Song Xi was almost mesmerized.
Gu Lishang suddenly looked up, and their eyes met.
Song Xi quickly pulled her gaze away, startled, looking as though she had been caught doing something she shouldn't. She immediately lowered her head and, pretending to be nonchalant, walked down the stairs, staring straight ahead as she passed Gu Lishang without a glance.
"Do you work here?"
His voice was cold and detached, so calm that it betrayed no emotion.
Did Gu Lishang not realize she was the server who had poured his drinks earlier? Then again, she had been wearing a mask and hadn't said much, so it was normal for him not to recognize her. She looked up and replied politely.
"Yes, I happen to work here. What a coincidence."
Gu Lishang crushed the cigarette in his hand and tossed it into a nearby trash can.
Song Xi took the initiative to bring up their previous encounter. "I’m very sorry for offending you by going to your villa without checking in first. I hope you won't hold it against me."
"It's fine."
It seemed Gu Lishang was no longer angry. That meant Sister Liuer's life shouldn't be too difficult, which put her mind at ease. She looked up and smiled; a gentle breeze stirred the bangs on her forehead, giving her an air of vivacious softness.
"I have things to attend to, so I'll be going now. It's getting late, you should go back and rest too."
Song Xi said her polite goodbyes, already mentally calculating which street food stall she would hit up for a bowl of piping hot wontons and a serving of pan-fried buns. Just thinking about it made her feel happy!
Suddenly, Gu Lishang’s voice came from behind her.
"Where are you going?"
Gu Lishang didn't know what had come over him. Seeing Song Xi about to leave, the words had slipped out before he could think, which surprised even him.
Song Xi gestured in a certain direction. "I'm heading to the street food market for a late-night snack."
"..."
He fell silent.
She added a polite courtesy. "Would you like to come and see?"
"Fine. Let's go."
"???"
She was certain she had just said that out of habit. Who would have thought Gu Lishang would actually agree? Would a big shot like him really be willing to eat street food? Now it was Song Xi's turn to feel awkward. Was she actually supposed to take him?
"Though, I don't think you'll be used to the food."
"We haven't even gone yet; how do you know?"
"That’s true..."
"Also, stop with the 'you'—it’s grating."
"Oh, right." Song Xi replied weakly.
Since things had come to this, she had no choice but to take him along. Gu Lishang glanced at his car parked on the side of the road, where the driver was still waiting.
"Is it far? Should we drive?"
"It’s not far. About three hundred meters if we walk through the alleyway."
"Let's go."
Gu Lishang took a long stride and followed her. Song Xi wondered why Gu Lishang had suddenly become so easygoing. But this man was temperamental; the last time they met, he had been normal at first before suddenly flying into a rage. She had to stay cautious.
Under the streetlights, their shadows stretched out long. They walked one after the other, but in the light, their silhouettes seemed to walk side by side. Song Xi often took this path from the entertainment center to the food street, so she knew it well. Within five minutes, they had traveled from the high-end club to the bustling, smoke-filled market.
Even at three in the morning, it was lively, with a steady stream of diners. Their appearance drew quite a few looks; it was hard not to stare at such a handsome, striking pair. Gu Lishang frowned; this noisy, crowded scene was certainly a challenge for him. He never came to places like this; he usually went to venues that were either VIP-only or booked out entirely.
Song Xi: "I’m going to grab a bowl of wontons, then take them to the pan-fried bun stall to eat. Is there anything you want?"
"The same as you. I'll try it."
"Alright."
Since she had brought him along, she had no choice but to accommodate him. She ordered two bowls of wontons at the stand, only to see him pull out a black card and hand it to the owner.
"Charge it."
The owner: ????
Was this guy crazy? Who uses a credit card at a hole-in-the-wall stall?
"We don't take cards here."
Gu Lishang's face darkened, and just as it looked like a storm was brewing, Song Xi intervened.
"I'll pay."
She quickly scanned the code and settled the bill. "Owner, it’s paid."
"Got it." The owner replied, casting a look of disdain at Gu Lishang, clearly still thinking he was a lunatic.
Fortunately, unlike Xie Qian, Gu Lishang was a composed man despite his unpredictable temper; he wasn't easily triggered, and he didn't make a scene. Song Xi hurried to stand in front of him, smiling and urging the cook to speed things up, trying to diffuse the tension.
"Hurry up, please, owner! I’m starving."
"Coming, coming!" The owner glanced at the condiment station. "Add your own seasoning."
"Sure."
Song Xi grabbed two clear plastic bowls and began adding pickled vegetables, seaweed, green onions, a little cilantro, and sesame oil... After working at it for a while, she looked up to see Gu Lishang’s expression of disgust.
"These bowls release toxins when they hold hot food..."
"Oh, you want yours just like mine, right?"
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Do you want green onions? Cilantro?"
It was clear Song Xi hadn't heard a word he said. Gu Lishang was so infuriated he actually laughed; he didn't feel angry at all, and even answered her question seriously.
"Onions, no cilantro."
"Got it."
She skillfully prepared another serving. Soon, the owner placed the piping-hot wontons into the bowls. Song Xi carried them to the nearby pan-fried bun stall, where a few customers were still sitting at weathered tables. By chance, there were two empty spots.
"How lucky."
Song Xi hurried to claim the seats. When she looked up, she saw Gu Lishang looking repulsed. She had no choice but to act like a server, asking the owner for napkins to wipe down the stools and the table, repeating to herself that she had received a large tip from him, so doing a little extra was only fair.
"Is it okay now?"
Only then did Gu Lishang begrudgingly sit down.
The pan-fried buns were served shortly after. The golden crusts were sprinkled with white sesame seeds, and the undersides were seared to a crispy, golden-brown perfection. Just looking at them made one's mouth water. Song Xi broke apart a pair of disposable chopsticks and handed them to Gu Lishang.
"Eat up."
With that, she ignored him and began to eat. Gu Lishang sat there hesitating for a long time, but seeing Song Xi eating with such gusto, he looked down at his own food and finally picked up his chopsticks.
The first bite was a revelation. After a night of drinking, a bowl of hot wontons followed by juicy, crispy pan-fried buns really did feel like it was warming him from the stomach to the heart. This was quite an experience.
Not far away, Sun Xiaoyu, who was in a great mood treating her friends to snacks, heard one of them say, "Hey, isn't that Song Xi? That guy with her is so handsome—is he her boyfriend?"
"Holy crap! Isn't that Lord Shang? Oh my god! Is something wrong with my eyes? Is that really Lord Shang? Why would he be in a place like this!"