84: Chapter 84 Western Restaurant

In August, the heat in Changyuan County had not yet dissipated.

In the middle section of Jiefang Road, the busiest street in the county, a new Western restaurant called Wutong had opened.

The place was small, but the decor was exquisite, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, off-white curtains, and a few potted plants at the entrance, making it stand out amidst the many Northeast-style restaurants on the street.

Mu Ruxue had discovered this shop half a month ago and had been pestering Xu Weidong to bring her here.

"Brother Comrade Weidong, that place really has such a great vibe! Please take me there just once!"

"Brother Comrade Weidong, you've promised me several times already, but you never keep your word!"

"Brother Comrade Weidong, if you don't take me, I'll go by myself, and then I'll tell Uncle Xu that you're bullying me!"

Xu Weidong was worn down by her pestering and finally agreed on a Saturday evening.

At 7:00 PM, the two appeared at the entrance of "Wutong".

Xu Weidong was wearing a light gray polo shirt and dark casual trousers; he looked much more handsome than when he wore his police uniform.

Mu Ruxue was wearing a white floral dress, her hair let down, and she had light makeup on, her eyes and brows full of excitement.

"How about it? I didn't lie to you, did I?"

She pointed at the restaurant, her eyes sparkling.

"Doesn't it have a great vibe?"

Xu Weidong looked around and nodded, saying, "It's alright."

"What do you mean 'alright'?"

Mu Ruxue pouted in dissatisfaction. "It's obviously very good!"

She pulled Xu Weidong by the arm inside. Xu Weidong let her pull him, a helpless smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

There weren't many customers in the shop; the lighting was dim and soft, and every table had a small candle lit.

Soft jazz drifted through the air, along with the aroma of steak and coffee.

A waitress came up to greet them; she was a young girl in her early twenties with a professional smile on her face.

"Good evening, you two. Do you have a reservation?"

Mu Ruxue shook her head. "No."

The waitress looked at the two of them, her gaze resting on Xu Weidong's face for a moment, then at Mu Ruxue's hand holding his arm, a knowing smile flashing in her eyes.

"Are you two a couple? We have a couple's event today, with an exclusive couple's set menu, and you can enjoy a 20% discount. Would you like to consider it?"

Mu Ruxue's face turned red instantly. She released Xu Weidong's arm and lowered her head, not daring to look at him.

Xu Weidong was also a bit surprised, but he quickly returned to his natural composure.

He looked at Mu Ruxue, then at the waitress, and said with a smile, "We..."

"We are a couple!"

Mu Ruxue suddenly raised her head and blurted out.

After saying that, her face turned even redder, so red it looked like it was about to bleed.

The waitress smiled, a meaningful smile.

"That's great! Please follow me, the couple's seats are over here."

She led the two inside to a table by the window.

On the table was a red rose, and the candle holder was heart-shaped.

Mu Ruxue sat down, not knowing where to look.

The waitress didn't leave, but smiled and said, "According to our shop's activity rules, couples need to have a small interaction before dining."

"A hug and a photo for a souvenir, you two don't mind, do you?"

Mu Ruxue was stunned. She looked at Xu Weidong, her eyes filled with a bit of panic, a bit of anticipation, and something else that was hard to describe.

Xu Weidong looked at her flushed face, and a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.

He stood up, walked in front of her, and opened his arms.

Mu Ruxue's heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat. She stood up, walked forward stiffly, and gently hugged him.

It was just a shallow hug, and they separated after a few seconds.

But for Mu Ruxue, those few seconds felt as long as a lifetime.

She could smell the faint scent of soap on him, feel his strong arms gently wrapping around her back, and hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

Thump-thump, thump-thump, it was loud enough to make her ears ring.

Xu Weidong let her go, and seeing her looking so at a loss, he couldn't help but laugh.

He reached out and gently patted her head.

"Alright, let's eat."

Mu Ruxue sat back in her seat, head lowered, not daring to look at him.

