Chapter 22: Can’t Kiss for Free (Part 2)

At three in the morning, Dai Ning opened her eyes.

Normally, she would sleep soundly through the night, provided she’d had a full meal. When fed, she slept like a rock, undisturbed by anything.

But tonight, she hadn’t eaten much, and her dinner had been thrown away by Du Tian, leaving her to wake up starving.

This was the first time the young lady had ever been jolted awake from hunger. She blinked, momentarily dazed, until she remembered the person lying next to her who could be of some use.

Switching on the dim light overhead, she nudged Zhao Yu.

The man’s breathing was steady, but as soon as she touched him, he snapped awake. Dai Ning leaned over him, her face filled with pitiful grievance.

“Zhao Yu, there’s a problem!”

He frowned, instantly alert. “Did Shen Tuo She escape?”

“No, I’m hungry.”

Zhao Yu: “…”

He controlled his temper, shut his eyes, and pretended he had already departed this life.

Dai Ning continued to shake him. “I’m starving! Do something.”

Zhao Yu didn’t respond.

She pinched his face. “Zhao Yu, get me something to eat.”

Zhao Yu muttered, “Hold on until morning. They’ll serve breakfast. Stop bothering me; I’m not listening to you anymore.”

Annoyed, she pinched him again. “Will you get me something, or do I have to ask twice?”

Silence settled in as Zhao Yu lay there, his face impassive, eyes closed, determined not to respond, as though willing her to climb the walls if she wished.

Dai Ning also stopped speaking. The silence grew heavier.

Zhao Yu thought she’d finally given up. Just as he was about to relax back into sleep, he felt something soft press against his lips.

Her hands cradled his face, and with a shy, hesitant motion, her lips touched his.

She lightly bit down, teasing the edge of his mouth, seemingly intrigued by her discovery. After a pause, she softly brushed her tongue against his lips.

Zhao Yu’s eyes flew open, a storm of emotions flooding them. Without a word, he rolled over, took hold of her face, and seized control, kissing her deeply and intently.

Reckless! Completely reckless! She wanted trouble? He’d give her trouble!

Initially, Dai Ning had planned to let him kiss her briefly, but after a while, she felt as though her lips might swell from his intensity.

Remembering her mission, she whined, “Zhao Yu, you’ve kissed enough. Now go get me something to eat~”

Breathless, he rested near her neck, fingers entwined in her soft curls, silently staring at her increasingly flushed lips.

Dai Ning gave him a wary look. “You’re not planning to kiss me for free, are you?”

Zhao Yu got up, chest heaving as he tried to regain control. Covering her face with the blanket, he looked ready to smother her.

“Fine! I’ll get you something to eat.”

Dai Ning cheered, turning on all the lights and eagerly listing off her order: “I want pea jelly, pineapple pork, fishball noodles, spicy chicken wings, and for dessert, coconut pudding! And…”

“Bam!” Zhao Yu shut the door before she could finish.

——

In this small county town, most shops were closed by midnight, with only a few barbecue stalls still open.

Zhao Yu didn’t dare risk giving her barbecue, knowing she’d throw a fit if she ended up with an upset stomach.

After persuading the hotel staff, he managed to get access to their kitchen, intending to make her something to eat.

To satisfy her demands, he handed over the little cash he had left to the hotel.

Inside the kitchen, he realized that fresh ingredients would only arrive with the morning delivery. There were only noodles and some rice. If he served her plain noodles, she’d make his night miserable.

Rolling up his sleeves, he prepared a bowl of spicy and sour noodles, even adding a fried egg on top.

Zhao Yu finished quickly and took the bowl up to her. Dai Ning hopped out of bed excitedly, but seeing only spicy noodles, she looked disappointed.

“That’s it?” She felt as though he’d shortchanged her—had she really only earned a bowl of noodles for that kiss?

He, already irritated, replied, “That’s it. Take it or leave it.”

Dai Ning sat at the small table, reluctantly. “Fine, I’ll make do.”

Despite her initial complaints, she dug in with more gusto than anyone, savoring each bite. Zhao Yu’s cooking was remarkable—a poor boy who could make even a simple dish burst with flavor.

The broth was tangy and spicy, making her whole face light up with satisfaction.

Zhao Yu watched from the sofa, resting his eyes as he waited for her to finish. In truth, he wasn’t sure how to face her; though usually mature beyond his years, what had just happened was unfamiliar and out of character for him.

He’d endured much in his life—family tragedy, his parents’ illness, famine, hunger—all without complaint.

But what had just transpired felt both sudden and intense, as if caught in a fleeting yet drawn-out moment. It was unlike anything he would normally do, yet he had done it and hadn’t resisted.

Meanwhile, Dai Ning ate without a care, focused solely on her food. Zhao Yu, however, couldn’t simply ignore what had happened.

When she was done, content and full, Zhao Yu took her bowl to the kitchen, washed it, and returned it.

When he got back, Dai Ning was already back in bed, her teeth freshly brushed, chewing on a piece of breath-freshening gum.

She followed every beauty routine precisely, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Watching her carefree attitude, Zhao Yu felt a chill settle in his heart. He lay down beside her, feeling as lifeless as a corpse.

Dai Ning suddenly remembered something and said, “There’s something I want to tell you.”

Zhao Yu, who had vowed to ignore her even if it meant being burned alive, couldn’t help but turn his head to look at her. “Go on.”

Dai Ning savored the thought and said, “Zhao Yu, next time you make spicy sour noodles, remember to add more spice.”

Zhao Yu knew he shouldn’t expect much from her. He clenched his fingers and replied, “There won’t be a next time.”

What exactly this “won’t be a next time” referred to was unclear.

If there wouldn’t be, then so be it—why the heavy tone? Dai Ning, content and full, happily played on her phone for a while before falling into a sweet sleep.

This time, she didn’t wake up to bother anyone again.

Zhao Yu stayed up, restless for half the night, only managing to fall asleep in the early hours. He turned his back to her, no longer looking in her direction.

Before dawn, Zhao Yu got up and went to check each room across the hall.

When he reached Shen Tuo She’s room, everyone inside was slumped against the corners of the bed, appearing calm and undisturbed. Zhao Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, crouching down to observe.

It was around four in the morning, the deepest part of everyone’s sleep.

Feeling Zhao Yu’s gaze, Shen Tuo She felt a chill on the back of his neck but resisted opening his eyes.

Zhao Yu’s expression hardened, and he suddenly reached out to grab him. Shen Tuo She reacted quickly, reflexively trying to fend him off. Although Zhao Yu wasn’t trained in combat, his youth and strength gave him a clear advantage over Shen Tuo She, who hadn’t had a proper meal in two days and had been bound for two nights. Within moments, Zhao Yu subdued him.

Shen Tuo She cursed furiously, “Zhao Yu, damn you!”

If only they had had just a bit more time! They would’ve taken down Zhao Yu’s group and escaped.