Chapter 32: Sweet Date
Mu Lantu didn’t take an afternoon nap. Instead, he opened his wardrobe to choose an outfit for the afternoon.
Xu Huazhang had good fashion sense—every time he showed up, he looked like he was about to shoot a fashion editorial. Mu Lantu couldn’t let himself be outshined!
After a long struggle, he finally picked a set he was satisfied with.
He didn’t have many clothes, and he’d been busy lately with no time to shop.
At 2:30 PM, the four of them met downstairs.
The moment Xu Huazhang saw Mu Lantu, he felt his breath hitch.
Mu Lantu had changed into a new outfit: a loose-fitting, off-white pullover knit sweater that made his already fair face look even paler and softer, with a touch of boyish charm that made him look easily bullied. A simply-designed brown straw hat hung from his neck, giving off a fresh spring vibe. His long gray pants showed off his long legs—he looked like a walking clothes rack.
Xu Huazhang had accidentally dressed like him again.
He wore an off-white turtleneck T-shirt that fit snugly, paired with a light gray, mid-length casual blazer. His blue jeans and gray sneakers were all from luxury casual brands, giving off a relaxed but still fashionable and commanding presence.
A draw.
After slowly sizing Xu Huazhang up, Mu Lantu gave him a glare. This guy must have secretly installed surveillance in his house!
Xu Huazhang had no idea why he got a glare, but even when the young man rolled his eyes at him, he looked good. He accepted it silently.
The weather was nice today—not too hot—so both of them were dressed appropriately. Even under the sun, it didn’t feel too warm.
Since it wasn’t the weekend, the amusement park wasn’t crowded. Most of the visitors were energetic young people or elderly folks taking their grandkids out for fun.
Xu Huazhang took Mu Lantu’s hand and explained as Mu Lantu looked at him, “Too many people. Don’t want us to get separated.”
Xu Huazhang had clearly mastered the art of lying with a straight face.
Ge Tao held up a camera, clicking away. “Click click click…”
Mu Lantu asked knowingly, “Ge Tao’s learning photography now?”
Xu Huazhang replied without missing a beat, “He wants to learn from Zhou Ye.”
Ge Tao felt wronged, but he said nothing.
Xu Huazhang quickly changed the subject. “Do you want to go on a ride first or eat something?”
“Only kids make choices. I want both.” Mu Lantu dragged him toward the food stalls.
Cotton candy, grilled sausages, teppanyaki, fried skewers, fried chicken cutlets, meat-and-egg burgers, popcorn, glutinous rice rolls with sweet bean flour, takoyaki, spicy hot pot… and stinky tofu.
Mu Lantu stared at the stinky tofu for a few seconds, then looked teasingly at Xu Huazhang.
Xu Huazhang frowned—saying nothing said everything.
“Relax, I won’t buy it.”
Mu Lantu was deliberately trying to scare him. He didn’t like stinky tofu either.
“I want grilled sausage and grilled squid. You want some?”
“No need.” Xu Huazhang went to the side and bought two bottles of green tea.
Mu Lantu bought two sausages, two squid skewers, and a wheel cake.
They headed to the park’s scenic train ride first.
The little train chugged along slowly, a gentle breeze blowing by—it was quite pleasant.
Mu Lantu picked up a grilled squid and held it out to Xu Huazhang.
Xu Huazhang took it, catching Mu Lantu off guard—he’d just been offering out of politeness. Didn’t this guy say he didn’t want any? If he knew Xu Huazhang wanted some, he would’ve bought more. Now he felt like he’d shorted him.
Xu Huazhang bit off a piece of squid with a smile, pretending not to see Mu Lantu’s frozen hand. He didn’t take it because he needed to eat—it was because he didn’t want Mu Lantu to overeat and get inflamed. Lunch had already been full of spicy dishes, and the weather was dry.
Mu Lantu casually lowered his hand. Fine, let him eat. He’s his future partner, after all. Spoiling him a bit—what’s the harm?
