Chapter 8: Bring It Here!

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Mr. Lü raised his hand to signal the waiter to leave. Once the private room door was closed, he took from his briefcase a slightly worn but well-preserved box containing red and white wine.

“Tonight, let's try this—Maotai from 1978.”

Hearing this, Lin Xiao felt himself freeze again in memory.

He understood the price of the national liquor Maotai, but this nearly fifty-year-old vintage collector’s edition was beyond anything he had ever imagined.

Perhaps a single sip cost as much as his entire monthly salary?

Mr. Lü warmly poured the wine into their glasses, the crystal-clear liquid shimmering with a radiant glow.

“Here, Xiao Lin, I’ll toast you first.” He raised his glass. “To the pillars of our nation!”

“You’re too kind, Uncle Lü! It should be me to toast you,” Lin Xiao recalled hurriedly raising his glass in return.

As the wine touched his lips, a sharp spiciness shot straight down his throat.

Suppressing the urge to cough, he forced himself to swallow.

This nearly fifty-year-old aged brew was even more potent than new liquor.

As for the commonly praised notes of rich sauce aroma, smooth entry, lingering finish, and fragrant empty glass... at that moment, he could not perceive any of it.

But Lin Xiao knew it wasn’t the wine’s fault; it was because he rarely drank baijiu and could not appreciate its subtleties.

With more practice, he was sure he would soon savor the wonders of this nectar.

But as a modest researcher, how could he afford to drink such precious Maotai regularly?

After downing his glass, Mr. Lü smiled and turned to his niece beside him.

“Xiao Ying, haven’t you always admired Xiao Lin? Come, you should toast him too.”

Upon hearing this, Lü Ying delicately lifted the bottle and filled both their glasses.

With both hands holding her cup, her voice was gentle as water: “Mr. Lin, I toast you...”

Lin Xiao glanced up to see her eyelashes lowered, cheeks faintly flushed.

Her wrist, exposed as she raised the glass, was fair and slender, her fingers trembling slightly with nervousness.

This shy demeanor caused Lin Xiao’s heart to warm, and he unconsciously gripped his glass tighter.

He clearly remembered his heartbeat quickening at that moment—a dream type for any science and engineering man.

How wonderful it would be to have such a girlfriend.

But immediately, a warning bell rang inside him:

When have you ever been favored by a girl?

Even ordinary girls have rejected you—how could a beauty of her caliber be interested?

Don’t harbor unrealistic expectations, and you won’t get hurt.

He hurriedly drained his glass, washing away this fleeting fantasy.

Once they finished their drinks, Mr. Lü chuckled:

“Xiao Lin, you might not know, but my niece is strictly raised and never drinks alcohol.

Tonight she made an exception for you—it seems she has quite a good impression of you.”

Miss Lü remained silent, lowering her gaze and avoiding Lin Xiao’s eyes.

Mr. Lü sighed softly.

“Honestly, I worry about her. She’s already twenty-two and has devoted herself to her studies, never been in a relationship.

Nobody has caught her eye—except maybe today...”

“Uncle!” Lü Ying interrupted, blushing.

“All right, all right, no more,” Mr. Lü laughed, waving his hand.

“Look how shy you’ve made her.”

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Lin Xiao’s heart raced uncontrollably: Could it be she really liked him?

“By the way, Xiao Lin,” Mr. Lü shifted the topic, “do you have a girlfriend?”

The question hit a sore spot.

Since his undergraduate years, he had been immersed in a “monk-like” major, with few opportunities to interact with women.

Coupled with his average looks and cluelessness about courting, his romantic life was naturally barren.

While unsuccessful in love, he excelled academically, pursuing his doctorate.

But by the time he earned his degree, he was no longer young—no house, no car, and lacking charm, making it even harder to find a partner.

Though working at a state-owned enterprise provided stability, the salary was far from high.

The housing prices in big cities forced him to wait years for allocation.

“Not yet...” Lin Xiao answered awkwardly.

“I haven’t established my career, so I dare not think about marriage.”

“Nonsense!” Mr. Lü banged the table.

“Xiao Lin, you’re so outstanding, with so many research achievements—aren’t you successful?

Are today’s girls just too practical, only caring if you own a house?”

Lin Xiao remained silent, but his eyes revealed everything.

“I’ll take care of the house,” Mr. Lü said seriously.

“We must never let a pillar of our nation suffer such grievances.”

Lin Xiao’s heart warmed but immediately grew cautious.

