Chapter 196 - 172: The Past and Fear (Part 3)

That really struck a chord with Ni Bingyan.

"’If you slack off in your youth, you’ll have nothing but regrets in old age.’ That’s an age-old saying. It’s a good thing for young people to be ambitious."

Seeing her finally smile and not argue about who was paying, Sang Yuan couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The two found a quiet Japanese restaurant, got a private room, and sat across from each other to order.

Ni Bingyan had promised her father she would give dating a serious try. Riding the high of landing two movie roles today, she had impulsively called Sang Yuan. But now that they were face-to-face, she didn’t know how to begin. Sang Yuan had been guiding the conversation the whole time.

They had known each other for over half a year and always got along well. Working and talking together felt as natural as if they’d known each other for ages. Even though they hadn’t seen each other in a while, it didn’t feel awkward when they met. Still, for her to be the one to bring up the subject was difficult.

She had, in fact, considered marriage before, but that thought was completely extinguished after one particular blind date.

Back then, she was in her early thirties. Everyone around her thought she should get married, and she herself felt a little lonely, so she agreed to let someone set her up on a blind date.

Her date was from a well-off family, owned a car and an apartment in Beijing, was reasonably handsome, and a smooth talker who knew how to make a girl happy.

She was quite satisfied with the first half of the date. They were hitting it off, until he asked her, "Look, you’re on your own, so when we have kids, there won’t be anyone to help you look after them. My mom could lend a hand, but relationships between mothers and daughters-in-law have always been tricky. If you two don’t get along, I’ll be the one stuck in the middle. It’s not that I’m against childcare, but I have to provide for the family. A grown man can’t just be tied down at home with kids. So, what are your thoughts on being a stay-at-home mom?"

At that moment, Ni Bingyan felt like she was being forced to eat a bowl of fly salad.

When people are dating, they might only need to care about their feelings. But once marriage enters the picture, things get complicated.

She had only just brushed against the tip of the iceberg and already felt a suffocating pressure.

She wasn’t madly in love with the guy, so she naturally turned down the matchmaker.

Because of that blind date, whenever someone tried to introduce her to a man after that, she would turn them down, citing her busy work schedule.

Years later, she was still single. She didn’t want to get married, so she couldn’t even be bothered to date.

After all, dating cost money while working earned money. Why bother dating?

Besides, her job offered plenty of opportunities for virtual romance.

She was constantly acting out love stories for a living. After seeing it day in and day out, she eventually lost all expectations for the real thing.

Now, with such a bright future ahead of her, she could earn a ton of money doing just about anything.

If she ever felt spiritually empty, she would just donate a school. Seeing the children’s smiling faces was incredibly fulfilling!

If she wanted to experience what being in love felt like, she’d just take a role in a romance drama. A new boyfriend for every show, a new husband for every series. She’d even gain a legion of shipping fans and boost her fame. What could be better!

Although Sang Yuan was a great catch in every respect and was even her type physically, she truly didn’t need a boyfriend, let alone a husband—especially not one who was so perfect.

’If only he were a playboy, I could reject him more mercilessly.’

Ni Bingyan picked up a piece of bonito sashimi and put it in her mouth, her mind already scheming.

The weather was gradually warming up, and eating something light once in a while felt nice.

Neither of them was in the mood to savor the food today. They had chosen this place simply for its quiet atmosphere.

It was almost funny. They lived in the same residential complex, yet they had to come to a restaurant to talk about this.

The situation was just that awkward.

"The fish is very fresh today."

"Mm, it is."

As the dishes arrived one by one, Sang Yuan was the first to speak.

Ni Bingyan sensed the slowly rising awkwardness. She replied casually, but then felt her response was too cold. Recalling that Sang Yuan had mentioned he’d been busy with work lately and eating irregularly, she asked, "Would you like to eat something warm?"

"Sure. It’ll be nice to warm my stomach."

Sang Yuan picked up on Ni Bingyan’s concern, and the corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. He wasn’t the least bit embarrassed by his supposed "weakness."

They made small talk, and before they knew it, they were mostly full.

Realizing that if she didn’t say something now, the opportunity might pass, Ni Bingyan mustered her courage, lifted her head, and looked at Sang Yuan.

Sang Yuan knew her personality and wouldn’t have brought up the topic himself. Seeing that she was about to speak, he immediately straightened up, bracing himself, his eyes fixed on her.