Chapter 47: New Year’s Eve Dinner

The next day was Chinese New Year’s Eve. In fact, the festive atmosphere had already started to build on the 29th, and by New Year’s Eve, it was even more pronounced. Meng Ying slept in until past nine, got up to do yoga, had breakfast, and then received messages from Liu Qin, Director Yu, and Li Yuan’er.

Unexpectedly, Li Yuan’er had also reached out, inviting her to have New Year’s Eve dinner together.

Li Yuan’er mentioned that she still had some work to finish and would be staying in Licheng for the New Year. Being alone, she hoped to spend the holiday with Meng Ying.

After filming *The Twins*, Meng Ying and Li Yuan’er had maintained a good relationship for quite some time. They often chatted, and Li Yuan’er, being cheerful and outgoing, had respected Meng Ying’s request to never bring up Xu Dian again. She was quite considerate.

However, Liu Qin and Director Yu had also invited her to join them for New Year’s Eve dinner, clearly worried that she might feel lonely spending the holiday alone.

On top of that, Xu Qing was supposed to return.

Meng Ying politely declined Liu Qin and Director Yu first, as they both had families. It didn’t feel right to intrude on their family celebrations.

In the afternoon, Xu Qing sent a message saying she had arrived in Licheng, but…

Xu Qing: I can’t spend New Year’s Eve with you. I have to go back to the Gu family’s main house. He almost got on his knees begging me over this.

Xu Qing: I’ll order you a luxury meal package.

Meng Ying: No need, I’ll be fine. Besides, Li Yuan’er seems to be alone too and has invited me to spend the holiday with her.

Xu Qing: Oh? That works. She might be ambitious, but at least she’s better than those who stab you in the back.

Meng Ying: Have a good New Year.

Xu Qing: Mhm… Okay. What about that young master Xu? No gesture from him?

Meng Ying: Tsk, he has parents too.

Xu Qing: Ugh, just break up with him already.

Meng Ying: He’s still quite useful for now.

Xu Qing: Hahaha, I get it. Shut up.

Meng Ying: Tsk.

After chatting for a while, Meng Ying checked her messages again and saw that Li Yuan’er had sent another text.

Li Yuan’er: I found a Japanese restaurant I like. Do you like Japanese food? If not, you can pick something else. There’s a place called Shui Yun Jian that’s pretty good. A lot of celebrities book private rooms there.

Li Yuan’er: Let’s not eat at home. Cooking is such a hassle. My treat, just keep me company, okay?

Meng Ying had initially thought about cooking at home, but Li Yuan’er’s last message changed her mind. Fine, eating out it is.

After some thought, she replied.

Meng Ying: Okay, let’s eat out. You pick the place. I’m fine with anything.

Li Yuan’er: Awesome! Mwah mwah!

Meng Ying wasn’t used to sending “mwah mwah,” so she replied with a sticker instead. After that, she browsed Weibo for a while and had some rice noodles for lunch.

Around two in the afternoon, Meng Xiao called. It was only the second time he had called her. She answered, and after a brief silence, Meng Xiao said, “Sis, Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year.”

Meng Ying’s tone was much gentler than before. Meng Xiao hummed in acknowledgment and then asked, “What are you doing for dinner tonight?”

“With a friend. Has Mom prepared anything?”

“Yeah, she has. How about we video call during dinner?” Meng Xiao suggested hesitantly. Meng Ying smiled and replied, “I’ll be with a friend tonight, so it might not be convenient.”

“Not with brother-in-law?”

Meng Ying chuckled, “Well, he’ll be there too.”

A little white lie.

“Okay.”

They chatted briefly before Meng Xiao handed the phone to Meng Yulin. After talking for a while longer, Meng Ying hung up.

Seeing that there was still time, she decided to take a nap.

She woke up around four in the afternoon to find a message from Li Yuan’er with the address of the restaurant. Li Yuan’er also asked, “Do you need me to pick you up?”

Meng Ying checked the location and saw it wasn’t too far. She replied, “No need, I’ll take a taxi.”

Li Yuan’er: Okay.

It seemed like it would just be the two of them. Meng Ying put on a red floral-patterned dress, nude stockings, a black long coat, and a pair of boat shoes. The weather was chilly, so she tightened her coat, put on a mask, grabbed her small bag, and headed out. The neighborhood she lived in was quiet, with few people around.

It was peaceful.

The streets were adorned with New Year decorations, and the skyscrapers in the city center not far away were lit up with LED signs saying “Happy New Year,” bright and festive, adding to the holiday atmosphere.

The taxi she had called arrived just then, stopping right beside her. Meng Ying bent down and got in.

Li Yuan’er had booked a table at the Shui Yun Jian restaurant. The location wasn’t exactly bustling—it was a bit secluded—but it wasn’t far from her place. The area was upscale, and when the car arrived, Meng Ying got out, gave Li Yuan’er’s name at the entrance, and walked in. The restaurant had a faint aroma of tea, giving it an elegant and refined ambiance.

The waiter led Meng Ying to the innermost private room. When the door was pushed open, a tea-room-like private dining area was revealed.

“Please wait a moment for Miss Li,” the waiter said politely.

“Okay, thank you,” Meng Ying replied as she walked in and took a seat. The table was small, only accommodating two people. She took off her coat and draped it over the back of the chair, then removed her mask and pulled out her phone to text Li Yuan’er, letting her know she had arrived. Before she could finish typing, the door to the private room opened again.

A faint scent of tea wafted in from outside. Meng Ying looked up.

A man walked in, his black coat draped over his arm, his shirt collar slightly loosened. He carried a chill from the outside air, and his glasses reflected a faint light. “It’s raining outside,” he said.

