Chapter 370 - 223: Jiang Sifan Wins Lu Fan’s Bonus for the First Time

Chapter 370: Chapter 223: Jiang Sifan Wins Lu Fan’s Bonus for the First Time

The streetlights had just flickered on, and the light fell upon her, as soft as a veil.

Jiang Sifan glanced at her, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Let’s go," he said.

The two of them walked side-by-side toward the back gate of the university.

The streets were bustling and filled with Christmas decorations, a sea of red and green. "Jingle Bells" played from storefronts, the melody drifting down the road.

Young couples strolled past them hand in hand, the girls holding beautifully wrapped apples and smiling so wide their eyes curved into crescents.

Jiang Sifan stole a glance at Wen Wan.

She walked with her head down, her cheeks flushed. He didn’t know if it was from the wind or something else.

He suddenly wanted to take her hand.

But it was just a thought.

A Christmas tree stood at the entrance of the Western-style restaurant, covered in twinkling little lights and bells.

A staff member dressed as Santa Claus stood at the door. Seeing them approach, she greeted them enthusiastically, "A table for two? Right this way. It’s half-price for couples today."

Jiang Sifan blushed. He wanted to say they weren’t a couple, but Wen Wan had already lowered her head and walked inside.

He had no choice but to follow.

The restaurant was dimly lit with a warm, yellow glow, and a small candle flickered on every table.

Mistletoe and colorful ribbons hung on the walls. In a corner, a small Santa Claus doll smiled at them.

They were led to a table by the window. On it sat a single red rose next to a small card that read, "Merry Christmas."

Jiang Sifan picked up the menu. The prices were indeed much cheaper than usual.

He asked Wen Wan what she wanted to eat. She said anything was fine, so he took the liberty of ordering two steak set meals.

While they waited for their food, the atmosphere grew a little quiet.

The two of them sat facing each other, neither quite daring to meet the other’s gaze.

The candlelight danced between them, casting their shadows on the wall, so close they almost touched.

The staff member came over again, holding a small red box.

She smiled and explained, "We’re having a special Christmas Eve event. Would you two like to participate?"

Jiang Sifan was curious. "What kind of event?"

The staff member pointed to the box and replied, "You draw a slip of paper with a task on it. If you complete the task, you get a mystery gift."

Jiang Sifan glanced at Wen Wan, who gave a slight nod.

"Alright, we’ll draw one," Jiang Sifan said, reaching into the box. He pulled out a folded slip of paper and handed it to the staff member.

The staff member unfolded the paper, glanced at it, and gave them a meaningful smile.

"What’s the task?" Jiang Sifan asked, feeling a little flustered.

The staff member cleared her throat and announced loudly, "The guy has to do ten squats while holding the girl!"

Guests at the surrounding tables all looked over. Some of them even smiled and applauded.

Jiang Sifan’s face instantly turned red. "This... Uh..."

Wen Wan’s face was beet red, too. She lowered her head, unable to look at anyone.

The staff member said with a cheerful grin, "It’s a couples’ event, everyone’s doing it! Go on, get started. There’s a gift waiting for you when you’re done."

Jiang Sifan looked at Wen Wan. She lifted her head, her face flushed, and said softly, "It’s... okay..."

He stood up and walked over to Wen Wan’s side.

Wen Wan stood up too. They stood facing each other, neither knowing where to put their hands.

Jiang Sifan took a deep breath, bent down, and lifted Wen Wan into his arms.

One arm wrapped around her back, the other supporting the crook of her knees.

She was so light, like a tuft of cotton, resting softly in his embrace.

Her face was buried in his chest. Her hair brushed against his chin, tickling him and carrying the scent of her shampoo.

He began to do the squats.

One, two, three...

Wen Wan didn’t dare to lift her head the entire time, her hands clutching lightly at his shirt.

He could feel her heartbeat through his clothes—THUMP-THUMP-THUMP—just as fast as his own.

After ten squats, Jiang Sifan set her down. They were both sweating, their faces as red as lobsters.

A scattered round of applause came from the surrounding tables.

The staff member smilingly handed over a small gift box. "Congratulations, you two. Here is your gift."

Jiang Sifan took it, not daring to see what it was, and quickly slipped it into his pocket.

They both sat down, neither saying a word.

The steaks were served. Jiang Sifan cut a piece and put it in his mouth, but he couldn’t taste a thing.

When they left the restaurant after dinner, the streets were even more lively.

The colorful lights shone in a brilliant display, and the air was filled with the aroma of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine.

They walked back side-by-side, their arms occasionally brushing against each other before quickly pulling away.

After walking for a while, Jiang Sifan suddenly called out, "Wen Wan."

"Hm?"

"Did you have a good time today?"

Wen Wan blushed, a smile on her face. Her voice was soft. "I did."

Jiang Sifan smiled. He slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the small gift box.

He took it out to have a look. It was a small snow globe with a Santa Claus inside. When he shook it, snowflakes would flutter down.

"Here, this is for you," he said, handing the snow globe to Wen Wan.

Wen Wan took it and cradled it in her palms for a moment before smiling. "It’s so cute."

She carefully placed the snow globe in her bag, and they continued walking.

Just as they were nearing the university gate, Jiang Sifan’s phone rang.

He took it out and saw it was a call from his advisor.

"Hello, Teacher Chen?" he asked as he answered.

His advisor’s voice came through the phone, full of cheer. "Sifan, great news! Your Starry Studio has won the school’s Advanced Entrepreneurship Award, and the prize is thirty thousand yuan!"

Jiang Sifan was stunned. "Really?"

"Really! The list was just finalized, so I called you right away. Congratulations!"

Jiang Sifan was so excited he almost jumped for joy. "Thank you, Teacher Chen! By the way, Teacher Chen, when did the school start this entrepreneurship fund? How come I’ve never heard of it?"

His advisor paused, his tone becoming a bit vague. "Well... I’m not too clear on the specifics myself. I think it was just recently established. In any case, it’s a fact that you won. The prize money will be sent in a few days. Keep up the good work!"