Chapter 23: I Want Ice Cream!

Su Lexuan's face turned red with embarrassment at the suggestive misunderstanding. She coughed lightly, eating the duck slowly while sneaking glances at Shen Lang to see his reaction.

Shen Lang also coughed awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Following the system's prompt, he picked up some duck meat and placed it on Su Lexuan's plate. She kept thanking him, stuffing her cheeks full with the duck he served.

The lively conversation between them quieted down unexpectedly, and the noise of the other diners became more noticeable. However, this silence wasn't awkward; it had a mutual, unspoken understanding.

To put it simply, the girl knew the guy's intentions, and the guy knew the girl was pretending to be reserved. It was the perfect scenario for their relationship to progress naturally. Yet, the waitress's remark broke this silent understanding, causing awkwardness.

After dinner, Shen Lang paid the bill and took Su Lexuan to the nearby lantern festival. Leaving the restaurant, the atmosphere between them gradually returned to its previous warmth, and they resumed their animated conversation.

At the ancient street, the lantern festival had just begun, with dazzling lights everywhere. Colorful lanterns lined both sides of the street, each emitting a unique glow, making it feel like a magical world. The bustling streets were filled with noise and excitement as they weaved through the lively crowd.

Each shop was illuminated with vibrant lights, and the characters on the signs swayed in the light, attracting passersby. Su Lexuan happily observed the shops along the street, occasionally stopping to take a closer look.

The street was filled with the sounds of drums, dragon and lion dances, acrobatics, and magic shows, attracting many streamers who broadcasted the event live. Tourists cheered and applauded, children ran around joyfully, and the air was filled with laughter.

Besides the performances, the lantern festival also featured many traditional foods. Shen Lang bought Su Lexuan a rabbit-shaped sugar painting, which she nibbled on as they walked.

Su Lexuan enjoyed the place immensely, her smile never fading since they arrived. She frequently asked Shen Lang to hold her sugar painting while she took photos with her phone.

**Ding! Su Lexuan's affection increased by 6 points, now at 17 points. Keep it up!**

"Is this what having a boyfriend feels like?"

Hearing the system's prompt, Shen Lang looked at the half-eaten sugar painting in his hand and then at Su Lexuan, who was busy taking pictures of the lion dance. He smiled contentedly.

At that moment, a child bumped into Su Lexuan, causing her to almost drop her phone. The mischievous kid made a face at her before running off.

"That scared me, I almost dropped my phone," Su Lexuan pouted, looking at the kid running away.

**System options:**

1. Chase the kid down, give him a slap, and make him apologize to Su Lexuan, or you'll tell his parents.

2. Warn Su Lexuan to stand back and not block the performance.

3. Gently hold Su Lexuan's hand and suggest going to the beach, reminding her that it's crowded here.

Handsome guys have girlfriends, and ugly guys have girlfriends too. Only timid guys don't deserve a girlfriend.

Since meeting Su Lexuan, Shen Lang remembered this saying well.

"It's crowded here."

Without much thought, Shen Lang gently took Su Lexuan's soft, white hand, nervously suggesting, "Shall we go to the beach? There's a place called Yusha Bay, and it's pretty nice."

Even with the system's help, Shen Lang felt nervous holding a girl's hand in public for the first time. He worried if his bold move would upset Su Lexuan. They hadn't even officially started dating—would she think he was being too forward? What if she said it was too soon and pulled her hand away?

While Shen Lang was overthinking, Su Lexuan looked at her hand in his, feeling a mix of surprise and shyness. Her lively demeanor faded as she shyly glanced at Shen Lang, her face turning red. After a moment, she softly responded, "Okay..."

Hearing her response, Shen Lang smiled excitedly, "Let's go then."

Jianghai City is a coastal city, famous for its beaches and sea. Yusha Bay is a lesser-known, quiet beach, mostly visited by locals.

Holding Su Lexuan's hand, Shen Lang walked along a path paved with cobblestones. Beside them was the vast sea, with a few people strolling on the beach. The strong sea breeze that night didn't bother them much as they were dressed warmly.

During their walk, Su Lexuan was unusually quiet. She occasionally looked at Shen Lang and then at her hand in his, lost in thought. Being from an inland area, she rarely saw the sea. Normally, she would be excitedly taking off her shoes to run on the beach, but now her hand was in Shen Lang's.

Experiencing this romantic feeling for the first time, Su Lexuan felt a mix of confusion and anticipation. Just then, the system presented more options.

**System options:**

1. Smile and tease her: "Didn't you say you've never seen the sea before? Want to play on the beach?"

2. Hold her waist and suggest: "It's getting late. Let's get a room. I want ice cream. I'll take you back to school tomorrow."

3. Ask concernedly: "Why are you so quiet? Do you want to go back to school? Should I take you?"