Starting Check-in Reward: Tomson Riviera

"You’ve got to be kidding." Ning Ruoxi couldn’t help but chuckle. ’This guy isn’t just good-looking, he’s funny too,’ she thought.

It wasn’t that she was underestimating Ye Ling. It was just that, judging by his clothes, he didn’t look like some rich heir. And Tomson Riviera was currently the most expensive residential complex in all of Modu!

The cheapest units started at one or two hundred million!

Ye Ling’s eyes lit up as he watched her brilliant, flower-like smile.

Today, Ning Ruoxi wore a pink hat with rabbit ears—the kind where you could squeeze a bulb to make them stand up. She also had on a long, pale pink dress.

Ning Ruoxi wasn’t wearing any makeup, but she still looked fresh-faced and adorable.

It was the best time of life—an age where one was beautiful without any need for powders or paint.

"Hey, what are you staring at...?"

Ning Ruoxi noticed Ye Ling staring intently and shyly lowered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

’That’s right, she had taken great care in dressing up before she left the house today. In fact, she’d tried on several different outfits!’

"You’re very cute."

Ye Ling smiled, not denying it in the least.

’Everyone appreciates beauty, after all.’

"Hmph. All men are pigs."

Ning Ruoxi huffed, though she was clearly enjoying the compliment. She suddenly pointed to a hot pot restaurant in the distance. "This place has amazing beef tripe. I used to come here a lot. How about we eat here?"

"You’re treating, so you get to decide."

Ye Ling chuckled.

The hot pot restaurant was quite popular. Even though it was still a little before the dinner rush, they probably wouldn’t have gotten a table if they had arrived any later.

"Hi, who will be ordering for the table?"

A waitress holding a menu walked over. She looked to be about the same age as Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi, likely working a summer job.

"I’ll do it."

Ning Ruoxi offered a gentle smile, took the menu, and began expertly checking off boxes.

The waitress’s eyes lit up when she glanced at Ye Ling. She chuckled and said, "Miss, your boyfriend is very handsome..."

"Huh? No... We’re not a couple." Ning Ruoxi froze for a moment, her face flushing crimson. She lowered her head, her voice trailing off until it was as faint as a buzzing mosquito.

"For real?" The waitress was taken aback as well. In her eyes, with him being so handsome and her so beautiful, they just had to be a couple.

"Well, we’re not actually in a relationship right now,"

Ye Ling chimed in to clarify.

"Oh, I see. But... Miss, this guy is seriously handsome. I’m getting a little weak in the knees myself. You better not let him get away!" the girl said with a wink.

It was clear she was rooting for Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi to get together.

At this, Ning Ruoxi was too embarrassed to speak. Even Ye Ling couldn’t help but feel his own cheeks heat up at the comment.

Luckily, Ye Ling was used to getting compliments, so he recovered quickly. He smiled. "I don’t think she could bear to let me get away."

"What are you talking about..."

Ning Ruoxi’s face turned an even deeper shade of red at his words.

To the young waitress, however, their exchange of glances was just playful flirting, and a smile crept onto her lips.

"Just a moment, I’ll go get this started for you."

The girl took the menu with a giggle and spun away.

Maybe it was special treatment, or maybe there was some other reason, but the dishes for Ye Ling’s table arrived remarkably fast. The people at the surrounding tables had arrived before them, but their soup bases hadn’t even been brought out yet.

"Hey, waitress, how come they got their food so fast?" a man who looked to be in his thirties asked.

The young waitress, who was adjusting the temperature on Ye Ling’s hot pot, paused for a second before replying matter-of-factly, "Because they’re better looking."

’Better looking...’

The man, who was around thirty, was stunned by her words. If a broken heart made a sound, his would be shattering with a deafening CRASH.

’Can good-looking people really get away with anything?’

The man roared inwardly.

Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi exchanged a smile, silently offering their sympathies to the poor man.

By now, the young waitress had finished adjusting the temperature on their hot pot. She stood up and gave them a soft smile. "There you go. Just let me know if you need anything else!"

"Thank you."

Ye Ling nodded politely.

"Hee hee, you’re welcome!" The girl waved a hand dismissively. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she leaned close to Ye Ling’s ear and whispered, "Hey handsome, if this young lady turns you down, you can always come find me!"

With that, the girl spun around and walked away, her face already a deep shade of crimson the moment she turned.

It took a moment for Ye Ling to process what had just happened. He couldn’t help but give a wry smile and shake his head.

Hm.

’So it’s true. Good-looking people really can get away with anything.’

As they ate and talked, Ye Ling learned that she had traveled to East Asia to find inspiration for her work as a painter.

"Look! I painted all of these. The deer in Nara, the cherry blossoms at Mount Fuji..." Ning Ruoxi proudly showed Ye Ling the photos on her phone.

The photos were all of her artwork.

Ye Ling looked at the screen, genuinely surprised. He hadn’t realized that Ning Ruoxi was such a remarkably skilled painter.

"Ah, this one’s nice."

Ye Ling swiped a few more times, then suddenly stopped and said with a smile.

Ning Ruoxi blinked, confused. When she looked at what was on the screen, her face flushed.

It was a picture of herself pouting playfully while wearing the rabbit-ear hat.

"Hmph, you can’t look anymore."

Her face burning, Ning Ruoxi snatched the phone back.

Seeing this, only one thought crossed Ye Ling’s mind.

’Good grief, what is there to be so red about?’

Ye Ling shrugged. ’A woman’s moods sure are fickle.’

Over the next half hour, Ye Ling witnessed Ning Ruoxi’s astonishing "battle prowess." For someone who looked so slender, she ate just as much as he did, if not more!

Once she had eaten her fill, Ning Ruoxi licked her lips in satisfaction like a little kitten. Suddenly remembering Ye Ling was still sitting across from her, she said, embarrassed, "Uh! I actually don’t eat this much, really. It’s just... it’s been so long since I’ve had delicious food from back home."

"It’s fine. You should eat more," Ye Ling said with a smile. "You’re still a growing girl, after all."

’This girl is so endearingly straightforward,’ he thought. ’Being with her is really comfortable.’

"’Growing girl’..."

Ning Ruoxi’s mouth twitched when she heard that.

’Growing, my foot! I’m eighteen years old, for crying out loud!’

’I could just die,’ she thought. ’Damn it, how could I eat so much in front of a guy I just started going out with?!’

’So much for my image!’

Of course, Ye Ling had no idea what was going through her mind. He had been speaking sincerely.

’Girls should eat plenty. They’re more comfortable to hug when they’re a little plump... just like Zhao Cai.’

Hm.

It was only now, while out enjoying a feast, that Ye Ling remembered Zhao Cai, whom he had left at home—and who was probably starving at this very moment.