He Fang suddenly shivered all over. He instinctively turned his head to look back, but saw nothing. That momentary chill that had just spread throughout his entire body had jolted his brain with a sharp, tingling shock.
The deliveryman held his hand and followed the server’s footsteps toward the private room. He watched the deliveryman’s back—the smooth, golden, long hair casually draped over his shoulders, brushing past his fingertips.
He Fang looked down at their hands. He had always thought of himself as a very normal boy. At the very least, his height wasn’t the shortest in class. But why now, when the deliveryman held his hand, did it feel like his entire hand was being wrapped up?
For the first time in his life, He Fang began to doubt. Could it be that his hands were small?
“Dear guests, please have a seat here. We use mobile ordering. You can place your order using the QR code at the table. If you have any special requests, please add them to the remarks section before submitting your order. Wishing you both a pleasant meal,” the beautiful waitress said to them in the most pleasant voice, even giving them a very sweet smile. He Fang glanced at her and immediately lowered his head.
He Fang sat in his seat. Only after the beautiful waitress had left the room did he relax his mood slightly. Suddenly, a strange feeling rose in his heart.
He had always thought the deliveryman was truly good-looking. So good-looking that no one in the world could compare. But just now, in the restaurant’s main hall, he had seen quite a few people with exceptionally outstanding appearances. Each one of them, in terms of looks, had given He Fang a tremendous shock.
And then… There was that special treatment for the last customer. He Fang also had his doubts. He was never a lucky person, so how could he be so fortunate as to step out the door and immediately participate in some kind of event? Was there really no trick behind this?
But if there wasn’t any trick… then wasn’t this all just too bizarre?
“The things I recommended have already been ordered. Customer, would you like to take a look and see if there’s anything else you’d like to eat?” The deliveryman set down the phone again, smiling warmly at He Fang. While He Fang was in a daze, he had already finished ordering.
He Fang immediately picked up his own phone to place an order. However, when he saw the long list of dishes that had already been ordered, he spoke up and asked, “I think… there’s no need to add more. Actually… should we maybe reduce a few?”
“No need, no need.” The deliveryman took off his jacket and casually draped it over the back of the chair. The movement was very practiced and not the least bit elegant. Instead, it exudes a kind of carefree aura. This open and relaxed, almost-at-home attitude unexpectedly calmed He Fang.
“But we won’t be able to finish all this.”
“Just pack it up to take home! It’s not easy to get Customer to come out. I don’t want to miss this chance for you to try out some delicious food properly!” Then, the deliveryman glanced around sneakily, leaned across the table, and whispered to He Fang, “Today, all the food is ninety percent off. Normally, there’s no way we’d get this kind of treatment. Eat as much as you can! Customer, you should order too. This place is a bit pricey. There won’t be another chance like this!”
He Fang was at a loss for words. He suddenly thought about this “ninety percent off” promotion. Thinking of how he always had to buy discount coupons every time he ordered delivery, out of a stingy mindset, he also asked quietly, “Can this restaurant do takeout?”
“They can, of course, they can. If we can’t finish, are they going to throw it away? This event is something they organized; they can’t blame us for taking advantage of it. Besides, with just the two of us, we can’t exploit them that much. The store will never lose money. Just look at how crowded it still is, even after we ordered. That tells you everything. They’re raking it in!” The deliveryman exaggeratedly spread his arms and shrugged his shoulders.
He Fang lowered his head. If he thought about it carefully… it did make sense.
Besides, even though it looked expensive, with a ninety percent discount, it wouldn’t cost that much. And if he could take it home, the deliveryman wouldn’t be able to carry all of it alone anyway. He could use today’s takeout for several meals. It could help save some money.
“Then… let’s just go with this.” Although He Fang also felt this was a chance to take advantage of a discount, in the end, he didn’t have the guts to do something like that. Just… taking a little advantage was enough. He just needed to piggyback a bit.
