Chapter 9: No One Believes

"Yang... Big Brother Yang... please, quickly leave..." Li Jingjing turned away, unable to hold back her tears.

Hearing the pure plea in the girl's voice, Yang Chen's bloodshot eyes finally calmed down. He took a deep breath, suppressing his impulses, and immediately closed the door, stepping back outside.

After waiting quietly outside for a while, Li Jingjing, now dressed, lowered her head and walked out, her cheeks flushed all the way to her ears.

Yang Chen apologized guiltily, "I'm sorry, Jingjing. I didn't mean to."

Li Jingjing softly murmured, "I... I know... Big Brother Yang is a good person..."

"A good person, huh..." Yang Chen sighed bitterly, muttering to himself, "Jingjing, save up money to buy a good house in the future. You can take out a loan if needed. It's not convenient for a girl like you to live with your parents forever."

"Okay..." The girl didn't know if she had taken his words to heart, looking like a wounded little lamb, evoking sympathy.

Yang Chen sighed, "It's late. You should rest early. You have to go to work tomorrow. Just starting as a teacher, you need to make some achievements. I'll head back after using the bathroom."

"Okay... Take care, Big Brother Yang." The girl's voice was still soft, but it had the power to make a man's bones go weak.

Bumping into Li Jingjing while she was bathing made Yang Chen fully awake. Carrying a thread of guilt towards the innocent girl, Yang Chen walked out of the yard under the farewells of Lao Li and his wife.

After closing the door, Lao Li and his wife started discussing Yang Chen.

Aunt Li said with some concern, "Old man, do you think our Jingjing has developed feelings for Xiao Yang? Why does Xiao Yang always have such a pleased look in his eyes when he looks at her?"

"It's good if she has. Isn't Xiao Yang suitable for our Jingjing?" Lao Li chuckled.

"What are you saying! Xiao Yang is a good person, but he sells lamb skewers. Now that our Jingjing is a teacher at a prestigious high school, do you want her to marry a lamb skewer seller?!" Aunt Li said indignantly.

Lao Li took a drag of his cigarette, displeased. "What's wrong with that? Can't you respect people who do small businesses? Xiao Yang has helped us so much. If it weren't for our family, would he only sell lamb skewers?!"

Aunt Li, seeing that she had upset her husband, didn't say much more. But deep down, she was determined not to let her daughter be with Yang Chen. At most, she would invite Yang Chen to dinner a few more times to compensate him.

Little did the elderly couple know, their beloved daughter Li Jingjing was secretly standing by the window upstairs, blushing and heart pounding, watching Yang Chen leave.

Walking along the riverbank, Yang Chen bought a pack of two-yuan West Lake cigarettes from a convenience store, smoking as he headed home.

Thinking back to the time when he first returned to the country and met Li Jingjing's family, Yang Chen couldn't help but reflect on the changes in the once young girl who had transformed into a graceful young woman in just half a year. He marveled at how much things could change unpredictably.

He remembered how he had saved Li Jingjing, who was almost assaulted by thugs, by the riverbank when they first met the Li family. Perhaps every girl had a hero-worshipping heart, even if he was just a lamb skewer seller. In Li Jingjing's heart, he might not be ordinary.

Lost in thought, Yang Chen unconsciously arrived at the riverbank pier, where a few sparse streetlights cast a hazy and beautiful glow over the dock. The summer breeze carried a refreshing coolness.

At that moment, a tall SUV appeared on the road ahead, catching Yang Chen's eye. He then noticed a tall woman in a black dress standing against the railing by the riverbank, facing the wind.

Her wavy, cascading hair floated around her, with a few strands of rose-red highlighted by the lamplight, framing a bewitching and fair complexion. She wore subtle eye makeup, and her watery eyes gazed at the distant lights of the yacht, revealing a hint of melancholy. Her perfect figure exuded an irresistible charm, while an air of nobility and elegance enveloped her entire being.

This was undoubtedly the prime target for nighttime hunting. Yang Chen glanced at her briefly, and the blood that had just boiled due to seeing Li Jingjing's figure started to stir again.

"Nice car. I didn't expect to see one of the forty limited edition Land Rovers here," Yang Chen praised, leaning casually against the railing.

The beautiful woman turned her gaze away from the distant view, slightly puzzled and surprised, but then she flashed a charming and graceful smile. "Do you know about this car?"

More than just knowing, Yang Chen thought to himself. These British-made Land Rover vehicles, he had destroyed hundreds of them back in the day... He chuckled inwardly, then replied confidently, "Anniversary, the 40th anniversary edition of the Land Rover, with a maximum power of 375 kilowatts, peak torque of 625, powered by a 5.0-liter turbocharged engine... Am I right?"

"I don't understand what you just said. I just like this car, so I bought it." The woman brushed back her flowing hair with a simple gesture, yet it appeared enchanting and seductive.

"Don't most women prefer sleek and elegant sports cars? If you want something higher-end, you could go for a Ferrari California or a Porsche 911. If you prefer something a bit more modest, there's the Porsche 718, Mercedes-Benz SLR, BMW Z4, or even the Audi TT, which is more popular than the Land Rover, right?"

"I refuse to believe that someone who can afford this car can't afford those cars. Your taste is quite unique," Yang Chen said as he pulled out another cigarette. Since the mature beauty in front of him didn't seem to mind his presence, Yang Chen didn't mind engaging in conversation.

The woman shook her head. "I actually think it's quite normal for women to drive this type of car. Driving a sports car doesn't give the same sense of security as driving an SUV... Women should protect themselves better, shouldn't they?"

"Miss, it seems like you're lacking a sense of security," Yang Chen thought gleefully. She appeared to be a woman with deep-seated grievances, the kind most susceptible to his advances.

To his surprise, the woman shook her head again. "You're wrong. I feel perfectly safe. The reason I mentioned feeling safer in an SUV is simply for my own peace of mind. It's like how even wealthy people choose to buy insurance for themselves..."

"You're mistaken again. If you really felt secure, you would have slapped me and told me to leave instead of engaging in conversation," Yang Chen said with a wicked grin, leaning closer and blowing out a puff of smoke.

The woman didn't flinch. The pungent smell of the cigarette dissipated in the wind as her bright eyes stared straight at Yang Chen. Finally, she smiled brightly. "Which family's young master are you? If you're trying to catch my attention with those words, you're underestimating me."

"You're Tang Wan?" Yang Chen silently repeated the name, then chuckled. "I'm not anyone's young master. I'm just a lamb skewer seller. If you have time, you can visit me at the West District market and see for yourself."

"A lamb skewer seller?" Tang Wan scrutinized Yang Chen for a moment, unable to contain her laughter. After a bout of laughter, she finally said, "Young man, do you think I'm a fool, or are you deceiving yourself?"

"I really am a lamb skewer seller, even though I don't have a business license," Yang Chen repeated with frustration. Why was it that no one believed the truth these days?