My Superpower Is Kind of Cute

Chapter 33: Being Flirted With

Xia Chun led Zhao Leichuan and me to a private VIP room on the third floor. All the way there, Zhao Leichuan kept muttering under his breath, “What a crappy place. Just because it’s famous doesn’t make it great. The staff are all snobby, looking down on people. I bet the owner isn’t much of a person either.” I felt a bit awkward, so I reached out and tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to tone it down. But that jerk Zhao Leichuan didn’t appreciate it—he just shook me off and said indignantly, “Mengmeng, why are you pulling me? Can’t I even speak my mind about this restaurant?” Xia Chun nodded and said, “Yeah, I’ll definitely bring this up with my father.” Zhao Leichuan was momentarily confused and blurted out, “What does this have to do with your father?” “Are you crazy?” I couldn’t help but interject. “Can’t you tell whose turf this is?” “Huh?” Zhao Leichuan finally had a lightbulb moment and whispered to me, “I thought she was just a VIP here. Hey, you know what? Dressed like that, she really does look a bit like a princess.” I shot him a glance and replied irritably, “Do you think this is a bar or a KTV? Can’t you have a more proper mindset?” Zhao Leichuan retorted defiantly, “I think it’s your own mind that’s dirty.” The private room exuded an antique charm, with several ink-wash paintings hanging on the walls. In the corner stood a pot of steeping floral tea, its delicate, subtle fragrance wafting through the air and soothing the soul. Xia Chun took two gold-embossed scrolls tied with red cords from an exquisite wooden box on the wooden table and handed them to us. “This is tonight’s menu. Take a look and let me know if there’s anything you can’t eat—we can make adjustments.” “This is so fancy!” Zhao Leichuan exclaimed. Without even glancing at it, he nodded repeatedly and said, “That’s fine, that’s fine. I’m not picky—I’ll eat anything.” I didn’t stand on ceremony either; I casually unrolled the paper. It listed five dishes, all of which I’d never seen before. After a quick glance, I pointed to one of the fish dishes and said, “Can we swap this one out? I’m not a big fan of fish, especially the kind with bones.” After all, I am a picky eater. “You’re such a pain,” Zhao Leichuan shot me a disapproving glance before turning to Xia Chun and saying, “Mengmeng has this habit—don’t spoil him.” Xia Chun glanced at the menu and said, “Would a boneless option work for you? This dish is actually pretty good here, and I’d love for you guys to try it.” I nodded. “Alright, I’ll give it a try.” Zhao Leichuan looked at me with exasperation, then finally said to Xia Chun, “Actually, I’m not very good at eating fish either. Give me a boneless one too.” “Any other changes or substitutions?” I closed the menu and said, “That’s it.” Xia Chun then went to the kitchen herself to instruct the staff to debone the fish for Zhao Leichuan and me. Qi Yun took a look around, then came back and exclaimed sincerely, “The food here is really good. If I could eat, I’d definitely want to try some.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Dream on. Even if you wanted to try it, I wouldn’t let you.” After Xia Chun returned, we chatted idly for another half hour or so. I hadn’t eaten much for lunch, so by now I was absolutely starving. While inwardly grumbling about why we had to wait so long, I still had to keep up a smile and make small talk with them—it was truly exhausting. Finally, the first dish was served—a vegetarian appetizer. The sweet-and-sour tomato and pumpkin, drizzled with concentrated chicken broth, smelled so good it made my mouth water. I didn’t even have time to admire the elegant presentation; I just scooped a spoonful straight into my mouth. It melted on my tongue, leaving a lingering aroma—I simply couldn’t stop. After three or four spoonfuls, the plate was already a mess, completely empty. I licked my lips, still wanting more, and only then did I notice that Zhao Leichuan and Xia Chun hadn’t taken a single bite; they were both staring at me. My face flushed instantly, and I said sheepishly, “Why aren’t you two eating?” Xia Chun let out a silvery laugh. “Mengmeng, you really are something special.” “Huh?” I looked