Chapter Twenty-Three: The Way of Repaying Favors... Quite Unique!
"You all saw that, right? My Luo Yan has such an excellent boyfriend, she would never be so foolish as to become a mistress. Everyone, please disperse..."
Xu Jingfei waved her hand, preparing to end the battle.
Yang Xin suddenly broke free from Wu Yuzhou's hand, looked at Jiang Sui standing behind Luo Yan, and said in an extremely firm tone, "Aunt Xu, stop covering for her. I know they're faking it! Luo Yan must have used some means to force Jiang Sui to join her in this act, deliberately putting on a show for me and Yuzhou!"
"What? Such a thing exists? Young people these days have so many tricks up their sleeves when it comes to dating!"
"That girl surnamed Luo really did something unethical."
"I knew it! How could a boy who looks like a celebrity be interested in that girl surnamed Luo!"
"It's still to show Attorney Wu that I'm still a third party!"
The elderly people who were about to leave were clearly aroused by these words and were successfully swayed by Yang Xin's remarks.
Luo Yan was dumbfounded; she hadn't expected Yang Xin to pull this stunt!
It's obvious they won't stop until they ruin her reputation; they won't be satisfied until they force her to admit to being a "third party."
Normal women are afraid their husbands will have affairs, but Yang Xin creates mistresses even when there aren't any, which is utterly speechless.
"Oh, which auntie saw it with her own eyes?"
Luo Yan tried to remain calm, but her hands unconsciously clenched.
She's had this problem since she was little. When she's in the right, she's never guilty. If someone says one thing, she can retort with ten. But this time... she's genuinely guilty. If she can't admit it, she can only take a gamble.
"Do you two look like you're dating? He doesn't even touch your hand when he helps you up!"
Seeing Luo Yan's slightly changed expression, Yang Xin thought he had finally caught her red-handed and smiled smugly.
"..."
Looking at the gazes of those around her, Luo Yan felt as if she had been stripped naked in public.
Damn Jiang Sui, he didn't need to help her up! I never realized Yang Xin had such good eyesight before!
The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear.
Everyone stared wide-eyed, stunned by what they saw.
Luo Yan's heart pounded wildly, her face burning hot enough to fry an egg, but she forced a cocky "How about that, scared now?" look and raised her chin at Yang Xin: "Still saying we're fake? Want me to give you another French kiss? But that's a different price!"
"..."
Everything happened so suddenly. Jiang Sui slowly turned his head and stared straight at Luo Yan. His dark eyes were unfathomable, filled with confusion and a tiny, almost imperceptible fear. He seemed to want to say something, but hesitated to speak.
Yang Xin's mouth was agape, like a chicken with its neck being choked, unable to utter a single word. Wu Yuzhou's face was even more ashen, as if he had swallowed a fly whole.
Xu Jingfei was the first to react, pulling Luo Yan, who was still trying to hold on, behind her. She waved to Yang Xin and Wu Yuzhou, "Alright, the evidence is conclusive, a high-definition, uncensored live version! Go back and get your brain checked if you need to, take your medicine if you need to, everyone disperse, go buy groceries if you want, grab the eggs if you want..."
The onlookers dispersed, still wanting more, and the farce finally came to an end.
Xu Jingfei turned around, crossed her arms, and looked Luo Yan up and down, her face flushed, and Jiang Sui beside her, whose expression was unreadable. There was a faint lip print on his handsome face, making him look both sensual and comical.
"Well done, Luo Yan! Your methods are impressive! Simple, brutal, and effective. After raising you for over twenty years, you've finally shown some of the style I had back in the day!"
Luo Yan wished she could dig a hole and disappear. She glanced nervously at Jiang Sui, gritting her teeth, "Shut up! I didn't..."
“I understand!” Xu Jingfei interrupted her, pointing at Jiang Sui. “Let me make this clear: today I was just annoyed by that brat surnamed Yang running wild on my turf, not for you. Now that I’ve driven her away and seen your show, shouldn’t you and your ‘boyfriend’ disappear from my house? Don’t hold me back.” After she finished speaking, she pushed the two of them out without any politeness.
The door closed behind them, and Luo Yan and Jiang Sui stood in the hallway, looking at each other, the air thick with extreme awkwardness.
Luo Yan lowered her head, her fingers almost sparking as she rubbed them together, her voice barely audible: "I...I'm sorry, President Jiang, I just...I got so angry with Yang Xin that I acted impulsively. Please don't take it to heart, just think of it as being bitten by a dog!"
Jiang Sui remained silent for a moment, then raised his hand and rubbed the remaining lipstick mark on his cheek with his fingertips. Luo Yan's heart jumped up and down with his movements, almost giving her a heart attack.
"Hmm." He finally spoke, but his voice was very calm. "I underestimated your determination to cover up the lie."
"..."
That's it? That's all?
Luo Yan glanced at him and found that he didn't seem angry.
At this moment, she suddenly remembered that Jiang Sui seemed to have said something to Wu Yuzhou earlier. She didn't hear it clearly, but she could clearly see the change in Wu Yuzhou's expression.
"President Jiang, may I ask what you said to Wu Yuzhou? Why did his expression suddenly change like that?"
