After Seeing Through the Plot, the Cannon Fodder Supporting Female Lead Overturned Her Fate - Chapter 19

Ye An kept several backup cars at the company.

She went downstairs and drove to the restaurant Lu Man had mentioned according to the location. Upon arrival, she was surprised to find it was a rather ordinary-looking Cantonese restaurant.

This caused Ye An to pause; it was quite different from the information she had gathered previously.

Wasn’t it said that Lu Man liked quiet, elegant places?

Before she could think too much, a young girl suddenly ran toward her from a short distance away. She wore a sharp ponytail and an ordinary tracksuit. The black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose and a large mask made it almost impossible to discern her features; overall, she looked no different from the college students seen everywhere in the area.

That is, until Ye An heard her voice: “President Ye, you’re here.”

Ye An arched an eyebrow slightly. “Miss Lu?”

With her new drama airing, Lu Man was currently at the peak of her popularity. Disguising herself was a necessary choice when going out, but since Ye An’s impression of her usually remained on the level of “beautiful and exquisite,” she found it difficult to adapt to her current appearance for a moment.

“I’ve booked a private room inside,” Lu Man said. Although her face was covered by a thick mask, she couldn’t hide her joy. “President Ye, please come upstairs with me.”

“I’m so glad you came.” She gave a sincere smile, and even the tips of her ears turned a faint shade of pink.

Ye An curled her lips but didn’t take the bait, only saying: “Happy birthday, Miss Lu.”

The two of them soon went upstairs.

The private room Lu Man had booked was quite large. Ye An gave it a cursory glance; there were about a dozen seats, yet only the two of them were present. This made Ye An feel a bit confused. “Have your friends not arrived yet, Miss Lu?”

“Perhaps they were delayed on the road,” Lu Man said, looking down as she poured a drink for Ye An. “President Ye, let’s start eating and drinking first.”

“Thank you.” Ye An took the glass and lightly clinked it against hers, engaging in casual conversation. “Do you like Cantonese cuisine, Miss Lu?”

Lu Man blinked and finally removed her mask. “Mhm, I like it quite a bit.”

Ye An couldn’t help but smile. “I happen to know a few good Cantonese restaurants; I’ll recommend them to you later.”

“Okay.” After the word landed, Lu Man seemed to pause before saying, “Actually, the reason I fell in love with Cantonese food has a lot to do with you, President Ye.”

“With me?”

“Yes.” Lu Man nodded, her tone carrying a mix of warmth and nostalgia. “A long time ago, I saw an interview of yours. On the program, you mentioned a Cantonese place near a university.”

“At the time, the host was talking to you about your early entrepreneurial history. You said you started your business in college, but back then funds were tight and you lacked experience, so you lost more than you earned. Despite that, you never backed down and kept working hard.”

“One sentence left a deep impression on me. The host asked how you relieved your sorrows, and you said there was a Cantonese restaurant near the school that was delicious and fairly priced. Whenever you were tired or weary, you’d go eat there, and your troubles would unknowingly vanish.”

“I do remember saying that,” Ye An nodded in response. “I suppose it was a form of self-therapy.”

“For me back then, being able to eat a delicious meal was the greatest happiness. What was there to be dissatisfied about?”

“So, ever since then, I followed your example.” As Lu Man spoke, she poured another glass for Ye An. “And from that point on, I gradually fell in love with Cantonese food.”

“It’s a pity that restaurant has closed down now,” Ye An said, shaking her head.

“Yes,” Lu Man said. “But fortunately, I found out the story through a friend later. The owner chose to close the shop out of necessity because he was getting too old to keep up. Luckily, his daughter was also very interested in cooking, so she took over her father’s legacy and reopened the restaurant in a more suitable location.”

Ye An paused. No wonder the decor had felt somewhat familiar since she walked in. “So…”

Just then, a waiter brought over several cold appetizers. Lu Man smiled and carefully used serving chopsticks to place some food on Ye An’s plate. “That’s right. It’s this one.”

