Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

From afar, you can see that magnificent building with a distinctly Russian style, with several rare cars and gleaming bicycles parked in front of it.

Stepping through the revolving door, the interior is tall and spacious, with a magnificent dome and crystal chandeliers casting a soft glow. The air is filled with the mixed aromas of butter, toast, and coffee.

The waiters, dressed in crisp uniforms, were polite and courteous, as if they belonged to a different time and space from the dusty world outside.

Lou Xiao'e was already waiting next to her reserved seat.

She had clearly dressed up carefully, wearing a well-tailored off-white wool dress, a delicate silk scarf around her neck, and light makeup. Under the warm lighting of the restaurant, she looked radiant and beautiful, perfectly complementing her surroundings. When she saw Li Zhenhua enter, she immediately smiled and waved.

"I apologize for keeping Comrade Lou waiting."

Li Zhenhua stepped forward and naturally pulled out a chair to sit down.

"No, I just arrived too."

Lou Xiao'e smiled and pushed the menu in front of him.

"What would you like to eat? I'm quite familiar with the local specialties."

Li Zhenhua didn't stand on ceremony and picked up the beautifully printed menu to browse through it.

The price was indeed as "beautiful" as rumored; one dish was equivalent to almost half a month's wages for an average worker.

He ordered borscht, beef stew, creamy baked fish, a Capital Salad, and dessert, as well as a bottle of Georgian red wine.

He ordered food with practiced ease and composure, showing no sign of the awkwardness one might expect from a first-time customer, which made Lou Xiao'e think even more highly of him.

"Comrade Zhenhua seems to know a lot about Western food?"

Lou Xiao'e asked curiously.

"I know a little bit about it; I've had some contact with it before."

Li Zhenhua gave a vague answer.

As an elite in his previous life, he was naturally no stranger to such occasions. However, he needed to be careful not to appear too knowledgeable, lest he arouse suspicion, nor to show any weakness.

The dishes were served one after another, and they tasted really good. In this era of scarcity, it was a top-notch experience.

The two chatted as they ate, their conversation gradually expanding from the restaurant's decor and the taste of the food to music, movies, and even some superficial opinions on current affairs.

Lou Xiao'e discovered that Li Zhenhua's knowledge was far broader than his apparent age suggested. In his conversations, he not only had a clear understanding of reality, but also occasionally revealed some insightful views that she had never heard before, which made her feel curious and fascinated.

Li Zhenhua guided the conversation, satisfying Lou Xiao'e's desire to confide while also extracting useful information from it.

Just as the atmosphere was getting along well, a slightly exaggerated and sarcastic voice rang out from not far away.

"Oh! Isn't this Miss Lou? What a coincidence!"

Li Zhenhua and Lou Xiao'e turned their heads to look at the same time.

A young man wearing a leather jacket and with slicked-back hair was seen with his arm around a stylishly dressed female companion, looking at them with a mocking expression.

The young man was somewhat pale, his eyes were unfocused, and he had the frivolous air typical of spoiled brats.

Lou Xiao'e's face instantly darkened, her brows furrowing slightly, clearly showing her dislike for the newcomer.

"Gao Peng? What are you doing here?"

The young man named Gao Peng released his female companion and swaggered over to their table. His gaze swept unabashedly between Lou Xiao'e and Li Zhenhua, finally settling on Li Zhenhua, a disdainful smile curving his lips.

"Xiao'e, your taste is a bit... well, quite unique. And who is this? Which alleyway did she come from? Does she even deserve to sit here and eat with you?"

His words were full of insults; he was clearly deliberately picking a fight. Lou Xiao'e turned pale with anger.

"Gao Peng! Watch your mouth! This is Li Zhenhua, Deputy Director of the Logistics Department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill! My guest! Please leave!"

"Deputy section chief?"

Gao Peng scoffed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"A steel rolling mill? Ha, it's just a run-down factory. A mere deputy section chief dares to act all high and mighty in front of me? Lou Xiao'e, have you forgotten that your father wanted to introduce you to me? What? Now you've degraded yourself to associate with such lowlifes?"

Li Zhenhua had been observing from the sidelines, but now he basically understood.

This Gao Peng was probably one of the blind dates that Lou Bancheng had chosen for his daughter. He must have a good family background, but his character was clearly not up to Lou Xiao'e's standards.

Now that he sees Lou Xiao'e with him, a "factory cadre," he feels resentful and comes here to cause trouble.

He put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, his movements unhurried, before looking up at Gao Peng. His gaze was calm and unwavering, but his tone carried a hint of coldness.

"Comrade, this is a public place. Please watch your behavior. Comrade Lou Xiao'e and I are having a meal here, and we do not welcome your disturbance. Please have some self-respect and leave."

