The Stars In Your Eyes - Chapter 206

Fan Mingle already reserved this restaurant, but they have not yet chosen the menu. The waiter patiently waited for them to choose the menu.

Jian Kang Se has eaten in this restaurant many times before, it only took 2 minutes for him to choose. Fan Mingle only ordered one tuna salad and one dessert. She tries to limit the calories intake on her daily diet. After she turns 30, she easily gains weight.

Jian Kang Se never comments about her appearance, but it feels good to stay in shape, and also with aging, a lot of age related diseases will surface. Her parents have a diabetes and hypertension history.

Bai Yutang never ate here before, it took quite a while to scan the menu until he decided to order fettuccini beef carbonara.

“Where do you have your meeting later, TangTang?” Fan Mingle asked while waiting for their lunch. Usually it will take around 15 minutes to deliver their order..

“At H area, Fan Jie. Not far from here. ”

They chatted for a while, the majority of which was between Bai Yutang and Fan Mingle. Jian Kang Se was never a man with many words.

Suddenly, there’s a voice behind them. “Jian Kang Se?”

There’s three middle aged men with suits standing near them, clearly on the way to their own table when one of them recognizes Jian Kang Se.

“Director Li. Are you having lunch here too?” Jian Kang Se stood up and greeted them. Both Fan Mingle and Bai Yutang stand up also.

Fan Mingle knows this man, he’s the finance director of Jian Kang Se’s bank. The executives in C bank often joke that they once almost had a heart attack to see their competitor HR having lunch with their precious treasury employee. Their hearts only feel at ease once they know Jian Kang Se dating this HR, and it was not a trick of their competitor to steal their treasure.

“Fan Mingle, you’re here too? Romantic lunch?” Director Li knows Fan Mingle is Jian Kang Se’s wife. “And this is?” He looked at Bai Yutang.

“Ah, this is Bai Yutang, my brother in law. He worked at this building. TangTang, this is Director Li, C bank finance director.” Jian Kang Se also introduced the other two men. The finance manager and an insurance director.

Director Li didn’t hold them too long. After small talks, they left Jian Kang Se to have their own lunch.

When Jian Kang Se and the others sat down, Fan Mingle held Bai Yutang’s hand. “We forgot to ask, is that okay to introduce you as our brother in law?”

Fan Mingle, as someone who deals with human’s matter everyday, knows exactly that not many people choose to come out from their closet. Her wooden husband didn’t think about that and blurted that fact. Who guaranteed Director Li didn’t remember that Jian Kang Se only had one brother.

“That’s okay Fan Jie.” Bai Yutang laughed. “In my job interview I also stated that I have a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend. Gege also didn’t mind.”

Fan Mingle nodded, “That’s good. It’s okay, foreign based companies tend to be loose in this matter. No worries.” Even though Fan Mingle said this, she still prayed that Bai Yutang didn’t find any difficulties because he was different from other people.

Their lunch was fun, and Bai Yutang felt he was closer to his lover’s family. This is the first time he met Fan Mingle and Jian Kang Se alone without his lover. Fan Mingle almost never comes together to Lin Caihong’s socialite party.

The dessert came after they finished the main course. Only Jian Kang Se who didn’t order the dessert.

The soft soufflé was covered with smooth frosting. Bai Yutang’s portion was matcha flavoured with chocolate chips on top of the snow like frosting.

The light taste with the inclusion of the matcha’s slight bitterness mixed with the chocolate’s silky texture, all three elements combined to create an amazing delicious dessert. After two or three mouthfuls, if the richness was overwhelming, there were fruits left to the side as palate cleansers. Once the soufflé re-enters the mouth, it changes into another sensation.

Fan Mingle’s portion was strawberry flavoured. The entire soufflé was coloured in pink and some strawberry pulp could be seen at a glance. The top was covered with a thick pink coloured lava cream cap. The cream ran down to the edge of the cake like a waterfall, but much gentler than the flow one.

Fan Mingle can’t hold her desire to order the dessert, since this restaurant was very famous with their soufflé. Very warm and soft, light, yet the taste is rich. Suitable for autumn and winter season choice of dessert.

“Do you know, Ah Se and I rarely have lunch together. It seems we already forgot how nice it is to have lunch together in the middle of our busy hours. How about we have lunch together once a week?” Fan Mingle happily savoured each high calorie spoonful of soufflé she sent to her mouth.

“Okay Fan Jie. Both of you are busier than me, just tell me when and let me adjust my schedule.” Bai Yutang said.

