Online Love, Based on the Real Object - Chapter 13

Qi Ning had originally planned to have dinner with Chu Yunjing, but before they could discuss what to eat, Shu Mingyao called.

Leaning back on the sofa, Qi Ning’s relaxed expression faltered as she listened to the words on the other end of the line, her brows knitting together slightly.

“Sister Shu, I really don’t want to date right now…” Qi Ning sighed in exasperation; Shu Mingyao was already the fourth matchmaker trying to set her up in recent days.

Her mother wasn’t even this anxious.

“I can’t help it,” came the low voice on the other end, filled with helplessness. “My cousin is 29 this year and still hasn’t found a partner. The family is in a panic, and since you’re single, you seem to be the best fit.”

Qi Ning hesitated to respond, and Shu Mingyao softened her tone, “A Ning, please do this for me and just go have a meal. If it works out, great; if not, at least you’ll make a friend. It’ll help me explain things to my mom.”

Just as Qi Ning was about to refuse, she heard Shu Mingyao add, “My cousin is quite good-looking, tall at 183 cm. He has a respectable job at the Bureau of Industry and Commerce and just got promoted this year. Meeting him won’t be a loss, even if just as friends.”

“…” Qi Ning raised an eyebrow at the first part; how could such a catch still be single? After hearing the rest, she instinctively glanced at Chu Yunjing, who was reading nearby.

After thinking for two seconds, she replied, “Alright, when?”

As soon as Qi Ning hung up the phone, Chu Yunjing turned a page in her book without looking up. “Going on another blind date?”

“What’s with the ‘another’?” Qi Ning shot her a glare, not in the mood. “I can’t have dinner with you tonight.”

Chu Yunjing closed her book and turned her head to look at her. Realizing Qi Ning hadn’t driven, she asked, “Do you want me to give you a ride?”

“No need, I’ll take a taxi.” Qi Ning stood up from the sofa, brushed her hair back, and shuffled to her bedroom to get ready.

When she came out again, she had changed out of her loungewear into a knee-length floral dress.

After taking a whiff of her perfume, she noted that Chu Yunjing’s scent indeed had a “keep your distance” vibe. Feeling like her aura had grown to two meters eight, she smirked, shaking off her lazy demeanor from earlier.

Chu Yunjing had reopened her book, deeply engrossed in reading. Qi Ning walked over and ruffled her hair, saying, “Sister’s heading out now; you be good at home, okay~?”

“…” Chu Yunjing said nothing but slammed her book shut with a loud “thud.”

Hearing that sound, as if sensing her mood, Qi Ning jogged a couple of steps toward the entrance, calling out as she fled, “Goodbye!”

Shu Mingyao had given her the address of a French restaurant, along with a string of numbers and a name.

The agreed time was seven o’clock, and Qi Ning arrived a bit early, reaching the restaurant by six forty.

She gave the reservation name to the waiter, who led her inside.

To her surprise, her blind date had already arrived; he was sitting at the table, looking down at the menu.

From a distance, Qi Ning observed him. He was dressed in a light-colored suit, his hair meticulously styled, clearly having put effort into his appearance before heading out.

This realization made Qi Ning feel a bit uncomfortable. She was only here to help Shu Mingyao fulfill her matchmaking mission, as she had no intention of dating. If he genuinely liked her, it would be quite awkward.

“Hello.” As she lost herself in thought, she had already reached the table. The moment he looked up and saw her, his eyes flashed with surprise, quickly returning to a polite demeanor.

“You must be Miss Qi, right? It’s a pleasure to meet you; I’m Shu Mingjie.”

“Hello.” Qi Ning took a seat across from him.

Shu Mingjie smiled at her and pushed the menu toward her. “This is the menu; I haven’t ordered yet. Please take a look and see what you’d like.”

“I’m fine with anything.” Qi Ning pushed the menu back. “I’m not picky.”

“Not being picky is good.” Shu Mingjie smiled, and after asking about her preferences, he smoothly listed a few dishes.

Once the waiter left, it was just the two of them. Qi Ning looked at him, and he looked back at her, creating a somewhat awkward staring contest.

Shu Mingjie seemed ill at ease in the blind date atmosphere, sitting stiffly with his hands clasped together, his fair face showing signs of embarrassment.

In contrast to Shu Mingjie’s discomfort, Qi Ning appeared much more at ease. She took a sip of water, her throat moving slightly as she swallowed.

Casually, she asked, “Where do you work, Mr. Shu?”

Understanding the background of the other person is part of the blind date process, and she thought this would be a good topic to ease the tension. However, upon hearing her question, Shu Mingjie’s expression stiffened.

Instead of answering her, he said, “Miss Qi, I’m sorry.”

“The reason I’m here today is that my family arranged this blind date for me, and I currently have no intention of pursuing a relationship.”

“I’m really sorry.” He looked genuinely remorseful.

Qi Ning paused, her hand gripping the cup, and couldn’t help but let out a light laugh at his guilty expression, which had turned slightly red.

Her tense mood relaxed at his words, and she found it quite amusing.

Propping her chin on one hand, she looked at him with interest and asked, “Am I not attractive?” The curve of her lips lifted a bit too deliberately, her eyes holding a hint of mischief.

“No, no, no!” Shu Mingjie quickly waved his hands, saying, “That’s not what I meant! I really have no intention of looking for a partner!”

Seeing him getting flustered, Qi Ning decided not to tease him any further. She dropped her playful smile and gave him a gentle smile instead. “I was just joking.”

“I also have no intention of dating.” After saying this, she noticed him visibly relax.

“Your sister told me this is just a casual meeting to make friends, not a blind date, so don’t be nervous.”

Now that everything was out in the open, the atmosphere lightened considerably.

Qi Ning could tell that Shu Mingjie truly had no intention of dating, or perhaps he had someone in mind; in any case, he was genuinely not interested in her.

The meal ended quickly, and before parting, they exchanged business cards and added each other on WeChat.

Shu Mingjie had driven there and intended to give her a ride home, but Qi Ning felt it wouldn’t be appropriate for a man and woman to be alone together, so she politely declined. He understood, and they parted ways at the restaurant entrance.

Standing by the roadside waiting for a taxi, Qi Ning found it difficult to hail one, whether because the location was too remote or due to the weekend crowd; there were already eight people ahead of her waiting for a ride.

The road was dimly lit without streetlights, and after waiting for a while, she hardly saw any cars passing by. Bored, she kicked at the pebbles by her feet, not noticing a Maserati driving past her before it slowly backed up.

“A Ning!” The person in the car rolled down the window and called her name.

Hearing the familiar voice, Qi Ning looked up in surprise to see who it was.

Taking a couple of steps closer, she heard the sound of the car door unlocking, and the driver invited her in.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Qi Ning looked at the woman in the driver’s seat. “Sister Shu, what are you doing here?”

“Just now, Mingjie told me you finished dinner, and since this area is hard to get a taxi, I happened to be nearby, so I came over.”

The orange traffic light flashed three times before turning red, and the car gradually stopped on the main road. Shu Mingyao brushed her wind-tousled hair back and turned her head to smile at her.

“Do you want to go somewhere to sit?”

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