"Just the two of you?" she asked, in a good mood, casually.
"My uncle was too busy. He left as soon as your debate ended," Chen Cheng said.
Su Yue was speechless, but indifferent. She squeezed herself between the golden couple, put one arm around Li Niannian's neck, and linked her other arm through Chen Cheng's. "Dinner's on me tonight, let's go!"
"Su Yue!" a voice called from behind. She turned to see Zhao Mo, a senior student. Two other guys were with him. He strode over, smiling. "You slipped away too fast, I couldn't catch up. Here, a gift for you."
He took a small gift box from his pocket. Su Yue smiled and accepted it. Upon opening, she found a very distinctive hair clip.
"What if I hadn't won?" she asked, a hint of playful petulance in her voice.
"You'd still get it," Zhao Mo liked her, but he knew she didn't date, and she wouldn't accept expensive gifts. He had spent a long time choosing this suitable present. "You must have been exhausted from the debate; winning or not, you deserve a gift."
Zhang Feiran also came over, chiding her for running off so quickly. She'd vanished after just a moment's break, and the other two had things to do, so only she had come today.
During the pause, several more acquaintances came to congratulate her. Later, she even encountered the judges. Su Yue politely chatted and thanked everyone. After a considerable delay, she finally left with Li Niannian and Chen Cheng.
That evening, they chose a Japanese restaurant. Su Yue sent her mother a message and photos of her win. Her mother was delighted and transferred two thousand yuan to her. Su Yue decided to treat them to something good.
"My uncle will be here shortly," Chen Cheng said, glancing at his phone as they were seated.
Su Yue frowned. She wasn't sure if she was looking forward to his arrival or not. She felt this Officer Chen was difficult to deal with, yet very attractive. She didn't want to expend too much energy on him.
"Yueyue, he must have been captivated by you this afternoon," Li Niannian teased with a mischievous smile.
"He didn't even wait for me," Su Yue replied, feigning indifference, but she found it hard to focus on the menu.
Soon, Chen Ziming arrived. It was a table for four. Chen Cheng and Li Niannian sat together, and he naturally took the seat next to Su Yue.
Some of the dishes they had ordered had already arrived. Su Yue pulled the menu towards Chen Ziming and said in a subdued voice, "Officer Chen, take a look and see what you'd like. I'm treating tonight, feel free to order anything."
Even though the last encounter had been embarrassing, she knew she couldn't drop her manners when she was sober.
"No need, I'll just eat whatever," he replied.
Su Yue was speechless. She felt this Officer Chen seemed to take pleasure in opposing her. He refused her kind offer to add more to his meal, so she quietly put down the menu and began drinking plum wine.
Chen Cheng and Li Niannian were currently struggling with their undergraduate theses. Li Niannian was also thinking about her summer internship. Consequently, they bombarded Chen Ziming with question after question. Su Yue felt even more dejected. This was supposed to be a celebration of her debate victory, but now it felt as if she wasn't even present. If she had known, she would have accepted Zhao Mo's invitation to party with his friends.
Or, what had she been expecting deep down? Was it Chen Ziming? She couldn't say for sure.
She disliked getting emotionally involved. She had always believed that the wise do not fall in love. Even the last time, it was just an attempt to playfully tease the handsome officer, but now, her mindset had shifted slightly.
Chen Ziming sat beside her, and she could smell his faint, fresh scent, perhaps from a pleasant shower gel. She glanced at his hands – they were particularly attractive hands, long-fingered, fair, yet possessing a sense of strength.
A fire ignited within her. She recalled the disdainful attitude of this Officer Chen towards her, and then she looked at her own insignificance in the current scene. She began to drink plum wine, glass after glass.
This Japanese restaurant was quite upscale, and the plum wine was homemade. It tasted sweet at first, with a slight alcoholic kick, but its alcohol content was not low. Consequently, by the time Su Yue had unknowingly finished an entire bottle, she was somewhat drunk.