Chapter 31: I Suppose You Have a Conscience After All

This was the first time he had explored the campus so thoroughly; it was much larger than he had imagined. The university comprised over a dozen colleges, and their School of Foreign Languages was just one of them, alongside others like the School of Economics and Management, the School of Art and Design, and the School of Civil Engineering.

At around five in the afternoon, Lin Bai received a message on his phone from Li Ruonan: "I'm ready. Where are we going to eat?"

Looking at the message and then at the still-bright sky, Lin Bai did not reply. He went to the East District cafeteria, got into the driver's seat of his Mercedes, and drove to the roadside outside the girls' dormitory to wait.

Once it was past six and the sky had darkened, Lin Bai replied to Li Ruonan: "Sorry, I was driving. I just arrived at the road outside your dormitory. Come on down; the license plate number is XXX..."

"You have a car? Okay, I'm coming down right now."

Apart from Qin Ruowei and his four roommates, Lin Bai had never mentioned owning a car to anyone. He didn't like to show off.

A few minutes later, Li Ruonan ran out of the side gate. She was wearing a light blue dress, her long hair falling loosely over her shoulders, and she wore subtle makeup. Lin Bai spotted her from the car, stepped out, and waved. "Over here, Ruonan."

Hearing his voice, Li Ruonan looked over, walked up to him with a smile, and then gasped in surprise when she saw his car.

"Is this... your car?"

"Yes, get in and we'll talk."

Lin Bai opened the passenger door for her, returned to the driver's seat, started the engine, and merged into traffic. What Lin Bai didn't notice was a familiar BMW X7 following them at a leisurely pace, about a few dozen meters behind.

Inside the car, Li Ruonan finally accepted the reality that this was Lin Bai's car. "My god, you're amazing, Lin Bai! You already have such a nice car!"

Li Ruonan looked at Lin Bai with a gaze that seemed to brim with affection; her favorability toward him had undoubtedly increased. Lin Bai glanced at her score: 7! It was one point lower than Qin Ruowei's, which he found quite reasonable and scientific.

"Where are we going to eat, Lin Bai?" Li Ruonan asked, watching the scenery retreat outside the window.

"We'll be there soon."

Half an hour later, the car pulled into the parking lot of the Qingpingyue Restaurant. After handing the keys to a valet, Lin Bai walked into the restaurant with an astonished Li Ruonan.

The young woman at the reception desk was the same one from his last visit. Having recognized Lin Bai instantly, she greeted him with a respectful expression. "Hello, Mr. Lin. How many people are in your party today, and what kind of private room would you like?"

As she spoke, a number appeared above her head: 7! She was also a 7-point beauty, the same score as Li Ruonan; the only difference was their age.

"Just the two of us. A smaller private room will do."

"Very well, Mr. Lin. Please, follow me."

The receptionist led them to the elevator, which ascended to the 17th floor. She brought them to a room marked "Supreme 09," pushed the door open, and gestured inside. "Here we are. Are you satisfied with this room?"

Lin Bai and Li Ruonan stepped in and looked around. Compared to his last visit, this room was much smaller, yet it remained larger than most restaurant dining areas—even larger than many residential homes. It spanned about two hundred square meters and featured a simple dining table, exquisite dishes, a small hot spring pool, and a large bed to the side.

Upon seeing the bed, Li Ruonan blushed for no reason and began fidgeting with her fingers.

"It's good. I'm satisfied." Lin Bai was pleased with the staff's work. These people dealt with all kinds of guests every day and had long since honed a sharp eye, capable of guessing a guest's intentions at a glance.

"Very well, Mr. Lin. I'll leave you two to your meal. Please press the bell if you need anything." The woman bowed respectfully, exited the room, closed the door, and flipped the "Do Not Disturb" sign for him.

With only Lin Bai and Li Ruonan left in the room, Li Ruonan, who had never been to such an upscale place in her life, felt a bit overwhelmed. "Lin Bai, actually... a simple meal would have been fine. Isn't it very expensive here?"

Lin Bai didn't answer. After ordering a few simple dishes, he reached out to take Li Ruonan's hand and led her toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. Li Ruonan felt stiff, following him like a marionette.

Standing before the glass, overlooking the night view of Jiangcheng, Li Ruonan was mesmerized.

"Is it beautiful?" Lin Bai asked softly, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

Li Ruonan felt it, her eyes full of nervousness as she gripped his hands tightly. "Lin Bai, I... I'm not ready yet."

Knowing that expecting everything at once wasn't realistic, Lin Bai refrained from any further advances, simply holding her from behind.

"Lin Bai, I... I like you." After a moment of silence, Li Ruonan mustered the courage to speak, her face as red as a ripe peach.

Not knowing how to respond to her confession, Lin Bai paused, then turned her around to face him and leaned in to kiss her. As their lips met, Li Ruonan's body went rigid, and she froze.

Lin Bai, who had some limited experience, used his modest skills to help her slowly grow accustomed to it. A strange, surging sensation washed over her, making her legs go weak; unable to stand steadily, she could only wrap her arms around his neck for support.

*Ding-dong.*

At the critical moment, the doorbell rang.

"Excuse me, Mr. Lin. Your dishes are ready. May I bring them in now?"

Lin Bai felt a pang of regret. He wished he hadn't ordered so early; he had been so close. Now, it was clearly out of the question.

Forced to let go, Lin Bai turned and opened the door under Li Ruonan's avoidant gaze.

The exquisite dishes were placed on the table, and the two sat across from each other, enjoying the meal and chatting intermittently, with the night view of Jiangcheng serving as their backdrop.

***

Down in the parking lot, the ground outside the driver's side of the BMW X7 was littered with cigarette butts. Qin Yulong stared intently at the entrance of the Qingpingyue Restaurant, checking his watch every few moments.

"Damn it, this brat... if he dares to... I'll skin him alive!"

With that, Qin Yulong flicked the cigarette butt out the window in frustration and lit another.

Just as he lit it, he saw Lin Bai and Li Ruonan walking out of the restaurant together. Seeing this, Qin Yulong quickly adjusted his seat and tossed the fresh cigarette aside. As he watched them get into the car and drive off, he started his own engine and followed quietly.

The pursuit continued until he saw them drive onto campus. Only then did Qin Yulong let out a long sigh of relief.

"I suppose you still have a conscience, kid!"

With that, he turned the car around and merged back into traffic.

Back on campus, Lin Bai parked behind the East District cafeteria and walked alongside Li Ruonan toward her dormitory.

The walk was silent. In truth, Lin Bai had been confident that he could have taken things further with Li Ruonan, but at the last moment, he couldn't break through his own mental barrier. The shadow of Qin Ruowei kept appearing unbidden, leaving him disinterested.

In the end, they had simply shared a meal.

"We're here, Lin Bai. You can stop here. I had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you."