Gao Peng was thoroughly enraged by Li Zhenhua's disregard for orders. When had he ever been treated like this?

Especially in front of a "factory cadre" whom he looked down upon.

Relying on his family background and his usual domineering ways, coupled with the fact that he might have had a few drinks, he acted impulsively and pointed at Li Zhenhua's nose, cursing him.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You dare to ask me to respect myself? Believe me, I can shut you up as a lousy deputy section chief with just one word!"

As he spoke, he actually reached out to grab Li Zhenhua's collar!

Just as his fingers were about to touch Li Zhenhua, Li Zhenhua moved!

Swift as lightning!

Li Zhenhua swiftly reached out with his right hand, striking Gao Peng's wrist precisely and twisting and pressing it downwards!

"Snap!"

A slight cracking sound of a joint dislocating was followed by Gao Peng's pig-like screams.

"Ah—! My hand!"

Li Zhenhua used a clever technique that didn't actually break his wrist, but it was enough to cause him excruciating pain.

At the same time, Li Zhenhua's left hand shot out like lightning and pressed hard on a certain acupoint on Gao Peng's elbow!

Gao Peng felt his entire arm go numb and weak instantly. He instinctively threw a punch with his other hand, but Li Zhenhua easily parried it and tripped him lightly at the same time.

With a "thump!" Gao Peng was thrown off balance by a tremendous force and fell to the ground in a disheveled state, knocking over a chair. This drew the attention of the surrounding diners, and a low gasp rippled through the restaurant.

The whole process took no more than two or three seconds, clean and efficient, without any hesitation.

Li Zhenhua didn't even leave his seat.

Gao Peng's female companion screamed in fright.

Lou Xiao'e also covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock. She didn't expect Li Zhenhua to be so skilled, and she certainly didn't expect him to dare to lay a hand on Gao Peng!

Li Zhenhua slowly stood up, looking down at Gao Peng, who was curled up on the ground groaning. His voice was not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the entire restaurant.

"I'll say it again, please leave. If you dare to harass me again, next time it won't be as simple as just tripping and falling."

Gao Peng winced in pain, feeling both ashamed and angry. He struggled to get up, clutching his throbbing arm, staring at Li Zhenhua with venomous eyes, and said through gritted teeth.

"Good! Good bastard! Li Zhenhua, right? Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill! You just wait, you son of a bitch! Don't you dare run away! If I don't kill you today, I'll change my name, Gao Peng!"

After making those threats, he didn't dare linger, fearing that Li Zhenhua might attack him again. He grabbed his terrified female companion and slunk away from the restaurant without even paying the bill.

After a brief commotion, the restaurant gradually returned to calm, but many eyes were still curiously observing Li Zhenhua's table.

Lou Xiao'e, still shaken, quickly went to Li Zhenhua's side and said urgently.

"Zhenhua, are you alright? Let's go! That Gao Peng is a scoundrel. His father is a deputy director of the city's Industry Bureau, he has some power, he definitely won't let this go! We can't afford to mess with him, so we'll just avoid him!"

Li Zhenhua sat down again, even picking up his wine glass and gently swirling the dark red liquid inside. His face showed no sign of tension, but rather a hint of mockery.

"Deputy Director of the Industry Bureau? Ha, what a high-ranking official. It's alright, Comrade Xiao'e, sit down and finish your meal. Wasting food is shameful."

His composure inspired Lou Xiao'e, but she remained deeply worried.

"But... he must have gone to call for help! What if he brings them back later..."

"Let him call."

Li Zhenhua interrupted her, his tone carrying an unquestionable confidence.

"Perfect timing, I'd like to see what kind of monsters this young master Gao can summon. Let's eat."

Seeing Li Zhenhua's certainty, Lou Xiao'e, though uneasy, had no choice but to sit down again. However, the atmosphere of the meal had been completely ruined. She couldn't taste her food and kept glancing nervously at the restaurant entrance.

Just as Lou Xiao'e was feeling uneasy, Li Zhenhua calmly sipped his red wine, as if the conflict just now was merely a trivial interlude during the meal, when the restaurant's revolving door was pushed open again.

Two smartly dressed, spirited young women walked in; they were Lin Taotao and her tall, distinctive best friend, Dafeng.

The two seemed to be regulars and were very familiar with the place, chatting and laughing as they looked for an empty seat.

Da Feng, with her sharp eyes, scanned the restaurant and suddenly fixed her gaze on Li Zhenhua and Lou Xiao'e's table.

Her smile froze instantly. She nudged Lin Taotao beside her with her elbow, her baby face filled with disbelief and a mixture of excitement and anger at being caught red-handed. She lowered her voice and said...

