My brain crashed, almost in an instant, completely freezing up and failing to reboot!

Why did this happen...

When exactly did it happen?

Did the mobile waitress secretly pass a note when serving the dishes...

Or was there a walkie-talkie somewhere I didn't notice?

I recalled every detail. But this was a restaurant Xi Qiao had never been to... Everything should have been unfamiliar to her. When exactly was it arranged?

I hadn't touched my phone since entering the door, and I was the one who ordered all the dishes. She never even went to the restroom, let alone interacted with the waiter.

"When exactly did it happen..."

I had so many questions in my head. The applause around me made me almost nauseous. So, did they just start a commotion after seeing the ring? But it can't be that timely and coordinated.

Even a fool could see that I was set up, but what I couldn't let go of right now was how she managed to do it. Did she know the waiter in advance, or were all the people here actors?

I glanced at the people around, and from their eyes, I saw more or less a sense of enjoying the spectacle, which meant they were just here to eat and not prearranged.

It's unbelievable...

If that's the case, then why did they stand up so perfectly when I found the ring, even saying ghostly lines like "promising young men" and "wish you happiness"? It's like they couldn't wait for me to kneel down and propose to Xi Qiao. It doesn't seem like a spontaneous decision.

Could it be...

I looked at the flowers on each table.

"I get it now."

Xi Qiao's expectant expression paused for a moment, and I calmly took a sip of black tea with an air of insight, completely devoid of my earlier panic.

Flowers, the restaurant, the cheering crowd, and Xi Qiao, who had been smiling all along.

Combining all these, the truth is clear!

"What...?" Xi Qiao looked puzzled, as if not understanding what I was talking about. With a calm expression, I uttered the lines I had always imagined saying.

"Stop pretending, Xi Qiao. I've seen through all your tricks this time. You've failed! I won't fall for it."

Ignoring Xi Qiao's surprised look, I started to explain how the whole thing was a scam, and Xi Qiao's disguise was really convincing.

"From the moment we met at the airport, you pretended to be close to me, actually giving me a hint, as if you liked me."

"And you could recognize me even with a helmet on, indicating that you had done thorough intelligence work beforehand. So you knew I had been to this restaurant before, especially since it's near the airport..."

"Combining that with the fact that you know I've been pranked by you since childhood, causing psychological scars, so I definitely wouldn't choose a restaurant with a shabby kitchen. Thus, coming to this restaurant was almost inevitable. I must say you are very clever, Xi Qiao."

I glanced at Xi Qiao, and her bewildered expression made it seem like she couldn't understand how I could see through everything, which felt good inside.

"Since you had calculated in advance that I would come to this restaurant, everything else is easy."

"All you need to do is arrange the waitstaff ahead of time, then give flowers to all the guests in the restaurant, leaving a note next to the flowers to indicate the upcoming event."

"According to the Chinese mindset, proposing in a restaurant is definitely considered a lively event, so the enthusiastic crowd would time their cheers just right. I have to say, this is a risky move, Xi Qiao."

I became more and more smug, as being able to see through Xi Qiao's plan would definitely be a blow to her. Moreover, it showed that I had grown and was no longer the person I used to be.

"Impressive, Xi Qiao. You've arranged this prank since boarding the plane..."

"Everything was calculated so precisely, even the diners were clearly arranged by you. There must be a hidden camera installed here by now, right? Just waiting to capture the ultimate dark photo of me proposing to you, right?"

"But it's useless. Now I've completely seen through your plan, and the key to making everything run smoothly must be ——!""No, I just simply bought this store," Xi Qiao said. The air suddenly became quiet. I, who was originally drinking tea, widened my eyes as my cup almost fell, looking at the relaxed face of Xi Qiao with an expression full of "what."

"You just..."

"Said what...?"

Xi Qiao smiled and looked at me, as if looking at a fool. Her gaze was so indulgent, it sent chills down my spine.

"I said, it's not as complicated as you think, darling. I just arranged for someone to buy this store when I walked in."

Poverty limited my imagination.

Just when I was racking my brains, thinking about how Xi Qiao managed to calculate my entry into this store, how she got her intel, and how she arranged everything so perfectly, she directly told me.

"Actually, I bought this store."

"I, I have a headache ..."

I sat down on the chair, immediately feeling an immense headache. What on earth is this? Is there no technique at all? So simple and crude, it is simply limiting imagination.

"When did you buy it...?"

"As soon as I entered. I told my servant to buy any store we enter under your name, so the guests were not making things up because I asked the waiter to tell them that you are the owner of this store."

"Aren't you afraid that I'll enter a Michelin three-star...?"

I felt that my tone was becoming listless, like an ancient eunuch's voice, and the only person who could transform me, a fierce man, into such a state was the girl in front of me.

"You're ruthless...you win..."

I got up supporting myself on the table, feeling as if my bones were hollowed out. No wonder the people around me looked at me like a young entrepreneur, thinking I was the boss.

"Dar~ling~"

Just as I was about to leave, Xi Qiao suddenly stood up, reached across the table to grab my collar, and pressed me down onto the chair, unable to move.

"Let's go to the Civil Affairs Bureau."

"Huh?"

At that moment, I felt as if I heard the sound of a rope, a collar locked around my neck, and on the other end, held in Xi Qiao's palm.