Xia Yubing gave her a white look, ignored her, and focused on finishing her makeup.
Chen Cheng watched the two joking around, a smile playing on his lips.
He took out his smartphone and saw that Mei Xiang had accepted his friend request.
But there was no message.
"Are you done?" He put away his phone and asked.
"Just a moment! I need to put on my leggings!" Tong Jialu said, holding up her dress.
Xia Yubing was quick to act, "I’m ready, Mr. Chen."
"Husband." Xia Yubing corrected herself, knowing that the title "Mrs. Chen" could briefly belong to her again.
Tong Jialu came out of the bathroom, smoothing her dress, "All set! All set! Let’s get going, Brother Cheng!"
Chen Cheng offered his arms, and the two women naturally took one each.
A beauty on each side cleared away any gloom in Chen Cheng’s heart.
The Tokyo night was bright with lights, and the streets were bustling.
Led by Tong Jialu, the group found a traditional Japanese tavern and started by filling their stomachs.
Inside the tavern, warm yellow light washed over the wooden tables and chairs, and a few landscape paintings hung on the walls.
Xia Yubing was more proficient in Japanese than Tong Jialu, fluently ordering several authentic Japanese dishes, conversing with the waiter while taking care to accommodate Chen Cheng’s taste preferences.
"Brother Cheng, my cousin and I have been here before, the food is amazing!" Tong Jialu said excitedly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Eh? Why do I hear a Taiwanese accent when you speak?" Chen Cheng teased.
Tong Jialu pouted and lightly slapped Chen Cheng’s shoulder, "Aww, Brother Cheng, I get when I’m excited, stop teasing me!"
"Then you will use that accent for the rest of the evening." Xia Yubing casually dropped a comment.
Chen Cheng raised his eyebrows, "Ho, look at that, your ’sister’ is starting to punish you."
"I am not!" Xia Yubing quickly denied.
Before long, the dishes were served one after another.
There were seafood sashimi, delicate sushi, and grilled eel that Xia Yubing had specifically ordered.
"Husband, have some more of this." She placed some grilled eel into Chen Cheng’s bowl.
Tong Jialu too eagerly added a few pieces of sushi to Chen Cheng’s bowl, promptly switching to, "Husband, try this."
Chen Cheng didn’t touch his chopsticks, instead, he looked across at Chen Donghai, who still had a serious expression, "Xiao Hai?"
Chen Cheng said with a smile, "Don’t be so formal, relax a little, we’re here to enjoy ourselves, come on, let’s eat together."
Only then did Chen Donghai pick up his chopsticks.
Sake was served at the moment, and Xia Yubing ordered three bottles.
Chen Cheng handed one to Chen Donghai directly, "Have some sake, later you can go out and unwind."
He knocked on Tong Jialu’s arm, "Is there a bubble bath nearby? Let Xiao Hai try it out."
Tong Jialu covered her mouth and chuckled, "Brother Cheng, you’re so naughty, but there are actually a few around here. After dinner, I’ll take Brother Hai there."
Somewhat embarrassed, Chen Donghai scratched his head, "Mr. Chen, no need for that trouble, I’m good just accompanying you guys."
Chen Cheng waved his hand, "Don’t mention it, it’s rare to get out, we should relax. This outing is not about money, we’ll play however we want!"
After that, he said to Xia Yubing, "Give all the yen you exchanged to Xiao Hai."
Xia Yubing immediately took out a stack of yen from her bag and placed it on the table.
Chen Cheng said, "Xiao Hai, you’ve been working hard these days. Tonight, find a couple of girls and enjoy yourself thoroughly. You can use the card I gave you however you like. Take this money for tips."
Chen Donghai was a bit overwhelmed, and quickly waved him off, "Mr. Chen, I can’t accept this. It’s my honor to be out with you; I couldn’t let you spend on me."
Chen Cheng pushed the money towards Chen Donghai with a smile that held a firmness that was not to be refused:
"Just take it. When you’re out and about, you should enjoy yourself to the fullest, don’t let down my good intentions."
Tong Jialu also chimed in from the side: "Yes, Brother Hai, just listen to Brother Cheng! It’s rare to have fun out, so you should truly enjoy it."
Mrs. Chen said, "Xiao Hai, just take it. Brother Cheng means well, don’t disappoint him."
Under the gaze of the three, Chen Donghai no longer insisted.
He had been with Chen Cheng for less than a month, but Chen Cheng’s generosity was something he hadn’t experienced before.
"Thank you, Mr. Chen." He grabbed the sake bottle from the table, "Then I’ll drink to that!"
"Hey, no!" Chen Cheng interrupted him, "Don’t drink too much; you’ve got business to attend to later!"
Tong Jialu and Xia Yubing giggled; they had never experienced such a relaxed trip to Tokyo.
Chen Donghai paused for half a second, his face showing an embarrassed smile.
"See, I told you Xiao Hai can smile, right?" Chen Cheng was in high spirits, raising his glass, "Cheers."
Chen Donghai clinked glasses with both hands, "To you, Mr. Chen!"