My System Forces Me to Live off Women-Chapter 98 - 95: Showdown?

Eight Mile Village, Taixinli commercial street, Hulu by TRB restaurant.

"Do you have a table for two?"

"Would this table be okay for you?"

"No."

The restaurant wasn’t very crowded, most diners were seated in the corners. Li Peifeng glanced around and didn’t choose the table pointed out by the waiter, which was by the door and next to a window, offering a more open but also more exposed view.

"Let’s sit here."

Instead, he led Zhao Qingge by the hand and chose a small, private table against the wall and not directly facing the door.

It was already six-thirty when they arrived, and since neither of them had eaten dinner, Li Peifeng brought her to this restaurant.

The decor of the restaurant was modern, with wooden chairs, pink sofas, silver-gray marble tabletops and walls, giving off a fresh and stylish vibe.

The dishes were light French cuisine, with beautifully paired colors, exquisite presentation, and decent taste, along with attentive service—perfect for a date.

Li Peifeng had previously dined here with Wu Wenyue and Xu Manning while shopping, so he brought Zhao Qingge this time.

Dining with a girl is like shopping with a girl.

Even if it’s the same restaurant, as long as you bring a different girl to eat.

You never get tired of it!

But perhaps because of Li Peifeng’s striking looks and aura, the waiter found him familiar and glanced at him several times before handing over the menu.

"Here’s the menu."

"Would you like to order?"

Li Peifeng gestured, but the masked Zhao Qingge didn’t speak, only waved her hand.

"Truffle beef burger, black pepper roast steak, foie gras toast, Caesar salad..."

Li Peifeng skillfully ordered a few items, and once the waiter left, he took off his mask and placed it on the table, once again holding Zhao Qingge’s hand.

That’s right, after what happened in the car, holding hands was no longer something Zhao Qingge had to pretend to be asleep over!

Even if now, as Li Peifeng held her hand and put his arm around Zhao Qingge’s waist.

She didn’t put up much resistance!

"Recently, besides writing, I’ve also been reading the book list you gave me..."

With soft fragrance and warmth in his arms, Li Peifeng wanted to share a literary exchange like in a dream with his revered and beloved mentor, discussing life.

Talk about Marcel Proust, Leo Tolstoy, chat about Hart Crane, William Faulkner.

With their cultural backgrounds, there was really no fear of running out of topics.

During the leisurely waiting time for their meal, in a refreshing French restaurant, they could resonate with each other’s souls, concerning themselves with romance and beauty.

How romantic, how beautiful it all was...

But it was ruthlessly interrupted.

"You’re quite skilled at ordering."

Zhao Qingge’s tone was calm: "You must come to this restaurant often, right?"

It was such a buzzkill!

Li Peifeng slightly frowned: "I’ve been here once."

"With whom?"

"..."

Zhao Qingge pressed on with emphasis, repeating: "With whom?"

"..."

Zhao Qingge didn’t get an answer, only seeing Li Peifeng looking shocked at something, his expression changed, and he released her hand, running directly towards the restaurant’s restroom.

Ran away?

Was the question that hard to answer? If necessary, you could lie to me!

Zhao Qingge’s first reaction was confusion, only then did she turn to look in the direction Li Peifeng ran...

She didn’t see him but heard two familiar female voices.

"What gift should we send since he signed the platinum contract?"

"It can’t be too cheap. He brought us each a large bag of gifts from his Wuzhen trip, which probably cost several thousand."

"Yeah, how about buying some clothes?"

"It’s hard to get the size right. He’s six-foot-three tall, and if what we buy doesn’t fit, it’s a disaster..."

In a few exchanges, as the two girls talked, their voices got closer. Finally, Zhao Qingge saw who it was.

The two girls also recognized her, even though Zhao Qingge was wearing a mask, with faces of surprise or delight.

"Professor?"

"You’re having a meal here too?"

It was Lu Jing and Lin Zhihui.

Zhao Qingge removed her mask, smiling: "What a coincidence."

Lu Jing glanced at the other mask on the table: "You’re meeting someone?"

"Not anymore."

The two girls were puzzled, and Zhao Qingge picked up the mask, stood up and said, "You eat, I have something to do."

"Oh, oh."

Watching Zhao Qingge’s departing figure, the two girls dared not ask more questions, after all, she was their teacher, and the status difference was there.

Which student dares to question a teacher’s whereabouts, and clearly, she didn’t want to say much.

But after they ordered and sat down, they began to discuss.

"Who do you think the professor was having dinner with just now?"

Lu Jing hesitated: "They didn’t seem to eat, there’s nothing on the table."

"I know, but the point is, whose mask is that?"

"Could it be a fight with her boyfriend?" Lin Zhihui speculated: "They came here for a meal, but after a few words, they quarreled, and her boyfriend left in a huff, not even taking his mask!"

Lu Jing shook her head: "She’s single, the whole school knows, did you forget? But you reminded me, it could be a matchmaking date."

"They just met, didn’t get along, and parted ways before eating. That’s more likely."

Lin Zhihui nodded in agreement but was curious: "You say the professor is already thirty-three, how does she not have a partner yet? She’s so talented, has a good personality, and comes from a good family. There must be many suitors, how is she still single?"

Lu Jing hesitated: "Once, I accidentally overheard other teachers chatting, discussing our Director Zhao’s relationship issues."

"Hmm??" Lin Zhihui’s eyes lit up: "What did they say?"

"Seems it’s because the professor comes from a good family, her parents have high standards for her partner, and with Director Zhao’s high expectations, it ended up this way."

"High standards? How high?"

Lin Zhihui joked: "As high as six-foot-three?"

...

Li Peifeng looped around from the restaurant restroom, avoiding his juniors’ sights, and left the restaurant, even calling the waiter to cancel the meal before departing.

Upon seeing the two girls, he knew this meal couldn’t go on!

Letting Lu Jing and Lin Zhihui see him dining privately with Zhao Qingge?

Even if they don’t misunderstand there’s a romantic involvement, they would feel unease.

Why?

All from the same school, why do you get to dine privately with the professor?

Your close relationship with the professor, does it benefit you in regular studies and research, or even get you preferential treatment in research assistant allowances?

To prevent them from overthinking, for the sake of camaraderie.

Li Peifeng decisively chose to escape, then stood a short distance from the restaurant entrance, in a position convenient for retreat, sent a WeChat message to Zhao Qingge, and waited to reunite with her.

"Here you go."

Soon after, Zhao Qingge also came out, calmly handing back the mask to him.

Li Peifeng thanked her: "I remember there’s a row of snack stalls ahead, shall we eat there to save some time."

"Sure."

Zhao Qingge nodded: "You ran pretty swiftly."

Not sure whether she was complimenting or teasing.

Li Peifeng chuckled, not minding.

And after the earlier incident, learning from the experience, he dared not hold Old Zhao’s hand, fearing running into acquaintances again.

After walking about a hundred or two hundred meters, they arrived at a noodle shop, ordered two bowls, and suddenly Zhao Qingge spoke.

"Who did you go with to that restaurant before?"

Li Peifeng looked at her serious expression, taken aback.

So, this matter you haven’t forgotten? With your smart brain, couldn’t you remember more useful knowledge? What’s the use of remembering this?!!

You useless vinegar jar, sour me again and I’ll drink you!