Chapter 240: No Time for Romance

After Yang Chen left, Lin Ruoxi and Li Jingjing spent nearly an hour playing with the children before Director Cha urged the children to obediently go eat.

Finally able to break away, though reluctant, Lin Ruoxi and Li Jingjing, being girls after all and feeling exhausted, bid farewell to Director Cha and left the orphanage together.

Outside the gates, Lin Ruoxi said to Li Jingjing, "Jingjing, let me walk you home. It's getting dark."

Li Jingjing smiled and shook her head, "No need, Ruoxi. It's just a short walk for me. Besides, you'll be getting home much later than me. You go ahead and drive."

Knowing Li Jingjing rented a place nearby, Lin Ruoxi nodded, "Alright. How about we have dinner together?"

"I still have groceries from yesterday that I haven't finished cooking. I'll go home and cook. Or, Ruoxi, why don't you come over to my place? I'm quite good at cooking," Li Jingjing suggested.

A hint of interest lit up in Lin Ruoxi's eyes, "Jingjing, you're good at cooking?"

"Yeah, why? Do you want me to teach you? You can cover the cost of ingredients," Lin Ruoxi said.

Li Jingjing looked puzzled, "Ruoxi, don't you have Wang Mama who's great at cooking?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid of being seen by that annoying guy," Lin Ruoxi admitted sheepishly.

Li Jingjing lowered her head in silence for a moment before saying, "Alright then, but if you learn, you have to invite me over to your place a few times as a thank you for teaching you."

Lin Ruoxi happily nodded, "Of course, but you have to teach me well. I really don't know anything about cooking."

"It's a deal!" Li Jingjing extended her pinky finger.

Lin Ruoxi smiled and hooked her pinky with Li Jingjing's, and the two of them giggled like little girls.

Meanwhile, Yang Chen, who actually didn't go home for dinner, wandered aimlessly through the quiet streets of the East District.

Feeling unsettled after seeing both Yang Jieyu and Li Jingjing in one day, Yang Chen had no appetite. After informing Wang Mama, he wandered the city alone.

With a sour mood, Yang Chen had no interest in bustling night markets. Instead, he chose the deserted old streets where only a few residents came and went. The cold night wind slipped into his collar, but Yang Chen paid it no mind as he walked along the dimly lit streets. Alone and lost in thought, he resembled a wandering vagabond if not closely observed.

3.5

When Yang Chen was lost in thought, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Taking it out, he saw it was a call from Mo Qianni.

Since returning from Sichuan Province, this workaholic woman, much like Lin Ruoxi, rarely contacted him, despite being affectionate in private. Yet in the office, she would ignore him as if they had never met, which amused Yang Chen to no end.

Answering the call, he heard Mo Qianni's affectionate voice on the other end, "Darling, where are you?"

Here she was, being cute again. Yang Chen chuckled and leaned against a roadside utility pole, taking in a deep breath of chilly air.

"In your heart," he replied.

There was silence for a moment before Mo Qianni giggled softly, "Oh dear, you're making me want to throw caution to the wind."

Yang Chen's eyes lit up. "Really? Then don't hold back; let's make it happen."

"Say a few more things to stir me up, and I might," Mo Qianni teased back.

"Lady, those words come naturally in moments of passion. You can't expect me to conjure them out of thin air," Yang Chen lamented with a touch of disappointment.

Mo Qianni burst into laughter. "Alright, enough joking. I actually have something serious to ask you."

How could matters of the heart be taken lightly? Yang Chen wondered gloomily.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's almost the end of the year, and the company's year-end trip is coming up. Where are you planning to go?" Mo Qianni inquired.

Yang Chen pondered for a moment. "The PR department already signed me up; I believe it's to Sakura Island. Why do you ask?"

Mo Qianni sighed softly. "The finance department is going on a trip within China, so I won't be able to go with you. What a pity."

Yang Chen chuckled nonchalantly, finding amusement in her disappointment over such a trivial matter.

"Are you happy about it? No one to keep an eye on you, free to flirt with the ladies on Sakura Island?" Mo Qianni heard Yang Chen laugh and immediately became displeased.

"Where do you get these ideas? Am I that thirsty?" Yang Chen retorted.

"Yes!" Mo Qianni affirmed confidently.

Yang Chen was almost speechless, choking on his words momentarily.

Hearing his silence, Mo Qianni said softly, "Even if you were to flirt, it's none of my concern. After all, she's just a mistress. If you get caught up with her, it's your own business. I was just joking; if you really get involved, you'll only end up frustrated."

Yang Chen tensed slightly, nervously maintaining a friendly tone. "How can you say that? Being watched by Little Qianqian is my honor, and I'm genuinely happy about it."

"Really?"

Yang Chen thought, 'Not really,' but replied aloud, "Of course, can't I tease you?"

After chatting with Mo Qianni for a while and managing to cheer her up quite a bit, Yang Chen finally hung up the phone. He felt dealing with women was quite exhausting. He hadn't even felt hungry a moment ago, but now his stomach was rumbling.

