Chapter 30 Preface—Wen Ling's Boyfriend
Wen Ling was still thinking that after Shang Chen and the others finished and came out, she would explain to that boy that she thanked him for his affection and that she... already had someone she liked.
But only Shang Chen came out.
She exclaimed "Huh?" and looked behind him: "Where's that classmate?"
"He's gone." Seeing her still looking dejected, Shang Chen added, "He won't be coming back."
How dare he show his face in front of Wen Ling after taking tens of thousands of yuan from her for nothing?
“Oh… okay then.” Wen Ling glanced at him.
He had finally mustered up the courage to tell her he had someone he liked, but he himself didn't give her the chance.
She walked ahead.
Shang Chen followed behind, walking very slowly. Although he had won the 'battle', he was still a little unhappy.
Wen Ling sensed something was wrong and turned around. They were about two or three meters apart.
What's wrong with you?
Shang Chen grunted and said truthfully, "Not really."
Wen Ling turned around, put her hands behind her back, and waited for him to slowly stroll over: "Who upset you?"
It couldn't be her, could it?
Shang Chen narrowed his dark eyes: "Who else dares to mess with me?"
Wen Ling: "..."
She looked completely innocent: "But I didn't do anything."
The afternoon sun, filtering through the dappled leaves, casts dappled patterns, like stars, dazzlingly bright.
Just then, a gust of wind blew, and his deep voice slowly reached her ears: "Wen Ling, are you trying to hook me?"
Wen Ling's heart pounded: "I...I didn't."
"When will you agree?"
"You're already losing patience?" Wen Ling, now quite clever after being brainwashed by Chen Yao, said, "Then just don't chase after her..."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Shang Chen smiled, rarely seeing her so charming and innocent. He quickly caught up with her, deliberately leaning close to her ear and whispering, "I'm willing to be hooked by you."
…
I haven't had hot pot in a long time.
On a whim this week, Wen Ling invited her regular suitor to try a newly opened hot pot restaurant in the city.
I originally wanted to invite Wen He, but he recently broke up with his girlfriend and said he wanted to heal his heartbreak in his dorm and refused to participate in any gatherings.
The new store is offering significant discounts.
There were quite a few people eating hot pot. Wen Ling and her companion arrived early and only waited a short while before being seated.
Private rooms need to be booked in advance. If they can't get a seat, they can only sit in the crowded public area double seats. They are led to the table by a waiter and have to wait for the waiter to clean the table first.
This is what happens when business is good.
It's just... I don't know if the young master can stand this kind of environment.
Wen Ling glanced at Shang Chen and saw that he was not used to such a crowded environment. She gently hooked his little finger.
Wen Ling was about to stand on tiptoe.
Upon seeing this, Shang Chen lowered his head.
Wen Ling then whispered in his ear, "How about we go to another hot pot restaurant?"
"It's nothing." No sooner had she finished speaking than the cleaning lady, who hadn't seen the path when she stepped on her white sneakers, which cost 98,000 yuan, while backing away.
"..."
The aunt turned around, grabbed the rag, and waved her hand, saying, "Sorry, handsome."
The foul-smelling sewage was about to drip down, so Wen Ling hugged Shang Chen's arm and stepped back. Then she told the waiter that they had already placed an order and just wanted the food served, as she needed to go out and take care of something.
The waiter agreed.
Wen Ling whispered to him, "Next time, I'll definitely book a private room in advance, and you'll come eat with me again, okay?"
Shang Chen's chaotic mood was amused by her words, and he chuckled, ruffling her long, soft hair: "Are you so afraid that I won't come and eat with you?"
Wen Ling looked down at his dirty shoes, the bright footprints, and felt a little sorry for him: "You've really suffered."
"What?" Shang Chen lowered his head to meet her gaze. "What do you take me for? It's just a footprint. Is it worth all this coaxing?"
Shang Chen liked the plumpness of her face, with a little bit of baby fat still lingering. He gently pinched it: "You're so soft-hearted now, but you were ruthless when you rejected me."
"When have I ever refused you?" Wen Ling puffed out her cheeks and glared at him. "Don't talk nonsense."
"Then why am I still without a title or status?" Shang Chen laughed. "When will I be able to add a prefix to my name—Wen Ling's boyfriend, hmm?"
Wen Ling blushed, brushed his hand away, and mumbled a dismissive "$&%*".
Shang Chen laughed in exasperation.
Wen Ling left him outside the bathroom, took some clean paper, soaked it with water, wrung it out a bit, and when she went out, she saw two girls standing next to him, shyly asking him for his contact information.
She was startled, met Shang Chen's gaze, clutched the wet tissue, and shrank back.
I don't know how many seconds I waited at the sink, but then the two girls walked in with regretful looks on their faces: "It's unbelievable. What do kids these days eat to grow up like this? They're only in middle school, but they look like adults."
"If I weren't in such a hurry to get married, I would really like to give this handsome young man a try."
"Forget it, you're making minors commit crimes."
Wen Ling: "...cough cough cough."
She went out, her face still red from coughing. Shang Chen, with a cool expression, put one hand in his pocket. When she came back, he glanced at her. Wen Ling didn't say anything. He glanced at her again and said to him, "Your sisters didn't bother you. They don't need my help."
Shang Chen said nonchalantly, "What if I get clingy?"
Wen Ling shook her head: "There is no such assumption."
Shang Chen muttered again that Wen Ling was ruthless, but the ruthless person squatted down the next second and wiped the footprints off his shoes.
