C9 Love at the Seven Feet!

"Absolutely, I'd love to!" Duane exclaimed with delight.

Lavinia typically didn't accompany him on outings, so this was a first for him to be asked to escort her.

What he didn't realize was that Lavinia needed to borrow money and would likely be drinking, hence she couldn't drive. Besides, the hotel was so close that by the time a taxi arrived, they could have already reached it by electric bike.

"Babe, how do we get to the Blessing Restaurant?"

Duane inquired, his curiosity piqued as he pedaled the electric bike.

He was unaware that Lavinia hadn't even opened those two boxes. She was planning to dine with her classmate Darcy, from whom she needed to borrow money. Darcy was her arch-nemesis, adamant about choosing the Blessing Restaurant.

"I told you, I'm taking someone out for a meal," Lavinia said, her irritation with him flaring up. "If it weren't for you, I might not even need to do this!"

"Because of me?" Duane was puzzled.

"Tell me, did you hit Grant?" Lavinia demanded.

"I did," Duane admitted with a nod.

"He was here to help, and you hit him? You've done more harm than good!" Lavinia fumed.

"His ulterior motives are no secret. My wife's affairs don't need his meddling," Duane retorted.

"But..."

Lavinia was on the verge of scolding him further.

Yet, she also felt that from his perspective, he wasn't wrong. Who would want their wife to be the subject of someone else's attention?

"Let's just drop it and speed up. We can't afford to be late."

Lavinia sighed from her seat behind him.

Sigh, he was fond of her, but alas, he lacked ambition!

"Got it!"

Duane suddenly accelerated.

As a result, she wasn't seated securely and her upper body ended up pressed against Duane's back.

Duane tensed, feeling as if he had entered a heavenly realm.

It was their first moment of such closeness in three years, an incredibly delightful experience that made him feel as if he was in another world, reluctant to return to reality.

Regrettably, the trip was all too brief.

Before long, they reached the entrance of the Blessing Restaurant.

"That's it, you can head back now!"

Lavinia dismounted the electric bike.

And at that moment...

A BMW pulled up at the entrance, and out stepped Darcy, a vision of glamour with her heavy makeup and large earrings. She greeted Lavinia with a hint of tease in her voice, "Ah! Lavinia, you're here early... And this must be the infamous husband you've been talking about, right?"

Lavinia felt the sting of Darcy's mockery and struggled to maintain her composure, managing a strained smile as she replied, "Yes, that's him."

"Perfect, we should all go in together!" Darcy suggested, as her boyfriend, Grant, emerged from the car. Clad in a crisp white suit, his handsome, successful demeanor was unmistakable.

Lavinia, feeling outclassed, quickly objected, "No need, he has other commitments."

But there was no escaping the comparison; next to Grant, her own husband just didn't measure up.

"How can we not include him? Come on, let's all go!" Darcy insisted, a sly smile playing on her lips.

Lavinia shot Duane a pleading look, silently urging him to make an excuse and leave quickly.

Duane, with no desire to be part of this scene, excused himself, "I really do have other matters to attend to, so I'll pass."

"Is it laundry day for Lavinia?" Darcy quipped sarcastically, "I'm so envious of you, Lavinia, having such a thoughtful husband. I'm not that fortunate."

Lavinia's face flushed with discomfort, her resentment towards Duane growing.

"Oh, by the way, Lavinia, a few of my friends are also coming. You don't mind, do you?" Darcy inquired.

"No, not at all," Lavinia lied, her anxiety mounting.

She had planned a dinner for four with Maribel, Darcy, and Grant, budgeting the thirty thousand dollars she had to cover it. Adding even one more person would stretch her finances thin.

"It's just a small group, seven or eight," Darcy said nonchalantly.

"What?!" Lavinia gasped internally.

Seven or eight additional guests meant a total of twelve people. Anywhere else, this might have been manageable, but at Blessing Restaurant, it would cost a small fortune.

"Is there an issue?" Darcy asked coolly.

"No, not at all," Lavinia stammered.

With no alternative and in desperate need of a solution, Lavinia realized she had to come up with another plan.

At that moment, Maribel hurried to join us.

After a round of insincere small talk, we were ready to head inside.

Darcy turned to Duane and teased, "You sure you don't want to come in with us? A meal in there costs what an ordinary person makes in a year. I heard you're from the countryside and haven't had the pleasure, right?"

"Really..."

Duane, who had been pushing his electric scooter, paused briefly, then set it aside and declared, "Alright, count me in!"

Darcy couldn't contain her laughter, "Hahaha, Lavinia, your husband is such a character!"

Her boyfriend Herbert joined in the laughter.

Lavinia's face flushed with embarrassment; she looked like she wanted to slap Duane for the shame he brought.

Maribel didn't mince words, "Duane, have you no pride? Never had a meal before? You're making a spectacle of yourself!"

"..."

Duane, red-faced, started, "I was actually..."

But before he could explain.

Lavinia had already turned away, striding into the hotel.

Duane managed a wry smile.

He had stayed behind, sensing that after Darcy mentioned bringing extra guests, his wife seemed financially stretched.

With him there, they could dine on the house.

At that moment.

Duane and the others walked into the lobby to find guests clustered around a wall.

It was a projection wall, displaying a promotional video titled "Seven Dusk Love."

The video showcased the opulent new rooftop restaurant at Blessing Restaurant, with its luxurious crystal chandeliers and exquisite decor, exuding extravagance, romance, and grandeur.

Many guests were mesmerized by the video.

To enjoy the moonlight in such an enchanting setting with your beloved was a dream come true!

Moreover.

The video revealed that Blessing Restaurant would be hosting performances by top celebrities exclusively for couples!

"That's amazing!"

Maribel, hands clasped to her chest and eyes gleaming with delight, exclaimed, "Did you see? Even the diamonds in the decor are real! If someone takes me there for a meal on Valentine's Day, I'd marry him in a heartbeat. The experience would be incredible!"

She wasn't alone in her anticipation.

The other women were equally enthralled.

"Darling..."

Darcy gazed longingly at her boyfriend, Herbert, pleading, "On the night of the Qixi Festival, can you take me here? Please, I'm begging you..."

"Alright," Herbert agreed, though with some hesitation.

He was aware that the whole buzz around Blessing Restaurant was just a marketing stunt to boost its fame. Only one lucky couple in all of Fayedge would have the privilege of dining there, making it the talk of the town. Such an opportunity was typically reserved for the city's wealthiest elite, and not everyone had the clout to vie for it.

He had money, sure, but he wasn't about to go head-to-head with the scions of the most powerful families.

Still, he decided to say yes to Darcy first.

He'd come up with an excuse later, perhaps that they had missed the reservation window.

Overjoyed by his response, Darcy hugged him tightly.

Others around them couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

That included Lavinia, whose eyes sparkled with an intense mix of envy and longing.

Duane, standing nearby, admired her stunning beauty and whispered, "Would you like to come here on the evening of Qixi?"

"Yes," Lavinia responded without hesitation.

Her eyes, fixed on the screen, shone like dazzling stars.

"Then that's what we'll do," Duane declared.

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