DFLB – Chapter 38

Because she was seeing this kind of Lu Xun for the first time, Qian Wei was very excited. In the past, she had always felt that Lu Xun was very difficult to please, but today it felt like the relationship between the two of them had taken a big step forward. If in the past Qian Wei had been forced to help Lu Xun because of his identity as her future boss then now, at this moment, she began to sincerely want to help Lu Xun end his single life!

“Lu Xun! Mo Zixin didn’t come this time because of illness, so we have to keep up our efforts! ” Qian Wei took the initiative to end the topic of funny movies. “Since we’ve already come out, we shouldn’t waste this opportunity. I heard from Mo Tao that Mo Zixin’s birthday is coming up soon, so why don’t you go and pick out a birthday present for her now? Since I happen to be here, I can come along and give you some advice from a girl’s point of view.”

When Qian Wei brought up Mo Zixin, probably because he had just been stood up by her, Lu Xun seemed to become a little unhappy. For a moment Qian Wei was afraid he might be feeling too depressed to talk about it but, eventually, he looked over at her and picked up the topic: “What do you think I should buy?” He thought about it and added, “If it were you, what would you like to be given for your birthday?”

“If it was me…” Qian Wei touched her chin and fell deep into thought. “I like jewelry. Gold, silver, precious gems, and so on and so forth.”

Lu Xun seemed obviously surprised by her answer: “You really like things like that? Aren’t they impractical?”

When she heard what he said Qian Wei instantly recognized that Lu Xun really was a typical man.

So Qian Wei browbeat him a little: “Haven’t you heard? Girls are all dragons. They like to sleep on their own hoards of gold, silver, and jewelry. Even if they can’t eat or drink, so long as they can coil up on those sparkling and glittering things, any girl will feel rich and happy, ah~!”

Lu Xun did not seem to agree: “You have such a vulgar hobby but you want to somehow tie it to something noble like a dragon. Just what exactly do you have in common with a dragon?”

“You just don’t understand! We Chinese are all the descendants of dragons. So isn’t it normal for us to like gold, silver, and jewelry?”

“…”

Although he said he didn’t agree with her, ultimately Lu Xun cooperated with Qian Wei and followed her into a jewelry store.

“What about this one? Little girl, you have such fair skin, this gold bracelet will look amazing on you.”

“And this one. This necklace goes perfectly with that bracelet. The pendant is the masterpiece of one of our craftsmen, it will look beautiful when you wear it.”

The sales lady at the counter was very enthusiastic and she constantly recommended different pieces of jewelry to Qian Wei.

With the thought that she was choosing a gift for the future boss’s wife, Qian Wei even took the trouble to try some of them on. And Lu Xun, who had acted quite dismissive just now, was actually very patient after they entered the jewelry store. Each time Qian Wei would try on a piece of jewelry Lu Xun would carefully observe from the side and then give an evaluation.

“She has very thin wrists. That chain is a little too thick. Bring a thinner one.”

“Well, this one is the right thickness, but it looks plain.”

When it came to choosing a gift for Mo Zixin, Lu Xun, this guy, was unexpectedly very attentive. Qian Wei was forced to try on many different pieces of jewelry but he never seemed satisfied. Eventually, Qian Wei put on a thin bracelet made from rose gold and Lu Xun finally showed a satisfied expression on his face.

Actually, don’t even mention Lu Xun, Qian Wei herself really didn’t want to put it down after she tried on the rose gold bracelet. The design of the bracelet was not that complicated, but its minimalist style actually seemed to show off its simplicity and elegance, and the color and lustre of the rose gold seemed very fashionable and romantic. Also, there was a small lock and key hanging from the thin bracelet and Qian Wei fell in love with the piece almost at first sight.

“This is really beautiful!” Qian Wei praised the bracelet from the bottom of her heart. But then when she took a look at the tag price, she was shocked, “Why is it so expensive?”

Since they were shopping for Mo Zixin, Qian Wei assumed that Lu Xun probably had a relatively generous budget for the gift. But, after all, they were all students so a bracelet that cost nearly 2,000 yuan was a bit too much.

“Because this is a unique style that was created in a collaboration between an independent designer and our shop, it is very rare and exquisite. And because the small pendants were all made by hand according to a specific design created by the designer, the price is relatively expensive. If you think that the price is not suitable, why don’t you take a look at some of these other models? They are also made with rose gold, and they are some of our most popular new models this year.”

Qian Wei took a look and found that the prices of some of the other new models were quite suitable, ranging from a few hundred yuan to around a thousand. But although they were obviously not ugly, they were clearly lacking compared to the result of the shop and the designer’s cooperative effort that Qian Wei had been looking at just now.

Lu Xun glanced over at Qian Wei: “You like that one made especially by the designer?” Then, before waiting for Qian Wei to answer, he smiled and said, “I’ll take that one. Please wrap it for me.”

“Hey! I haven’t said anything yet!”

“Alright, don’t try to hide it. Your eyes already answered for you a long time ago.”

Qian Wei wondered, was she really so obvious?