The waitress watched from the side and couldn't help but laugh. She said, "Enjoy your meal," and then tactfully walked away.

Even until the waitress brought the appetizers, Mu Ruxue's face was still flushed.

Xu Weidong looked at her and couldn't help but laugh again. "Still blushing?"

Mu Ruxue raised her head and glared at him, but there was no intimidation in her eyes, only soft shyness.

"It's all your fault!"

Xu Weidong spread his hands innocently. "My fault? You were the one who said we were a couple."

Mu Ruxue's face turned even redder. She retorted stubbornly, "Wasn't that for the discount? You're treating me, shouldn't I try to save some money?"

Xu Weidong laughed, shook his head, and didn't tease her further.

He cut a piece of steak and put it on her plate. "Try this, it should be good."

Mu Ruxue looked at the steak, and a wave of warmth welled up in her heart.

She remembered when she was little, during gatherings between the two families, he would do the same thing, picking out the good food from his bowl and putting it in hers.

Back then she was still young and didn't understand anything; she just felt that this brother was really nice.

Now she understood that kind of "nice" seemed a bit different.

She lowered her head, slowly eating the steak, not daring to look at him.

Xu Weidong was quite natural, chatting with her while eating. "Is the Youth League Committee busy lately?"

"It's okay."

Mu Ruxue's voice was small, very soft and pleasant.

"Recently, we've been preparing a training program for youth entrepreneurship. There's a lot to do, but I can handle it."

"Are there any difficulties?"

"No, my colleagues take good care of me."

Xu Weidong nodded and said, "That's good. If you need anything, just come to me."

Mu Ruxue raised her head, looked at him, and suddenly asked, "Brother Comrade Weidong, why are you so good to me?"

Xu Weidong was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. "Your dad asked me to take care of you, so of course I have to take good care of you."

Mu Ruxue's heart sank slightly. Was it just because of that?

She lowered her head and didn't say anything more.

Xu Weidong seemed to notice something, but he didn't say much. The two ate in silence, and the atmosphere became somewhat subtle.

After a while, Mu Ruxue raised her head again and pointed to the corner of Xu Weidong's mouth. "You have some sauce on you."

Xu Weidong reached for a tissue, but before he could touch it, Mu Ruxue had already picked up her napkin, leaned over, and gently wiped the corner of his mouth.

The movement was very light and gentle, with a bit of cautious probing.

Xu Weidong was stunned. He looked at the face so close to his, looked at her focused eyes, and a feeling that was hard to describe suddenly welled up in his heart.

After wiping, Mu Ruxue sat back and lowered her head again, not daring to look at him.

Her heart was beating even faster. Xu Weidong looked at her and suddenly laughed.

He picked up his wine glass and gently clinked it against hers. "Thank you."

Mu Ruxue raised her head and looked into his eyes.

Those eyes, deep, calm, so beautiful!

Mu Ruxue picked up her wine glass, took a small sip, then lowered her head and continued to eat.

The night outside deepened, the streetlights came on, and the dim halo of light passed through the glass window, falling on the two of them.

Faint music drifted through the air, along with a light scent of perfume.

She didn't know if it was hers or his.

But she hoped that this moment could last a little longer, just a little longer.

After the meal, Xu Weidong paid the bill.

When they walked out of the restaurant, Mu Ruxue suddenly said, "Brother Comrade Weidong, thank you for today."

Xu Weidong looked at her and smiled. "No need to be so polite; if you want to eat here in the future, just call me anytime."

Mu Ruxue nodded, then gathered her courage and asked, "Then... can we come back next time?"

Xu Weidong looked at her sparkling eyes and suddenly found himself unable to say no.

"Alright, we'll come back next time."

Mu Ruxue smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

The two walked side by side in the night, the streetlights stretching their shadows very, very long.

Mu Ruxue snuck a glance at him, then quickly looked away.

Her hand hung by her side, only a few centimeters away from his.