Chapter 52
When I came out of the movie theater, it was almost 1 a.m. The midnight movie theater that only started showing movies at 10 p.m. was really something else.
Anna and Lin Xiang held hands, their hormones raging, and her voice was filled with tireless excitement, "Lin Xiang said you guys treat us to the movie, and we'll treat you to the barbecue for the second half, would you do me the honor?"
Cheng Yang glanced at the bracelet. "Miss Anna, you have to go to work tomorrow. Let's do it another day."
Cheng Mo, hands in his pockets, raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips, "Uncle, what time is it? Are you an old man?"
Cheng Yang rolled his eyes at Cheng Mo and looked at Chi Xia, "Xia, what do you say?"
The parking lot outside the cinema was dimly lit. The people coming out of the cinema all looked very energetic, and they were all young people, chatting in groups of three or five about the second half of the movie.
Chi Xia stood to the side and behind Cheng Yang, her gaze sweeping over Lin Xiang, who was slightly turned to the side, looking at Anna with tenderness in his eyes. "There's no time like the present. If you're not feeling well tomorrow, go to the school clinic and get a dose of energy recovery solution."
Cheng Mo smiled and gently bumped his uncle's shoulder. "Uncle, I always said that she and I are the same age."
Anna gave Chi Xia a big smile. "What a fun buddy! It's my honor to be your colleague and best friend. I know a really famous barbecue stand nearby, let's go!"
Five people in two cars. Cheng Yang followed Anna and her partner in the car in front, shaking his head helplessly, "I really admire Anna's stamina. She's several years older than me, but she's always as energetic as if she's been injected with chicken blood."
"You don't understand, hormones make people young and full of energy." Cheng Mo turned his head, "Teacher, do you know Anna's blind date?"
Chi Xia: "I've met you before."
Cheng Mo: "I've noticed you've been observing the other person several times. Is there something wrong?"
Cheng Yang glanced at the two of them in the rearview mirror and asked, "What are you talking about? What's wrong with Anna's boyfriend? Is she cheating on you two?"
The neon lights passing by changed in turn, turning red and green inside the car, while the people inside remained still, like a canvas being painted.
Before understanding the other party's true intentions, there's no need to create unnecessary trouble. Chi Xia said, "Anna asked me to help her find a match."
Cheng Mo grinned, "Teacher, I'm not kidding, but won't your serious personality really put you at a disadvantage?"
Chi Xia: "Eat when necessary."
The two men in front of her laughed, but Chi Xia couldn't. Anna's blind date had a buzz cut and a strong physique. Coincidentally, he was the same man in the black suit who had been waiting in the basement of No. 303 Liangkou Street. He was replaced at 8:50.
At Old Madam Cheng's banquet, Chi Xia killed one person; this is another.
This coincidence was so sudden, it was as if it had been delivered to her in a hurry. Anna had asked her to go on a blind date with her, which was a coincidence. And this man's eyes were only on Anna, which made Chi Xia unsure whether this was a real blind date or a setup.
A well-trained thug is characterized by being stern, straightforward, and obedient. No one would doubt that he is a veteran, but he certainly doesn't have any outstanding acting skills.
By spending more time with him, I might be able to find out what he's up to.
Upon arrival, Anna skillfully led them to park the car in a slightly secluded spot, one that would definitely not be vandalized by the drunkard. She then led them around to the back door of the barbecue restaurant, from where they went directly to the private room in the backyard. She invited everyone to sit down, then got up to look at the menu for the evening, with Lin Xiang following her.
Cheng Yang flipped through the menu on the table, while Cheng Mo got up and wandered around. It was a very old building, with stone and wood forming the main frame. It was next to an old town area that was being renovated by the new city. The low roof tiles looked like they had been soaked in rainwater for many years, and moss grew in many places.
"Are you sure the food from this place is edible?" He pointed to the railing of the so-called private room, the wood of which looked like it could collapse with a push.
Cheng Yang took out a pack of tissues and carefully wiped the blackened wooden stool. He handed the first one to Chi Xia and said to his nephew, "Since we're here, let's make the best of it. At worst, we'll be stuck here for a couple of days."
Cheng Mo wanted to cry, "Is it too late for me to regret this now?"
Cheng Yang handed him a chair as well. "Sentencing someone to death without even trying is a tragedy for kids your age. Look how calm Xia is. You two aren't on the same mental level."
Cheng Mo gripped the edge of the stool with his hand. "Uncle, I just realized how competitive you are."
Cheng Yang began checking the bowls and chopsticks. "You just found out? You call yourself a top student for nothing? You can't imagine the hardships I endured on my path to education. This kind of hole-in-the-wall restaurant is nothing."
Chi Xia: "What kind of hardship are you enduring?"
Just as Cheng Yang was about to speak, Cheng Mo interrupted, "I remember now, my uncle was a top student since kindergarten. In his second year of high school, a transfer student came to his class and knocked him off from his position as the top student in the whole school. The worst part was that the other student was a girl. My uncle was so angry that he slept no more than 4 hours a day for a whole month, and managed to surpass the other student in the next monthly exam. But that girl was no pushover either, and she surpassed him again the next time. The two outstanding students raced back and forth like this for two years, causing a sensation throughout the city. But the day before the college entrance exam, that girl suddenly fell to her death."
Cheng Mo glanced at his uncle and saw Cheng Yang's expression slowly turn cold. Cheng Mo lowered his voice and walked past the girl, "My uncle got seriously ill after the college entrance examination, which scared the whole family."
