Chapter 35

Soon, since there were other customers to attend to, the waiter said his farewells and left the private room.

Only three people remained inside.

Standing beside the French chef, who was gazing at them with emotional eyes, Xu Shijia kept a blank expression. Taking advantage of the fact that the French chef couldn’t understand Chinese, he looked at Lin Shu and said crisply and without hesitation, “You go ahead and pay.”

If Xu Shijia had actively asked Lin Shu to kiss him to avoid paying the bill, Lin Shu would have definitely scolded him. But now that Xu Shijia told her not to kiss him and just pay directly, Lin Shu felt unhappy.

It reminded her of how guarded Xu Shijia had been toward her when they had stayed in adjoining hotel rooms during a business trip.

Alright, this guy probably thinks that getting a kiss from her would be like taking advantage of him.

She glanced at Xu Shijia and said, “Oh, so you really mind, huh?”

“Me?” Xu Shijia averted his gaze, sounding a bit unnatural, but his response was unexpectedly straightforward: “I don’t mind.”

“If we can avoid the bill, why would I mind?” He looked at Lin Shu and added, “I was just worried that you would mind.”

“So, although I’m really in a tough spot right now, not only broke but also owing you a lot of debt, I’ve downgraded my lifestyle, taken the subway despite my allergies, worked overtime diligently just for a bit of extra pay, and won’t even shop unless there’s a group discount…”

Xu Shijia’s expression turned pitiful: “But you should just pay directly. Count the money as a loan from you, and I’ll repay you when I can…”

More than 20,000! And just one kiss would make the bill disappear! Where else could you find such a great deal?!

And really, if you think about it, isn’t this a patriotic act? Getting a free meal from French capitalism?

Lin Shu walked over to Xu Shijia and gave him a look, signaling him.

Stop hesitating!

But Xu Shijia, acting as if he didn’t catch Lin Shu’s hint, stood still, calmly waiting for her to pay.

Growing impatient, Lin Shu reached out and grabbed Xu Shijia’s tie, pulling him down. Xu Shijia looked a bit bewildered and surprised but instinctively bent forward.

Lin Shu quickly stood on her tiptoes and gave him a fast kiss on the cheek.

Impulsive decisions only take a few minutes, and impulsive actions just a few seconds.

However, the consequences of impulsiveness can last a long time.

By kissing Xu Shijia, a man who is both shy and spoiled, Lin Shu figured he would probably have emotional ups and downs for half a day.

But reality turned out to be the opposite of Lin Shu’s expectations. Xu Shijia didn’t have any special reaction at all. He remained calm, as if Lin Shu’s actions were no surprise, and his demeanor afterward was composed and restrained, taking the situation less seriously than Lin Shu herself.

Lin Shu’s first reaction was relief.

After cooling down, she realized her actions had been impulsive.

After all, she was Xu Shijia’s superior, and even though he had implicitly agreed, what if he later felt taken advantage of and held it against her?

Fortunately, it was just a kiss on the cheek. In other countries, this would only count as a casual greeting, and Xu Shijia clearly didn’t mind.

And even better, this simple cheek kiss successfully got rid of the chef. He mumbled a bunch of things Lin Shu didn’t understand and didn’t ask them to pay the bill anymore. Instead, he pressed two tickets into Lin Shu’s hand.

“He said these are tickets to a movie that his friend directed, which is currently in theaters. His friend gave him a few tickets, and since we met by chance, he’s giving them to us.”

Xu Shijia remained as composed as ever, translating slowly, as if the kiss Lin Shu had given him never happened, as though he had erased the incident from his memory.

Lin Shu had been planning to warn Xu Shijia that her kiss was purely out of necessity and hoped he wouldn’t read too much into it, but Xu Shijia was more nonchalant than she was.

This left Lin Shu at a loss for words.

Well, that was good—it saved her the trouble of explaining and ensured that their superior-subordinate relationship stayed within bounds.

Xu Shijia’s mature and easygoing reaction made things simpler.

A great outcome.

It seemed Xu Shijia had finally grown up.

Lin Shu fully relaxed, looking down at the movie tickets. It turned out to be a well-reviewed, low-budget romance film.

Xu Shijia glanced over and, with a lack of interest, said, “A movie? What’s so great about romance films?”

He wasn’t interested, but Lin Shu was. She didn’t have any work planned for the evening, so why not go see the movie as a way to unwind?

