Chapter 30: Like Younger Men? Huh?

The night was cool, and the stars twinkled in the distance. Vivian half-closed her eyes as she gazed at the sky, her mind preoccupied with what Emily had said earlier.

Life is short, so why not enjoy it while you can?

Who knows what the future holds? It's better to seize the present.

"Miss, may I give you a bouquet of flowers?"

The young voice interrupted her thoughts.

Vivian looked up to see a boy standing in front of her, blushing as he nervously held a bouquet of violets.

"Sorry, I..."

She wanted to say that they didn't know each other and she didn't accept flowers from strangers.

But to her surprise, the boy blushed even more and scratched his ear, pointing to a group of people not far away who were standing up and glancing their way. "Miss, we were playing a game of truth or dare. The loser has to give a bouquet of flowers to a stranger."

Emily had seen this trick many times.

These people had probably already taken a liking to Vivian, and the game was just an excuse to approach her.

"Handsome, if the rule is to give flowers to a stranger, then why not give them to me?" Vivian quipped.

Before she could finish, David, who was sitting beside her, pinched her arm hard.

Emily quickly kissed David lightly on the lips and waved at the boy, "Give them to me, I like violets."

It was a way to get Vivian out of the awkward situation.

But the boy clearly had his sights set on Vivian. He didn't give the flowers to Emily.

Sure enough, the allure of a beauty up close is even more captivating.

Vivian simply gazed at him, her eyes as deep and shimmering as fallen stars, making everything around them seem dim in comparison.

The boy's whole body tingled, and he couldn't speak.

His face turned even redder as he opened his mouth, but he couldn't find the words. After a moment, he simply placed the flowers in Vivian's hands and hurriedly ran off.

"Hey!" Vivian didn't expect him to be so direct. The people around them burst into laughter, some even whistling.

"Come on, Vivi, since it's free, don't be shy," Emily said as she took the violets and casually put them in an empty beer glass.

The flowers bloomed brightly, with a beautiful bow at the base, clearly specially prepared.

They had originally arranged for a private and intimate dining area, but Daniel insisted that sitting outdoors would make the experience feel more like starry camping. Since he said so, everyone else agreed.

A group of seven or eight sat down for dinner under a tent, the food and drinks flowing freely. Daniel barely touched his chopsticks.

The most honored guest was uninterested, and the others didn't dare eat too much either.

The surrounding atmosphere was lively. It was a Saturday, and the crowds were getting bigger, not to mention the nearby sports university full of energetic young men out to have fun.

The sounds of drinking and chatter filled the air, much like the fireworks-lit night markets.

Not far away, there were more playful cheers.

Daniel glanced over and saw Vivian holding the flowers, the boy running away.

"Ah, youth is great, such boldness," someone remarked.

Dinner is most enjoyable when there's no awkward silence, and the others chimed in, "They're all university students, full of energy, and when they see a beautiful woman, how can they keep their composure?"

They were sitting far away, but even from a distance, Vivian's tall, slender figure was enough to catch their eye. It seemed their suspicions were confirmed when, a few moments later, another boy came running towards Vivian, this time with a hydrangea as large as a football.

"Hmm, wasn't the first one also a confession?"

"Probably, but this one seems to be too."

"Seems like the whole table has their eyes on that beauty."

A few people chattered, all looking in her direction, oblivious to the increasingly dark look in Daniel's eyes.

Meanwhile, Emily leaned against David's chest, watching the scene unfold with some amusement. "Vivi, looks like it's time for you to pick one. You should practice a little."

She winked at Vivian.

Earlier that day, she had been very clear about her attitude toward relationships: better to take the plunge and learn than to be startled by a confession.

You should be in control.

"Hello, beautiful. What university are you from? I'm a senior at Lumina Sports University. Can we be friends?"

Another one, just as expected.

Emily burst into laughter, "Handsome, did you all plan this? One by one, trying to win the beauty's heart?"

The boy wasn't shy at all, "Miss, we're playing a game, and the losers all chose the dare. After all, who doesn't want the affection of a beautiful woman?"

Vivian didn't take the flowers. The boy didn't press her and placed the bouquet on the table, leaving with a polite, "Nice to meet you."

It seemed that as long as she stayed seated here, or until the game was over, she would keep getting interrupted.

They weren't doing anything wrong, but Vivian didn't like it.

"You guys sit. I'm going to the bathroom," she said.

Emily was about to get up but was stopped by Vivian. "No need. You haven't seen each other in a while, don't mind me. I'll be right back."

She wanted to walk alone, not wanting to be a third wheel.

The restroom was in the small building just across the way, a short walk, and Emily wasn't worried. "Come back soon."

Lost in thought, as she entered the lobby, she thought she caught a faint, familiar scent in the air.

It was the pine scent of snow frost, similar to Daniel's scent.

She took a deep breath, but the fragrance quickly disappeared.

She scoffed at herself. She had really lost it.

Why was she thinking about Daniel here?

It had already been three days since she ran out of his house. For the past three days, even in her sleep, she had been dreaming of Daniel confessing to her.

Her mind was consumed with it.

After washing her hands, she stood absentmindedly by the sink, her thoughts elsewhere.

When she finally turned toward the soap dispenser, she noticed someone standing next to her, washing their hands too.

Water splashed, and suddenly, she caught a whiff of that familiar fragrance again.

She thought it was her imagination, but the scent was too close to ignore.

It was subtle, like the scent was swirling around her nose, impossible to miss.

She slowly raised her head to look into the mirror, her eyes wide in disbelief.

The man next to her also looked up, their gazes locking, sparks flying between them.

She turned her head slowly to face the man standing next to her.

It was Daniel!

How was he here?