After Divorce, I Can Hear the Future

Chapter 25: Not a Vain Girl

The Bund to Renmin Road is the core of Magic City’s nightlife, where many shops remain open until dawn.

Lu Liang wandered with Li Manli and managed to find a Japanese restaurant open past midnight.

"Is it good?" Lu Liang asked, slurping a bowl of ramen while glancing at the sushi-filled plates in front of Li Manli.

Taking a bite of the tuna sushi, Li Manli frowned. “It’s not as good as I imagined.”

"You’ve never had sushi before?" Lu Liang asked.

"No, I’d just heard people rave about how delicious it is, so I wanted to try it." She nibbled on a piece of grilled eel and murmured, "Is it me, or does it taste a bit weird?"

The overly sweet teriyaki sauce and the cold rice weren’t sitting well with her. She couldn’t get used to the chilled texture of the rice.

“It’s not you. People who aren’t used to it often find it unappetizing.”

Lu Liang slurped his ramen and grimaced slightly at the porky taste, suspecting the meat wasn’t properly prepped. He grabbed her hand and stood. “Enough. Let’s go. I’ll take you somewhere with real food.”

"Just leave everything?" Li Manli was startled, glancing at the menu. Even though she hadn’t ordered much, the meal was already over 800 yuan.

“If it’s bad, why eat it?” Lu Liang paid the bill and teased, “Or do you want to take it home as a midnight snack?”

Li Manli shook her head vigorously. “No way.”

...

It was nearly midnight when they arrived at a riverside restaurant.

Lu Liang had ordered takeout from this place before and loved their specialty seafood porridge. The ingredients were always fresh and flavorful.

He ordered two servings of blood eel porridge, a steamed red snapper, and a plate of stir-fried pea sprouts with century eggs.

The eel alone cost over 400 yuan per jin, making the per-person cost comparable to the sushi restaurant but with significantly better taste. Nothing beats the freshness of freshly prepared ingredients.

“How is it?” Lu Liang asked, enjoying his favorite pea sprout dish with its distinctive crispy flavor from the century eggs fried in palm oil.

“It’s amazing! This and this—both are delicious!” Li Manli exclaimed between mouthfuls of porridge, her stomach visibly rounded.

Suddenly realizing how unladylike she looked, she quickly straightened up, sucking in her stomach. “I’m full now.”

Lu Liang chuckled as his phone rang. It was Meng Changkun, inviting him for tennis the next morning. Lu Liang had a matter to discuss with Meng anyway, so he agreed, setting a time and place.

“Do you have work tomorrow?” Li Manli asked softly, a hint of disappointment in her tone.

“It’s not work, just some exercise. Want to join us for tennis?”

Li Manli’s eyes lit up but then hesitated. “But I don’t know how to play.”

“Neither do I. It’s just for fun.” Lu Liang had already figured out her personality—whenever she said “but,” it usually meant she wanted to but needed a little extra nudge.

“What time?” she asked.

“Nine-thirty.”

“Then I should go home early to sleep so I can wake up on time.”

“You can stay at my place tonight. I have a few spare rooms; pick whichever you like.”

Lu Liang’s tone was calm, as if he were merely offering a convenient place to stay.

Li Manli lowered her head and murmured almost inaudibly, “Okay.”

...

After their meal, they strolled through a 24-hour mall, where Lu Liang bought her a few outfits and daily essentials, spending over 30,000 yuan.

They returned to his home after 1 a.m. Li Manli, laden with shopping bags, hurried to the guest room at the far end of the apartment.

Though it was only her second time here, she often reminisced about the luxurious setting of Tomson Riviera. Having mentally mapped out the rooms, she knew where the master, secondary, and guest bedrooms were.

“Rest well. We need to wake up early tomorrow,” Lu Liang said, knocking lightly on her door. He didn’t bother with any childish antics like forcing his way in.

Li Manli agreeing to midnight snacks and staying over was essentially an unspoken invitation. Still, she was newly of age and a little shy, unlike Zhang Qian, who was more straightforward. Lu Liang was willing to play along for now.

“Okay~” Li Manli stood behind the door, her voice trembling slightly. She hadn’t locked the door and had prepared herself mentally.

After a long wait with no further movement outside, she cautiously opened the door and tiptoed toward the master bedroom. Hearing the soft sound of snoring from within, she felt a tinge of disappointment.

“Idiot, I’m already here,” she muttered.

Her disappointment quickly gave way to excitement. She twirled through the spacious living room, finally stopping at the balcony to admire the night view.

Taking out her iPhone 6, a gift from Lu Liang, she snapped several photos of the Bund and the Oriental Pearl Tower. She carefully chose an angle that would subtly suggest she was at Tomson Riviera without explicitly stating it.

Finding the perfect shot, she added the caption: "The moonlight is beautiful tonight."

Li Manli posted it but deliberately hid it from Lu Liang. She didn’t want him to think she was a vain girl.

Within moments, comments flooded her post, with several friends guessing her location. The distant view of the Bund and the nearby Oriental Pearl Tower, coupled with the high-rise perspective, all pointed to the answer.

Returning to her room, she sprawled on the soft bed, scrolling through envious messages. She even video-called a few close friends, showing off the lavish and spacious apartment.

...

The next morning, around 8 a.m., Lu Liang knocked on her door. Li Manli emerged with faint dark circles under her eyes.

He had prepared two plates of buttered toast. “What were you doing last night?”

“Nothing, just couldn’t sleep in a new place,” she replied, averting her eyes. In truth, she’d stayed up chatting with friends until nearly dawn.

“You should rest more. I can go by myself and pick you up in the afternoon,” Lu Liang offered.

“I’m used to staying up late. Look, my dark circles are already gone,” she said, pushing back her bangs to show her face. Indeed, the faint shadows had almost disappeared.

“Young people really do recover fast,” Lu Liang remarked wistfully, remembering his younger days when a few hours of sleep were enough. Now, while he could still pull all-nighters, he felt the effects much more the next day.

“Don’t say that. You’re not old,” Li Manli said, taking his hand with uncharacteristic boldness.

Her newfound confidence caught him off guard. Raising her chin gently, he kissed her. “Tastes like milk.”

“Let me try!” she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck and returning the kiss.

Clumsy and inexperienced, her tongue bumped against his teeth, making Lu Liang chuckle. “Relax,” he said, guiding her into a proper kiss, their movements intertwined like two serpents.

After a few minutes, they pulled apart. Li Manli’s face was flushed, her gaze dreamy.

Lu Liang smacked his lips, tempted to take things further, but time was running short. “Go get changed. We need to head out.”

Li Manli nodded and darted back to her room like a startled rabbit.

“Young people really are amazing,” Lu Liang sighed again—this time marveling at her supple, delicate figure.

While kissing, he couldn’t help but let his hands wander. Compared to Zhang Qian, Li Manli’s skin was softer and her figure more elastic, a delightful mix of tenderness and firmness.

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