She followed behind Ethan and entered the hotel's lavish, fragrant lobby. Every step felt like walking on clouds, her heart suspended in midair.
Mia immediately realized this was completely different from what she'd imagined.
An elegantly designed wooden signboard with an old-world garden charm appeared before her eyes: The Orangery · Two Michelin Stars.
The grand restaurant entrance appeared before her.
So ... it's a restaurant! And a top-tier fine dining restaurant located inside the hotel!
A strong sense of shame instantly overwhelmed Mia!
She seemed to have completely misread Ethan; he'd never meant that at all.
She felt her cheeks burning hot as if they were on fire, wishing she could crawl into a crack in the ground.
What had she just been daydreaming about! It was just too awkward and self-centered!
She snuck a glance at Ethan beside her. His expression remained calm, his gaze already fixed on the attendant approaching, clearly completely unaware of her earlier intense inner drama.
"Mia, oh Mia, what kind of nonsense are you filling your head with all day!" She spat at herself bitterly in her heart, but thankfully... luckily, she hadn't lost her composure and said anything out loud, or she would have been utterly mortified.
She quickly adjusted her breathing, trying hard to drive away those absurd thoughts, trying to regain the composure of a professional secretary.
It was so awkward. This was her first time in the city, and she'd had no idea the restaurant would be right off the lobby of such a large hotel, which made her feel a bit unsophisticated.
The host guided them to their seats.
The interior of the restaurant was tranquil and elegant, with small koi ponds and trickling fountains, swaying ferns catching the light. Old-world garden charm was cleverly woven into the modern space, exuding a quiet elegance that naturally calmed the mind.
She knew the prices here were quite high.
Not long ago, William had hosted a dinner for Ethan. The expenses went to the company account, and she was only responsible for arranging it. No matter how much it cost, she didn't feel anything about it. To her, it was just her job.
But this time was completely different — Ethan had personally invited her to dinner.
The intention and the cost made her feel a bit of invisible pressure, and she even wanted to suggest going somewhere else.
But seeing Ethan's calm profile as he flipped through the menu, the words caught in her throat.
When one exquisite dish after another was gracefully brought to the table by the server, Mia's gaze was instantly drawn to them.
Women love beauty, and seeing something attractive naturally makes them feel good.
Just like in her previous life, there were tons of trendy restaurants. Wasn't it the same principle? The food inside might not even be that great, but it had to be visually stunning, and the setting had to be beautiful. That way, countless people would come just to check it off their list.
A silky corn velouté: threads of corn silk as fine as hair drifting through the clear broth, resembling an ink painting.
Glazed short rib: rich in deep, glossy sauce, the meat plump and tender, giving off an enticing aroma.
Whole crispy branzino: head and tail intact, fried to a golden crisp, drizzled with a crystal-clear sweet and sour glaze, vivid in shape.
Duck three ways: layered and nested, with a clear, bright broth and an enticing aroma, representing the ultimate in technique and control of heat.
Chilled pork terrine: crystal clear and translucent, red and white in tone, the jelly chewy and springy, plated like a work of art.
Loaded fried rice: distinct grains, gold and silver mixed through, garnished with green peas, shrimp, and diced ham, full of color, aroma, and flavor.
Lobster soup dumplings: paper-thin skin, rich broth inside, resting quietly in a delicate steamer basket.
The presentation and exquisite plating of these dishes perfectly embodied the restaurant's pursuit of "color, aroma, taste, shape, and presentation."
Mia almost instinctively reached for her phone — when dining with her girlfriends, taking photos of the food and posting them was routine.
But as soon as her fingers moved, she suddenly froze.
Sitting across from her was Ethan, her employer, a young tycoon with an astonishing fortune.
And she was his personal bank secretary.
In this situation, pulling out her phone to take a photo?
That would seem so unprofessional, like... like some young girl who hasn't seen the world.
She smiled bitterly inwardly. Behind what seemed like a glamorous job lay a sense of boundaries and self-restraint that outsiders found hard to understand.
She'd booked countless high-end venues but rarely stepped into them purely to enjoy herself.
Even when accompanying clients, she always remembered her role, held herself together, and never overstepped.
She was just an ordinary bank employee. As she'd said herself, without Ethan, she might never have had a chance at this kind of promotion in her lifetime.
She gently lowered her nearly raised hand, shifted her gaze away from the tempting dishes, and looked back at Ethan. Her face returned to her usual, composed professional smile, though deep in her eyes, a lingering trace of awkwardness and frustration at her earlier loss of composure remained.
Ethan's gaze keenly caught Mia's fleeting urge to take photos and the restraint that followed.
He spoke naturally: "If you want to film it, just do it, don't be so shy. This isn't a negotiating table."
Mia seemed to have been caught out, her face flushing slightly. She instinctively shook her head: "No need, that'd be too casual. I'm your personal secretary, and my behavior in public reflects on you too. Something that unprofessional really isn't appropriate."
Her voice carried a professional caution, as if an invisible boundary stretched between her and pure relaxation.
Ethan chuckled softly, his laughter easily brushing through the elegant atmosphere of the restaurant: "It's dinnertime, not work hours, Mia. I really don't care at all what anyone else thinks of me."
He picked up his water glass and took a sip, his eyes showing a hint of understanding and tolerance: "Recording what you like, especially good food, isn't that just human nature? I think it's pretty great, honestly. Go ahead, I really don't mind."
Ethan's open and sincere attitude was like a ray of warm sunshine, briefly dispelling the thin ice of "professional standards" in Mia's heart.
She hesitated for a moment, but in the end couldn't resist the temptation of these art-like dishes before her, softly saying, "Alright!"
She took out her phone, but her movements were far less casual and carefree than when dining with her best friend.
She only quickly and carefully took a few close-up shots of the most uniquely styled dishes, deliberately avoiding the wide shot of the table and Ethan sitting across from her, as if marking off a safe zone.
After finishing, she immediately put her phone away, her movements carrying a hint of barely noticeable nervousness.
Completely relax in front of Ethan, taking photos and checking in like an ordinary girl? She felt like she couldn't quite do that yet.
Ethan noticed her restraint but didn't call it out. He just smiled, picked up his fork again, and focused on the delicious dish before him: "Let's dig in. The skill in this kitchen is really worth savoring."
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