His Sunday Substitute - Chapter 10

“Why are you crying?”

That delicate face cradled in his palm felt like a soft, fluffy marshmallow. With just a slight movement of his thumb, Qin Cangye effortlessly wiped away the tears at the corner of Su Yinuo’s eyes. Gazing at her sweet yet fragile expression, he felt both adoration and heartache.

Su Yinuo was momentarily dazed by the warmth of his large hand. When the towering figure before her nearly blocked the light from the wall lamp, she snapped back to reality and hurriedly raised the rose in her hand, pushing away Qin Cangye’s hand and his attempt to lean closer.

“I-I’m fine.” Su Yinuo’s face flushed crimson in an instant.

Qin Cangye glanced at his now-empty palm with a hint of disappointment, withdrawing his hand and settling back into his seat. Watching the bowed head of Su Yinuo, he asked with a faint smile, “Did something happen? You can tell me, I’ll help you with anything.”

He rubbed his fingers together, savoring the lingering softness of her skin, thinking that even if this adorable girl asked for a hundred million, he’d agree without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Su Yinuo’s mind was filled with images: Qin Cangye, impeccably dressed and exuding elegance, accompanying her to the city management bureau to reclaim her food cart, or wearing a luxury watch and polished black leather shoes while haggling in the chaotic street food market.

She shook her head and muttered, “It just doesn’t match.”

“What?” Qin Cangye frowned slightly, tilting his head in confusion.

“Ah, nothing, nothing,” Su Yinuo waved her hands dismissively, embarrassed. “It’s just a small thing, I can handle it myself. I was just… a little overwhelmed by the moment.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing I can help with?” Qin Cangye sounded dejected.

Su Yinuo looked up and saw the droop in his eyes, making him resemble a large, neglected dog.

Ah! I shouldn’t think like that!

Setting the rose aside, she pressed her hands against her burning cheeks before lifting her head again, her tone much lighter now. “Mr. Qin, taking me to such a beautiful place for dinner today has already made me very happy. Thank you.”

Her fingers brushed against the paper bag with the cactus by her seat, hesitating over whether to give it to him now, when a polite foreign waiter approached their table.

Su Yinuo quickly let go of the bag, curiously eyeing the two exquisitely plated appetizers, smaller than eggs, that the waiter set before them.

The waiter began speaking in rapid French, introducing the dishes, leaving Su Yinuo utterly bewildered. Her gaze flickered between the blond, blue-eyed waiter and the delicate dishes, her confusion evident.

Qin Cangye disliked seeing Su Yinuo’s attention on another man. Coldly, he interrupted the waiter in French, “No need for introductions. You may leave.”

The waiter paused briefly, then bowed apologetically before stepping away from their table.

“Huh? Why did he stop?” Su Yinuo asked curiously.

“Can Miss Li understand?” Qin Cangye’s lips curved slightly before he added, “Ah, I remember now! Uncle Li mentioned you studied in Paris.”

“Ah?” Su Yinuo let out a small sound of surprise before awkwardly grabbing her fork. After a long pause, she managed only one word: “Eat!”

Qin Cangye chuckled elegantly, using a knife to cut a piece of food and spearing it with a fork before bringing it to Su Yinuo’s lips. “This is foie gras with caviar. Here, have a bite,” he said.

“I, I can do it myself,” Su Yinuo replied, flustered.

Since she could remember, no one had ever fed her. Instinctively, she wanted to decline, but when she looked up, she met Qin Cangye’s deliberately stern expression.

“Can’t you see how hard I’m struggling with this fork? If you don’t eat it soon, the caviar will spill. And you know, just a few lost pearls could cost hundreds.”

Su Yinuo immediately opened her mouth and took the food from his fork in one bite, not letting a single caviar pearl escape.

Qin Cangye smiled, watching her finish before introducing the next appetizer. “This is seared tuna. You can eat it with your hands, but it’s even better with a little mousse dip.”

“I can handle this one!” Su Yinuo reached out before Qin Cangye could intervene, but as soon as she picked up the delicate slice of tuna, she heard a crisp snap, the fish crumbled into pieces and scattered across the table.

Su Yinuo froze, her lips slowly trembling as her eyes welled up with pitiful tears.

“It’s fine, this one isn’t expensive,” Qin Cangye quickly reassured her. “It’s just very fragile, so you have to be gentle.”

He picked up a piece, dipped it in the light brown mousse, and brought it to her lips with a smile. “Here, eat.”

Afraid it would break again, Su Yinuo hastily opened her mouth and took another eager bite, only to accidentally nip Qin Cangye’s fingers. She jerked back, swallowing the melt-in-your-mouth tuna before blushing furiously. “S-sorry!”

“It’s nothing,” Qin Cangye replied lightly, withdrawing his hand as if nothing had happened. Then, using the same fingers she had bitten, the ones that had briefly brushed against her tongue, he picked up another piece of tuna and ate it himself.

Truly, delicious.

In the dim, backlit shadows, a faint, almost imperceptible flush crept across his cheeks.

“Mr. Qin, you don’t have to feed me. Just tell me how to eat it,” Su Yinuo insisted, growing increasingly flustered.

Qin Cangye’s lips curled slightly as he nodded.

The next few main courses were heartier, pan-seared lamb chops, lobster risotto, and crispy charcoal-grilled bread, all incredibly flavorful. The seafood tower paired with various dipping sauces was exquisitely fresh, and the black truffle vegetable salad was not only plated like a work of art but also delightfully tangy and refreshing.

Su Yinuo indulged to her heart’s content, eating until she was half-full before noticing the waiter bringing over a bottle of red wine that had been decanted for half an hour.

“Ah… this…” Su Yinuo hesitated.

