Things Were Looking a Little Dire

Xiao Junyi tilted his head slightly and deftly dodged the punch. He raised a long leg and kicked the man hard, laughing as he cursed, "Fuck my uncle? Do you know who my uncle is? If you dare fuck him, he'll skin you alive!"

Chu Tianqing screamed in fright, repeatedly telling him to be careful.

When the group saw one of their own getting beaten, the men rushed up to help while the women cheered them on.

The narrow street descended into chaos. Quite a few people poked their heads out to watch, shouting all sorts of encouragement. "Hit him harder! In the head! Nice moves, young hero!"

Chu Tianqing huddled in a corner, afraid to go over and make things worse, and even more afraid to call the police.

She was already traumatized by the police station.

Xiao Junyi made short work of the little hoodlums. Planting a foot on Brother Bao's shoulder, he said, "Listen up. From now on, take the long way around when you see us, or I'll beat you every time we meet. Even hoodlums are getting worse with every generation. Look at what a wimp you are. At least learn a few moves before you come out and throw your weight around!"

The women screamed uncontrollably, "Ahhh! He's so handsome!"

Xiao Junyi nodded in acknowledgment as though taking a bow onstage. "Thanks for the compliment."

Chu Tianqing was speechless. Wait, girls, whose side are you on?!

Sirens sounded in the distance. Some helpful spectator must have called the police.

Xiao Junyi grabbed Chu Tianqing and broke into a run, his long legs carrying him forward. "Run! If we don't, we'll get arrested!"

Chu Tianqing was frantic, but she had no choice but to follow him. "Why are we running? Won't fleeing the scene get us a heavier sentence? This has nothing to do with me. Don't get me in trouble!"

Xiao Junyi looked back and smiled at her. "You little ingrate. I stood up for you, and you're actually afraid I'll get you in trouble? Is there no justice in this world?"

"I don't want justice, I just don't want to end up at the station!" Chu Tianqing shouted, at the end of her rope.

Seeing that the police car wasn't chasing them, Xiao Junyi slowed down and reassured her. "Don't worry, we won't. Don't you know who my uncle is? If we really did end up in there, you'd definitely be fine, and I'd be able to get out too. I'd just get an earful when I got home."

Chu Tianqing slowly remembered that in Jincheng, people called their father's older brother "uncle" that way. Xiao Junyi's uncle seemed to be the top man in public security.

"Now I remember. You're the one who really has connections in the family!" After saying that, Chu Tianqing remembered Brother Bao cursing about fucking his uncle and couldn't help laughing.

He really had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai, daring to disturb the earth above the Grand Duke's head.

Smiling, she asked, "Hey, Young Master Xiao, does your uncle really skin people?"

"What a question. It sounds like you're cursing me out." Xiao Junyi stopped running altogether and put an arm around Chu Tianqing's shoulders. Seeing that she didn't react, he smiled smugly. "My uncle doesn't skin people, but he does serve up bamboo shoots fried with meat. He gave me plenty of that when I was a kid."

They looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing, then ran back happily.

That night, Xiao Junyi took her home. There was a deeper meaning in his gaze. "So this is where you live. Now I know. Aren't you going to invite me up for a cup of coffee?"

Chu Tianqing smiled like a flower in bloom and ruthlessly refused. "Who drinks coffee this late at night? Go home and get some rest!"

"How heartless." Xiao Junyi waved. "Go on. I'll watch you go in."

Chu Tianqing didn't want to keep going back and forth with him, so she waved, turned, and left.

When she reached the entrance, she suddenly wanted to look back. She turned toward the roadside and saw that Xiao Junyi hadn't left after all. When he saw her stop, he waved goodbye again.

At that moment, something stirred in Chu Tianqing's heart, and she remembered Jiang Lean's words. Xiao Junyi was a playboy young master, and she definitely couldn't beat him at his own game.

Things were looking a little dire.

