Chapter Twenty-Five: A Dinner of Unspoken Truths

The soft hum of the restaurant filled the air as Lu Xiao entered, her heels clicking against the polished floor. She paused at the entrance, her eyes scanning the room. The atmosphere was warm, with ambient lighting and the faint aroma of herbs wafting through the space. It was intimate, a choice she suspected Lei Han had made deliberately.

Her eyes finally landed on him. Lei Han sat at a secluded table by the window, his posture relaxed yet commanding. His tailored suit hugged his broad frame perfectly, and his sharp jawline softened as he looked up and caught her gaze.

"Lu Xiao," he greeted, rising from his chair as she approached. His voice was low and warm, a contrast to the cool exterior he often displayed.

"You picked quite the place," she said, glancing around at the cozy yet sophisticated setting.

"For someone as special as you, only the best will do," he replied smoothly, pulling out a chair for her.

She hesitated before sitting, her pulse quickening. Lei Han always knew how to blur the lines between professional and personal, and tonight felt like another calculated move to disarm her.

---

The conversation began casually, with Lei Han inquiring about her plans for the Chongqing expansion. Lu Xiao kept her responses measured, focusing on the logistics and avoiding the vulnerability of discussing her feelings about his trust in her.

But as the evening progressed, the walls she had carefully constructed began to waver. Lei Han's gaze never left hers, his attention unwavering. Every word he spoke felt deliberate, as if he were peeling back the layers of her defenses with each passing moment.

"I know you think I'm only doing this because I feel guilty," Lei Han said suddenly, his voice cutting through the comfortable silence that had settled over their table.

Lu Xiao stiffened. "Aren't you?"

His lips curved into a faint smile, but there was no amusement in his eyes. "At first, maybe. But guilt isn't enough to keep me fighting for you. This… what I feel for you… it's more than that. It's everything."

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She had braced herself for many things tonight, but not his unfiltered honesty.

"Lei Han," she began, her voice soft but firm, "you don't have to keep doing this. I've managed on my own for years. I don't need you to fix my life."

"I know," he said simply. "That's what I admire about you. Your strength, your resilience. But I'm not here to fix your life, Lu Xiao. I'm here because I want to be part of it."

The vulnerability in his tone caught her off guard. For a man who exuded control and confidence, this moment felt raw and unguarded.

---

Their food arrived, momentarily breaking the tension. They ate in silence for a while, the quiet punctuated by the clinking of utensils and the soft murmur of other diners.

As the evening wore on, Lei Han shifted the conversation to lighter topics—her favorite childhood memories, her aspirations, and the little things that made her happy. Lu Xiao found herself relaxing, laughing even, as she recounted tales of growing up with her siblings.

"You light up when you talk about them," Lei Han observed, his eyes softening. "Your love for them is incredible."

"They're my family," she said simply, shrugging. "I didn't have a choice but to step up."

He reached across the table, his hand covering hers. The gesture was intimate, sending a jolt of warmth through her.

"And that's what makes you extraordinary," he said quietly.

---

By the time they left the restaurant, the tension that had hung between them at the beginning of the night had shifted. Lei Han walked beside her, his hand lightly brushing hers as they strolled toward her car.

"Thank you for tonight," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Thank you for saying yes," he replied, a soft smile playing on his lips.

As she unlocked her car door, she turned to face him. The look in his eyes was unmistakable—hope, longing, and a quiet determination.

"Goodnight, Lei Han," she said, her tone softer than she intended.

"Goodnight, Lu Xiao."

He didn't move until she was safely inside and pulling out of the lot. As she drove away, her thoughts swirled with a mixture of confusion and warmth. Tonight had been more than just dinner. It had been a step—a small but significant step toward something she wasn't sure she was ready for, but something she couldn't entirely push away.