Ye An hadn’t expected her to go to such lengths. She felt a bit moved; although Lu Man was young, she was quite meticulous. “So that’s how it is.”

“President Ye, let’s have another drink.” After serving the food, Lu Man gently raised her glass, her eyes curving into a very sweet smile. “I hope you enjoy the meal.”

“I certainly will,” Ye An nodded.

With a clink, the two glasses met, producing a pleasant, crisp sound.

They chatted for a while longer, and most of the dishes had been served. Lu Man seemed to have a low tolerance for alcohol; after a few glasses, a distinct pink flush appeared on her cheeks.

“Miss Lu,” Ye An glanced at the time and said with a light smile, “have your friends still not arrived?”

At this, Lu Man looked up at her. “Not yet. President Ye, we—”

“Actually, you don’t have to lie, Miss Lu.” Before she could finish, Ye An suddenly interrupted her. “I suspect those friends aren’t coming tonight, are they?”

Hearing this, Lu Man’s fingers instinctively tightened. “What do you mean by that, President Ye?”

“It’s been over half an hour since we sat down,” Ye An smiled and said quickly. “I imagine that on such an important day, friends wouldn’t be this late. Even if they were truly delayed, it’s impossible for there to not be a single phone call or message.”

“So, I guess…”

She didn’t finish the sentence.

However, Lu Man seemed to have decided to stop hiding. After a few seconds of silence, she finally nodded gently. “You’re right, President Ye. There are no friends tonight.”

“It’s just me and you,” she said, her eyes lifting under the influence of the alcohol. “From the very beginning, the only person I truly wanted to invite was you.”

This seemed to be the first time she had expressed her feelings so explicitly.

Ye An paused, not expecting the alcohol to have such a strong effect on Lu Man. “Miss Lu, you are always very considerate of those around you.”

“You know perfectly well that’s not what I mean.” Lu Man’s tone carried a hint of grievance. “I really, really like you.”

Ye An’s expression shifted slightly. “…Miss Lu, you’re drunk.”

“I’m not,” Lu Man shook her head. “My tolerance isn’t that bad. Even though I did drink a bit much just now, I know exactly what I’m saying.”

“I’m sorry, President Ye. I shouldn’t have lied to you. I just had no choice. If I hadn’t said that, I knew you wouldn’t have come today…”

She was right about that.

Ye An was momentarily at a loss for words. Before she could think of a response, she heard Lu Man let out a soft sob.

Ye An: “…”

She was the one who had been lied to, yet now Lu Man was the one who looked like she was being bullied.

Having spent a long time in the business world, Ye An could easily handle those two-faced old foxes, but she had no way to deal with Lu Man acting like this. The soundproofing in the private room was excellent; it was quiet all around, with only that small, suppressed crying echoing in her ears.

Ye An felt her mind becoming a tangled mess.

“Miss Lu,” she sighed after a moment, gently handing over some tissues. “Wipe your eyes.”

“…Thank you, President Ye.” Lu Man nodded, silently taking the tissues and using them.

The atmosphere turned quiet again. After an unknown amount of time, Lu Man finally spoke again, whispering, “I’m sorry. I lost my composure.”

“It’s okay,” Ye An said. “Don’t worry, Miss Lu, I won’t tell anyone about tonight.”

“What exactly do I have to do to get closer to you?” As if throwing caution to the wind, Lu Man whispered after a long pause.

“Do you hate me, President Ye?”

“No,” Ye An said. “I have always seen you as an excellent partner and a very rare friend.”

Friend.

That word clearly didn’t satisfy Lu Man.

She couldn’t help but shake her head. “You probably don’t lack friends, President Ye. For someone as outstanding as you, friends, confidants, and good partners are the things you lack least.”

“But my experiences are very similar to yours. Whether in the past or now, I know that for people like us, just having friends is far from enough.”

She spoke while looking directly into Ye An’s eyes, her own welling with tears and expectation.

She said sincerely: “Don’t you… want a companion?”