Rong Xingyu’s back pressed tightly against the seat, his fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of his jacket.
He felt small, nervous, and completely frozen in place.
Then, as if amused, Ding Yixin gave a quiet chuckle.
He leaned slightly forward again to pull the seatbelt out properly this time.
A lock of his dark hair slipped down from his forehead and its ends almost brushing against Rong Xingyu’s chest.
Click.
The seatbelt fastened.
Ding Yixin straightened up and leaned back into his own seat again.
Ding Yixin looked at Rong Xingyu with a calm and curious expression.
"Is it hot in the car?" he asked.
Rong Xingyu quickly covered his face with both hands and shook his head hard. His muffled voice came through his fingers, "No, no! Let’s just go!"
The car then finally started moving.
Rong Xingyu held onto the seatbelt tightly and turned his head to look out the window.
The trees on both sides of the road slid backward as the car drove on.
He bit his lower lip gently and his face still warm from embarrassment.
Why did he always end up making a fool of himself in front of Dr. Ding? Would the man think he was stupid?
Feeling both shy and annoyed, Rong Xingyu stayed quiet all the way until the car stopped.
Ding Yixin glanced at the young man who is sitting beside him with his cheeks puffed up like an angry little pufferfish and though he found it adorable, so he decided not to tease him anymore.
If he teased too much, the "cute little thing" might just explode.
When the car came to a stop, Ding Yixin got out first and, as always, "dutifully" opened the car door for Rong Xingyu.
Rong Xingyu who is standing outside, looked toward the faintly hidden buildings surrounded by a grove of bamboo and couldn’t help letting out an amazed sound.
"Wow..."
Just like that, all his earlier irritation vanished completely.
He hadn’t expected that in such a busy city like Liaofang City, there could be a place this quiet and elegant.
"Longfor Mansion? What a place! It’s truly like ’living among people, yet free from the noise of carriages and horses,’" Rong Xingyu murmured in quiet admiration.
Hearing him quote poetry so naturally, Ding Yixin said nothing, but his eyes softened even more.
In order to get to Longfor Mansion, they had to cross a small road that wasn’t very wide.
Rong Xingyu followed obediently beside Ding Yixin.
Just as he lifted his foot to step forward, their hands brushed together by accident.
Before he could react, that warm and steady hand turned over and wrapped gently around his own.
Rong Xingyu froze and his entire left hand was completely enclosed in Ding Yixin’s larger one.
Where their skin touched, it felt like a faint electric current passed through him, sending a soft tingling all the way up his arm and spreading it across his whole body.
His mind went blank for a second and his heart suddenly started racing fast.
He couldn’t help but glance up at Ding Yixin, only to see the man’s calm composed profile.
Then, Ding Yixin gave his hand a light squeeze and said quietly, "Let’s go."
And with that, he led Rong Xingyu forward.
...Well, crossing the street was safer while holding hands, right? It was just for safety reasons, Rong Xingyu told himself in his mind, trying to justify it.
But when they finished crossing and were only a few steps away from Longfor Mansion, Ding Yixin still hadn’t let go of his hand.
Rong Xingyu: "..."
So with both his ears burning red, Rong Xingyu allowed himself to be led by Ding Yixin into Longfor Mansion.
Up close, the place was indeed quite small but surrounded by bamboo, it felt like its own little world, quiet and peaceful.
"This is a private restaurant my friend just opened," Ding Yixin said softly. "I’ll have to trouble you later to help me taste how the food is."
Rong Xingyu nodded quickly in agreement.
He finally remembered why he had come today, that’s to help taste the dishes.
Dr. Ding had said that he had recently quarreled a little with one of his younger relatives.
He wanted to make peace but wasn’t sure if the dishes at this new restaurant would suit the younger man’s taste.
So he had asked Rong Xingyu to come first and try them out.
If Rong Xingyu thought the food was good, then next time Dr. Ding could bring that younger relative here.
Rong Xingyu had immediately agreed back then. Dr. Ding had helped him so many times, tasting food for him was such a small thing.
If Dr. Ding wanted to eat food he cooked himself, that would be fine too!
"Really?" Ding Yixin smiled faintly. "Then I must make sure to try Yuyu’s cooking sometime."
Rong Xingyu: "..."
Oh no, had he just said what he was thinking out loud?
He nodded a little, then suddenly tugged gently at Ding Yixin’s hand as if remembering something.
He didn’t even realize that his small gesture carried a hint of shyness and warmth.
"I only know how to make simple home-style dishes," he said softly. "Dr. Ding, you can’t dislike them when the time comes, alright?"
...
As expected from a private restaurant, the food was amazing.
Even though Rong Xingyu had tasted the dishes of many skilled chefs when he used to help out in kitchens in his past life, he had to admit that tonight’s meal was perfect, in color, aroma, flavor, and every other detail.
Besides, Longfor Mansion had a wonderful atmosphere. It’s peaceful and elegant, a place where one’s body and mind could relax without even realizing it.
At first, Rong Xingyu had worried that Dr. Ding might take him to one of those grand and fancy five star restaurants.
He had never been to one before and was afraid of embarrassing himself.
But all the way from the entrance to their private room, as Ding Yixin held his hand, Rong Xingyu noticed there were hardly any people around.