Young lords from the Five Tombs, east of the Golden Market, on white steeds with silver saddles, ride through the spring breeze. Chapter 98: Christmas, Valentine's Day Disaster (4)

“Good dogs don’t block the road. Get lost. I’m not in the mood to waste time on you today,” he said with a contemptuous curl of his lip, continuing to gnaw on the chicken wing in his hand.

“Tsk, Fang Boss, things aren’t going so well for you, huh? Weren’t you driving a BMW? How come on Christmas Eve you don’t even have a girlfriend?” Zhu Wei took the initiative to pick a fight.

“Zhu Wei, your skin’s itchy again, is it? Let me see... all your teeth are still there, I take it?”

Zhu Wei took a guilty step back, but then quickly grew smug again.

“Fang Yu, what’s so great about you? Churan still chose me, damn it. You’re only fit to sit here eating barbecue, spending Christmas Eve alone.”

He paused, then remembered what Lu Zhen had said. He looked over and sure enough, there was someone on the back of the scooter. Looking closer, it really was Xia Churan.

At that moment, the girl also spotted him. Fang Yu had a chicken wing in his left hand and a lamb skewer in his right, his face smeared with grease, clearly not looking like someone celebrating Christmas Eve. She hurriedly jumped off the bike.

“Hey, Fang Yu, why are you back? Weren’t you supposed to be with Qin Lu?”

“Ah, Qin Lu’s got classes at school. You should go. If your boyfriend keeps annoying me, I’ll have Zhao Bin crack his skull open!” He waved her off impatiently.

Xia Churan’s beautiful eyes lit up. In one quick stride she was by his side, clutching his sleeve tightly.

“Really? You don’t have to keep Qin Lu company tonight?”

“Have you ever seen anyone celebrating Christmas Eve by coming out alone for skewers?” He rolled his eyes.

“Hmph, then keep me company tonight. This young lady wants a candlelit dinner!” she cooed.

“Churan, didn’t you promise me for tonight? I even booked the table already. It’s at the place I mentioned!” Zhu Wei hurried to plaster on a smile. This guy was truly meek in front of Xia Churan.

“Move aside. Who said I promised you anything? I was just trying to make Fang Yu mad. Do you really think so highly of yourself?” The girl shoved Zhu Wei away in disgust.

What was more, she even pulled a packet of tissues from her little purse, took one out, and gently wiped the oil from the corner of Fang Yu’s mouth.

“Oh dear, you ate so carelessly. You got it all over your face.”

Fang Yu had originally planned not to give in, but thinking to rile Zhu Wei even more, he went right along with it.

“Mhm. Be good. I only like you when you’re this obedient. Don’t pull a face like you did yesterday. Who were you trying to show it to?”

The girl’s voice turned plaintive.

“It was all because of you, you jerk. You were going to spend Christmas Eve with Qin Lu, so I was trying to make you mad. Don’t be angry anymore, okay? I’ll never pay any attention to Zhu Wei again, all right?” As she spoke, she coyly shook his arm.

Zhu Wei’s face went pale with rage. For today’s date, he had even deliberately changed into a white overcoat, because he had seen Fang Yu wear one some days ago and decided to imitate him without shame.

“Fang Yu, don’t push it too far! Xia Churan is my woman! If you dare take her away, I’ll fight you to the death! You’re nothing but an internet cafe owner near the school. If you keep provoking me, I’ll shut you down and make sure you can’t survive on this snack street!” Zhu Wei’s eyes were practically splitting open.

Fang Yu hated being threatened more than anything in the world. He took the tissue from Xia Churan’s hand and wiped his own hands, saying nothing. Then, in one swift motion, he slapped every last unfinished skewer right across Zhu Wei’s face.

The move was so fast and sudden that Zhu Wei had no time to react before half-eaten chicken wings and skewers were smeared all over him.

“Zhu Wei, I don’t like talking nonsense. If I catch you pestering Churan again, I’ll break your dog legs. So you’ve got money, do you? The one thing I’m never short of is money. You say I dented your bumper, right? Fine, here you go.”

With that, Fang Yu pulled several large bills from his wallet and tossed them onto the ground, saying contemptuously,

“Take it and eat!”