After that day, Xiao Junyi did indeed disappear for a week, and he didn't send any flowers either.

Jiang Lean was a little disappointed. "Oh, if he doesn't bring flowers, what are we going to give the customers?"

Chu Tianqing started to speak, then stopped. She turned and walked away, aggrieved and indignant.

One meeting with Xiao Junyi had bought her a week of peace, but Ye Mingchen had stayed in touch with her, chatting casually on WeChat as usual, though he hadn't suggested meeting.

Chu Tianqing could clearly feel that she had hurt Ye Mingchen, because when he met Xiao Junyi last time, she hadn't stood firmly on his side.

Chu Tianqing felt awful, as though she had become a scumbag.

Before, when she had only spent time with Ye Mingchen, Chu Tianqing had been muddleheaded, always thinking she shouldn't reject him or hurt his feelings. Now that she had Xiao Junyi to compare him with, she finally understood what it meant to truly feel nothing.

Of course, that didn't mean she had fallen for Xiao Junyi. There was just the tiniest hint of something.

During the days Xiao Junyi didn't appear, she kept agonizing over it.

In the blink of an eye, a week had passed, and Xiao Junyi appeared.

This time, Xiao Junyi brought nothing. He strode in looking dashing in an overcoat, walked straight up to Chu Tianqing, and held out his platinum watch as he counted down. "Ten, nine, eight..."

Chu Tianqing looked puzzled. "What are you counting?"

"Three, two, one." Xiao Junyi put on a solemn air. "Shen Xixi, it's been exactly seven whole days since we last met, not a minute or a second more."

In that very instant, Chu Tianqing made up her mind to be clear with Ye Mingchen. She absolutely couldn't be a scumbag.

"You certainly went to the trouble of remembering it so precisely." Chu Tianqing couldn't help smiling, her eyes sparkling. "Tell me, how long did you wait outside to get the timing just right?"

"Not long, just half an hour. I was worried about traffic at this time." With one hand in his pocket, Xiao Junyi leaned against the counter and looked back at the customers in the restaurant. "Are you busy? Can you leave early?"

"Yes. I'm just here to make up the numbers." Chu Tianqing called one of the girls over, then went inside to change.

On her way to the staff break room, she happened to run into Jiang Lean coming out of the kitchen.

"Boss Jiang," Chu Tianqing greeted her with a smile. "I have something to do, so I'm leaving first. You carry on."

Jiang Lean stopped and muttered, "Smiling like that, did something good happen?"

She came out of the kitchen into the dining area and spotted the tall, upright man at a glance.

Xiao Junyi lifted his chin and greeted her with easy familiarity. "Busy?"

Jiang Lean was a little surprised, but not all that surprised. It looked like this fellow really had won.

That night, Xiao Junyi took Chu Tianqing to a hidden gem of a little restaurant for yakitori.

Shen Xixi had eaten that sort of thing before, but Chu Tianqing hadn't. Memories were always a little hazy, and experiencing it for herself brought one pleasant surprise after another.

The chochin in particular was quite fascinating.

After dinner, there were no other activities. Xiao Junyi took her straight home.

Downstairs at the familiar building, Xiao Junyi smiled and asked her, "Eldest Miss Shen, can the seven-day ban be lifted now?"

A smile played on Chu Tianqing's lips as she nodded silently. "But I have to make one thing clear in advance. I won't come running whenever you call, so remember to make an appointment ahead of time."

Xiao Junyi nodded solemnly. "No problem. I'll keep it in mind at all times."

They smiled and said goodbye. Xiao Junyi watched her go upstairs. This time, Chu Tianqing didn't look back, but her heart was bursting with joy.

Yet as soon as she walked into the lobby, she heard a familiar bark. She turned her head and nearly died of fright.

Shen Heng sat on a sofa in the lobby, holding the dog. From there, he could see outside clearly through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

He asked, "Who brought you home?"