How could he accept such a precious gift lightly?

At that moment, the usually quiet Lü Ying suddenly spoke.

“Uncle, what are you saying? How can someone accept such a valuable gift for no reason?

Besides, what’s the use of a girl who only cares about a house?”

She raised her eyes with clarity.

“If you truly like someone, you should be willing to build a future together.”

Her words filled Lin Xiao’s heart with warmth—what a rare young lady!

Mr. Lü joked:

“I’m ready to give a house, but before Xiao Lin agrees, you’re already declining on his behalf.

If he really can’t find a partner because he has no house, can you take responsibility?”

Lü Ying lowered her head, whispering:

“Actually... a few years ago I happened to buy some cryptocurrency.

Not much, but I saved up 30 Bitcoins...”

“...”

Mr. Lü was momentarily stunned, then laughed heartily.

“Enough, enough. You young folks’ business is beyond me.

You and Xiao Lin should exchange WeChat and keep in touch.”

Though her cheeks were slightly flushed, Lü Ying confidently handed her phone to Lin Xiao.

“Add me on WeChat—just scan this.”

Faced with such a bright and genuine girl, Lin Xiao’s fondness grew stronger.

He quickly pulled out his phone to scan the QR code.

Just as Lü Ying took back her phone, a WeChat message flashed briefly across Lin Xiao’s screen.

She seemed flustered, quickly locking her screen, stealing a glance at Lin Xiao.

Seeing his expression unchanged, she relaxed.

What she didn’t know was that Lin Xiao’s blank face was due to his awkwardness, but the message stirred a storm inside his mind.

He clearly saw the message read:

[General Manager Chen: Xiao Zhang, long time no see, I’ve missed you so much!]

Xiao Zhang?

Wasn’t her surname Lü?

Why would General Manager Chen send such an intimate message?

Once suspicion took root, many doubts emerged.

Mr. Lü said she never drank, yet she downed this nearly fifty-year-old fiery brew without flinching.

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He hadn’t noticed earlier because he was tipsy, but now, thinking carefully, these clues all pointed to the same conclusion:

Her affection and thoughtful behavior were all part of a carefully crafted act.

Lin Xiao knew too well his standing in the eyes of women, or he wouldn’t have remained single so long.

Over the years, many girls rejected him for being short, having a low income, and dressing plainly.

The slender beauty standing before him, even taller than his 170 cm, why was she favoring him?

And she was eleven years younger than him.

What was she after?

The answer was obvious: the hypersonic missile model he was involved in developing.

Only that could justify Mr. Lü’s elaborate setup of this gentle trap.

Staring at Lü Ying’s delicate face, Lin Xiao felt nothing but nausea.

He remembered an online joke:

The failed beauty trap: The female spy wants to be my wife!

The successful beauty trap: My wife is actually a spy!

The very successful beauty trap: Even if she’s a spy, she’s still my wife!

But at this moment, Lin Xiao only wanted to say:

This seriously underestimates us military industrial workers!

Generations of us have passed down the torch, working day and night, enduring hardships, all to uphold the backbone of the nation.

Not to mention she’s just a woman with some looks—even if she were a goddess descended to earth, she wouldn’t extract a single secret from me!

Although Lin Xiao was almost certain he had uncovered Mr. Lü’s scheme, now was not the time to confront it.

He feigned anxiety, lowering his head to scroll rapidly on his phone.

Seeing Lin Xiao’s unusual and frequent phone checking, Mr. Lü finally asked:

“Xiao Lin, what’s wrong?”

“I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Lü, but I must rush back to the research institute immediately,” Lin Xiao replied urgently.

“So soon?” A shadow flickered in Mr. Lü’s eyes.

“Even for something urgent, shouldn’t you finish your meal first?”

“You know how strict our military orders are.

There’s an emergency at work—I have to return right away.”

Lin Xiao stood up.

“Please forgive my rudeness today. I will host a banquet to make amends another day.”

Seeing Lin Xiao determined, Mr. Lü reluctantly said:

“I understand. Xiao Ying, please see Xiao Lin off.”

In his previous life, following his memories, he would have walked straight out of the restaurant and reported the matter to his superiors.

Soon after, he would have watched the news about a spy tycoon’s arrest on television.

In that life, he truly could not have eaten this meal, or he would have lost control.

But now, Lin Xiao stretched out both hands in his memory, grasped the tray on the table, and exerted a fierce strength:

“Bring it on!”