After the squid, he also gave Xu Huazhang one of the grilled sausages.
Xu Huazhang’s gaze grew softer than water.
“Have you been to an amusement park before?” he asked.
“I went once when I was a kid. Didn’t find it interesting—thought staying home with a book was better.”
“Do you have any ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends?” Mu Lantu’s eyes followed an old woman selling balloons below the tracks as if fascinated by the balloons, but his breath hitched.
“No.”
Mu Lantu didn’t doubt it. Xu Huazhang had striking looks, and if he were to choose a partner, he’d definitely have high standards for appearance. People as good-looking as him were rare.
Xu Huazhang thought Mu Lantu didn’t believe him and added, “Before you, I’ve never felt anything for anyone.”
Mu Lantu’s face burned as if it were on fire, and he didn’t dare turn around.
“I haven’t either.”
Xu Huazhang found his flushed ears unbearably cute. The atmosphere was perfect right now, and he felt a sudden urge to confess. But then, realizing that he and Mu Lantu had only known each other for about a month, he hesitated. He didn’t want Mu Lantu to think he was being too hasty.
“So, we’re a great match,” he said instead.
Mu Lantu felt a pang of disappointment—but also, he couldn’t deny—a sense of relief. If Xu Huazhang had really confessed, he might not have accepted. They hadn’t known each other long. It wasn’t just that he didn’t know Xu Huazhang well yet; Xu Huazhang didn’t know him that well either.
He quietly finished his grilled sausage, and once the heat faded from his face, he resumed a normal sitting posture.
Xu Huazhang opened a bottle of green tea and handed it to him.
“What do you want to do next?”
Mu Lantu took a sip. “Let’s just stroll forward in order. If something catches our eye, we’ll try it.”
After getting off the little train, an old man passed by carrying a bundle of colorful balloons.
Xu Huazhang caught up to him and quickly returned holding a balloon—an adorably chubby blue cartoon character grinning as it bobbed in the wind.
“Other kids have one, so my kid needs one too. Want me to tie it on for you?”
A few girls nearby looked over and broke into identical auntie-like grins.
Mu Lantu helplessly held out his left hand, and Xu Huazhang tied the string around his wrist.
Ge Tao seized the moment and snapped a flurry of photos. He was confident he’d earn more bonus money than Zhou Ye this time!
Xu Huazhang took Mu Lantu’s hand and they continued walking.
Mu Lantu wasn’t interested in thrill rides like roller coasters or drop towers. It wasn’t that he was scared—he simply didn’t care for them.
Carousel, floral drift ride, bumper cars, Ferris wheel… Xu Huazhang accompanied him on all of them.
This big grown man even rode the carousel. Zhou Ye and Ge Tao cringed so hard their toes curled—they practically carved out a whole three-bedroom apartment with the embarrassment.
But Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang remained calm and unbothered, more at ease than if they were at home.
Would Mu Lantu ever care what others thought? He even complained that the carousel ride was too short and rode it twice.
A two- or three-year-old girl riding with them was completely entranced by the two of them and insisted on riding again, glued to them the entire time with wide eyes.
Her mother realized her daughter was a little flirt and laughed until her stomach hurt. The girl’s father, no better, took tons of pictures and said he’d use them to tease her when she grew up.
If the dad hadn’t picked her up and run, the little girl probably would’ve tried to tag along for more rides.
As the sun set, Xu Huazhang took Mu Lantu to dinner.
They ate at a couples’ restaurant.
Xu Huazhang didn’t say anything, so Mu Lantu pretended not to notice.
But when the waiter brought over a rose, Mu Lantu snatched it before Xu Huazhang could and handed it to him with both hands.
Xu Huazhang accepted it calmly, and after the meal, took the rose with him and brought Mu Lantu to the cinema, where he bought tickets for a romance movie.
The story was cliché, but that didn’t seem to matter.
When they walked out of the theater, both were in good spirits.