Looking around, most shops were closed, except for a few small eateries. However, they seemed dingy and uncomfortable. After walking a bit further, at a street corner, Yang Chen found a food cart selling spicy hotpot and fried snacks.

Yang Chen often ate at such food carts, despite their lack of hygiene, because they offered a variety of inexpensive dishes that he enjoyed.

There weren't many people at the food cart right now. There were three plastic stools and a box of unknown-brand baijiu (Chinese liquor) on the side. On a chilly day like this, having snacks and baijiu seemed like a decent choice.

"What would you like, sir?" The vendor's voice was crisp, unexpectedly belonging to a young girl.

Yang Chen pulled over a stool and sat down. At first, he hadn't paid much attention, but when he looked up closely, he nearly burst out laughing.

"Oh, it's you, little girl."

The girl in front of him was the pickpocket from the bus earlier that day. He hadn't expected to find her here running a food cart. It seemed the bucket of oil she had during the day was indeed for her business.

The girl was also taken aback when she saw Yang Chen and cautiously asked, "Sir, are you following me?"

"Why would I follow you? To take you to the police station? If I wanted to do that, I would have caught you on the bus earlier. I was just wandering around and got hungry. It's purely coincidental that I ran into you," Yang Chen said casually, taking out a skewer of spicy seaweed knots and taking a bite. "Tastes good. Since we're acquaintances, how about a discount?"

"One skewer, one yuan," the girl said without mercy.

"You stingy kid, you can't be so tight-fisted in business. If you're going to offer a discount, offer one," Yang Chen said with a smile.

"I told you, I'm not a kid. Sir, if you want to eat, eat; don't grumble. If not, just leave the money for the seaweed," the girl replied indignantly.

Yang Chen found the girl quite amusing. Despite her tender appearance and fair complexion, she had a feisty attitude and a sharp tongue, reminiscent of a hot pepper. Especially when those big, bright eyes of hers narrowed at him, it lightened his mood.

"Alright, alright, I'm eating, alright? Even when paying, your attitude is so bad," Yang Chen sighed, casually grabbing a small bottle of baijiu from the box and pouring himself a drink into a plastic cup.

"Five yuan for a bottle of baijiu," the girl added.

Yang Chen shook his head with a smile. He picked up several more skewers of snacks from the front and as he grabbed, the girl quoted prices.

After devouring over a dozen skewers and sipping on the fiery baijiu, Yang Chen felt warmly content in his stomach. He noticed the girl stirring a red and white dish on an iron griddle, emitting waves of sour and spicy aroma.

"What are you cooking?" he asked curiously.

Without looking up, the girl replied, "Stir-fried rice cakes."

"I've had stir-fried rice cakes before, but yours looks different," Yang Chen puzzled.

"This is Korean-style stir-fried rice cakes. My mom taught me. It has kimchi and Korean chili sauce," the girl explained.

Yang Chen chuckled, "Is your mom Korean then?"

The girl lifted her head, her thick eyebrows furrowed slightly in impatience. "Mister, why do you talk so much? Can't my mom be Korean?"

"I didn't mean that. I was just saying you don't quite look like someone from Yanxia, and your whole vibe seems different. So you're mixed with Korean heritage," Yang Chen remarked.

"Hmph, mixed heritage. Mister, you sure know how to talk. People from Yanxia all like to call Koreans anyway. What vibe could there be?" the girl scoffed.

"Can't generalize, but at least I know Koreans respect their elders. Why are you so harsh towards me?" Yang Chen asked with a smile.

The girl glared at Yang Chen sharply. "Let me make it clear again, I'm not a kid; I'm twenty years old!"

"Alright, alright, can I call you Miss then?" Yang Chen chuckled.

"Do you think I'm a hostess? I may be poor, but I'm not selling myself!" the girl retorted.

"What should I call you then?" Yang Chen shrugged.

Exhaling deeply, seeming fed up with Yang Chen's banter, the girl said, "My name is Xu Zhenxiu. You can call me Ah Xiu."

"Ah Xiu? That's not cute enough. I'll call you Zhenxiu. It sounds quite Korean. Did your mom give you that name?" Yang Chen asked.

"Yeah..."

"I'm Yang Chen. You can call me Mister or Yang Chen," he said with a smile.

Zhenxiu's lips twitched, as if she wanted to laugh but didn't. "Mister, do you need to know my name? Why are you so friendly and proactive? Don't think I don't understand. I've met plenty of men like you. Are you trying to hit on me? Let me save you the trouble. I'm busy right now and don't have time to date an idle old man like you. If you want to eat, eat quickly. Finish and leave, don't delay my business."

Zhenxiu was direct indeed. Though Yang Chen found her very attractive, he had no ulterior motives. He simply enjoyed the atmosphere of conversation with her. So he chuckled softly, "Zhenxiu, I am indeed free today, but I haven't set my sights on you. It just feels nice to chat with you. I won't delay you. Please continue... hehe."

Seemingly unable to handle Yang Chen, Zhenxiu sighed and shook her head. Just as she was about to resume cooking her Korean-style rice cakes, her brows suddenly furrowed, and she looked towards a spot not far behind Yang Chen.