Zhou Fan pulled up to Minghua Residential Area, in a sleek black sedan that shimmered under the golden rays of the setting sun. The engine purred smoothly, and as the door opened with a soft click, Meilin stepped out of her apartment building, her slim figure wrapped in a cream-colored dress that danced lightly with the evening breeze. Her heels clicked softly against the pavement as she approached, and Zhou Fan stepped out of the car to open the door for her like a true gentleman.
He has honey brown cropped hair that gave him the look of an ideal next door neighbor kind of feel. And that was what first attracted her to him.
"You look stunning, Meilin," Zhou Fan murmured with a grin that reached his eyes.
Meilin blushed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You clean up nicely too. I didn't expect you to bring this car."
Zhou Fan smirked, taking her hand as she slid into the passenger seat. "Only the best for my girl. You deserve to be treated like royalty."
'He even called me his girl? I guess we're finally making some progress. It was nice I didn't push too much and made him come to me himself.' Li Meilin thought with a small, almost unnoticeable smile.
As the car cruised through the city, Zhou Fan drove with one hand on the wheel and the other gently resting over Meilin's. The streets blurred past, painted in hues of twilight, and the soft hum of a love ballad played from the car's sound system.
"You know," Zhou Fan began, stealing a glance at her, "soon, we'll be engaged. I've been thinking about it a lot lately."
Meilin's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened slightly. "You're serious?
They'd only kissed a handful of times and she hadn't even met his parents.
"Dead serious." He smiled, eyes back on the road. "It's time I start planning our future. I mean, we're perfect together, aren't we?"
Li Meilin didn't respond right away. Instead, she stared out the window, her thoughts suddenly tangled. It wasn't the first time Zhou Fan hinted at a future together, but this was the first time he sounded this sure. Engagement. It was a big step. Her heart fluttered—but her instincts urged her to pause and think it thoroughly. There were still a lot of things they didn't know about each other yet.
The car slowed as he pulled into a parking lot of a cozy, upscale restaurant. Not quite five-star, but definitely a step up from their usual haunts. The name shimmered in silver lettering: La Miel Bistro.
Inside, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Ambient lighting danced from overhead chandeliers. The walls were adorned with soft art deco paintings, and a gentle jazz melody drifted from the live band in the corner. A waiter guided them to a corner table draped in ivory linen.
As they sat, Zhou Fan took the menu and scanned it quickly. "Don't worry about ordering, babe. I know what you like."
Meilin smiled politely, but kept her eyes on her own menu.
"Waiter!" Zhou Fan raised his hand. "We'll have the garlic butter steak and... oh, orange juice for both of us."
Meilin's head snapped up in alarm. "Ah, actually, no orange juice for me. I'm allergic to oranges. I'll order something else, thanks."
Zhou Fan blinked, confused for a moment. "Since when are you allergic to oranges?"
"Since forever," she said calmly. "I've mentioned it before. Infact on several occasions."
Zhou Fan laughed awkwardly and nodded. "Right, right... You did say something like that. Sorry, babe. You know I've been super stressed lately."
The waiter looked between them and nodded courteously. "Ma'am, would you like to choose your own drink, then?"
"Yes, I'll have the sparkling lemon water, please."
Just as the waiter was about to walk away, Zhou Fan leaned slightly forward. "Oh—and Meilin, try not to order anything too expensive, okay? I'm trying to save up for our future."
Meilin paused mid-movement. Her hand lowered slightly from the menu. The words stung a little more than they should have. She understood frugality, but there was something about the way he said it, casually reminding her of money, that dulled the romantic spark.
"Of course," she said softly, flipping to the lighter dishes. "I'll just get a Caesar salad and roasted chicken."
Zhou Fan smiled, as though satisfied.
As dinner arrived, the conversation floated around trivial topics—work, the weather, gossip from their mutual colleagues. Zhou Fan made a few flirtatious jokes, and Meilin smiled, but something lingered in her chest. A heaviness she couldn't place. There was that nagging voice that kept telling her not to rush into anything with Zhou Fan...but they'd been dating for three years already.
Halfway through the meal, Zhou Fan suddenly reached across the table and gently cupped her chin. "You're so beautiful, Meilin."
She opened her mouth to respond, but he leaned over the table and kissed her.
It was soft, deliberate. His lips brushed against hers like a whisper.
But she pulled back quickly, blinking.
"Zhou Fan… we haven't even met your family yet. Shouldn't that happen first?"
His eyes flickered slightly before he leaned back and laughed. "Soon. You know how busy they are. My mom is always traveling for work and my dad's barely around. I'll arrange something, promise."
Li Meilin nodded, but a part of her didn't believe him. She'd heard that line before. He always said "soon." Everything with him seemed to be about soon.
They returned to eating, and after a pause, he cleared his throat.
"So… about work. I've been working on this slide presentation for Mr. Qiao—you know, the regional director. It's for the quarterly pitch. But I'm stuck. I was wondering if you could take a quick look after dinner?"
Meilin blinked. A beat passed.
Ah. So that's why we're here.
She smiled, but her voice was measured. "Is that why you invited me here? To help with your slides?"
He looked momentarily guilty, then chuckled. "No! Of course not. I wanted to spend time with you too. But it just happens to be a good time to ask. You're brilliant at this kind of thing. Better than anyone else I know."
She stared at him, trying to read the sincerity behind his words. There was admiration there, sure. But also… calculation.
Still, Li Meilin nodded. "Fine. Send it to me. I'll take a look now."
He beamed, pulling out his tablet and handing it over. "You're the best."
Meilin scrolled through the slides. The structure was clunky, the fonts mismatched, and the colors jarring. She exhaled, her fingers flying across the screen as she restructured the first few pages, added sleek transitions, and replaced the chaotic graphics with a cleaner design. In twenty minutes, the deck looked ten times more professional.
She handed it back, meeting his eyes. "Done. Try not to overuse animations next time."
Zhou Fan looked through it, his face lighting up. "Meilin, this is amazing! You're a lifesaver. Seriously. I owe you."
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Thank you. I really mean it. I'm just trying to work hard, you know? Make connections. Build something for our future. That's why I push so hard. So one day, we can have it all."
Meilin nodded slowly, but her mind wandered. Was that all she was to him—a smart woman who helped to smooth out his rough edges? Someone to help him climb up that social ladder?
She wasn't sure.
After eating, they say at the table for a little while longer. It got quiet, filled with soft music and occasional hums. Then he lifted her hand and pecked the back of it.
"Thank you for tonight, Meilin. And for helping me. I mean it."
Li Meilin smiled politely. "Of course. I hope the pitch goes well."
He leaned in again, his gaze already settling on her lips with determination in his eyes, but this time she stopped him with a gentle hand on his chest.
"Zhou Fan… let's just take things slow. Okay?"
Zhou Fan's face fell for a second, then he nodded. "Yeah. Sure. Slow."
Li Meilin held back a tired sigh. Everything felt so... convenient.
Where was the passion? The honesty? The spark that told her she was more than just a tool in someone else's plan?
She looked at an unclear reflection of her eyes through the golden spoon on the place. Her eyes were clear, but her heart was cloudy.
Was this really love… or just another calculated arrangement disguised as romance before he would run off for another few days and then eventually need her help again? She had to break this cycle if not things would get ugly.