Xu Huazhang walked Mu Lantu home.
Mu Lantu told him to wait a moment, then returned from his study holding a large cardboard box.
“This is for you.”
Xu Huazhang reached out to take it, curious about what was inside. “Thanks.”
It looked heavy, so Ge Tao and Zhou Ye stepped in to help carry it.
They had been following too closely all day, so Xu Huazhang swallowed the other things he wanted to say. He only asked Mu Lantu, “Did you have fun today?”
Mu Lantu smiled and nodded. “I had a great time.”
“Glad to hear it. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Only after the door closed did Xu Huazhang leave.
Back at the penthouse, he immediately opened the box and found it filled with LEGO pieces and a note inside.
Eight playful words were written on the note:
“Design it yourself for endless fun.”
The corners of his mouth lifted, and he felt like a garden was blooming in his chest.
Ge Tao had been curious all day. Seeing the boss in such a good mood, he couldn’t help but ask, “Boss, why didn’t you confess to Mr. Mu today…”
Zhou Ye, seeing the boss wasn’t angry, joined in. “Yeah, I thought the timing was perfect. You’ve got to strike while the iron’s hot. Mr. Mu is such a catch—you should lock it in while you can.”
Ge Tao nodded emphatically.
Xu Huazhang seemed to come to a realization. He picked up his phone and began typing.
Mu Lantu had just gotten ready to shower when he heard his phone chime and had to put his clothes back on.
[Gorgeous Beauty]: Baby, let me introduce myself formally.
Name: Xu Huazhang
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Height: 190 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Birthday: March 18
Occupation: Programmer
Hobbies: Fitness, LEGO, reading, painting, fishing, tea, etc.
Favorite color: Black
Favorite foods: Beef, shrimp, lollipops
Least favorite foods: Stinky tofu, durian
Family: Parents, older brother, sister-in-law, nephew; sister is married.
Parents and brother’s family live separately—after marriage, we won’t need to live with them.
“Cough cough cough, cough cough cough…”
Mu Lantu burst into a fit of coughing.
What the heck was “Baby”?!
And “won’t need to live with them after marriage”?!
Was he trying to subtly say: Don’t worry about mother-in-law drama or sister-in-law tension?
[Mu Lantu]: Go wash up and sleep!
[Gorgeous Beauty]: Okay, washing up now.
[Mu Lantu]: …
Mu Lantu was annoyed for a bit, amused for a bit, and then decided to reply properly.
[Mu Lantu]: Gorgeous Beauty , formal self-introduction.
Name: Mu Lantu
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Height: 184 cm
Weight: 65 kg
Birthday: August 8
Occupation: Streamer
Hobbies: Food, fitness, LEGO, gaming
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite foods: A lot
Least favorite foods: Beans, stinky tofu
Family: Parents, older brother, sister-in-law, nephew, niece; sister is married.
Parents live with older brother—after marriage, we won’t need to live with them.
005 clicked its tongue in amazement. The host’s use of “a lot” and Xu Huazhang’s “etc.” were both hilariously sly.
After his shower, Mu Lantu checked his phone again. No new messages.
He dried his hair, carried his phone into the bedroom, lay in bed, and reread Xu Huazhang’s self-introduction—then chuckled softly.
005, gossiping, [Host, what are you laughing at?]
[Oh, I’m laughing that Xu Huazhang likes lollipops. I never noticed that before.]
005 was suspicious. It clearly sensed that the host’s eyes lingered the longest on the word “Baby.”
Mu Lantu looked at Xu Huazhang’s birthday: March 18.
The numbers felt familiar. He’d seen them somewhere before.
The little panda was sleeping soundly on the rug. Mu Lantu picked it up and checked its tag.
Its production date was also March 18.
“Could it be a birthday gift someone gave Xu Huazhang?” Mu Lantu wondered. “No… if someone else had given it to him, he probably wouldn’t give it away so easily. Maybe… he gave it to himself for his birthday?”
That seemed much more likely.
