School Beauty's Invincible Martial Expert

"So many people?!" Lan Yudie exclaimed, looking at the customers waiting in line at the entrance.

"Every day there are this many people!" Xiao Han said with a slight smile, then added, "The restaurant's business is really good."

"No wonder you could afford a BMW!" Lan Yudie joked.

"Let's go." Xiao Han parked the car in a nearby lot and then walked toward the restaurant with Lan Yudie.

As they entered the restaurant, a waiter spotted Xiao Han.

"Xiao Han, are you here to eat?" the waiter asked.

"Yes!" Xiao Han nodded and said, "Please prepare a seat for me."

"Sure thing!" The waiter immediately nodded.

Liu Xiaolei had seen Xiao Han from a distance, but as she approached, she saw Lan Yudie behind him. Her expression changed slightly, and she quickly asked, "Xiao Han, who... who is she?"

"She's my friend," Xiao Han replied awkwardly.

"Well... I'll arrange your seats!" Liu Xiaolei hurriedly responded.

"Good!" Xiao Han nodded.

At first sight of Lan Yudie, Liu Xiaolei was somewhat dazzled. Indeed, Lan Yudie's appearance and figure were without question. Any man would feel a criminal urge upon seeing her. No wonder Xiao Han was with her.

Liu Xiaolei, being the manager of the restaurant and it being working hours, could only perform her duties. She seated them in a quiet corner, something no other patron could enjoy.

After settling them, Xiao Han asked Liu Xiaolei to serve some fine dishes.

Since Xiao Han was dining, the service was exceptionally quick. While others were still waiting for their dishes, Xiao Han's came out swiftly: Peking duck, roasted lamb leg...

Several great dishes were served.

"This much!" Lan Yudie exclaimed, "We... How can we finish all this?"

"It's okay if we don't finish," Xiao Han said with a slight smile, "I can take the leftovers home."

Lan Yudie pursed her lips and said, "Okay then."

"Actually, I ordered so much because I wanted you to try more of this restaurant's dishes," Xiao Han explained with a slight smile, then said, "The dishes here are quite good. The chef was poached from a five-star hotel in the capital at a considerable cost. It was worth it, I believe. Look at how many customers we have now."

"Right!" Lan Yudie nodded.

"Let's eat!" Xiao Han smiled.

Lan Yudie began eating. The Peking duck was delicious, fat but not oily, quite appetizing. The roasted lamb leg was even more commendable; it was neither too big nor too small, and the meat had been pre-cut into pieces and arranged neatly, served with two sauces in separate dishes – one sweet bean sauce and the other chili sauce, catering to personal taste preferences.

"This roasted lamb tastes great!" Lan Yudie said with surprise.

"Of course!" Xiao Han nodded and said, "This dish is a must-order here; almost everyone who comes here orders it. It costs a hundred and eighty. The Peking duck too was brought over by a chef from the capital, it's quite good."

Lan Yudie was enjoying her meal, and she laughed, "It tastes a lot better than Hanmen Restaurant in University Town."

"Of course!" Xiao Han nodded and said, "Of all the Hanmen Catering branches, this Hanmen Restaurant has the best dishes and the busiest business. Just this one store can earn millions a year."

"That's amazing!" Lan Yudie nodded.

The food was great, and Lan Yudie was full. Seeing Xiao Han's business do so well made her proud of him. She looked at Xiao Han seriously and then said, "Xiao Han, I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you!" Xiao Han smiled.

After finishing the meal, Xiao Han drove Lan Yudie to the high-speed train station and helped her buy a return ticket. The high-speed train from the provincial city to Linjiang City took only half an hour, covering over two hundred kilometers swiftly.

At the train station, Lan Yudie was somewhat reluctant to leave.

"Xiao Han, I'm leaving now!" Lan Yudie looked at Xiao Han.

"Okay!" Xiao Han nodded and said, "I'll walk you to the station."

All good things must come to an end. Besides, after the Lantern Festival, it was time for school to start again. So, Xiao Han would soon be back in school. With that thought, Lan Yudie felt much better. Having spent half a month on vacation without seeing Xiao Han, she'd finally had a great Chinese New Year with him.

Lan Yudie boarded the train with a sense of satisfaction.

However, Lan Yudie's departure left a problem and a hidden danger. That was Liu Xiaolei now knew of Lan Yudie's existence. This was the most troublesome issue for Xiao Han.

After returning home, Xiao Han felt a bit of a headache.

As expected, in the evening, Liu Xiaolei came to his door herself.

At eight-thirty, Xiao Han was watching TV at home while his mother was knitting in her room. With the strong gambling culture among Chinese people during the New Year, everyone was playing cards, but Xiao Han wasn't particularly interested in card games.

