Chapter 16: Blind Date

Lu Qiaoge felt that Old Lu made sense.

Comrade Old Lu had always been this confident.

One good thing about this era was that the gap between the rich and the poor was not very large.

Furthermore, being vain instead of being hardworking and thrifty was considered wrong and would be criticized.

Otherwise, how could the Liang family have waited this long? They would have broken off the engagement long ago.

Old Lady Lu said to Meng Xia, "Stop with the useless stuff and hurry up and help Qiaoling pick out some clothes and get her ready."

Old Lu was an open-minded parent. He said to his third daughter, "There's no need to make too much of a fuss; just keep a calm mind."

He then specifically addressed Lu Qiaoge: "Zhao Jinbao's eldest sister is coming along with his family. As parents, we won't be going. You accompany Qiaoling to the meeting."

Lu Qiaoling happily grabbed Lu Qiaoge's arm: "Second Sister, as long as you're with me, I won't be afraid."

If it had been before, Lu Qiaoling might not have said such a thing.

But after witnessing her second sister's grace today, she was truly, utterly convinced and full of admiration.

——

The Spring Breeze State-Owned Restaurant was a century-old establishment.

Both the interior and exterior preserved the European style of that era.

Old-fashioned ceiling fans spun slowly beneath a stained-glass dome, and the sound of bicycle bells drifted in from the shadows of the trees outside the window.

This was Lu Qiaoling's first time here, and besides nervousness, she felt mostly curiosity.

It was also Lu Qiaoge's first time; she hadn't expected the meeting arranged by the Zhao family to be held here.

It seemed they took this blind date very seriously.

Lu Qiaoling asked Lu Qiaoge nervously, "Second Sister, how do I look today?"

Lu Qiaoge observed her carefully and gave a satisfied critique: "Bright eyes, white teeth, and a graceful figure."

Today, Lu Qiaoling was wearing a pale yellow floral print dress.

The eighteen-year-old girl looked like a blooming primrose.

In the 1970s, the majority of people still sought partners and married around the age of eighteen or nineteen.

She said to Lu Qiaoling, "Wait for me a moment. I'll go ask the waiter if they have arrived."

If Zhao Jinbao hadn't arrived yet, it wouldn't seem right for them to go in first.

"Comrade, I'd like to ask you something." Lu Qiaoge stopped a waitress by the stairs, and the woman understood immediately upon seeing her.

The girl before her had a slender figure, her amber pupils shimmering with light, and the slight upward tilt of her eyes added a touch of beauty. Her peach-blossom eyes were particularly captivating, like ripples on autumn water, and when she smiled, she looked as lively and gentle as a crescent moon.

So charming and moving—she was clearly the girl that important figure was waiting for.

The waitress asked with a smile, "Comrade, what is your surname?"

Lu Qiaoge hesitated for a moment and replied politely, "My surname is Lu."

"Oh my, so you really are Comrade Lu?" Before Lu Qiaoge could finish, the preconceived waitress didn't notice the difference in the tones of the two pronunciations.

She led the way enthusiastically: "Please follow me."

Just a moment ago, she had been privately wondering what the person waiting in the Qingsong Private Room would look like; now, she felt it must be someone exactly like Lu Qiaoge.

By the time the enthusiastic waitress had climbed halfway up the stairs, Lu Qiaoge felt that something was wrong.

She turned back to call for Lu Qiaoling, but Lu Qiaoling suddenly became nervous. She clutched her stomach, sweat breaking out on her forehead: "Second Sister, wait for me a few minutes, I'll be right back."

With that, she bolted away.

Lu Qiaoge was speechless; it was just like Grandma said—lazy donkeys always have a sudden urge to relieve themselves.

Lu Qiaoge didn't feel comfortable going to meet Zhao Jinbao and his family alone, so she prepared to wait for her sister to return.

