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墨書 Inktalez
The restaurant was located deep in an alley where even cars couldn't enter, a genuine Chongqing hotpot place. The copper pot was bubbling with broth, and the meat and vegetables that had been added were perfectly cooked. Zhao Shanxing was enjoying his meal heartily. Ruan Tingyu, at first feeling awkward and restless, finally couldn't resist the delicious food and began to eat with gusto.
Zhao Shanxing watched her with a glint in his eyes, a mischievous smile creeping onto his lips. Before she noticed, he deliberately put on a serious face and said, "Commander Yu said..."
"Pfft—" Upon hearing those three words, Ruan Tingyu sprayed the soup she had just sipped all over the table. Zhao Shanxing quickly raised his hand to shield his face, but unfortunately, the back of his hand got splashed with broth.
"I'm so sorry!" Ruan Tingyu hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his hand.
Zhao Shanxing fixed her with an intense gaze, his sharp eyes making her lower her head as she wiped: "I was enjoying my meal just fine; why did you have to mention Commander Yu? It scared me."
"You should still be a bit cautious; Miss Yu is still quite resentful towards the person who injured her."
"But you said you would suppress it for me!"
"The reason I suppressed it was that I said I would punish you on their behalf and make you disappear from this city."
Ruan Tingyu gasped in shock, "You don't have to be that harsh, do you?"
"If you keep touching me like that, I really will make you disappear. Do you believe me?" Zhao Shanxing's voice suddenly rose.
Only then did Ruan Tingyu realize that the handkerchief had fallen onto the table; she had been rubbing her hand against the back of his hand all along, and her face instantly flushed crimson. She withdrew her hand and lost all appetite for food.
Seeing her reaction, Zhao Shanxing lowered his head slightly and smirked triumphantly before raising his head again to scrutinize her. A socialite? Hah, she was the most interesting and unique socialite he had ever encountered. If it weren't for her wearing a flamboyant qipao, he could hardly imagine her as a woman of the world.
"Zhao Shaoye, please plead my case in front of Commander Yu. It was truly a misunderstanding; it was completely accidental." She couldn't tell him that she had actually intended to fall herself. Ruan Tingyu looked at him pitifully, her eyes shimmering like water—beautiful and captivating.
Zhao Shanxing reluctantly nodded and said, "Alright, I'll give it a try."
"Thank you, Zhao Shaoye; you're such a good person." Ruan Tingyu smiled. Hearing him agree, she picked up her chopsticks and confidently resumed eating. In the end, both of them were stuffed to the brim as they staggered out of the hotpot restaurant.
The alley was dark at night, with only a little light at the entrance. Fortunately, the moonlight was bright tonight, casting a cold glow on the bluestone pavement. The night breeze felt refreshing as they walked along. Suddenly, Ruan Tingyu burst into laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" Zhao Shanxing asked curiously.
"I've never met a guest like you before, bringing me to a place like this for dinner."
"Oh? Where did your previous guests take you to eat?"
"To that Western restaurant last time. They didn't even let me eat my fill, only thinking about taking advantage of me," Ruan Tingyu said, feeling wronged.
"You’re a social butterfly, and you’re worried about others taking advantage of you?" Zhao Shanxing blurted out, only to feel it was rude as soon as the words left his mouth. Sure enough, Ruan Tingyu pouted and retorted, "Being a social butterfly wasn’t my choice. Do you think I want to do this? Do you think I enjoy selling smiles every day?"
"I'm sorry," Zhao Shanxing quickly apologized. Ruan Tingyu suddenly recalled what Lu Shao's grandmother had said and suppressed her anger. Then she thought of something and asked, "So... where else are you going to take me?"
"Of course I'm taking you home. Where else would I go?" Zhao Shanxing said with a flash of inspiration, leaning closer to her and adding, "Unless... do you want me to take you..."
"Don't even think about it! I sell my art, not my body." She crossed her arms over her chest. Although Zhao Shanxing was a thousand times better than those fat old men, and despite his handsome appearance and dignified demeanor, Ruan Tingyu reminded herself not to be fooled by appearances.
Zhao Shanxing had no interest in her and snorted dismissively, "Do you even have any talent?" Ruan Tingyu fell silent and quickened her pace, trying to shake him off. Behind her, Zhao Shanxing asked, "Are you angry?"
Ignoring him was the best option, Ruan Tingyu thought. Suddenly, she heard Zhao Shanxing scream from behind her: "Ah! Oh!"
The sound echoed clearly in the quiet alley. She turned around and saw that Zhao Shanxing was no longer behind her but... up in a nearby tree. She asked in surprise, "How did you get up there?"
"There... there's a mouse..." Zhao Shanxing stammered, pointing below.
Ruan Tingyu followed his gaze and spotted a gray figure. She took off one of her high heels and threw it at the mouse, which squeaked in surprise as it was hit. Before Zhao Shanxing could react, she threw another high heel with more precision, striking the mouse on the head and killing it instantly.
Zhao Shanxing climbed down from the tree in shock and nervously asked her, "Aren't you afraid of mice?"
"When I was a kid, I used to steal their territory to sleep," Ruan Tingyu rolled her eyes at him. What a young master; turns out he’s just a coward. She lifted her foot to walk away.
"What are you doing?" Zhao Shanxing grabbed her arm.
"Pick up my shoes."
"They've been thrown at rats, they're filthy."
"But I don't have any shoes. I can't walk back barefoot."
This alley is so long that by the time I reach the end, my feet will be blistered. Just as I was thinking this, Zhao Shanxing suddenly squatted down and said, "Get on my back."
"You want to carry me? That... doesn't seem right." Ruan Tingyu hesitated.
"Oh? If it's not good, how about you stay here and fight the rats for a spot to sleep?" he countered. Before his words faded, she felt the weight of a person pressing down on her back. Ruan Tingyu softly said, "I've had it too good for too long; I don't have much friendship with rats."
Zhao Shanxing found it amusing as he carried her forward. Despite her slender frame, she was surprisingly heavy; no wonder she managed to push Yu Biyun down the stairs. This was Ruan Tingyu's first time resting on a man's back, and vague memories surfaced in her mind—she was very small then, often carried on someone's back. She wanted to see clearly, but that person's face remained elusive.
After eating and suddenly stopping, drowsiness washed over Ruan Tingyu. She felt like she might fall asleep and vaguely heard Zhao Shanxing ask her, "Do you know why I invited you to dinner?"
"Why?"
"Commander Yu wants to marry his daughter off to me, but I don't want to marry her. However, I can't offend this local tyrant just yet. You injured Yu Biyun, so at least for the next six months, I won't have to endure her torment. Hehe, thank you."
Zhao Shanxing, can I call you a jerk?
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