Chapter 29: Name Your Price (A Passionate Clash Between the Male and Female Leads)

Jing Xi had been in Nan Town for two days. She had walked through every street and alley but found nothing unusual—let alone any so-called “big shots.”

She hesitated. Could it be that Old Man Xia was wrong? Or had she come to the wrong place?

After thinking it over, she began to suspect she had indeed made a mistake in location.

So, she decided to stay one more night and return to Fucha Village in North Town the next day.

That evening, she went to the donkey meat flatbread stall again. Luck was on her side—it was just her at the stall once more.

The stall owner’s wife recognized her because she had eaten there three nights in a row, always sitting at the small table in the farthest corner, saying it was less drafty.

Upon hearing that she was heading back to North Town the next day, the owner’s wife added five extra donkey meat wontons to her soup.

The wonton soup was served first.

Jing Xi picked up a spoon and was about to start eating when she heard men talking outside. She looked up and saw four tall men walking toward the stall.

The one leading the group looked oddly familiar.

She focused on him and realized—wasn’t he the man who got out of the car at Hong’s Restaurant the other day?

Was he the “Boss Hong”?

Was he really “Boss Hong”?

Jing Xi assumed he was. He certainly carried the aura of a wealthy man.

Tonight, “Boss Hong” was dressed in all black. He wore a black fur coat of some unknown animal, along with black pants and black shoes. The only thing unchanged was his sharp, androgynous, slightly pale face.

Now that he was closer, Jing Xi noticed the stubble on his face. That confirmed it—he was definitely a man.

From an angle where no one else could see, she pouted slightly. As expected, handsome men always had delicate features. That head-to-shoulder ratio, those legs—even though he was a bit thin, there was an undeniable frail charm about him that made him stand out.

A disaster waiting to happen.

Dangerous.

She was lost in her own thoughts, completely unaware that someone nearby had also noticed her.

When the stall owner’s wife served her flatbread, she looked up, smiled faintly, and said, “Thank you.”

That moment stunned Yu Er, who was sitting diagonally across from her.

“Miss Xu… Xu?”

As soon as Yu Er spoke, the others followed his gaze, looking over at the young, slender girl sitting at the inner table, eating hot wontons.

She still had a youthful, innocent look.

Long Yue Zhi had just raised his head and was momentarily startled by her face.

But after taking a closer look, he realized that while her facial structure and eyebrows bore some resemblance, she was not the eldest daughter of the Xu family.

The real Xu family daughter was almost thirty—how could she look this young?

That woman was full of arrogance and would never eat at a small street stall like this.

And if she had spotted him, she would have stormed over with an attitude.

Long Yue Zhi shook his head and turned his attention back to the menu.

Yu Er really was unreliable. Just earlier, Long Yue Zhi had praised his observation skills, and now he was already mistaking people.

“Boss, fifteen flatbreads, four bowls of wonton soup, and two plates of donkey meat.”

Yu Er was dumbfounded. “Fourth Master, can we even finish all that?”

Fourth Master had a small appetite—ordering this much would be a waste.

Long Yue Zhi glanced in Jing Xi’s direction, then smiled slightly at Yu Er. “Just take your time eating. What’s the rush?”

Across the table, Chen Zhi kicked Yu Er under the table, raising his eyebrows meaningfully as if to say, “Didn’t you see Fourth Master checking out the pretty girl? And she even looks like the Xu family’s eldest daughter.”

Yu Er immediately shut his mouth, not wanting to interrupt Fourth Master’s moment.

But Yu Er was confused—wasn’t Fourth Master supposed to hate the Xu family’s eldest daughter the most?

Why was he staring at a girl who looked like her?

Was he just pretending to hate her?

Yu Er couldn’t figure it out.

Jing Xi, of course, felt Long Yue Zhi’s gaze on her.

She thought back to how, two days ago, this man had been sending flirtatious looks at her from across the street.

As expected, he was a frivolous type.

She could tolerate it if it was just one person looking at her, but why were all four of them staring?

…

A quick glance was fine, but they were outright staring.

Could she not even eat in peace?

