The dinner passed more smoothly than either of them had expected. Conversation, tentative at first, gradually loosened into easy laughter and lighthearted remarks, until the awkward edges of a blind date were blurred away. By the time the last plates were cleared, neither felt the urge to glance at the time or rush their departure.
When they finally stepped into the evening air, the city greeted them with its usual pulse of energy. Streetlamps spilled a warm glow across the pavement, vendors called out from sidewalks thick with passersby, and the fragrance of roasted chestnuts mingled with the sharper tang of exhaust.
Lin Kai walked half a step behind Li Xianyu, hands buried in his pockets, his lips curved in the faintest of smiles. A quiet thought flickered in his chest: I don't want this night to end just yet.
"Say," he began, his tone light but sincere, "thank you for tonight. I really enjoyed it. And… I was thinking—if it's alright—I'd like to give you something. Just a small gift. Consider it a memento for our first meeting."
Li Xianyu halted mid-step, caught off guard.
A gift?
Her first instinct was disbelief. From what her mother had told her, Lin Kai came from an ordinary family. Nothing extravagant, nothing wasteful. A gift, this early, seemed not only unnecessary but perhaps even a strain on him. She shook her head with a polite smile.
"It's alright. I enjoyed myself too. There's no need."
And she meant it. The evening had already exceeded her expectations. He wasn't ostentatious, nor was he tiresome—simply a man she could sit across from without discomfort. But she had no intention of complicating matters; in her mind, this was just a pleasant evening.
Lin Kai's smile, however, did not falter. His voice was calm, steady, almost reassuring.
"It's just a small thing. Don't worry about my finances. I may not look it, but I'm more stable than you think."
There was something in the way he said it—unhurried, confident, lacking the slightest hesitation—that made her pause. For a brief moment she searched his face, half-expecting to find bravado or bluster. But his eyes held only quiet certainty.
Pressing the matter, she realized, might only wound his pride. With a small exhale, she relented. "Alright then. If it's just something simple."
A trace of satisfaction flickered across Lin Kai's lips. Inside, however, he felt the black card burning faintly in his pocket, its limitless balance like a secret waiting to be revealed. With nearly a quadrillion backing him, the word simple had taken on an entirely new meaning.
Without further explanation, he led her down the street.
"Where are we going?" she asked, curiosity threading her voice.
"You'll see."
Soon, they stopped before a boutique with tall glass doors trimmed in sleek black. Golden letters spelled out LIV across the facade, gleaming softly under the streetlight. Inside, handbags sat on elegant pedestals beneath gentle spotlights, displayed like treasures in a gallery.
Li Xianyu faltered, her breath catching for half a second.
She knew this store. Knew it well. Once, she had admired a bag from LIV—subtle but elegant, the sort of accessory that whispered refinement instead of shouting wealth. She had half-hoped her ex might surprise her with it. He never had.
Now, standing at its doors with Lin Kai, her heartbeat quickened despite herself.
Lin Kai gestured lightly toward the entrance, his voice as casual as if he were suggesting a walk in the park. "I heard from a friend that the bags here are nice. Why not take a look?"
Most men she had known would either strut with nervous bravado or shrink with insecurity at the thought of entering such a store. But Lin Kai? He strolled forward with unassuming calm, as though the boutique were no different from a corner shop.
She studied him a moment longer, caught between doubt and intrigue. Was he simply very confident, or was he hiding a depth she hadn't yet glimpsed?
Her lips curved faintly despite herself. Curiosity tugging at her, she followed him inside.
The interior was quiet, softly lit, and sparsely populated. The sales associate who approached them offered a courteous smile, her eyes flicking discreetly over Lin Kai's plain attire. With professional tact, she led them deeper into the store and presented a moderately priced bag, steering them toward the "safe" options.
She assumed she was sparing him embarrassment—helping an ordinary young man maintain his dignity.
But before Lin Kai could speak, a sharp, familiar voice cut through the hush.
"Well, if it isn't Li Xianyu."
Xianyu stiffened. She turned, her expression cooling the moment she recognized the woman standing at the entrance. Xu Ting—stylish, poised, with a figure that drew attention without effort. And at her side, trailing half a step behind, was Han Mo.
The man's gaze darkened the instant it fell upon Xianyu. His jaw tightened, his brows furrowed, and in a voice pitched loud enough for the whole boutique to hear, he barked, "So this is what you've been up to? Not even a week since we broke up, and you've already found another fool to string along?"
The venom in his tone drew curious glances from the other shoppers.
Li Xianyu's expression hardened. "It's none of your business."
She instinctively tugged at Lin Kai's arm, urging him to leave. This wasn't his burden. This was just a blind date—there was no reason for him to be dragged into the wreckage of her past.
But Lin Kai remained where he stood. The air about him shifted, faintly, as irritation flickered beneath his calm. He had gone to such quiet lengths to bring her here, hoping to leave her with a memory she would cherish. And now this… this petty ex had barged in, flinging insults as if the world owed him stage time.