"Tao Tao! Look! Isn't that Li Zhenhua? And who's that woman next to him? She's dressed like a bourgeois lady!"

Lin Taotao looked in the direction Da Feng pointed, and when she saw Li Zhenhua sitting opposite a beautiful and fashionable young woman, with red wine and exquisite dishes on the table, her face turned pale instantly.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, and an indescribable mix of bitterness, disappointment, and anger surged to my head.

She recalled the relaxed and pleasant time she spent watching a movie with Li Zhenhua a few days ago, the thrill she felt when he wiped the grime off her face by the mountain stream, and even his reliable figure as he stood in front of her to face the thugs... All these images were instantly shattered by the scene of this "intimate date" before her eyes.

Da Feng, who couldn't keep a secret, became even angrier upon seeing this. Disregarding the occasion, she grabbed Lin Tao Tao and stormed towards Li Zhenhua's table.

"Hey! Deputy Director Li! What a refined taste! Old Mo's cooking is much better than the roasted pheasant from the mountains, isn't it?"

Before Da Feng arrived, her voice preceded her. Her clear, loud voice, filled with undisguised sarcasm, instantly attracted the attention of many people around her.

Li Zhenhua had noticed them as soon as they entered the store, and he was taken aback, not expecting to run into Lin Taotao and Dafeng here.

Seeing Lin Taotao's instantly pale face and tightly pursed lips, he immediately realized that this was a huge misunderstanding.

However, he remained expressionless, and even a perfectly timed smile appeared on his lips, carrying a hint of "surprise" and "composure".

Lou Xiao'e was also stunned by this sudden situation. Looking at the two women in front of her with their unique temperaments, especially the tall and strong woman who looked like she was about to interrogate her, she subconsciously felt uneasy and looked at Li Zhenhua.

Li Zhenhua stood up, his smile gentle, as if he hadn't noticed the barb in Da Feng's words.

"Captain Lin, Comrade Da Feng, what a coincidence, you're here for dinner too?"

He turned his gaze to Lou Xiao'e and introduced her naturally.

"Comrade Xiao'e, these two are my friends, Comrade Lin Taotao from the Municipal Public Security Bureau, and her Comrade Dafeng."

Then he spoke to Lin Taotao and Dafeng.

"This is Comrade Lou Xiao'e, Director Lou's daughter. She's quite interested in our factory's logistics work. It just so happens that we've met today, so let's chat."

His introduction deliberately blurred the nature of the "date," positioning Lou Xiao'e as a communication partner "interested in work," speaking frankly and without any hint of embarrassment.

Da Feng, however, was not buying it. She crossed her arms and her baby face was full of disbelief and sarcasm.

"Talking about work? We need to come all the way to the most expensive Western restaurant in all of Beijing to talk about work? Red wine and steak, no less? Li Zhenhua, are you kidding me? Do you think our Tao Tao is easy to fool?"

Lin Taotao remained silent, her gaze fixed on Li Zhenhua, trying to find even the slightest hint of panic or attempt to conceal it on his face.

But Li Zhenhua's expression was so natural that it began to shake her doubts.

Could it be... that it was really just about work?

Faced with Da Feng's aggressive questioning, Li Zhenhua was not annoyed at all. Instead, he sighed and showed a helpless yet amused expression.

"Comrade Dafeng, when are you going to change your impatience? Director Lou is an important shareholder of our factory and cares about its development. Isn't it normal for Comrade Lou Xiao'e to look into some things on his behalf? We chose this place because the environment is relatively quiet and suitable for conversation. As for dinner..."

He shrugged.

"We can't talk on an empty stomach when it's mealtime, can we? Does it have to be squatting at the factory gate eating cornbread to be considered a work discussion?"

His words were reasonable, both clarifying Lou Xiao'e's identity (the daughter of a shareholder, making it natural to discuss work), explaining the reason for choosing a high-end restaurant (a quiet environment), and finally using a slightly teasing tone to ask a rhetorical question, making himself appear upright and honest.

Da Feng was speechless for a moment and couldn't find a rebuttal, so she could only glare angrily at Li Zhenhua.

Li Zhenhua seized the opportunity, turning his gaze to Lin Taotao, his eyes becoming much more sincere, tinged with apology.

"Tao Tao, don't misunderstand. There was a little incident just now. Some clueless guy came to bother us, but I just got rid of him. I was just thinking that I couldn't enjoy my meal in peace, and then you guys arrived."

His words were half true and half false. They explained Gao Peng's earlier conflict (implying that it wasn't just him and Lou Xiao'e having a "pleasant" meal), and also conveniently described Lin Taotao and Da Feng's arrival as "perfect timing," thus downplaying any suspicion of a date.