Breakthrough

"I know that girl. Little Jing used to think quite highly of her." Old Master nodded in relief. "As long as there's someone to take care of him and keep him company, it's fine. Otherwise, with Little Jing's personality, I'm afraid he'll be alone for the rest of his life."

"Well, you can stop worrying now." Once Lian'e had said her piece, she did not linger.

The old man nodded. "That's right. Since Little Jing is willing to bring her home, we'll hear good news soon."

Lian'e smiled and agreed. She excused herself and left the ward.

Shen Yin had an appointment with Li Zi's colleague to eat at a restaurant in the business district. Shen Nian saw her leave with a smile. "Mom, go quickly. All the best!"

Shen Yin did not know whether to laugh or cry. This child was too concerned about her marriage. She was originally afraid that Shen Nian would reject her stepfather, she had not expected him to be so enthusiastic.

She patted Shen Nian's head. "You stay home and be good. Mom bring you something nice to eat."

Shen Nian readily agreed. "Okay!"

Seeing that Shen Yin had left with a light heart, Shen Nian quickly followed her downstairs furtively. He got into a taxi and secretly followed her to the restaurant where she had agreed to meet the man.

How could he possibly trust his mother to eat alone with a total stranger?

He wanted to see that man with his own eyes, to confirm that his character, looks, speech, and mannerisms were worthy of his mother, lest dear mother be fooled.

When they reached the entrance, Shen Nian took advantage of his small size to hide behind a stone pillar opposite the restaurant.

When Shen Yin arrived at the appointed place, she saw a man stand up and wave at her from the window seat. She smiled politely and sat down with her back to the restaurant entrance.

The man was dressed simply, with a dark green shirt under his brown jacket. He looked mature and steady.

"You must be Miss Shen. My name is Fang Cheng." He held out his hand shyly and chuckled awkwardly.

Before he came, he had heard from Li Zi that her best friend was extremely beautiful. He thought that she was exaggerating but now that he had seen her for himself, he realized that Shen Yin was really the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. She was a hundred times more beautiful than the female celebrities on television.

"Hello." She shook his hand briefly and let go.

Fang Cheng hurriedly handed her the menu. "Miss Shen, feel free to order whatever you want. This meal is on me."

"Thank you." Shen Yin studied the menu earnestly, but she was actually feeling extremely awkward.

She was not used to eating alone with a stranger. She could only look down at the menu and answer briefly when Fang Cheng tried to start a conversation.

"Hey! We have to have a good meal when the captain treats us. Let's choose this restaurant. Trust me, the steak here is really top-notch!"

A loud, familiar voice rang out outside the glass window. Through the thick glass, Meng Heng suddenly saw Shen Yin as she was ordering.

"This…" Zou Sheng saw from Meng Heng's expression that something was amiss. He paused and followed his gaze. He saw Shen Yin eating with a man. It looked like they were on a date?

"Why don't we eat at another restaurant!" Zou Sheng pushed Meng Heng awkwardly, but the latter did not move. Then, he heard Meng Heng say in a low voice. "No, let's eat at this restaurant."

Zou Sheng almost clicked his tongue. He hated himself for choosing this restaurant. How nice it would be to have hotpot or barbecue!

Wu Zheng looked back and forth between Shen Yin and Meng Heng thoughtfully and pushed open the restaurant door first.

"Good evening, Sir. How many are there in your party?" The waitress greeted them warmly and led them inside.

Meng Heng stopped at the table beside Shen Yin. His voice was heavy, as if it weighed a thousand kilograms. "We'll sit here."

Zou Sheng glanced apologetically at Shen Yin before sitting down opposite Meng Heng.

"You know each other?" Fang Cheng asked Shen Yin cheerfully. He could see something was going on.

Shen Yin cleared her throat and regained her wits. She explained, "They're colleagues."

"So they're friends from the police department!" Fang Cheng issued the invitation naturally. "Why don't we sit together? This meal is on me."

"No need." Wu Zheng looked at Fang Cheng and found him familiar. He guessed that it might be someone from the prosecutor's office next door and he did not want to complicate matters. "We won't disturb you anymore."

"It's fine!" Fang Cheng smiled generously. "Yin Yin's friends are my friends. There's no need to stand on ceremony."

Meng Heng tightened his grip on the fork in his hand and said with an unfriendly gaze, "Yin Yin?"

How affectionate!

Shen Yin had never expected to meet Meng Heng here. However, if she could make him give up on any untoward notions, it might be a good thing for him.