What's wrong with her?
Why is she crying?
I didn’t even do anything.
Is she already giving up?
Tang Hua glanced at the girl out of the corner of her eye, her mind filled with such questions.
Just as she was about to say something, she saw the girl take a tissue out of her bag, firmly wiping away the traces of defeat from her face.
Then, when she looked up again, she had regained her energy, as if nothing had happened.
"..."
Tang Hua felt a stir in her heart.
She thought to herself, "As expected."
This girl has feelings for the boss that go beyond just being "colleagues" or "partners."
Although she’s just his neighbor, she likes to peek through the crack of the boss’s door, and she’s definitely done it more than once.
So, she must know—she must have realized even earlier than I did—that there’s "someone else" in the boss’s house.
She’s seen the "sister," and even knowing the "sister" exists, she still hasn’t given up on trying to win the boss over.
This kind of girl is terrifying.
Because she,
【isn’t afraid of losing】.
…
…
"...Ah."
Tang Hua felt the pressure.
On the internet, in the little red book, she’s read many long analyses by her fellow sisters.
They say,
When it comes to rivals in love, there’s one type of person you need to watch out for.
That’s the kind of person who, "no matter how much stronger you are than her, no matter how much you crush her, no matter how clearly you’ve staked your claim, she’ll shamelessly never give up."
This kind of enemy is extremely terrifying, extremely difficult to deal with.
Because according to this logic, "not afraid of losing" and "never giving up" essentially means—
【she won’t lose】.
She’ll keep trying.
She’ll keep working hard.
She’ll seize every opportunity she can.
When the wind is against her, she’ll retreat temporarily, protecting her fragile self.
But the moment you lose focus, the moment you show a crack, giving her an opening,
It’s over.
All your efforts, all your strategies, could be shattered in an instant. She’ll break through your defenses, strike at your core, and ultimately declare victory.
Therefore, based on "the sisters’ experience,"
Tang Hua believes that
Bai Xing isn’t as fragile as she appears on the surface.
In fact, quite the opposite, she’s a formidable opponent.
If I don’t take her seriously, I could easily suffer a major loss.
Hmm.
I need to be cautious.
She thought to herself.
"I’ve ordered, what do you want to eat? Take a look."
At this point, Lu Qing had already added a few snacks to the menu, then slid it over and handed the pen to Tang Hua, letting her choose.
"Oh, okay, boss."
Tang Hua was flattered, taking the pencil, but instead of moving away, she leaned even closer to him.
It was an aggressive stance.
"..."
Lu Qing seemed to sense something but didn’t say much, just shifted his gaze to Bai Xing across the table.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
Bai Xing nodded: "Yes. Very hungry."
"Really?"
Lu Qing felt like there was something off about the little one.
But upon reflection, he realized it might be because Tang Hua was sitting too close to him, causing Bai Xing some real emotional damage.
"Is that so?"
He paused for a moment, testing the waters: "After I finish planning the next steps for you two, shall we all go home together?"
"No, I’ll go back by myself."
Bai Xing stubbornly refused, not giving Lu Qing any face.
Good.
Lu Qing instantly understood—
She’s been deeply hurt.
Just like that day at the panini shop.
A slight touch, and she’ll shatter into pieces.
Hmm.
Got it.
Lu Qing smiled and didn’t press further.
He knew that with Bai Xing, words alone were meaningless. He had to take actual action to heal the wounds in her heart.
Otherwise, she’d spiral deeper into her thoughts, tearing open the pain over and over, until she’d retreat into herself, hiding under her blanket and never wanting to come out.
"...What a strange personality."
He thought to himself.
Not long after.
"Boss, I… I don’t know much about steak, could you… help me choose one, please?"
Tang Hua was starting to feel a bit out of her depth because she’d never eaten something so complicated before.
Back in Taiwan, her family often hosted barbecues, but those were mostly for her brother. She rarely participated, and the food she usually ate was just "whatever was edible." The butlers and servants never served her the same high-quality dishes as her brother, so something like a steak that costs two or three hundred dollars seemed incredibly extravagant to her.
Especially when it came to choosing the "doneness," she felt completely lost.
"Sure, I’ll pick a ribeye for you. The meat here is tender, with a high fat content, so it’s juicy and won’t be dry. It’s perfect for first-timers."
Lu Qing explained in detail, then turned to the waiter and said, "Make hers medium-well, since it’s her first time. She can try other donenesses once she’s used to it."
"Got it, sir. And your filet and the lady’s sirloin?"
"Mine medium, hers well-done."
"Very well."
The waiter quickly noted it on the tablet, then bowed and left.
At this point, Bai Xing’s sharp eyes narrowed as she looked at Lu Qing and asked, "How did you know I wanted it well-done? I didn’t even say anything."
"Exactly, because you didn’t say anything, I figured you didn’t know about steak doneness. Well-done is good, no blood, it suits your taste. You’re not the type who likes seeing blood."
"???"
Wait, wait, wait.
Bai Xing’s heart skipped a beat.
Her face grew slightly warm.
She wasn’t sure if her senior was complimenting her or teasing her, but either way, he knew her well.
Indeed, she rarely ate steak and had no idea what "doneness" was supposed to taste like.
The "steak pasta" she ordered from delivery apps was mostly processed meat, with no concept of "doneness." It could even pass as stir-fried beef, though it wasn’t as cost-effective as the small stir-fried beef dishes in authentic Hunan cuisine.
So, Lu Qing’s decision on her behalf was spot-on.
But would Mei Biya think she’s not fashionable if she saw this?
Bai Xing pouted, then decided it didn’t matter.
She’s just a succubus, after all. No one should be laughing at anyone.
Let it go.
She didn’t say anything more.
Soon.
The waiter wheeled over a cart, placing three sizzling main dishes on the table, along with drinks, cold dishes, snacks, and accompanying desserts.
When the food was laid out, Bai Xing and Tang Hua both looked surprised.
Because before arriving, Lu Qing had already ordered a large set meal, which didn’t include the girls’ main courses—only his own filet and some specialty dishes. What he had them order just now was an addition.
Now, looking at the table, besides the steaks, there was also a triple-cheese salami pizza, creamy mushroom pasta, tuna and corn mini-breads, truffle potato wedges, honey mustard shrimp balls, Caesar salad, and more, covering the entire table…
Bai Xing’s beautiful eyes widened in shock;
Tang Hua’s mouth watered.
"Senior, is this too much? Can we finish all this?"
Bai Xing felt that stacking main dishes on top of main dishes might be overestimating their stomachs.
And Lu Qing didn’t seem like someone with an enormous appetite. After all, the amount of food on the table would be hard to finish unless you weighed 200 pounds.
However, she seemed to have missed the point of why he ordered so much.
"Ah, it’s fine. Tang Hua has a big appetite, so I ordered more for her. It’s okay if we can’t finish, we can take the leftovers home."
Lu Qing explained.
"?!"
Bai Xing was stunned, immediately turning her gaze to Mei Biya: "Wait, you can really eat all this?"
"Hehe…"
Tang Hua chuckled sheepishly, then looked at him for confirmation.
Lu Qing said, "Go ahead, don’t worry about anything. Last time, when I ordered you two double cheeseburgers, I felt like you weren’t full. So today, treat this meat like an all-you-can-eat buffet. If it’s not enough, I’ll order more."
"Alright!!"
With his permission, Tang Hua didn’t hold back at all. She licked her lips, picked up her knife and fork, and accidentally blurted out:
"I love you, boss!"
…
…