The rain had stopped.

Lin Shu walked along the tree-lined path, the air carrying the damp smell of fresh grass, as she made her way toward the cinema. Xu Shijia followed behind her at a leisurely pace, his expression calm.

“Why are you following me? Go home. I’m going to the movies.”

Xu Shijia stopped and stared at Lin Shu: “There are two tickets.”

His irritating tone remained unchanged: “The tickets are for both of us. I’m coming too. What gives you the right to tell me I can’t?”

Lin Shu: “…”

Wasn’t this the same guy who just said romance films were boring?

Now he was twisting her words?

“Fine, come if you want.”

Lin Shu was getting annoyed. She pressed her lips together and entered a small cinema next to the French restaurant, not bothering to talk to Xu Shijia anymore. She exchanged the tickets and took her seat.

Not long after, someone sat in the seat next to her.

It was Xu Shijia.

His legs were unfairly long, and the cramped space between the rows in this old theater made his legs look awkward, like they didn’t belong there.

The theater wasn’t new, and there were only a few scattered people in the audience.

“Why are you sitting next to me?”

Xu Shijia looked at his ticket: “But this is where my ticket is.”

Lin Shu, frustrated: “The theater is almost empty. You can sit anywhere. I’m your boss, so listen to me.”

“I don’t want to,” Xu Shijia stubbornly replied. “I want to sit here.”

He looked steadily at Lin Shu’s face, speaking slowly: “We’re off work now. There’s no boss here.”

Fine, fine!

Lin Shu shot him a glare.

Luckily, the movie started soon after.

Though it was a low-budget romance film with a simple plot, the director had crafted it with such care. The cinematography was artistic and beautiful. The male lead was suffering from ALS, and despite his illness, the childhood friend female lead stayed by his side. The love story, filled with inevitable tragedy, felt even more moving because of how well the leads fit their roles.

The chemistry between the male and female leads was so strong that even a simple cheek kiss was enough to make Lin Shu feel happy for them. Her heart fluttered, hoping the couple could be real.

Lin Shu was engrossed in the movie, and it seemed like Xu Shijia was too, as he was intently watching the scene where the leads kissed on-screen. However, shortly after, he stopped watching the movie and turned his head, resting his chin on his hand, and started staring at Lin Shu’s face.

Then, out of nowhere, he chuckled softly.

On the screen, the plot had just shifted to the male lead’s worsening illness, and Xu Shijia was laughing?

Where was his empathy?

Lin Shu couldn’t help but glare at him.

Xu Shijia’s long legs were casually stretched out. Under the dim lighting of the theater, his face was strikingly pale, almost reflective, with delicate, refined features. His long eyelashes, prominent nose, and slightly shimmering eyes gazed steadily at Lin Shu.

He looked a bit like a creature from the night—a mischievous spirit who would call your name, and if you answered, would drag you away, disguised in a charming face, preying on those who were alone.

Just as Lin Shu was about to scold him for being creepy, Xu Shijia leaned closer to her. He seemed considerate enough to speak quietly in the theater, leaning in to whisper near her ear. But what he said was like dropping a bomb in Lin Shu’s ear—

“You kissed me just like that earlier.”

Xu Shijia was so close that Lin Shu could even feel the warm breath from his lips, hitting her ear through the cool theater air, leaving her almost jolted out of her seat.

What the hell!

What was this guy doing?

Wasn’t he the one who had acted all composed and pretended that the kiss never happened?

Why bring it up now?

Lin Shu instinctively shrank back in her seat, trying to put as much distance between herself and Xu Shijia as possible.

But the culprit seemed completely unaware of his actions, continuing to stare steadily at Lin Shu. His gaze dropped to her lips, and then he touched the cheek where she had kissed him earlier. He tilted his head and smiled.

He repeated himself, enunciating clearly:

“You kissed me.”

If they weren’t in a movie theater, Lin Shu was certain she might have chosen to silence Xu Shijia right then and there.

“Don’t ever bring that up again! Keep it a secret, or else you’ll regret it!”

Maybe Lin Shu’s hushed warning worked because Xu Shijia finally turned back around, no longer staring at her. But then, in the next moment, he leaned forward and tapped the shoulder of the person sitting in front of them. Smiling brightly, he whispered to them—

“Hi, I want to tell you a secret.” He pointed at Lin Shu. “She kissed me earlier.”