Han Mo sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "That's all you've got to say?"
Xu Ting, ever the opportunist, added her own barb, her smile sharp and mocking. "Honestly, Xianyu, moving on so fast—it's almost impressive."
"Xu Ting," Xianyu snapped, anger flashing in her eyes. "Spare me your hypocrisy. And as for you, Han Mo—we ended things. What I do now has nothing to do with you."
Her voice trembled slightly, whether from rage or restraint, even she couldn't tell.
Han Mo's laugh was bitter. "Big words, coming from someone like you."
Before Xianyu could retort, Lin Kai stepped forward, placing himself between her and the pair. His presence, calm yet unyielding, seemed to draw a subtle line in the air.
"She has every right to be here," he said evenly, though his tone carried a steel edge. "And if we're talking about hypocrisy, it's quite something—watching you lecture her while parading another woman on your arm a week after your breakup."
The boutique fell momentarily silent. Han Mo's face darkened, his natural brutishness rising to the surface. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Lin Kai's lips curved into a sneer, his voice low and cutting.
"Your father. Come greet your father."
Lin Kai's remark nearly made Li Xianyu laugh out loud. Even the sales associate, though trained to maintain composure, struggled to hide the twitch at the corner of her lips.
Han Mo's face, however, was a mask of fury. The veins in his neck bulged, his expression twisting as if he had swallowed something bitter.
"What a big shot you think you are," Han Mo sneered, his voice carrying a thread of menace. "I'd really like to hear your honored name."
The threat was obvious: if Lin Kai couldn't back up his arrogance with status, Han Mo would make sure he regretted it.
Lin Kai didn't flinch. His tone was almost lazy, yet every word carried a sharp edge.
"Well, let's be clear—I don't need a bastard son like you. As for who I am…" He gave a brief shrug. "Lin Kai. Li Xianyu's blind date partner. And now that you know, why don't you fuck off and stop ruining my evening?"
The bluntness of it drew a small gasp from Li Xianyu. But beneath her surprise was something else—a flicker of relief. Lin Kai wasn't only defending himself; he had cut through Han Mo's venom, shielding her from the insults he'd hurled about her character.
Han Mo's chest rose sharply. "You—!"
Before he could explode, the boutique manager stepped forward. A man in a tailored vest, polished shoes clicking softly against the marble floor, he bowed slightly with a professional smile.
"Gentlemen, please," he said smoothly, his voice low enough not to disturb the other shoppers. "We ask that customers refrain from quarrelling inside the store. It disturbs the atmosphere."
His words were polite, but his eyes lingered on Han Mo with quiet weariness. Clearly, this wasn't the first time Han Mo had dragged drama through these doors.
Lin Kai, however, caught the subtle shift in the manager's tone—an opening, a chance. His lips curved faintly as an idea flickered through his mind.
"Of course," Lin Kai said agreeably. "I wouldn't want to disturb anyone. In that case, Manager, would you kindly bring me the Pure Twin Set from the display?"
The manager blinked. "The… Pure Twin Set?"
"Yes. I'll take it. Full price, of course."
A hush seemed to fall over the boutique. Even the sales associate widened her eyes, momentarily breaking her polished mask.
The Pure Twin Set was not just any handbag. It was the centerpiece of LIV's collection this season: two handcrafted purses in complementary shades, designed to be both statement and heirloom. The price was enough to make most customers blanch.
Han Mo's sneer faltered for the first time.
The manager, recovering quickly, gave a deep nod. "Certainly, sir. Your vision is… remarkable. There are only three of those sets left in the country. Please wait here while we bring out a fresh one from storage."
As the staff hurried away, Lin Kai turned slightly, feeling a gentle tug on his sleeve.
Li Xianyu's brows were drawn together, her lips pressed into a worried line. She didn't speak, but her eyes said enough: This is too much. You don't have to do this.
Lin Kai's expression softened. He slipped his hand over hers, steady and reassuring, then leaned in close. His breath brushed against the curve of her ear, his words meant for her alone.
"Let me buy it for you," he murmured. "This way, that bastard Han Mo won't dare pursue this matter further. And don't worry—this is nothing to me. I told you before, I have more financial freedom than you think."
His tone was gentle but firm, a quiet confidence that carried no trace of hesitation.
Heat crept up Li Xianyu's cheeks. She quickly tucked a strand of hair forward, letting it curtain the side of her face to hide her blush. Yet her eyes flashed, and she gave him a sharp little glare.
Lin Kai only smirked, amused at the contradiction—the fire in her gaze paired with the soft pink at her ears.
Adorable, he thought, the corner of his lips tugging upward.
For the first time that night, he felt a rush of satisfaction—not from the system, not from the purchase he was about to make, but from the realization that Li Xianyu, beneath her composure, was starting to let her true self show.