Granny Song brought two maids from the old house. They were good cooks and made nourishing dishes for her granddaughter, who was injured.
Song JinXing's family had never hired a maid except for the hourly housekeeper who came to clean every week. Even though Granny Song had asked him to find a maid to take care of him many times, Song JinXing had rejected it.
Now seeing his refrigerator full and the plants and flowers looking great, Granny Song finally felt relieved that he was living well.
Song Shuling had stayed at her brother's house for three days. Her head had recovered and she could bounce around normally again. So she prepared to go back to work. Although working as a doll performer was tiring, it brought her a lot of joy and confidence.
Even though she knew the tourists queuing to take photos with her just wanted the cat doll, she could feel their affection was real when they expressed love to the doll. These colorful and unfamiliar affections compensated for her hurt childhood in another way, and also healed her soul.
So as soon as she recovered, she couldn't wait to go back to work.
But before going back, she had to have a meal with her brother and Bai Yinyue.
Zhou Ruanxing had called Bai Yinyue the night before and made an appointment for the next day at noon. As the host this time, they got to decide on the restaurant. Song Shuling looked around carefully for a long time before choosing a trendy restaurant favored by elite young ladies.
The restaurant was on the top floor and known as a sky dining hall. Reservations were usually required a week in advance, but Song Shuling was a VIP there. As soon as she gave her name, the restaurant immediately arranged a table for them.
Zhou Ruanxing felt that she had broadened her horizons a lot hanging out with these young ladies from prestigious families.
With her previous salary, she definitely couldn't have afforded eating here.
As a distinguished VIP, Song Shuling even had a reserved table just for her that others couldn't sit at if she needed it.
The window seat had a sweeping view of floating clouds outside the polished floor-to-ceiling windows. Eating here felt like dining among the clouds.
Though it wasn't very friendly to people afraid of heights.
As Zhou Ruanxing followed Song Shuling in, she could feel gazes subtly falling on her from all around.
Tsk, Song JinXing's attracting face really made him the center of attention wherever he went.
Bai Yinyue soon appeared as well. To meet her crush, she had evidently dressed up carefully―wearing light makeup for a clear, natural look, an off-shoulder pastel green dress that bared her fair neck and collarbones, looking like a elegant, noble swan.
When Song Shuling saw her, she immediately praised, "Sister Bai, you look very beautiful today."
Bai Yinyue smiled, "Thank you, Shuling. You look beautiful too. Mr. Song, you and your sister both have outstanding looks."
Song Shuling handed over the gift she had prepared: "Sister Bai, thank you again for helping me last time. This is a gift for you."
Bai Yinyue raised her brows and accepted the gift box, opening it to peek inside. "What beautiful earrings. I really like them."
After some polite compliments, Zhou Ruanxing called the waiter over and handed Bai Yinyue the menu, "Ms. Bai, please order."
Bai Yinyue readily accepted it. "Alright, let me try and see if Mr. Song and I still have the same taste."
Zhou Ruanxing recalled that the first time they ate together, the dishes she ordered were all the same as Bai Yinyue's usual preferences. Bai Yinyue had clearly been very pleasantly surprised then.
Later, she said she wanted to be friends with her. Zhou Ruanxing thought about the scheming young ladies in those melodramatic TV dramas about elite families. She assumed this young miss would use her status and connections to get close to her―like showing up at her company, pressuring her family to make her go on dates, and so on.
Zhou Ruanxing was prepared to deal with such harassment. But to her surprise, Bai Yinyue didn't do anything like that.
She just said she wanted to be friends, and seemed to leave it at that. After not seeing each other for a long time, Zhou Ruanxing thought maybe she had given up. But every time they met, Bai Yinyue seemed to like "Song JinXing" even more than before.
Her affection was sincere and ardent, yet very tasteful. Zhou Ruanxing found it hard to dislike her.
As Zhou Ruanxing ate, when she occasionally met the clear, smiling eyes of the beautiful girl across from her, she decided that after this meal she would definitively and seriously make things clear to her! If that didn't work, she and Song JinXing could discuss making up a fictional lover to make Bai Yinyue give up.
Just as she was thinking this, Bai Yinyue's smiling brows suddenly furrowed. A flash of bewilderment crossed her face and she froze for a moment. Her expression suddenly turned a bit ugly as she hastily stood up, "Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom."
Then she headed straight for the bathroom. Zhou Ruanxing inadvertently glanced down and her gaze suddenly fell on the back of Bai Yinyue's dress.
Bai Yinyue was wearing a light green dress today. And on the embarrassing part of her backside, there was now a faint red stain.
She walked quickly, but after just two steps, "Song JinXing" suddenly called out, "Ms. Bai!"
Bai Yinyue halted and turned back with feigned calm, "Yes, what is it?"
But she saw him stride over and take off his suit jacket as he walked. When he reached her side, he draped the jacket over her shoulders.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, so the suit jacket looked quite large on her, going from her shoulders all the way down to her knees.
Bai Yinyue smelled the faint fresh scent on the jacket like sunlight-warmed linen. She stared blankly at the concerned gaze before her, suddenly realizing something.
Her face went pale, unable to conceal the shame in her eyes.
Zhou Ruanxing spoke in a voice audible to everyone around, "It's too cold in here. Wear the jacket so you don't catch cold."
Bai Yinyue clutched the suit jacket with trembling hands. She forced a smile, "Thank you, Mr. Song."
Zhou Ruanxing said softly, "Wait in the bathroom for a bit. I'll have Shuling come over."
Bai Yinyue gazed at her dumbly until her eyes turned faintly red. Then she nodded, "Alright."
After she left wearing the suit jacket, Zhou Ruanxing went back to her seat and whispered something to Song Shuling. Song Shuling looked surprised but quickly got up and headed out.
Soon, she had bought sanitary pads and a new dress and went into the bathroom.
"Sister Bai, are you there?"
A humming sound came from the innermost stall, "I'm here."
Song Shuling went over with the bag, "Sister Bai, I bought you sanitary pads and a dress. Go change."
Bai Yinyue sniffled, "Thank you, Shuling."
Song Shuling passed the bag through the open gap. Then she thought for a moment and still said, "Sister Bai, this is normal. Don't feel too awkward about it. My brother was the one who told me to buy these things. He won't think too much of it."
There was no reply from inside, just the sounds of changing clothes.
Soon, Bai Yinyue came out in the new dress. Song Shuling saw her red-rimmed eyes and realized she must have cried. She looked at Bai Yinyue worriedly.
But Bai Yinyue just smiled and patted her head, "I've changed. Let's go back and finish our meal."
Song Shuling relaxed and asked her again, "Sister Bai, is your period irregular? Why were you totally unprepared?"
Bai Yinyue sighed, "Yes, it came a week early this time and caught me off guard."
She glanced down at the suit jacket draped on her arm. The corners of her lips curled up slightly as complex feelings of being touched, happy, and embarrassed welled up in her heart.
When they returned to the table, she saw that her cold drink had been replaced with hot water.
Were there really men in the world so thoughtful and gentle? Holding the hot cup, Bai Yinyue felt her heart beating a little faster.
