Chapter 502: Chapter 502: I Used to Be Fat
Ariana Grant looked at Leon Zeller’s awkward demeanor and realized he was also nervous, which made her slowly relax.
"Forget it, anyway, I already know what kind of person you are now, and you know what kind of person I am. So... tell me what you’re thinking."
Stretch your head out for a knife or shrink back either way.
If Leon finds her fat or unattractive, she’ll leave now.
No need to have this meal and make him uncomfortable, right?
But Leon looked confused: "What thoughts? About what?"
Ariana could see his confusion wasn’t fake and thought, how could Leon be so much dumber than she imagined?
But in this way, the last bit of tension she felt disappeared.
"I mean, after meeting me, are you disappointed? Is there a gap between what you imagined me to be and who I actually am?"
Leon honestly nodded: "There is."
Ariana lifted her eyelids, thinking: Typical men’s behavior!
She was about to angrily get up and leave when Leon spoke: "I initially thought you might not fit mainstream beauty standards, but I didn’t expect you to be this cute... I’m pleasantly surprised."
Ariana was taken aback, her eyes widened.
He’s pleasantly surprised?
Not very disappointed?
But upon careful consideration of his words, she frowned and asked, "Did you imagine I was ugly? Why?"
"Because you always... refused to show me a photo."
"Then why did you come to see me if you thought I might look ugly?"
Leon straightforwardly expressed his true feelings—
"What I like is your character and the way we get along... You always make me very happy. So, even if you were an eighty-year-old granny, I’d still want to meet you."
Ariana looked at him and said: "If I were really eighty, you’d surely turn and leave."
"I wouldn’t." Leon confidently said: "No matter what you’re like, I wouldn’t leave. I like your soul, not your looks... However, I did imagine if you were a guy, I’d definitely turn and leave. Gender is the only thing not up for negotiation; everything else can be worked out."
This nearly said what was on Ariana’s mind.
She even felt like she was about to float away.
"I didn’t expect you to be even better at sweet-talking in person than online. How many girlfriends have you had before to be this good with words?"
"You are... my first love."
Ariana was shocked again.
Yet it wasn’t so surprising; he was her first love too...
She coughed a bit and took a tactical sip of water.
Meanwhile, Leon observed her face and cautiously asked, "Then what do you... think of me?"
Ariana truthfully said, "Honestly, at first... I was quite worried you’d turn and leave after meeting me."
Leon didn’t understand: "Why?"
"Of course, because... I don’t look pretty enough, and I’m not thin enough."
Leon disagreed, saying: "You’re really pretty, and you’re already very slim. I think if you gained a tiny bit more, you’d be even cuter."
Ariana stared at him and asked: "Are you serious?"
Leon said: "I never lie."
"Didn’t you keep lying to me before, saying you were unemployed?"
"...Sorry. But now I’m really telling the truth. You’re more beautiful than I imagined."
Ariana blushed, took another tactical sip of water.
Just then, the waiter arrived with the dishes.
Leon quickly scooped her a bowl of Tom Yum soup.
"Try this ... I think it’s quite good. And this mango sticky rice is really tasty too."
"Have you eaten here before?"
"I came yesterday."
"Yesterday?"
This time, it was Leon’s turn to blush. He coughed, saying: "I came to check the place yesterday. Worried it wouldn’t taste good, I tried the food, and only after figuring it was decent dared to bring you here."
Ariana felt herself floating again.
This was completely different than what she’d imagined, suddenly felt she’d worried for nothing.
However, she soon returned to the previous topic, asking: "Do you really prefer me being slightly chubbier?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I used to be a big fatty, I’ve always liked girls with a bit more weight. But you’re perfect now too."
"You were a big fatty?"
"Yeah." Leon said, pulling up a photo on his phone and hesitantly showed her.
Ariana glanced, her eyes widened.
The person in the photo... easily looked over 200 pounds.
Of course, from his facial features, it was indeed Leon.
Leon awkwardly took back the phone, nervously asked: "After seeing this photo, would you stop liking me?"
Ariana blurted out: "How can I?"
As soon as the words left her lips, both of them blushed.
Luckily, as they continued chatting, they both quickly relaxed again.
Until the meal was nearly finished, Leon suddenly handed her a card.
Ariana took it, puzzled: "A bank card? Why are you giving me this?"
Leon said: "This is the reward from the survival show. It was because of you that I persisted, so I want to give it to you."
Upon hearing it, Ariana immediately handed the card back.
"I can’t take this, you better keep it."
Leon leaned back, saying: "This is for you... My parents said in a relationship, you have to be responsible... I’ve even added a bit more money in there, just enough for buying our future house. Choose whichever city you like, we’ll buy it there."
This time Ariana really felt herself floating.
Her face turned so red, as if she was dreaming.
In a naive romance dance, the two relationship freshmen clumsily wrapped up their date.
Leon drove her back to school, and Ariana took the chance to leave the card and gift she bought him in the car.
Unknowingly, when Leon dropped her off at the dormitory, she had another card in her pocket.
Taking a look, it was Leon’s card.
"Hey, this again... You better take it back." She said just as Leon disappeared from sight.
Ariana went back to the dormitory, told Ashley Shaw about it, and Ashley immediately smiled like an auntie.
"Congrats congrats, our Ariana has a marriage house now!"
"Stop teasing... Help me think what I should do now."
"What to do? Just keep it! If you feel embarrassed, just don’t touch the money on the card, right?"
"But... I feel, it’s so sudden."
Ashley chuckled, saying: "I don’t think it’s sudden at all. I bet Leon planned from the start that if he won the wild survival reward, he’d give the money to you."
Ariana’s face blushed again.
Ashley pulled up a chair to sit in front of her, asked: "Seriously, what do you think about him after this date?"
