088 Everyone Knows Everyone (He Shi Bi 1+)

Was there any sense in this at all? Who in the world had ever been as miserable as she was?

All she had done was get her period—how had it turned into such a catastrophe that the whole world seemed to know? Lin Xia was so frustrated and dejected she felt like banging her head against a wall.

If she had known this would happen, she would not have left the house even if a knife had been held to her throat.

Sob, sob, sob. Going out was a risk. Proceed with caution.

Chen Qing took a small snack from her bag and, with careful hands, tore it open and passed her a piece.

Seeing that she had changed her sanitary pad, and that her calves were fair and smooth, with no sign of anything amiss, Chen Qing finally let out a breath of relief.

Her superiors had expressly ordered her to take good care of Lin Xia. Lin Xia was still a minor, and the company was already taking a risk by keeping her. Watching over her was counted as overtime, with overtime pay.

If, because of some private matter of her own, anything truly happened to Lin Xia, she would never be able to rest easy for the rest of her life.

Thinking of this, Chen Qing made up her mind to keep a close eye on her for the next two weeks, not allowing her to go out alone or let her out of sight.

After changing her little pad, and then changing into a set of clothes Chen Qing fetched for her from the bag, Lin Xia finally emerged from the bathroom with her head drooping miserably.

Wu Tianhao’s first impression of Lin Xia was one of stars bursting before his eyes. Such a pink-and-pretty little doll!

She looked delicious.

He then curved his lips in a wicked smile at Jin Ye.

Because of embarrassment and indignation, and because she had just bathed, her skin was fresh and dewy, pale with a hint of pink. Her watery eyes kept glancing at Chen Qing before lowering again, her fingers absently twisting in her hair.

No wonder he had never been seen chasing any girls all these years. Even when the gorgeous top beauty in their department had pursued him openly, he had shown no reaction at all. So he liked this type.

Wu Tianhao stroked his chin. Hmm. Should he also find a chance to try?

She had thought the mental preparation she had done in the bathroom was more than enough, but the instant she saw Jin Ye’s expressionless face, all of it was flung beyond the clouds.

She could only weakly tell him, “Um... I’m out.”

The last three words were as feeble as wilted seedlings, nearly soundless.

Then she lowered her head again.

Inside, she kept grumbling to herself: Hey, hey, with a face like this, does he really need to have any ideas about you? You’re neither as refined and otherworldly as Liu Ziqing nor naturally seductive like Zhao Xin. You really have been reading too many novels and imagining too much.

Wash your brain out, for goodness’ sake.

Seeing Lin Xia looking like a little puppy that had fallen into the water, Chen Qing smiled as she came over, took her by the hand, and said, “This is Jin Ye. He’s my junior from college, meow-sister’s junior. He’s just a little cold, that’s all. He’s not bad at heart, so don’t be afraid.”

Lin Xia obediently let Chen Qing lead her, and nodded. “I understand.”

That sight made Wu Tianhao’s heart stir. A little doll really was wonderful—so obedient.

Thinking this, he reached out in person, pinched Lin Xia’s cheek, and grinned. “Hello, little one. I’m Wu Tianhao. You can call me Brother Tianhao. For now, my identity is your meow-sister’s boyfriend.”

Though his mouth said one thing, his mind was thinking: Wow, this feels so good. Pinch it again.

Bullying people really did bring a sense of achievement.

Meow-sister’s boyfriend? Meow-sister’s junior? Lin Xia was thoroughly petrified.

Should she say her luck was too rotten, or that the earth was simply too small, so that every random person she met turned out to be someone they knew?

“She’s only fourteen. Don’t bully her,” Chen Qing said, pushing Wu Tianhao’s hand away with displeasure.

Wu Tianhao rubbed the back of his hand and smiled sheepishly. “With you here, how would I dare?”

“All right, let’s go downstairs for dinner. Didn’t we say we were welcoming Tianhao?” Taking up a suit jacket from beside him, Jin Ye said coolly, “Let’s go.”

We’re still going to eat with him? I don’t want to!

Lin Xia tugged at Chen Qing’s sleeve and whispered, “Meow-sister, I’m not very hungry, purr...”

Before she could finish, her stomach gave a loud growl.

Jin Ye shot her a look. “Do you have a problem?”

The oppressive aura around him and those blade-like eyes made Lin Xia shiver. She forced a servile smile. “N-no problem. I’m just hungry.”

“Then stop dawdling.” With that, he headed for the door. Wu Tianhao was already waiting there for them.

“Bullying people is exactly what it is,” Lin Xia muttered inwardly, unable to stop herself from complaining. “A grown man bullying a little girl, and enjoying it so much too. Honestly, how contemptible.”

As though he had sensed her thoughts, Jin Ye sent her another look.

Lin Xia, like a frightened rabbit, hastily pressed herself against Chen Qing’s side, looping her arm through Chen Qing’s and blocking most of Jin Ye’s gaze.

Only then did she realize something was wrong. He was already thirty, and yet seeing this man had left her so lacking in presence.

Her mental age had dropped several levels on the spot. It was all the fault of that accident.

She muttered all the way to the restaurant beside Chen Qing.

Watching her like this, a satisfied smile finally appeared in Chen Qing’s eyes.

That was more like a child. The gloom and bewilderment she had shown in the car were not what someone her age should have. And after knowing Jin Ye for so long, Chen Qing had never once seen him like this. Thinking of the way he treated schoolgirls as though they were air, and then comparing it to the way he was speaking to Lin Xia now...

She swore Jin Ye was definitely a little abnormal.