Shang Chen squatted down, grabbed her wrist, and took the wet tissue from her. He said, "You're just slapping me and then giving me a sweet treat. If anyone else dared to play me like this, they would have already... Never mind, it's my own choice anyway."
"You've really got my heart pounding all over the place."
…
Back at the hot pot restaurant, the red broth was already bubbling away. Wen Ling instantly forgot what had just happened and happily started cooking.
Even as the meal drew to a close, the restaurant remained packed with people.
The red broth in the pot had long since stopped boiling. Wen Ling was quite full and her thoughts were wandering when suddenly, with a 'bang,' the couple at the table behind her started arguing and smashing things.
Wen Ling snapped out of her daze and wanted to turn around to see what was going on.
Shang Chen had already stood up and took her hand: "Wen Ling, come here."
Just as Shang Chen was about to turn around with her arm around the person, she saw the basin containing the fatty beef being thrown at her. Shang Chen quickly stepped forward and used her entire back to block the basin.
The basin was a bit heavy, and I was dressed in thin clothes.
It hurt a little when it hit him, and he groaned.
My first reaction was to check if the person in my arms was alright.
Wen Ling heard his suppressed voice just now: "Did it hit you?"
There were too many customers. Because of the couple's outburst, everyone stood up and tried to escape, fearing they would be implicated. The lobby manager and waiters rushed over against the flow of people to handle the situation.
Shang Chen protected Wen Ling as they walked outside, the wound on his back occasionally rubbing against him until they reached an open space. Wen Ling reached out and turned him around, saying, "Let me see."
He laughed and said, "It's nothing, it just hurts a little."
Wen Ling looked up: "Then shall I blow on it for you?"
"..." Shang Chen glanced at the crowded shopping mall. "How about we go somewhere deserted? I don't want them to see this."
Wen Ling's face flushed. Hearing him still joking around like that, she figured he must be alright.
Thinking about how she had gone through so much trouble to enjoy a hot pot meal, she sighed softly, leaned against the glass railing, and once again decided that next time she went out for hot pot, she would definitely book a private room in advance.
besides…
"Shang Chen, please don't do this again."
"Hmm? How so?"
"Just like that, I don't want you to get hurt because of me."
She feels sad and guilty when others get hurt because of her.
Shang Chen leaned against her with one hand, his expression somewhat complicated: "Wen Ling, are you giving me the 'friend card'?"
Not wanting him to get hurt because of her probably means owing him a favor.
Wen Ling shook her head: "No, it's just..."
Her voice lowered: "I'd rather be the one who gets hurt."
Shang Chen said without any emotion, "If I just stand by and watch the person I like get hurt and do nothing, then I'm not a real man."
Wen Ling blushed slightly: "I can protect myself too."
Shang Chen didn't want to continue discussing this issue with her.
He gave a listless "hmm" and then fell silent.
Wen Ling took small steps over and gently touched his hand: "Are you unhappy?"
Shang Chen said no.
Wen Ling coaxed him again, explaining, "If you get hurt, I'll feel bad too. Can't we just try our best to protect ourselves so that neither of us gets hurt?"
Upon catching that key word, Shang Chen seemed to come alive again: "Heartache?"
"Wen Ling, you're just trying to fool me again."
"No, it's the truth."
It seemed that she had coaxed him like this too many times, so Shang Chen's emotions only fluctuated for a moment after hearing it, and then he continued to feel depressed.
Wen Ling bit her lip and leaned closer. This time, their faces were very close. Shang Chen turned his head slightly to the side, and their noses almost touched.
"Shang Chen, my sister-in-law said that you haven't formally confessed your feelings to me, and she won't let me accept you."
Chen Yao: "?"
Shang Chen paused for a few seconds, then suddenly a smile spread across his eyes. He twirled a strand of Wen Ling's hair between his fingers and said, "Why are you being so good today? Give me a shortcut to winning you over."
Wen Ling blushed and nodded.
She probably already understands what liking someone means.
She would want to be with him all the time, share anything interesting with him immediately, want to have close contact with him, feel a pang of jealousy when he ignores her, and inexplicably want to get angry when she sees other girls asking him for his contact information.
It was as if he was trying to guide her to acknowledge her true feelings.
Shang Chen asked again, "Do you like me?"
Wen Ling nodded again.
Shang Chen shamelessly suggested again, "Then... a kiss?"
Wen Ling had red lips and white teeth, and was as delicate as a porcelain doll. Upon hearing this, she hesitated for only two seconds before tiptoeing and kissing his cheek.
Shang Chen: "..."
His mind was racing, like a thousand alpacas galloping through his head. Shang Chen remained silent and dazed for a long time. Just as he was about to make a move, his phone rang at the most inopportune moment.
He kept trying, even after being hung up.
He answered the phone impatiently, and after hearing only two sentences from the other end, his romantic feelings vanished instantly.
Seeing Wen Ling's eagerness to learn, he suppressed his inner turmoil and gave her a restrained hug: "Something came up at home and I need to go back to deal with it. Wait for me to come back."
Wen Ling gently nuzzled his shoulder: "Do you need my help?"
How come he wants to leave so soon after I've just confessed my feelings...?
He was about to say no, but then changed his mind at the last minute: "Okay, I'll be there if needed."
"Mmm..." Wen Ling reached out and hugged him, her voice muffled, "I don't want you to leave..."
Shang Chen: "..."
Damn it, he's going back to kill those shameless bastards.
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Author's Note: Shang Chen, your wife is so cute, I'm taking her home! [Lop-eared rabbit head][Lop-eared rabbit head]
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