Chapter 2: Little Girl, Don’t Be So Stubborn

Xu Chaoyang looked over. Two groups of people were facing each other in the dark alley. It would be more accurate to say two groups, or a group plus one person.

Compared to the tense group, the lone girl seemed much calmer and composed. She leaned lazily against the wall, leaning on a cane. Her back alone spelled out, “I’m not afraid.”

The alley was dim. The only light came from the two streetlights at the entrance, now obscured by Cheng Lie and Xu Chaoyang.

Jiang Yao noticed and looked back. She had good eyesight and recognized Cheng Lie from a distance as the “mechanic” from the day before.

“Jiang Yao, how about this? You apologize to my girlfriend, and we’ll let this go.”

The person who spoke was He Wei. He didn’t actually have any grudge against Jiang Yao; it was his girlfriend who had the issue.

Jiang Yao scratched her ears impatiently and asked sincerely, “Don’t you think it’s a bit mean of you, a grown man, to pick on me when I’m alone?”

He Wei choked at the question. The group of people Jiang Yao was hanging out with was all gangsters. No matter how gangster they were, they were still students. How could they dare to confront her face-to-face?

He was humiliated, but he couldn’t refute her. His face flushed, and he just threw it out. “What do you care? If you don’t apologize to my girlfriend today, you’re not leaving this alley.”

Jiang Yao’s expression darkened. He Wei’s head felt cold under her gaze, but he still stiffened his neck and pretended to be calm. He had found out that Jiang Yao had come out alone, and none of the other group was there. She was just a little girl, half a head shorter than him. What was there to be afraid of?

After mentally comforting himself several times, He Wei was about to unleash a few harsh words to calm the situation when he saw Jiang Yao leap back a few steps, turn around, and shout outside, “Honey, someone’s bullying me!”

Her words stunned not only He Wei and her group, but also Cheng Lie.

Xu Chaoyang, on the other hand, reacted quickly and nudged Cheng Lie’s arm. “Did I call you?”

“You’re crazy.”

He said that, but his legs honestly walked into the alley.

He walked up to Jiang Yao and glanced down at her. “You’re such a troublemaker.”

Jiang Yao shrugged and, leaning on her crutches, jumped behind him to hide.

He Wei tightened his grip on the stick: “Are you her boyfriend?”

Jiang Yao, now reliant on someone, grew complacent. Without waiting for Cheng Lie to say anything, she poked her head out from behind him and threatened, “Get ready for death, you little bastard! My boyfriend can punch anyone like you.”

Cheng Lie’s eyebrows twitched, and he backhanded her head back.

This kid is truly a troublemaker.

He Wei, enraged by her attitude, weighed the stick in his hand and, taking advantage of no one’s attention, suddenly rushed over.

Cheng Lie pushed Jiang Yao back and rushed forward.

While he was fighting, Xu Chaoyang naturally couldn’t just stand by and watch. He playfully called Jiang Yao “sister-in-law” and rushed over to help.

Seeing the fierce fight, Jiang Yao limped out. After a few steps, she decided it would be a bad idea to slip away, so she stopped, leaned against the wall, and cheered Cheng Lie and Xu Chaoyang on.

“Fuck that little bastard!” “What the hell, you’re still trying to pull a sneak attack?” “Yeah, yeah, kick him!”

Cheng Lie’s ears hurt from her noise, but Xu Chaoyang’s beating only grew more intense.

In a few minutes, He Wei and his group were all smitten. They uttered harsh words and ran off.

The alley fell silent again. Xu Chaoyang, already exhausted, stretched his muscles and walked over to Jiang Yao. He looked her up and down, grinning broadly. “Hello, sister-in-law! My name is Xu Chaoyang, and I’m a childhood friend of Brother Lie.”

Jiang Yao was stunned by the “sister-in-law” address. Then, realizing what she was saying, she uttered a few “ohs.” “It’s getting late, I have to go first—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Xu Chaoyang took the cane from her hand. “We happened to meet. Let’s go get a late-night snack together. I’ll hold your cane for you. Just let Brother Lie carry it.”