Unexpectedly, the waitress called out to her, "Comrade Lu, come with me! Let me tell you, even though we are the female side, it's not good to keep the gentleman waiting too long, right?"

Lu Qiaoge felt the waitress wasn't entirely correct, but her point was reasonable. Since she had already seen Zhao Jinbao and his eldest sister, she thanked the woman and hurried to follow.

Stepping onto the soft carpet, Lu Qiaoge's gaze swept over the oil paintings on the restaurant walls.

These paintings had a long history; it was truly not easy that they had been preserved.

After walking about a dozen steps and admiring two paintings, the waitress stopped in front of a door: "It's inside."

As she opened the door with a soft creak, the setting sun pierced through the blinds, casting fragmented golden light upon a man's tall, upright figure, making his cold features seem a bit more gentle.

Lu Qiaoge froze.

This wasn't Zhao Jinbao; this was the military representative, Qin Hengzhi!

He wasn't wearing a military uniform, just a simple white shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows, revealing the firm lines of his forearms.

"Comrade Lu?"

He seemed somewhat surprised, his eyelashes casting light shadows beneath his eyes. His voice was clearly deep and cold, yet it now carried a hint of warmth.

The waitress, suspecting nothing, even gave Lu Qiaoge a wink and thoughtfully closed the door.

Before the knock could sound, Qin Hengzhi was lost in thought. He had no idea that the organization had scouted over a dozen eligible women for him.

However, when the female candidates' information reached his hands, he knew his grandfather must have used a special line to call.

Even though he had stated he had no intention of marrying at the moment, his grandfather still found a way to turn his personal affairs into a top priority for a certain office.

Before the transfer order came down, he needed to find a dignified way to exit these blind dates so as not to offend his grandfather.

However, he hadn't expected the visitor to be Lu Qiaoge.

He frowned; this girl wasn't in the files.

【The girl in the white shirt is supposed to be Lu Min. Lu Qiaoge, you've walked into the wrong room!】

A familiar, cheeky voice came from outside. It was the naughty swallow flapping its wings and making a fuss, pecking at the stained glass with a tinkling sound.

The tabby cat crouching on the windowsill also nodded in agreement.

Lu Qiaoge couldn't help but laugh.

Lu, Lu!

In a noisy environment, it was understandable that the waitress couldn't tell the difference.

She took half a step back, her eyes curving into crescents: "Representative Qin, I've walked into the wrong room. I am so sorry!"

She hadn't expected someone of his stature to be going on blind dates.

She had heard that the Qin family was a prominent clan in Beidu, that Qin Hengzhi's grandfather held great power, and that his parents were tech giants.

She wondered which socialite was supposed to be meeting him.

Qin Hengzhi maintained a relaxed posture and asked casually, "Would you like to have a cup of tea before you go?"

He saw the fine beads of sweat on the young girl's nose.

He also saw her unconsciously pursing her lips; she must be thirsty.

Knowing he was just being polite, Lu Qiaoge said obediently, "Thank you, but I'm not thirsty. I have to go find my sister. I won't disturb you further!"

Qin Hengzhi naturally did not insist, looking out the window with a calm expression.

Under the sunset, a swallow was perched on the window frame, looking at him?

Must be an illusion.

As Lu Qiaoge's hand was on the doorknob, she suddenly remembered something and turned back to explain to the waitress, "I told the waitress my surname was Lu. It might be that my pronunciation was inaccurate, or perhaps the environment was a bit noisy, so she didn't hear clearly and led me in. Please don't blame her."

Qin Hengzhi turned his gaze to the girl explaining earnestly at the door. For once, a flicker of playfulness flashed in his eyes.

"You speak very clearly. If one listens carefully, 'Lu' and 'Lu' are quite distinguishable."

Lu Qiaoge's eyes widened: "What, are you going to go criticize her with the restaurant manager?"

Qin Hengzhi paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "You've actually reminded me."

Lu Qiaoge:...

So, was it her big mouth?

(End of Chapter)