. She looked at him and saw his displeased expression. She finally understood that he was really jealous. How could this man be so childish? And didn"t he know that he was the only one for her?
Still, she thought that his hostile look was adorable. She leaned closer into him, inhaling his intoxicating masculine scent. She unconsciously rubbed her face against him because it had become a habit. The feline gesture comforted her.
Kong Ou looked at the happy couple and showed a pained look. He looked as if he was suffering a great injustice but enduring it. His eyes seemed to become unfocussed and hurt. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth subtly.
Zhong Mian did not miss these expressions. She frowned deeper as she looked at her boyfriend. She had a feeling that this dinner would not get any better after this rocky start. However, she was a person who always committed to whatever she wanted fully.
In spite of Kong Ou"s strangeness, he was still her boyfriend. They could discuss everything else later. For now, it was important to show that they were united.
With these thoughts in mind, she raised her elegant hand to cover the clenched fist on the table. However, as soon as her skin touched Kong Ou"s, he moved away his hand at a shocking speed. It was almost as if he had been scalded.
Instead, he looked at Hu Lei who remained oblivious.
Unfortunately, nothing escaped the eyes of a certain man who, once again, had the terrifying aura of an evil emperor ready to behead people.