The bright red banknotes lay glaring on the pavement. Zhu Wei’s eyes were bloodshot as he glared fixedly at Fang Yu, but Fang Yu was not the least bit afraid. He stepped forward and patted Zhu Wei’s face.

“You little punk, don’t be shameless when I’m being polite. Your parents didn’t teach you properly, so I’ll teach you for them. My internet cafe welcomes your troublemaking. Whichever foot you step through the door with, I’ll chop that foot off. Understand?”

Even Xia Churan, standing beside him, felt a little frightened by Fang Yu’s expression. Zhu Wei had never seen anything like this before; this wasn’t child’s play.

Fang Yu, a seasoned old hand of thirty-five, had seen every kind of scene there was. How could Zhu Wei, just an ordinary student, possibly stand against him? Zhu Wei’s legs immediately went weak. He couldn’t even speak properly, his teeth chattering furiously.

Seeing that he had achieved his aim, Fang Yu turned away and let that man-eating expression fade from his face. He put an arm around Xia Churan’s slender waist. This time he did it deliberately, just to show Zhu Wei.

“Let’s go. We’re having a candlelit dinner tonight.”

Xia Churan obediently nestled into his arms, not even sparing Zhu Wei a glance. She hooked her arm through Fang Yu’s and slipped her hand into his pocket.

“Mmm. Fang Yu, you looked so scary just now. Will you ever be that way with me?”

“Ha, you’re overthinking it. I’m very easy to get along with.”

“You’re lying. You were practically about to swallow Zhu Wei whole just now.”

The two of them laughed and chatted as they walked farther and farther away. Zhu Wei could no longer hold himself up. He dropped onto the scooter seat and panted for breath.

After a long while, he finally recovered enough to look bitterly at the banknotes on the ground. That money would have been enough to replace his bumper, but with so many students watching, he could never bring himself to pick it up. In the end, he could only glare a few more times resentfully before climbing onto his little scooter and, in a fit of pique, riding back to school.

As for the money, the old security guard happily pocketed it with a grin, even tossing out a couple of barbed remarks about Zhu Wei being an idiot with too little money.

Fang Yu walked with Xia Churan back to the snack street across from the school. When they reached his ride, he suddenly stopped.

“Wait a second. I need to get something.” With that, he took out the bracelet he had bought that morning from the trunk.

“Look. Do you like it?”

The girl’s eyes were full of surprise. She had thought Fang Yu had already forgotten about her, never expecting that he would still have a gift for Christmas Eve.

“Is this for me? Wow, it’s beautiful!” Xia Churan held it up against her snow-white wrist, turning her hand this way and that.

“Mm, it’s for you. Put it on.” Smiling, he fastened the bracelet onto her wrist.

The girl no longer cared that people were coming and going all around the snack street. She rose on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around his neck, and planted a light kiss on his cheek.

“Hee hee, I knew you couldn’t bear to leave me alone. Wait for me, okay? I’ll go change my clothes before we go eat.”

“Hmm? Weren’t you supposed to go out with Zhu Wei anyway? You didn’t change clothes?”

“Hmph, he’s worthy? If you hadn’t come, I might not even have gone out. Who told you to make me mad yesterday?” Remembering that, the girl was still huffing with annoyance.

“Fine, fine. Where are your clothes?”

“They’re with you. Take me back, will you?”

Fang Yu nodded, not knowing what the girl was planning to change into. He drove the vehicle into the school grounds, and Xia Churan darted into the dormitory building. Only after twenty minutes did she emerge, looking shy and timid.

“It’s the dead of winter. Aren’t you cold wearing that?” He paused in surprise as well. Xia Churan was still wearing that autumn dress; its elegant cut made the tall girl look even more striking.

“Mm, I’ll just wear a coat over it. It’s Christmas Eve, after all. I should dress a little more formally.” Xia Churan turned with a bright smile.

“Well? Does it look nice?”

He had to admit that the girl before him was truly a stunner.

“Mm. It looks great. Let’s go. We’re heading into the city.”

At that point, the internet cafe really was left with only Zhao Bin. Cursing under his breath, he muttered at the cash register about how Fang Yu and Cheng Chen both cared more about women than about friends.