“Can you not drink?” Qin Cangye asked seriously.

“No…” She had been about to say she’d never tried alcohol before when she suddenly remembered her current identity and corrected herself. “N-no, it’s fine. I can drink.”

The waiter poured the wine, its rich fruity aroma wafting through the air. Su Yinuo mimicked Qin Cangye’s movements, elegantly lifting her glass, clinking it lightly against his, and taking a small sip.

The wine was indeed smooth and mellow, with a hint of unfamiliar tartness. Though the taste was strange at first, she found herself drawn to take another sip. This time, layers of flavor and lingering notes unfolded in her mouth, making her eyes narrow slightly in pleasure.

“Good?” Qin Cangye asked.

The subtle expressions on Su Yinno’s face amused Qin Cangye immensely, stirring a playful urge in him. “This is a 2005 Romanée-Conti,” he said with a smirk. “If I recall correctly, it costs about… 150,000.”

Su Yinno’s eyes widened. She gulped down the mouthful of red wine in her throat, then hastily set the glass down, embarrassed by her reaction, though her grip on the stem remained tight, as if afraid to spill even a single drop.

“Can’t let it go to waste,” Qin Cangye teased, finding her utterly adorable. He reached out and lightly tapped the glass she was clutching so tightly.

This wasn’t just drinking, it was practically swallowing money! Waste was unacceptable, shameful even!

Su Yinno took sip after sip, glass after glass, until she felt lightheaded. When the server approached to refill her glass, she quickly waved them off. “No, no more for me. Pour some for Mr. Qin instead.”

The slight buzz emboldened her. Resting her flushed cheeks in her hands, she leaned against the table, shamelessly admiring the noble, composed man before her as he drank.

In the background, the deep, melancholic notes of a cello filled the air, like a dragon locked in an ancient castle, pouring out its unrequited love for a princess who had vanished a thousand years ago.

The music moved Su Yinno, painting a vivid image in her mind: the dragon rising from a mountain of gold coins and jewels, opening its terrifying, awe-inspiring eyes, then shaking its massive wings. In a dazzling golden light, it transformed into the aloof and noble Qin Cangye.

It fit him perfectly.

Her head tilted slightly as her imagination ran wild.

Qin Cangye had descended into the mortal world, wandering through opulent, decadent places, holding a glass of red wine as he asked strangers, “Excuse me, have you seen my princess?”

And she, she was just one of those strangers who had stumbled into his world. Maybe she was a servant, maybe a flower girl outside the lavish venue, but the moment she looked up, she was ensnared by his gem-like, soulful eyes.

Wow…

Lost in her fantasy, Su Yinno suddenly heard Qin Cangye’s low, teasing voice: “Had enough of staring?”

“Haha, not yet.” She giggled foolishly, her gaze still fixed on him.

Qin Cangye smirked and asked, “Do I look good?”

“You’re ridiculously handsome…” The compliment slipped out before she could stop herself.

Qin Cangye set his glass down heavily on the table, barely restraining the urge to pull her in and kiss her. Gripping the stem tightly, he stared at her as if his soul had left his body, imagining himself cupping her delicate chin and pressing his lips to hers, tasting the wine on them.

“Ah, sorry,” Su Yinuo mumbled another apology, still slightly dazed. She picked up a piece of dessert, nibbled on it, then sipped some sweet soup, gradually regaining her senses.

“I still haven’t given you your gift, Mr. Qin,” she said, her cheeks still flushed. She pulled out a brown paper bag and handed it to him sheepishly. “On my way out today, I came across my first tree branch. I hope you don’t mind it, but if you do, you can just throw it away.”

“I would never disdain it. I’ve never received a gift like this before,” Qin Cangye said with genuine sincerity. He took the kraft paper bag and, without a second thought, reached his hand inside.

By the time Su Yinuo tried to stop him, it was already too late. Qin Cangye jerked his hand back as if electrocuted, hissing through gritted teeth.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Qin, I’m so sorry…” Su Yinuo panicked, immediately standing up and rushing to his side. She took hold of his hand, now embedded with several thorns. “Oh no, they’re so deep! I’m so sorry, Mr. Qin. I didn’t expect you to reach in like that.”

Qin Cangye didn’t say a word. Secretly, he wanted to savor the sight of Su Yinuo worrying over him a little longer, and to feel the touch of her delicate hand just a bit more.

After removing the most obvious thorns, Su Yinuo said, “It’s too dim in here. Let’s go to the restroom to check for any remaining thorns and rinse your hand.”

She grabbed Qin Cangye’s strong, firm wrist and led him to the brightly lit restroom. A thoughtful waiter even handed them a pack of medical disinfectant wipes.

Su Yinuo held Qin Cangye’s injured hand in her palm the entire time, carefully plucking out every last thorn before guiding it under the faucet to rinse. She then meticulously wiped it down with the disinfectant wipes.

Qin Cangye was tall, so tall that when they stood together, Su Yinuo, with her head bowed as she tended to his hand, barely reached his shoulder.

Lowering his head, Qin Cangye gazed at the petite figure before him, feeling the soft friction of her fingers against his. The defenses he had built up in his heart, the stubborn restraint and resolve he had clung to, were slowly crumbling.

“Why a cactus?” He chuckled, trying to divert his attention and ease the dangerous collapse within him. But then, unexpectedly, the woman in front of him lifted her head, tilting her face upward to reveal a blushing, adorable, and utterly captivating smile, right in the face of his perilous vulnerability.

“It got caught on my pants, so I thought, well, a cactus is kind of like a branch, right?”

With a deafening crash, every last defense in Qin Cangye’s mind shattered in an instant. As if struck dumb, he stared at Su Yinuo in a daze. Then, with the same hand that had been pricked by the cactus, he cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers.