A handsome man and a striking woman make a combination that easily draws attention, standing out instantly even in a bustling crowd.
A colleague tugged at Sun Xiaoyu's arm.
"Sister Xiaoyu, look over there. Is that really Lord Shang? Lord Shang has barely ever visited our entertainment club—I've hardly seen him, let alone had any chance to serve him. You're well-connected, so you must recognize Lord Shang, right?"
Sun Xiaoyu looked in that direction, her gaze instantly locking onto Gu Lishang and Song Xi.
The two of them were extraordinarily eye-catching.
With just that one glance, Sun Xiaoyu was left utterly shocked and speechless.
Gu Lishang was so strikingly handsome—how could she possibly not recognize him?
This was Gu Lishang!
The person beside her nudged the dazed Sun Xiaoyu, looking extremely excited.
"Sister Xiaoyu, is that Lord Shang? Is it, is it?"
Sun Xiaoyu finally managed to snap out of her shock and nodded.
"Yes, it's Lord Shang."
"Ah? Really Lord Shang?! Why would Lord Shang come to a place like this for a late-night snack?"
"Holy crap! I never would've expected this. That newcomer looked so quiet and innocent—I thought she was genuinely pure, but turns out she just thought ordinary customers weren't high-class enough."
"This newcomer really has some tricks up her sleeve. She doesn't make a move often, but when she does, she goes straight for the biggest fish."
"To be able to get Lord Shang to come to a dump like this for a late-night snack, she's seriously cunning!"
Someone else chimed in with a sour tone, "Lord Shang's just never seen a place like this and wanted a change of pace. She really thinks she's somebody now."
Watching Song Xi, Sun Xiaoyu's eyes were filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment. She had noticed back in the private room earlier that Gu Lishang clearly disliked other women getting close to him, yet he had specifically allowed Song Xi to sit beside him and pour his drinks.
And now, after leaving the entertainment club, they had even come out for a late-night snack together?
Where on earth did this clueless little girl get such incredible charm?
Consumed by jealousy, she clenched her fists tightly.
Suddenly, an idea struck her, and the corners of her lips curved into a clear, malicious smile.
She took out her phone and snapped a photo of Song Xi and Gu Lishang.
***
Both of them ate their late-night snack in quiet companionship, with very few words exchanged, yet the atmosphere was pleasant.
Until both of them achieved a clean-plate club.
Seeing the empty plastic takeout container in front of Gu Lishang, Song Xi couldn't help laughing.
Gu Lishang asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Song Xi imitated Gu Lishang's earlier tone of voice.
"Bowls like that release toxic substances when they hold hot food~"
"..."
The remark instantly made Gu Lishang realize what she was being sarcastic about, but instead of getting angry, he kindly reminded her once again, "Once or twice is one thing, but you should eat less of this normally. Once you get sick, there's no cure of regret."
"Got it."
Song Xi thought to herself that she never would have guessed Gu Lishang could nag just like an elderly relative.
She stood up and scanned the QR code at the pan-fried bun stall. "Boss, I've paid for the pan-fried buns."
"You got it!"
The boss was still busy cooking the buns over a roaring fire.
After paying, Song Xi waved at Gu Lishang.
"I'm full and satisfied, so it's time for me to go home. Mr. Gu, you should head back to rest early too—staying up late is bad for your health."
Gu Lishang stood up as well.
His tall, straight figure instantly looked remarkably striking in these surroundings.
"I'll drive you."
Song Xi hurriedly waved her hands.
"No, no, we probably aren't heading in the same direction. I can just hail a cab back by myself, and the store will reimburse my taxi fare tonight."
"Add me on WeChat."
"Huh?"
Song Xi briefly wondered if she had misheard. Gu Lishang was taking the initiative to ask for her WeChat?
You've got to be kidding me.
Gu Lishang said with a straight face, "I'll transfer you the money for tonight's late-night snack."
"It's fine, treat it as my treat."
"Since when do I need you to treat me?"
Song Xi was stunned.
This was the first time she had ever had someone look down on her treat.
Hmph, men are truly impossible to please!
Song Xi decided she still needed to stay far away from this man. With his volatile temperament, killing her on a whim someday if he was in a bad mood would probably be second nature to her.
"My taxi is about to arrive, I'm leaving first, bye-bye!"
With that, she slipped away like she had oiled the soles of her feet.
She didn't even offer a single goodbye.
It was as if she had never intended to see him again.
At the thought of this, Gu Lishang felt a stifled, frustrating weight pressing against his chest.
***
Song Xi found the ride-hailing car at the intersection, got in, and gave the last four digits of her phone number.
She leaned back against the passenger seat, gazing at the scenery outside the window.
Leaving the snack street behind, the area grew sparsely populated, replaced by empty, quiet streets where the occasional car sped past them in the opposite direction.
Her thoughts drifted back to Gu Lishang, that inscrutable man.
Today, he had scolded her again just because she treated him to a late-night snack.
This man really had a terrible temper.
"Buzz—!"
The phone in her pocket vibrated. To her surprise, it was a message from Sun Xiaoyu.
She rarely interacted with Sun Xiaoyu normally, exchanging at most a couple of messages back when they first added each other.
Curious, she opened the chat window, wondering why Sun Xiaoyu was suddenly contacting her.
The first thing that caught her eye was a candid photo of her and Gu Lishang eating together.
Sun Xiaoyu: [I remember Huang Liuer is currently with Lord Shang too, right? Tell me, if Huang Liuer found out you were out here seducing her sugar daddy, how do you think that would go?]
The color drained from Song Xi's lips.
She had never intended to wrong Huang Liuer, but who could have expected Gu Lishang to actively thrust himself into the picture? She simply hadn't had the heart to refuse.
Song Xi replied: [What do you want?]
Sun Xiaoyu: [Give me one hundred thousand, and I'll delete this photo.]
Song Xi: [Do you realize this is extortion and blackmail!]
Sun Xiaoyu: [What extortion? Don't make it sound so ugly. I'm just naming a price, and whether you want to buy it or not is entirely up to you. You can also choose not to buy.]
She was indeed afraid that Huang Liuer would misunderstand and damage their relationship, but Sun Xiaoyu's asking price was far too exorbitant.
She decided to just throw caution to the wind: [No money, not buying.]
Sun Xiaoyu immediately dropped a threat: [Fine, you made this choice yourself, so don't blame me for being heartless.]
Song Xi had already exited the chat window, scrolling down and staring blankly at Huang Liuer's avatar.
She might as well figure out how she was going to explain all this to Huang Liuer.