Aside from wearing a cold expression, he was utterly unlike the schoolgirls’ title for him as the ice-cold, aloof idol.

It looked as though tonight, she would have to interrogate Lin Xia properly.

Once they reached the restaurant, she handed the menu to Wu Tianhao and let him order first, since he was the guest of honor tonight.

Wu Tianhao shook his head. “Let Xia Xia order first. We should respect our elders and care for the young.”

During the short walk from the room to the restaurant, thanks to Wu Tianhao’s loud mouth, Lin Xia had already learned everyone’s names, and she had gone from being called “little girl” to “Xia Xia.”

Lin Xia shook her head. “I only arrived today. You should order.”

She was just here for a free meal. How could she be so oblivious?

Wu Tianhao was delighted. This girl was pretty clever. She didn’t have the spoiled little habits of those pampered girls. The three parts of teasing he had originally kept in his heart also faded away.

He gave the menu to her, and Chen Qing smiled. “All right, order if you’re told to order. Pick a few of the specialties.”

There were only four of them, and the round table was not large. Chen Qing sat to Lin Xia’s left, and naturally Wu Tianhao sat with Chen Qing, so Jin Ye ended up on her right.

Fortunately, there was some distance between everyone; otherwise Lin Xia would have felt even more awkward.

The dishes were ordered quickly. Just as the waiter was about to leave, Chen Qing said, “Oh, and one more thing: bring us a black-bone chicken soup with red dates. And absolutely no angelica root.”

The waiter noted it down and nodded. “Certainly. Do you need anything else?”

“No, that’s all.”

“Please wait a moment.” The pretty waitress let her eyes linger once more on Jin Ye’s face before reluctantly leaving.

Working as a waitress in a place like this was never just about serving food. The people who came here to stay or dine were either rich or powerful. A man as outstanding as Jin Ye was truly rare.

Of course, the one sitting beside him was not bad either; you could tell at a glance that he came from a good family.

But once she saw Chen Qing beside Wu Tianhao, she knew she had no chance. Chen Qing was prettier than her by more than one level. As for the one beside Jin Ye...

While taking the order, her eyes had already swept unobtrusively over her chest. Just a little girl who had not yet grown up—how could she compare?

What frustrated her most was that no matter how she tried to catch his eye, the handsome man did not spare her even a glance. He was like a block of ice.

Watching the still-reluctant waitress, Wu Tianhao teased, “I say, A-Jin, it’s been so long and you’re still a girl killer, huh!”

Jin Ye shot him a cool glare and did not bother answering.

Lin Xia lowered her head to sip tea, yet her ears stood up sharply, listening with relish to their conversation.

So even handsome men were no different from ordinary people after all.

As she was idly thinking, she heard Chen Qing ask, “You still haven’t answered me. How did you end up entangled with Xia Xia?”

At that, Lin Xia’s face reddened again. Under the table, she tugged at Chen Qing and whispered, “Meow-sister, he’s the uncle I told you about last time.”

The one I told you about last time...

Chen Qing quickly searched her memory, and when she recalled those remarks like, “Please pin down the uncle,” and “You keep refusing to flirt with handsome guys; if it were me, I’d have pounced already,” she could only break out in a cold sweat.

She might be able to pin down or tease other handsome men, but if it were Jin Ye, she suspected that would be impossible for this life and the next.

Clearly she was older than him, yet with just a glance from his eyes, she became too frightened to move.

Tsk tsk. Though he was always cold as ice, he was quite terrifying when he lost his temper. She had been fortunate enough to see it once; back then that girl had been scared out of her wits and had never dared bother him again.

The table was only so big, so both Wu Tianhao and Jin Ye naturally heard everything. Wu Tianhao laughed heartily. “Hahaha, Xia Xia calls Xiao Qing meow-sister and calls A-Jin uncle. That’s killing me.”

Jin Ye’s expression turned even colder, and those little knives in his eyes stabbed at Wu Tianhao without cost. It was only because Wu Tianhao kept his face unchanged and laughed even more merrily.

Fortunately, the dishes soon began to arrive one after another: braised shark fin with yellow sauce, assorted mushrooms with dark, glossy slices, stir-fried sea cucumber with scallions, crispy duck with chopped scallions, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, and so on. Lin Xia’s eyes were dazzled, and she kept clicking her tongue in wonder.

How much would such a meal cost? It was practically a feast for the eyes and the taste buds.

And the final dish, the time-honored Su family specialty of water shield soup, was enough to make anyone’s mouth water. A whole table of famous delicacies, and only four people to eat them—what a blatant waste!

Of course, the consequence of facing such a lavish spread was that Lin Xia’s mouth watered and her appetite burst open. She ate with tremendous delight.

“Try this crispy duck with chopped scallions. It’s made from ducklings that are only two months old. They’re kept in cages and not fed at all—just a bowl of sauce is left there. When the ducks become starving, they have no choice but to eat the sauce. The flavor of the sauce slowly seeps into the bones, and then they’re slaughtered and deep-fried. Add scallions on top, and it’s simply exquisite.”

Having already eaten one duck leg, Lin Xia looked at the piece now held out on the chopsticks and felt a wave of discomfort. She was almost in tears.

She did like eating it, but did he really have to explain the method so thoroughly? It immediately reminded her of the fluffy yellow ducklings she had raised when she was little.

“Meow-sister, actually you didn’t need to describe the preparation in such detail,” Lin Xia said speechlessly. “I’m only a foodie. Knowing how it’s made won’t help me cook it!”

I have no idea how many debts I owe. Fine, I’ll just pay them back slowly.

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