Xu Shijia smiled and added, “Remember to keep it a secret, or I’ll be in trouble.”

Lin Shu: “…”

The person in front of them was a man who turned around, his expression full of confusion and surprise. He looked from Xu Shijia to Lin Shu.

Lin Shu, trying to stay calm, said, “I don’t know him.”

Unfortunately, as soon as she said that, Xu Shijia helpfully added, “She knows me. She’s my boss, Lin Shu, a partner at Tianhao Law Firm.”

Then, he smiled again. “My boss kissed me. Lin Shu, a partner at Tianhao Law Firm, kissed me. I did such a good job and looked so handsome that she couldn’t resist.”

As if to convince the man, Xu Shijia pointed to his cheek. “Right here. She kissed me just now.”

Lin Shu: “…”

Why wasn’t anyone dragging Xu Shijia out of the theater to beat him up?

But Xu Shijia seemed completely oblivious to Lin Shu’s murderous glare. He even doubled down, adding, “I didn’t ask for it. She did it on her own. She kissed me first.”

“This is a secret. If you spread it, she’ll come after you too.” He made a shushing gesture at the man in front and smiled again. “Because she’s fierce.”

As if to prove just how fierce Lin Shu was, Xu Shijia paused for a moment before saying slowly, “Really fierce. The fiercest woman I’ve ever met. The kind that you can’t forget. She makes you work like a horse every day, that kind of fierce.”

“She’s a lawyer, so she could even sue you and make you lose everything.”

Lin Shu: “…”

At first, Lin Shu thought Xu Shijia was just being his usual, irritating self, but now she realized something was off.

There was no way she could continue watching the movie. Lin Shu dragged Xu Shijia out of the theater and made him stand against the wall before calling Wang Yizhou.

“Did he drink?” Wang Yizhou’s tone immediately shifted to concern. “He can’t handle alcohol. He’s not allergic, but he’s very sensitive. Even a little bit and he loses control.”

“At first, we didn’t notice because he acts calm after drinking—he doesn’t get sleepy or obviously drunk. He can even hold a conversation. But as soon as alcohol hits his system, his brain slows down, and after a while, his behavior becomes unpredictable. Sometimes, he says things that don’t quite have boundaries and might offend people…”

Wang Yizhou added tactfully, “If he said anything offensive, I hope you won’t take it personally.”

Offensive? It was way beyond that!

Lin Shu rubbed her temples in frustration. “You know his current state. Could you come over?”

Wang Yizhou asked for the address and politely said, “I’ll come as soon as the dinner I’m at ends. In the meantime, I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you, Lawyer Lin.”

Compared to Xu Shijia, Wang Yizhou was far more reliable.

With the handoff arranged, Lin Shu planned to find a place for Xu Shijia to rest. But when she looked back, Xu Shijia, who had been leaning against the wall, had already disappeared.

When Lin Shu anxiously followed the wall, she finally spotted Xu Shijia at the entrance to a tree-lined path in the park.

Just as Wang Yizhou had mentioned, from the outside, there was no obvious sign that Xu Shijia was drunk. He stood tall with a relaxed posture, exuding an effortless elegance that seemed to deepen when he was drunk. There was an innate air of nonchalance about him, as if everything came easily to him. His tall, lean frame was dressed in a suit, though the collar was undone, and the tie hung loosely, revealing a hint of his collarbone. While nothing was explicitly exposed, the subtle allure, combined with his extraordinarily handsome face, gave him an air of unmatched confidence.

His hair fell slightly over his forehead, and under the streetlight, his lips and white teeth gave him a seductive, almost boyish charm. He didn’t need to do anything; just standing there, he exuded pure charisma.

Two young women passed by, shyly nudging each other. Lin Shu watched as they mustered up the courage to approach Xu Shijia.

At first, Xu Shijia seemed a bit confused by the attention, but soon enough, he flashed them a charming smile and started chatting.

Lin Shu nearly rolled her eyes to the sky.

Wasn’t he supposed to be drunk and out of it?

How was he acting so normal now?

If it weren’t for the fact that she’d promised Wang Yizhou to hand him over safely, Lin Shu would have walked away. But as she got closer, she finally realized what Xu Shijia was saying.

He was telling these strangers nonsense: “I’m really handsome, and my boss is really mean…”

Lin Shu’s scalp tingled with embarrassment.