He Fang shifted his gaze to the furnishings of the private room.
When they had first entered the room, there hadn’t been any strong smell of food. Instead, there was a faint, light fragrance that made one feel refreshed and clear-headed.
The entire space, although rather spacious, had a small sofa and coffee table on the side, a large TV, and even a spot where one could sing. He Fang noticed that while there were light sources all around, they were relatively dim. Only the chandelier above them was bright. Under this contrast of brightness and shadow, the deliveryman somehow appeared to carry a slightly hazy, dreamlike beauty.
It was a very atmospheric private room, strangely calming. So this was the kind of place the deliveryman had wanted to bring him to. A place that, at first glance, just looked expensive.
“Customer, what are you thinking about?” the deliveryman suddenly asked.
He Fang was slightly stunned, then lowered his head a little awkwardly and said, “I thought of some videos.”
“What kind of videos?” the deliveryman continued asking.
He Fang didn’t want to say. He felt that saying it out loud would kill the mood. But the deliveryman, who was usually chatty and full of words, actually stopped and waited quietly for his answer.
He Fang wanted to say something else, but unfortunately, his brain wasn’t good at telling lies.
“I thought of… some videos online where they make food into something the average person can’t afford, all flashy and over-the-top,” He Fang lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously gripping his phone. “Of course, I’m not saying this place is like that.”
“Ah, yes, I’ve seen them, I’ve seen them,” the deliveryman immediately followed He Fang’s words. “I remember it clearly. I once went to a hotel to pick up a meal and saw one of those setups. It was seriously such a lavish scene that you wouldn’t believe it. Everything was made on the spot, and there were all sorts of little props, hahaha, they did it up really well. But in the end, it was just some very ordinary stuff. This place isn’t like that. I would never take Customer to that kind of place.”
He Fang was stunned and softly asked, “Why not?”
“That kind of flashy stuff usually needs someone to be nearby to show it off, right? But Customer, you don’t like interacting with too many people, do you? Even though I wanted to go on a date with you, I don’t want to do anything that would make you genuinely uncomfortable.”
The deliveryman’s smile under the light was incredibly warm and friendly, almost as if he could see directly into He Fang’s heart.
“I hope this outing can leave you with a good impression. That way, we can go to even more places together in the future.”
He Fang stared blankly at him in this not-so-brightly lit environment.
Bit by bit, his cheeks began to flush red.
He covered his cheeks with his hands.
As if trying to hide something, he looked toward the window to the side. It should be a window where people outside probably couldn’t see in, but He Fang could see the outside quite clearly. Was it because of the lighting?
“This is one-way glass. Don’t worry, people outside can’t see in. You can relax, Customer,” the deliveryman said, though his tone was somewhat subtle. Then he shrugged. “This place values privacy. Do you see that spot down there?”
He Fang slightly turned his head to follow what the other was talking about and looked downstairs. Because it was designed as a second-floor viewing platform, it gave off a sense of overlooking the diverse faces of the world.
“Over there. See that curtain that runs along the top? It can be pulled down completely. There usually aren’t many people at this hour. It’s just that today, all of a sudden…” The deliveryman’s voice gradually turned gloomy, “they! started! a! promotion! Seriously, the owner is unbelievably impulsive. They just suddenly decided to run a promotion. I didn’t even know about it.”
He Fang blinked. He vaguely felt that the deliveryman seemed a little angry, though he wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination.
“It’s…” He Fang looked down at the people below. Maybe because he knew the others definitely couldn’t see him, this time, He Fang dared to look directly at them. After scanning the crowd, he finally said a little sheepishly, “Is it… a beauty pageant?”
The deliveryman’s expression froze. “Why would you say it’s a beauty pageant?”
“Everyone here today looks really good.” Except for him. He was the only ugly one.
The deliveryman’s expression immediately cracked. “Where exactly do they look good?”
He Fang was caught off guard. “Uh… where… where do they not look good?”