She put down her spoon, wiped her mouth, and met Long Yue Zhi’s eyes.

The moment their gazes locked, she blurted out, “What are you looking at?! Never seen a beautiful woman eat before?!”

Jing Xi’s tone was not friendly.

Yu Er was about to stand up and snap back when Long Yue Zhi pulled him down. “Sit.”

Then, Long Yue Zhi turned to Jing Xi with a playful smile.

“You’re right—I’ve never seen a beautiful woman eat before. If you don’t mind, could you share a table with me and let this inexperienced man watch?”

The other three men were so shocked their jaws almost hit the floor.

Was Fourth Master… flirting with a woman?

Jing Xi curled her lips into a mischievous smile.

“Sure! But watching me eat isn’t free. You have to pay up!”

Oh? She dared to ask for money?

Long Yue Zhi’s interest grew even more.

A little firecracker, huh?

When she smiled like that, she looked even more like the Xu family’s eldest daughter.

His curiosity was piqued.

“Name your price.”

Jing Xi took one look at his outfit and knew he was rich.

The other three burly men had to be his bodyguards.

Fueled by her disdain for the rich, she decided to go big. She hiked up the price with a scowl.

“One hundred!”

“For one meal!”

“…”

“That’s daylight robbery,” Yu Er muttered under his breath, his voice as quiet as a mosquito’s.

But Jing Xi could hear them perfectly.

“Dark? Now you realize it’s dark? You four have been watching me eat—each of you owes me a hundred bucks! Got it? That’s already a discounted price!”

After saying that, Jing Xi rolled her eyes. She didn’t actually expect the man to pay; she was just annoyed by their staring. Plus, after two days of fruitless searching, she needed to vent a little.

But the moment the words left her mouth, a sliver of fear crept into her heart.

What if this ‘Boss Hong’ was a dangerous man…?

Jing Xi’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly grabbed her spoon, finishing the last wonton in her bowl. She decided not to eat the donkey meat bun here anymore—she’d take it to go!

Just as she was about to stand up and plan her escape, the man unexpectedly sat down across from her. He placed a thick stack of bills in front of her bowl, his long fingers tapping lightly on the money.

“The cash is here,” he said. “Now, put on a show for me. I’ve got nothing but money to burn.”

Jing Xi stared at him in shock.

His phoenix-shaped eyes were striking, with deep double eyelids and a perfectly high nose bridge. His deep-set eyes carried an exotic allure, resembling the Western regions. His gaze was as gentle as a still, deep lake, fixed entirely on her.

Tsk, tsk, tsk!

Trying to seduce her with good looks?

Hah! That trick wouldn’t work on her.

Jing Xi took ten seconds to compose herself. She reminded herself—people with nothing to lose had nothing to fear. Eating her fill and dying was still better than starving to death.

She picked up the money and counted it. Wait, why was it two hundred?

She glanced at the man in confusion. He simply grinned, flashing a row of perfectly white teeth. His Mandarin was exceptionally clear.

“Fourth Master has money to spare. You eat beautifully—so now, put on a performance for my late-night snack.”

Oh my god!

=====

Jing Xi and Long Yue Zhi made a three-point agreement before she finally agreed to have a late-night meal with him.

1. He could only watch her eat—nothing else.
2. Only he could be present; no one else was allowed to watch, and he had to pay for the meal.
3. The restaurant had to be nearby. Once she finished eating, she would leave immediately—no excuses to make her stay.

Long Yue Zhi agreed to everything, but he had one condition.

“What if you take the money and run? I’ll have to send someone to follow you.”

“Besides, it’s for your protection. Have you seen all the missing girl notices posted everywhere? If you disappear and try to blame me, then what?”

The street food stall owner was pulled in as a witness—given an extra hundred bucks for the trouble. The boss and his wife didn’t dare refuse.

Jing Xi didn’t want to make things difficult for them, so she reluctantly agreed.

The one assigned to follow her was Yu Er—the same person who kept calling her “Miss Xu.”

As for the restaurant they chose?

Hong’s Restaurant.

Tonight at 10:30 PM, she would put on a ‘late-night meal performance’ for Boss Hong himself.