But in the end, she just thought: Well, that was just how her future boss was. He always seemed really rich and powerful, even as a student. When thinking of the prices in 2009, a bracelet that cost nearly two thousand yuan was an extravagant expense for any student but once Lu Xun made up his mind to buy it he paid for it immediately without evening blinking. Qian Wei thought to herself secretly that all people who did great things were probably decisive like that. 

After Qian Wei saw how he acted today she felt that Lu Xun must really be truly infatuated with Mo Zixin. Furthermore, Qian Wei believed that with Lu Xun’s skills and his currently improved attitude, catching Mo Zixin was probably just a matter of time.

“Your boyfriend has a good eye. This is our last bracelet in this style. Even our other stores are sold out now, I know because when he paid just now I saw a note in our internal system that someone in the store that is north of the city wanted to buy it too. There was even a request for us to transfer it to them.” The salesman smiled and said, “Fortunately, you two decided quickly, otherwise it might have been bought by a customer in another store.”

After seeing the bracelet today Qian Wei had already secretly decided that she wanted to save some money and then buy one of these bracelets for herself, so when she heard what the saleswoman said, she didn’t bother to clarify the relationship between her and Lu Xun, instead, she just looked at her and said: “Ah? It’s gone, huh? This was the last one?”

The saleswoman nodded: “Yes, that’s the last one in any of our stores in City A.”

Qian Wei felt very sorry all of a sudden because she had really liked that bracelet, but she comforted herself by thinking that it had been sacrificed for the happiness of her future boss. She was a person who could make small losses for bigger gains. After all, if she successfully set up the future boss with the boss’s future wife wouldn’t she become their great benefactor? When that happened, would Lu Xun be able to take on all those good cases without including her in the future? Once she started making money she would be able to buy as many bracelets as she wanted!

And like this, although she didn’t manage to finish the movie, Qian Wei at least accompanied Lu Xun to pick out a birthday present for Mo Zixin, which she regarded as a pretty good harvest.

After the two bought the bracelet it was almost dinnertime.

“I made a reservation at Twenty Seats*. Even though Mo Zixin didn’t come, I don’t want to waste it, so let’s go.”

Twenty Seats was an old Japanese restaurant that had been opened by an authentic Japanese chef. Their sashimi was always very fresh and their menu was famous for tasing good while being relatively inexpensive, plus they had a reputation for their quiet and elegant environment. So no matter whether it was among college students or white-collar workers, it had always been a very popular destination. Unfortunately, the name ‘Twenty Seats’ came from the fact that the restaurant was very small and only had twenty seats total, which meant it could only serve up to twenty people at a time. Scarcity made things precious and, on top of that, the restaurant had always been very popular, which meant that every reservation had to be made by frantically refreshing the page the instant the reservation system opened in the very early morning.

Qian Wei thought to herself: This Lu Xun really worked hard for his date. He even managed to make a reservation at Twenty Seats, this restaurant that was border-line impossible to secure seats in.

In fact, Qian Wei had never had the opportunity to go to Twenty Seats, even in her previous life. She just did not have the spirit to get up in the middle of the night to join the people frantically refreshing the page and trying to make a reservation. But she remembered that Qian Chuan had taken Mo Zixin there several times and he had always been full of praise for the restaurant, so Qian Wei was a bit curious. Anyway, who asked Mo Zixin to stand up Lu Xun? Because of that it seemed she would have the good luck to finally taste Twenty Seats’ dishes.

When they arrived, Twenty Seats really lived up to its reputation. The restaurant had a very Japanese-style decor and the environment seemed to revel in simplicity, there was a small Japanese-style garden set beside each seat, and a dry landscape painting over each table, which made the whole place seem very elegant and refined.

Lu Xun himself had dressed up nicely for his date tonight so he fit right in with Twenty Seats’ elegant style. Meanwhile, Qian Wei seemed a little out of place since she had willfully worn her big black coat. As soon as she entered Twenty Seats she more or less felt the weight of many pairs of eyes coming from all around her. She began to feel regret, it seemed her clothes were really too conspicuous…

On the contrary, Lu Xun, her companion, did not seem to care. He was well-dressed and dignified and, from the moment he stepped inside, he acted polite and showed a rare mild temper. Under the dim light of the Japanese lanterns, his actions made Qian Wei feel a little dazed, as if this were all a dream.

Qian Wei thought that, maybe because he suffered a setback in his relationship with Mo Zixin, Lu Xun needed to vent by eating food? Whatever the reason, Lu Xun ordered one signature dish after another, each more expensive than the last. He ordered everything he felt like all in one breath, completely adhering to the principle of ‘choosing based on price instead of quality’…

It was an old style Japanese restaurant so Qian Wei wasn’t too interested in some of the more exoctic dishes. But Lu Xun was currently frustrated by love so she bore with it when he decided to order so many things. When the food was served Qian Wei found that she was quite satisfied eating the crab legs, which indeed lived up to Twenty Seat’s name. The crab meat was glittering and translucent, and the taste was fresh with a trace of sweetness. The crab was very good but after eating it Qian Wei found that it had only whetted her appetite. On the other hand, Lu Xun, probably because he was still not in a good mood, did not seem very interested in eating. So Qian Wei, in the spirit of not wasting money, ate like a glutton until she had tried nine out of ten things on the table.