The deliveryman suddenly reached out and pointed at one of the women. “That person’s eyes are too small.”
“That’s… a phoenix eye shape, right? I think it’s really pretty. Usually, phoenix eyes look kind of seductive. It’s a look a lot of people like,” He Fang said, recalling how he had made tons of face-sculpting data in games before, just to make money.
“Then what about this man? Isn’t he a bit short?” the deliveryman said at once.
“Um, actually, I don’t think he’s short. I think I’m shorter than him…” The more He Fang spoke, the quieter his voice got. Did that mean the deliveryman had always thought he was short?
The deliveryman’s expression instantly turned rigid. He immediately pointed at someone else on the other side. “That girl. She’s so young, and she’s already dressing like such an old lady!”
“Kids tend to look up to maturity, right? And usually, when you’re young… doesn’t everything you wear look pretty good?” He Fang glanced nervously at the deliveryman’s expression. He was only speaking honestly from his heart, but why did the deliveryman look so angry?
The deliveryman pressed his lips together, feeling utterly wronged. He had brought the customer out so they could create more beautiful memories together. And yet now, the beauty of others had completely stolen the spotlight. He felt like he was just here to make wedding clothes for someone else.
Moreover, every time the customer praised someone, those people’s expressions would become even more smug. It was practically like they were mocking him right under his nose! It was unbearable!
He Fang asked tentatively, “Um, if there was something wrong with what I said…”
Maybe it would be better to just say it directly.
“Do you think they’re better-looking than me?” the deliveryman said in a low voice.
He Fang didn’t catch it. “Hm?”
“I said, with those people all dressed up like that, are they better-looking than me? They even put on makeup just to look good. Do they look better than me?!” The deliveryman pointed at the people outside, speaking irritably.
In He Fang’s mind, a word suddenly flashed. Jealous.
“You… really care about this?” He Fang wondered. Could it be that the deliveryman had always been proud of his looks and just couldn’t stand hearing someone say others were better-looking than him?
“Why wouldn’t I care? Of course I care!” The deliveryman blurted out, completely giving up on saving face.
He Fang shook his head. “You look good.”
The deliveryman, who had still been fuming, suddenly froze. “Are you just saying that to make me feel better?”
“Pretty much?” He Fang’s blunt honesty left the delivery guy momentarily speechless, but He Fang continued, “People… usually think the person they see the most looks good… once you get used to it, the more you look, the better they seem.”
The deliveryman paused. “So… the customer means I’ve started looking better the more you see me?”
He Fang lowered his head, feeling that saying nice things was still a bit difficult for him. He stammered, “Yeah, I guess… Personality is more important than looks…”
As he spoke, his voice trailed off because even though he liked the deliveryman, he honestly didn’t think the deliveryman had a particularly good personality.
Or rather, the deliveryman’s personality gave him a strange feeling. The deliveryman is too enthusiastic, too bold, and extremely lacking in any sense of boundaries. He was also shameless. Thinking about it carefully, if an ordinary person had this kind of personality, it really wouldn’t be considered a good one.
He Fang didn’t feel comfortable continuing, but the deliveryman seemed to misunderstand. “Oh, I see! So that’s how it is. I didn’t realize I came across so well in the eyes of the customer!”
He Fang blinked and decided not to refute that.
Suddenly, their door opened, and three cold dishes were brought in first. The server who brought them smiled at He Fang. “Thank you for your support, customer. This is a little gift I prepared for you.”
At that moment, the server emphasized the word customer very heavily, even repeating it twice on purpose.
The deliveryman’s expression darkened.
He Fang looked at the small candies in his hand. They were beautifully wrapped, gleaming with rainbow-like colors that sparkled brilliantly just to look at. When he held them, they were cool and icy, almost like little ice cubes, making He Fang a little surprised.