Xu Chaoyang gave Cheng Lie a look he thought was very tactful, then quickly fled out of the alley with Jiang Yao’s cane.

Jiang Yao was startled, then, recovering, hopped after him on one foot. “Hey, my cane!”

Xu Chaoyang ran so fast that he was gone in a flash. Jiang Yao, limping, couldn’t catch up and skipped a few steps before stopping. She turned to look at Cheng Lie with a sense of despair, praying he’d have a change of heart.

Cheng Lie, standing in the shadows, noticed her resentful look and raised his right eyebrow slightly. “Do you need help?”

It was a perfectly normal question, but somehow it took on a different meaning when it came out of his mouth.

Jiang Yao felt like she’d been stabbed by an arrow. She gritted her teeth and said, “No.”

She said this in a huff, then turned and continued to trundle out.

Cheng Lie let out a long, drawn-out “Oh,” and leisurely passed her.

Seeing Cheng Lie almost out of the alley, while she was still struggling to move forward, holding onto the wall, Jiang Yao felt a pang of pain in her heart. She punched the wall and stood still.

Cheng Lie’s footsteps drifted further and further into the night, finally stopping at the alley’s entrance. He didn’t even need to look back to sense the resentful gaze behind him. Cheng Lie wanted to laugh, but when he turned around and saw Jiang Yao’s expression, he couldn’t help but smile.

The next second, he saw Jiang Yao’s right hand, hanging at her side, clenched into a fist.

Cheng Lie strode back, earnestly admonishing, “Little girl, don’t be so stubborn.”

Jiang Yao stared at his outstretched arm, frozen for less than three seconds, then raised her hand to take it.

With support, Jiang Yao’s leaping became much easier than before. Fortunately, this place wasn’t far from the night market stall Xu Chaoyang had mentioned. By the time they arrived, Xu Chaoyang had already ordered a few dishes and waved from afar, “Brother Lie, my sister-in-law!”

Jiang Yao hopped over to the bench and sat down, holding onto the table. Xu Chaoyang placed her crutches on his chair. Seeing this, Cheng Lie sat down next to Jiang Yao.

“Sister-in-law, let me tell you, the barbecue here is incredible. I’m treating you today, so order whatever you want.”

Jiang Yao took the menu from Xu Chaoyang and, after checking off the dishes, stole a glance at Cheng Lie.

He had his phone on the table, one foot resting on the beam beneath, chatting idly with Xu Chaoyang. The dim light from the night snack stall illuminated his profile, and Jiang Yao caught a glimpse of a faint smile in his eyes.

The next moment, Cheng Lie turned and looked at her: “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Yao was stunned for a moment, her eyelashes fluttering. “I’ve finished ordering.”

Cheng Lie took the menu from her and waved to the waiter. “These dishes won’t have chili. Also, a can of beer and a can of room-temperature Wangzai.”

What’s the point of eating barbecue without spice, Jiang Yao thought.

While waiting for the barbecue to finish, Xu Chaoyang pulled Jiang Yao aside and asked her questions.

“Sister-in-law, how long have you been with my brother Lie? How did you meet?”

Jiang Yao was about to confess that they weren’t in that relationship when Xu Chaoyang slapped his thigh like an old father and sighed, “It’s not easy. My brother Lie actually found a partner. I thought he’d be single until retirement age at least.”

Jiang Yao swallowed her words and looked at Cheng Lie curiously.

Well, although he’s not bad looking, his personality is definitely enough to keep him single until retirement.

Cheng Lie raised his eyelids and glanced at Xu Chaoyang: “Xu Chaoyang.”

Just then, the hostess brought the drinks first. Xu Chaoyang, receiving a warning glance, chuckled and picked up two cans of beer, placing them in front of Cheng Lie and Jiang Yao: “Come on, come on, have a drink.”

Xu Chaoyang raised the can, and Jiang Yao instinctively reached for the beer to clink glasses. As her fingertips touched the can, Cheng Lie took the beer away.