Although he wanted to see her, he didn't want her to spend too much money. Soon, Darcy replied, "Okay. See you tomorrow night." "Yeah. See you tomorrow night." Before he could lock his screen, Ines caught a full view of it. "What's this? Who are you texting?" Ines asked with exaggerated curiosity. Zane also put down his glass, looking over. Hugo shifted uncomfortably, touching his nose. "A friend." "A female friend?" Ines wiggled his eyebrows. "Blind date or... a hookup?" "Get lost!" Hugo kicked him in the shin. Seeing Zane's probing gaze still on him, Hugo put his phone away. "A business contact."Then he took another uncomfortable sip of his drink. It wasn't entirely a lie. Darcy was a former business contact. Not exactly lying. With that thought, he relaxed, stood up, and headed for the restroom. Closing the door, Hugo took the teddy bear keychain out of his pocket. This wasn't Darcy's. He'd bought a new one at the mall today. After a business meeting, he'd gone to the mall for something else and noticed a shop selling cute keychains. The shop was crowded. Hugo hadn't realized these trinkets were so popular with young people. He didn't know why, but he'd bought a new bear, a different color from Darcy's. He planned to give it to her tomorrow, along with hers.... The next evening, as soon as work ended, Darcy grabbed her bag and left. Getting into the elevator, she ran into Jethro. He gave her a gentle smile. "Meeting a friend for dinner?" "How'd you know?" Darcy was surprised. "I guessed," Jethro smiled. At the underground level, they said goodbye. Darcy got in her car, turned on the navigation, and headed to the address Hugo had given her. It wasn't far—about twenty minutes by car. Pushing the restaurant door open, she spotted Hugo immediately. He was simply too striking compared to others. Darcy walked over and sat down. "Sorry, I'm late." Hugo poured her some water. "You're not. I was early." A waitress approached, marveling inwardly at the man's looks. But then seeing Darcy, she thought their looks matched perfectly. Beauty belongs with beauty, after all. The waitress placed the menu on the table. "What can I get you two?" Darcy instinctively reached for the menu, as did Hugo. Their hands touched. Darcy quickly pulled hers back and looked across the table. "You go ahead, Mr. Sterling." Hugo pressed his lips together. He wanted to say she didn't need to call him "Mr. Sterling," but what else would she call him? Calling him "Hugo"? Darcy probably wouldn't, and even he'd find it strange. "Mr. Sterling" was fine. Dropping the thought, he said, "These two house specials." After ordering, he handed the menu to Darcy.Darcy looked it over and added two more dishes. The waitress left with the menus. Darcy wasn't familiar with Hugo and didn't want more association. This dinner was just to settle a debt of gratitude. She said, "Thank you for your help recently." "How is your mother recovering?" Hugo poured her more water. Darcy looked down. "The last checkup went well. She just needs medication and regular follow-ups now." "Mm. My uncle is an expert in that field. Feel free to contact him if needed." Darcy understood now. So the chief physician who'd added her on WhatsApp was Hugo's uncle. That explained it. Soon, the dishes arrived. Darcy remembered Hugo mentioning on the phone that he had questions for her."It's about a fintech investment. I'm not sure whether to proceed. Could you give me your opinion?" Hugo briefly explained the project. Darcy thought for a moment, then gave her view. "The domestic market for risk management products has many players. New product types keep popping up, and the market is now relatively saturated." Hugo understood her meaning—Don't invest. He nodded slightly. "Alright. I see." Darcy paused, then added, "That's just my personal opinion. Whether to invest should be based on a professional assessment." Hugo gave a faint smile. "Compared to others, I trust your judgment more." Darcy was taken aback. She hadn't expected him to trust her so much. She didn't quite understand. Why didn't he ask Zora? Hadn't they grown up together?Oh, right. She almost forgot. Zora's academic credentials were questionable. Then he could ask Zane. She couldn't figure out what he was thinking. The meal passed quickly. Darcy felt a quiet sense of relief. With this favor repaid, they probably wouldn't meet again. She glanced at her watch. It was still early, but she wanted to get home. Today's study session wasn't finished yet.