Was he rapping? Beatboxing? And with rhymes?

What was this nonsense?

She couldn’t watch any longer.

“Xu Shijia!”

Hearing Lin Shu’s voice, Xu Shijia looked up and glanced at her, then turned back to the two girls. “That’s my boss,” he explained. “I owe her money, haven’t paid it back yet, so she’s been following me around, even at night. Who knows what she’s planning to do to me?”

Lin Shu: “…”

“So I can’t give you my contact information without her permission,” Xu Shijia said, smiling. “After all, I owe her something. Once I’ve paid her back, I’ll be free.”

He ignored Lin Shu’s presence, lowering his voice to tell the girls, “And she’s very strict with me. She won’t agree.”

“Besides, I don’t just owe her money. I think I owe her something else… What was it? Let me think…”

Was this man seriously hinting that he owed her more than just money?

As good-looking as he was, with his mental state so questionable, even the girls were starting to back off. Once Lin Shu stepped in, they quickly whispered to each other and left. Now, it was just Lin Shu and Xu Shijia standing on the path.

Lin Shu had agreed to meet Wang Yizhou back at the wall, so she had no choice but to drag Xu Shijia back. Unfortunately, in his drunken state, Xu Shijia seemed interested in everything around him. He walked at a snail’s pace and kept veering off course, forcing Lin Shu to pull him along by his sleeve.

All she had to do was wait until Wang Yizhou came to take his troublesome younger brother away, and she could finally be done with this.

But Xu Shijia wouldn’t cooperate.

He came to a halt in front of a parked sports car.

“It’s been a while since I bought a car,” he remarked, staring at the car with obvious interest. In his drunken haze, he turned to Lin Shu with a stubborn yet casual tone and said, “Lend me some money. I want to buy this. I’ll pay you back later.”

Xu Shijia flashed Lin Shu a radiant smile. “Once I buy it, I’ll take you for a ride.”

There was a hint of confusion in his eyes from the alcohol, but the way he smiled made it look almost intentional. That touch of bewilderment turned into an enigmatic charm, making him irresistibly attractive.

He had a perfect smile—white, straight teeth, and an effortless grace in his every movement. The night’s soft lighting cast a faint, ambiguous glow on him, and even a simple smile seemed to carry a seductive mystery, like if Lin Shu took even one step closer, she might fall into some kind of trap.

Instinctively, she took a step back, distancing herself from Xu Shijia, and coldly burst the bubble of tension.

“Xu Shijia, pay back the money you owe me first before talking about anything else.”

Xu Shijia dragged out an exaggerated “Ahhh,” as if slowly realizing he still owed her money. He mumbled, “Oh, I still owe you…”

He fished out his wallet and started sifting through his cards. “This one’s no good. This one’s out of money. This one’s frozen…”

He looked longingly at the sports car one last time. “Lin Shu, are you really not going to buy it for me?”

“No way!” Lin Shu glared at him. “If you’re so capable, pay me back what you owe first.”

“I’m not capable.” Xu Shijia was now broke, and he admitted it with a grin. He bent down, leaning in close to Lin Shu’s face and sighed. “I may be handsome, fit, and well-educated, but I’m broke.”

Xu Shijia was so tall that when he bent down, he completely blocked the streetlight, casting a shadow over Lin Shu. All she saw was darkness.

She had no choice but to push him aside.

Xu Shijia stumbled slightly but then steadied himself under the streetlight. He stood there, staring intently at Lin Shu’s face.

“I don’t have any money,” he said slowly, but then his eyes lit up like he’d just thought of a brilliant idea. “But I can pay you back with something else.”

Pay me back with what?

Before Lin Shu could mock him, Xu Shijia suddenly pushed her up against the wall.

What was he doing?!

Just as Lin Shu was about to scold him, Xu Shijia chuckled softly.

“I can give back what I owe you first,” he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “You kissed me earlier. I’ll give that back to you now.”

Lin Shu was about to laugh at his confused state, but Xu Shijia suddenly held her head in his hands.

“Don’t move,” he said, his usual arrogance tinged with a bit of awkwardness. “I don’t have much experience either.”

Before Lin Shu could react to his audacity, Xu Shijia bent down and kissed her, sealing any scolding words she had left unsaid.

Xu Shijia was truly insane.