Meng Ying propped her chin on her hand. “Did you get the wrong room?”

Xu Dian hung his coat on the rack, took off his glasses, and walked over. He leaned down slightly, resting his hands on the table as he moved closer to her. “What do you think?”

“I think you got the wrong room.”

Xu Dian pulled out a chair and sat down across from her. His long fingers picked up the tea set placed nearby, arranging it on the table. He fiddled with the switch, and water began to flow into the kettle from a small tube. As the water started to boil, his knee brushed against hers. He picked up a card and placed it in front of her.

Meng Ying opened the card.

**[Reserved for: Mr. Xu]**

He raised an eyebrow. “Well?”

“Isn’t it nice of me to come and have New Year’s Eve dinner with you?”

Meng Ying clicked her tongue and glanced at her phone.

Li Yuan’er had sent a message: “Oh no, Sister Meng Ying, I’m so sorry! My family suddenly showed up, and I have to go pick them up…”

Meng Ying typed back: “Stop acting.”

Li Yuan’er: “…Okay.”

Li Yuan’er: “I owe you a meal. Let Boss Xu treat you.”

With that, she promptly disappeared.

Meng Ying put her phone aside.

The tea set was a vibrant green. Xu Dian leisurely opened a packet of green tea and poured it into the teapot. He rinsed it with hot water, his long, slender fingers moving gracefully. His refined movements, paired with his handsome face, were quite pleasing to the eye. After pouring the tea, he used a pair of tongs to place a cup in front of Meng Ying and raised an eyebrow. “Try it.”

Meng Ying picked up the cup and took a sip.

It was green tea.

The flavor was light and fragrant.

Xu Dian leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on the armrest and the other holding his teacup. He took a sip, his eyes on her. “How is it?”

“Not bad,” Meng Ying replied, setting the cup down.

“I’ve ordered a few dishes. Take a look and see if you want to add anything,” he said, sliding a tablet toward her. The menu included chicken steak, chicken feet, a vegetable dish, and a coconut chicken soup—all dishes Meng Ying liked. She pushed the tablet back. “I’m fine with anything.”

Xu Dian raised an eyebrow and added a few more dishes before placing the order.

Soon, the dishes arrived. The tea set was cleared away, and the food was served in small, delicate portions. Xu Dian asked the waiter to bring in a bottle of wine.

Meng Ying said, “I’m not drinking.”

Xu Dian glanced at her and smiled. “I am.”

“Did you drive here?” Meng Ying asked.

Xu Dian nodded. “Yeah.”

“Then who’s going to drive you back later?” Meng Ying pressed.

Xu Dian leaned back in his chair, his long legs crossed. His shirt collar was slightly open, and he narrowed his eyes. “You don’t need to worry about that. And don’t underestimate your boyfriend.”

“You can’t drink and drive.”

“I have a driver.”

After this brief, somewhat nonsensical exchange, Meng Ying nodded. “Alright.”

Xu Dian put his long legs down and leaned closer. “You really don’t care about my well-being, do you?”

“Too many people care about your well-being already,” Meng Ying replied, picking up her chopsticks and taking a bite of food. Xu Dian’s eyes cooled slightly, and he tapped the table with his fingers, once, twice.

Then, through gritted teeth, he said, “You’re something else.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Meng Ying shot back, looking up at him with a smile.

Xu Dian let out a cold laugh. A few seconds later, he pinched her lips, wiping away the sauce on them, and then slipped his finger into her mouth.

Meng Ying paused.

After a brief moment of entanglement, her ears turned red.

Xu Dian suddenly leaned in closer, his breath brushing her ear as he whispered, “You only behave when we’re in bed.”

“Oh? Then you’d better put in the effort,” Meng Ying retorted with a smirk.

“Gladly.”

—

At the Xu family estate.

The entire villa was unusually lit up, looking warm and inviting from the outside. The long dining table was set, but this time, only three people were seated: Xu Yi, Zhao Qiao, and Wen Yao.

Zhao Qiao smiled awkwardly and kicked Xu Yi under the table. Xu Yi coughed and said, “Wen Yao, are the dishes on the table to your liking?”

Wen Yao glanced at the spread and nodded. “They’re all my favorites.”

“That’s good, that’s good. Let’s eat,” Xu Yi said, picking up his chopsticks and tapping them lightly on the table. Wen Yao hesitated for a moment before picking up her chopsticks, but she didn’t start eating right away. After a pause, she asked, “Where’s Xu Dian? Isn’t he having New Year’s Eve dinner at home?”

Zhao Qiao blinked and smiled. “He has some business to attend to tonight, so he won’t be joining us. It’s just the three of us, but that’s fine.”

Wen Yao still held her chopsticks, then absentmindedly bit the empty tips. A few seconds later, she asked Zhao Qiao, “Auntie Qiao, do you know an actress named Meng Ying?”

Zhao Qiao and Xu Yi exchanged a glance before Zhao Qiao shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

Wen Yao thought to herself, *Of course not.*

But then she added, “But I saw Xu Dian kissing her.”

“Kissing?” The usually gentle and composed Zhao Qiao suddenly widened her eyes. “My son kissed a woman?”

*Oh my God.*

*Has he finally come to his senses?*

Wen Yao: “Huh?”

*Why does her reaction seem off? Shouldn’t the focus be on Xu Dian being with another woman?*

—

The atmosphere at the table grew awkward as Wen Yao tried to process Zhao Qiao’s unexpected response. Meanwhile, Zhao Qiao and Xu Yi shared another look, this time with a hint of amusement. It seemed their son’s love life was finally taking an interesting turn.

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