Chapter 21: Roadside Snack Stall

"Oh, then I really must congratulate Miss Yang the Elder. To hold something others discarded like a treasure—your hobbies are truly unique. I still have business to discuss, so I won’t chat with you two any longer. I wish you a long and happy life together."

Lin Aoxue’s words were as insincere as they could possibly be. Almost as soon as her voice faded, she fled the scene.

"I’m so mad! This Lin Aoxue has such a sharp tongue. She’s obviously furious, yet she’s still acting tough!" Yang Bingyu stomped her feet at her retreating figure. She had intended to anger Lin Aoxue, but ended up being left speechless instead.

Meanwhile, Ye Xuan, standing to the side, silently let go of Yang Bingyu’s hand. He pressed his lips together tightly, lost in thought. This left Yang Bingyu at a loss, and she rubbed her hands together nervously.

"Um... I’m sorry. I took it upon myself to say we were together just now. You’re not mad, are you?"

Ye Xuan stood rooted to the spot without a word, as if he hadn’t heard Yang Bingyu at all. This made Yang Bingyu frantic, and she hurriedly explained. "I just did that to make Lin Aoxue mad. You know I speak without thinking. I had a moment of madness and blurted it out. If you mind, I’ll go explain it to Lin Aoxue right now."

With that, Yang Bingyu made a move to chase after Lin Aoxue. Ye Xuan grabbed her wrist and gently shook his head.

"There’s no need. I know you meant well. This is for the best. Letting her mistakenly believe we’re together will sever ties completely."

"But..." Yang Bingyu looked at the depressed Ye Xuan, wanting to say something more, but he had already walked away. Helpless, she had no choice but to quickly follow him, leaving the Japanese food in the private room almost entirely untouched.

After parting ways with Yang Bingyu and Ye Xuan, Lin Aoxue wasn’t as carefree as she appeared on the surface. Instead, she leaned against a wall around the corner and shed tears. The image of Yang Bingyu and Ye Xuan holding hands tightly lingered in her mind. At the thought that they were already together, Lin Aoxue’s heart throbbed with pain.

Tears slid down uncontrollably. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. Just the thought that Ye Xuan would become someone else’s husband filled her heart with a hundredfold reluctance.

"President Lin, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?"

Just as Lin Aoxue was crying uncontrollably, President Liu, who had been discussing business with her moments ago, suddenly came looking for her. Seeing her bathed in tears, he quickly offered her a tissue.

"I’m sorry, President Liu. I’ve made a fool of myself." Not expecting to humiliate herself like this in front of a business partner, Lin Aoxue hurriedly wiped the tears from her face and forced a smile.

"Hey, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone has moments of emotional breakdown. Besides, you’re a woman, naturally more sentimental than us men. It’s completely normal to cry. You don’t need to feel sorry." President Liu smiled genially, closing the distance between them as he spoke.

Lin Aoxue’s mind was currently a tangled mess; how could she notice such a minor detail? She was even quite touched by President Liu’s words, thinking him to be very considerate.

A person is most prone to trusting others during times of emotional fragility and breakdown. At such moments, giving them just a little bit of comfort and warmth will make them think you’re the best person in the world. Lin Aoxue was no exception.

Instantly, Lin Aoxue’s attitude toward President Liu improved significantly. And after this incident, the way they addressed each other changed from President Liu and President Lin to Uncle Liu and Xue’er.

"Xue’er, stop crying. Such a pretty young lady won’t look good if she cries too much. Everyone is still waiting for you. Go freshen up." President Liu reached out and gently patted Lin Aoxue’s back, speaking with a kindly expression.

"Mhm, I understand. Uncle Liu, you go in first. I’ll freshen up and be right back." By now, Lin Aoxue had collected her emotions. Sniffling, she revealed a bright smile.

A flicker of lust surfaced in the depths of President Liu’s eyes, but he hid it exceptionally well. It had barely shown for a second before he instantly masked it. Lin Aoxue didn’t notice the strange look in his eyes at all. She was even rejoicing over meeting such a good business partner.

As for Ye Xuan, he came out of the Japanese restaurant with his mind in turmoil and wandered aimlessly down the street. He didn’t know how long he had been walking until his stomach let out a series of GRUMBLES, making him realize he hadn’t eaten a single bite just now. He couldn’t help but rub his belly, planning to find a place to make do with a meal.

"You’re hungry, aren’t you? Come on, let’s go get something delicious to eat."

Just as he was wondering what to eat, Yang Bingyu suddenly popped out from behind, startling him.

"Why are you here?" Ye Xuan asked in surprise. He thought Yang Bingyu had gone back a long time ago. He hadn’t expected this girl to follow him all the way.

"How could I feel at ease leaving you alone in this state? I was afraid something might happen to you, so I followed you all the way here," Yang Bingyu said with a hint of grievance, rubbing her own growling stomach.

Ye Xuan was amused by her adorable appearance. Reaching out, he ruffled her hair. "I’m sorry, it’s my fault. Tell me, what do you want to eat? It’s my treat."

Seeing that Ye Xuan was finally no longer sporting a long face, Yang Bingyu cheered up as well. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the roadside snack stalls, looking exactly like a little glutton.

"I want to eat that! Ever since I was little, my grandpa and the others were very strict and forbade me from eating at roadside snack stalls. Every time I saw my classmates eating there, I craved it so much. Today is the perfect chance to satisfy my cravings."

As Yang Bingyu spoke, she bounded over to the snack stalls. Ye Xuan smiled and shook his head; this girl was still too innocent.

"Then just have a little. You can’t eat too much." It was rare to see her so happy. Even though the hygiene of these roadside stalls wasn’t guaranteed, Ye Xuan still made an exception and let her eat there this once.

"Yay! That’s wonderful!" Seeing his agreement, Yang Bingyu was so happy she almost jumped into the air.

She enthusiastically started ordering. They had originally agreed on just eating a little, but in the end, she ordered almost everything on the menu. Looking at the mountain of snacks piled on the table, Yang Bingyu clicked her tongue.

"This... I accidentally ordered too much."

"It’s fine. You eat first. If you can’t finish, we can pack it up."

Ye Xuan looked at Yang Bingyu with a faint smile. After his major makeover, his handsomeness had increased by more than just a margin, leaving Yang Bingyu slightly dazed.