That evening, Zhang Yang drove a van to pick up the girl from Lin Nianwei's place and then headed to a supposedly nice private dining restaurant.
The details about eating and chatting are not worth elaborating on. The restaurant owner cooked the black pork Zhang Yang brought, and the two of them ate until their mouths were oily. It was only at 8:30 p.m. that they settled the bill and left.
"It's still early, how about we catch a movie?" Lin Nianwei suggested from the passenger seat.
"A movie? Just the two of us?" Zhang Yang was taken aback, feeling that something was off.
"Yeah, why not? Any problem? You paid for dinner, so I'll treat you to the movie! I'm not taking advantage of you!" Lin Nianwei said matter-of-factly.
"How about next time? I have to get up early tomorrow and have some business to handle!" Zhang Yang, feeling a bit timid at the crucial moment, instinctively tried to decline.
"You... you're doing it on purpose, right?" Lin Nianwei bit her lip, her eyes widened. The angry yet perfectly-featured expression had a uniquely cute charm.
Despite coming to work in W City, where she wasn't surrounded by close friends, Lin Nianwei had no shortage of admirers. If she really wanted to watch a movie with someone, plenty of eager suitors would gladly oblige.
But Lin Nianwei knew what she wanted in her heart and didn't engage with those buzzing around her, even earning the nickname "cold beauty" in the office.
Yet with Zhang Yang being so dense, despite her being so straightforward, almost like having "I like you" written on her face, he actually refused, making Lin Nianwei feel powerless and even question her own charm.
Zhang Yang took a deep breath, touched his nose, and said, "I'm not lying. I have to get up early tomorrow for the shop, I already arranged it with a friend! If I stay out too late, I can't get up in the morning! How about we push the movie to next weekend?"
"Such a buzzkill, forget it! Just take me home!" Lin Nianwei buckled her seatbelt angrily.
"Alright!" Zhang Yang breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders.
Zhang Yang released the handbrake, gave the van some gas, and it quickly started, driving straight from the parking spot onto the main road, heading towards the residence.
During the less than twenty-minute drive, Lin Nianwei didn't say a word. Once the car stopped downstairs, the girl unbuckled her seatbelt and got off without even saying goodbye, heading straight towards the entrance of her building.
Seeing Lin Nianwei visibly upset, Zhang Yang felt that he might have been too harsh to a young girl.
So, Zhang Yang rolled down the window and shouted, "We agreed, next weekend we'll watch the movie together!"
The always walking forward Lin Nianwei hesitated for a moment, and her suppressed anger seemed to vanish in an instant.
"Alright!" Lin Nianwei turned her head and replied.
Zhang Yang honked the horn, and Lin Nianwei waved her hand before heading upstairs.
Only after the lights went on upstairs did Zhang Yang turn the car around and drive out of the residential complex.
After leaving the complex, Zhang Yang didn't hurry home but found a safe spot to park.
He quietly took out a White General cigarette from his pocket and started smoking.
Zhang Yang felt a sense of unexplainable irritation.
With his social experience of over thirty years and the understanding of an adult, dealing with relationship issues shouldn't be so foolish.
When dealing with friends met through fishing, or customers from the company or shop, Zhang Yang's actions were impeccable. But when it came to relationships, he couldn't handle them well.
It's not that he had low emotional intelligence, unable to read the situation.
With such an obvious hint from a beautiful young woman, even a blind person would know she's interested. Zhang Yang naturally realized this too.
However, subconsciously, he neither initiates nor responds, often instinctively avoiding the other party's advances.
How can one describe this state? It's like having a perfect fishing spot that's packed with fish, yet choosing to fish in a less promising pond farther away.
Any reasonably intelligent adult wouldn't do such a thing. Yet Zhang Yang chooses the latter when given such an option, which is an abnormal behavioral pattern.
Is there some deep-seated fear about the future in his subconscious?
Zhang Yang finished smoking the entire cigarette but still couldn't figure it out.
He glanced at the time. It was 9:03 p.m. Zhang Yang hesitated for a moment, then dug out his contact list to call Zhao Bingguang.
"Hello? You're calling me at this hour, what's up?" Zhao Bingguang's calm voice came through the phone.
"Brother Zhao, do you know anyone good at fortune-telling or solving personal predicaments? I have something I can't figure out and could use some guidance!" Zhang Yang said straightforwardly.
"Fortune-telling? Now, that's something new! If it weren't coming directly from you, I wouldn't believe it for a second!
What's puzzling you? If it's convenient, tell me, and I'll help you figure it out!"
Hearing Zhang Yang's words, Zhao Bingguang, familiar with his character, became curious.
"It's not convenient to discuss, it's a personal issue, not business-related!"
"Alright, then I won't ask. I'll send you an address and phone number later. You can check it out yourself!
Back when I first made money, I believed in these things too. This person does have some real skills. Just mention that you're my friend, and they won't deceive you!!"