It truly was a coincidence.

Gao Tang seemed intimately familiar with this leisure city. With practiced ease, he led Chen Ruowen through a series of turns and up two elevators, finally bringing her to a place she’d never seen marked on any signpost before.

Sensing her curiosity, Gao Tang offered an explanation of his own accord.

“This area is reserved for premium members only. It’s not indicated on the map—only those in the know can find their way here.”

Chen Ruowen looked around with keen interest at the VIP section, whose style was entirely different from what she’d seen before. Following the smiling attendant who had led them from the elevator, she took in their surroundings as Gao Tang occasionally introduced the various facilities. Eventually, they stopped before a restaurant decorated in a European style, dominated by hues of purple and gold.

“What do you think of this place?” Gao Tang asked, seeking her opinion.

Perhaps because the leisure city had only recently opened, the restaurant was empty. The floor was covered with a purple-and-white harlequin-patterned wool carpet, and a massive crystal chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling. Each pillar was adorned with a small, dim square lamp, lending the space a distinctively romantic atmosphere.

Chen Ruowen took an immediate liking to it.

Reading her expression was child’s play for Gao Tang. He smiled, nodded at the attendant by the door, and the two of them were led to a window-side table.

With impeccable courtesy, Gao Tang pulled out a chair for Chen Ruowen, only seating himself across from her once she was settled. The attendant promptly handed them two menus and briefly introduced the restaurant’s specialties.

The place was clearly Western-focused, with a few Chinese dishes on offer—though, as Gao Tang put it, their preparation was “a little odd.” At that, Chen Ruowen lost all interest in exploring those options and, after quickly scanning the first few pages, made her selections.

“Foie gras mousse with red wine apple purée, scallops with Russian caviar, creamy black truffle mushroom soup, and for the main course, Wellington steak. Thank you.”

Gao Tang watched her finish ordering before resting his chin on his hand and smiling.

“Are you a fan of French cuisine?”

Chen Ruowen replied nonchalantly and handed her menu back to the attendant.

“I appreciate the attention to flavor.”

“So you like a bit of romance,” Gao Tang mused, then returned his unopened menu to the attendant as well, adding with a grin, “I’ll have the same as her, and a bottle of 1995 Romanée-Conti, please.”

Chen Ruowen shot him a look of mild displeasure.

“Why are you copying me?”

But then, surprised by his addition, she asked, “They actually have Romanée-Conti here?”

“I’m not copying you. Our tastes just happen to align,” Gao Tang replied with feigned helplessness, his expression somewhere between sincerity and jest. “As for the wine… well, premium members have their perks.”

Having witnessed Gao Tang charming actresses at the North City Sports Center, Chen Ruowen was hardly inclined to take this playboy at his word. Still, the premium membership card he possessed piqued her curiosity.

Despite their being the only guests in the restaurant, the refined nature of French cuisine meant the food was slow in coming. With little else to do, Chen Ruowen found herself half-heartedly continuing the conversation with Gao Tang.

Fortunately, Gao Tang was a master conversationalist. After a few probing questions, he quickly discerned her interests, and his topics became increasingly engaging.

Though she hadn’t intended to drink, Chen Ruowen found herself, under Gao Tang’s gentle persuasion, sipping two glasses of wine before she knew it. Time slipped by unnoticed until Chen Liwan himself called to remind her to come home, and she realized nearly three hours had passed since they sat down.

Yet it hadn’t felt long at all.

After the meal, Gao Tang offered to drive her home. Remembering that she hadn’t brought her family car and had sent her drone escort away for some peace, Chen Ruowen accepted without protest.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel a touch of frustration. She’d planned to enjoy a quiet date with Bai Jinyan, only for things to end badly. Now, she’d unexpectedly dined with a complete stranger—Gao Tang, who offered a slow, enigmatic smile. Chen Ruowen found herself unable to rekindle her earlier cheer.

“Chen Ruowen?” Gao Tang waved a hand before her eyes. “You’re drifting off again. You haven’t told me—where do you live? I’ll take you home.”

“Clearwater Riverside.”

Gao Tang’s eyebrows rose. “What a coincidence—we’re neighbors.”

Chen Ruowen regarded him with suspicion. He’d claimed their tastes were the same, their interests alike, and now said they lived in the same community. How could there possibly be so many coincidences in the world?

“You don’t believe me? Want to stop by my place and see for yourself?” Gao Tang invited, but when Chen Ruowen remained silent, he shrugged nonchalantly. “Really, think—who developed Clearwater Riverside?”

“Why should I care about such trivial matters?” she replied, puzzled.

Gao Tang conceded with a sigh. “Clearwater Riverside is owned by Universal Holdings. Isn’t it natural for me to live in a neighborhood my own family built?”

This revelation caught Chen Ruowen off guard. She remembered the ubiquitous logos she’d previously overlooked in her neighborhood and suddenly understood.

“So that means this leisure city we’re in now is also Universal Holdings’ property?”

Gao Tang snapped his fingers. “Exactly. Though, to be precise, it’s called ‘Cloud Manor.’ Leisure city is just a descriptive term.”

“No wonder…” Chen Ruowen thought back to her earlier confusion. Cloud Manor had only been open for a month, yet Gao Tang seemed so familiar with it and even held a platinum membership card that Bai Jinyan had never once mentioned. Now that she knew it was his family’s business, it all made sense.

“But if this is your family’s property, why do you still pay to eat here? Shouldn’t you just charge it to the company or use facial recognition?”

Gao Tang put on a pitiful expression. “Since I took over the family business at the start of the year, my father has cut off my allowance and revoked my facial recognition privileges. Now I only get paid through my own hard work, and even eating at home means I have to swipe my own payroll card. Isn’t that tragic?”

Chen Ruowen offered her sincere sympathy.

Without realizing it, they’d reached the parking lot. Seeing a flashy, limited-edition red Ferrari in a reserved spot, Chen Ruowen raised her eyebrows again.

“Is this your car?”

Gao Tang nodded.

“Earning your keep each month through hard work, are you?”

Gao Tang pressed a hand to his forehead. “Just because I pay for my meals doesn’t mean I have to buy my own house and car all over again, does it? How could I survive?”

He opened the car door, gesturing for her to get in. But Chen Ruowen hesitated, staring at the familiar shape of the car, confusion returning.

“I have the exact same model, also in red.”

Gao Tang laughed lightly. “Now that’s a real coincidence. We must be… destined!”