As the black Mercedes pulled over in front of a French café, Zhang Xiaoling pulled out her phone from her bag and turned on the front camera.
Satisfied with her looks after glancing briefly at it, she smacked her lips before getting off the car.
As the driver drove the car away, she adjusted her dress before striding over to the entrance.
This was not her first time going on a date, and because the person she was going to meet was not her spec, there was only a neutral expression on her face.
There was nothing to be expectant off. Also, it was useless to fake a smile when she wanted to pass a message with her facial expression.
Stepping into the café, Zhang Xiaoling confirmed the private room number for her date.
"Excuse me," she said stopping a waitress.
"How may I be of help to you, Ma'am?" The waitress asked with a polite smile.
"I have a meeting with someone in this room number, where is it?"
She asked as she whipped out her phone and swiped twice on the screen to bring out a message before showing it to her.
The waitress squinted her eyes at the screen. A moment later, the smile returned to her face and she glanced back at Xiaoling.
"Please follow me, Ma'am, I will take you to the room," She offered while gesturing to her.
Zhang Xiaoling nodded in agreement and followed after her.
Passing through the normal large dining room, they took a turn toward their left and joined a hallway.
While following behind the waitress, Zhang Xiaoling's gaze was straight ahead as her heels struck against the tiled floor.
The stiletto on her feet was the main reason her figure seemed to sway on a catwalk.
A few more steps and they arrived in front of a door with the number she was in search of.
The waitress stopped in front of it and turned to say with a polite smile, "Ma'am, here is the room."
"Thank you," Zhang Xiaoling replied as she shifted her gaze to the door.
The waitress bowed slightly before turning to leave with her kitten shoes striking against the white-colored tiles in the hallway.
Seeing her walking away, Zhang Xiaoling retracted her gaze back to the door before raising her fist to knock on the door.
Letting out a deep sigh, she put down her hand on the door handle before pushing it open without waiting for a response.
This was indeed a private room, but because she was to meet with the person already inside, she didn't have to observe that much protocol.
She was not a waiter anyways.
Pushing the door open, she stepped in before casting a long glance at the person sitting inside the small room.
The man sitting on one of the chairs around the table in the middle of the room looked just like the one in the file she went through the previous night.
The man sitting at the table Tan Enlai heard the sound of the door opening and tilted his head to the side, looking away from his phone to glance over.
Seeing his arranged date stepping in and looking in his direction, a small smile rose to his lips.
"You are here, Ms. Zhang." He stated as he watched her every movement.
'She indeed has good looks,' he noted.
Zhang Xiaoling nodded slightly in acknowledgment of his greeting.
'He indeed looks just like in the pictures.' She thought silently.
Shutting the door behind her, she said as she walked over to the table, "I'm sorry I'm a few minutes late."
Tan Enlai gestured for her to sit on the chair opposite his. "I will pardon you because you are a beautiful lady, and this is our first meeting."
Although he had that gentle smile on his face, Xiaoling could feel that he meant every bit of what he said.
She came to understand that he was punctual and for making it known in their first meeting, she understood what he was getting at.
He was already trying to tell her about one of his priorities, and the things he deemed important.
Ignoring him, she settled in the only chair in the room, sitting directly opposite of him.
If He was Fang Bingwen, she wouldn't have a problem paying attention to him, and mind going along with him.
Unfortunately, he was Tan Enlai.
"Please address me as Xiaoling," She said to him as she put her phone back inside her bag before shifting her attention to him.
Maintaining eye contact, the corner of Tan Enlai's lips rose. "You can call me Enlai."
Zhang Xiaoling nodded waiting for him to continue. She had no plans to lead the conversation, hence, she sealed her lips.
"So, tell me, Ms. Zhang, how long have you been working for your ste…I mean, your father?" Tan Enlai asked with a curious smile.
Zhang Xiaoling clenched her fingers under the table at his blunder.
′So, he is aware that Zhang Renshu is not my biological father?' her voice thundered in her head while trying to maintain a neutral gaze on him.
There was no way she would let him know that that was her Achilles heel. It would be foolish of her to let him know her weak point on their first meeting.
Tang Enlai nodded while trying to hide the glint of surprise that flashed across his eyes.
He purposely made that mistake to see what her reaction would be, hence he had his gaze fixed on her and watched her every move.
But surprisingly, there was only confidence exuding from her. Giving her a thumbs up in his head, he continued with his questions.
"From the information, I got about you, you are 27 years and going to be 28 soon, why are you still unmarried at this age? Has work been hectic?"
This question came off as an insult and Zhang Xiaoling did not bother to hide her displeasure as her brows creased and the light in her eyes dimmed.
'What is he getting at?'
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