Scent Games and Silent Lies - Chapter 81

Scent Games and Silent Lies - Chapter 81

Ren stared at the woman across from him.

She hadn't said a single word since she sat down. Just smiled. Sweet. Polite. Like a practiced mask she wore often.

Ren blinked.

"Oh god, she is actually not speaking, just looking at me and smiling," he thought, suppressing a sigh as he slurped a bit of pasta. "Ugh, doesn't she know how to talk? Or do I have to keep this chat alive? She is bad at seducing people. I get why she was not shown doing this in the show…"

He leaned back in his seat, wiping his mouth lazily with a napkin, and tilted his head slightly.

Then, in a calm, even tone, he spoke:

"Well, are you going to keep looking at me or say something? Jasman?"

For a second, Mei—or rather, "Jasman"—was caught completely off guard.

Her smile faltered just a little, but only for a moment. Then, like flipping a switch, she giggled. A soft, fake, elegant laugh. One hand moved to subtly cover her mouth, her fingers delicate and perfectly manicured.

"Oh, sorry…" she said, voice light and syrupy. "I just keep getting lost in your eyes."

Ren raised a brow but couldn't stop the small, amused smile from spreading across his face.

"Lost in my eyes? That was not bad, "he thought.

He turned casually, raising a hand to get the waiter's attention.

"Hmm, do you have any Malaysian food?" Ren asked.

The waiter blinked, slightly surprised. "Oh, yes, we do."

"Well then," Ren said smoothly, gesturing slightly toward Mei, "can you get this beautiful lady a bowl of bak kut teh?"

The waiter nodded and walked off.

Across the table, Mei's eyes widened just slightly—a flicker of genuine shock that she buried fast under another calm smile.

"How did he know I like Malaysian food?" she thought. "Does he know me? No, that's impossible…"

Ren glanced back at her, catching the way her fingers tightened around her glass for just a second.

"Wondering how I know you like Malaysian food?" he said, voice playful. "Well, I can read minds. But only of beautiful ladies, you know?"

He gave her a wink.

Mei blinked.

"Wait, what?" she thought, brain halting. "Could it be true? That he can read the minds of beautiful ladies? Uh—ah, what am I thinking! He can't! It's probably just a good flirting line, but still, how did he know?"

Ren, meanwhile, casually twirled his fork in the pasta, taking another bite without a care in the world.

"Hmm," he thought. "I've watched and read JJK three times. I know things most readers don't…"

He wasn't even looking at her anymore, but Mei couldn't stop staring.

Ren was just calmly eating pasta, relaxed and confident, like this whole meeting was part of his day.

And somehow—somehow—he had guessed something nobody in that restaurant should have known.

Mei gave a small, sweet laugh again, leaning forward slightly.

"Ah, really now? Handsome mindreader? Are you now?"

Ren looked at her again, that amused glint still in his eye.

"No," he said, "but I still guessed right, huh? Your scent gives it away."

That made Mei freeze.

"What does he mean my scent gives it away!!" she thought, expression neutral but internally spiraling. "I smell like floral notes! Not Malaysian food!"

Her mind scrambled for answers, and yet some small part of her liked it. Weirdly.

"Having someone who knows what I like and want is useful," Mei thought. "But still… this boy is dangerous."

The woman's part of her brain was oddly intrigued.

The logical part? Screaming caution.

Just then, the waiter returned with the dish.

Mei's nose twitched at the rich, herbal scent of the soup.

"Here you go, ma'am," the waiter said politely.

"Thank you," Mei replied softly, her tone much more natural now.

She took a small bite—perfectly timed, graceful.

And then—a real smile.

It was good.

"Well," she said, calm and almost teasing, "what more can you guess from my scent, mister Sherlock Holmes?"

Ren smiled, leaning back in his seat, not saying anything for a moment.

He simply stared at her, fork in hand, like he was actually thinking about it.

The rain outside continued to fall, pattering softly against the windows.

Mei held her bowl gently, still eating, still watching.

Both of them were smiling.

But neither was letting their guard down.