What started as a brief, light kiss quickly became something more. After an initial clumsy touch, he seemed to find his rhythm. Before Lin Shu could push him away, he kissed her again, this time more deeply. His lips and tongue invaded her space with an undeniable intensity, giving her a deep kiss before she had any chance to prepare.

Their noses brushed against each other, and Lin Shu stared at him in disbelief, while Xu Shijia’s gaze became even fiercer as he locked eyes with her, his presence overwhelming.

The quiet of the night seemed to amplify every sound around them. Xu Shijia’s breath, heavy with the intensity of the kiss, surrounded Lin Shu like surround sound, forcing her to become immersed in this sensory overload. She forgot the reprimand she had prepared and instead felt nervous and flustered.

Xu Shijia, now fully drunk, was completely out of his mind.

When he finally released her, Lin Shu took a shaky breath, trying to regain her composure.

Glaring at him furiously, she said, “Xu Shijia, do you even know who I am? You’ve lost your mind.”

“I know,” Xu Shijia replied, looking her straight in the eye with an infuriating smile. “You’re Lin Shu.”

“You’re the evil woman who PUA’s me every day.”

“You’re the modern-day slave driver.”

“You’re younger than me, but still boss me around like my superior.”

He lowered his voice and added, “And you kissed me.”

Then, proudly, he said, “But I don’t owe you any favors now because I gave it back.”

Lin Shu was fuming and on the verge of exploding.

Her face flushed with anger, she shouted at him, “I kissed you on the cheek! What did you kiss? What were you even trying to return? Why did you kiss my lips?”

Instead of backing down, Xu Shijia argued confidently. He glared at her lips, almost irritated. “What’s wrong with kissing your lips? You kissed my cheek, so I paid you back several times over! Why aren’t you satisfied?”

“And besides, I saw you open your mouth like you were about to scold me, so I shut it up for you so you couldn’t.”

He continued his ridiculous logic, “If you don’t like it, kiss me back! Give it back to me! Then I’ll kiss your cheek, and we’ll be even!”

Even?

How could they be even?

This was all just him taking advantage!

Lin Shu was so furious she couldn’t help but laugh.

Xu Shijia, just wait until tomorrow when you sober up — you’re going to regret this.

But drunk as he was, Xu Shijia had lost all sense of awareness and kept babbling—

“You’re so pretty, but why are you so fierce!”

“My life is so tough.”

“You’re nice to my brother but not to me.”

“Why did you call my brother just now? Why are you contacting him? Do you have a crush on him?”

“I’ll take you to the optometrist tomorrow to get new lenses and then to the eye doctor.”

Lin Shu: “…”

Xu Shijia, relying on his looks, had probably heard too many compliments all his life, so much so that he seemed jealous of every other good-looking man. And now, at the mere mention of his older brother, he started rambling again—

“Am I handsome?”

Not giving Lin Shu a chance to answer, he confidently continued, “I know I’m handsome. But my brother’s not as handsome as me. He looks like my dad. My dad’s pretty average looking. Every time I look in the mirror, I thank my lucky stars I don’t look like him. Luckily, my dad’s so confident he’s never doubted that I’m his son, even though I’m so much better-looking.”

“People say my brother’s good-looking, but that’s just because of his status. If he weren’t next in line to run the bank, people would barely notice him. They’d just say, ‘Oh, look, there’s a guy with a nose and two eyes! His features are all in the right place!’”

Lin Shu glanced at the Bentley that had pulled up in front of them a few moments ago. The window rolled down to reveal Wang Yizhou’s profile, and she really wished Xu Shijia would shut up.

But, of course, Xu Shijia was too drunk to notice.

Pointing at Wang Yizhou’s expressionless face, Xu Shijia exclaimed, “See? I told you my brother has a generic face! Look at that guy in the car — doesn’t he look just like my brother? His face is so ordinary. You could find someone who looks like him just standing on any street!”

“This car is so boring and old-fashioned too. Totally something my brother would drive. He’s so basic.”

Xu Shijia circled the Bentley, then turned to Lin Shu and said, “Lin Shu, my phone’s dead. Can I borrow yours to take a picture of this guy? I need to send it to my brother and get his contact info. They look so much alike, they should become sworn brothers! Maybe my dad secretly had another son out there!”

“…” Lin Shu thought. Could it be that the man with the ‘perfectly average’ face in the car was indeed your own brother?