"Xiao Han!" a voice came from outside.

"Xiao Lei?" Mother Xiao was the first to react. She quickly got up and said, "Why are you here?"

"Auntie, I came to find Xiao Han." Liu Xiaolei said with a slight smile.

"Come in and talk. It's quite cold outside." Mother Xiao hurriedly said.

Liu Xiaolei's face turned slightly red, then she walked in.

After entering, Xiao Han felt somewhat surprised, but he quickly recovered. He hurriedly got up and said, "Xiao Lei, are you looking for me?"

"Yes!" Liu Xiaolei nodded.

At this moment, Mother Xiao quickly picked up her basket of knitting and said, "I'm going to chat with Big Sister Zhou. You guys talk."

After saying that, Mother Xiao hurriedly left the room. She didn't understand young people's affairs or their emotions, so Mother Xiao simply left, unwilling to interfere in their relationship. Especially after knowing that Xiao Han had a girlfriend at school, she found herself in a dilemma. Since she couldn't decide anything, she might as well bury her head in the sand.

"Take a seat." Xiao Han smiled and asked, "Want something to eat?"

"No thanks!" Liu Xiaolei's expression looked rather upset.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Han asked, "Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I'll go beat them up for you."

"Xiao Han, I have a question for you, and you must answer me honestly!" Liu Xiaolei suddenly became very serious, something she had never done before when speaking to him. It was definitely a first.

"Alright, go ahead!" Xiao Han nodded.

"I want to know, is that girl today your girlfriend?" Liu Xiaolei asked seriously, looking at Xiao Han.

Xiao Han swallowed, his mind hesitated for a second, then nodded and said, "Yes, she is my girlfriend!"

"Okay, okay!" Liu Xiaolei's face fell, and she seemed almost unable to hold on, as if the last life-saving straw had also left her. Her eyes quickly reddened, and tears streamed down from her eyes.

"Xiao Lei, what...what's wrong?" Xiao Han quickly asked.

"It's... it's nothing!" Liu Xiaolei shook her head and said, "I'm just a bit sad, a bit heartbroken."

"I'm sorry!" Xiao Han took Liu Xiaolei's hand.

"Slap..."

Liu Xiaolei slapped away Xiao Han's hand, then said, "Don't touch me. What are you sorry for? You have never been sorry for me; it has always been just my one-sided wishes, my own delusions... "

"Xiao Lei!" Xiao Han looked very distressed.

"Enough." Liu Xiaolei shouted, "Xiao Han, why... why do you keep being with me if you have a girlfriend? You let me hold onto so many thoughts, let me have so many fantasies? Are you pitying me? Or are you sympathizing with me?"

"No, I have never!" Xiao Han quickly shook his head.

Liu Xiaolei sat dazedly on the couch, her gaze fixed on the nearby heater, her tears streaming down. The little sun heater emitted a golden glow, shining on Liu Xiaolei's exquisitely beautiful face, as Xiao Han clearly saw each tear rolling down. It was unbearably heartbreaking.

Silence...

Liu Xiaolei remained silent. There's a saying, "If you don't explode in silence, you perish in it."

Indeed, sometimes loud shouting isn't scary. It's the silent ones who make people feel horrified, who instill fear.

Liu Xiaolei's silence didn't scare Xiao Han, but it continuously tormented his heart. He felt an unbearable sting. Seeing Liu Xiaolei's tears, Xiao Han felt some pity. This pain made him feel almost like he was suffocating.

"Xiao Lei, I... I'm sorry!" Xiao Han gritted his teeth.

"You haven't wronged me, never!" Liu Xiaolei shook her head and said, "The ones you owe are my dad, your mom."

"I!" Xiao Han didn't know how to respond at the moment.

Liu Xiaolei glanced at Xiao Han, then said, "Since you have a girlfriend now, I won't bother you anymore."

After speaking, Liu Xiaolei got up to leave.

Xiao Han immediately grabbed her hand. Liu Xiaolei's steps halted.

"Don't go!" Xiao Han felt if Liu Xiaolei left today, he would regret it for life. But if he didn't let her go, what could he do? What could he give her? The things she wanted, he had no way of providing. Wouldn't that just waste her youth?

"Do you have anything else to say to me?" Liu Xiaolei asked.

"I..." Xiao Han looked down at Liu Xiaolei's hand, and said softly, "I like you, really..."

"You..." Liu Xiaolei's eyes turned red, and she turned and threw herself into Xiao Han's embrace.

How many women can resist such unique tenderness, how many women can resist their beloved man's confession? Even if it's just a simple "I like you." Even if it's just a simple "I love you."