The elegant meal at the exclusive restaurant Twenty Seats ended up devolving into a live show where Qian Wei showed off her eating prowess.

And in the end, although Lu Xun himself didn’t eat much, he checked out for them and paid the bill like a gentleman.

No one could be swept up in a haze of hunger forever so, on the way back to school, Qian Wei felt obliged to say some words of comfort to Lu Xun. Regarding men, when their self-esteem was damaged, what they needed most was encouragement!

“Lu Xun, don’t be discouraged, you are actually an excellent catch! You are probably the best person I have ever met! When compared with your dazzling light, all other men can only be seen as crass and vulgar. They have no way to compete with you for Mo Zixin!”

Lu Xun, who usually seemed disinterested, actually perked up a little after hearing what Qian Wei said. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Really? What about Mo Tao? Am I better than him?”

“Mo Tao?” Qian Wei was surprised. “Why are you asking about him? He is Mo Zixin’s cousin, so it’s impossible for him to compete with you, ah~, you don’t have to worry about him.”

Lu Xun lowered his eyes and said: “It is precisely because he is Mo Zixin’s cousin that I need to be on guard. After all, Mo Zixin grew up with Mo Tao so it wouldn’t be good if he was much better than me. Because, naturally, when Mo Zixin is choosing a boyfriend she will unconsciously use her cousin that she is very familiar with as a reference. So if he is very good…” When he finished speaking, he looked up at Qian Wei and she saw that he really looked worried. His voice even trailed off with seeming uncertainty.

Wow! Qian Wei really did not expect to see this! To think there would be such a miserable day for someone like Lu Xun. Sure enough, no matter who it was, when it came to love, the one who fell in love first was the loser! That saying was absolutely right!

But seeing this weak side of Lu Xun, who was usually as proud as a peacock, Qian Wei, who was herself used to being oppressed, began to feel some sympathy for him. She patted Lu Xun on the shoulder: “Don’t worry, Mo Tao is not as good as you! You are thousands of times better than Mo Tao. In fact, I could give you a list of a hundred places where you are better than Mo Tao.”

But Lu Xun did not seem satisfied with her answer. He grunted and then immediately cut to the bottom of the matter: “Exactly where am I better than him?” He smiled at Qian Wei. “It’s said that if you know yourself and you know your enemy than you will be invincible. So I want to know more about my strengths and weaknesses when compared with Mo Tao. That way I can be better prepared in the future.”

Qian Wei winced internally and thought: Mo Tao, for the sake of my future, I have no choice but to apologize to you!

“Um…” Qian Wei stammered, “First of all, you are in better shape than Mo Tao. It’s obvious from a glance that you are taller and in better shape than him, after all, he looks to be on the weaker side, but you don’t. Look at you, your abs and mermaid line are so well-defined, your waist is just amazing! Second, you are much more outstandingly handsome than him. Although Mo Tao can be considered handsome, that’s only if you use the standards of normal people. On the other hand you are different, you belong to the class of person that is not much worse even when compared with those famous celebrities. And third, well third, Mo Tao, that guy, he has gentle peach blossom eyes and his personality is cheerful, warm and lively. That means he has the potential to be a soft spring breeze of a man who will be loved by all the women he meets. That sounds nice at first but it will actually only make his partner in a relationship feel insecure. As for you, you always act cold and indifferent to people anyway so there will never be any suspicious points. Your relationships with other women are always relatively simple because… because…” Qian Wei suddenly really didn’t want to talk about this anymore. What if she offended the boss?

Lu Xun stared at Qian Wei and a smile played about his lips: “Didn’t you say that I am better than him in a hundred places?”

“This…” Qian Wei spoke hurriedly, “You know, at the end of the day Mo Tao my boyfriend. Although I know intellectually that he has no chance of winning when compared with you but, emotionally, I don’t want to just list out all his shortcomings.” Qian Wei plastered on an embarrassed expression and said, “After all, they say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Probably because she did not actually list out a hundred places where Lu Xun was better, that guy immediately looked unhappy.

Qian Wei asked carefully, “Are you angry?”

“Of course I’m not angry. In fact, I am very happy.” Lu Xun flatly denied it. But as if to contradict his words, his face had turned dark.

Qian Wei remembered that in ‘The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre’**, Zhang Wuji’s mother had told Zhang Wuji before she died that the more beautiful a woman was, the more likely she was to lie, and vice versa. 

So perhaps it was true that the more beautiful a man was, the more he liked to lie.

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*the name of the restaurant here is ‘二十座’ which… is really hard for me to parse as a name. 二十 is twenty and 座 is seat …yeah… it gets explained in the next paragraph but still lol

**this is a real book (倚天屠龙记) from the Condor trilogy that was famous back when (published in the 60s or 70s or something) but I haven’t read any of them so… no comment. You can look it up if you like lol