Chapter 31: A Trio’s Journey (5)

Perhaps it was because she had suffered so much in the past that she simply wanted her to be happy. No matter what she did, she just wanted her to be happy—as long as she was happy, that was enough.

"You're impossible! Didn't I tell you yesterday? Liu Yang and I are serious; we aren't just playing around," Li Ran said with a playful pout, her face glowing with pure happiness.

Lin Yan shook her head with a smile. She didn't believe a word of it, but she played along, asking, "Why isn't your Liu Yang with you today?"

No sooner had the words left her lips than a clear, pleasant voice sounded from behind her—a voice that instantly made one feel better. "Forgive me, I'm late."

Lin Yan turned to see Liu Yang approaching. He sat down beside Li Ran with effortless grace, and Li Ran immediately clung to his arm, cooing, "Why did you take so long?"

Liu Yang ruffled her hair and said, "There was a bit of traffic on the way."

Li Ran let out an "oh" and then grabbed the menu, presenting it to Liu Yang like a treasure. "You order then."

Liu Yang took the menu but kept his eyes fixed on Lin Yan. A charming smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "It’s not often that Miss Lin honors us with her presence. Why don't you do the honors and order, Miss Lin?"

Li Ran chimed in like an eager sidekick, "Yes, let Yan Yan order! Let Yan Yan order!"

Lin Yan suddenly felt uncomfortable under his gaze; her palms began to sweat. She quickly declined, "No, I’m just here for a free meal. You two should order. I’m not a picky eater."

After a few more protests, Liu Yang ended up placing the order. The spread was lavish, but what shocked Lin Yan was that every single dish was something she loved.

Lin Yan was suddenly overcome by a strange sensation, as if she were being watched, and a chill crawled up her spine. Could Liu Yang have investigated her?

But surely that was overkill? They were just dating; was there any reason to investigate her, someone who had absolutely nothing to do with him?

"Ugh, I hate this," Li Ran said, wrinkling her nose and pointing at the menu. "This dish has cilantro in it. I don't eat cilantro."

She flipped the page and pointed to another dish. "And this one, and this one—they have garlic. I don't eat garlic, either."

In short, there were very few dishes Liu Yang had picked that satisfied her, and she pouted so hard she could have hung an oil jug from her lip.

Liu Yang smiled, ruffled her hair, and said gently, "Garlic has antiseptic properties; eating it regularly is good for your health. Look at how frail you are; you really must eat some."

"And cilantro promotes gastrointestinal motility and helps stimulate the appetite. You eat so little every day that it breaks my heart. Let's get your appetite going so you can eat more, alright?"

Liu Yang meticulously explained the benefits of everything she disliked, leaving Li Ran completely convinced. She was even beaming with joy as she listened. Watching them, Lin Yan felt a sense of relief. If Li Ran could truly marry Liu Yang, it would be a blessing. The man appeared as gentle as jade and seemed truly devoted to her. She had suffered too much in the first half of her life; it would be good for her to find happiness in the second.

But... the Liu family’s social standing was just as daunting as the Leng family’s. Could Li Ran really marry into such a family?

Lin Yan couldn't help but frown.

"Is there anything you don't like to eat, Miss Lin?" At some point, Liu Yang had looked up, his lips curled into that same handsome smile.

Lin Yan shook her head and replied with a smile, "I was just thinking that as a thousand-watt lightbulb, I seem to be shining a bit too brightly."

At Lin Yan’s remark, the atmosphere between the three of them instantly lightened. The rest of the meal was filled with laughter and conversation, with no awkwardness to be found.