“Thank you,” He Fang mumbled softly, still keeping his head down, not daring to look at the pretty older girl. So naturally, he didn’t see the intense eye contact battle taking place between the beautiful server and the deliveryman.
After the pretty server left, He Fang set the beautiful candies aside and tasted the cold dishes. To his surprise, they were quite delicious.
He Fang didn’t know how exactly the cold dishes were mixed, but he couldn’t understand why they tasted so good. In order to be able to eat delicious cold dishes himself, he had looked up quite a few recipes online and tried them. But none of them came out as tasty as the ones here.
“Don’t keep eating. There are still a lot of even better dishes coming. If you get full now, that won’t be good,” the deliveryman advised.
“It’s okay, I can eat a lot.” He had gone hungry a lot as a child, so his eating habits were flexible. He could manage with less, and he could handle more. He Fang just figured cold dishes probably couldn’t be packed up to take home, so he wanted to eat a bit more while he could.
The second round only brought one dish. When it was presented, He Fang blinked. Although the dish looked rather plain overall, the aroma wafting off of it was incredibly tempting.
“Customer, thank you for supporting our restaurant. Please accept this small gift.” This time, the server handed He Fang a small spoon—a little golden spoon. It was beautiful, very cute, with delicate floral engravings that gave off a pleasant feeling. He had no idea what material it was made from.
“Thank you…” He Fang felt a little puzzled. Why was the server giving him something? And it seemed like the deliveryman didn’t get one?
“You can use this little spoon to enjoy the appetizer broth we just served.”
He Fang looked a bit embarrassed. He glanced up at the dish. He had been wondering why the first major dish was a soup, and now he realized it was meant as an appetizer.
“Thank you.” Since the server hadn’t left yet, he felt too awkward to just dig in. But the server seemed to be eagerly waiting. With no other choice, He Fang scooped a bit of the soup into his small bowl and took a spoonful. It was delicious. He didn’t hold back his praise either. “It’s really good.”
“Thank you for your support, customer!” The server walked out happily. He Fang couldn’t help but feel that even the other person’s footsteps seemed to carry a sense of joy.
He Fang: “…” So strange.
However, although the deliveryman had been cheerful at first, now he was clearly not very happy.
He Fang bit down lightly on the spoon and then noticed the deliveryman’s expression stiffen even more for a moment.
He Fang quietly asked, “Are… are you unhappy?”
But the deliveryman’s expression instantly brightened. “Of course not. I’m really happy.”
Though he was smiling, He Fang, who had been watching him closely the whole time, felt the smile was forced. His feelings grew a little complicated. Was it because the dishes being served now included something he disliked?
He Fang himself was never picky about food. He accepted whatever came his way. He just had personal preferences, that’s all.
From then on, with every new dish that was served, He Fang received a small gift. Each gift was exquisitely made and unique. He Fang felt flattered and overwhelmed by the constant stream of presents, and every dish that arrived was genuinely delicious.
Even though they were giving him gifts, the servers always kept a very safe distance from him. They didn’t deliberately lean down to talk to him, nor did they expect a response from him. That sense of respectful distance made He Fang feel at ease.
But because he had long been in the habit of observing people’s hand movements, He Fang noticed that when these servers spoke to him, their hands always showed signs of nervousness—small, uneasy gestures. They looked tense. But why? These were clearly experienced servers. Why would they be nervous in front of a customer?
Usually, the deliveryman kept chattering on. But today, he was constantly being interrupted. As each dish arrived, the deliveryman’s conversation seemed to be deliberately cut off.
When He Fang saw the restaurant owner personally come over with a dish, beaming with happiness, he glanced at the pile of gifts beside him that had already stacked up like a small hill. He lowered his head and, gathering his courage, asked in a very soft voice, “Why do you keep… giving me gifts?”
Right after speaking, He Fang regretted it. His voice had been too quiet. He was sure the other person would ask him to repeat it. And he didn’t want to talk to anyone other than the deliveryman.