“I told him that President Luo had decided to choose Zhengwang as his legal counsel, and he was probably a little surprised.”
"Hmm? They still chose Zhengwang?!"
Are you happy for Wu Yuzhou?
"I'm not happy for him at all. I'm just a little surprised. I thought Luo Muyang would be happy because of me..."
"Indeed, it's partly because of you."
"What do you mean?"
"President Luo said he was afraid Wu Yuzhou would continue to bother you... Of course, it's not entirely because of you; Zhengwang's plan is indeed better."
"Well, Luo Muyang is never clever in small matters, but he's never confused in big matters."
Luo Yan nodded and continued the previous topic, "But Wu Yuzhou didn't seem... surprised just now."
Jiang Sui glanced at her; the lip print on her left cheek looked like a strange mark, and she tensed slightly.
"Everyone expresses 'surprise' in different ways."
"..."
Luo Yan immediately lost the desire to continue the conversation, wishing she could shrink into a mushroom, and secretly observed Jiang Sui out of the corner of her eye. He was focused on the road ahead, calm as if nothing had happened.
This man... is he holding back some amazing move?!
Once she accepted this premise, the more nonchalant Jiang Sui appeared, the more guilty Luo Yan felt. She naturally thought of "Final Destination," wondering if Jiang Sui, the "Grim Reaper," was currently contemplating which "way to die" to choose for her.
Back at the bureau in the afternoon for a meeting, Jiang Sui's performance was unexpectedly normal. He asked questions, answered questions, sought instructions, and gave orders. Occasionally, his eyes met Luo Yan's, but there was no awkwardness in his eyes. He was simply professional.
Luo Yan gradually relaxed. It seemed that he really didn't take it seriously and was just playing along out of gentlemanly manners.
That makes sense. What kind of world hasn't a man like Jiang Sui seen? Why would he take her little gestures, which could be categorized as "international etiquette," to heart?
Peace and safety, it's five o'clock again.
Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief; she had finally made it through. She pulled out her phone and saw the notification; she was instantly revived. The long-awaited movie, *Interstellar Vortex*, premiered today!
She immediately sent a message to Zeng Rong:
- Rong Momo, "Star Vortex" is showing! Let's go to the International Cinema tonight, I'm buying tickets!
Zeng Rong quickly replied:
- My sister can't go today, Lao Fang is back from his business trip. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, you know what I mean. [shy]
Ugh... I can almost smell the saccharine scent of romance through the phone.
Luo Yan curled her lip in disgust and poked Liu Su again:
- Su Su, a sci-fi epic! IMAX! Please, sis!
Liu Su replied with an apologetic emoji:
- Sister Yan, the youth movie starring my favorite actor has been released. I've already bought the tickets. Why don't you come with me to see it?
Luo Yan: "..."
Forget it, this time the walls are so thick that even Italian cannons can't break through them.
Am I supposed to go by myself? The loneliness of watching a movie alone is on the list of the most lonely things. This world is really unfriendly to single people who don't follow celebrities.
While mentally grumbling, I casually took a screenshot of the conversation and posted it on my WeChat Moments with the caption: "Whoever will go to the premiere with me, I'll offer myself to them! [doge]"
As I stepped out of the gate, before I even reached the subway entrance, I heard the beeping of car horns behind me.
Luo Yan subconsciously turned around, and Jiang Sui pulled up beside her, rolling down the window: "Comrade Luo Yan, you said you owed me a favor at noon, does that still count?"
"It's a number, what's wrong?"
"I'm giving you a chance to repay this favor, do you want it?"
Jiang Sui smiled slightly, but Luo Yan inexplicably shivered.
He came after all. Her intuition was right. This man seemed fine on the surface, but he was actually preparing a big move. What "giving an opportunity"? It couldn't be anything good!
Luo Yan cautiously took a half-step back: "I can't break the law, I can't violate public morals and order, I can't sell my dignity, and of course, my health is out of the question. I also can't damage the image of a civil servant..."
"It's just watching a movie, it's not that serious."
Jiang Sui interrupted her unhurriedly, slowly raising his eyes: "Science fiction, 'Interstellar Vortex,' want to watch it?"
"Huh? Go to the movies?" Luo Yan couldn't believe it. Was this exactly the perfect opportunity for her to repay the "favor" Jiang Sui wanted her to have?
Is this for real?
Seeing Luo Yan hesitate, Jiang Sui continued, "This doesn't violate your principles, does it?"
Why a movie?
"The movie premieres today. I don't want to go alone. I see you're free, so I thought I'd go with you and also make up for the favor you owe me."
Tsk, so that's how it is.
Luo Yan began to waver. After all, she really wanted to see the premiere, but going with Jiang Sui? It seemed even more sci-fi than the movie itself.
"But I haven't eaten yet..."
"I haven't eaten either, let's eat together, then we can go at the same time."
Jiang Sui opened the passenger door. From his tone to his expression to his actions, everything seemed very natural, without a trace of suggestive content. Yet, Luo Yan had a strange feeling that they were... on a date?
No, it's returning a favor! It's just normal, friendly communication between revolutionary comrades, yes, that's it!
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