Stinky kid
At six o’clock in the afternoon, Jing Dan received a message on time from Xu Zhihuan saying she had already arrived downstairs.
Upon seeing this message, Jing Dan replied with a single bland “okay” before slowly organizing her documents and shutting down her computer. By the time she appeared downstairs, ten minutes had already passed.
However, when she saw Xu Zhihuan, there was no hint of impatience on her face, just the same beaming smile.
This demeanor of hers, if seen by someone out of the loop, would probably lead them to think she was some kind and beautiful older sister, causing them to take a liking to her.
But when Jing Dan saw her, she still wore a cold face, without even a flicker in her gaze.
It was the peak of rush hour when many in the company saw Jing Dan get into Xu Zhihuan’s car. The moment they witnessed this, their eyes widened, and for a moment they couldn’t understand what was going on between the two—weren’t they supposed to be like fire and water, enemies, as seen online?
What Jing Dan didn’t know was the moment she got into Xu Zhihuan’s car, a paparazzo hiding not far away stealthily took their picture.
“Boss, how come these two are together?” Paparazzo Number One looked at the car that was about to drive away and asked their leader, and seeing Xu Zhihuan’s smiling face, it was almost like all her teeth were showing.
Their leader was looking down at the photo they took with a satisfied gaze, yet cursed, “Why the f*ck do you care so much, isn’t it good enough that we have something juicy? On the surface, they fight like cats and dogs but are actually friends in private, isn’t that controversial enough to spark discussions?”
Paparazzo Number One heard this and nodded in agreement: “Makes sense.”
Glancing at him with his silly dazed look, he smacked him on the back of his head, angrily saying, “You blockhead! Now hurry up and follow!”
Paparazzo Number One: “…”
On the other hand, Jing Dan, who had boarded the car, gave a cold look to Xu Zhihuan as she drove. From the moment she got in, she hadn’t initiated a single conversation and kept her mouth tightly shut.
During a stop at the red light, Xu Zhihuan turned to look at her, her eyes and eyebrows filled with a smile as she asked, “What’s the matter? Is President Jing not happy at all to meet with me?”
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Looking at Jing Dan’s profile, she had seen countless photos of her online, but seeing her in person still brought a sense of amazement that was much more startling than those simple photos.
How could anyone be as exquisite as Jing Dan? How biased must the heavens be?
Jing Dan replied coolly, “Not at all, I’m very happy.”
Xu Zhihuan: “…” Yet there’s not a single sign that you’re actually happy.
She chuckled lightly, not taking Jing Dan’s attitude to heart. As the green light came on, she released the brake, and the car started moving again. While watching the road, she said, “Are you upset about those things that happened online?”
This caused a flicker in Jing Dan’s eyes; she hadn’t expected Xu Zhihuan to bring up the subject proactively.
Jing Dan: “Not really.”
She wasn’t angry, just speechless.
Xu Zhihuan laughed, not quite believing her, and continued, “These kinds of things are normal in this circle. After all, everyone wants popularity, and popularity comes from escalating conflict each time.”
“As long as you’re still mixing in this circle, you’ll see more of this. You have to learn to get used to it.”
Jing Dan: “…” Is this what they call ‘PUA’ on the internet?
Her expression cool, she didn’t respond to her words; she had no expectation to pull her back from her already twisted values.
And she didn’t want to pull her back either.
Seeing that she was being ignored, the smile on Xu Zhihuan’s face faded a bit, and she talked noticeably less for the rest of the journey.
With her talking less, Jing Dan was pleased to have some peace for her ears.
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By the time they arrived at the restaurant Xu Zhihuan had booked, it was nearly eight o’clock. The two had been stuck in rush-hour traffic for almost two hours.
With an expressionless face, Jing Dan would normally have already had her meal by this time.
Xu Zhihuan led her inside, having reserved a spot with the best view, from which one can see the river outside through the window, the myriad of lights reflecting off the water’s surface, forming a vibrant ribbon of color. In the night, it too was a beautiful scenic line.
Watching Jing Dan carefully observe the outdoor scenery, Xu Zhihuan knew she hadn’t chosen the wrong place. She passed the menu to Jing Dan with a smile and said warmly, “Take a look, what would you like to eat?”
Jing Dan withdrew her gaze and started to peruse the menu handed to her. Eyeing the delicately arranged dishes, a trace of anticipation flickered in her eyes. She just hoped that these dishes wouldn’t be all show and no substance.
As Jing Dan ordered, Xu Zhihuan’s gaze was fixed on her, that sticky, stringy look in her eyes, which anyone could understand as revealing her thoughts.
This scene was stealthily captured by the paparazzi not far away; they even began to get excited. Xu Zhihuan’s look was blatantly impure!
This scoop was going to be profitable.
As Jing Dan started eating, she was completely unaware that the internet was already buzzing with discussions about her dinner with Xu Zhihuan. Many were speculating about Xu Zhihuan’s feelings for her, and some, upon seeing two beauties sitting across from each other, found the sight so pleasing that they started to ship the two as a couple.
And He Ying happened to see this news.
Clicking in, she saw several high-definition photos. In the photos, Jing Dan was dressed in a simple black suit with a white shirt, exuding an aura of intense restraint, her demeanor exceptionally noble. When she had a cold expression, even her gaze felt cool and distant.
Seeing Jing Dan like this, He Ying first chuckled, experiencing a feeling of being sober while everyone else is intoxicated. Thinking about how everyone online sees Jing Dan as an unattainable flower atop a high peak, only He Ying knew what kind of a foodie she was behind the scenes.
However, after looking at Jing Dan, her attention was drawn to another person in the photo.
He Ying: “…” How come she was together with Xu Zhihuan?
Her focus wasn’t entirely on Jing Dan anymore. She carefully examined the photo and then read the marketing account’s text description, her face almost turning dark.
Does Jing Dan even know what kind of person Xu Zhihuan is?
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Watching Jing Dan dining at the same table with Xu Zhihuan, He Ying felt a bit of heartache. That person across her is practically devouring you with her eyes; how can you still eat!
This stinky kid, can’t she cause less worry!
With a grimace, He Ying crawled out of bed and immediately started packing her things to check out. She couldn’t stand staying another second. She felt if she stayed any longer and let Jing Dan be with that old fox, who knows when she would get devoured by her!
After all, Xu Zhihuan is no gentleman. To get what she wants, she’d do anything.
The more He Ying thought about it, the angrier she felt inside, almost wishing she could drag that disobedient brat back and spank her! To see if she would dare to be so disobedient again!
LP: I made the mistake of dividing this chapter to three parts, sorry!