Chapter 508: Chapter 508: I’m a Professional at Confronting People
"Your voice is so loud that it’s disturbing my rest, and I haven’t even said anything about it. How can you start turning the tables on me? And who said I can’t come out? Ridiculous." Xu Longzhen gave the woman a look that said, "You’re being unreasonable," and slowly walked toward Xu Ke.
"How did you get involved with a person like that?" Xu Longzhen raised her eyebrows with a questioning look as she glanced at Xu Ke.
Someone who didn’t know the situation might think it was an insult, but Xu Ke knew there was no malice in the question. It was obvious from the look in Xu Longzhen’s eyes—there was no ill intention.
When the woman heard what Xu Longzhen said, her face turned ugly in an instant. "What do you mean by saying that? Explain yourself. What do you mean by ’a person like me’? What have I done?"
The woman was visibly angered by Xu Longzhen’s words, but no one paid her any attention. Xu Ke and Xu Longzhen continued their conversation without even sparing her a glance.
"I also don’t know how it happened. It’s all quite baffling." Xu Ke shrugged, a trace of helplessness on his face.
Xu Longzhen rested her chin in her hand and seriously examined Xu Ke for a moment before saying, "It’s probably because beauty causes trouble. I really liked the game console you gave me last time. How about I treat you to a meal to express my gratitude?"
Xu Ke checked the time on his watch, showing a bit of apology on his face, "Sorry, I have to go home at this time. My wife is waiting for me to have dinner. Maybe next time."
"Uh-huh." Xu Longzhen shrugged too, not pressing the matter. She had just said it casually and didn’t really intend to treat someone to a meal just for a game console. She only wanted to provoke.
She wanted to show the other person that the man she desperately wanted to get close to was avoiding her, yet Xu Longzhen could easily invite him for a meal with just a word. Didn’t that make her mad? Xu Longzhen thought with a smile.
Their conversation, carried out as if no one else was present, and their tone of familiar intimacy, made the woman agitated. Her face turned grim as she grabbed Xu Ke’s arm to prevent him from leaving, even adding a slightly interrogative tone, "Who is she? What is your relationship with her?"
Xu Ke’s patience ran out the moment she grabbed him.
"This has nothing to do with you. I’ll say it again: I don’t know you, and I’m not interested in the so-called affection you talk about. What you call pursuing, to me, feels like harassment, like an annoying fly that won’t go away. If you have any self-respect, I hope you never appear in front of me again spouting nonsense about liking me. It only makes me despise you more," Xu Ke said mercilessly.
Xu Ke’s words stabbed the woman’s heart like a sharp knife, causing her to release the grip on his wrist and filling her eyes with tears.
"How could you say that to me? You’ll regret this, I will make you regret this." The woman flung Xu Ke’s arm away, her tear-filled eyes filled with resentment as she looked at Xu Ke and Xu Longzhen. "I will make you pay for your actions today." She spat out her threat, then turned and ran away.
"What a nutcase." Xu Longzhen said as she watched the woman walk away.
"Thank you for speaking up for me today, but I really have to go now. See you another day." Xu Ke nodded toward Xu Longzhen’s direction and left without hesitation. In no time, the large parking lot was left with only Xu Longzhen and her assistant standing there.
"An interesting person. I am really starting to like this place, China. Everything is so intriguing here, don’t you think?" Xu Longzhen said unclearly, pulling a lollipop out of her pocket, unwrapping it, and popping it into her mouth.
"Indeed, this place is very interesting," the assistant nodded in agreement with Xu Longzhen’s words.
"I feel like inviting him for a meal." Xu Longzhen left this ambiguous statement hanging in the air as she, too, left the underground parking lot with her assistant.
After a few days, Xu Ke had already put the incident behind him, but he unexpectedly ran into Xu Longzhen again at a restaurant.
Xu Longzhen unabashedly sat opposite Xu Ke, called the waiter, and ordered a bunch of dishes before turning her gaze onto Xu Ke.
"What a coincidence meeting again." Xu Longzhen rested her chin in her hands, giving Xu Ke a roguish smile.
Xu Ke put down the utensils in his hand with a bit of helplessness and met Xu Longzhen’s eyes. "I fear it’s not just a coincidence. What brings you to me this time?"
"To treat you to a meal, of course. Didn’t I mention it in the parking lot last time? I really liked the game console you gave me, so I wanted to treat you to a meal." Xu Longzhen said straightforwardly.
Xu Ke didn’t say anything, but looked at Xu Longzhen with deep, contemplative eyes.
"Alright, I find you a very interesting person, so I want to be friends with you. I rarely take the initiative to invite others to meals, but I make a friend per meal," Xu Longzhen said with a look of determination in her eyes.
"Friends? You seem to know a lot about me, but I’m only acquainted with your name. How can we be friends with such an unequal level of information and relationship?" Xu Ke chuckled.
"You have a point. I’ll have my assistant introduce me to you." Xu Longzhen said, suddenly realizing and tapping her forehead.
Following the order, the assistant took a step forward, adjusted their glasses, and began speaking without any expression. Xu Ke listened impassively, comparing the information he got with what he knew from the man on the island, and realized there weren’t any discrepancies. In fact, the introduction from Xu Longzhen’s side was more comprehensive.
For instance, being the third child with two elder sisters, and how she stood up for her subordinates—all this Xu Ke quietly listened to.
"And the most important thing, our family really dislikes Xu Jiahui, so if you ever encounter her, be sure not to get too close, or our miss will be upset." The assistant summarized as a final remark.
Upon hearing the unfamiliar yet familiar name, Xu Ke was momentarily stunned, but his expression remained unchanged throughout, so Xu Longzhen couldn’t detect his reaction to the name.
"Alright then, now we’re more or less acquainted. After this meal, you’ll be considered my friend, Xu Longzhen. You have no objections, right?" Xu Longzhen stated.
"None at all, I also think Ms. Xu is a fine person. It’s an honor to have a friend like Ms. Xu." Xu Ke’s mouth curled up slightly, making him appear to be in a good mood, but no one could discern what Xu Ke was truly thinking.