Fan Mingle smiled. She knew it was easier for them to adjust their schedule for Bai Yutang. At her and Jian Kang Se’s level, people will adjust their schedule for both of them, unless it was an important meeting with their boss, which only happened once in two or three months.

After lunch, Bai Yutang sent both of them to the lobby. Jian Kang Se’s driver was already waiting near the lobby and soon fetched them.

When Bai Yutang went back to his cubicle, Huang Shi and Xiang Cai were already there. One hour later three of them prepared for their vendor meeting.

In the taxi, Xiang Cai asked him. “Your brother in law is handsome! Is your boyfriend also handsome?”

Bai Yutang was a bit shy to answer. “Yes..” It seems he is flattering himself. Usually, guys will show off their pretty girlfriend. Bai Yutang also has the same urge to show off his handsome boyfriend.

But, is it appropriate? And.. He was also afraid if people would talk behind his back, how he was not worthy of Jian Kang Lu.

“I want to see your boyfriend, ah. Your brother in law is truly handsome and cool. What did he do at C bank?” Xiang Cai asked again.

For some people who guard their privacy, people like Xiang Cai may be despised because he asked too much. Huang Shi reminded him, “Why are you so nosy? You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to, Yutang.” Huang Shi misunderstood Bai Yutang shyness into an unwillingness.

“He works as head of treasury. Fan Jie, his wife, works as HR director in another bank.” Bai Yutang answered. He didn’t mind to answer once he knew his lover’s family wasn’t embarrassed with him, even acknowledged him.

“Woah, elites. By the way, we always held dinner party to welcome our new member. I think yours will be held together with our Christmas dinner.” Xiang Cai said.

“Ah, I know you just want to remind me why I haven’t asked in the group where you guys want to have Christmas dinner.” Huang Shi took her handphone and 30 seconds later Bai Yutang and Xiang Cai’s handphone rang the group message’s notification.

“We could give suggestions and later we will vote.” Xiang Cai explained.

“Any restaurant? Bai Yutang asked. “What if people suggested an expensive restaurant?”

“That’s okay if the majority vote for it. If it exceeds the company budget, the rest will be paid by our directors.” Xiang Cai typed his restaurant’s choices.

Bai Yutang didn’t type his suggestion since he was a newcomer. He thought it was better for him to vote for Xiang Cai and Huang Shi. “I’ll just vote for you and Huang Jie’s suggestion.” Bai Yutang said.

“No, this is our chance to eat at a luxurious restaurant and empty our bosses’ card limit. It was only 3 to 5 times a year. Don’t be shy!” Xiang Cai urged him. “Don’t you have a restaurant you like, or you want to try but out of your budget?”

Xiang Cai then mentioned several restaurants he wanted to try. In the group, Xiang Cai wrote the French fusion restaurant, while Huang Shi wrote the upscale Japanese restaurant.

“If you’re shy, then vote for H restaurant. I want to try their foie gras. I heard it’s the best in this city.” Xiang Cai happily argues in the group about H restaurant’s unique features and their delicious food.

How do Bai Yutang answer that he often eats at those expensive restaurants with his lover? He wanted to say to Xiang Cai that H restaurant’s menu sometimes changed according to the season and ingredients. But he decided to say nothing and just nodded his head listening to Xiang Cai’s explanation.

“Don’t vote for Huang Jie. I’m getting bored of eating Chinese and Japanese food at every company’s dinner.” Xiang Cai grunted.

“You said you were bored, but you always order three portions for yourself.” Said Huang Shi.

“My life motto is never say no to free things.” Xiang Cai is still typing to urge their team in the group chat to vote for H restaurant.

The next day, the result was out. It was the hotpot restaurant where Bai Yutang and his lover had their first ‘date’. Xiang Cai furiously protested the other. The hotpot restaurant is not cheap, but he still can’t accept that only he and Bai Yutang who vote for H restaurant.

“Give up, Xiang Cai! This is Christmas dinner! Winter! Winter means hotpot!”.

Bai Yutang smiled to see their lively group chat early in the morning. He also smiled to remember the first time he ate there with his lover. Those are times when he is still naively thinking Jian Kang Lu kindly treats university students like him for giving advice to choose a gift.

Thinking back, Bai Yutang should realise from the beginning that his lover was never a lamb. He has always been a wolf in disguise. Wickedly put him in the honey trap until Bai Yutang could never get out from his sticky sweetness.