completely bewildered. “What’s so special about that? Zhao Leichuan could polish off three plates of this in one sitting.” “Put down…” Before I could finish the word “that,” Zhao Leichuan glanced at Xia Chun beside him and immediately corrected himself, “Put down your spoon before you speak.” Xia Chun continued to look at me with a smile and said, “Most people would take out their phones to snap a picture of a dish like this, wouldn’t they?” I raised an eyebrow. “Do we really need to make a big deal out of just having a meal? How boring is that?” Xia Chun nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I think it’s pretty pointless, too.” Hearing this, Zhao Leichuan, feeling guilty, pulled his hand—which had already slipped into his pocket—back onto the table… Xia Chun murmured softly, “You’re the first person to show up dressed like this—and to eat so unabashedly in front of me.” At that moment, I started to wonder again—was this little girl taking a dig at me again? Seeing that I hadn’t said anything, Xia Chun’s face flushed slightly. Her eyes sparkled with a hint of tenderness as she looked at me earnestly and said, “Mengmeng, you’re sincere and genuine. I’m really happy to have met you.” “Oh.” Caught off guard by her compliment, I didn’t know how to respond. It took me a moment to realize… Could she be flirting with me? Zhao Leichuan, standing nearby, looked a bit displeased. “Don’t just talk about Mengmeng—give me some praise, too.” Xia Chun thought for a moment and said softly, “You’re a really nice guy.” Zhao Leichuan looked at Xia Chun expectantly and asked, “Be more specific.” “Well…” Xia Chun fell into deep thought for a moment. Seeing that things were taking a strange turn, I quickly changed the subject and asked Xia Chun, “Given how well-off your family is, there’s really no reason for you to be working a part-time job, right?” Xia Chun shook her head, a hint of melancholy in her voice. “I wanted to experience what it’s like to be an ordinary person.” I sighed and muttered under my breath, “That’s a damn luxurious thought.” Zhao Leichuan whispered in my ear, “No wonder you were always giving the wrong change when you worked at the coffee shop. It’s not that you’re naturally clueless—you just have absolutely no concept of money.” I nodded in agreement, but didn’t say anything to Xia Chun. Instead, I focused on eating the second course. This time I’d learned my lesson and kept my composure, not pouncing on the food like a starving tiger as I had just moments ago. This meal—five courses—took a full two hours to finish, longer than watching a movie. To be fair, the food tasted pretty good, but the portions were way too stingy. Each course was so small it could be finished in just a few bites, and now I was only about a third full. “Was it okay?” Xia Chun walked us to the door, looking at me expectantly, eager to hear my thoughts. I nodded repeatedly. “Delicious, delicious.” “I’ve never had anything this good—I’m stuffed to the brim,” Zhao Leichuan said, rubbing his stomach with a look of pure bliss. “Can we come back next time?” Xia Chun smiled. “Of course. You guys can come by anytime.” “Sure,” Zhao Leichuan nodded. “Do you want me to walk you home?” “Give it a rest,” I said, glancing at the little electric scooter behind Zhao Leichuan. How dare he even suggest that? Besides, if he really drove her home, I’d have to take a cab myself. Xia Chun smiled and shook her head. “No need. My driver will be here to pick me up soon. Just drive carefully on your way home.” After saying goodbye to Xia Chun, Zhao Leichuan rode his little electric scooter at full speed to take me home. We rode in silence the whole way. “Gurgle.” A protest from my stomach broke the silence between us. Zhao Leichuan turned around and asked me, “Are you hungry?” “Wasn’t that your stomach growling? Why are you asking me if I’m hungry?” “Want to grab a late-night snack together?” I burst out laughing. “We just finished dinner—and now you want to go for a late-night snack? You were acting so damn satisfied in front of everyone just now. Why don’t you just stuff yourself to death?” Zhao Leichuan replied with a sigh of frustration, “I was just trying to save face for her. Damn it, that stuff wasn’t even enough to fill a tooth gap.”