Just then, Anna and Lin Xiang arrived. Lin Xiang was carrying a case of beer, which he put down. Anna said in a rapid-fire voice, "I've looked around, and the seafood tonight is incredibly fresh. I've ordered almost everything. The small meat skewers and pig brains are must-orders here. We've ordered a total of one hundred skewers of beef, lamb, and pork, and two pig brains for each person. What else would you like to eat?"
Cheng Yang laughed, "That's enough, does either of us look like a competitive eater?"
Anna sat down, patted her chest with a smile, and said, "I, I am the glutton."
Lin Xiang opened a beer and poured a glass for everyone. He saw himself as a waiter and didn't say more than five sentences all night.
Chi Xia took the beer Lin Xiang offered, but he was very careful, immediately moving his hand back as soon as Chi Xia touched the glass. Chi Xia smiled faintly, "Thank you. How did Brother Lin and Sister Nana meet?"
As Lin Xiang poured himself a glass, a slight smile played on his lips. "We met on a dating website."
Anna laughed and picked up the conversation, "When I first talked to him, I thought it was a robot. He agreed to everything I asked, and he even agreed to meet me. That's why I didn't dare come alone, afraid of running into some weird old man. Luckily, it wasn't what I expected. He was very polite, and being a man of few words is just his personality."
Cheng Yang thanked him and accepted the beer. "That's just how it is. You talk a lot and he talks little. It's a perfect example of the complementary principle of a puzzle."
Lin Xiang smiled and glanced at Anna. His gaze was filled with a mix of naivety, shyness, and joy, and Chi Xia was certain that he wasn't acting.
Chi Xia, seemingly possessed by a curious child, asked, "Sister Nana, how long did you talk before deciding to meet?"
Anna handed Chi Xia a straw. "We've been chatting for almost two months now."
Lin Xiang: "67 days."
Chi Xia raised her glass, "Congratulations on not being a disaster after meeting in person."
Anna and Lin Xiang exchanged another glance, and then they bumped hands. The owner came in carrying red-hot charcoal, "Anna, my beautiful lady, it's been so long! You finally remembered to come and eat at my barbecue restaurant today!"
Anna gestured for everyone to leave the table and asked the owner to put the charcoal in. "Hey, I want to come too. I couldn't find anyone to eat with when I was single."
Boss: "What are you afraid of? If you come, I would still let you sit at a table alone. There are plenty of young men who like you. A few days ago, one of them kept asking if you were here. I have to call him back in a bit to tell him you're here."
A different expression appeared on Lin Xiang's face, one that wasn't serious. He turned his head to look at Anna, a half-smile on his face. Anna was amused by his gaze and immediately replied to her boss, "No, no, no, I brought my boyfriend with me today."
The boss laughed even harder, wiping the sweat from his brow as he placed the charcoal on the fire. He stood to the side with the fire tongs and gestured for them to sit down. Then he glanced around at everyone present and said, "All three young men are handsome. Let me know which one is your boyfriend. I'll give you a discount next time you come."
Lin Xiang wiped the charcoal slag off the table. Anna patted his shoulder and said, "This handsome guy with the buzz cut is my boyfriend. Boss, remember this: if he brings any girl here to eat, you absolutely must notify me immediately so I can catch him cheating."
Lin Xiang tossed aside the tissue, grabbed Anna's hand, and held it in his palm. "You don't have that kind of chance."
Love is like a bottle of wine; it's intoxicating no matter when it's opened. The Cheng uncle and nephew exchanged knowing glances and then laughed.
The owner smiled and looked back and forth between the two. "You two are a perfect match! I'll bring you two two new dishes in a bit. Congratulations on finding your other half."
Anna: "Thank you so much!"
The dishes were served quickly, already seasoned and half-cooked. They could grill them at their own table for about ten minutes and then eat them. The enticing aroma was gradually released by the charcoal fire, rich and intense.
Cheng Mo flipped the meat skewers in front of him. "I can smell the aroma."
Cheng Yang: "Didn't you say you couldn't eat it?"
Cheng Mo: "You deserve to be single for exposing someone's shortcomings to their face."
Anna laughed, leaning her head naturally against Lin Xiang. "Come on, let us see you two, uncle and nephew, hurting each other. Let me witness the fascinating world of family feuds."
Cheng Yang threw peanuts at her, saying, "Get lost."
Lin Xiang caught the peanuts steadily, put them in his mouth and chewed them, then blew on the grilled meat skewers to cool them down before handing them to Anna.
Cheng Yang: "Wow, not bad skills. Where do you work now?"
Lin Xiang: "I work as a bodyguard for people."
Cheng Yang: "Really? How's the salary? How many days off per month?"
Lin Xiang: "Monthly salary is 20,000 yuan, with extra pay for any events, and 4 days off per month."
Cheng Yang: "That's great! I'd even like to recruit you to work for my company."
Lin Xiang: "Once I signed the contract, I can't change jobs anytime soon."
Surprisingly, he didn't lie and told Cheng Yang, someone he had only met for less than half a day, everything in detail.
Chi Xia saw it all. She couldn't quite describe her feelings at that moment. This "tool" who always appeared in front of various forces and followed orders was actually a flesh-and-blood person who was pursuing the girl he liked.
It was obvious that Anna and he liked each other, but Anna had no idea how dangerous this boyfriend she had taken a liking to was, or how many chilling and cruel things he had done behind her back. If she were a person with a high moral compass, she might have advised Anna to think twice afterward.
But Chi Xia is third on the assassin list. Her thinking is obviously different from ordinary people. When she looks at this issue, she can put aside the other party's identity and simply see Lin Xiang's feelings for Anna.
But this won't affect her judgment or her determination to avenge her sisters; those who deserve to die will still die eventually.
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